Chapter 318
AXEL
I’ve been checking in on Emily all morning.
From å distance.
Staying away so she wouldn’t be aware I was still closely monitoring her.
I asked Jessica to keep an eye on her, knowing Emily wouldn’t welcome my presence after what I was forced to do last night.
I didn’t want to lock her in her bedroom like that.
Lknow a thing or two about captivity, and it literally would have been her worst nightmare, having her power and freedom stolen away like that.
But it was what Aaron decreed needed to happen to keep Emily secure while he was away.
I think Emily attacking Leah was the last straw for Aaron, and I wonder what he’s going to do about his sister when he eventually gets back from Romania.
Last night, I’d sat outside her door in the hallway as she’d raged and screamed and cried until she’d given up in exhaustion, and I’d hated myself every second of every minute for doing that to her.
gone.
I spent most of last night and this morning-when I wasn’t dealing with pack issues-trying to think of ways I could help Emily.
She needs to be able to prove to Aaron that she’s working through things in a healthy way, and I don’t think simply seeing the pack therapist is the answer.
Especially when it comes to her need to shift and run.
I wish I could let her roam to her heart’s content, but with the new threat posed by vampires, it’s just not safe.
I’ve come up with an idea, I’m just not sure whether she’s going to like it.
But I think it’s a good alternative to get some of the pain and aggression out if she can’t shift and run.
Just before lunch time, I go to where Emily and Jessica are. working in tandem on some of the duties Leah would usually do as pack Luna.
Emily is pale and tired, but seems as if she’s having an okay time with her friend.
However, when I step up to them, Emily’s expression
immediately shutters, and maybe I’m mistaken, but it seems as if there’s a real spark of fear in her eyes.
I know my treatment of her has been questionable, but I don’t understand what I did to make her truly fear me.
was really going to hurt her when I subdued her
in the hallway after she attacked Leah?
Or did locking her in the bedroom last night make her think I’m no better than the old Roberts alpha who abducted her?
“Emily,” I say, and my voice comes out rougher than I mean it to. “Come with me.”
“Why?” she asks, mostly suspicious, but with a hint of anxiety.
“Do you have to question everything?” I snap at her. “It’s time you learned what it means to obey your Alpha.”
Technically, I’m not her Alpha, but I’m acting in his stead, so my word should be law.
Her constant need to fight and defy everyone and lash out like a wounded, cornered animal is exhausting.
I’m not
andrprised Aaron decided that locking her up at night
and having her watched constantly throughout the day was the best answer to protect both her and the rest of the pack from her self-destructive behavior.
But if my plan works, I hope we’ll soon see the last of that.
Emily looks to Jessica, who sends her an apologetic look and then turns away.
At that, Emily’s expression shows her hurt, and then betrayal.
But both are swiftly followed by rage.
Good, if she’s angry, maybe she’ll be able to see the benefit of what I’m about to propose.
I march through the house at a clip expecting Emily to keep up.
I’ve got a million things to do today once I get Emily set up with her new schedule.
We walk out across the expansive grounds to the entrance of the training ward and huge underground facilities where Aaron both trains his pack and keeps them fighting fit.
I was highly impressed the first day here, when Aaron gave me the tour.
The facilities are excellent, and it’s clear Aaron’s training regimen and expectations of his pack members are high.
The Rathborn pack is certainly a force to be reckoned with.
“Why are we here?” Emily asks worriedly as we step out of the elevator on the lower underground level.
Across the way, one of Aaron’s senior pack members-Owen -is beginning a new training session with the younger pack members. Older teens and pack members in their early twenties.
From what I’ve seen since I arrived here, Owen is one hell of a drill sergeant.
It’s probably a testament to Owen’s skills that Aaron’s pack is so disciplined and well-trained.
I stop at the edge of the training area and indicate to where
starting to put the young wolves through their paces.
“Your training starts today,” I tell her in a tone of voice that says I expect not to be argued with.
But this is Emily we’re talking about.
Of course she’s going to argue.
“I’m fully trained. I fought in the war,” Emily says peevishly. “I’m not starting from scratch with the newbies.”
“You were barely old enough to fight in the pack wars,” I tell her, raking a glance over her. “How many battles did you actually see? One? Two? Or none?”
She presses her lips into a line, and I can see I’ve struck a nerve.
“I don’t need to be trained,” Emily insists instead of answering my question. “I know how to fight.”
“Okay,” I reply, spreading my arms wide. “Here’s the deal. You take me down. You get out of training. But if you don’t, then you do as I say…
