Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Zack opened his mouth to say more, but James raised his hand, indicating that he had a question.
When James saw that Zack, Erik, and Petra looked at him strangely, James cursed himself. This was a habit he got from his tutoring, don’t speak without permission, and he just asked for permission to speak.
James wished to disappear. Who talks to peers by raising hands to announce he wants a turn? How embarrassing.
James cleared his throat awkwardly before asking, “You need to have good grades and pass exams in order to become a warrior?”
They all nodded in confirmation, and Zack corrected James, “Junior warrior. We attend training and get evaluated based on our performance, however, we don’t get official duties until we finish high school, and there are additional tests we need to take, both physical, mental, and emotional…”
James thought how all that was fascinating.
In the Red Moon pack, it’s assumed that everyone will start training by the time they are ten years old, and if they don’t show promising results early on, they will be dismissed from the path to become warriors and will get labeled as Omegas.
Compared to that, in the Shadow Fang pack, Alpha Dayson was prioritizing regular education and one must be an exemplary student if he/she gets to train before finishing high school.
This concept was novel for James and he was eager to find out more.
“Can one be a warrior without starting as a junior warrior?”, James asked.
“Of course”, Zack responded. “Normally, after high school, we would join as warriors in training. Right now, we have the same status as warriors in training, but we are at an advantage because we started earlier. After we finish school, we will turn into warriors in training, and we will be eligible to take tests needed for becoming regular warriors and get ranks assigned.”
“You can think of us as elite forces.”, Erik added proudly. “Most of us who join early get ranked by the time we reach twenty years old. Zack’s grades are so good that he got a scholarship and is attending school in the human city.”
James’ eyes sparkled with curiosity as he turned to Zack. “How can you go to a human city regularly? What if someone upsets you and you shift in front of humans?”
Zack smirked. “I had to pass endurance tests where I proved I can control my wolf. If one can’t pass that, he can’t leave our territory without supervision, no matter how good his grades are.”, Zack said and patted Erik’s back. “Like this guy here.”
Erik puffed his cheeks in annoyance. “I passed the test last month.” He turned to James. “I can continue high school in the human city starting September, but I have a good thing going on here, so I decided to stick around until college.”
James’ mind was spinning. College? That was something he saw in movies and it comes with staying in dorms and numerous parties where students drink and make out. It’s fantastic!
James had so many questions, but he wondered if he will ask too much and reveal how ignorant he was. He should be the next Alpha, cream of the crop in every way possible, yet he was painfully aware that his eager expression was betraying him. However, this was his chance to get answers and he was willing to risk it.
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James schooled his features to look cool, and asked, “So, how long are you guys training to be warriors?”
“I’m on my second year, and so is Erik”, Zack responded. “Petra just finished her first year, but don’t let that fool you because she can wipe the floor with us.”
Petra rolled her eyes, and James was focused on her cheeks that swelled from all the food in her mouth. He thought that if she opens her mouth, the food will spill, but she still managed to say to Zack without making a mess, “Don’t make it sound like I am a violent person.”
She touched her nose and said to James. “I am training to be a tracker.”
James’ eyes widened. “You get specialization so early on?” In the Red Moon pack, they all start with hellish trainings to build their strength and stamina. It takes years to reach the point where they can choose a specific field, and even that’s reserved only for the best ones.
Erik responded, “I wouldn’t call it specialization. It’s more like exploration. Petra expressed her desire to be a tracker, so veteran trackers from our pack will give her personal lessons once or twice a week, depending on availability. We get real specialization only after we become warriors. Zack wants to be a scout, and I am a fighter.”
“A fighter?”, James asked. “That’s the basic route. Don’t you want anything specific?”
“I know what you are thinking.”, Erik said. “You are wondering why a genius like me would pick the least exciting path. However, going through the training as a fighter will give me the foundation I need to be a General, which is my ultimate goal.”
James pointed at Erik’s camera. “You look like a photographer, and not a general.”
Erik caressed his camera with the tips of his fingers gently. “I am the president of the photography club in our school.” He puffed his chest proudly, and continued, “My photos are published regularly in the school’s paper, and in the Darkbourne’s magazine. I get to guide aspiring photographers, which counts toward my leadership skills as a junior warrior. As for achievements, I won a few photography competitions that were organized by people outside our territory, by humans mostly. My mentor said that if I continue like this, I will get to be an intern at WW Magazine, and after that a job will be waiting for me…”
James blinked while wondering if this was a different pack or a different planet. Clubs? Studying in human city? Awards? Internships? Mentors for photography? They had no such things in the Red Moon pack where everything was geared toward warriors, and James concluded how teens in the Shadow Fang pack are having exciting lives. They had so many options!
James’ admiration for Dayson as an Alpha rose by a few notches, and James decided to find out more about the Shadow Fang pack in addition to having fun.
“What other clubs and activities are available? Is that something you do on your own, or is the pack supportive?”
