The world outside appeared brighter, more radiant somehow. We shared one final, lingering kiss before heading to the bathroom to clean up, with our hands linked, and our bond stronger than ever before.
115
LIZA
Ileaned against one of the pillars on the front porch as the sun beat down on me while I waited for the pack members to arrive for training.
When Mason and Michael arrived, they sauntered over to join me.
“Big day, huh?” Mason sounded eager to get started. With his athletic frame and infectious grin, he naturally drew people toward him. The man was charming and magnetic.
“Massive.” I couldn’t help but tease him, and with a grin, I playfully poked his side. “You sure you’re ready for this? Because I don’t think you can handle it.”
He nudged me with his shoulder and grinned back at me. “Don’t worry, little sis. We’re gonna kick some serious ass.”
“Ready as we’ll ever be.” Michael adjusted his glasses. Unlike Mason, he had a reserved nature and preferred to resolve conflicts through words and debates rather than physical force. But like many others in the pack, he was here to train, preparing for a war not of his own creation. “We’re here to support you, Liza.”
“Have you been practicing?” I asked them, searching their faces for any sign of doubt or fear.
“Of course,” Michael said, more somber than our brother. “This isn’t going to be easy. The reality of war means we understand that some of us may not make it out alive, but we must be ready, nonetheless.”
“Hey,” Mason cut in, his jovial tone gone. “Don’t talk like that. We’re gonna get through this together.”
“Right.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “We’ll protect each other, no matter what.”
At that, Liam’s words from our last training session echoed in my mind:stop fearing what’s inside of you. He was right. I needed to face my own power if I wanted to keep my family safe. As I looked at my brothers—two men who meant the world to me—I knew I couldn’t let them down.
“Thanks, guys.” I was grateful for the constant support and love of my brothers. We might have our differences, but we were family.
As we watched from afar, boots crunching on gravel caught my attention. Hiram Loveska was an intimidating alpha. He arrived with a horde of men from his pack, their hardened expressions and battle-ready appearances alluding to their combat skills.
The tall blond man that accompanied him was probably Sven. He had an air of menace that unsettled me, and he wasn’t a man I would want to be alone with. Ty had told me they would arrive today to train with our pack, but dread still twisted in my gut at the sight of them now, though I couldn’t allow fear to rule me.
Startled by the sound of the door opening behind me, I quickly turned and saw Persephone making her way out to join us on the porch. We watched as the three packs gathered on the grounds of the estate.
“Look at them.” Persephone nodded toward the assembled shifters. “Three alphas, three different packs,” she said thoughtfully. “This could either work out amazingly or end very badly.”
I glanced at her, taking in her concerned expression. “Do you think they’ll be able to trust each other?”
“Eventually, yes,” she said, her expression narrowing as she studied the shifters’ interactions on the training field. “It’s going to take some time. There’s a lot of tension between them.”
When Ty stepped forward to address the combined forces, I could feel his responsibility bearing down on him through our mating bond. He was meant to lead these packs during this fight, but he wasn’t a strategist like Hiram, and my heart ached for my mate.
Hiram nodded, offering silent support while Sven looked on blankly. It would be Ty leading us through Hiram’s plan, and I hoped their combined efforts would be enough to bring us victory.
“Let’s get started!” Ty shouted, and the packs moved into action, forming groups to practice various combat techniques.
There were more than a few heated exchanges, accompanied by aggressive posturing and snarls.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” I asked Persephone.
Her lips were pursed as she studied the groups. “Give them time. They’re all strong-willed individuals, and they need to learn how to work together.”
I sighed, watching as Ty tried to defuse yet another disagreement between two burly wolves—one from Sven’s pack, the other from Hiram’s. It seemed like we were making little progress, and time was not on our side.
Ty jogged up to stand with Hiram, Sven, and Liam before he spoke to the men standing in their separate packs. “Attention everyone.” A strong command emanated from him. “I wanted toextend my thanks to all of you who have gathered here today. We’re all united in our pursuit of a common objective: to stand up to Castro. Remember, this is about safeguarding our loved ones and our very way of existence. Now, that was a good try, but we can do better. Let’s resume.”
He ordered the men into groups again but was struggling to assert his authority. It wasn’t surprising as he wasn’t the alpha of Hiram’s or Sven’s packs, and they were reluctant to follow him. The lack of cohesion made my stomach twist with anxiety.
