Stronger- #Wattys2019

Part 21

"I still can't believe you're such a morning person." Yuri whined as he led Nadine toward the royal training center. "You could have waited until after the graduation and Alpha meetings before starting."

Her grey eyes cut to the beta. "Yesterday was enough of sitting around for me."

"You worked out in the morning, ran off to the university, took two finals, came back, got your temporary transfer paperwork all in order... what in the hell are you talking about sitting around?"

With a roll of her eyes, she dropped the subject. There was no point in explaining her quest for quiet, never to be found for long. There was too much emotional garbage to last her a lifetime. She needed to burn off the jittery nerves. And she didn't want a repeated confrontation with the king in the palace gym. "Just let me get this started."

Running his hands through his white hair, he lead her out the back of the palace and over to a large building which was separate, but close enough to the horseshoe shape of the palace, that the two created a kind of court yard, protected from the bitter winds of Siberia. "As you can see, fighters spar in wolf form here." Nearly two dozen wolves snarled and snapped as they fought in set matches. "In the summer, we use the area for some outdoor tournaments, parties, and stuff." He spoke almost absentmindedly.

Watching him closely, Nadine almost felt bad for him. Almost.

After learning about Nadine's secretive, awkward connection to the king, and how much Yuri genuinely wanted him to get his head out of his ass and accept her... well, Anna finally agreed to take it easy on her mate. She still opted to sleep in a room with Nadine, to be there for her friend, or whatever. However, she agreed to a date with the royal beta. It had been a late night for them, and an early morning for him as he led the new trainee to the training gym.

She couldn't help but be proud of Anna for not rushing into his bed like most wolves did. Wolf-shifters didn't have any hangups on sex, in general. Nudity and sexuality were a normal part of life. The higher ranks valued purity, though it wasn't something to be disappointed if it wasn't present. What truly mattered, was loyalty. Fully bonded mates could feel if their other half was unfaithful. It was a warning, not to tread so lightly on a bond given by the Moon Goddess herself. Because of it, many rushed into their relationships. Completing their bond through acceptance, marking and mating. There was no awkwardness of sex early on, and establishing a complete bond showed a level of possessiveness and loyalty they wouldn't have otherwise. One seeking the bond to know for sure the other was loyal, while at the sametime, proving their own loyalty to the other. And vice versa. Having that connection calmed the inner wolf and let the two bask in the glow of new hope and promises.

To slow down the process, to accept each other and wait to complete the bond, was rare. It generally showed a hesitation of trust, uncertainty. However, it also showed a level of strength, establishing some independence and need for communication and compromise, from the beginning.

Being mated to the beta of the Royal Pack, Anna needed to establish herself as something more than Yuri's shadow, or someone who would simply do what was expected and never question it. She was to become the beta female of the Royal Pack. A high rank, one she would have to defend if another female challenged her. There was no room for quietly accepting her fate. It had to be something she chose.

It was obviously taking its toll on Yuri and his patience, however, it was a move Nadine fully supported.

Thoughts scattered as they entered the warm building. It was a large gymnasium covered with padded mats on the floors and walls. To one end, there were four doorways with men and women passing through them. "Over there are the locker rooms." Yuri pointed. "Both the men's and women's lockers flank the back wall with doors on both sides. Open lockers are marked in green. Take anyone you want that's open, but remember which one it is and the combo. Stash clothes in there for whatever as the outside walls are partitioned to smaller walled areas with curtains. Your wolf can come in from the forest and duck into the proper changing station and have access to your locker and clothing. Many keep a robe and wear it until they can enter the showers and then change into clothes."