Chapter 25: 24

Chapter 24

In River Severn Pack, integrated exercises are either done solo or by pair.

It doesn't really matter, except for those that require the assistance of another person.

Pacing hardly matters as well. If you finish yours earlier than the rest, you're allowed to take a rest, or do whatever is included in your personal training.

The most important thing is, you follow the schedule—start at the right time, and end before the time limit expires.

Amber listened very closely to the Commander's piece of advice as to avoid making troubles for others. Sir Brandon didn't allow her friends to stay behind, and wait until his reminders for her were over.

Therefore, they had to start without Amber.

And in her frustration, Pepper concocted a plan that would enable Amber to catch up to their progress; that aside from doing the bare minimum, they should try not to exceed their records that they had previously achieved for every drill.

And after a lot of convincing, Salt and Lukas caved in.

"Can you hear what they're talking about?" asked Pepper while doing squats.

'What's taking them so long?' She couldn't help but wonder. 'Is Dad already scolding her or something?'

"No," Salt said curtly. "Even if I can, it's inappropriate."

Pepper gasped ridiculously. "You, goody two shoes…!"

"Your excitement is showing. Don't talk to me."

She huffed, and rolled her eyes. "Sure."

Amber was in awe as she surveyed the training grounds with interest. She told herself that this arrangement would be just for today—that she wouldn't join another training session in the future.

She doesn't want to get the management's hopes up by making an appearance consecutively for she has other reasons to be here after all.

That would weigh too much guilt on her.

Besides, she doesn't want to give them the impression that she's far from taking this seriously.

It just so happened that to be able to achieve her goal, there was a need for her to show up here.

So, in a way… yes.

Maybe she's just trying to make up an excuse to herself already for any misunderstanding it may cause.

Still, she plans to do her best, and not disappoint the Commander by her performance.

"Okay, she's coming, she's near, and she'll be here in exactly ten seconds—"

Salt, once again, ruined his twin sister's enthusiasm. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Huh? Why are you acting all arrogant suddenly? I'm just saying Amber will be with us!"

"We see what you see. There's no need for you to broadcast everything."

Pepper turned to Lukas, who hadn't blinked an eye since he started doing squats, for aid. "Is that what you think, too, Lukas?"

Hearing his name being called out had made him snap out of it.

Lukas threw Pepper a look of inquiry. "Did you say something?"

"I don't think I have any more to say to a person who doesn't pay attention…"

Lukas mindlinked Salt. 'What's her problem?'

'Don't mind her. She's the issue herself.'

'I'd still like to know what it was about, though.'

Hearing his firm tone had Salt sighing. 'I chastised her for her behavior.'

'And you thought that was okay?'

Salt shrugged it off. 'It's necessary from time to time.'

'You're a problem, too.'

'Excuse me?'

'You both have opposing personalities, but that doesn't mean that everything you do is right, and hers is all wrong.'

Lukas was expecting a quick rebuttal from him, but instead—Salt blocked him out of his mind.

'This person…!'

After putting down her bag, and warming up, Amber finally came up to them. "I'm sorry I couldn't join you from the beginning. I was held up back there." Her mind wandered back to what Sir Brandon said, and that was to avoid from getting too friendly with trainees she isn't familiar with.

His short explanation for that is, some of them still harbor negative feelings toward her for being… 'special'.

He wasn't saying she should get used to it, but how she'd handle things from here on out could also be a deciding factor to how they would change their views of her.

Again, she's receiving hate for simply being… there.

For simply… existing.

Sometimes, it feels like the universe is telling her that it's all because she's a Santiago.

That she should have been wiped out along with her clan if it weren't for luck.

But…

That kind of thinking is harsh.

Besides, Amber doesn't give two shit about what other people think of her to begin with.

She enjoys meeting new friends—it's one of the simple joys in her life.

But… not 'anyone' will just do for her.

Despite her kindness and maturity toward these uncontrollable things, Amber would never allow anyone to walk down on, and take advantage of her. If her father was still alive, he would be furious—not to those who wronged her, but… her.

And that was if she refused to do anything to take care of such problems.

Amber felt her heart clench at the thought of her beloved father.

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Actually, she's one of those family members, who, despite losing a loved one for a long time, is still… hoping.

