Her Light

Nike Blackwood

We pull up at the local supermarket after grabbing some takeout breakfast.

I put Eris in charge of the shopping list to give her something to do that does not include sneaking chocolate bars into the shopping cart.

“How many bottles of cream did Hestia want?” I ask Eris as she sits on a throne of milk boxes she built in the cart. She got tired of walking and promptly decided she wanted a milk box throne. At least now she can’t run off to the candy aisle.

“It says one liter of fresh cream.” Eris squints at the page before showing it to me.

“Let’s checkout now. We should make it back in time for me to attend the training session Vince scheduled for noon.”

It became too difficult to hide the supernatural world from the humans, and the Council exposed us back when I was still a pup. It was difficult and took a few years, but we now live in relative peace, with treaties and agreements between all species.

We make it home later than planned since we stopped for ice cream. I didn’t want to stop, but Eris decided to try and jump out the window when we drove passed. Damn child nearly gave me a heart attack!

I drop her off at the pack house to give someone else some gray hairs. I can’t wait for the last two weeks of the summer break to end so she can head back to school. I rush to the training fields in the clearing away from the houses and see Vincent, my beta, has already started the training when I get there.

I join him at the front where the new trainees are sparring.

“Nice of you to join us, Alpha,” he teases, and I punch his arm.

“Next time, I’m sending you to the shops with Eris!” I warn.

He rapidly shakes his head, a shiver running through him. Vince is just a couple of months younger than me and looks terrified at the idea of shopping and adding Eris to the experience.

His mate once volunteered to look after my sisters when I had the initial meeting with Alpha Marcus to negotiate an alliance between our packs.

Let’s just say, they were put off having pups when Eris got into Vince’s chocolate stash and was literally bouncing off the walls on a sugar high…

I scan the training field for Calvin. I’ve been pushing him harder in his training since we found out he’s Danu’s mate. I need to know she will be protected.

Vince and I survey the progress of the newer trainees before moving on to the more experienced warriors. I spot Calvin near the edge of the group, sparring with his best friend, Miguel.

Vince follows my line of sight and nudges me. “Did you hear he finished building the house?” Vince asks quietly. “He wants to show it to Danu after training.”

“Well, then I need to have a word with him. Take over here, Vince.”

I move through the warriors and stop next to Calvin and Miguel. Calvin notices me watching and quickly ends the spar before helping his friend up.

“Alpha,” they both say and bow their heads.

“Good spar, Miguel. Find a new partner and continue,” I dismiss him. “I need a word with Calvin.”

Miguel leaves us, and I turn to face Calvin. He tries to stay confident, but his eyes are nervous, darting anywhere but at me.

“Look at me, Calvin. You’re practically family,” I sigh. “I heard your house is finished.”

He holds eye contact this time, and I’m impressed. I may be the alpha, but I prefer my pack members to look me in the eye.

That was one of the first things I changed when I took over from my father.

“Yes, Alpha. I plan on showing Danu after training,” he says proudly, puffing his chest out.

I smirk at him. “I highly doubt you’ll be doing much after training.”

“I don’t follow, Alpha,” he says, completely confused.

“You’ll be sparring with me for the rest of the session. I want to know that you can protect my sister.”

He’s strong and a good fighter—I know he’ll protect Danu with everything he has—but his speed could still improve.

“She’s my mate and my love. I would die for her!” he vows, though I can sense his nerves about training with me again. He had his ass handed to him shortly after discovering Danu was his mate.

I growl and grab his neck, pulling him close. “I don’t need you dying for her. I need you living for her!”

And with that, we start to spar. We exchange kicks and punches, dodging and initiating various attacks. I test him thoroughly, and he fights to show me he is worthy of being my sister’s mate.

Time ticks by, and a crowd forms around us when training ends, but we fight on.

Calvin manages to tackle me to the ground, and I knock my head against a sharp rock hidden by the slightly long grass.

We keep the training field clear of obstacles that could cause unnecessary injury.

The metallic scent of my blood fills the air, and stars briefly dance around the edges of my vision. Calvin immediately stops, and I use it to my advantage.

I grab his neck and reverse our positions, pinning him to the ground and winning the fight.

“Never stop until your enemy is down for good,” I mumble and tentatively place a hand on the side of my head to stop the blood flow.

Vince hurries over to help me up, but I remove his grip as soon as I’m stable, my father’s rules too ingrained in my mind.

An alpha must never show weakness.

Calvin stands up, and I reach my non-bloody hand out to shake his. “Well done, and welcome to the family.”

The warriors cheer at my approval of Calvin as my sister’s mate and i hope with all that is left of my battered heart that he’ll take care of her or there will be hell to pay. I refuse to have history repeat itself.

Not that I’d hesitate to remove the threat to my family, again.