Chapter 6. Inanna

LAMIA

I woke up to a loud knocking on my door.

"Go away!" I yelled, pulling the covers over my head. My head was groggy from the alcohol and my eyes felt puffy from crying last night.

The knocking continued and I yelled for them to go away again. I really didn't want to see anyone right now, especially Kellen or Mike. They had both royally pissed me off last night. And I couldn't help feeling embarrassed about what could have, what I had hoped, what was going to happen between Mike and I.

Much to my dismay, the door creaked open, I obviously hadn't locked it, and Kira's too bright of a face popped around the frame.

"Hey Chick," she said a little too brightly, making her way in and settling on the end of the bed.

"Go away Kira, I don't wanna see anyone." I groaned.

"You missed breakfast, and I… ran into Mike and Kel down there."

"Oh goddess! Did they say anything?" I tried pulling the covers more over my face but Kira pulled them down. Her lips pressed in a tight line and her eyes held a concerned look.

"They told me you were pretty pissed at them, so I thought I would come and check on you. Are you OK? What happened?" she folded her hands in her lap, waiting for a reply and probably some kind of explanation from me.

I really didn't want to talk about it. I needed to process what had happened and make sense of it myself and right now I just wanted to crawl back under the covers and sleep some more. I groaned again, a little more loudly and sat up before I replied. Taking a quick glance at the clock, showing me I had already slept the morning away as it was almost noon.

"Goddess, where do I start? So Mike and I almost hooked up last night.." her deep brown eyes widened. "That was until Kellen and him got into a fight and everything went downhill from there" I trailed off my last words, I had hated seeing my two best friends fight because of me. I'm not sure if I was more upset about Kellen ruining what would have been my first time with Mike or the fact that they had fought against each other because of me.

I finished telling Kira everything that had happened last night and, like a good friend, she sat and listened, not interrupting.

"So now you know how my night was. What about yours? Did you get down and dirty with that Alpha boy I left you sucking face with?"

She threw her head back and laughed. "Well, not exactly. I think he had too much to drink and, let's just say.. He was a little on the soft side."

"Oh my!" I laughed with her.

"Alright missy, in the shower, the water will help with the hangover." She narrowed her eyes and pointed to the bathroom. "Hurry up and we can make it down for lunch." She flung the covers back off me and pointed to the bathroom again with more force in her gesture this time. I gave yet another loud groan and flung my feet over the side of my bed and made my way to wash the stank of last night off me. Feeling better already, especially after confiding and venting to my friend.

*****

I didn't see Kellen or Mike for the rest of the weekend, and come Monday I thought I would run into my two best friends in classes or on the training field, but I didn't see them around at all. Not in the dining hall or combat training. Which, in itself, was strange. I decided I needed to get over everything and so did they. I was just about to link Kel to see what was going on when Wilson, the head instructor of the school, bellowed my name.

"Lamia Langley! My office five minutes!" His tone was stoic, not giving away any emotion or guess as to why I was being called in there in the first place.

Well shit, what did I do now? It's not as if I got into trouble all the time, but my mouth could get the better of me sometimes, that and the fact that most superiors in any position hated the fact that I did not submit to them. Of course, I was respectful, but sometimes I forgot and just let my mouth run. I turned on my heels; now heading away from the training field and towards his office. The door was open when I got there, but I still politely knocked.

"Come on in Langley," he called from inside.

I entered the large office that reminded me of the Kings, just a bit smaller. The walls were decorated with light oak paneling, with two red leather couches at one end of the room and Wilson's desk and two matching red leather chairs facing him at the other end of the room.

I took a seat in one of the chairs and meekly looked at the head trainer. He looked like he was in his late forties, with brown hair that showed the slightest hint of graying, his brown eyes were deep and dark, sporting a scar over his left eyebrow. He was in phenomenal shape and looked like a wolf to be regarded, even in his mid forties. I bet he was a firecracker in his younger days.

"Mr. Wilson," I nodded as I sat.

