Triplet Alphas Gifted Luna

Chapter 34

Ch 34 Chump

It took a week to get things in order, but Thea’s parents—Beta Walter and his wife, Naomi— finally left to visit Walter’s brother’s pack, Full Moon.

Liam requested a meeting with the Alpha. Thea and the triplets were required to attend.

“Sir, the latest group of Delta trainees are coming home soon,” Liam said. “They’ve finished their terms serving in the military, and I’ve called home the men doing time in private security and private investigation.”

The pack members who wanted to join Delta team enlisted in the military to get experience and training. They were sent in groups to the military so they could serve together, learn to work together, and bring that trust and camaraderie back home.

“As soon as they’ re back, they will complete Delta training. Then if they want to commit, they will take the oath to the future Luna, and we will initiate them. We should know before she shifts how many more we’ll have as permanent members.”

Woah. No Delta team member had ever sworn an oath to Thea. Not to her knowledge anyway. What was Liam talking about?

“In addition to that, I think we should make an open call to add to the pack warriors. Maybe offer part- time positions. If we go to war, the more people we have that get training and experience, the better. In the meanwhile, we’d have more patrolmen on the borders.”

“Make it so,” Alpha Ulric said.

“It may be helpful to bring in experts for training, so we’ re free to continue running down leads on who is after her,” Liam said.

“Whatever resources you need, you have them,” Alpha Ulric said.

“Sir, as her shift comes closer, I think it expedient we Start training a contingency of guards for the future Luna.”

“Does Delta team feel inadequate to the job?”

“I don’t want to be caught with our pants down,” Liam said. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Half our team was injured when she went to scout bars. A backup team could be necessary if we’re incapacitated. If she shifts and her gift isn’t useful for fighting —if she’s a healer or goddess forbid a resurrectionist—she may need a more substantial security detail. Even if she has a gift for fighting, she’d still have times when she’s vulnerable, like when she’s pregnant and can’t shift.”

Alpha Ulric nodded.

“Are you comfortable with more people knowing about her right now?” Liam said.

“This is ridiculous,” Thea said before the Alpha could answer.

The triplets looked at their father, worried how he would react. Thea had never interrupted him. They spoke before their father could.

“They have a point, Thea,” Conri said. “We don’t know what your powers will be.”

Thea made fists with her hands.

“Once I shift, well before I get pregnant, mind you, everyone will see that I’m not goddess- gifted, and then I won’t be a target anymore!”

Kai put his hand on her leg.

“Even so, you can’t shift when you’re pregnant, and you shouldn’t be fighting while you’re pregnant anyway,” he said. Thea bit back a growl.

“No other Luna has a guard detail when she’s pregnant. I won’t need it either. How is it possible that all of you are making permanent plans for something that will be over in less than a month when we shift? This is insane! Do you even realize how rare gifted wolves are?”

“Of course we do,” Alpha Ulric said.

“That’s why we’re going to protect you at any cost. We’ve been planning for this since you were infants. Why do you think Delta team exists?”

“What?” Thea looked over at Liam. He looked down, uncharacteristically, like he felt guilty. She turned back to Alpha Ulric.

“We knew we’d have to go to extreme measures to keep you safe,” Alpha Ulric said.

“We knew you would need highly trained warriors to protect you. We knew it would take time to build the resources, the personnel, the skills, and experience. A minimum of eight years in the military, special forces at that. Extra time as bodyguards, private security, private investigation. Delta team has been preparing for this for nearly two decades. We will not let anyone hurt you or take you away.”

Thea was silent.

“What is it, Thea?” Alpha Ulric said.

“We trained with Delta team growing up. I wanted to join them at one point,” she said.

“ Wouldn’t that be something? Trying to get on my own protection team?”

“There are reasons— ”

“I feel like a chump, sir,” Thea interrupted. “ Everyone’s in on the joke except me. It makes sense, I guess, since I’m the joke.”

“We wanted you to grow up as normal as possible. Let you figure stuff out on your own. Delay the pressures and stress as long as possible.”

“Seems like everyone knows more about me than I do. I don’t want these expectations,” Thea said.

“You don’t have a choice,” the Alpha said.

“Clearly.” Thea was on the verge of tears or throwing a fit that would end in a destroyed Alpha’s office. “May I be excused, sir?”

He sighed.

“Yes.”

At the door, she turned to the group of men trying to keep her safe.

“Have you thought about what happens when I turn out not to be gifted? You’re setting me up to fail and disappoint everyone.”

“Thea, you’ve never given me a reason to discipline you,” Alpha Ulric said.

“I knew it would be a shock when you finally learned about this, so you get a long leash today, but only today. I expect you to get your head around this quickly. That’s an order.”

She bit the inside of her cheek, forced herself to nod, then walked out to her current guard detail, Wyatt and Oz, waiting by the door. She felt claustrophobic.

She started down the stairs. She felt smothered. By expectations, by the resources that were being committed to her protection. She gradually picked up speed, taking the stairs three at a time. She needed space. Freedom. She needed to get out of there. Put distance between her and the mounting pressure.

She hit the ground floor at a sprint. She burst through the front doors and kept running. She hadn’t been outside in the sun, with wind and the trees, in what felt like forever. She had been dutiful, obedient, hadn’t left the pack house in weeks. Hadn’t run free. It was unnatural for a wolf to be caged.

She headed toward the woods.