The Wolf Within Me
Chapter 11:

The Darkwood Manor garden

In Kiani’s head: I thought things changed between Rocco and me. I know it did last night. I still feel it. This insatiable need for him. He was silent the whole journey back. My inner wolf I've decided to name Wolfie. So original, I know. She hasn’t told me her feelings on the matter, urgh. River doesn't know what's up with him. Yeah, we gave each other an eye confused by the whole car ride home. But apparently, my training starts today. So yeah, brilliant.

Rocco: “River, leave us.”

In Kiani’s head: Don't you dare. (River leaves)

Rocco: “You always forget I'm an alpha. No one can talk to me like you do. You don't feel the full power of my dominant force.”

Kiani: “So you boss people around because you have some strong dominant aura? I'm glad you can't boss me around with your grumpy face. What do you mean, training?”

In Rocco’s head: Kiani looks beautiful today even when she's calling me a ‘grump face’? After last night, I wanted to take her to my bed and have my way with her. When I saw her at the University today I wanted to taste her again, it took all of my willpower not to. If I acted how a full grown male wolf shifter would when he got his new mate. Kiani, who knows nothing, would go running for the hills. First, she would’ve been in my bed for a bloody week. If I slept with her, she would’ve been able to feel my feelings and moods, vice versa. We'd be able to speak through our minds to each other. As our bond would be fully complete. If we’re soulmates, our imprinting would begin. But we'd have to be fully open, trustworthy and entirely in love. Even then, it's rare to be soulmates. But I have to take it one step at a time. If I act cold, I won't give in to my desires until she's fully trained to be a Luna.

Rocco: “You'll train with different members of the pack everyday but your primary trainer will be Maia.”

Kiani: “If I say no? (Rocco touches Kiani’s face)”

Rocco: “You can try. But I’ll hunt you down until you do what I say.”

Kiani: “You'd have to catch me first.”

Rocco: “It's only a matter of when. What would you do to me if you caught me?”

In Kiani’s head: A sudden jolt of desire hit me. I see lust flare-up in Rocco’s eyes.

In Rocco’s head: As I hold her chin, I gently rub my thumb across her soft lips.

In Kiani’s head: I feel my breath shorten as we remain a breath away from each other.

Rocco: “Maia is waiting for you.”

Kiani: “Will you be training me? Are you my m-”

Rocco: “You're not ready. (Rocco storms off)”

In Kiani’s head: A strange feeling comes over me. I fear Rocco can cure. (in the gym)

Maia: “This is our home gym. You'll be here a lot. You need to up your strength. You've been training as a human, you need to train to wolf shifter standards. Mainly because you still need to shift. To be a Luna, you must whoop everyone's ass in this pack but you're in luck. What you did for Tao, I'll get you in shape in no time. Are you okay?”

Kiani: “When Nova mated with Asher…how were they together? I heard they were all over each other.”

Maia: “When you're mated, you can't resist each other. Rocco might be holding back because of your circumstances. You have no experience whatsoever and you're mated to an alpha. He would break you. You're not-”

Kiani: “How can I forget!! You guys don't know if I'm r-(Maia smacks Kiani). OW!”

Maia: “Rocco was right. Bad reflexes. You should’ve seen that coming.”

Kiani: “I BET YOU WON’T SEE THIS C-(Maia punches Kiani)”

Maia: “You had no defense at all.”

Kiani: “That was brutal. I think you broke my nose.”

Maia: “It’ll heal.”

Kiani: “Blood all over the floor.”

Maia: “I got a mop bucket for you. (the next day). Don't look so nervous, ‘Green’.”

Kiani: “I'm not.”

Maia: “Good. You'll be on the treadmill today.”

Kiani: “I could treadmill in my sleep.”

Maia: “Until I drop you back home.”

Kiani: “But it's only 3 p.m. and I leave very late.”

Maia: “I'm glad you worked that out.”

Kiani: “Are you trying to kill me?”

Maia: “Don't be silly but Winter is. (Maia laughs). TOO THE TREADMILL!”

In Kiani’s head: Why am I doing this? To be Rocco’s perfect Luna?! He doesn't even talk to me. We shared a moment, that's it. We don't know each other. The only person I'm close to in this fucking pack is River. Damn, I love River. I feel part of something after feeling like I don't belong anywhere. Even if it doesn't work out with Rocco…

Kiani’s Wolf: “Rocco mate for life!”

