Page 20 of Country and Clove
“That is a great idea! I am one hundred percent supportive of this.”
“You are?” Clove eyed her suspiciously.
“Absolutely.” Aria was grinning widely now. “You should go. Now. Don’t want to be late.”
Clove’s suspicion grew. “We haven’t even eaten.”
“Here, eat some of my breakfast. I’ll get Lark to teleport to my favorite donut shop and pick up a couple dozen after we get home.”
“That’s all I’m good for, teleporting food to our apartment whenever she’s hungry. Which isalways.” Lark was shaking his head but a smile pulled at the corners of his lips, tugging on the long shimmering scar that dominated one side of his face. Aria began shoving plates of food in front of the two of them. Waylin didn’t hesitate, diving into a triple-meat omelet and plate of biscuits and gravy simultaneously. Clove went for a combo of French toast and scrambled eggs.
After a full minute of Aria just staring and smiling, Clove picked up her fork and pointed it at her. “You’re acting weird. What’s going on?”
Aria bit her lip. Before she could explain, there was the familiar voice of Clove’s dad.
“There she is!” Earl hurried over to their table, his smile wide. He pulled Clove out of her seat and drew her into a huge hug. “Are you ready for your big day?”
“I’m joining an elite training program, not headed off to my first day of school,” she mocked, nuzzling into his salt-and-pepper beard. Her wolf perked up in response to Earl’s own inner animal. His wolf had been there for hers since her very first shift. She had so many memories of running through the mountains with him, their wolves yipping happily. A moment of contentment washed over her as she relaxed into her father’s arms.
“Waylin better keep an eye on you.” Earl shot Waylin a look. “Don’t let her beat the boys too badly.”
“I’ll do my best.” Waylin grinned.
“You better get going,” Aria urged and the two finally gave in. Earl gave Waylin a quick clap on the shoulder and Clove a peck on the cheek. She peered over her shoulder as they left The Coop. Aria was still grinning like an idiot.
Something was definitely up. She’d have to pump her for details later. Right now she needed to focus. This was a new chance. A huge opportunity to do something with her life and get out of the rut she’d been living in.
The complex came into view and she sucked in a breath.Here goes nothing.
CHAPTER9
More than two dozen bodies funneled into the training room. They were on the back side of the complex. This particular space was Clove’s favorite. It was a huge, open room with glass walls that looked out over the mountains. It was gorgeous here no matter what time of day. Clove spent hours training here as a teenager. All lycan children were given a few years of basic training when they were teenagers. It also encompassed shifting and building a bond with your wolf.
“Damn, I haven’t been here in forever,” Waylin murmured as they made their way through the crowd. Waylin lived off the complex property, so things here weren’t nearly as familiar to him.
Clove was just beginning to look through the crowd and check for people she recognized when a commanding voice boomed through the room. “Everyone line up on the far wall.” Dane entered, looking tense and serious. Clove let out a breath of relief. She hadn’t realized Dane was going to be her trainer. Dane was intimidating to look at but he had a gentle soul. Plus, they already had a pretty decent relationship. Training under his command would be a breeze.
Silence fell across the group as they lined up with their backs to the glass. Anxiety radiated through the room but Clove didn’t let herself get rattled. Instead she let a small sliver of hope expand in her chest. This was the right thing to do.
“For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Dane. I’ll be assisting with your tryouts today and will be present for the duration of your training and work assignments.”Assisting? Dane’s eyes scanned the line of people. A quizzical look passed across his dark features when his gaze fell on Clove. She gave him a soft smile. The corner of his mouth quirked up just a touch before he continued with his speech.
Something prickled at the back of Clove’s neck and her wolf stood to attention. It paced back and forth, filling her with a flood of adrenaline.What’s gotten into you? Her animal didn’t answer, just kept pacing. Dane stopped moving and gestured to the door.
“Now please welcome your trainer. He’s the man who will control your fate for the next few months and decide which of you have what it takes to continue in this program.”
A towering figure moved through the doorway. The world blurred before her eyes, the lights glowing unbelievably bright and her skin burning feverishly as a myriad of conflicting emotions rushed through her. There he was. In all histoo hot for his own goodglory.
Aaron.
Clove’s mouth went dry and her palms started to sweat. He was the trainer? No no no. He could not be the trainer. This was her chance to move on, to focus every ounce of her energy on training and push all thoughts of her mate, or rejected mate, out of her mind. She thought back to the group of people Aaron hung around with. Based on his interactions at the club and Hunter’s welcome dinner, his closest friends were all part of Gideon’s inner circle and included Gideon himself. She’d noticed that and assumed he had an important job, but the Ulric complex’s pack trainer?
A heavy sense of dread draped over her shoulders, sinking into her chest and seizing her heart in its hold. Aaron couldn’t possibly be the one in charge of this program. That would mean it washisgroup of recruits who died. That he was the one there that terrifying day. That her mate was the lone survivor of one of the most horrific attacks the complex had ever seen.
Her heart bled for him. What had he endured that day? And every day since. The anger, the fear of attachments, the darkness that clung to him like a second skin, it all made sense. Fractures spidered across the thick shield of anger she’d built around her heart as she imagined him alone, suffering, broken.
Aaron strode into the center of the room with a confident air that had everyone standing even straighter. His muscular body was taut beneath a white tank top and grey sweatpants. Sunlight streamed in through the windows behind her, giving Aaron the glowing appearance of some sort of demigod. He stopped, the muscles in his jaw tensing as he took charge of the room.
“Of the twenty-six of you present, only fourteen will be selected to move on with the training. The rest of you will be put on reserve in case one of the selected fourteen drops out. Do your best today. You’ll only get one shot to prove your worth to the pack. The first drills we’ll run through—”
