Chapter Forty-Two

JENNI FLASHBACK

Picking up the sword I go to attack again it doesn't matter that I am exhausted, and my muscles are too weak to hold the sword up, when you are in a life and death scenario you have to fight until your last dying breath and that is exactly how they train me, to the point I collapse. Even then they don't stop my mum will start educating me on Luna duties or whatever she sees fit for the day. I know they are doing it for my own good but sometimes it would just be nice to get a moment's peace but glancing over at my siblings and the other pups I know this is for the best even when I feel the slice of my father's blade slice open my skin on the side of my waist.

"Come on Angel. Pay attention I know you can do better than that. Elbows in and concentrate." He snaps out. "You never know when your attackers will come at you and even if you are tired you will need to fight." Taking an unsteady step, I balance myself well as best as I can anyway in my current state it's not that easy. Observing my father's moves I wait for his next attack, amongst those here he is the most skilled at weaponry.

He comes at me again and I lift my tired arms to block his strike before countering back with my own. We go on for what feels like forever but in actual fact it is only thirty minutes when my legs finally decide to give out and I cannot go on any further. My eyes land on the other pups again playing just like they should be without a care in the word, that was my condition that they did not have to fight to survive as much as me.

They still give those old enough some training just like I was given when we were back home but since the ambush to our home that resulted in countless deaths and now with us being constantly on the run, they have upped my training and over the years I have gotten to a skilled warrior level, ready to protect the pups if anything were to happen and not forgetting they are getting me prepared for the future prophecy that they had once laughed about.

"You did good today sweetheart I am so proud of you. I am sorry we are always pushing you." my father tells me as he crouches down beside me and swiping my sweaty hair off my face. "Come on we should go freshen up before your studies with your mother." Giving a slight nod of the head I try to get my limbs to work without any luck, seeing my struggle I see the flash of pain on my father's face along with the warriors around us. "Here let me help." Lifting me up bridal style he moves in the direction of the waterfall we were currently nearby.

"Dad, Dad is Jenni, okay?" Lily chimes as she runs over with the others.

"I'm fine Lily pie. Dad decided to treat me to a princess ride." I lie to her I see the looks on Sam and Conner being the oldest of the pups they are starting to notice more of what is happening around them, but they just smile and gather the other pup's attention away from us again. I want them to have a good carefree life, but I see the pain in their eyes.

"Da-ad I want a ride."

"Do you now my sweet Lily. Well, you have to wait until your bath time." He tells her matter of factly and carries on moving to the waterfall and leaving me there. Not long after my mother arrives to help me get cleaned up and changed into fresh clothing.

"Seems we are going to need to make more ointment. I will watch you make it this time to see if you remember. We are going to have to get you some more clothes too. There are only so many times you can stitch this up." Yes, not her, me because that is one of the things, she has taught me along with recipes and other things that I would need to know for when we can finally re-emerge into society. It's been five years since the demise of our pack and we have been on the run and I am hoping we can soon, it would be so nice to sleep on a proper bed again with a mattress and pillows.

They say when it is safe, we should be able to join Josephine's pack, it is far away from the kingdom, and it's been so long that we escaped that no one should recognise us. Especially with the potion that was given to us by the high warlock, he knows that we are alive along with a select few keeping it secret as he they try to uncover those who worked against us for when the time is right for us to take back our rightful place as rulers.

"Okay" I simply say too tired to complain, I learnt that complaining got me nowhere so I don't waste my energy anymore, knowing they will put my energy to better use. Cleaned up she helps me to my feet and takes me back to our makeshift camp where I have half an hour to relax.

Heading over to the pups, I grab Lily and twirl her in the air before I have to do it for Sofia and Darcy too making them all giggle with glee.

"Dad is too hard on you." Sam steps up beside me resting his head on my shoulder as we watch the girls play.

"Awh Sam, you worried about me." I ruffle his hair affectionally.

"Get-et off me" he grumbles "Sis you know what I mean."

"Dad is training me just like any alpha would with their first born." I lie and I see his gaze narrow on me.

"Come on you lot. Time for food." Splitting the food up, we all enthusiastically tuck in when an unusual smell wafts in my direction flipping up onto my feet, I scout the area for any threats. Seeing my reaction dad and the warriors are all soon to follow searching the area alongside me to make sure that we are all safe.

'Val, you smell that right?'

'Yeah, it stinks' she sass's back at me 'what the hell is it?'

'I don't know.'

"What is wrong sweetheart?" my father steps towards me.

"I smell something weird it's like rotten food, dirt and something else." I see everyone glance at each other before he orders his warriors to search the area. Staying put with my swords at the ready in case we are attacked I wait for the warriors to return from their search.

We are not waiting for long when they start returning, all reporting that the area is clear. My father being the last to come back storms over to me before dragging me away from everyone else and into a clearing away from prying ears, I don't fight it as he does it nor do I kick up a stink, there is no point.

"Do you think it is funny making things up?" he growls at me.

"I didn't make anything up. I smelt something weird and -"

"There was no scent like that around. We have checked the whole area around the campsite and there is nothing." He growls at me struggling to get his words out as his canines grow in anger.

"Well, I cannot help what I smelt. No what we smelt." I feel Val push forward sharing control to show her support.

"Do you even know what that smell signifies?"

"No."

"Vampires, Angelica" he growls out letting my real name slip from his lips, I haven't heard it in so long that I had almost forgotten that my name wasn't Jennifer "It is the smell of vampires. And it is something you shouldn't joke about. Tonight, when the other pups are asleep, we will be going through all the scents you should remember, and I expect you to never joke about a scent again."

"I didn't."

"Enough. Now get back to camp. You have a lot to go through with your mother."

How had they not picked up the scent I could still pick it up on the wind, but I didn't want to mention it again in fear of the punishment I may get.

One week later and the smell had only gotten stronger as the days went passed and with fear of speaking out about it again, I kept my mouth shut. The only thing I could do was investigate it as best as I could, so whenever I was given the opportunity to do so I followed the scent. Though the scent increased as I followed its trail, those with me were still unable to pick up on it so I finally gave up and decided it was all in my head.

Now we were only two days away from my birthday and I was getting excited. It was the only day I could get a whole day's rest along with Christmas day that is. This year I was promised a treat, due to officially becoming a teenager, they had decided to take us all to a nearby town and get us all some new things. I know that anyone else would normally be annoyed that others were getting treated on the same day as their birthday, but I loved them and didn't mind in the slightest, after all it wasn't often, we were allowed new things.

Unknown to all of us though we were not going to get that far, and our lives were going to change again and not for the better.