The Alpha's Raven- SAMPLE

Chapter 4

THE NEXT morning, I'm up before dawn, the schedule for will's training I planned out the night before running through my head. I somehow managed to get all of the current and future pack leaders to agree on group training today for our Charges. And the majority of the exercise will be done in wolf form. With human form obstacles.

Excitement buzzes through my veins as I make my way through the pack's main house to Will's room. Alpha Jon was very proud of me when I had pitched the idea for this exercise when I first started my training several years ago. Both he and Beta Braxton said it was one of the toughest ones they have ever done. Apparently, no one had thought of doing obstacles made for one of our forms in the other.

And let me just say: it is grueling.

None of the current Charges have gone through this yet, so all of us Protectors are interested to see how they'll do. Will is the youngest of all eight Charges, which means less training, so the others will most likely fair better than him, but who knows. He could surprise us.

I come to a stop outside of Will's bedroom door, waiting and listening to see if he was up yet. No noise comes from his room except for faint snores. I roll my eyes, mentally berating myself for actually believing a teenager would get up before six o'clock. To be fair, I'm twenty-four and I laid in bed for thirty minutes mustering the will to get up and get ready for the early morning training.

Why did we agree to meet at the training grounds at six fifteen?

I shrug my shoulders before shaking out my arms, trying to wake myself up just a bit more. I raise a fist and bang loudly on the wooden door, making it rattle on its hinges.

"William Joshua Martin, get your lazy ass out of bed before I drag you out to the training grounds in your My Little Pony boxers for the whole pack to see!" I smirk as I hear a few muffled laughs come from the rooms around me. At least I know the other Charges are awake. "Let's get this training started, Charge!"

Twenty minutes later, I stand on the edge of one of the dueling pits beside Beta Braxton, Will, and Future Alpha Jade. We all stand in a circle around Alpha Jon, who is currently explaining to the young wolves what they'll be doing and how they'll be doing it. I can see the shock and weariness in Sarah's eyes, and the utter confusion on Kyle's face. The Third in Command gives him a pat on his shoulder, her lips turned up in a smirk.

"And after you finish that course in your wolf form, you'll follow the White trail to the river near the southern border. There, you will shift back into your human form and swim across the river." Alpha Jon glances at each Charge as he speaks. "Once across, you will let out a howl to signal you have crossed, and from there you can make your way back here at your own pace. The river is the last challenge on your list." He clasps his hands together, giving us all a beaming grin. "You may start when your Protector gives you the go ahead."

I turn to face Will once Alpha Jon finishes speaking, my arms crossed and my face free of any emotions. I have gone through this exercise too many times to count. Despite the fact that I made this exercise, I have hated it with a passion every time.

"This exercise is not one to take lightly," I warn. His face blanches at the seriousness in my voice. "It is not easy. It is not quick. It is not safe. If you do everything right, you'll come out unscathed." I look him in the eyes, trying to get my point across without scaring him too much. "There have been close calls on this, and sometimes I regret having ever made this whole exercise up for the training regime. Please, be safe, Will. Give me the howl if you don't feel safe going any further."