Truly

Chapter 8

~Toni

The day after Max and I had told his family we were mates was Josh's birthday. In the day, I FaceTimed my parents with Max, which surprisingly went well. My mum cried when she thought of the idea of me moving out of her house and the pack. We all agreed that I wouldn't leave home until I needed to move out. After the conversation, I went to talk to Alpha Caleb about the competition, which of course was the reason we were here. We agreed that we would start training and find out who were the people that would be representing our pack. Hopefully, I would still be allowed. 

After all the business, I went back home. Josh was having a party with friends that had come with us from the pack and new friends from this pack, including Max. Parties in our friendship group meant alcohol and alcohol was not good for me. I was a bit of a lightweight. At Josh's party, I may have gotten a little drunk...

....."Wake up. Come on, get up!" Someone was bouncing on my bed. A bright light was coming through the curtains and I groaned, quickly pulling the covers over my head.

"Go away."

I felt the person get off my bed and they sighed. I thought they were going to go away but I was mistaken. The person suddenly pulled the covers off the bed and threw them to the other side of the room. I looked at Roxy and then hid my face in the pillow.

"God, Toni, you look absolutely dreadful. How much did you have to drink last night?"

"I lost count at three." I giggled but then held my pounding head. "Note to self, don't laugh." I put my face back into my pillow.

"Right, one minute." She went over to the window and closed the curtains. "Is that better?"

"Thanks." That was when I took a closer look at Roxy. She was wearing her hair up which she never did which made me take another look at her. That was when I noticed it.

"Quick staring will you? I just really want to tell you. It was after everyone had gone home and we were alone so-" This sobered me up a bit.

"I DON'T want to know what you did last night. I know we're best friends but I din't think we had that kind of friendship. Just, um well done on getting officially mated. Now, get out."

"Aren't you getting up?"

"No, I think I'm going to sleep a little longer. If I am asleep, I can't text or answer any calls so I can hide my embarrassed butt from Max. I don't want to know what he though when he saw me in that state last night."

"Aren't you helping Alpha Caleb with the training today?"

That was when I remembered. I jumped up and pushed her out of the door. Just before I shut it so I could get changed, Roxy mumbled to herself.

"Now she sobers up."

I laughed to myself and went to the wardrobe. I grabbed my usual training gear that consisted of a sports bra crop top and some leggings. Slipping on my clothes, I smiled, welcoming the familiar sensation of my training clothes. I knew that Josh was coming to the training and Roxy wasn't so when I went downstairs and saw both of them wearing sports gear, shocked me.

"What are you wearing, Roxy?"

"I'm coming training." She smiled while chucking a water bottle to Josh and me before getting one out for herself. I nearly fainted at the thought of Roxy actually exercising.

At the arranged training point, I was thoroughly amazed at the turnout. Out of the twenty people that came to the Regal Pack, fifteen were here to train and hopefully get picked. The five that weren't training included three girls and Caleb and me, due to the two of us running the training and ultimately picking the competitors.

"Thank you all for turning up for this. Now from these training sessions, there will be several outcomes. The outcome that effects you all is the fact that you will all become fitter and hopefully take part back at home. For four of you, there are more outcomes. Four of you will be picked to become the representatives for our pack and will gain some kind of fame back in the pack. If you become the reason that our pack wins, your fame would be unknown. For the last ten years, the Regal Pack has won the competition. This will be our year. Any questions?" Alpha Caleb addressed the people.

"Yeah, I have a question. Why do we only get four competitors. I thought we had five?" Someone shouted from the group.

"One person is already in and that is Toni."

"Hey, she is the beta's daughter. I thought it was still up in air about whether she could compete or not?" There was a chorus of yeahs in the crowd. Caleb looked to me and I nodded at him.

"Well after we go back to our pack, we are unsure how long Toni will be with us. Our little fighter will be moving to this pack sometime in the near future and this will be her final fight as a Shadow Pack member. Any more objections?"

Everyone stayed silent. I couldn't keep silent anymore, I just wanted to start the training.

"COME ON GUYS! LET'S TRAIN!" I shouted. Everyone laughed. I was looking forward to that. 

Everyone was split off into pairs to have some idea of the level of fighting ability they had. As there was an odd number, I partnered with Josh as we were the most experienced fighters there so we were just left to our own devices. Josh had a better alcohol tolerance than me and didn't have a hangover which some would think was an advantage for him but it wasn't.

"How are you fighting like this?" He asked as we circled around each other, Josh catching some of his breath back.

"Darling, I have been hit in the head so many times when fighting, a little headache does not effect me.  I don't even realise that the pain is there." I laughed and swung at him, hitting him right in the jaw.

He then swung at me and I dodged the punch to them kick him in the stomach.

"Can I call it now? I haven't fought you in so long."

"To be honest, you haven'y had a fight in a while. Most of the people in the gym are too scared to fight you. I have been to watch so many fights and you are just stood on the sideline, every time."

"Is the whole of this competition a fight?" 

"No. There's obstacle courses, fights and a race. All contestants take part in an event. I think it is two competitors per event so and everyone does the race so it is just who does which event and when."

"Fun times." He sat down on the floor before I sat down in front of him. I chucked him a bottle of water and sighed.

"I can't believe this will be my parting gift to the Shadow Pack."

"I can't believe you are leaving me alone with Roxy."

"You can visit all the time, Josh. You know that right?"

"Yeah, I do."

We quickly did a friendly hug and laughed. 

"I love you Josh, as a friend of course."

"Yeah, love you too bestie."