Chapter 124


    #Chapter 124 – Military Might


    I sigh a little, my arms crossed, as I watch the Betas load the boys’ little overnight bags onto the now-


    familiar party bus. The boys, of course, are thrilled at the prospect of the third trial, but I’m a little sick at


    the idea.


    It’s not that I don’t think Victor will win – of course, especially in a trial of military prowess, I have faith in


    him – but what tricks does Rafe have up his sleeve this time?


    And also, do we have to go so far away? I shake my head, thinking that this is yet another three-day


    disruption to the boys’ education and daily schedule. When were we going to get them to the point


    where they’d just be normal kids, going to school and sports, hanging out with their friends? Not


    traveling to a ritualistic trial to see whether their dad or their uncle would take control of their pack.


    “Are you all right?” Victor asks,ing over to me and studying my face. I look up at him, trying not to


    look so worried.


    “Am I all right?” I say, purposefully keeping my voice light. “You’re the one who is about to be put to the


    test. I’m just going to sit back with your mom and drink a bunch of wine.” I put on a smile for him,


    hoping he buys it.


    Of course, he doesn’t. But he gives me a smile in return, grateful that I’m putting on a good show for


    the boys.


    You’re going to be amazing, I think to him, hoping my utter faith in him shows on my face and bolsters


    him.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Thank you, he warmly responds, smiling down at me. We’ll be done in no time.


    My eyes shine up at him and I bite my lip. Subtly, he draws a finger down the side of my hand, letting


    me know he loves me, wants to be with me, wishes we could run away to the woods just ourselves, not


    without the whole family in tow –


    “Are you guys done.” Ian asks, rolling his eyes at us.


    I jump a little, surprised by his interruption, but then Iugh at my son. “What, are you regretting your


    little trick with the heat?” I say, grabbing him and pulling him close so that his back is against me, my


    arms wrapped around his front.


    “No,” he murmurs, still pretending to be mad, but I can see him struggle to keep the smile from his face.


    “You just don’t have to be all googly eyed all the time.”


    “Oh no, baby,” I say to him, pretending to be giving bad news. “Unfortunately, we do have to be googly-


    eyed all the time.”


    “It’s okay, mama,” Alvin says,ing over to us and reaching his arms up to his father, requesting to


    be lifted up. Victor happily obliges. “I think it’s nice.”


    “That’s because you’re the sweet one,” I say, smiling at him. “And you’ll have a hundred girlfriends


    while this one,” I nudge Ian with my leg, “is off learning how to shoot guns while he hangs upside down


    from a helicopter.”


    “That sounds awesome,” Ian says dreamily.


    A Betaes forward and salutes to Victor, letting him know that it’s time to go. Victor nods at us all


    and I feel the temporary happy mood drain from me as we climb onto the bus. I know that Victor’s


    going toe out ahead, and I’m d he knows it too, but still. I’m nervous.


    The whole family takes the trip on the bus with us, which I think is weird. If Victor and Rafe are being


    pitted against each other in this trial, why are they sitting next to each other like they’re buddies? Why


    is their father, his new wide-wheeled chair strapped securely to the bottom of the van, smiling at us as if


    we’re all one big happy family?


    I sigh, looking out this window.


    I’ve chosen to be part of this family now, I know. But still. They’re weird.


    It takes about two hours to get out to the campground, the same one we went to after I was attacked by


    my stalker so many months ago. I’m d to see it again, though it’s less pleasant now in the winter air.


    I eye the uninsted cabins suspiciously. Were we going to be warm enough?


    The Beta forces are already on the move, using me throwers – of all ridiculous things – to clear out


    the snow from around the fire pit, off the cabin porches.


    “Is this for real?” I ask Victor, gesturing towards the long tongues of me licking around the


    campground, melting the snow away like cotton candy in water.


    “What,” Victor says, frowning and looking around. “What’s wrong?”


