Alpha Gray: six-pack series book one Page 2

  “What do you mean? We’re both going to be at training camp together…”

  Brooke shakes her head. “We don’t know how much we’ll see each other, if we will at all. At least you have Davis and Boyd. I’m going to be all alone…”

  I take Brooke’s hand again, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “No you won’t. We don’t even know what it’s going to be like yet! You can’t worry so much.”

  I force a smile, but realize that Brooke’s right; we don’t know whether we’ll be seeing each other every day this summer or not at all. A lump begins to form in my throat as I consider what it would be like to spend the whole summer without my twin.

  “Yeah,” Brooke breathes, relaxing her shoulders a little. “You’re right. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

  I suppose she’s reassured, but I can’t say the same for myself.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Gray

  The busses start filing into the squad complex a little after 9 a.m. and I’m already on edge. I’m always a little tense on the first day of training camp when the new recruits arrive- the complex sits on my pack’s land, and as alpha, my pack is my top priority. Inviting a bunch of other wolves into our territory every year- even if they’re from packs aligned with ours- carries inherent risks. The training program for the squad has been incredibly successful for the past few years, but you never know when you’re going to get a bad egg. I’m always prepared to vet every new recruit.

  Years ago, when my pack aligned with the others to form the six-pack, I was quick to volunteer to head up the security squad. It was my brainchild. I know firsthand how dangerous the shadow pack really is, so I was eager to develop thorough and sophisticated security safeguards against them.

  I was barely eighteen when the shadow pack came for mine. We fought back, but only half of us were lucky enough to make it out alive. My parents were killed in the battle, making me the new alpha long before I was ready. I gathered the survivors and we went on the run before the shadow pack could return to finish us off. A month later, we linked up with another pack, which ultimately led to the six-pack alliance. Our numbers were so thin, I honestly don’t know what we would’ve done if it wasn’t for the six-pack.

  While I wasn’t ready to become alpha at 18, I adapted quickly and soon discovered that I’m damn good at it. I started the security squad, the recruiting and training program, and oversee the whole thing while juggling my duties as alpha to my growing pack. It has been five years since we started it up, and the squad now runs like a finely tuned machine. I’m like a proud papa.

  The squad complex sits on my pack’s land, though it’s off in the woods about a half mile from the edge of our little town. The complex is huge, made up of an indoor training center, an outdoor arena and track, an IT hub with all the latest tech for our geek squad, offices, and barracks for the squad and recruits. The whole six-pack contributed to clear the land and build it up within a matter of months. For such a quick job, the place is seriously impressive.

  The recruits are starting to file off the buses and take it all in, the dull roar of their conversations stealing the silence of the forest. We’ve got 49 recruits this year- the most we’ve ever had. The largest contribution is from the Summervale pack, and we also managed to snag another kid from there for our IT unit. From what I hear, the kid’s somewhat of a hacker genius- the geek squad is eager to have them join.

  “Your crew is stacked this year,” I comment to my buddy Theo as I watch the kids from Summervale file off their bus.

  Theo stretches his arms out in front of him, cracking his knuckles. “Guess we know how to grow em’,” he replies with a smirk.

  Theo’s the eldest son of Alpha Anders, the head of the Summervale pack. He’s in line to replace his father as alpha one day, but Anders has no plans of relinquishing control any time soon. He told Theo that he’s still waiting for him to mature- which makes sense, because the guy’s a total hothead. Even so, Theo knows when to get down to business. He was my right-hand man in getting the squad up and running and he’s been living at the complex ever since. He’s all alpha- honestly, he’s kind of a dick sometimes- but we get along really well. He’s probably my closest friend.

  All five of us who run the squad are pretty tight, considering we’re all alpha types. Theo, Jax, Brock, Reid, and I are all in our early twenties and we’re fitness junkies with short fuses. Putting all of us in the same room sounds like a recipe for disaster, but somehow we’ve made it work. We’re all practically brothers now.

