“I was thinking about how easily she was taken off guard, too. She was just out there searching without a care in the world, and I realized that we shouldn’t just be training the men. Thewomen have just as much of a right to learn. Anything could happen, and we don’t know if the men would be able to protect everyone.”
Kaleb nodded in agreement. “I don’t disagree with that, but I have a feeling you’ll get some push back on that.”
“I’m sure, but I still want to open it up to them.” I waved my hand over the papers. “Starting tomorrow, it’s open for everyone. The women need to know how to protect themselves just as much, if not more than the men.”
Kaleb nodded. “And how do you think your father will react?”
“I don’t care,” I said with a shrug. “He’s not Alpha anymore. I am. We need change, and this is the way.” I tapped my finger on the paper. “Starting with them.”
I went home and found Jade was in the kitchen cooking dinner. She was wiping the stove after setting a casserole on the counter. I stared at her, watching each movement she made.
And I thought of how frail and vulnerable she was. It wouldn’t be hard for someone to take the upper hand on her. She’d spent so much time focusing on Ilsa, working on her health, that she’d let hers go to the side. And I wasn’t going to let that continue.
“Hey.” I stepped into the kitchen, and she turned. She offered me a tight smile. We were both still trying to get our footing in this, and we’d had moments, but it was still new and uncomfortable.
“Where is Ilsa?” I asked, scanning the room.
She pointed toward the stairs. “She’s upstairs playing with her Barbies.”
I nodded, deciding maybe it was better that Ilsa wasn’t down here for this conversation. “So, we have training tomorrow.”
Jade raised an eyebrow at me. “You talking about your training program you started with the pack?”
I nodded. “Yeah, and we’re opening it up to the females to join.”
Her eyebrows raised higher. “Wow, that’s… I’m a little surprised by that.”
“And I want you to join.”
She started to laugh. At first, it was a chuckle.. She giggled for a moment before it grew, and she started to laugh really hard. She held onto her belly, and her shoulders shook. I stared at her as she tried to collect herself. “That’s funny.”
“I wasn’t kidding,” I said, as I crossed my arms.
She stopped laughing and frowned. She made a disgusted look. “That’s a terrible idea, Brandon. Do you have any idea how stupid that is?”
“It’s really not. You need to work on building up muscle and learning how to protect yourself.”
She grumbled as she turned and opened a drawer. “I can protect myself just fine.”
“It wasn’t up for debate.”
She turned to me, crossing her arms. “And what if I refuse?”
I smirked. “Do you want to find out what happens?”
She huffed and turned back to digging into the drawer, pulling out a large serving spoon. She grabbed a few plates and started to dish up. “I don’t want to be the only female there.”
“You won’t be.”
She turned, sliding a plate to an empty chair next to me. “Ilsa, dinner.”
I suddenly got nervous. I’d gotten used to Ilsa being in the house, but every time I saw her, I was always unsure of what to do, what to say. Every time Ilsa said my name, my heart seemed to stop beating, and my mind short-circuited.
A moment later, Ilsa came walking down the stairs. She smiled as she moved, jumping off the last step with a bounce in her step. “What is it?”
“Tater top hot dish.”
I watched as Ilsa’s eyes sparked as she got into her chair, her legs swinging as she sat eagerly. She picked up her spoon, eagerly digging into her food. Jade slid a plate toward me. “Fine.”
