Stronger

“Anna!” Good morning darling!” Amaria was in my new kitchen and a sweet scent of food was dragging me forward,

“Chocolate chip pancakes as promised. Grayson is an early riser and don’t worry I told him you know,” she set a plate down in front of me. “He’s always been ashamed of his father so I wouldn’t mention it,”

I dug into the pancakes that even if I’d never tell her we’re better than my mom’s. I happily ate and swung my feet like a child. It felt refreshing to be looked after.

“Elizabeth the deltas wife and the trainer of the warriors is going to come by and help us unpack your things,” she reminded me as she sipped her coffee.

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“Right. Will she have the time?” I could imagine that training in warriors is a time–consuming responsibility.

“You are new Luna she has made time,”

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A knock sounded on the door and in came Elizabeth.

She had slightly red hair, freckles, and a sharp face. She was much taller than me and her frame was much more sculpted. Her shoulders were wide yet still feminine. She dressed in gym clothes of a light shade of purple.

“Luna,” she bowed her head smiling greatly.

“Please call me Anna. Your husband is delta I want us to have a good relationship,” I waved my hands embarrassed by the undue respect.

“Anna, it’s so great to meet you. Grayson had waited four years to compete for you I wondered if I’d ever meet the myth,”

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I smiled bashfully, fiddling my hands behind my back. They all had such high hopes. Grayson’s acceptance of me relied on them.

“I hope I’ll be worth the wait,”

“I have no doubt you’re exactly what we all need,” she gave me a grin that she and Amaria shared.

“Come let’s unpack and get you settled,” Amaria ushered us into the living room that had my things piled high.

“Clothes upstairs to the master,” she began.

*Oh goddess no please don’t make me tell them. ”

“Um. Actually I am in a different room. Grayson, he um had one set aside… for me,” I hid my red face from them taking out some blankets from a box to appear busy.

“What!?” my mother–in–law growled and bared her teeth.

“He just wants to wait he said at least until the binding,” I squeezed my eyes shut clutching the blanket so mortified they

had to know this.

“I am going to teach that boy a lesson you do not act so rude to a woman here to care for you!” she started marching off.

“No! No no no please it’s okay I’ve already said my-”

“Amaria,” Elizabeth halted her at the door. “He is Alpha. He built this place. It is his house he must decide what to do t

he’s comfortable with,”

3

Oh, my goddess. This is excruciating his people agree that he should distance himself from me. I would have thought someone would be open to my presence. Well, Amaria is.

“To treat his soulmate as a random guest in his house is not respectful,” She crossed her arms and stared down the warrior. “Would you accept this treatment from Aarron?”

Elizabeth nodded in for a moment. “He should be more understanding. We will move Annas‘ things into the master and Grayson’s things into the other room. A good alpha gives,” she looked around to see if that was acceptable.

“I am fine in the room I have. I do not want to start another argument. He knows I’m upset with this arrangement. That is enough,” I tried to stand my ground.

“No my dear. My son knows better than to treat his mate this way. You will take the master he owes you that,” Amria grabbed a box of my clothes and headed upstairs before I could protest.

“I understand he wants what’s best for the pack but there is a way to do so with respect for you Luna,” Elizabeth nodded,

grabbing another box.

1

I grabbed another box but my head swimmed with scenes of his anger. What if he sent me away?

I walked to the double doors of the master bedroom. It had a king bed with a bench in front and a vanity and a den to the left with a ty and a small couch beyond that was a balcony. To the right were doors to the bathroom and closet.

The closet was a dream. Room for my whole family’s clothes spread before me with another large soft velvet cream bench

in the middle.

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*Nevermind I’ll take it. *

We put the clothes I had on the rods. I put my blouses and tank tops and t–shirts together.

“You seem to be a fan of nightgowns,” Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at the contents of her box.

It’s true I liked lacey, soft, or silky nightgowns. Long or short. It made me feel elegant. There were satin ones, silk ones, lacey ones, and cotton ones. As long as they were cute and in a soft color I wanted

them. I had avoided wearing them during our travels because I wasn’t prepared for him to see me so intimately.

“Grayson might break if he sees you in these,” she smirked.

“Believe me he will hold his composure,” I huffed.

I pushed the memory from my mind and the subsequent fight.

If the two women noticed my ire they said nothing we moved Grayson’s clothes to the other room and he his shoes and other things.

I would be more nervous about this plan of ours if Amaria wasn’t so angry at his behavior.

When my clothes were all put away Elizabeth made a face.

“Luna Anna. Do you only have this for warm clothes?” she pointed to the smallest section of my wardrobe.

“Yeah,” I laughed. “Can we get some more Ella said we would order some,”

“I will order some for you. I have seen your other clothes so I believe I know what you’ll like,” she skimmed my clothes appraising them.

“Come let’s get the rest,” Amria called for us.

“The rest is books I wouldn’t know where to put them,”

“We can put them in of the empty rooms then,”

2

We headed downstairs to get more boxes. We moved the books upstairs and I put my blankets into a linen closet. I grabbed the box that had my most personal blog belongings and put them in the room by myself.

