~~
Emmalee
~~
Things pa.s.sed in a blur again. I had been so scared when Carter went off with the others to visit the Warlocks and rescue the kids. I had known he was granted a special power by Trinity, he had shown me in a not so nice way, but that didn't mean anything. He could be invisible, not invincible. They didn't mean the same thing but he didn't seem to understand that.
The entire time he had been gone I was a nervous wreck. It really made me miss being home. And I wanted to go back and visit my parents when I got the chance.
It turned out that right after they rescued the children, Trinity and Reece were leaving for France with all their guards. Noah was staying to run the pack and Carter was staying behind, he didn't say what for but I had a feeling it was for me.
Things had been hard for Carter's family and the pack lately. They had to deal with the missing children, the ones kidnapped by Trinity's father, then they had to heal and recover from Trinity's miscarriage. I couldn't believe she had lost the baby. That was something else that made me glad that Carter was staying. People were dying and it was so hard for us all.
We had decided that while Trinity and Reece were away we would go visit my family for a while. Daddy would put Carter to work, or so he said. He wanted to train him how to be a man worthy of his daughter or something like that.
The others left at the beginning of April, and we left just two days later. The slight delay was so we could have one last dinner with Eve and Wesley before we left, with just the two of us. Eve was so sweet and kind, I was going to miss her.
But I was glad to be back home. I had missed my mom and dad. I had missed my little sister, and I had missed my brother even though he was a bother. I had missed being here and seeing everyone and everything.
I didn't think I would miss it all so much after less than a month away, but I guess I loved being with them more than I had thought. Mom and I were going to spend some quality time together while I finally decided on a major for school. And Dad was going to train Carter. What for, I didn't know. I just hoped we would get some time alone together once in a while.
~~
Carter
~~
When I was told that Bryce wanted to train me while we visited their pack I was nervous. He was a harda.s.s when it came to being an Alpha and he was very protective of his daughters. Was he mad at me for having avoided my mate bond in the beginning. Judging by the h.e.l.l he was going to put me through, I had a feeling he was.
The first thing that Bryce wanted to train me with was combat. I think he said that he wanted to make sure I was strong enough to protect his daughter. I think he just wanted a bunch of his pack mates to kick the s.h.i.+t out of me for taking off on his first daughter. I felt sorry for whoever mated with Katie, she was the youngest daughter after all, the true baby.
I was in the yard with Bryce watching over us. Eight of the Black Canyons warriors were surrounding me. They came at me all at once. It was supposed to teach me how to mob fight I guess. Well, they didn't know what I could do.
As they rushed toward me I masked myself, scent, sound, and sight. They couldn't detect me at all. I watched their stunned faces and I proceeded to fight them while invisible.
The fight morphed from me fighting them in a mob attack to them trying to defend themselves against an unseen opponent. I knocked the first one down, sent the second one flying into the third. I was stronger and faster thanks to my G.o.ddess Guard mark and I was able to move like none of them could. This had actually started to be fun.
But I got c.o.c.ky and wasn't paying attention. And the next thing that I knew, someone landed a well aimed kick in the middle of my back, sending me sprawling to the ground.
"What the h.e.l.l do you think you're doing, boy?" Bryce was yelling at me while he loomed over me, I had become visible again the moment I fell.
"How the h.e.l.l did you do that?" I asked him, surprised that he knew where I was.
"You think you're invincible because we couldn't see you? Look at the ground dumba.s.s, you're leaving imprints. I could tell where you were. But I should thank you for showing me where this bunch of pathetic wimps need to be trained more."
"Glad I could be of some help." I groaned as I went to stand up. d.a.m.n, I think he might have cracked something with that kick. Old man is strong as h.e.l.l.
"Get up, boy. We're not done here yet." Bryce ordered me to my feet and I followed his command.
I was on my feet and looking him in the eyes in just a few seconds, I moved quicker than I thought I would have after taking that blow.
"You want to be with my little girl? You want to be a part of my family? Well then you need to earn it."
"Yes, Sir." I answered him right away, my tone respectful.
"You can't have my daughter until the day you can beat me."
"What?" I was dumbfounded. Bryce was telling me he wouldn't give us his blessing until I could fight him and win. This wasn't good.
