6 5

The next morning, she woke well rested and content.

She showered quickly, then dressed, before laying on her bed to read a book she had taken from the library. After an hour, there was a knock at the door.

She opened it to see Colin leaning against the door frame.

"Good morning!" he grinned happily, "You down for some breakfast?"

"Sounds great," Andromeda smiled at him, "Lead the way."

He and Andromeda made their way to the elevator, laughing about the jokes they were making. As they got down to ground level, they saw the Alpha and Luna walking towards them.

"Oh! Hello, dear. I was just fetching you for breakfast," she said, her signature, motherly smile gracing her features, "But it looks like Colin beat me to it," she winked, and Andromeda shoved her lightly, noticing the slight pink tint to the boy's cheeks.

"Good morning, Elane. I mean no disrespect, but why did the Alpha follow?" she asked, genuinely curious. He snarled at her but Andromeda held her ground, not reacting at all. Colin flinched.

"Because I don't trust a murderer around my mate." He growled, taking her into his arms.

"I do not believe I was speaking to you."

Elane burst out in laughter, escaping from the Alpha's grip.

When she could breathe again, she replied to Andromeda's question.

"He is just being annoying. I know you won't hurt me. Now, follow me, dear."

The Alpha grumbled and walked into the elevator.

Luna Elane, Colin, and Andromeda found their way to the dining room, and most of the inhabitants were already there. She still got a multitude of stares, just like the previous night, but barely minded.

Elane sat beside her and we ate, laughed and conversed with the Alpha and Beta families.

The Alpha himself, though, didn't show his face, which Andromeda was thankful for.

After fifteen minutes or so, Elane excused herself and Andromeda and led her out the front door and into the fields her bedroom overlooked.

Elane clapped once to get Andromeda's attention.

"Now, If I am going to help you with your powers, I first must gain your trust," she said, shifting into a pure white wolf, one larger than her mate's.

"Only hybrids, or nexyn, in my language, have white wolves. Like some cliche novel, they're generally stronger and larger. Watch out for white wolves smaller than, say, Alpha Bernard, as they are usually fake. Sometimes, however, they will be a different nexyn but that doesn't matter right now. Get on my back," she linked into Andromeda's mind. Her last sentence was thought so smoothly she almost didn't recognize it as an order.

"What?" Andromeda asked, "Why?"

"Trust me," Elane winked, flicking her pristine tail from one side to the other.

Andromeda sighed, "If I fall, it's on you, Luna."

She laughed, and she mounted the wolf, like one would a small horse.

"Hold on to my neck fur," Elane advised before shooting off into a sprint through a forest.

Andromeda did so, practically laying across her back.

She jumped over rocks and roots with such ease and speed that you would never guess she had an extra hundred pounds on her back.

The wind screamed in their ears as she went faster and faster, for what was probably a half hour.

The green of trees slowly faded into a grassland, as she sprinted at crazy speed before finally stopping abruptly, the force sending Andromeda flying off of her back, only for her shirt to be caught by Elane's jaws. When Andromeda's body was securely situated on the ground, she took in her surroundings.

Around her was prairie grass and as she looked up she saw the sight of an absolutely massive mountain range.

"Elane!" Andromeda turned around to the wolf who was lying on her side, panting heavily, "Where the hell are we?"

"California. Mount Whitney, actually."

"What?" Andromeda cried out, "You did not just run from Minnesota to California."

"You're right," She shifted back into her human form, "I didn't. It's called a warp--basically teleporting, but I manipulated space-time instead. Teleportation is so loud it's painful."

Andromeda grinned, "I'm kinda looking forward to learning how to do that."

"That's what I'm going to teach you now. Thankfully, I'm powerful enough to fix anything you mess up in the time continuum," She laughed.

And the lessons began.

/

Eventually, she had successfully brought them back to Minnesota, after many, many colossal failures and nearly ending the universe.

Once back in the training fields, Elane handed Andromeda a potion. She eyed her for a moment, and seeing as Elane ingested an identical one, Andromeda chugged the contents of the tiny vial, suddenly feeling completely rejuvenated.

"Okay," she said, "Now that I taught you some magic to satisfy you, we need to spar so I can get a feel for your abilities."

"How'd you know I'd complain?" Andromeda joked rhetorically and she laughed.

As Andromeda hadn't shifted yet, they both silently agreed on fighting in human form.

They began to circle each other, both of their eyes completely focused on their opponent.

Seeing Andromeda was not going to strike first, Elane struck, summoning a dagger in her left hand, and attempting to slice at the younger's legs. Andromeda didn't have time to have an emotion about it.

Out of instinct, she dodged, jumping to the left, and Elane tumbled out of the way.

"Graceful," Andromeda smirked at her, and she growled.

Andromeda heard the laughter of the pack members around them and realized they had attracted a small crowd. Her eye caught Colin's and he gave her an adorable lopsided grin in encouragement.

I'll just have to give them a show, Andromeda thought and repositioned herself for an attack against Elane.

Andromeda bent down to jump at her, discretely removing a knife from her boot. Lunging straight at her, she tackled Elane in the middle of the chest, and snarled, holding her blade to her throat. Elane disarmed her and flipped the two of them over so Andromeda was underneath her.

"Oh, how the tables have turned!" She joked, but Andromeda just kicked her off, sending her back a few feet.

She somehow landed gracefully, still holding Andromeda's knife.

She sighed and grabbed another one from her bra, one made of silver and much larger.

She noticed the slight panic in Elane's eyes for a moment, before she regained herself.

A perfect opportunity, Andromeda thought before approaching her, sending a kick to her gut. She flew to the ground with a thud.

She coughed and lay there for a moment, "I don't think you need much training," Elane said and laughed. Andromeda offered her a hand and helped her to her feet.

The pack members--other than Colin, of course, who still held his signature grin--were booing Andromeda, but Elane sent a glare to all of them.

"Andromeda won the match fairly, due to her superior skill. That is all," she said, and they backed down.

"Thank you," Andromeda smiled lightly, and she nodded.

"You're welcome, my dear," Elane replied and returned the blade.

"Because I can't help you with physical skills, we will have to only train your magical skills," she said and glanced at the hand she had slashed last night.

"Great job, Andromeda," Colin came up to her.

"Thank you, and I saw you were the only one happy by my win."

His face tinted pink and he looked away, "They're only concerned. The pack still thinks you killed their Beta Female, so they were scared when you beat their Luna, who is one of the best warriors we have."

"Then who is the best?" she asked, and he was about to answer before Elane called her over.

"Sorry, Colin, I'll talk to you at dinner!" Andromeda smiled, leaving the red-faced boy. Why does it do that? Is he sick? she thought.

Andromeda nodded to Elane, who gave her a look as if to scold her for getting distracted. Andromeda followed her up the elevator. They neared the library, but before they reached it, Alpha Bernard came out of his office. His eyes were a dark crimson, and his tall stature was hunkered over slightly.

"You!" he growled, pointing to Andromeda, "How dare you harm my mate?"