“But I just want to train like everyone else. I don’t care about being in charge or a leader. I’m new here, and no one in their right mind would follow me with my lack of training,”
“And that, Little One, is where you are wrong. You have already proven to many of them that you know how to lead, especially in a tense situation. You stay calm and objective. Your friends Lillian, Wyatt, and Nathaniel can attest to that already. The rest of the warriors are not stupid. Each has taken their turn as lead, and everyone has to be ready to do so at all times. For some, it’s difficult to step into that role, but you do it effortlessly,”
“If you say so. I’m always afraid of making a mistake and getting someone hurt,”
“When you lead, that is always a possibility.” He shrugs, and I just look at him incredulously. He was supposed to say something fatherly like ‘you would never do that to someone, but no, he had to go and be honest with me. “What? Would you prefer to lie to you? You are a leader, born to be a leader.
It’s not all rainbows and sunshine. People will get hurt or suffer on your watch, and you have to be able to both cope with and then handle it. You also have to learn that you cannot save everyone. Some people are destined to hurt themselves no matter what you do to help them.” I just nod.
It makes sense logically, but in real life, I have a feeling it will be easier said than done, which is why he’s telling me.
We make it inside and Alpha Reggie leads me to the dining hall, which is situated on the main level we just walked in from the massive patio. The dining hall is super formal and everything is exactly as you would picture it from a fairytale.
With murals well-maintained and taking up entire walls, fancy framework around everything, and a hint of gold accents make each surface shiny and fancy-looking. The hall is huge and could easily fit several hundred people, but down at the far end is a lone table set under a stained glass window for the five of us, with Luna Anne, Xander, and Sierra in animated conversation. Sierra notices me first.
“There you are; I thought maybe you left without saying goodbye. It’s been hours, what have you been doing?”
I look to Alpha Reggie for an explanation that would satisfy her curiosity, but wouldn’t be me outright lying to my friend.
“We were going over the details of her assignment, naturally there are several layers to what she has to do. Unfortunately, working with and for the Royal family has its levels of complications.” She just nods. Well played, it was a very detailed answer that actually wasn’t an answer. I was going to have to pay close attention to how Alpha Reggie interacted with people; he was really good at this.
We ate and joked, and there was no more talk of what my job was. At about seven, Sierra got a summons from her parents. She gave me a huge hug and told me she would see me on Tuesday and expected a study schedule.