  I’m still casually watching the recruits get off the buses when I first see her. Even from a distance, I can tell she’s a total knockout. Long blonde ponytail, perfectly tanned skin, and legs for days. She got off the Summervale bus, and I’m about to ask Theo who she is when another girl steps off behind her and I do a double-take.

  Am I seeing double?

  It seems like a crime for one female to be that attractive, but twins? Sometimes God really does give with both hands.

  The ponytailed twin is athletic looking, like she knows her way around a gym. I can see her toned thigh muscles working under her yoga pants as she walks, and my wolf practically howls. I can barely tear my eyes away from her for a moment to check out the other twin with the hipster glasses, who seems a bit out of place at training camp. She’s wearing jeans, for fuck’s sake.

  “What’s the story with the twins?” I murmur quietly to Theo. He’s watching them too, practically drooling.

  “They were just kids the last time I saw them. They really grew up. Damn.” Theo continues watching them appreciatively.

  I shake my head in an attempt to banish my thoughts. The shadow pack has been on the move lately and the last thing I need right now is to be distracted by a female. Even one that looks like that ponytailed blonde. I bet she’d look so fucking sweet on her knees with that ponytail wrapped around my hand.

  I turn away and clap a hand on Theo’s shoulder, leaning in. “Down, boy. We’ve got a job to do.”

  Theo rolls his eyes and shoves me. “Doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun this summer.” He smirks.

  I give him a stern look, then swivel to face the buses again, cupping my hands around my mouth. “Hustle up, recruits!” I call, and chuckle to myself as they start scrambling to grab their bags and head over.

  I raise my arms and point over toward the barracks. “Drop your bags over there and gather ‘round.”

  I fold my arms across my chest and watch in amusement as the throng of new trainees practically trip over each other in their rush to deposit their belongings.

  “This is gonna be fun,” Theo mumbles, laughing to himself.

  I nod, chuckling. “Always is.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Fallon

  I’m a little winded from dragging my suitcase across the grass to the barracks, but I’m hustling to stay at the front of the pack. These guys have been watching us from the minute we stepped off the busses, assessing whether we have what it takes to make the squad. I’m sure as hell going to make sure they know I do.

  Though she’s struggling to keep up, Brooke’s right on my heels. She doesn’t have anything to prove- she’s already in with the squad- but her anxiety has her sticking close.

  We stop where the other trainees have gathered and I get my first look at the guys who run the place- and holy hell. I think I stop breathing for a second. The five guys standing in front of us are fucking gorgeous.

  Every one of them is absolutely shredded, from their corded forearms crossed at their chests to their abs stretching the front of their black t-shirts. I thought that Davis was built, but these guys are ripped. Not only that, but every one of them is tattooed and heart-stoppingly handsome. Most wolf shifters are attractive, but these guys look like goddamn movie stars.

  Get it together, Fallon.

  The tallest guy stands in the center, and he steps forward to address us, clapping his hands together. The breeze rustles his tousled dark hair, and I swear I
can smell him from here. He smells fucking delicious.

  “Listen up, recruits,” he starts, his deep voice reverberating off the aluminum walls enclosing the squad complex. “Now you may have come here with your friends, but this isn’t summer camp.”

  The command in his tone has me a little weak in the knees.

  “This is going to be the hardest summer of your life, and if you can make it through, you just might make the squad,” he continues. “If you don’t think you have what it takes, now’s your last chance to turn back.”

  I try to remind myself that I’m here for a purpose- to train- but my wolf is swooning; in this moment, I can’t think about anything other than climbing this guy like a tree.

  I dart a glance over to Brooke, and I can tell she’s thinking the same thing. I clap my hand over my mouth to stifle a laugh, but it slips through.

  The guy’s eyes go straight to me, narrowing, and I immediately know that I fucked up.

  “Is something funny, recruit?” he asks, folding his arms across his chest. Tribal tattoos run the length of his bulky forearms.

