Novalie POV My phone started buzzing as the sun was coming up, so I grabbed it to see who could possibly be calling me that early in the morning. It was Alana, at approximately 6:45am. I answered the phone with a groggy hello, and she told me to meet her in the great room in fifteen minutes so we could start my training regimen. I agreed and hung up the phone before rolling over to see Xavier passed out in my green armchair that he had pulled next to the bed. I let out a silent giggle as I got up to get dressed. I put on the dark green yoga capris and matching sports bra top, grabbing a zipper hoody from the hanger because there was a slight chill in the Alpha apartment this morning. I unzipped it and pulled it over my shoulders as I grabbed a pair of matching tennis shoes from the shoe shelf and put them on. I silently made my way back out into the bedroom and grabbed my phone off the charger before exiting the bedroom as quietly as I could. As I undid my braid to put my hair in a

Xavier POV I could feel her anxiety radiating from her once she learned the council would be attending the ball, but I didn't say anything hoping her anxiety would dissipate. After we reached our first store and it hadn't, I knew I needed to say something to calm her nerves. "You know the council is just a bunch of pompous assholes that think they're better than everyone. But they really like your dad, or maybe they are just afraid of him, or us, I'm not sure. What I do know is that every time they come to Hidden Woods they kiss the all the ranked wolves asses, so I wouldn't worry too much about them. Besides, you have me and Lunar in your corner Little Bit. And we won't let them be mean, or disrespectful to you, ever. So don't stress it. Just be your wonderful, happy, brilliant self and I'm sure they'll love you. If not, I'll let Lunar have them because he doesn't like them at all." I chuckled to her as we walked around the store. She smiled when I called her Little Bit, which w

Novalie POV A week and a half had passed since my appointment with the pack psychologist. Her report had said that I was well adjusted and hopeful for the future, and that I had processed, accepted and was moving on from the event at Midnight Moon, so I was cleared to go back to school. I had also been cleared by the pack doctor, so I had joined training with the other pack members, though I was being trained mostly one on one by Alana. Since I had been allowed to start sparring, I spent alot of my time training with Alana. She said I was making great progress and told my father that I was an incredibly fast learner which made us both proud. Today was the day of the Christmas ball, and Christmas was in three days. Because we had so many different ranked members from packs all over the country, and even some from the United Kingdom here, the packhouse was bustling with life. Most notably were the numerous young ranked children who had spent most of yesterday throwing temper tantrums

Novalie POV I was quickly frustrated by the council members and their attempts to push their authority over me and test the power of my aura. I walked away from the Alpha table and headed to the restroom, leaving Xavier there to deal with the last councilman who openly challenged me. It made me proud to know that my aura was more powerful than all of the council members, and I realized why they made sure to stay in my family's good graces. Surely they were freaking out now that they realized that both Xavier and I were stronger than them. The restroom was packed and quite a few of them were girls I went to school with, but I paid them no mind as I did my business, washed my hands and left them in there whispering about me. They had never liked me and I'm sure they liked me even less now that I was apart of the most distinguished Alpha family of this time period. That was fine by me, as I didn't particularly like them, let alone want to be friends with them. They didn't like me as a

Novalie Christmas and the New Year came and went, and today we were headed back to school. Dad and Anne flew in with Xavier and I so they could help me set up my new dorm room. The new semester didn't start until Monday, so we had the weekend to get it done. Charles and I had exchanged numbers, and we texted and talked everyday, and even facetimed occasionally, though that would be harder to coordinate now that I was even further away from him. But, I didn't have time to focus on that as Anne and Dad unpacked all the Christmas gifts they had gotten me that they had bought specifically for my dorm. The other kids were coming back to school today too, but I wasn't too worried about them. It took us hours to finally get my dorm set up perfectly, and by the time it was all said and done I found myself being grateful for my new family once again. Anne always made sure that I was completely satisfied with whatever we were doing before she would let anyone stop, and I was grateful to have