He got up from his seat and went around the side of his desk to the door and closed it. Ahh crap, I thought. When the door gets closed, it's never good.

"Miss Langley, I called you in here for a couple of reasons" My face must have said it all, nervous, apprehensive, worried, because he smiled at me before leaning back. "You are not in trouble, Langley, so relax. I called you in here because we are going to cut your combat and warrior training out of your schedule."

"What!" My eyes were as wide as saucers, and Inanna was pacing in my head wanting to know why they would do this, her anger at being dismissed from what we live and breathe for was fueling my own.

"Mr. Wilson, but why? I don't understand, I mean that is what I am good at, that is what my wolf was born for. We are warriors! Why would you take this away from us? Is this some sick joke?" I was fuming now and could feel the heat creeping up on my face. If I could not train, how was I meant to learn to be a team? Work as a unit, like the king had told my father?

"I can see you are getting upset, and I assure you, if you just calm down a little and let me explain, you will be happier." He leaned forward on the desk, his muscular arms holding his head up, looking relaxed and casual. I blinked at him a few times and nodded for him to continue.

"You are a very unusual case, Langley. When the King asked for you to be placed here at the school, we were unsure why he wanted his Delta's daughter here amongst the Alpha and Betas.

He told us you were strong and smart and that your father and mother both came from Alpha lines. However, we grossly underestimated your gifts." He leant back in his chair again, placing his hands behind his head. "We were told you were smart and strong and after a little over a year here you have continued to surprise us and meet every expectation we have of you. However, you now have a choice. You can graduate early and return to your pack and the kingdom or..."

And this is where it got most interesting; I was waiting for the penny to drop. I leant back in my chair waiting for him to give me the "or".

"...Or you can finish the remainder of the school year here and start with advanced weapons training and torture prevention and technique..."

"Torture what!?" Did I really hear that right? I'm not sure I liked the sound of that. I was on edge and my wolf was too. Be it so we were still curious. "And exactly what is torture prevention and technique?"

Wilson's smile had faded from his face and his brown eyes were even darker. He took a serious look on his face before he started speaking. He was still casually leaning back. I shift uneasily in my chair.

"It's not something every wolf can come out of. The weapons training will include handling weapons that are tainted with poisons, such as silver, wolfsbane or nightshade. The torture program is designed to not only teach you how to correctly use poisons on captives and in interrogations, but it will also allow you to learn skills and methods of extracting information from hostiles. The prevention part is more risky."

Wilson paused, like he was waiting for a reaction from me. I gave him none, or at least I thought I was keeping a pretty straight face. If I wasn't, he didn't indicate otherwise.

"Go on, I'm listening." I said, slightly skeptical.

"Well, the prevention part, and there's no easy way to sugar coat this... Basically, we would inject you with the poisons and burn you with silver, building up your tolerance."

"So you would torture me? That's what you're saying? Is this something I would survive?" That was a stupid question, but quite frankly it was scaring the shit out of me!

"Yes, you will survive! We won't overdose you but build you up slowly." He laughed "Although I'm not saying it won't hurt like a bitch, because it will. You obviously have a strong wolf. You will need to talk it over with her. Your father has already been informed of our intentions, along with the King, and they both said it was your decision and fully support your choice."

"I think I would like to talk it over with my wolf and Prince Kellen before I can make any decision." I replied, so many thoughts now swimming around in my head. This was not what I was expecting when I walked into this office. I think I would like to give my Dad and mom a call about it too.

When Wilson next spoke, his voice was softer and his facial expression held compassion, "Lamia, if I didn't think you were strong enough or ready for it I wouldn't suggest you to the program. Prince Kellen will have to go through a version of this, but not to the extent I believe you are ready for." Pausing again and scrubbing his hands over his face, he then asked: "What is the name of your wolf? What do you know about her?"

"Her name is Inanna, and I honestly don't know much except that she is a very strong and capable wolf. She has never given me any more and I have never asked. Why?" I was curious to know why my wolf's name was so important. My father, the king and Beta Michael had already searched prophecy books trying to find out why my wolf and I are so strong and nothing was ever found. I told Wilson just as much.

