Untouchable by Marii Solaria

Chapter 9 – Let Me Help You

“Helping those in need is not charity, it’s humanity.“–Abhijit Naskar

Neron

“You want to split the trainees into teams?”

“Yes. Let them fight it out in a battle royale on the course.”

Kiya and I are discussing the obstacle course test for the pup trainees in my office. Separated by my desk, I watch my mate work her mind as her fingers flip through the progress reports of our newly shifted wolves. A concentrated look on her face told me the tale of her focus and critical thinking. She’s serious and calculated in her thoughts of my proposal, humming to herself.

“Wolves do like competition…” She muttered. As their chief trainer, it’s only fitting to run proposals and plans by her first before implementing them. Before my eyes, I’ve seen the young pups blossom extraordinarily from their early days of wolfhood. Many train together after hours with Kiya’s enthusiasm, pushing them to do their best. Strict, but fair. Serious, but compassionate. I’ve received comments and applause from the parents and families of the trainees remarking how strong their child or children have become under Kiya’s tutelage.

They shouldn’t direct their words of praise to me. It belongs to her. I could tell that she feels uncomfortable. by the admiration, often glossing it over as her duty as a Delta. It’ll only be a matter of time before the pups receive a new trainer after Kiya’s departure, and I can only hope he or she will keep up the same streak as my

mate.

There are glitters of hope shimmering in the eyes of my pack members as they spar

glances at Kiya whenever she walks by. Sometimes, I can’t help but stare at her too. She’s beautiful as she’s fearsome. Many have asked me when she’ll be ceremonially inducted as Zircon Moon’s Luna.

And it hurts to see those glitters fade as I reveal that she won’t be Luna. I understand their disappointment; my mate has the makings to be a mighty Luna wielding her hand on the side of justice. As my destined partner, that automatically makes her destiny to my Luna. The heart of the Alpha. She’s strong, determined, stubborn to a fault, and fantastic with children.

But that’s not the path she wants. Despite possessing all the markers of a fine leader, she chooses not to pursue it. I cannot ignore the dark past buried underneath the foundation of my land. Who, in their right mind, would want to rule over a pack that’s brutalized them for years? It’s not Kiya’s job to heal Zircon Moon when we, once, didn’t give a damn about her healing.

Goddamnit. It doesn’t make my dreams any less real. In a perfect world, we’d rule side by side. We’re married. We’d have pups. But that’s all it is. A wishful utopia. One that no one can force on her. We, as a pack, can continue to dream and hope for our future Luna, but we must face the facts sooner than later that it will not

happen.

And I don’t know what that means for future heirs. Yet, none of that takes precedence. I don’t care about that.

“Let’s do it.” Kiya perked up. “I like the competition route. It’ll make it more fun for the pups and the pack can witness the spectacle.”

I care about her.

1/4

“Perfect,” A smile made its way to my face. “We split the pups into two teams, and we’ll lead them.”

“We?” She arched an eyebrow. “You’re getting involved?”

from pup trainee to a full trainee,” I shrugged my shoulders. “And it’ll give them more motivation to

nodded. “Fine. I’ll let this slide. You don’t want them to slack off, I guess with you around, it’ll make the competition that much meaningful.” She leans back in her chair and crosses her arms underneath her chest. My mind

bet they’re soft like

him

reality. “The trainees are impressionable. They want to impress their

can I say?” I chuckle amusingly. “What do

picking which team they want to be on, they’ll draw from a hat. Thirty trainees. divided by both of us will yield fifteen members

rights?” I

reward.” My mate chuckled. I’d pay any amount of money to hear that laugh for the rest of my life.

how to bake. It gets messy,

Team

knots, but I didn’t miss the faraway look in her eyes. Something’s occupying her mind and it’s bothering her. From the tired expel of breath to the heavy exhaustion written on her cheeks. Her hand rubs the side of her neck absentmindedly, but I didn’t miss the redness encircled around the

her neck and shoulder met.

At first, she didn’t answer me. Silent as a mouse with that distant look. I know she isn’t talking to Artemis; I’d see her eyes glazed over. I called her name out again and

poked her arm. And that brought her back from her brief trance, glaring at

“What?”

you okay? You seemed…preoccupied.”

a sigh. “Yeah,

Let Me Help

been

“Sort of.”

your friends checked your room?”

found

another room if that’ll help you

don’t trouble yourself with that. I’m

you been eating?”

my

admit this line of questioning sounds like what a mother would do. Always checking in and fussing over their child. That’s not my goal at

know how you’re doing and if you’re okay. You know I’m here if you need to talk.” Her eyes averted away from me nervously, her hand continuously rubbing that one spot on her neck for a ridiculously long time. There’s something on her mind. There’s something she wants to tell me but can’t. “How did you get that

“Huh? What bruise?”

compact mirror. Gold with diamonds encrusted around the rim. It belonged to my mother, and I’ve kept it ever since. I never pulled it out until this day, but I know it’s safe in Kiya’s hands. Handing it to her, she

Anger. Worry. Her nimble fingers delicately touched the red bruise like its tender, but Kiya doesn’t express pain. Either there is none, or she’s good at hiding it. Bruises don’t last on werewolf flesh; they heal within minutes. That redness

heavily, she shut the compact mirror delicately and handed it back. “I’m…not sure. I didn’t know it was

touch her and judging by the glazed look in her eyes, she’s speaking with Artemis. Or Artemis is convincing her. After a minute,

“Fine.

like rockets from my fingers touching her skin from our mate bond. Kiya didn’t even flinch. Does she no longer feel the destined sparks? My heart jumped in fear at the

splotch of color, like when a painter flings their brush against their canvas. I gently pressed a finger against it, only to retract it within seconds because

Me Help You