Chapter 47
For the next days that followed, Viola’s life became centered entirely around the training grounds, so much so that she barely spent any time in her empty, lonely penthouse anymore. She worked out from morning until evening and used the rest of the night hours to familiarize herself with the pack, its system, and its rules.
Along with these two people she now considered friends, Nick and Zoe, the two of them never failing to make her smile and push harder even when her body screamed in pain.
Her diet was given to her by Nick, and strangely, she found that it was actually helping her muscles and body recover to their old shape faster than anything else ever had. She was forced to eat more than three meals a day, along with protein powder and shakes. She was also given supplements recommended by a healer of the omegas to help her recovery, and the supplements didn’t only aid her body, they helped her skin as well.
It was exhausting, painful, and demanding, but she could feel her former strength returning to her body little by little each day. She didn’t only train her body; she also honed her dagger and bow fighting skills, sharpening techniques she knew she might need.
Two weeks and few days passed in her training life, and she never once set eyes on the Alpha, nor Laila, who she had heard believed she didn’t need the training anymore after that first and second day Kelvin had worked with her.
From what Viola learned, the Alpha was backing Laila fully and had hired Kelvin specifically for her to win, and that knowledge only added to Viola’s determination because she couldn’t afford to lose, not when he had promised her wishes, and certainly not when her new friends had bet on her with millions.
“It’s three days to the competition. Are you nervous, Vee?” Nick asked as they sat around the kitchen in Viola’s penthouse after the evening’s workout. Both of them had started calling her Vee, and she found that she liked the name, so she didn’t stop them from using it.
Nick and Zoe were peeling bananas for her to eat while she sat between them, exhausted but still sitting upright.
Nick hadn’t thought the girl’s body could change so much in the course of just two weeks, but he had worked his magic, though perhaps it was also because of her determined stubbornness. She already looked like a healthy woman now, more beautiful and radiant than he could have imagined possible. He truly was a genius.
“I am,” Viola replied honestly as she took a banana from Zoe and began to eat it slowly. Who wouldn’t be nervous in such a situation, where she could either die or emerge a victor?
“I’ve wanted to ask you guys something,” Viola began, looking at the two people she had grown comfortable enough to speak freely with, something she still couldn’t quite believe herself after the hell of her life in Moonwillow.
At her words, they both turned their attention to her, Nick with his head propped on his hand against the countertop, and Zoe looking at her curiously.
“What was the competition like in the past?” she questioned. All this while, she had focused solely on training and learning the ways of the Silver Pack, but not the competition itself.
“Actually, since our generation, I mean, since Alpha Kade took the position, it has only happened once,” Nick told her as he sipped through the straw of the milkshake he had made. “That was when he picked and married the late Evangeline, his second Luna. There were four participants then and four rounds of games played, and two of them died when it came to the part where they were supposed to fight a dark howler wolf p>
Viola felt her throat go dry at his words, her heart giving a heavy thud. A Dark Howler wolf? They were another breed of werewolves, born from a lycan and werewolf lineage, known to be enormous and frighteningly strong.
Weren’t they said to be extinct, and that only the strongest wolves could ever face them?
“Hey, don’t look so pale already,” Nick said quickly. “I heard the games aren’t always the same. During the last game before Alpha Kade, I heard it had been much simpler. Hopefully this time the odds might be in your favor, or else He trailed off before sighing. “It would really break my heart if we lose you—hey p>
He yelped when Zoe hit his arm sharply.
“You’re scaring her,” Zoe snapped. “Shouldn’t you be leaving now before Aunt Camila starts wondering where you’ve been spending your time lately?” she added, knowing that despite them being family, her aunt took her, and anything that had to do with her brother, as rivals, and she definitely wouldn’t like the fact that Nicholas was helping one of the competition participants instead of being at his workplace.
“Shit. I totally forgot Javier said I should see him tonight,” Nick said, rubbing the back of his neck. “See you tomorrow, my pretty girls. And Vee,” he added with a grin, “don’t forget what I said, if you fail and somehow still survive, I’ll make you my wife just to keep you in our pack. You won’t be packless. See you tomorrow, mi amor.” He winked at her and hurried out of the penthouse.
Viola smiled at his words, waving after him. She couldn’t help but wonder how she had ended up with these two wonderful people in her life. Though she knew Nick wasn’t joking about marrying her just to make her stay in Silver, Viola had already signed a contract that wouldn’t allow that. If she failed and survived, she would have nothing to do with anything or anyone in the Silver Pack and would be forced to leave, never allowed to step foot in it again. That was why she had to push herself, she couldn’t afford to fail and be banished.
Once Nick was finally gone, Zoe turned back to Viola, her expression growing serious. Now that he wasn’t around to soften everything with jokes and playful remarks, she was ready to speak her mind properly.
“I’m not talking you out of this because I know you’re determined, Viola, and you’re ready to die for it. Though the Alpha is my brother, it doesn’t mean I really hope you’ll marry him and become his third Luna. But you say this is what you want, no matter the consequences p>
Viola had already found out that Zoe and the Alpha were siblings. She had been shocked when she learned the truth, because she had believed them to be cousins from how completely different they were. While the Alpha was night, his sister was day, a complete opposite of each other.
Zoe had voiced her concerns to Viola more than once about the rumors that the Alpha’s third Luna was bound to die as well. Though no one was certain, after all, their grandfather’s third Luna hadn’t, Zoe couldn’t shake the fear. She didn’t want anything to happen to Viola.
“I just hope you know what you’re getting yourself into,” Zoe added quietly.
Viola understood her concern and smiled gently. “I know. And whatever the outcome is, I hope you won’t blame yourself for it because it’s what I chose p>
That night, after Zoe left her, Viola didn’t linger in the penthouse either. She quickly changed into another set of her training gear, put on her headphones, and left.
She headed straight for the underground training gym. It had become part of her routine, every day after the two of them left, she would come down here to train on her own. With the competition so close, being idle was no longer a luxury she could afford.
When Viola reached the training grounds, she set her bag of daggers and arrows down to the side. She stretched her back and arms, then started running around the large space, chanting quietly to herself the reasons she was doing this and why she needed to see it through.
She ran a hundred laps without rest or even a water break, because she didn’t deserve to enjoy any breaks while her own sister was still out there suffering, a suffering she had caused with her own hands and selfishness. What was the use of a rest that filled her mind and heart with guilt?
While Viola ran around the hall, she was completely unaware of the person standing at the entrance, watching her with a hint of fascination on his handsome face. His silver eyes followed her movements closely, counting her runs without her knowledge.
’Damn, she’s going to kill herself running like that, man,’ his wolf said.
And Sebastian finally decided to intervene and make his presence known.