    “Don’t you think it’s a bit much?” I say, gesturing towards the mes. “Couldn’t you just have given


    them shovels?”


    “These are more efficient,” Victor says, putting his hands in his pockets. “Besides,” he says, giving me


    a boyish smile. “It’s cool.”


    I roll my eyes at him but can’t help butugh. “Alvin, Ian!” I call to them – they’re getting a little too close


    to the heat. “Over here, stand by me, until the Betas are done with the me throwers.”


    Alvin runs over but Ian drags his feet, clearly disappointed. “God,” I murmur. “I can’t even believe I’m


    living a life where that’s a totally normal sentence.”


    “If we could all gather round,” Victor’s father calls from his ce on one of the cabin’s porches. I cross


    my arms and shake my head, but follow everyone else as we head in his direction.


    “Victor and Rafe have, of course, already been briefed on the details of the trial,” Henry says, his voice


    lofty. “However, for the sake of transparency and for the edification of those not in the know,” here, he


    eyes the women in the group with a little disdain, “I will spell out the rules.”


    I do my very best not to roll my eyes. Victor, of course, told me everything about itst night when he


    came over for dinner. We stayed up long into the night discussing tactics and, well…


    I drag my attention back to the proceedings, forcing myself to concentrate and not reminisce about all


    the other things we didst night.


    “The trial will begin at nightfall,” John says. “Victor will take his chosen team of ten Betas into the


    woods headed east, Rafe will do the same headed west. Each troupe will be armed with the same


    rtive amount of weaponry, though the types of weapons are left to each Alpha’s discretion.”


    I nod at this, knowing that Victor has chosen guns. I hope, for his sake, that Rafe has been stupid and


    chosen something shier. Like swords or ninja stars. But I know he as probably chosen guns as well.


    “Importantly,” Henry continues, “as we are ultimately testing military leadership, and not ruthlessness,


    all weapons will have been made nonlethal. This means that des will be dulled and bullets will be


    rubberized. All weapons will, however, be coated in wolfsbane.”


    I swallow at this. We all know wolfsbane, grew up knowing about it. When we came of age, my father


    made my sister and I drink a ss of water with a drop of wolfsbane in it, just so we knew what it


    smelled like, knew the consequences of letting it into our systems.


    Even just a single drop of it had resulted in crippling pain. Emma and I had spent the rest of the day in


    bed together after we drank our sses, clutching each others’ hands, roiling in agony. It had passed,


    eventually, but it had left us weak as kittens, covered in sweat, and trembling for days.


    The result of the weapons being coated in wolfsbane would be that anyone who came in contact with


    the substance on a de or a bullet would be incapacitated. They would survive, but they would spend


    a horrible night writhing on the forest floor.


    I nce briefly at the Betas on Victor’s team. I see them swallowing with anxiety. They’re aware that at


    least a few among their number will fall to this poison and they’re not looking forward to it.


    Rafe’s Betas are less stoic than Victor’s, shooting each other anxious nces and struggling to keep


    their formation. They’re all strangers to me, members of Rafe’s own personal guard who live with him in


    his home. They’re all trained by Victor, of course, but I wonder if their allegiance is to Rafe now, after all


    the time spent with them.


    “The length of the trail depends on the tactics of the Alphas involved,” Henry continues, “as it only


    concludes when one Alpha is left standing. That Alpha will be the winner. Are there any questions?”


    Nobody says a word and I feel my mouth go a bit dry. I know that the trial is meant to be non-lethal, but


    damnit, why is it necessary to do all this? I shake my head at the thought of sending all of these men


    into the forest to hunt each other. It all just seems a little primeval.


    I feel Victor take my hand and squeeze it. I squeeze his back, but I don’t look at him. I don’t want him to


    see the fear in my eyes.


    “Come on,” he says, tugging my hand towards the cabin which has been setup for me and the boys.


    “Let’s the three of us go and have a quick meal.” He looks up at the sky, which is just starting to turn


    purple with sunset. “It’s almost time.”