The next day, I woke up at around eight in the morning. I seriously couldn't help it, it was like wired into my brain or something to wake up around the hour of eight. I decided that I should take a run in human form to keep myself in shape. I was undergoing training to become a protector for my pack and the training was off for the summer, though I had to follow a strict fitness routine and diet.
Training for being a protector was hardcore and taken seriously. You had to be in the best mental and physical state; one slip and you could be putting the whole pack in danger.
Mac, Rob and Mark were undergoing training to become pack warriors while Ethan and I were going for Protectors. Ryker was the only guy who was going in as a healer. Being a warrior was a much easier job as all they had to do was help other packs during wars or fight in their own wars.
Being a protector was a nasty thing. You either had to take day shift or night shift and prance around, warding off demons, rogues and jack like that.
I slipped on my running shoes. I was wearing my favorite pair of black running shorts and a neon green tank.
I slipped out through the back door, which directly lead into the woods. After a couple minutes of stretching, I was satisfied and took off into the woods. Being a protector meant that you needed to be stealthy, fast, strong and silent at the same time. It was a tough thing, but I enjoyed it.
There was the sound of a twig snapping. I immediately skidded down to a halt and tried to slow down my heavy breathing. That definitely wasn't me. There was the sound of running feet and I immediately went on alert. I could see motion through the trees. My instinct snapped up and I lunged at the figure, pushing us both to the ground.
Instantly, the man turned us around, so I was on the ground with him pinning my hands above my head. He looked to be in mid-twenties and he was frowning hard. He was straddling my thighs while one hand was at my throat and the other pinning my hands down.
My heart was beating fast and my cheeks flushed with embarrassment when I realized I just attacked some random stranger without rhyme or reason.
This man was huge. His arms bulged with his muscles and his chest was well-built. He would easily tower over me. Apart from all that, I had to give it to him. He was incredibly hot. But of course, Astoria Jenkins never calls anyone hot.
I tried wiggling out of his grasp, but his grip on me only tightened.
"Fuck! Let go of me, you moron!" I yelled at him.
"Who the hell are you?" He growled at me.
"Right back at you!" I found that I could move my legs and kneed him in the back of his thigh. In my mind I was thinking that he would roll off me screeching in pain, but none of that happened. He just flinched and sat down entirely on my legs. "OW!"
"Answer me!"
"I'm Astoria Jenkins! I'm in this pack!" I yelled at him. My thighs were getting crushed under his weight and I just wanted him off of me.
His grip on me immediately loosened and he got off me. I groaned in relief. "Oh my god, you need a better diet plan. Tone down the weight a bit, yeah?" I sat up and massaged my thighs. He had a smirk on his face.
"It's all muscle, Hon."
I pushed myself up. "I thought you were a threat."
He grinned.
Shit. That smile.
"It's alright. I'm used to girls pouncing on me." He said.
My face flamed. "The fuck!"
He laughed.
"I'm leaving! Nice to meet you! Not!" I yelled and headed off in the direction I was going. I could still hear him laughing behind me. I continued my run, brutally making myself go for about another hour. I reached home all sweaty and stinky.
"What's that smell?" I heard someone question from the kitchen. I immediately knew that it was Mac trying to play with me.
"Hey! Be nice!" I yelled from the living room. These boys seriously did piss me off sometimes.
"Oh my god! Did you roll in a ditch or something?" Mark plugged his nose as he walked by me. I punched him in the shoulder. Hard. "EW! YOUR SWEATY HANDS TOUCHED ME!" He gave me an over-dramatic display of jumping in the air and brushing his shoulders as he ran away from me.
Mom was in the living room, laughing her ass off. "Ignore them. Go have a shower," she told me.
I frowned at her and trudged up the stairs to my room. After a nice cold shower, I came down to grab my breakfast. It was already past ten, so I just decided on having a mighty load. Not that it would stop me from having lunch.
I piled my plate with pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and all that tasty stuff. I plopped down in a chair next to Layla at the table.
"Hey," she looked up from the book she was reading. Layla was a certified healer.
"Hi," I chirped and dug in to my food.
"Tori, will come with me to the pack house? I need to take some more stuff to Zak's place and then I gotta head in to the infirmary to collect some stuff."
"Hmm," I muttered.
"Did you hear me?" She asked again.
"Yeah, sure. Where are we going?" I asked, looking up from my food. Layla face-palmed.
"Just come with me."
"Kay,"
An hour later, after I'd nearly finished the entire pile of pancakes, Layla pulled me along in the direction of the Pack House. We were each carrying two or three backpacks of hers filled with books.
"My god! How do you read so many books?"
"Tori, just shut up!" Layla snapped at me. "You've been whining the whole time!"
