At the Red moon pack, the day for recruitment of new guards came and the pack members were eager to watch the contestants played the task given to them.
Out of thirty men who were present to go through the tasks, only five would be picked.
The event was to begin by noon and it was three hours away, Bella was walking down the corridor when she bumped into a young man.
“I’m so sorry Luna” he apologized looking down at her.
“It’s okay, I was also lost too” she said finally raising her head to stare at the man, he had dark long hair tied to the back, brown eyes matching perfectly with his skin and from his thin clothes anyone could tell he had a ripped body.
“No, it’s my fault, I should have looked at where I was going and avoided bumping into the Luna” he stated keeping the blame on himself.
“You look new here, I haven’t seen your face before?” She asked almost recognizing all the guards that were in the pack and she could tell when she saw a new face.
“I am new, I am one of the contestants present to test for the post of a guard. Do you have any kind words to give a newbie like me?” He asked with a calm smile on his face.
“Well not much, this is my first time of witnessing such events but if you really want the post then you could do your best to get it, it is all up to you” she advised him but yet he wouldn’t stop smiling like she was amusing to him.
“What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me that way?” She asked confused.
“I had heard about the beauty of the Luna of this pack but I never expected that you would exceed my expectation, the Alpha must be pleased to have a beautiful Luna as yourself” he commented.
Bella looked at him with no expression on her face, if Coast had just heard what he said then she was sure that he would beat the hell out of him.
The young man could see that his words had offended her,
“I am so sorry Luna” he apologized.
“You are lucky I am alone, you would have had your neck squeezed by now by the Alpha.
What is your name?” She asked.
“Almano” he replied.
“Why do you want to be a guard Almano?” She asked him. Being a guard in the packhouse meant he had to devote his life to serving them and most people wouldn’t want to do most especially young men like him.
“I just wish to serve the Alpha and the Luna, I have looked up to Alpha Coast all my life” he answered and she could see the eagerness in his eyes, she could tell he would make a fine young guard but for now he wasn’t her concern and she had more things to worry about.
“Okay then
Nice to meet you Almano” she tapped his shoulders and walked away.
Almano watched her as dhe left with admiration on his face, it was not everyday he could see a Luna just as beautiful as herself, he kept his hand on where she touched him and smiled.
“I will take your Advice Luna and do my best” he said walking in to register his name.
Noon came by so quickly and the contestants were all presented to the Alpha and Luna as they each took an oath.
Almano stepped forward and took his oath staring at them but Alpha Coast was unbothered by him.
“That young man over there says he admires you” she said to Coast recalling what Almano had said to her about him.
“A lot of people admire me” Coast cockily answered and she frowned, she took her eyes away from him and concentrated on the games.
Alpha Coast noticed her silence and knew he had just done something wrong,
“I didn’t mean to sound that way, I am just saying that I am the Alpha and everyone in this pack looks up to me” he clarified but she wouldn’t listen to him maintaining her normal silence.
“Bella” he called yet she wouldn’t answer him.
“Are you going to act like this in front of thousands of people?” He asked but she leaned away from him still keeping her eyes on the game.
He reached out to grab her hand,
“I’m sorry” he said and she instantly smiled like she had been waiting for him to apologize. Honestly he didn’t know if what he said was wrong but he knew he had to apologize if he wanted her to talk to him.
“Do you think he can pass the test?” She asked and he knew she was referring to the young man she had talked about earlier.
Seeing that he had almost caused an argument between them, Coast didn’t like him.
“If he is determined, do you want him to pass the test?” He asked wondering if she would say yes making him rethink what else the young man had said to her.
“I don’t care about him, I am just here to get this done with so that we can retrieve Luther from my uncle, I feel restless every single moment when I think of him. I don’t know what he might be going through but I just hope we could save him in time” she let out to him reminding him that Luther was still in Nathan’s custody.
“We will get him back” he assured her holding her hand tightly as she put her faith in him.
Four men had gone through the test and only one came out successful, it was now Almano’s turn.
He climbed up the barrel to the highest and jumped down immediately without falling passing the first test.
He picked a bow and arrow to shoot right at the target at just a single shot, if he failed to then he would be eliminated but if he passed then he would move on to the next task.
He shot his arrow directly at his target winning that round.
The next was to crawl under a net of silver, it was to test the endurance of a wolf towards silver and how much they hold on.
He crawled right underneath it while his back kept touching the net, it burned him so much but he refused to back down and continued moving until he crawled right out of it.
The last task was walking through a coal of fire and brimstone on his bare feet, he walked on the hot coal as the fire burned his feet, he turned to the Coast and Bella and they were looking back at him.
He knew he didn’t have to mess up or else he would fail the test losing the chance to be a guard at the castle. He successfully walked on the coal without flinching winning the final round and found worthy to be a guard.
The event came to an end and Alpha Coast was to give the final speech to those who passed the task and were finally recruited as guards in the castle.
“Congratulations to every single contestant who tried out these tasks aiming for the position of guard in the castle, you may not have won but it is considered that you tried and that is good enough for me.
And those who passed the test, a big applause to you, the members of the castle as indebted in your care. I hope you all will be able to fulfill your duties to us and welcome to the castle” Alpha Coast stated and the event was finally over.
Almano turned to look at Bella but Alpha Coast had already taken her hand taking her out of there.
“He really loves her” he said with a smile on his face seeing how possessive Coast was of Bella. Now he understood why she said Alpha Coast could have him strangled to death for his compliment towards her.