13

GEORGIA

✿

“The exam is based on four main points. Strength, stamina, speed, and dexterity,” Hawkings explained to all the recruits who made it through the final exam. Including me. “You will complete an obstacle course, prove yourself in hand-to-hand combat and finally go through the famous three-day national navigation course. Everything has to be passed alone, without the help of your classmates. And letting your wolf do the job is forbidden.”

The three-day national navigation course. That was the hardest part of the exam. Far more skills were required than in a parcours or hand-to-hand combat. Skillfully reading tracks was required, one had to successfully seek food even in barren mountains and survive in the far north near the Skihlaf rocks, without the warmth of our wolf fur.

"What? How am I supposed to survive three days outside without being able to change?”

"That makes no sense! I would always turn into my wolf in a real situation.”

“Unfair!”

"Shut up!" snapped Beau, who had been standing quietly next to Hawkings until now. Now that I saw him again, it seemed like last night didn't even exist with the sunrise. There were kilometers that separated us. A whole ocean.

I clung doggedly to our mate band, which with every gentle pulse reminded me that all was not lost.

One would have thought the warm morning sunlight would make him affable and tame, but he wasn't. Beau managed to make even his sleek brown hair look coarse.

“What if you're hurt and you can't move? What if you have someone else with you to take care of? What if that someone is hurt and you need to meet them? What do you do then, huh?”

Everyone fell silent and made embarrassed faces.

"Good. There will be two groups. You will train with me on the obstacle course. Beau will teach you hand-to-hand combat,” Hawkings said. He towered over Beau by quite a bit. Christ, he was almost a giant. However, with that flaming red hair and crystal clear blue eyes, he looked like a hot giant to have for dinner. Or as a dessert.

After Hawkings had divided us into our respective troops, Beau was already preparing to leave the training field. He quickly glanced over his shoulder. “Group One, what are you waiting for? Follow me."

I joined my group, which included Blair and Isaac, and we rushed to join him.

melee . I wasn't quite as bad at hand-to-hand combat as I was in steeplechasing and therefore in endurance and speed. Still, I knew there were some seniors here who were pretty damn good. And damn strong.

Beau led us into the training hall. There were punching bags, mats evenly spaced around the room, and various steel tables overlaid with weapons.

And then there was the ring. I just hope I never had to go in there.

Beau clapped his hands. His eyes, which were human for once, never looked at me. And I was dressed particularly nicely today. Tight black leggings and a pink top that stopped several inches above the waistband of the leggings, exposing a fair amount of my stomach. My hair was styled, my eyes made up. I looked damn good.

But he didn't seem to care.

“Choose a mat each. 40 push ups, 100 sit ups and I want to see everyone do at least 30 pull ups. Come on!"

Kaylee next to me grunted in annoyance. “Boah, and I'm already fed up with Beau's class. Hawkings was so much l-”

“ Triplet! Is something wrong with you?” Beau interrupted sharply.

"Uh, no," Kaylee squeaked.

"And cowardly at that." He snorted. "50 push-ups instead of 40."

Beside me, Kaylee gasped in dismay. "What? But-!"

Beau growled and she stopped abruptly. “This isn't a summer fun camp , y'all get that! You wanted to be a soldier? Then behave like them too!” he addressed the word to everyone and roamed the crowd with his keen gaze. “You think you train hard? Train harder. Think you're in shape? Walk 10 miles further. I don't want any wimps here. I train soldiers you can rely on. Who protect the pack. So if you like Hawking's method better,' he pointed to the exit. "Here is the door."

Nobody moved. Nobody even dared to breathe while I could just stand there and look at them. I remembered exactly how warm his body had felt. How well I could snuggle up to him and how secure I felt with him. His arms around my torso, his face buried in my hair.

His skin against mine.

His teeth on my neck.

His mouth on my ear. on my forehead

I wanted to be that close to him again. Felt the deep longing for him.

His shirt strained over his muscles as his head snapped towards me. I burst into flames. Even though I was standing between all the werewolves, it seemed like there were just the two of us in the room. His blazing gaze that captivated mine, that pierced me. He held me captive, never released me. His nostrils flared and his jaw twitched.

Then the magic was over.

"Now on the mats!" Beau ordered harshly, looking away from me. “50 push-ups!”

A few moments later we were all on our mats and I was trying to pull myself together. The time was stopped and became shorter for each run.

21 . I was pulling myself up on the steel bar, panting heavily and struggling to do another pull-up.

beep "Contact again!" came Beau's unyielding voice.

Damn! I was by far the slowest. I finished my 30 pull-ups, then ran to my mat to start the seventh set. One, two, three, I silently counted the push-ups to myself. Concentrate Georgie. One after the other. I was halfway through when it beeped again. Ah, how I hated that tone! Who thought up this torture method? That was barbaric.

"Squats!"

I tried to do the remaining 19 push-ups faster, but my arms were burning like hell and my palms, soaked with sweat, kept slipping on the mat.

I heard his footsteps, recognized his gait before he reached me. Beau squatted down next to me.

My breathing was shallow. My hair was plastered to my face and my arms were shaking with the exertion. Just a little more . I tried to push myself up. The remaining nine push-ups. As my body gave out and I collapsed on the floor. Holy Mother of God , who had the stupid idea of hiring Beau as a coach?! You had to get your head straight.

He clicked his tongue in disapproval. “Georgie, you do the procedure again. And this time in time.” Then he stood up again. "Everyone else, sack the pits."

My hands gripped the mat and I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood. Anger rushed through all my veins. Calm down, Georgie . Stay calm.

But the longed-for peace did not find me. On the contrary. I've never been more restless in my life than I am right now. I did the 40 push-ups, looking at him. He didn't look at me. I did the stupid 100 sit-ups. He still didn't look at me. I plodded through 30 pull-ups. He was in the process of improving Kaylee. His head bowed down to her. His hand on her waist.

I immediately let go of the horizontal bar and landed on the floor. jealousy . Yes, it was pure, outright jealousy. And oh, she was tall.