“Now you two go to the training grounds. I’m going to see my son and explain the change of plans,” Amaria held up her hand when I tried to protest.

“Come luna,” Elizabeth guided me. “You will learn tomorrow we have a routine around here. Everyone has multiple jobs to help the pack. I will show you around. Today we will go to the training house and practice marksmanship with the

pups.”

We headed down the long path from my house to the pack grounds.

“I will give you a tour of the pack tomorrow. You will choose what you want to do throughout the day. If you want to farm, hunt, make clothes, train pups, train yourself, You are Luna so you will not have a set time for a change of activity like the rest of us,” she nodded to me.

“I’ll explain more tomorrow,” we entered the main grounds and walked straight to the training house where a group of I believe 6–year–olds were waiting for us with Aarron.

“Luna Annette,” Aarron bowed his head.

“Luna Annette,” the kids all called out and mimicked his movements.

“Hello little pups,” I smiled brightly, happy to be in their energy and excitement.

“Today we will be practicing our archery marksmanship, let’s head to the range everyone,” Elizabeth called over the crowd of grilling chattering children. “In a nice calm way please!”

The kids were excited to practice and were all scrambling over one another. Elizabeth tried to fall them but the rambunctious hoard of children was unstoppable.

“Everyone stop!” I commanded with a boom of my voice.

The kids all halted in unison, turning to look at me with wide eyes of being caught.

“Get into two lines please or we will run laps today instead,” I continued stepping in front of them.

They all mumbled and shuffled into two lines and kids bumped and argued over who went where but eventually they were ready.

Mama and I often helped with teaching the pups about the crops. I was used to children being unruly because they were not in their classroom, they were outside.

“Elizabeth and Aarron are being kind to help us. Let’s go to the range now calmly as she asked,” I got out of their way.

The kids all walked forward to the range, their steps getting hurried when they saw the bucket of bows.

“Now, everyone stays in front of the fence while we go over the rules,” Aarron ordered.

The kids hushing down to whispers and giggles.

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Aarron n explained that they could get very hurt if they didn’t pay attention and that no one was to have an arrow in their bow unless they were aiming at the target’s downrange.

I gave a breathy laugh to myself as the kids stood in awe as Elizabeth demonstrated how to shoot an arrow. They all cheered when it hit perfectly in the bullseye.

I want kids with odd birthdays in one group and kids with even birthdays in another.

They all jumbled into two clumps of about even numbers numbering in anticipation.

The first group all goT in line with the range with their colorful bows and blunt arrows. After going over how to stand and where to put their arms and face they began losing arrows.

Squeals, laughter, teasing, and joy just busted forth from the pups after their arrows landed.

I noticed a little pup on the end who was very small for his age. He was frustrated that his arrow hadn’t made it onto the target.

The kids got their arrows and switched off with someone from the other group.

As the time went on I watched the little pup go from a pout to genuine tears forming in his eyes.

When he approached the line again I walked up behind him.

What’s your name?

“Mark,” he shuffled and shuffled his feet. “I’m sorry Luna,” he looked at the ground, his sweet face crumbling.

“No, no mark, I want to help you,” I rubbed his back. “You’re not in trouble at all. You just need to change your stance okay,”

He looked up with hopeful eyes and I could not help the way my heart melted at him.

“Okay take your stance,” he stood his feet wide and slightly bent. His arms stretched really wide too.

“Okay, straighten your legs and bring them in a little,” he did that.

“Relax your arms for now. Bring up the bow but don’t pull back your string,” his b*dy doing what I suggested. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

His little frame looked so strong in the right form that it was adorable!

“Now when you pull back I want this arm to be straight but don’t lock your elbow,” I patted his bow arm.

“This arm when you lose I want you to keep it where it is just move your fingers,” I patted his losing arm.

He nodded determination covering his tiny features.

“Okay pull back, aim and then let go,”

He pulled back and aimed, holding his breath which wasn’t right but he was learning.

He got the target in his sights and let go hitting the second ring. It wasn’t the bullseye but he celebrated like it was.

“I did it! I did it!” he jumped up and down screaming. He jumped into my arms and I laughed holding him for a second. “Thank you luna!”

He ran back to give another kid his bow a bright and proud smile on his face.

I looked over to go stand with Elizabeth and Aaron Rodgers on again and Grayson was there.

His eyes burned into mine with something I couldn’t read. I held my breath as I stood and walked over to the other side of the group avoiding his eyes.

“Thank you,” he grunted as he turned and left.

I let my breath go.

Author’s note:

I feel at this point in the book I want to make something very clear. If your partner isolates you and constantly tests you and keeps their affection from you that is abuse and you should leave. Annette stays because she has been fromised by her goddess he is the right man. In our world there are no such promises. In any of my books if a charcter in an relationship shows wrong behavior that behavior will always be adressed by their partner. I will never write a story where a person in an abusive relationship stays, nor will I write a story romanticizing abusive behavior. I feel it’s not a spoiler to tell you Grayson will realize his behavior is horrible becuase they’re soulmates. If your partner treats this way leave and love yourslef the way you deserve.

Thank you all so much for reading I can’t tell you how much the comments and views mean when you spend your time writing and seeing people appreciate it.