Reckless Regrets
Chapter 60

Kade

My “welcome” back to the pack came in the form of an intense training session the next morning. Henry decided that if Roberto would be training the pack in Oregon, he would need to know how to do it. He was here for the week shadowing Henry and Aires while he tried to absorb everything he could.

He needed some work, but he paid close attention to everything and didn’t give up when he failed. That was a significant bonus for him because Henry had little patience for weakness or quitters, so Roberto had no choice but to toughen up and learn. By the end of our three-hour workout, we were all worn out, but I felt great. Everyone pushed themselves as far as they could, and no one gave up. It made me proud to see.

“I think he’ll do well, Beta. I’d suggest that he come down here or Aires or I go up to Oregon for a few days every other month for the next year or so until he’s got everything down. Roberto will start to pick up on his own techniques, but it will take a least a year for him to have a solid foundation,” Henry advised.

“Have you seen the video of the training Tyson did a while back?” I asked.

“Yes, sir. I have.”

“And what do you think? A year for all of them as well?”

“Honestly, sir? I think the older fighters are useless at this point. They have become stiff and stubborn with their movements, plus years of inadequate training have ruined their stamina. I’d suggest that they continue to train as a small line of defense, but we should begin to focus on the young wolves. The pups will pick up on everything much easier, and by the time they are of age, we will have another solid team in place.”

“So a team of junior warriors should be the main focus for now. Train and mold them, then promote them, and do it all over again?”

“Yes, sir, that’s what I’d suggest.”

“I like it, Henry, I’ll let Xander know. It was a good session today; you and Aires never disappoint.”

“I’m happy you think so; now it’s time for me to have breakfast with my girls. Excuse me.” Henry walked over to Aires, who had Roberto in a headlock as she explained the best way to snap someone’s neck. I didn’t think we were at that point in training yet, but Aires always was full of surprises.

When Aires let him go, Roberto looked at her, shocked that she could be so strong. I don’t think he knew that she was part bear when she wrapped her arm around his throat.

“Don’t worry, wolfie, you’ll get better. You won’t always get beat by the girls. Adios!”

She took Henry’s hand and walked off towards their house, leaving Roberto standing in place, confused. I just laughed and walked over.

“Aires is a hybrid, vampire and bear. She’s faster and stronger than most fighters you’ll ever encounter, so don’t worry; it’s not your fault if she kicks your a*s with her eyes closed, it’s just who she is.”

“I’m relieved to hear that. I was trading blows with Henry with no problem, but Ms. Aires took me down with a flick of her wrist.”

“Just don’t piss her off. You don’t want her to shimmer while fighting you; your ego would never recover.”

His face paled at the thought, and I walked away with a small smile. As one of the only people to experience Aires at that level, I felt it was my duty to warn the youth.

***

After my shower and breakfast, I found Marisol and Gabby sitting in the common room together. They looked like something was on their mind, but they were women, so who could know for sure what that something could be?

“Hey, ladies, what’s going on?” I asked.

“Good Morning, Beta,” Gabby smiled at me and said.

“I’m still Kade, Gabby. You’ve got to know by now that I don’t like all the formalities,” I told her.

“I know. You just keep changing your hat; it’s hard to keep up.”

“I guess the last month or so has been full of changes, but I’m back where I belong now. So, what’s up?”

“I’m going home today. I miss Nate, and after everything I’ve been through, I want to finally experience what’s it like to have a mate and love him,” Marisol said.

“Okay? So why do you two look so sad about that?”

“Because I’m not going. I want the same thing, and my mate is here. Luca has a life here, and I don’t think there is anything for me in Oregon anymore. My dad can come to visit me here, but I’ve got to live my life. So I’m staying,” Gabby stated.

“Oh, well, that’s not all that bad. You won’t be down the hall from each other, but it’s just a few hours.”

“We’ve just been together our entire lives; it’s hard to separate, especially after The Badlands,” Gabby added.

