Training - part 1

~Noelle~

Yesterday left me a bit shaken up. Just a bit. I'm a pretty brave girl, I handled it well and now it feels like it was nothing. I'll tell you, nothing can frighten me like that again.

"HELLO NOELLE!"

"AH!" I shrieked, barly keeping my feet from slipping on the dirty road. I placed a grip on my shirt, trying to regain my staggering breath.

"Oh my. Why did you freak out? We've been walking together for seven minutes, or atleast I think it's seven minutes. Could have been more." Kiki giggles, her annoying, hyper as fuck giggle. If I could drown her and get away with it, I would. I'm against stupid violence, but this would be a good deed.

I will continue to say it, no one should be this hyper. Not even on a good damn day. It's just not normal. I know an infected person isn't normal to begin with, but my point stands tall. And mighty, and free of a heart attack.

"You nearly killed me!!"

Kiki tips her head to catch my gaze, her bright smile adds to my annoyance. Why is she so irritating today?

"You're easy to scare. And that wasn't my intention. But we're here!" Her arms widen to emphasize our surrounding, almost socking me in the face. If she had hit me, there might have been a real issue between us. Excluding her already infuriating perkiness.....

I sound like a Grinch, and I might be. It's not so bad. People avoid you, as far as I know. It hasn't really worked for me. It has the opposite effect in fact. They keep coming.

I blinked the sun out of my eyes, spotting the so called 'perfect spot' she was rambling on about when she woke me up this morning. There's nothing special, it has trees and a waterfall.

"Um, isn't there a rule to not go swimming around here?" Micah makes a gruff noise next to me, and I pat her snout.

"No no, the rule is to not swim next to that area."

"That is stupid. Are you telling me that creature can't just swim around?"

Her forefinger rises to her chin. I can't believe this, common sense doesn't exist. My mother lied to me.

"Right, the alpha said-" What a dangerous way to start any statement. "there are plants around the other sides of the island that repels the creature."

They are all going to die someday, and sadly they'll take me with them. The alpha said this, the alpha said that. Isn't there a brain in that nugget they call a head? The kind you use to make your own decisions.

Shaking my head, and the regular distaste in my mouth, I matched over to the steep. I'd like to confirm that there isn't anything down there, and if she scares me. Someone will die today. I mean it.

"Hmm, there's nothing." I don't know who's dumber. That creature or the members of the Moonraiders pack? What's clear, is that Dante has them all whipped.

Probably with those abs. And beard. And hair.

"Are you done? We have to test the basics of your Luna abilities."

Oh, that's why I'm here. To train. On this hot day. As if I didn't everything already. The water looks nice and clean, and strangely inviting. But I won't fall for its tricks. Do I believe everything is out to get me? Hell yes.

I hurried back to Kiki, with Micah happily trailing after me. The only person who seems to be benefitting out of being infected is Micah. Honestly, I should have known. Dogs don't live that long, but I guess it never crossed my mind. She's happy, and I should be happy for her. I'm not. The happier she gets, the more I feel stuck to this place.

"We're testing your speed today. The pack has a free zone it uses for Lunar runs. Pack runs. Full moon walks, and intimate stuff." Gross. You should have told me that then. Now I'm going to think every tree I look at, has been defiled. "Stop it with that look." her laugh didn't change my face.

I just feel uneasy now.

"Anyways. Lunas, can run very fast. Faster than most of the infected. So we need to test that. Get your heart pumping. You're going to run with Micah. I'm a gamma, my speed isn't even close to your dog."

"Then why are you here?"

"Instructions, duh?"

Wow, this....oh dear. This is just sad. For me.

"Okay." I cleared my throat. I've run thousands of times. The night my parents died, well my mother was infected. Don't know what happened to my father but I'm assuming the same. Or death. Hopefully death.

This should be easy.

"Oh, I should add something else. Stay along the straight line, straying from your path might lead you to some of the guards. Who don't know you yet? They'll be introduced to you during wedding."

My whole chest warmed at the mention of the upcoming prenuptials, but my brain ached. Thank god the infection has fucked with my mind yet.

"Got it. Avoid meeting people, you have the right girl." That has been my task for years.

"Also,"

oh my fuck!

I swear too much. And this is why.

I can't deal with people.

I rolled my shoulders, staring at the path I was to take.

