“I’ll leave you alone with her. Just call me if you need me, alright?”

I really couldn’t imagine…this would happen. 

My aunt is alive. I am not in my father's and stepmother’s hands.

I am free.

Except I am in a new place, not a completely new world with people telling me they are “werewolves.”

Mark then decided to tour me around the pack but all I could receive were stares.

Not cold stares but confused stares.

It was both exhilarating and awkward for me…as someone who is not used to getting people’s attention…

And the air smells full of tension.  It’s overbearing that I could feel that I can’t breathe. 

all I could do was act normal as if they were invisible. 

“You’ll get used to them.” Mark mumbled, “don’t worry the pack members won’t eat you.”

I paused at that, felt a bit scared for my life and he chuckled, “I am just joking. You’re too  tensed up, and Alpha Ace wouldn’t want that.”

“Why?” I asked.

He smirked, “Of course, you are his mate. Everyone knows that here. They just want to see the alpha’s mate…and curious why their luna smells…different.”

“Different?” I tried to sniff myself. I don’t even smell that bad..do I?

Mark chuckled at that, “No, I meant somethinf different. I’m sure you’ll understand me someday think of it like…wait how do I explain this…” he muttered then nodded, “Oh right, humans call it a queen. Think of it as you are the queen in this pack.”

I gasped at that. Queen? Wouldn’t that be having duties and responsibilities? Why give me work? I just want to live simply.

“I am trying to understand your terms here in this place but…do I really have to be the queen? Why can’t you choose someone other than me?” I asked, “I mean I am fine just living simply with my aunt.”

Mark shook his head at that, a bit disappointed but chuckled a bit, “If the Alpha hears this, he might have gone nuts…but anyways, guess I have to work harder and train you.”

He squinted his eyes, “By hard I don’t just mean training for you to get strong, but to also mentally and spiritually prepare you.”

“Training? Can I just sit? Since you said I'm the queen. Queens just laze all day.”

“No, it’s different here. You have a responsibility now. You should be stronger than anyone else except the alpha…” he explained. 

“And when I say that, I guess I have to see you getting used and comfortable to this place you call. It’s now your new home.” Mark said with a gentle smile, “Unless you plan on escaping here?”

I instantly shook my head, not that I didn’t have any plans to escape…but that was yesterday before I knew of my aunt's condition.

Because as far as I could see, there is no way aunt would like to leave this place here. No, she has to stay here in order to keep on receiving the treatment she needs.

I sighed, guess I have to make myself busy then. “Fine, bring it on. Train me all you want and let’s get this over with.”

He blinked, as if not believing me but nodded, “Alright, great! You said that yourself so please don’t back down, alright?”

Mark wasn’t lying when he said he will train me hard because as soon as we arrived at the training field. It was just a vast empty forest with the forest cut off to the side to give space for the whole wide space in the center.

Mark shook his hand and stood a few meters from me. 

“Alright, I must know how much knowledge you have in combat.” 

I stood awkwardly, “Combat?”

He nodded, expecting me to know it already. As if I am not familiar with that word. 

“Yes. Physical fight. Have you learned it in your subject, pe?”

I nodded, a bit confused, “Uhm, is it physical? I thought it would just be kinda like a workout and lifting weights training?” I suggested, not expecting that it would involve a “fight or combat training”

No, this is not what I expected. Not what I signed up for. I was just dragged here for goodness sake!

Mark seemed a bit confused, “Oh, workout? I see what you mean. That must be the training you humans do right? But we are going to do a bit of a different kind of training. I want to test your muscular strength, endurance, reaction time, and power when you attack the enemy.”

I nodded, jotting it down in my head.

“Now think of me as an enemy. Like someone who bullied you. Attack me with all you got.” 

I suddenly remembered Bryce’s admirer, and my bully, Stef.

I attempted to picture Stef’s face through Mark’s face and instantly lunged forward. 

I yelled for power as my hands reached on his arms, his face, and his abdomen where I felt hard abs. 

He released a bit of grunt but he didn't even move from his place and let me hit him.

I gave everything I got until I felt the winds rustling behind me as a deep voice asked,  “Is that all you got?” 

My body instantly stopped attacking Markus, breaking my train of focus, and turned to see who was it.

Leaning on a tree with arms crossed in front of him as he gazed at me was my physics teacher, Mr. Jones-I meant Alpha Ace was there, with all his glory. 

My eyes couldn’t help but trail at his biceps that were protruding, making me see how muscular he is. 

“Good morning, Alpha.” Greeted Mark, breaking my inner thoughts.

He just nodded, eyes still focused on me.

I gulped, feeling small at his gaze but then I stood still, not wanting to back down.

He was approaching us now and for whatever reason, I felt like my heart is beating rapidly. 

I bit my lip, feeling his eyes trailing to it and I gulped. 

I gave a look at Mark who didn’t even notice my discomfort as he was just smirking at me. 

Damn this man. Why am I feeling this way? He was just walking to us for goodness sake and yet seeing his biceps made me act like this!

No, it’s his eyes. It has to be. It’s those damn beautiful shades of grey eyes of his. 

Staring at him made my knees quiver because of the intensity of it and not because I am going mad. 

Can he just leave? Can he sense my discomfort? How uneasy I am now that he is here? How can I even start my training with him?

I hope he just walked by and happened to see us and decided to say hi.