The Unmarked Mate

Chapter 64

Elestren

Useless to say, I wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon so I gathered myself and headed up to the bathroom. After a long hot shower I got dressed and headed downstairs, relieved to find myself alone again. I started making coffee and sat at the counter with bread and butter. Once I had started eating, Jenny arrived, not phased this time to see me and join me for breakfast. She didn't seem to be a talker in the morning either so we exchanged a smile while we slowly woke up. I went up to the office to work before training and around half past seven I went to the training room in advance to use it for myself to focus.

The old room where my Dad and I used to train was still there, but the ones next to it were now covered in all sort of modern machines. Upstairs, what used to be sleeping quarters for when we had a lot of guests had been turned into one massive training room. Seeing this space without the walls made me realize how large it was. The whole pack could actually fit in there, that was good. But for now I went back downstairs where I was more comfortable; I needed to meditate and to focus. Margaret and Joan had taught me meditation and yoga, the more I fought, the more I realized how this can help focus and warm you up. I spent twenty minutes just holding poses, moving slowly from one posture to another. When I was done I stayed into a child's pose, my hands connecting with the mat. I felt it before I heard it, the steps of men going up to the big room. It was too early for the training but I knew that Lucius' warriors were the ones going upstairs. Claiming territory before anyone arrived which I understood well since it was exactly what I had been doing.

Once I was sure all the men had gone up, I quietly went up to observe. The top of the stairs made an angle so I was able to watch them without them noticing me. They were about forty, it wasn't a lot, but Lucius didn't trust many men, so much so he hadn't bothered naming a Gamma or a Delta, and Alfred assumed the position of chief warrior. At least, it gave them something to focus on. But if they were trying to impress people, I wasn't entirely sure they were doing it right. They were strong, no doubt about that, but they lacked grace and didn't think the fight through. One of them caught my attention, I didn't know him. The first time I saw him was the time I went back here to save Ori and he was one of the warriors who didn't know how to act around me when I had come to negotiate with Lucius. One of the younger warriors tried to attack him but he smirked and dodged his blow, making the eager young man crash against the wall. He was tall, lean but with a back corded with dense muscles, a very quick fighter I guessed. He had an angelic face but his eyes had a darkness I knew all too well from looking myself in the mirror, if I were to guess I would say he was from a Korean or Japanese family. He caught me looking at them and gave me a knowing smile, I put my index on my mouth to indicate him no to tell the others I was here and he nodded in approval. I kept on watching their stances, their technique, they certainly had potential to become great warriors. But the job wasn't only about the power of the body, I needed men willing to protect the ones who couldn't protect themselves, who would strengthen themselves to strengthen the people, not just to look ripped and scary.

"So what do you think of the new Alpha?" asked one of the younger boy to a stout comrade. The tone of his voice when he said Alpha wasn't getting to something pleasant. That was getting interesting. The younger boy I didn't know, one of Lucius' men, but the stout one I knew, Cassius Lacroix, he was a couple of years older than me.

"What about the new Alpha, Dixon?" Cassius asked, squinting his eyes in suspicion.

"It's a woman!"

"I am well aware."

"And that doesn't bother you?" Dixon snapped.

"You're young, you were trained by Lucius and Alfred for a long time..." Cassius sighed.