"But, it's so heavy! You could've just called one of the boys!"
"Well, aren't you one of them?"
I hit her shoulder. "If you're referring to my boobs..." I gave her a glare. Layla was laughing her butt off.
"No, I'm not! Well, kind of." She muttered the last part. I hit her again.
"Bitch."
"Can you tell me something?" Layla asked, she had a smirk on her face.
"What?" I questioned.
"When was the last time you kissed a guy?"
"Oh my god! Stop teasing me! There's nothing wrong with being a tomboy," I said.
"Can you tell me something?" I questioned her. I knew it would probably offend her, but meh.
"Sure," she said. "I just did."
I rolled my eyes at her. "When was the day that you didn't have sex with Zak?"
Her face flamed. "Shut up, Astoria."
I laughed loudly and some people who were walking by gave me weird looks. We finally reached the Pack House. It was this really intimidating and old building, but it was damn cool. It had a wrap-around porch and balcony on the first floor. Many of the warriors and protectors usually stayed in this building and the Alpha had the whole of the third-floor for himself and his family.
We walked in and were greeted by the familiar scent of vanilla and cinnamon. Dad was seated on the couch in the lobby and was deep in conversation with two buff men. He looked up at us and gave us a small smile. Layla waved back at him. The men turned to look at us. They wore blank expressions.
Layla inhaled sharply. "Let's go," she muttered.
"Sure are unhappy dudes," I commented. Layla giggled. I looked down into the backpack I was holding. It was full of science books on werewolves. One had a disturbing picture of two wolves humping on the cover. "The fuck do you have – mph!"
As I wasn't looking where I was going, I walked straight into someone. I lost my balance and toppled backwards. Someone grabbed the front of my t-shirt and pulled me forward. With the force at which I was pulled forward, the entire bit of my t-shirt was ripped. I toppled into someone's hard chest.
"Shit!" I swore.
I stepped back and looked down to find my entire midriff showing, luckily, my bra wasn't showing.
"You fucking moron..." I started, looking up. It was the buff guy I had attacked in the morning.
"Astoria," He said in recognition. He was holding the ripped bit of my shirt. His eyes drifted down to my belly, which I was trying to cover up with my hands.
He immediately pulled off the sweat-shirt he was wearing and handed it to me. "Wear this."
People had stopped in their tracks on the corridor and were gaping at us. Graciously, I grabbed the sweatshirt and pulled it over.
"You absolute jerk!" I gave him a nice hard punch in the shoulder, which hurt me more than it probably hurt him. He frowned at me and rubbed the spot where I had hit him. He was wearing a black tank underneath. And yup, my assumptions were right, he was extremely muscular. I huffed at him and bent down to pick up the books that were lying on the ground.
I would have expected him to at least help me pick up the books, but he didn't. He was just standing there. I was really pissed. I stood up and gave him a glare. He had a smirk on his face.
"Watch where you're going," He muttered. I huffed.
"At least, you could have," I retorted. He frowned at me. I noticed that he had those unusual blue-black eyes. Tingles were shooting through me. This guy had power rolling off him in waves, and I hadn't realized until now. He was sure to be some Alpha.
"If I were you, I'd watch my mouth, Astoria." He said.
"If I were you I'd apologize, Mr. Alpha." I said, narrowing my eyes at him. I could see that he was trying to hide a smile. It was weird how his moods could switch so fast.
"It's pretty amusing when especially you threaten me." He said. He was smirking down at me.
"Your face is amusing," I shot back at him. Lie. It was pretty amazing actually.
"Oh we all know that isn't true." He grinned at me.
Oh my god, that grin. Butterflies erupted in my stomach. I frowned. I didn't want to like this guy. He was rude.
"Arrogant, much?"
"Very much,"
I rolled my eyes. "Nice bumping into you and all," I said sarcastically. "But I gotta go. See ya around."
I grabbed Layla's hand and dragged her with me to her room. That guy seriously pissed me off.
I dumped all her books on her bed and folded up the sleeves of the hoodie. It was really large for me and it came down to my mid-thigh.
"Tori," Layla grabbed my shoulders and looked at me with wide eyes. I raised my eyebrow. "Do you have any idea who you just swore at and flirted with?"
"Um, that wasn't flirting!"
"But do you know?"
"No." I replied flatly.
"That," Layla paused for effect. "Was the Caine Ravenna."
"Ooh, I'm so scared," I said mockingly and then rolled my eyes. Layla gave me a serious look. "Wait, you're not joking?"
"Nope."
"Caine Ravenna?"
"Yep."
"Fuck."
"Yep."
I just stared at her. "Okay." I said, simply.
"Just a friendly reminder: you're wearing Caine Ravenna's hoodie."
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