“It’s understandable. Why don’t you and Luca go up too, just for a week or so? You can show him around, and he can meet your dad. Eventually, everyone from both locations will need to know how the other operates, so he can get that out of the way early,” I offered.

“We’ll go up in a few weeks. Mari and Nate need time to reconnect and get the hang of their co-captain duties, and Luca and I are still getting to know each other; I don’t think we’re ready for a week away yet.”

“Cool. Well, just know that this isn’t the last time you’ll see each other, so don’t be so sad. Sometimes you’ve got to step away from your support system to grow. Xander and Matt have been my best friends since birth, and it was tough for me to leave and go up to Oregon without them. But it made me a better leader and more appreciative of the people around me; I’m sure it will be the same for you two.”

“I hope so. Cam will stay a few more days while I get settled in, and we’ll be back on Monday or Tuesday to pick him up. I’m a little nervous. I’ll have real responsibilities for the first time, besides being a mom, of course, and I don’t want to fail.”

“You and Nate will figure it out. Besides, you’ll have access to all of us here if you have any problems. Xander wouldn’t have given you the position if he didn’t know you could do it.”

“Hey, Troublemaker. You all set to get on the road? Your car is ready,” Tyson walked in and announced.

“Are you driving her?” I asked.

“No, it’s a normal driver today. My days of being a chauffeur are hopefully over,” he replied.

“I’m ready. I don’t have any bags or anything, so it’s just me,” Marisol stood up and said.

She gave Gabby a big hug, then walked over and kissed me on the cheek.

“Tell Morgan I said thank you for everything she’s done for me. Usually, I’d be furious that my four-year-old’s girlfriend is older than I am, but in this case, he picked a good one,” Marisol joked.

“He’s a smart kid, and I’ll let her know. Have a safe trip,” I replied.

She made her way to Tyson, who crushed her in a hug then walked her out to the garage.

“She’ll be alright. Both of you will be,” I looked to Gabby and said.

“I know we will. If the last week taught me anything, it’s that we’re stronger than we think we are. We’ve just got to believe.”

***

After Marisol left, I figured it was time to get back into my old routine. So I went up and walked into Xander’s office and stretched out on his couch, without knocking.

“I’m glad to see we’re back to normal. I kinda missed you barging in here unannounced,” Xander said.

“I missed it too. So what’s going on? Can we clean anything off your to-do list?”

“I’ve got a few things, actually. Marisol will have to hit the ground running because renovations on the Oregon packhouse start this week. Alaia and Taylor put in hours of work on the design aspect of things, and now we’re ready for permitting and construction. I’ve also ordered a new safe that will house the dragon eggs. It’s temperature and humidity controlled, and only Tyson and I will have access to it. That should arrive today, and I’ll have one less thing to stress about once they are safely locked up. ”

“Aww, really? Why can’t I play with the eggs too?” I complained.

“That’s why. We’re not ‘playing’ with the eggs, Kade, we’re keeping them safe until Blaze comes to get them. What if you damage one? Do you want to be the person who singlehandedly destroyed one-third of the future dragon population? I’m pretty sure the answer to that question is ‘no,’ so the eggs are going in their safe. And the fewer people with access to them, the better. ”

“Sounds selfish if you ask me. What else have we got?”

“This last one is a big one. The elders have finished the investigation on Thorne. They sent me a copy of the report, and I couldn’t even read through it in its entirety. He’s thrown at least a dozen wolves into The Badlands since he took over the pack, not including the girls. They substantiated allegations of abuse, rape, inhumane work conditions, and embezzlement. I think it goes without saying that Thorne is done. He’s officially been stripped of his title, and as of an hour ago, he has been sentenced to death.”

I sat up and gave Xander my full attention. This was what I’d been waiting for. Everything that we’d done had all led up to this. Thorne was responsible for my mother’s death, and I wanted nothing more than to return the favor to him.

“What did they say about my petition?” I asked.

“I want to ask if you’re sure about this, but I already know the answer. Your petition was approved, with conditions.”

“Conditions? What conditions?”

“You and Thorne will fight to the death. If you lose, then I would step in and finish the job. Thorne must die by the hand of a Blue Moon member.”

