Stronger by Ang Chris

Chapter 19

“What would you like to start with?” Elizabeth asked as we walked from my house that morning.

“I typically start my day in the field tending to the crops,” I told her.

I didn’t know where the entrance to the fields was and they produced a lot more food than my pack did.

“We have two sets of crops. There are the crops for the pack and the crops for the market. Which one would you like to tend to?” she turned her head to look at me.

“I don’t know how to drive a tractor, so the crops for the pack,”

“Would you like to learn?”

I suppose I should. “Of course but not today I don’t think,” I nodded my head.

“Alright well, I will speak with one of the farmers to see if they’d be willing to teach you,”

We headed past the many houses of the pack and to an acre that held a garden, a vine plot, and in the back what looked to be an orchard.

“We grow many vegetables, fruits, grapes, apples, and pears,” explained.

“Put me to work,” I nodded.

Their crops were far behind my family’s pack. Most hadn’t been planted. It was still pretty chilly out. I had on my one sweater and jeans. My rubber garden boots were a must obviously.

I rolled up my sleeves and put on a gardening apron and got to work. I grabbed a hand tiller, went to a plot, and worked the ground. It hadn’t fully thawed yet so I grabbed a hoe to break up the tougher dirt.

I grabbed bags of manure when I was done and spread them over the 12–foot square plot. Then I grabbed the rake and dug groves into the soil,

I was planting beets on this plot. I put them about 6 and 4 inches apart. I planted them half an inch down and covered them up. I watered the crops and dusted off my hands.

“To the training house. I feel like a run and box,” I told Elizabeth who had finished a plot of radishes before me.

“Of course,”

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the house,” I told her. “I’ll meet you at the training

she nodded and headed

own food knowing you had planted it and tended it almost made it taste better. I like the dirt on my hands and the push of the tools grooming

the hard work of yours went into something it was

hands in the deep sink of my new empty home. It was full of

7

It felt chilled and gray. I could see the potential for sunny days and cozy moments but it felt like the end of

and vast room

sheer lines on the arms and calves of the two–pieces. It was a mid–rise shirt goddess knows

*Perfect

the gym putting my hair up in a high pony and twisting it into a

was a place I had to find my way. I had to make a standing here

knew nothing of what my new pack thought of me, they were

sought out Elizabeth who was standing on the above gym track waiting for me snuggled up to her

arms settled on her waist. Their faces so endeared to one another and their companionship exuded from them.

a man who can’t even her soulmate to love

else. Trying to find peace within myself but the loneliness

stopped after a while, going to down to

was not doing me any good,

wrapping my hands. I took a deep breath and

mine.

punches throwing all I had in muscles and my mind at

into it and kicked it ruthlessly. I had so much I couldn’t understand or

not going to fight back right?” A voice interrupted my music and my thoughts.

and Matt had his brows knit

back to the bag and

trust easily,” Matt came and