In Kiani’s head: Well, he ain’t acting like it wolfie.

Maia: “YOU CALL THAT RUNNING?! RUN WOMAN RUN! (River walks in laughing)”

River: “At least you look good, girl.”

Maia: “STOP DISTRACTING HER RIVER! (Winter walks in)”

In Winter’s head: I was doing this training when I was twelve. The Darkwood Pack undefeated. Led by the undefeated alpha Rocco Darkwood. Mates a wannabe wolf shifter. He might as well have mated a pup. I've heard that they haven't even slept together. Are they even mates?

In Kiani’s head: Push yourself, girl.

In Maia’s head: I can't believe I thought Kiani came from the Bloodstone Pack. Sierra said as much. Although the picture I found of the former Luna, Dawn Stone looks a lot like Kiani. (stupid amount of hours later)

Maia: “Good, you've covered basic training. Don't worry. This is only the beginning.”

In Kiani’s head: Tuesday, no Rocco. (in the gym)

Winter: “I see very little with Rocco. How unnatural.”

Kiani: “Are we training or what?”

Winter: “We should. (Winter punches Kiani and she falls)”

In Winter’s head: Kiani has no idea who she's messing with.

Winter: “Feeble start. How weak can you get? You're not even worth my time. Oh, your wolf has come out to play. Is that the only way you can defend yourself? It's pathetic. CONTROL YOUR WOLF! Before you use your inner wolf for defense, use your abilities. Your wolf should be your last point of defense. Especially on humans. If we let our wolf take control when a human attacks us, the human would be dead. Then we would have the government at our door. So learn to control your emotions…to control your wolf.”

Kiani: “Does the government know about our kind?”

Winter: “Yes, but we have an agreement. We don't bother them, and they don't bother us. They don't want us to reveal ourselves to the world. Mass panic or something. So we live in the shadows, sort of speak. They want us to stay a myth.”

Kiani: “What if you kill a human?”

Winter: “With your lack of technique, you won't be killing anyone. Round two. ALWAYS HAVE YOUR GUARD UP! (Sierra walks in). The future of our pack scares me.”

Sierra: “Kiani will be ready.”

Winter: “My job is done for the day. She’s out cold. I think I broke a rib or two.”

Sierra: “It's a shame healers can't heal themselves. (in the kitchen). Here, this will help. Drink up, it will help you heal more quickly.”

In Sierra’s head: She looks so much like her mother. Same hair color, same eyes and same complexion. You did it Dawn, you saved her.

Kiani: “Thank you, I feel better already.”

Sierra: “I'm glad.”

Kiani: “Winter was right, I heard her. I'm not cut out for this.”

Sierra: “You underestimate yourself. You come so far already in a short amount of time. You never run from this. You face this head-on. We all grew up this way. You didn’t. You're doing well, considering that.”

Kiani: “I nearly ran.”

Sierra: “But Rocco stopped you. Rocco’s been pacing all day. He's doing all of this because he cares about you.”

Kiani: “Is he always so…serious?”

Sierra: “He never used to be. You could change that. (Kiani’s living room)”

Nia: “What happened to you?”

Kiani: “It's fine, I'll heal.”

Nia: “What are you doing to yourself?”

Kiani: “I'm just training…myself.”

Nia: “By running into a tree? Where have you been going after your classes?”

Kiani: “You don't have to worry, I know what I'm doing.”

Nia: “Settling you don't wanna move again, something is going on.”

Kiani: “Just leave me to it! (Kiani storms off)”

In Nia’s head: I’m still looking for the Darkwoods. Now Kiani’s sneaking around, I can't cope with this. I need to be following Kiani but I've already lost her trust.

In Kiani’s head: Wednesday, still no Rocco. (in the woods)

Nova: Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Take in your surroundings still with your eyes closed. Open up your senses and feel the earth around you. That’s it. Breathe in deep the fresh air, feel the wind as it brushes against your skin, hear the wind as it rustles through the trees. Hear the sounds of the birds singing and other creatures secretly around you. The smell of woodland and flowers combined.”

In Kiani’s head: I can hear and smell everything.

Nova’s Wolf: “Come replace me.”

In Kiani’s head: I hear a small voice in the distance.

Kiani: “NOVA!”

