Chapter 49
Adrian’s POV
Two months had passed since Skye officially joined Oasisborn Pack. In that time, I’d watched her transform from a hesitant newcomer into an integral member of our community.
The children at the orphanage adored her, Venus considered her indispensable, and even Lydia had taken to sharing her rarer herbal concoctions a privilege previously extended to no one.
Today marked the culmination of Skye’s combat training assessment, the final hurdle before she could be recognized as a full warrior of the pack. I stood at the edge of the training field, arms crossed over my chest, maintaining a carefully neutral expression despite the pride swelling within me as I watched her performance.
As expected, her results were impressive. While her strength evaluation yielded only a marginal pass–understandable given her smaller stature and less developed musculature–she excelled in nearly every other category. Her speed tests had the evaluators exchanging glances of surprise, her grappling techniques demonstrated a fluid adaptability that compensated brilliantly for her lack of raw power, and her marksmanship…
“Holy shit, Ryder breathed beside me as Skye’s final bullet found its target dead center. ‘I’ve never seen anyone shoot like that on their first assessment
Coming from our pack’s best marksman, this was high praise indeed. I allowed myself a small smile, finding it hard to believe that Skye had once accidentally shot her mate Leon. But in that moment, I felt grateful for her mishap three and a half years ago. Without that fateful error, our paths might never have crossed.
Nadia approached, clipboard in hand, her expression professionally detached despite what I knew must be conflicting emotions. Whatever tension had developed between her and Skye recently, she had maintained absolute fairness in the evaluation process.
“The results are clear,” she announced. “Skye passes with distinction in marksmanship, speed, tactical assessment, and defensive techniques. Her strength evaluation meets minimum requirements.” She paused, then added with grudging respect, “Overall performance places her in the upper quartile of our warrior class.”
The gathered evaluators nodded their approval as Skye accepted the news with quiet dignity, her silver hair gleaming in the afternoon sun. The slight flush of exertion on her cheeks only enhanced her natural beauty, bringing an unexpected warmth to my chest. I quickly suppressed it, maintaining my role as impartial Alpha.
“Congratulations,” I said formally, stepping forward to address not just Skye but all the warriors who had completed their assessments today. “You’ve earned your places among Oasisborn’s defenders. Tonight, we celebrate your achievement.”
A cheer went up from the gathered wolves. As the crowd began to disperse, I made my way
to
Skye’s side, lowering my voice so only she could hear.
‘Do
you remember our conversation from last month?” I asked. “About the canyon?”
Her eyes brightened with recognition. “The stars,” she said simply. “You promised to show me the canyon under the stars if I passed the assessment.”
“And you’ve more than passed,” I confirmed. “I’ll make the arrangements. We leave tomorrow at dawn.”
As I turned to leave, already mentally cataloging the preparations needed for our trip, Ryder appeared suddenly at Skye’s side, his perpetual energy seeming even more pronounced than usual.
“So you’re really taking her to Crescent Canyon?” he asked, falling into step beside me. “I’ve been telling her about that place for weeks! The acoustics are incredible–perfect for music.” He patted the guitar case strapped to his back meaningfully.
I stifled a groan. This was precisely what I’d been trying to avoid when I’d hung up on Skye after she suggested bringing Ryder along on our trip. Now here he was, already assuming his invitation.
Before I could formulate a diplomatic rejection, Nadia joined our small group, her dark eyes narrowed with suspicion. “A trip to Crescent Canyon? Is this some kind of special reward for Skye’s performance?*
“Yes,” I admitted, seeing no point in denying it. I promised to show her the canyon if she passed her assessment.
Nadia’s expression shifted, calculations clearly running behind her eyes. “And what about the other successful candidates? Don’t they deserve equal recognition for their achievements?”
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Chapter 49
I opened my mouth to object, but found myself suddenly surrounded by the enger faces of young warriors who had overheard out conversations Trac- excitement was palpable—Oasisborn’s best warriors, who had trained diligently for months, now looking at me with hopeful anticipation,
“A canyon campout would be amazing, Alpha!” “We’ve never had a group celebration like that before! Can we teally go, Alpha Adrian?
Their enthusiasm pressed against me like a physical force. I glanced at Skye, trying to gauge her reaction to this unexpected development. To my surprise, she seemed genuinely delighted by the idea of a group excursion.
It would be wonderful to celebrate together, she said, her silver hair catching the light as she nodded encouragingly. ‘Don’t you think so, Alpha?
There was no graceful way to refuse now. With Nadia’s pointed challenge, the warriors‘ eager faces, and Skye’s apparent approval, I found myself cornered.
“Yes,” I conceded, suppressing a sigh. “We’ll make it a group expedition. All successful candidates are welcome to join.
The cheers that followed did little to soothe my disappointment. What I had envisioned as a quiet opportunity to finally spend time alone with Skye had transformed into what would essentially be a pack field trip.
Chapter Comments
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boy he really has a lot of people that cares about his feelings, not!
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