Chapter 21
Gabi’s POV
The guys were holding their hands out in front of them and trying to call Alan off, but he was really angry that I had been successful in taking out the whole team. I could see the judges and Heath running up to us as well behind Alan and I decided that they would stop him if he went too far. I decided that I didn’t need to be defended from what Alan was going to do, he was a sore loser and had tried to stack the deck against me, and I had still won.
I stepped out from behind the guys and got into a front stance in front of them, and waited for Alan to get to me. I had already won, and if he wanted to be petty and low because he had lost, I would oblige him. He is growling at me and stops to take his ghillie suit off, and we all saw that he had three obvious kills on him, two arteries cut deep and a cluster of 5 shots directly over his heart. It was done, but he wanted to continue. He will never respect me if I don’t finish this. Alan stepped forward and punched me in the stomach on my right side, hard, and knocked me to the ground. I knew I didn’t have time to do anything else, I had to put my feet in between us and I had to either hit his knee or his dick when he came back to me to finish it. As soon as he raised his foot to do a hook kick on me, bringing his heel down hard and aiming for my stomach, I kicked him in his dick when he was focused on his kick and brought him to the ground. He landed hard and was writhing around in pain. I heard a collective gasp from behind me and then realized that I had run from the forest and stood behind the guys to save me from Alan. Everyone was still in the stands and had been watching to see what happened when Alan came running up to get me after I had defeated the squad. Luna Liz and Von had hopped up and were screaming all the way to me, excited that I had won, and they hugged me together one on each side and I cried because I was so happy. I had been punched really hard, I think he may have cracked a rib or two, but I defended myself against the best warrior here at Ever Green and won.
Von saw me wince and mindlinked the pack doctor to come, but he knew the test was today and he was there with his supplies already. He must have thought I was going to be murdered too out there by the team, but I was glad that he was close. I already knew Tala was going to heal me. I have been hurt way worse than this on several occasions. I saw Heath grinning at me and coming over to give me a hug and congratulate me. I could see the pride in his eyes. I saw Justin walking up and he nodded at me and told me, “Good job, Gabi”. I saw Heath glance over at Alan and frown because I knew he was mad that Alan had attacked me, especially after he was technically dead in the competition. That really was really low, and it was poor sportsmanship as well. I saw Alan sit up and look over at me, and I heard Heath say, “Alan, I need you to meet me in my office at noon, we have some things to discuss”. Alan looked at Heath, and back to me and put his head down because he already knew what Heath was going to say, and Alan didn’t have a defense for his actions. He lost his temper, and he broke the rules. There was no excuse that he could come up with that was acceptable enough to defend his actions.
The doctor verified that I had three cracked ribs, but I already knew that. I have had them before, on three occasions, and I was familiar with this type of pain. I had to ask Tala to come forward and heal me, as I would not need her again today, I hoped, but I still had to complete the shooting portion of the test. Alan was really trying to take me out today, and I have never done anything to him, so I assume his pride got hurt by a simple “girl” beating him and his team. He should be glad that I had the common sense to be able to fight against guys who were twice my weight and beat them at their own game. I sat down on the ground and then laid back on the earth, so Tala could heal me. I felt the sun being blocked from my face and opened my eyes to see Hudson, Easton, and Jameson all grinning down at me and congratulating me on succeeding, where so many others had failed.
I smiled up at them and said, “Well it isn’t over yet. I still have to prove myself with my gun and bow and arrow”.
“That is a formality, you do a great job with both” Hudson smiles and tells me.
“No, I am waiting for my wolf to heal me. Alan cracked three of my ribs with that punch. I won’t be able to hold the gun correctly, let alone pull the string back on the bow right now. I am just trying to let her fuse the ribs right now, as he kind of took me out, with that last blow he gave me”, I told them.
I saw frowns on their faces, and I realized that they didn’t know how hard he hit me. “Are you sure? It didn’t look that hard from behind you”, Easton asked me.
“Yes, I have had my ribs cracked and broken before. I have felt this pain before, and I already knew what it was. I just thought it was two ribs, but the doctor told me that it was three”, I said to them, and they all looked surprised. Yes, I forgot, we had not told the team what all I had to go through in my previous pack. I didn't want anyone to know really, and I didn't want everyone in this pack to be talking about it. It is my past, and I don't live there anymore. We didn’t tell anyone that I was a black wolf yet either. I have only trained in human form, and we didn’t tell anyone about what I went through in my old pack. No one here, other than the three of us that lived here; me, Heath, and Von. Even Liz and Justin don't know that I am a black wolf.
They congratulated me and then welcomed me to the team. With what Alan has done, I feel like he doesn’t have any honor in him. I am really angry that he came after me like that when I defeated him fair and square. I was so angry I wanted to cry, but I would not shed a tear over him and his actions.
