Page 89 of Pack Captive

There was no hiding from it anymore. What I needed to do was figure out exactly how to use it—and fast.

Both the Alpha and his Second had told me in no uncertain terms that it wouldn't be long before Fenris knew our pack possessed a Spirit Caller, and once he knew...

Well, he'd stop at nothing to see me dead. He wouldn't risk the opposition holding onto a weapon from myth.

If Fenris's full forces showed up before I was ready to use that power against him, Lykos would crumble under the assault. They were lucky he hadn't done it before now, but the rest of the northern packs were keeping his attention from us...for now.

I read through books all day until it felt like my eyes were bleeding, and I still hadn't uncovered everything there was to know.

Some accounts alleged that Spirit Callers could only summon their own ancestors, and then contradictory accounts claimed some of them had raised armies of the dead, bringing multiple packs back from the grave.

It was a relief to shut the last book for the day and escape to training.

Until I showed up, dressed in my loose training clothes, and found Eryn waiting for me with a wicked bent to his smile.

"More meat," was what he greeted me with.

"What?" I asked, taken aback. Then I noticed the group of Claws that were training in the amphitheater, just like last time.

Sorana was among them, and she gave me the filthiest look I'd ever received in my life.

She leaned over and whispered something to another female, who snickered and glanced at me over her shoulder.

"More meat," Eryn repeated. "You need more protein to put on muscle mass."

I looked down at myself, wondering if I should feel insulted. "I have muscles."

"Thin, stringy muscles." Eryn looked me over as well with a clinical eye. "Have you been following the high meat diet?"

Rude. But I thought of the breakfast I'd eaten that morning—a pile of toast slathered with three flavors of jam—and knew my guilt was obvious on my face.

After a year of starvation, the call of sweets was nearly impossible to resist.

"I knew it. You can't afford to be soft if you're a Caller. You're out there on the front lines with my Warriors, and I damn well expect you to be in top condition to keep them safe." Eryn poked me in the arm. "Look at this. Stringy."

"I'm not stringy, goddamnit!" I exploded. "You try living on pine needles and rabbits for a year and tell me what you look like by the end!"

Eryn stepped back, his eyebrows raised. "More red meat. Now run your laps in human form. We're going to shift for the next part."

I cut him a scathing look before taking off around the track.

By the twentieth lap, sweat was pouring down my face again. My legs were beginning to feel like the jelly I'd eaten for breakfast.

Eryn was doing push-ups by the side of the track when I finally slogged to a halt and leaned down, bracing myself on my knees and breathing heavily.

He got to his feet, then flexed, showing off his impressive muscles as though I hadn't seen them before. "See this? It’s all thanks to steak. Start eating it."

"Oh, fuck off," I muttered, but Eryn was already walking away.

I hurried after him, wiping sweat off my forehead.

He led me out of the amphitheater and up the hill, towards the Palace.

"Where are we going?" I asked, wishing I wasn't already out of breath.

Eryn pointed to the far side of the Palace, to the overgrown gardens Calian had once led me through. "You're going to run the gauntlet in wolf form."

"Through a garden?" I asked skeptically. Sure, it was wild back there, but I'd been through it already.

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