Although, from this point forward, it's no better than stupidity.

"Dad sure took his time. Did he say anything weird to you?" Pepper stretched her lower back before she walked over to her. "Did he warn you about how despotic the squad leaders were?" The last part was a whisper.

After all, to be scolded by one in front of her own father, the Gamma, is an unconquerable humiliation.

Despotic squad leaders…?

Amber shook her head, smiling. "No… nothing like that."

"Oh, okay. Now, do squats with us! But, wait…" Pepper leaned closer to whisper in her ear. "How many squats did they ask of you?"

"Two hundred."

Pepper was relieved. "Good. That's the same with us."

"Did you think a lower number would be required of me?"

"The opposite, actually. I thought they were going to punish you for your non-attendance."

Amber stifled a good laugh. "Sir Brandon isn't that petty."

"I'm not talking about Dad." Pepper's voice went deeper as her face mimicked an expression of seriousness. "If you'd look to your right, you'd find yourself staring back at some squad leaders." She wasn't intending to scare Amber off, but she figured it would be better to at least give her friend a heads-up as early as now.

"Really? Should I confirm that myself?" Amber was about to turn around when a pair of large hands held her shoulders in place.

It was Lukas'.

And his face looked grim.

"Finish your sets, Amber," he firmly commanded. "Don't get sidetracked." Then, he glared at Pepper. She just doesn't know when to stop, does she? "Return to your area. Who says you can roam around in the middle of training? Slacking off warrants a sanction, Pepper. It will do you good to remember that."

Salt snickered with a bored expression on. "I told you. Don't get carried away."

Amber knows that they're only calling Pepper out, out of concern, but she can't just stand there. "Can we let this go? I believe I may have distracted her for a bit." She pushed Pepper's back gently to urge her to go back. "Mindlink exists for a reason. Why don't we utilize it?"

"Right," Pepper mumbled under her breath, and scampered back to her spot.

Amber threw Lukas an apologetic look before she went on to begin her training.

Squats are a little… traditional.

Two hundred is fitting for trainees her age, considering it's not the only drill that's for undertaking today. Amber proceeded right away, and told herself that she couldn't afford to hold her friends back.

Frankly speaking, she already felt the stares of 'some' pack members before Pepper even had the chance to point that out to her.

She just didn't expect that it was a group of squad leaders.

Why?

Is it because she's wearing some unique clothing?

Or… maybe it had something to do with Sir Gin? She brought shame upon her teammates after Sir Gin's personal squad had to pull out from their own mission in order to come to their rescue after all.

'Fifty-nine, sixty, sixty-one…'

"May I talk to you for a minute?"

'Someone is standing next to me, waiting…'

The wolves thought it would be easy to pick on Amber Santiago because she was a literal newbie to this sort of affair. In an event where the hierarchy is set, of course, leaders will be named.

And when there's a leader… there's power.

Power enables power-tripping.

And it could only be avoidable if the member up there wasn't corrupt.

In both heart… and mind.

Amber didn't budge, and kept counting.

'Is she a squad leader?'

'I can't tell by her scent.'

Nevertheless, that's not an adequate reason for her to halt whatever she's doing. Besides, it shouldn't look like she was in need of a partner. Squats can be done solo.

Now, all there's left for her is to figure out why she's being spoken to by a complete stranger.

Do they wish to make friends?

This isn't the time for that, though…

'Be careful, Amber. That's Cataleya, a squad leader,' warned Pepper via mindlink.

Amber hummed, her focus on the drill unwavering. 'Thank you for the information, Pepper.'

Her name actually sounds pretty.

'Her personality isn't really the best. Are you ignoring her on purpose?'

'I'm training. Ms Cataleya should be aware of that.'

They shouldn't be disturbing her right now.

'Can't you at least spare her a glance? She's fuming! She might mistake your focus for arrogance.'

'Oh…' Amber stopped at seventy-nine. 'Okay, I'll do that.'

Then, she straightened herself, and turned to the woman, whose name according to Pepper, was Cataleya.

'She looks strong… fierce…'

Amber smiled politely, but everyone was wishing it would have just ended there because her next words were too… provoking.

The woman wishes to talk for a minute?

Okay.

"Your one minute starts now," Amber told the squad leader.

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