Storm Born Book One

Chapter Five

"Time to get up son" whispered Edward. "Quickly, Thomas is waiting for you, and be quiet, we do not want to wake your mother".

Darius whined loudly "It's too early" and rolled over burying his head under the covers, to go back to sleep again,

"Now son, up before we wake your mother, it is your first day training with Thomas remember?"

Darius sat bolt upright, suddenly he was very, awake he had forgotten training with Thomas. He had wanted to learn to use a sword forever, Thomas had promised to ask his father, and now he was finally getting the chance to learn. He threw back the cover and all but leaped from the bed in his excitement.

  "I'm ready, do I go now?"

Edward chuckled at the sleepy head's sudden burst of enthusiastic energy "Shh! You're waking your mother'' he hissed his finger pressed to his lips. as Rosalind stirred on the bed. ''Perhaps you should wash and dress first" he smiled indulgently, ''quickly though you only have till 4:30, then you and Thomas are to go to the great hall to begin your training, you must be back here at nine so that the boys can take you to school''.

"Okay, I'll dress now" he stretched, scratching his belly, as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

Edward grinned and ruffled the boy's hair you have ten minutes I will wait with Thomas, leaving the boy to dress he left the bedchamber, Thomas was already sitting at the table when he saw Edward enter he rose and bowed.

"Alpha".

"Sit Thomas, relax, the boy will be out shortly he is unaccustomed to waking so early, he may be a while",

"Yes Alpha" he nodded sitting back down in his chair, nervous despite himself.  "Alpha do you have a set plan for his training, or are Liam and I to be given free rein?"

"Thomas you will be in charge of his Marshal training and Liam will be your second you are now my beta and gamma. I trust you both with this task you are blood-bound to Darius, and I know you will only want to do your best for the boy".

It always amazed him and Liam how much the Alpha's faith in them had grown, after the things they had done in the past, neither had felt that they deserved the faith he was placing in them it only made Thomas admire the man more. He wanted to serve his new alpha to the best of his ability he was proud of his new position as Beta to Edward and he never wanted to disappoint him or let down Darius in any way.

"Well the boy needs to build his stamina and strength before we begin actual training so I was thinking runs and weights, to begin with, perhaps an hour of basic hand-to-hand combat for the first few weeks, then we can progress to weapons. He needs to be able to fight without weapons before he can fight with them" Thomas looked to Edward observing his face to see any sign of disapproval.

"I think that's an excellent plan Thomas" Edward smiled nodding in approval.

Darius rushed into the room excitedly pulling on his tunic, "Hello Thomas".

"That would be Beta Thomas to you Darius" chided Edward the boy needed to learn that titles mattered, Thomas was his Beta and Darius's trainer and protector, he deserved the respect that came with that position. Darius needed to stop thinking about Thomas and Liam as just friends, it was good that the boy trusted them, liked them even, that he considered them friends and trusted them was a good thing. However he also had to remember that hierarchy in a wolf pack was important, it allowed for the smooth running of a pack. Every wolf has his or her place and knows their function within a pack. Tipping that balance could spell disaster for a pack upsetting the balance of a pack put wolves on edge. Keeping balance in a pack as his father had once told him, was like balancing a house of cards one wobble could send all the cards falling.  a firm base was good but if the cards on the top were not set right all would fall.