11.1: Training and Lesa

Celeste's POV

"So the women train two days a week?"

"Yes, little one. Men train for at least two days as well. Both have the option of training together on Wednesdays but everyone has a mandatory two. Warriors have a mandatory two to four hours every day, depending on shift assignments and status level. Our highest ranking warriors are expected to train for at least four hours every day, though they often train longer if they're able to." I nodded, tugging at my sleeve. Yesterday I ripped a hole in the sleeve of one of the new knit sweaters I'd gotten. I thought I hid it well but when I saw it in the closet this morning, a little flower was sewn to cover the hole. I was unsure how it got that way but I thought it was cute.

"Women didn't train in my pack." He raises a brow. "And I don't remember there being any female warriors. Not even in our stories." The stories the remaining pack elders and others would tell the kids at night. Great warriors, adventurous love, defeats and wins. Not many women shone in the stories. I remember asking about it once and getting a shove from one of the other kids. I didn't ask questions about the stories after that.

Xavier took me out to the training grounds this morning. He said he wants me to see how some of the intricacies of the pack work.

"Is Jacob in charge of these?" He seems to have a leading position amongst the group of people training this morning; weaving through the people and giving notes.

"Yes, he's my top warrior so he leads the training sessions."

"And you?" I look up at the handsome man to my left. It's clear from his broad shoulders and his complimentary consuming physique that he works out. A Lot. I blush thinking of times when he's carried me so effortlessly.

He chuckles, "I work out most every morning and evening." I raise a brow, knowing I haven't seen him outside the pack house without me in the time I've been here. He ducks his head a bit, "I admit, I've been a bit distracted as of late." He means me. Now I feel bad. . "I'll be resuming my full routines once you're settled, I promise." I nod.

"What's Josh doing?" He was away from the group, running back and forth while throwing around some large lump.

"He's running drills with a weight. That looks like the 200 pound body sack." I gasped. "He almost got hurt the other day so we're increasing certain aspects of his training. Current goals are to improve his weights and stamina." I have no idea what that means but I nod. "We can have you join training this week if you'd like?" A breath gets caught in my throat. The idea of doing the exercises the people are doing down there makes me nervous. They're almost sparring, practicing hits and ducks, kicks of impressive angles. I can't do that, right? "We'll start off small. This group has been training since they were thirteen." I nod, that makes sense. "This is actually a lighter training load for them today it seems." Of course it is.

"Would I be training with Jacob?" I look for him in the crowd, his presence daunting.

"No, you'll be training with me or Zay until you're ready." That sounds nicer.

"Okay," I agree to the training.

"C'mon." Next we go to the town square. The pack is walkable but there are cars here and there. I imagine there's housing pretty far out here as I know the pack is a very large one. Xavier explains that most of the businesses are here but that there are a few shops close to the now confirmed neighborhoods.

"We have our own business association here. They get together every other week to discuss profits and troubles. They sometimes write reports to me, asking for whatever they feel they might need to help the business grow."

"Do places close?" I think of the cute thrift shop I was at the other day, not liking the idea of it potentially not being here one day.

"Sometimes. Like most places, if the business continues to not do well then there's not much point to keep them around." I hum. "But as a pack we try hard to support pack businesses, not outsourcing to human shops as much as we can." We walk for awhile, Xavier pointing out different shops to show the variety of products you can find on pack grounds.

"When you're ready, I can explain to you the profits and revenue which each business is required to send reports of monthly." I nod, not looking forward to it at all. Numbers were never fun to try and learn about. "C'mon, follow me." He takes my hand, turning our direction around.

"Where are we going?" I ask as Xavier leads us to a car outside the pack house. There's someone waiting by it with keys that they hand to Xavier as we approach the red hunk of metal.

"To see someone really special." A twinge hits my guts as his words accompany an otherwise stunning smile. Who is this person?

Xavier opens the door for me. I've never seen the inside of a car before, not that I remember. It smells nice, the black interior squeaky clean. I awkwardly climb in, the car taller than me. Xavier chuckles, closing the door and entering on the other side. He reaches over when he gets in, pulling a strap across my body and clicking it into place. A seatbelt, I recall from an unlocked part of my memory. I suddenly remember Dad, an old memory shining into place of him placing buckles over my childhood self in I guess what was our car? I remember the smell of his cologne as he smiled at me, dimples the same as mine.

"Are you okay?" I nod, giving Xavier a soft smile.

The car starts with a thrum that startles me, although I knew it was coming from cars I'd seen and heard in towns passed previously by. We drive back through the town square and onto a dirt road. There's maybe fifteen minutes of driving, and I wonder how big this pack really is, before we turn into a neighborhood full of cute little houses. We stop at a medium sized blue house with a garden of flowers outside. A woman is waiting outside and my stomach once again squeezes as I take in her beauty. She has brownish blonde hair with purple highlights. Her skin is a gorgeous tan, free of blemishes, that would make anyone envious. She wears a summer dress, despite the fact that it's a chilly fall day, that shows off a few tattoos that complement several visible piercings. Her eyes are a strikingly familiar green.

Xavier gets out of the car and jogs around to my side, he opens the door and helps me with the seatbelt, my confusion once again embarrassing me. He gives me a hand to get down from the tall vehicle. The woman gives a bright perfect smile.