"Inanna, Inanna, Inanna." He repeated while rubbing his chin.

"There is nothing particularly special, sir. The King and my father have already researched any prophecy related to my wolf and found nothing. I guess I just got lucky?"

"Follow me! Her name sounds very familiar, I'm sure I have seen scripture of her name before." He got up and rounded the desk, opening the door and gesturing with a nod that I followed him.

I followed behind in silence as we moved through the corridors to the library. Once we reached there, Wilson took me up to the second floor, to the section that held some of the oldest werewolf history books.

We stopped in the 'A guide to god & goddess Wolf Spirit's' section. OK, now I am really curious. We all knew that our wolves were reborn spirits and the stronger our human side and lineage, the stronger the wolf we got. Or at least that's what they say. I like to think our wolf spirits get to choose us because of the potential person we will become. Some believe the moon goddess herself picks our wolves.

I watched as Wilson flipped open a couple of books, and placed them back until he opened one and a huge smile graced his face.

"Ah ha!" He shouted, making me jump just a little, he was clearly excited. "Here, take this and read it, then come back to me with your decision by Friday. Talk it over with whoever you need to, to make a decision you will be happy with. Once we start the program, there is no turning back. You understand?"

I took the book from him, more focused on what it could tell me about my wolf and our abilities, "Yes sir" I mumbled. Inanna was way back in my mind, almost hiding, but she didn't give me a nervous vibe.

Maybe this was something she wanted me to discover for myself; maybe she thought it best not to tell me. Either way, I knew she had her reasons and eventually she would have to come clean to me. As Wilson left the library, I went down to the first floor, and found myself a comfy couch and opened the book. I flipped through it looking for anything about my wolf's spirit, other great wolves were named and a history of how their wolfs came to be, how the moon goddess mated and produced offspring. A few pages in and my eyes froze on the page:

Inanna, Third generation of the moon goddess:

Inanna, is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess associated with love, beauty, sex, war, justice and political power.

Known as the "Queen of Heaven", Hailing from the temple of Enna.

Her wolf spirit is said to hold the heart of a lion, the strength of a bear, the body and mind of a wolf.

Granddaughter, to the moon goddess and daughter of a first.

Of Sumerian descent and known for returning from the underworld.

Well shit! My wolf is old as fuck! And powerful too! This explains a lot!

‘I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I was waiting until you came of age’ Inanna finally making herself present.

‘Inanna, how? Why me? I have so many questions!’

‘In due time, in due time. I had been dormant for many, hundreds, of years, until I was awoken by Conri and told it was time.’

‘Conri?’ I asked ‘As in Kellen's wolf Conri?’

‘Yes, a long time ago we were mates, and fought wars together. He is of Celtic descent. He was born a Wolf King. His name means Wolf King’, she told me.

‘Is that why I am so protective of him? Why we have always defended him?’

‘Yes, Lamia, I was present even when you were so young, and my spirit was fused to you the day you were born. We just couldn't communicate until you were of age. This is also why you shifted so early. Conri was destined to protect me from the day he was reborn. When Conri chose to be Kellen's wolf, I automatically chose to be yours. And because you were born together, our bond became stronger.’

‘Is… Is Kellen our mate?’ I hesitantly asked her.

‘I don't know, but he is ours. Only time will tell if the moon goddess paired us this time but I do feel and always have, felt a pull to him.’

I didn't say anything more to Inanna. I was still processing the information I had learned and what Inanna had told me. This is huge! I needed to tell Kellen!

Kellen, you there? I dropped my wall and linked him right away.

Lamia! I'm so sorry! I… I cut him off immediately.

Forget it, I need you and Mike to meet me in my room. Boy have I got something to show you, and tell you guys!

I cut off the link and hurried to my dorm with the book in my hand to meet with the boys. Our awkward situation would have to be dealt with and we would all need to move past this. I needed my best friends and I needed their support and advice on the choice Wilson gave me.