So, my days began to pa.s.s in a certain type of pattern. I would wake up and have breakfast with everyone, happy to see Emmalee. Then I would fight my way through his warriors until lunch time, which I was not given any but everyone else was. While they all ate I worked on masking my foot prints while I was invisible, at first it was hard but I was gradually managing to do it. After lunch, Bryce would come out and spar with me. I was not allowed to use my camouflage while we fought. He wanted me to be able to fight like a real man.
Bryce was strong and had been in a lot of fights. He managed to knock me on my a.s.s several times. He would throw me across the yard in an over hand throw. He would sweep my feet out from under me in a beautiful and precise sweep of his legs. He would win every time. That's how it went for weeks.
I was getting better of course. I was watching his movements and learning what he was doing. I would pay close attention to what he did everytime he fought me, even though I lost. I walked away with a lot of bruises at the end of each day. And only after my sparring was I allowed to have dinner with the family. And after dinner, Bryce would drag me to his office to teach me the politics of a wolf pack. What was expected of anyone and everyone inside the pack. And how to run it in general. I didn't understand that part of my training but I'd take it. The more I knew the better.
I wasn't getting much time with Emmalee. We had separate rooms, of course. Bryce wouldn't let us share even if we had slept together already. But, I had been respectful of her and I hadn't pushed that envelope at all. But, I could tell she was ready, the looks in her eyes and the way she clung to me when I gave her her kisses goodnight.
It was almost the middle of May when I felt I was ready to make my move. I had learned everything that Bryce was showing me. He had begun to repeat his moves now so he must have run through them all.
When the sparring match started we faced each other, hands at the ready. I was feeling light on my feet and fully prepared with all the training I had been doing for the last month. When Bryce came at me, things didn't go like they used to.
I parried his hand away with my own, spinning around behind him. With a quick motion I managed to wrap my arm under his and in the same movement I rolled the top half of my body. I felt Bryce lift off the ground and onto me for just a moment, before I used the same move he had from before and sent him soaring across the yard to land in a heap.
Bryce sat up and glared at me, his light green eyes full of fire.
"Again." He growled at me as he rose to his feet.
We fought over and over again. I swept his feet out from under him and pinned him to the ground. I threw him in multiple different moves. I used every trick he had used on me and won every fight.
After the tenth fight in a row Bryce was once again sitting on the ground staring at me. I thought he would be upset. I figured he'd glare and growl at me again. But he surprised me when he looked up, grinning at me like he was proud.
"Now that's what I'm talking about." I was shocked.
"What?"
"You've definitely improved, boy." He said as he moved to stand up.
I watched on nervously as he dusted the dirt off his black pants and walked over to me.
"You've earned my respect boy." He clapped me on my shoulder, a grin on his face. "You're strong and you've proven that. I will admit you're worthy of my daughter." I was smiling as I heard his words.
"Thank you, Sir."
"Stop calling me Sir all the d.a.m.n time. You're going to marry my daughter one day, aren't you?"
"If that's what you want, Alpha Bryce." I smiled at him.
"Shut it you little s.h.i.+t. Just call me Dad already." Bryce was laughing at me while I stood there sh.e.l.l shocked.
"Dad?" I asked apprehensively.
"Well, you'll be my son-in-law, right? It's only fitting, isn't it, Son?"
"Yeah, I guess it is, Dad." We grinned at each other.
"You're training is over for now. Enjoy your time to relax."
The first thing I did when my training was over was rush right to Emmalee's room. I wanted to see her. I wanted to tell her the good news. And I wanted to ask her something.
I ran to her room and knocked on the door frantically. When she opened it she looked surprised to see me, to see how excited I was.
"Carter? What-." She was in the middle of asking me something but I interrupted her by sweeping her into my arms and planting my lips on hers, cutting her off mid sentence. The feel of her lips on mine was like coming home after being away for a long time.
"What's going on?" Emmalee smiled at me when I pulled away from her.
"I love you." I sighed into her ear as I held her close. I had never actually said those words to her before and I heard the gasp when she heard them now.
"Carter?" She sounded happy. "I love you too." She sighed as she squeezed me back. "Did something happen?"
"I finally beat your dad and earned his approval." I had pulled away and was grinning at her like a fool.
"Really?" She seemed overjoyed.
"He told me to call him Dad."
"Oh my G.o.ddess, Carter, that's amazing."
"Go out with me, please."
"What?"
"Go on a date with me. Just the two of us, please."
"Of course. You know I would go anywhere with you. I love you Carter."
"I love you, more than life itself."