Page 34 of The Gamma's Second Chance

My heart and mybrain want to head straight back to Nolan’s house, but my body needs water, so my new wolf friend and I stop at the jugs at the edge of the field, near where Beta Reid and Delta Sebastian stand observing the warriors. They both give me a cursory nod in greeting, and I wave at themwhile drinking my water. But while Reid turns back towards the training session, Sebastian continues to observe me, his keen eyes taking me in from head to toe.

I ignore it, though—or try to—dropping to my knees to pet the wolf who ran with me, scratching it behind the ears and smiling at the soft fur and the thumping of its paw against the ground as I find a sweet spot. And all the while, I sense Sebastian watching me.

“I see you’ve met Cav,” he says once I stand from the ground and begin my journey home, calling out to me from where he stands to observe the warriors.

I glance down at my little—er, big—wolf friend. “Cav?” I ask, glad to finally know the wolf’s name. Its ears perk up, and its tail wags harder when it hears me say its name.

“Cav. Cavalier,” Sebastian continues, strolling over to us and crouching to pet the wolf. “Wes named him after the prince in The Nutcracker,” he says, standing back up and patting Cav on the head. “And yes, he wears a tutu, even though he’s a dog. And no, none of us understand why or how he puts up with it, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen him without it since the day Wesley brought him to the pack.”

“Is he a dog or a wolf?” I ask, furrowing my brow.

“Half and half.”

“And he’s… what? The pack’s pet? Mascot? Project?”

Sebastian crosses his arms. “He’s technically Haven’s. But the entire pack adores him, especially the pups.”

“I can see why. He’s very sweet, and he was excellent company while I took my run just now.” I jerk my thumb over my shoulder, and Sebastian’s eyes flick towards the forest line and then slightly higher up the mountain before returning to my face.

“You ran that trail pretty fast,” he says, changing the subject. Cav jumps up, placing his paws on Sebastian’s chest, and hegrunts, knocked back a step by the unexpected hug and the kisses the wolf begins to place on his face. But he just rubs his muzzle and scratches his ears again as he continues speaking to me. “Your time was faster than almost all of our female warriors.”

I lift a brow at him. “You timed me?” He nods. “Why?” I ask, cocking my head to the side.

He raises one shoulder and winks at me. “Curiosity.”

I bark out a single sharp laugh. “Right.”

“You should join us for the remainder of the training session,” he says, shoving Cavalier off his shoulders with a gentle push, his hand still patting him on the head as the wolf pants next to him. “You haven’t had a chance to yet, and it’s always good for our warriors to practice with an unknown, unfamiliar opponent.”

I scan the sparring warriors, watching them as they practice their skills, chewing on my lip. It has been a while since I’ve participated in a decent sparring session, and I shouldn’t be letting my skills slide. If something happens where I need to defend myself or Haven, I should be sure I am in top form.

Plus, it may help to work out some of my emotional frustrations.

“Yeah, that would be great, actually,” I say, giving Sebastian a smile and placing my hands on my hips. “Where do you want me?”

He turns and gestures at me to follow him as he makes his way back over to where Reid stands. A tall, dark-skinned pregnant female with her hair in box braids stands with him now, his hand resting in the small of her back, his thumb drawing casual circles, both of them watching a sparring match between Maddie and a blond male I haven’t met yet.

“Mason!” Sebastian yells, his voice booming out over the grounds. The blond sparring with Maddie glances at him for a split second before turning his attention back to their matchright as Maddie jabs him in the gut. He grunts and Sebastian chuckles. “Your right hand is getting lazy. Take a break!”

The two immediately back away from each other at Sebastian’s order, tired but self-satisfied smiles on their faces as they high-five each other. The male—Mason—jogs to the side of the sparring ring and then stops to catch his breath.

“Cassandra’s going to sub in for Mason,” Sebastian says to Maddie. “Get a quick drink while she prepares.”

“Cassandra?” the female next to Reid asks. “Nolan’s roommate?”

“The one and only,” I say, keeping the grimace off my face and the snark out of my voice.

“Taryn,” she says, reaching around Reid to shake my hand.

“She’s my mate,” Reid says, his chest puffed up and his eyes shining with pride as they stay glued to her face.

I shake her hand, chuckling to myself at Reid’s obvious obsession with his other half. “Nice to meet you.”

“Normally, I’d have you fight her,” Sebastian says. “But she’s on a hiatus from hand-to-hand combat and patrol duties until Dr. Russo clears her after she gives birth.”

“Are you saying I’m your second choice?” Maddie asks as she returns from her water break, and Sebastian gives her a noncommittal shrug. “Ouch. That hurts.”

“That’s facts,” Sebastian says.

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