Pride, Mates, and Past Mistakes

T.V. Really Does Add Five Pounds

*Sierra*

“Knees bent, Doreen,” Rowena called, walking over to her, and fixing Doreen’s posture. “Now, Sierra, using the hook leg technique, try to throw off her balance.”

I twisted my leg around Doreen’s knee and tightening my core muscles, I yanked. Doreen's stance faltered, and she started to lose balance and fall.

“Now, hold firm, Doreen,” Rowena instructed. “Don’t let her dislodge your stance. A fighting stance is one of the most important parts of fighting itself. Alright,” she called after a moment of examining us, when her cell phone chirped. “Take a water break.”

It was our daily training time, and Rowena was drilling us more intensely than usual because we only had one month left before we went home for a year’s break before the Representative competition.

Home. The word itself sent a twinge through my body.

Doreen and I walked over to James, who was lying on a bench at the corner of the room, exhausted and sweaty.

“Moons,” he groaned as we approached. “I can’t believe she made it four hours. Four hours. I’m so tired. And hungry.”

Doreen collapsed next to him, equally drained. “Right? Honestly, I don’t even think it’s that necessary.” She smiled weakly at us. “We already know that we make a good team, anyway.”

James and I smiled, memories of past missions fleeting through our mind. Us three had already been on at least ten or more missions by now—all assigned by Rowena— and we’d accomplished each one. Some were harder than others, like the one where we had to go to Beijing and track down a murderous werewolf and fight through random gangs of witches and wizards (try beating someone up when they’re trying to jinx you into the oblivion) and others not so hard, like debating with the other IPKA representatives in Rowena’s place for important meetings.

In fact, I had even learned how to use a gun.

It sounded weird, but the thrill of chasing down bad guys and going undercover was actually kind of…fun.

And best of all, we got to beat up a lot of bad guys while we were at it.

Rowena removed the phone from her ear and walked over to us, straightening her jet black hair. “Alright, guys,” she said, “as you all know, tomorrow is Exhibition Day. The Wolf Nation will finally meet the candidates for Representative.” She said, smiling.

I plastered a smile onto my face to match the ones James and Doreen donned, but inside, I was shaking in anxiety.

Tomorrow was Exhibition Day, the day when they gave a public ceremony for us interns and gave us awards and stuff for coming so far and being the only ones to make it out of the whole Wolf Nation.

And, worst of all, it was when the whole Wolf Nation finally met the interns face to face, as it was a public broadcast on T.V. .

Unfortunately for me, that also meant my pack.

I’d shed much of my weight, due to the intense training, and my glasses were gone due to the excellent vision I gained after my first shift, along with a set of perfectly straight teeth that came after my canines popped in and kicked out my braces after the first shift.

But other than that, I was still…me.

My scars on my wrist were a daily reminder.

Sure, I’d learned how to speak in public and stand my ground in public debates and stare people down in alleyways, but other than that, my character was still there.