Petra, Erik, and Zack were not sure what to think about James. They all had an impression that people with Alpha bloodlines are above them. After all, individuals like James attend exclusive training and parties and appear in magazines. Compared to such people, Petra, Erik, and Zack were invisible.
However, instead of being a prideful teen with an Alpha bloodline, James resembled a curious countryside kid who came into a big town.
Alpha Dayson told them to be good to James and to entertain him to the best of their abilities. They even got a promise of a reward if they do a good job, so they couldn’t complain. They knew that Alpha Dayson was generous when giving rewards and they hoped to get the latest PS console. Or maybe a full day pass to the amusement park.
When Beta Jaeden told them details of their assignment, Petra, Erik, and Zack assumed that James might ask for some secretive information about their patrols or security drills.
Teens don’t know the super-secretive stuff, but a few spies could collect bits of information that are seemingly irrelevant, and piece it together into something that could be used to sneak into their territory or to plan the vulnerable place and time to attack.
James seemed friendly and the teens wondered if he was genuinely interested in all that regular stuff or if he was just a good actor. Or was he buttering them up by starting easy, so they lower their guards?
They were not sure what to think, so they all stayed vigilant while making sure they don’t reveal more than what was publicly available. Better safe than sorry.
By the time they finished breakfast, James found out that Petra was the youngest of the three. She will be sixteen next month, and that made her two months older than James. Zack and Erik were seventeen years old, and the two of them had driver’s licenses not only for cars but for motorcycles also. James thought how that was amazing.
All three of them were attending high school, and the school in Darkbourne followed the same curriculum humans have with the difference that PE classes were more intense.
Erik was the president of the photography club, Petra was into astronomy and pottery, and Zack was the star of the fencing club in the school he was attending. All three of them were regularly participating in various activities that are offered in the Darkbourne’s community center, and James took a mental note to ask them about the evening gatherings next to the lake. It would be awesome if he could join them.
But the most amazing for James was that it seemed how every path was equally valued, and neither of the three was obsessed to become a warrior. They saw it as an honor and a way to contribute, and that was different compared to what James was used to.
As they finished breakfast, everyone dispersed to accomplish their tasks.
James headed to the human city with his new friends. James saw that Petra, Erik, and Zack would occasionally stiffen as if they reminded themselves who James is, but James didn’t mind. He was used to it.
Mindy, Kalina, and Maya went to Darkbourne to check on a few things for the upcoming party. Marcy volunteered to do it, right before Talia snapped and held her down while showing her the graphic video, and then there was the whole rejection business… long story short, Marcy was unavailable, so Maya took it on herself to finalize those tasks, and Mindy and Kalina decided to accompany Maya.
Jaeden accompanied Tony, Paul, Nate, and Greg for training. Their schedule included training in the morning, and after lunch, they will help with setting up the event hall and the garden for the upcoming party.
Tatiana and Maddox went back to her room after promising that they will make appearances at the party. Dayson was hoping that Maddox will be more present, but considering that he just found his mate, Dayson didn’t insist.
Maddox’s situation was a painful reminder for Dayson that if he was not an asshole when he met Talia, he and Talia would spend the first few days (probably longer) indulging in each other. When they come out of the room, Talia would wear his mark, regardless of her wolf’s presence.
But Dayson messed up, big time, and it was weeks already, yet Talia was still not marked. This combined with external threats to Talia’s safety, and Axel wanting to take her away… it was all driving Dayson mad.
At this rate, Dayson feared that it won’t happen. He was stupid at the beginning, and now they were stuck with her wolf’s conditions, and there was also Axel’s warning how they should give it at least few days to adjust to the marking. What was that about?
Part of Dayson considered letting his wolf out to mark Talia, and he would deal with Talia’s wolf and anything else that comes later.
Sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission, but Dayson was not sure which one this was. What if the mess escalates into something that’s too much and he really endangers Talia?
Dayson was frustrated. He was never indecisive. Dayson’s nature was to do what his instincts tell him, but since he met Talia, he was doubting himself like never before.
After breakfast, Talia had a task to go with Dawn and visit Marcy and George. They would deliver fresh food, herbs, and check on the situation there.
Shaken up by recent events, and nervous about what’s coming, Dayson decided to tag along.
“Don’t you have pack-related work to do?”, Talia asked Dayson when she realized he was serious about coming with her.
“Kitten”, he called with all the importance in the world. “Didn’t you notice that whenever we are apart, something bad happens? We should stick together. Besides, I want to hear what Travis has to say.”
Talia gave up. If Dayson was fine to neglect his work in order to follow her around, she wouldn’t object. She liked his presence. The only downside was that Dawn was super-stiff with Dayson around.
In the kitchen, Dayson waited on the side and checked emails on his phone while Talia and Dawn packed food. For people who didn’t know what was going on, the official version was that Dayson and Talia will have a meal in the forest.
Stephanie, Zina, Ivy, and Lily were also busying themselves in the kitchen with clean-up after breakfast.
Because Lisa was in the dungeon, and it was somewhat because of her, Talia was not sure how to look at Stephanie and she couldn’t wait to pack stuff and get out of there.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.