Page 56 of Pack Captive

"Where is she going?" I asked, and Yasemin beckoned for me to follow.

"She's going to prepare for tonight, and you are going to go down to the training grounds." She led me back through the temple to the courtyard. Several maids were already trooping over the sky bridge, presumably to collect the dishes. "They won't run you hard, but you need to be able to keep up with the pack when they patrol."

"I'll be fine," I assured her. "Living in the valley toughened up my pack."

Yasemin hesitated, then reached out and patted my shoulder. I found myself actually grateful for this small bit of contact. "You'll do well. My fears were unfounded; I admit that I was not pleasant towards you."

"I can understand why." I looked down. A glittering golden moon sparkled underfoot. "It's hard to trust anyone these days."

I couldn't even trust what my own mother had taught me.

"Fenris is making monsters of all of us, and he doesn't even need to corrupt us to do it," Yasemin said bitterly, but she shook her head. "Go on. Report to one of the guards, and they'll escort you."

I did as she ordered, but this time I shifted before I crossed the sky bridge. I felt much more stable on four feet instead of two.

One of the Guardians brought me to the training grounds, taking me all the way down to the level of Lykos's main city, and towards a building that looked like an amphitheater that had been squashed into the exterior wall.

My stomach clenched when I saw the Claws there, including a long auburn ponytail that looked familiar.

I was this close to turning around and walking away when a wolf with a scarred face saw me. He came jogging over, shirtless and gleaming with sweat.

I wondered if Ryden and Calian were in that amphitheater, in similar states of undress.

"You're the new Caller," he said, giving me a respectful nod. "I'm Eryn, one of the Training Guardians. I have orders from the Alpha to test your physical condition and ensure you can handle tonight's patrol."

"I'm ready," I said with a smile, but it felt pasted on.

I was given a small room to change into loose pants and a cropped shirt. All of my jewelry except for the damn shackle came off, and when I was ready, Eryn brought me to a large track surrounding a green field.

He put me through my paces without mercy. So much for going easy on me.

After the twentieth lap, I was dripping sweat, and my cropped shirt was pasted to my skin. I stopped in front of Eryn, panting for breath.

"Have a drink. You're about done," he said, pushing a cup of iced water into my hands.

I downed it in two seconds flat, blinking as I looked at my surroundings. The sun was setting behind the wall, casting deep shadows over the field, and many of the training groups were gone.

"I'm not permitted to test you any more than this for today, but I'd say you'll be fine for a patrol outside the city." Eryn looked me over, frowning. I was beginning to feel like a specimen that everyone was dissatisfied with. "You need harder training. Your muscles need to be built up, and you could improve your sprint time. Your speed could mean the difference between life and death."

"You think I don't know that?" I snapped, dragging my arm across my forehead. It came away wet with sweat.

"The Alpha has assigned me as your personal trainer," he informed me, ignoring my outburst. "Once the dark moon has passed, we'll be going on a high meat diet and incorporating more strength work."

I huffed out a laugh. This male was impervious to my feelings.

"I've spent a long time on the run," I informed him. "I might not sprint very fast, but I can run for a long time on hilly terrain."

He opened his mouth, probably to tell me that I was going to cause the deaths of thousands if I couldn't sprint fast enough in human form to catch a rabbit, but fell silent, his eyes resting on something over my shoulder.

I finally straightened up, my breath coming more evenly now, and turned around.

Ryden strode towards us. Shirtless. Sweaty.

Goddess help me, completely sexy.

My heart fluttered a little at the sight of his scarred, muscular torso, the broad bulk of his shoulders. His blond hair was tied up, showing off the hard angles of his face.

I quickly realized my mind was going filthy places, and that it was a one-way trip.

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