In Kiani’s head: This has to be the test. Nova said it's all about your instincts and senses. This is where Rocco carried me when I broke my ankle. Focus on the task Kiani. I smell Nova, I'm getting closer. Tao and Rocco fought here. He attacked Tao because Tao was too close to me because I’m his mate. (a girl appears). I smell another scent. Someone or something was there. (the girl disappears). I know it. Is this part of the test? Nova’s scent goes in a different direction. The other scent smelled like another wolf shifter. My curiosity got the best of me. Didn’t curiosity kill the cat? Good thing I'm a wolf. When did it get this late? I’m on the wolf’s trail. Omg! (the girl from earlier punches Kiani). I lay on the ground with a broken neck. (the Darkwood manor garden)

Rocco: “A stranger wolf has entered my territory. Hardly a trace. Asher and I know the wolf is long gone. I wanna know what they were doing on my territory. I want all of you to keep a high alert. This wolf seems to be powerful. Possibly an alpha. Maia, get in touch with the wolf shifter community. We've been quiet for too long. I wanna know who the big players are now. The big players who think they can send a wolf to scope out my territory and injure my MATE!”

Winter: “You all know what happened? The wolf shifter community wants to know who Rocco’s new mate is. Or they think our pack is growing weak. She let a wolf break her neck. That's our weakest state to be in. Kiani isn’t fit to be Luna, we all know that.”

Nova: “I know Kiani was following my scent. She chose to investigate another scent.”

Winter: “She's weak, Nova.”

Asher: “BACK OFF WINTER!”

Sierra: “It's not for you to decide on, Winter. (the next day Rocco’s bedroom)”

In Kiani’s head: Thursday. I’m in bed with Rocco. I’M IN BED WITH ROCCO!

Rocco: “Mhm. (Kiani tries to sneak out of bed but Rocco grabs Kiani’s waist)”

In Kiani’s head: Rocco rolls over, grabbing my waist unconsciously.

Kiani: “R-Rocco…? (Kiani laughs)”

In Kiani’s head: He’s still sleeping. Now he wants me unconsciously? Well, my wolf is content. Me, I'm nervous. I can't move as he holds my waist possessively. But I feel safe and warm. I don't want him to let go. I'm so tired.

Kiani: “What happened to me that got mr. grumpy to the let's cuddle in bed stage?”

Rocco: “What happened to highlander? You can feel me up if you want.”

Kiani: “I was not feeling you up.”

Rocco: “While I was sleeping too.”

Kiani: “You made me jump.”

Rocco: “I like your hair like that, all the wild.”

Kiani: “It's called bed head. (Rocco laughs). What?”

Rocco: “You get nervous around me, but then you can get bold. You only get nervous when I'm not showering or glaring at you.”

Kiani: “No I don't.”

Rocco: “I'm still determining which I prefer. I like them both.”

Kiani: “Why have you been avoiding me?”

Rocco: “To avoid the situation we're in. You're only wearing a towel, Kiani. You don't know how hard I'm trying to control myself.”

Kiani: “Then why control yourself?”

Rocco: “Because I won't be able to stop.”

Kiani: “Then don't.”

In Kiani’s head: Wow, desperate or what? Damn, I'm desperate. The pull to him is so damn strong and I don’t know if I can wait any longer.

Rocco: “Kiss me, Kiani.”

In Kiani’s head: Gulp.

Rocco: “Is that a no?”

Kiani: “No, I mean- (they kiss). Mhm.”

In Kiani’s head: Rocco whispers against my lip.

Rocco: “You taste so good.”

In Kiani’s head: As I felt Rocco consuming me, I hiked my leg around his waist, pulling him closer to me. I feel his need for me.

Kiani: “I have to go to the university soon.”

In Kiani’s head: I say as I stare into lust-filled eyes. Him breathing fast and shallowly. How will I tell him that I'm a virgin? (Kiani gets out of bed)

Rocco’s Wolf: “WHY STOP?!”

In Rocco’s head: Quiet!

Rocco’s Wolf: “Our bond isn’t complete.”

In Rocco’s head: I said enough!

In Kiani’s head: Great, will he go cold again?

Kiani’s Wolf: “WHY STOP?! We must complete the bond.”

In Kiani’s head: Kind of a virgin here, wolfie.

Kiani’s Wolf: “I never heard of it.”

In Kiani’s head: Figures.

Kiani: “How did I end up here anyway?”

Rocco: “Do you remember getting your neck snapped?”