  Shit.

  I let another nervous giggle slip, then press my lips together and shake my head.

  He takes a step toward me.

  The group of other trainees standing in front of me part to let him through, until he’s standing right in front of me.

  I suck in a breath, and I swear my heart stops. All of those years of training, and I blow it within the first two minutes? Nice going, Fallon.

  The guy peers down at me with his dark brown eyes and I feel like his gaze is slicing right through me.

  “What’s your name, recruit?” he growls.

  I swallow hard and forget my own name for a second, until I feel Brooke slyly nudge me.

  “Fallon,” I choke out, then regain some of my composure and straighten. “Fallon Eastwick.” It comes out smooth and confident the second time.

  The guy just stares me down for what feels like forever before he parts his lips to speak again. He’s trying to intimidate me, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to cower. That’s not what warriors do.

  “Well, Fallon, did something I say amuse you?” His heavy gaze is still intense.

  I shake my head, crossing my arms to match his stance. “No.”

  “No what?”

  “I didn’t catch your name.”

  As soon as I say it, I regret it. It’s like the smart-ass response slipped out before I could even think. I know he was expecting me to say ‘no sir’, like I was responding to a sergeant, but of course I just couldn’t bite back the sarcasm.

  Some of the recruits gasp and there are a few titters of laughter from the crowd.

  The guy doesn’t react, though his eyes flicker gold. He arches a brow, then turns on a heel, stalking back over to the other guys. He stops and swivels back to the trainees, and I’m gritting my teeth, waiting for him to tell me to leave. I totally blew it.

  “I’m Alpha Gray,” the guy announces loudly, “and this is Jax, Brock, Reid, and Theo.” He gestures to each of the men around him as he names them off.

  I suddenly recognize Theo- he’s part of my pack. He looks just like his dad, Alpha Anders. My dad’s close with our alpha. Maybe that’ll save my skin.

  Gray continues. “But all of you may refer to us as Sir.”

  I want to roll my eyes so badly, but I bite my lip to stop myself from reacting.

  “Got it?” he asks, and the other trainees around me start mumbling ‘yes sir’.

  Gray looks right at me, and I force myself to mouth the words.

  “Good,” Gray snaps, folding his arms across his broad chest again. “Now your friend Fallon here has shown me that you all may need a little lesson in discipline.”

  Shit. I knew I wasn’t going to get off that easy. I hold my breath.

  “So I think we should all start with twenty laps around the track.”

  I hear a chorus of groans and feel the sting of eyes on me. My face flushes hot.

  Great. Five minutes in, and all of the other trainees already hate me.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flicker of movement as Brooke’s hand shoots up. I whip around to stare at her- about to ask her what the hell she’s doing- when she pipes up.

  “Um, sir?” she asks, her voice small.

  Gray looks to her questioningly and Brooke steps forward, clearing her throat and pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

  “I’m actually here for the IT unit, not training camp.”

  Gray nods, gesturing for Brooke to come closer.

  “Jax,” he calls over his shoulder, and a blonde guy moves to join him. “Why don’t you take…”

  “Brooke,” she supplies.

  Gray nods again. “Why don’t you take Brooke over to the IT hub so she can get started.”

  “Sure thing,” Jax replies, smiling warmly at Brooke. “Come on.” Jax turns and waves for Brooke to follow and she trots after him.

  Once they’re a couple of paces away, Gray turns back to the trainees, scanning the crowd.

  “What are you waiting for?” he asks.

  Almost in unison, we all break off into a jog toward the track. Several of the other recruits are scowling at me as they pass, and inside, I’m kicking myself.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Fallon

  My legs are shaky as I climb into my bunk that night. After Gray’s punishment run, Theo put us through circuit training and Brock had us alternating planks and squats until some of the trainees actually collapsed. I’ve been training for years, but I now realize that nothing could have adequately prepared me for the squad’s summer training camp.