"This would a good training for you and Micah. I'll be taking the shortcut to wait for you at the end, and I'll timing you. And don't die of dehydration, do not get lost- the alpha would think I'm incompetent." Now, I wouldn't incompetent. But there's a word out there for you. "And good luck. Should I count you off?"

"Will it make you happy?"

She nodded, bouncing on her toes.

"Then no." I added a smile for context. Kiki blinks in a minute shock, before laughing.

"I like you, Noelle."

"I'm not sure why."

I whistled to regain Micah's attention. Who knows why she was staring at that tree with her tongue sticking out. The wind rustled against the leaves, and my fingers pat my right thigh.

We used to do play runs around the house when I was a kid. She was so adorable. She still is, but ferocity can change that to some extent.

But Micah, is still a dog. She doesn't just run. I dug my heels into the mud sprinted off, grabbing a medium sized twig at the beginning of the path. I heard a bark, her interest fairly perked by the item in my hand.

It took two blinks, yes I counted, for Micah to catch up with me. She let her tongue free to the wind, and her glistened underneath the sun's burning glare. And I'll say, the nostalgia was suffocating. I could picture this moment, but seventeen years back. When I still had my parents. How dad would watch us? Mom would be small talk, and telling us to be careful. And to not fall when we ran up the staircase.

Focus, Noelle.

I took a deep breath, and noticed that Micah was aiming for the stick.

"Oh no you don't." I moved, side stepping her. Laughing to myself when huffed. I kept my eyes forward, increasing the speed of my feet.

A crossing came into my view, two other paths to take. Micah was once again at my side.

I stayed along the straight path, almost tempted to go the other way.

I don't how fast this is right now, but I am having fun.

"Come on, girl. How bad so you want it?" I waved the stick, enjoying how excitement flares through Micah's eyes. She's been sick for so long. This is what we haven't had in years.

She lunges for stick again, almost slamming into me and I don't know how I avoided it. All I did was run, and soon Micah was behind me. Trying to catch up. This is fun. If I can out run, Dante is so done. It's almost as if lives rent free in my head, because....no. No.

No, I only think about him because I hate him. There are no other reasons. No.

FOCUS.

I braced my arms forward, smacking a large branch out of my way. I paused, watching as it flew off to the side. What the...

Where was this when I was trying to smack Dante?

Oh my god, I've got to try it out on him.

Something heavy rolls into my back, a flash of pain fills me as my breath is knocked out. My body falls forward, and the stick I had been holding is freed from my grasp. Micah happily moves over to pick it with her mouth, chewing it in front of me.

"Good girl." I praise.

"NOELLE!" That hyper active screeching piece of-

"Here!" I yell back.

"That is wonderful. You made it past the check point, which I realized I never told where it was. So, I've been trying to catch up."

"You did fine."

"No, I brought."

Who? To lazy to actually move, I turn wiggled my toes in hopes that they would tell me who this male was. My nose is buried in dirt, and although I can't feel pain anymore, I'm very comfortable where I am.

'How nice.'

My body immediately goes tense, recognizing the voice.

"Dante!" Isn't there any other man in this fucking pack?

'There are, but I'm afraid I don't want them to realize how horrible you are just yet.'

"Fuck off."

'No can't do. We have plans together.'

"No, we don't."

'Yes we do.'

"This is what I call progress, between a perfect couple."

'She is crazy.'

I laughed, spitting out some dirt.

"I couldn't agree more."

I fought against the comfortable mud, and rose to my feet. Spitting out some more dirt. I need a fucking shower.

'You can take one at the tailor's.'

"Huh? Why are we going there?"

'For your dress fitting.'

ohh. He did mention that this morning. I may have chosen to ignore that.

I turned to Kiki for my assessment.

"Oh, um, you did great. You actually passed the checkpoint before I got there. Thank goodness Dante was already on his way to get you. We probably shouldn't have stopped at Giada's for breakfast, and brunch. And we should have taken the shortcut here."

I couldn't withhold my sigh. I don't regret the Giada part but damn, this is Kiki's fault.

I did well, that's all I know.

I marched over to Dante, and swung my right fist in the direction of his stomach.

"Ouch." I cringed, my first bursting with pain.

'I am not a branch.'

"Stay out of my head!"

Fuck. One day, I will get him.

'Mm, sure. Now, let's go."

I brushed some of the dirt off with my working hand. Waiting for the pain to subside in the other.