I wanted to join this team to make a difference in people's lives and help women learn to protect themselves when they get attacked. That is my goal in life to do, and I won’t let one stupid guy with a chip on his shoulder take the pride in myself that I feel right now. I had been working hard training like it was a job for the last 3 weeks, ever since I graduated. Almost 8 hours a day to make sure I was fully prepared to do the very best that I could to get into this team. Alan’s reaction to me winning has put a bad taste in my mouth. I don’t know if I want to work for someone who blatantly cheats like this. I don’t have any respect for him at all as I lay on the ground and fumed while Tala worked her magic. I will need to let it go and focus on the task at hand. Tala linked me to let me know that she was done. Heath, Von, Justin, and Luna Liz sat in the stands and watched me as I fumed in anger, and let Tala heal me, but they said nothing.
I sat up and told Heath that Tala had fixed me, but that she was weak from healing the three ribs right now and was resting. I told him I was ready for the second portion of the test. Heath took me to the archery area and started this round of testing. I did great in both archery and also qualified in my shooting as well. Heath and Von were beaming at me and told me that it was almost noon and to go get lunch and then come up to his office at 1230. I nodded and went to eat with Luna Liz and Justin.
Justin ate while Luna Liz updated me on what was happening in the pack. When she mentioned Derek, I held my hand up and shook my head. I am just glad he didn’t decide to sleep with Piper while I was testing, as sometimes they have sex during the day, and that could have cost me having to try to overcome that pain while trying to beat the guys too. She also told me that when we got to the office, she had something serious to discuss with me.
We got to the office and knocked on the door, we heard yelling going on from inside the room, and Tatum stomping out when the door flew open, with her parents right behind her. Tatum glared at me before going down the hallway with her parents and getting into the elevator. Tatum glared at me until the door shut, and I have no idea why she was pissed off at me. I haven’t done anything to her. I go to step into the office and stop when I see Alan and take a step back almost into Justin, as I do not want to be in the office with Alan. He obviously has a problem and issue with me, and I don’t have to be around him if I don’t want to.
“Gabi, please come into the office, we all need to talk” I heard Heath say to me.
“I don’t really want to, he has made his opinion of me known, and we are on the same page. I don’t think I like him either. I certainly don’t feel like he needs to lead the training group, as he refused to train me, and then attacked me after he was beaten fair and square”, I told them and took another step back and Justin stepped to the side to get out of my way.
“Wait, I need to apologize to you, Gabi. I was given some bad information and didn’t realize that I had been lied to”, Alan said as he got up and looked at me. He seemed like he was being honest. I looked at Heath and Von and they both nodded encouragingly, and I entered the room. I went further away from Alan to sit with Luna Liz on the sofa by the wall and left the other chair in front of the desk for Justin to sit between me and Alan. I didn’t trust him, but with Heath and Justin present, I felt safe enough to enter.
“I am sorry Gabi. I had been told by a few people that you were wanting to get with me to get a spot on the team. So, I ignored you and didn’t train you because I didn’t want you to be successful in getting a spot on the team. I was then told that when you couldn’t get me that you started sleeping with Alpha Heath here to ensure your spot on the team. I was also told that since you had Alpha Heath in your pockets, you would know where everyone was and be able to easily beat us. So, I didn’t give the formation or what we were going to use to try to take you out to Alpha Heath, as I believed them”, Alan said.
I cannot stop the look of shock that crossed my face. “Who the hell said that?” I asked and then it hit me. Tatum and her fucking trolls had done it.
“Let me guess? Tatum, Vera, and Halle, right?” I asked him and he nodded.
“Let me just ask you this, Alan, have I ever once flirted with you? Looked at you in a flirty or seductive way? Gave you any inkling that I was remotely interested in you? At any time?” I asked him. I saw him blush red as he was now embarrassed at falling for the girl’s plan. I just shook my head. I am way past mad now. I feel the tears burning in my eyes and I know that I cannot speak because if I open my mouth, they will all know that I am going to cry. I look up at the ceiling and blink back my tears and bite my lip. It doesn’t matter what I do, or how hard I work, I will never be considered good enough by some. Luna Liz grabs my hand and holds it and I hear a deep growl coming from Heath and Alan, now looking nervous. I held my hand up at Heath and shook it back and forth to tell him he could stop.
“You don’t have to do anything to him. I have changed my mind. I don’t want to be on their team anymore. I don’t want to work under someone that will believe something so bad about someone that they refuse to train them when it is their job to train them. Or believe the worst about them without even looking at how they are as a person. I cannot believe that I wasted all those hours trying to get on a team of assholes that think that about me when I have never approached any of them in that way. I would like to go to my room now. I don’t want to be here in the office with him anymore”, I said to them and stood up, with a tear falling down my face.