Brandy felt a shiver run down her spine at Luna Kelly's stern warning. She realized that this meeting wasn't going to go as she had hoped. Luna Kelly's disapproval was baffling. Why was she being so harsh with her?
"Luna Kelly, I never meant to disrespect the Moon Goddess or you. I..."
"That is a bold statement, Brandy. You have caused a lot of harm especially to your sister," Luna Kelly interrupted. For a split second, Brandy's facade dropped and her face had a look of disdain at hearing Lily's name.
'So, this isn't a normal sibling rivalry. She truly hates her sister,' Luna Kelly thought.
'Which means she is dangerous. She is vengeful and conniving. We must be careful with dealing with her,' Nina responded in agreement.
"What happened between my sister and I is done now. I have no intention of causing any further harm," Brandy pleaded, her voice filled with remorse. "I understand that I made a mistake, and I'm willing to make amends. I just wanted to contribute positively to our pack as I will be the future Luna."
"That is still yet to be seen," Luna Kelly snapped as she was getting tired of her insolence. She took a moment to compose herself and her expression softened slightly. Her gaze lingering on Brandy's face for a moment before she spoke, her voice softer but still tinged with disappointment. "Brandy, the path you seek requires more than just a desire for change. It requires humility, respect, and an understanding of the responsibilities that come with being a Luna. Right now, I don't believe you possess those qualities."
Tears welled up in Brandy's eyes as she struggled to come to terms with Luna Kelly's words. She had hoped for acceptance and guidance, but instead, she found herself reprimanded and rejected.
"Please, Luna Kelly," Brandy implored, her voice filled with a mix of desperation and determination. "I want to learn. I want to grow. I want to prove myself. Give me a chance to show you that I can be worthy."
Luna Kelly considered Brandy's plea. She didn't approve of Brandy; however, if Garrett didn't step up, she would have no choice but to accept Brandy as the new Luna. 'Then, we must do everything we can to ensure that it is Lily who claims our position,' Nina said firmly. 'This welp in front of us would burn our pack to the ground with her trivial, selfish wants.'
After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice carrying a trace of caution. "Brandy, I will consider your request. But know this: the path to becoming a Luna is not an easy one. It requires true dedication, selflessness, and a deep understanding of our traditions. If you are willing to commit to that, then we may have a chance."
Brandy nodded gratefully, her voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Luna Kelly. I promise I won't let you down. I will do whatever it takes to prove myself and become the Luna our pack needs."
After two days, Lily was fully recovered from her incident with Daniel. Garrett immediately decided to begin her defense lessons. He was determined that should anything else happen to her in the future, she would be able to defend herself long enough in order to hold her attacker off, and give him the precious few minutes that he would need to get to her.
"Alright, Lily," Garrett said as they stood in a snow covered secluded area in the forest behind his villa. "In the winter, our senses sharpen, and we must adapt our self-defense techniques to the harsh conditions."
"I don't have any self-defense techniques. My father never thought it was important to teach me," Lily explained.
Garrett couldn't help but frown. What was the old fool thinking? Did he want Lily to be killed?
"You have your instincts. As an Omega, you have the ability to sense danger even more than me. When the packs were feuding, some Omegas would go out with the Deltas on patrol as they could sense threats quicker," Garrett explained.
"I didn't know that. They don't teach that in school," Lily remarked.
"We have strayed away from the old ways. Omegas weren't seen as servants and served critical positions in the pack," Garrett continued. "We can discuss this later. Let's start with the basics."
Garrett began by guiding Lily through the fundamental techniques of self-defense. He showed her how to position her body for optimal balance, emphasizing the importance of grounding her weight to navigate the treacherous winter terrain.
They practiced swift strikes and agile dodges. Garrett demonstrated how to use their heightened senses to detect potential threats, advising Lily to rely on her acute sense of smell and hearing.
"You must learn to trust your instincts, Lily," Garrett advised. "In the winter, our enemies may be concealed by the snow or take advantage of the darkness. Use your senses to detect any lurking danger and react swiftly."
As they continued their training, the snowflakes danced around them, glimmering in the moonlight. Lily's hair glistened with frost as she honed her skills, her movements growing more fluid and precise. Garrett watched with pride, admiring her determination and the strength that emanated from her.
'Stop being easy with her. See what she does,' Berric suggested.
'I don't want to scare her,' Garrett responded.
'We need to see how she handles herself in any unexpected situations that she might be faced with,' Berric explained.
Garrett charged forward, much to Lily's surprise. All she could do was dodge him at first.
'What is he doing? He's really trying to hit us!' Lily thought.
'He's testing us,' Dina exclaimed.
'What do I do?' Lily asked.
'Give me control!' Dina replied.
Lily relinquished control and Dina took over her body. She began to match each of Garrett's strikes, much to his surprise. Her speed increased but she still wasn't fast enough to go toe to toe with him. Garrett noticed that she wasn't protecting her right side. He attempted to exploit it, but was surprised when Lily tripped him causing him to fall backward on his butt. Lily took the opportunity to pounce on him, bringing her claws to his throat.
"I got you," Lily said as she was trying to catch her breath. Garrett took in her proud grin and how her messy brown hair hung over her flushed face. It wasn't as if Garrett couldn't reverse their position. He was still stronger than her, but he was impressed that she allowed her instincts to fully take over and would have immediately gone for the kill if this wasn't a spar.
"Well, what do you think? I..." Before Lily could respond, Garrett had spun them and he was now above her.
"You can never underestimate your opponent, Lily. You must keep the upperhand the entire time or you could..."
Lily cut him off by leaning up and kissing him. Garrett deepened the kiss leaving them both breathless. He nipped at her neck as his hands roamed her body. Unknowingly, Garrett began doing the Alpha call heightening Lily's senses. Each touch, each kiss made her body shiver with pleasure.
"Garrett," she managed to say.
Hearing her voice brought Garrett back to his senses and he tore himself from her. He put space between them but he was still squatting with his hands on the snow. His eyes glowed amber signaling that his wolf, Berric, was now in control.
"Run," Garrett said.
"What?" Lily said, leaning up.
"This is your next lesson, my little she-wolf. When you can't fight your opponent, you must be faster," Garrett explained. "Run, little she-wolf. If I catch you, I'll make you mine tonight on the forest floor."