  And this was only day one.

  When they finally released us for the day, I caught a quick shower and went to the dining hall to grab a bite. Thank god for Davis and Boyd, because I guess none of the other recruits are speaking to me. The twenty-lap punishment has made me enemy number one among the trainees.

  I spotted Brooke across the dining hall sitting with a group of people who I can only assume are the IT team. She looked like she was settling in comfortably, so I just tossed her a wave and didn’t interrupt. I’m still kicking myself over the ruckus I caused earlier, and she’s the only one I want to talk to right now. Being across the room from her felt like I was miles away.

  The dorms are set up like an orphanage- just a huge room with rows of bunk beds. I took a top bunk, above Davis. Boyd’s on the top bunk across from me, and it’s a comfort to be flanked by my two friends. They’re like a protective shield; even though everybody here seems to hate me, they’ll have to get through them to mess with me.

  I pull the sheets and scratchy blanket up to my chest, sighing as I stare at the ceiling. It’s dark, but as a shifter, I’ve got great night vision. My muscles are screaming and I’m completely exhausted, but I can’t stop my mind from racing.

  Beside me, I hear Boyd climb into his bunk.

  “You just had to pull a Fallon today, huh?” he whispers, chuckling.

  Though I know he’s teasing, his words sting a little bit. I’ve already beat myself up enough over this. I don’t want to cry, so I work up a snarky response instead.

  “I just couldn’t help myself,” I breathe, snickering a little. “I’ve always hated rules.”

  I roll my body in Boyd’s direction, blinking to see his face in the dark. He’s already turned toward me, propped up on an elbow with his head resting on his hand.

  “I hate to break it to you, but I’m pretty sure that’s what this summer’s all about,” he smirks.

  I heave a sigh. “Let’s just hope me and my bad attitude can survive.”

  Boyd chuckles and I prop myself up on an elbow to mirror his position.

  “Seriously, Boyd, what am I gonna do?” I whisper. “That guy hates me.”

  He shakes his head. “Ah, don’t worry about it. It was only the first day. He’ll forget. Besides, nobody could hate you, Fallon.”

  Boyd stares at me th
rough the dark, a little too longingly.

  Wait a minute- is he flirting? My ‘yuck’ meter starts going off.

  “Maybe.” I roll back over, staring at the ceiling again. “Thanks for being such a good friend.”

  Boyd doesn’t respond. He’s probably a little sore from being knocked back into the friend zone.

  I stare at the ceiling for a long time, replaying the day’s events in my head over and over again. I go from being regretful, to sad, to mad.

  Gray’s an asshole. How can someone so hot be such a dick? It’s probably because he knows he’s hot. I know I should just swallow my pride and fall in line, but something inside of me wants to fight his authority.

  Maybe it’s because we’re from different packs. He may be an alpha, but he’s not my alpha.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Gray

  “Pair off!” I call out, and the trainees on the field start scrambling. It’s another early morning of training, and I’m eager to see what these recruits can do. “Spread out. We’re going to do a little bit of sparring today.”

  The trainees follow my command, breaking off into groups of two and distancing themselves from one another. Theo steps up on my right side.

  “Let’s see what you’ve got!” he says, clapping his hands together.

  The recruits just stand there for a minute, looking around at one another.

  Theo claps his hands again. “One of you attack while the other defends. Hand to hand combat, let’s go!”

  Without wasting another moment, the pairs begin to circle one another. I start walking through to observe, careful to avoid any stray kicks or flailing limbs as the trainees spar. Some of them are better than expected- they take down their opponent quickly. Others look like they barely have a clue how to fight.

  The flash of a long blonde ponytail catches my eye and I spot Fallon positioned across from a guy twice her size. She’s wearing a tiny pair of shorts today and I can’t help but steal an appreciative glance at her perfect ass. She’s got a t-shirt on again, but I bet her tits are fucking perfect, too.