The Graedarian Chronicles

Chapter Two

A sliver of sun shining through the living room curtains woke me up that morning. I groggily reached around for my phone, trying to find the time.

When I located my phone and tapped the screen I flew off the lounge. It took four hours to get to the castle training grounds by car and by that time I would already be a few hours late. So, my only option was to use my lycan speed to get there just before they started.

I raced around the house getting into my training gear and grabbing the things I would need for my trip. Anything I forgot could be sent up by my parents tomorrow. I didn't bother waking them as they knew where I would be. I raced out the door and into the forest quickly changing out of my clothes and stuffing them into my bag. I let my form grow two times the size of the bush beside me and was glad I remembered to loosen the straps on the backpack I was wearing. I'm sure I was a sight. I did not have time to stop and smell the breeze today as trees whizzed by me. I jumped over logs and bushes at inhuman speed. Water splashed up at my face as I raced through the shallowest part of the river separating the castle lands from our pack lands.

Five minutes before the training begun I reached the training ground, I marvelled at the size compared to our small sandy pit at home as I walked in. Warriors mingled about chatting to each other beside equipment that was larger than my human body. Weights were stacked in every corner and there was an obstacle course not too far off in the distance. I took a deep breath and shook the nerves out of my body.

I plastered a smile on to my face and walked into the view of all the kingdoms finest warriors. There were some newbies there, but they had been training there for a while by the looks of how comfortable they were. I was the only new meat which was earning me a few side glances.

I was ready to show them all what I was capable of.

A shadow appeared behind me, "Liliana, I'm so very glad you made it. I heard about the incident last night and was assuming you would be late."

"No High Warrior Jax, I'm here and ready to train," I said, giving him my widest and most confident grin.

"While we're here in the training grounds you'll just address me as Jax. Anywhere else and you must use my formal name," he told me. "Get ready to train hard. This is going to be different to anything you've ever done at your home pack."

"I'm ready."

He looked at me with his calculating green eyes before turning to the group. "Alright get into your groups."

All the training warriors stopped their conversations immediately and started shuffling around the grounds hopping into what looked like groups of four. I looked uneasily at Jax as I obviously had not been placed in a group yet and everyone was looking at me like ravenous bears.

"Liliana you will join team yellow at the end over there." He pointed in the direction he wanted me to go. I nodded my head and walked over to the two women and one man that were standing in a group together. They seemed mildly annoyed that they had received the fresh meat but introduced themselves anyway.

"Hi, I'm Joanne," one of the girls said extending her hand for me to shake and pointing with her other behind her, "this is Max and Selene."

"Hello, it's really nice to meet you all. I'm Liliana from the Moon Shine Pack."

"Ah I've heard of that pack, it's not too far from here actually. You border the royal pack territory right?" The guy called Max asked.

"Yeah we do!" I said, excited that I was getting along with my group.

"We've been first in every team challenge since we've been a group. I hope you've got what it takes." Selene said to me with a smug look on her face. I just smiled and turned my attention towards Jax who had started speaking.