Chapter 6

Reed’s POV   

Restless and with an empty stomach, I woke up. Nix and I had been confined to the SUV all day yesterday. I wonder how he slept? I am getting ready for the long day ahead. But no matter what my day holds, his day will be longer, as I know the Council Members will want to speak to him. But I don’t hear any noise coming from his room. I know he lived and worked on a farm. He would normally be up by now. I knocked on his door.   

No response, so I knocked again. There is still no response. I turned the handle and stuck my head through the open door. I saw he had made the bed and placed a toothbrush on the side. Crap, has he done a runner? I ran to the window and saw the SUV parked there. I know that for a fact, he wouldn’t have left without his stuff. So where is he?   

I tried to follow his scent, but it was weak. I am wandering around aimlessly when I hear a load of shouting. He wouldn’t have, would he? They wouldn’t have let him, would they? I am not privy to the inner workings of the Wolf Council, nor am I allowed to train with the protection team. In case I find out their secrets, I think sarcastically to myself. But I have to check, even if it is a slim chance.   

I stood at a distance and looked through the open entrance. He bloody well is. He has only been here a night and is there with them. They have never allowed me in, even though I have been here for years. He is talking to that miserable arsehole, Mike. I ran over, shouting at Nix. I am, after all, supposed to be looking after him.   

He then gets invited to their training sessions. I am not sure I want him involved with this lot, anyway. But Mike, more or less, tells me I will bring him for them, appropriately dressed. Great, something else to add to my to-do list.   

Nix seemed glum. But after we had eaten, he appeared cheerier. I don’t know what has happened. But I prefer this version of him. Afterwards, we walked in silence to the town hall. I guess he is not used to having company. Ethan meets us and makes it very clear I am not allowed to go in. It is only Nix they are interested in. “Call me when you need picking up, Nix.” I said to him before I left.   

   

Nix’s POV   

I walked into a large building with Ethan by my side. Reed trusts him, so I guess I should, too. He tells me that the reason I am there is that, as a wolf less boy, I am exhibiting the strength of a powerful wolf. A place has to be found for me, as I could be a powerful ally or a powerful enemy.  

Ethan doesn’t believe I am a threat, which is why I have made it this far. But they need to find out why my aura is so strong for an unknown boy from a human town raised by a rogue mother. I think he is complimenting me, but it’s hard to tell amongst the other garbage he keeps talking about.   

They took me into a room and sat at a table. They asked me lots of questions throughout the day. Mainly about my mom, about my mom’s life and relatives. The most useful bit of information I could give them was her name ‘Tia Bird’. 

They asked me for hair and blood samples. “Why?” I asked. Ethan told me they started a genetic database a couple of decades ago. They may be able to find a relative of mine through it. I doubt it. Mom was an orphan and adopted when she was around 7 years old. But I played along. “You never know she could have had siblings. We could find out which pack she was from?” was Ethan’s answer. The overall experience wasn’t so bad. But I didn’t know what to expect.   

Then Ethan started asking about my aura. I didn’t know what he was talking about, to be completely honest. But when he explained it to me, all I could do was respond with, “I have never been this angry in my life, not since my mom died. She didn’t like me to be angry. It wasn’t her way, she was so sweet-natured, kind and loving.” I started crying again. But I shook myself and pulled myself together. Once the day was over, I called Reed.   

He was there when I left the building. I was mentally exhausted, but I wasn’t physically exhausted. I am used to being physically exhausted and not mentally. So this was an extreme change. He gave me some clothes to get changed into. “Why do I need these?” I asked.   

“Because you have training, remember?”   

“Great, just what I need.” I said gleefully.   

“I hope you keep that attitude when he’s finished with you, Nix. Mike has a bad reputation.” Reed responds.  

Reed hands me a pair of shorts and a vest, and I put them on, and then he takes me to the training ground. I am not used to feeling so naked. I mean, I’m not, but wearing shorts and a vest with trainers makes me feel naked. Wearing work clothes is second nature to me.   

“Nice to see you, Nix,” Mike shouts, “glad you could join us.” He dismisses Reed and introduces me, reminding everyone I do not have a wolf. We warm up with running, moving heavy items and an assault course, which requires a lot of upper strength. I am fine with that.   

But when we moved to fighting, I realized how out of my depth I was. I spend more time on my butt than on my feet. By the end of the session, I felt sore, really sore, but I got back up, every time. They will have to knock me out before I give up.   

At the end of the session, Mike says “I see what Reed meant about you not having training. Don’t worry lad, I will make a warrior out of you.” He laughs as we leave. “See you in the morning.” He yells behind me. I will be lucky if I can walk in the morning, I think to myself.   

I walked through Reed’s front door. He takes one look at me and serves me some food. “Shower once you have finished eating. You have it all to do again tomorrow.”   

“Lucky me” is all I can say.   

“Yeah, Mike seems to like you,” he laughs.   

“No one has ever liked me,” I told him.  

“Well, Mike does, and he likes nobody.” He laughs as he says it.  

I want to say my skills have improved over the next few days, but I get knocked down every time. I always get back up though.   

Reed gives me space, which I am thankful for. It was on my fourth day here when Ethan dropped by the house. “I heard you have been taking a beating from Mike,” he says while laughing. “Just twice a day, nothing to write home about.” I responded.   

“The reason I am here is that we think we have found a relative of yours. There is a girl who shares some of the same DNA markers that you have. She is either a half sibling or a full cousin. Either way, she has 50% genetic markers the same as you.”  

“I guess, if you’re confident.”  

“We don’t like to guess here, Nix. Tomorrow we are going to drive to the Mountain Creek Pack and see if we can get any answers. Reed, I have decided that you are to act as Nix’s guardian until the Wolf Council decides otherwise.”   

“Great, I love pack life.” he says.   

I lay in bed that night. I may have a sister, a half-sister, or a cousin. A relative I never knew about. I don’t know what to make of it. Did my mom know? I have to move forward. It’s what she would have wanted.