“I don’t plan on losing, but why would you be the one to step in? You’ve seen the way his pack was trained, Xayden could take him out if he wanted to.”

“I appreciate the faith you have in my son, but I don’t think his mother would agree. Anyway, I’d be the one to step in because it’s my job. Usually, in these situations, it would be Alpha vs. Alpha, but the elders made a concession for you because of your history with Thorne. The fact that you’re a Beta who also took over Thorne’s pack, however brief, once he was detained further helped your cause.”

“When and where? I’m ready now,” I enthusiastically stated.

“Tomorrow night. We’ll be taking a trip up to Oregon, and the fight will take place on the elder council campus.”

“What are the rules? Can I shift? Are weapons allowed?”

“Weapons? No! When have you ever been allowed to use weapons in these types of fights? You can shift, but no one outside the circle can interfere.”

“So, it’s just like your fight with Alexi?”

“Exactly, but there won’t be any concessions this time. You will stay in that ring until you kill that fucker; you make sure he pays for every single thing he’s ever done, especially for your mother. Do you understand me?”

This was the kind of pep talk I needed. It got my juices flowing, my heart pumping, and my mind working; I was ready for war. I rolled my neck and shoulders and smiled. This fight was going to be fun.

“Yes, Alpha. I understand, 110%.”

***

Morgan

Kade had told me about the fight. With it happening the very next night, I barely had time to prepare myself, and my nerves were all over the place. I knew he was strong and that he would win, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t at least get hurt. I didn’t want him hurt; I wanted him safe at home with me. But he needed to avenge his mother, and I wouldn’t dare stand in the way of that.

I’d gone down to replace the girls and was resting on the couch while Taylor played in my hair. It always used to calm me down when we were kids, and it was interesting to see that even as an adult, the trick still worked.

“I can’t tell you not to worry, because that’s impossible. I don’t know how many idiots told me not to worry when Tyson got ready to go get the girls. How anyone can expect you to ‘not worry’ about someone you love going into a dangerous and life-threatening situation is beyond me. But I will tell you to trust in him. We don’t know what Thorne is capable of, but we do know what Kade is.

We laugh and joke about him being beaten up by girls, but he’s an incredible fighter, and he’s smart. Kade has sparred with both Xander and Tyson multiple times and held his own, and who do you know who is better than those two? Thorne may have been an alpha, but he is weak in body and mind, which is a major disadvantage. Kade has got this in the bag, and Alaia will be there to heal any injuries as soon as its all over. Right Alaia?” Taylor asked.

“Absolutely. Will Kade get hurt? Most likely. But before he even has the chance to register the pain, I’ll have him patched up and back to you, ready to plan the nursery and the wedding, and whatever else you want,” Alaia added.

“Do you think they’d let me go? I mean, we will be at the elder council, so it’s not like I’ll be in any danger. And I’ll fell so much better if I could see everything happen; I hate getting second-hand information all the time.”

“I don’t know, sweetie. You may not get physically hurt, but it will be stressful, and that’s not good for the baby. I don’t think anyone would want you to put the little one at risk,” Taylor said.

“Alaia can help, right? Can’t your powers calm and soothe? If I held your hand during the fight, you could keep me stable to protect the baby, and I’d still get to make sure that he was alright. I want to be there. Please,” I begged.

“Talk to Kade. It could be distracting if you’re there, and we don’t want that. If he says its okay, then I’ll do it,” Alaia replied.

“There is no need to ask; the answer is no. Thorne has already taken one woman from my life, and he won’t take another. You’re staying here, sugar bear, and that’s final.”

Kade had walked into the room and overheard the conversation. The look on his face was one of stubbornness and determination; he was always trying to protect me, but sometimes I needed to protect him. He walked out, and I looked over to the girls who didn’t know what to say.

“It’s a good thing I don’t need his permission. As the Blue Moon Beta, I have as much right to be at that fight as anyone else. I’m going, and there is nothing he can do to stop me. So, are you ladies with me or not?”