Coralie's POV:
"Come in guys!" Danny said as he waved in our guests. They took a step in, all of them with different forms of nervous restrain on their faces.
"Hello Sir." Hunter said, and the other two nodded with him.
"Dinner is almost ready, hope you're hungry." I said, as I passed them with a plate of food. We were all walking around, doing or jobs, except Danny, who sat at the head of the table, waiting for their arrival.
"Please, sit down." Danny said as I took my seat next to him.
"Thank you Sir." Heather nodded, taking the seat at the end of the table.
"We are grateful to be here." Leon said, as the others sat down in their places. I plated myself and Danny food, my father came in and greeted everyone, and everyone else began making their plates.
"It is important that I get the business side of this dinner out of the way, so we can begin dinner as a family, and a group." Danny said. I noticed Lavender tense up, and tried to send good feelings her way, hoping she wasn't missing Durst too much- but when he mentioned him she seemed to shrink into her seat. "I've spoken to my beta, my delta, and my Luna, and we've come to a decision. Hunter, your group did very well in the tryouts... you have a lot of work to do... But we are willing to help you. We want you to join us, here, as scouts." Danny said to the three of them. There was a sudden happiness over their faces, pure and uncontrollable, like that of children.
"We would be honored sir!" Hunter said with a bow of his head.
"Thank you Sir." Heather nodded with a bow, her eyes watering.
"We will do our best sir." Leo added, hugging Heather to him briefly.
"Good. We will need you to. You have big shoes to fill, and you'll be working constantly to fill them, but it will make you stronger. Welcome to the family."
"Thank you sir." Hunter said, giving his sister a warm smile.
"The scouts house will be done this weekend, and we want you to move in as soon as possible." Danny informed them as he poured me a drink. "If you have mates they may move in as well. Will there be a problem with that?" He asked them. They shook their heads.
"We'll pack tonight." Hunter said, enthusiastically.
"Good, because training starts tomorrow." Danny nodded. He picked up his drink, and brought it to his lips, watched me for a moment as he drank, and then looked back at everyone else. It was like time slowed when he looked at me, the room stopped, and it was only him for that moment, and then just as suddenly as he stopped time he started it again. He was always doing that. I looked down nervously at my hands while he addressed the room again, certain I knew why he looked at me that way. "Before we all start I want to discuss something else... Coralie and I are going to be married."
"What?!" Owen exclaimed- in an awkwardly high pitch- a grin on his face. Everyone looked at him in shock. There was a long pause, and then everyone broke into laughter after Winny giggled first. "What, can't I be exited?!" He said, his pitch still too high. LYour my sister, and he's my best- my best friend-"
"Are you crying?!" I laughed as I wiped my eyes.
"No! Stop looking at me." He groaned and took a drink of his beer, rubbing his eye with his free hand.
"I think what he's trying to say is congratulations." Frea said. I reached out for Danny's hand under the table and he grabbed it firmly, while everyone chimed in with congratulations.
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I had such a hard time keeping up. I thought being gone from my duties for so long wouldn't be a big deal- I've always been strong-, but it was extremely hard. I hadn't realized I had slowed down so much, when I ran at the back of the pack it felt easy, but keeping up with Danny was a hard task. I didn't realize how much faster he ran when he wasn't just having fun with me... How hard it would be to keep up, but I did it. I kept up. I fought to do it, but I did it
We all went our separate ways to change, Danny on my heels, following to where our clothes were piled up. I shifted back into my human form, and stumbled for a second, trying to stand my ground. In my human form I felt even weaker, and my legs trembled beneath me as I changed... But I could fight this. I will. I will push every day to be stronger.
"Do you need help love?" Danny asked softly as he approached me. I shook my head and pulled my shoes on. I followed him out of the forest, but winced as my legs moved. I had pushed too hard, but the pain felt good. "Please, let me help you." Danny said, worry in his voice, and in his eyes, as he touched my hand.
"Alright..." I sighed, part of growth is accepting help, but soon I won't need it.
He lifted me up in his arms and carried me towards the house. When we arrived we heard the commotion of everyone from the kitchen, and was glad, because that meant food. "I'm starving." I said as my stomach growled, and we entered the house.
"Good, cause we've got a lot of food!" Owen said, as he stood at the stove next to my dad.
"Oh no you're cooking..."
"Yeah, chocolate-chip, peanut butter, banana pancakes." Owen retorted. I broke out into a smile.
"Oh my god!" I exclaimed as Danny set me down on the stool next to Frea, who was sitting at the island.
"I know! I was so excited!" Free said. These pancakes were my dads specialty, Frea has had them at slumber parties at my house, and they were popular on Christmas mornings.
"I'll need plenty Owen, so I can train harder tomorrow." I said as I grabbed my fork and knife.
"Give her a double stack." Danny said to Owen, as if it were a demand. He placed a cup of coffee down for me and kissed my forehead.
"Yes, Sir." Owen chuckled, handing me a tall stack of pancakes.
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Danny's POV:
"Faster Coralie! Don't stop!" I yelled.
She nodded and pushed harder, her feet propelled her across the field, she turned on her heel, and headed back. "You're slowing down!" She pushed harder. "And... Stop!" I said as she reached the starting line again. "Ten seconds faster." I said when she looked up at me, her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "Very good."
"I can run faster." She said, disappointed in herself. She didn't have to be though, she did great.
"You did well, take a break." I ordered, and I could tell she wanted to protest, to train harder, but I wanted her to pace herself. "Owen, you're up." I ordered him to the line from where he was stretching, and he nodded. "Durst, come time him." I said, holding the stop watch out for him. He was training today, while Lavender caught up on homework. He nodded and took my place.
"Will do. Come on Owen, no slacking!" He teased as I walked away. I wanted to talk to Cora.
"Hey, are you okay?" I asked her, as I caught up to her, she had walked away a bit from the group, after grabbing her drink. "Was I too tough on you?"
"No- you weren't tough enough. I'm behind. I need to catch up. You can't baby me." She shot. I took a step back, my hands up.
"Coralie- you're my mate. I feel wrong yelling at you-"
"You'd be encouraging me- if you'd treat me like one of the pack. Not like a fragile flower." She said quietly.
I sighed, what did she want from me? We're thinking of having a family, but she wants me to push her? What is she trying to prove? How could she expect me to yell at her the way I do the others?
"I'll do whatever you want me to do..." I sighed, "but this will be hard on me, having to yell at you feels wrong-"
"Please, push me, tell me how horrible I'm doing. Curse at me, and expect more, don't- don't let me be weak. I don't want to be." She said, before sighing. "I'm done being weak. I'm completely over it. So push me to be stronger, like you do for everyone else. Hell- you push Lavender harder than you push me."
I'll help.
My wolf growled in the back of my mind. I would have to let him take the lead. Wolves don't hesitate to push their loved ones in the wild- there is no time to be weak.
That's when it clicked. She was afraid. She was trying to become herself again. Strong, independent, a scout.
Please.
Her wolf begged.
"Okay... I'll do it..." I sighed.