Three

Talia sighed as she escaped from the house feeling suffocated after spending so long alone on the streets. It was daytime and despite the surrounding wooded area she knew she couldn't transform into a wolf right now. Talia walked further into the woods and when she was far enough away from the noises of the house she found a tall tree and climbed up. She settled on the sturdiest branch she could find and leaned back against the root. Up here not only did she have a good vantage point to see anything coming but she also felt at peace. Talia had about an hour of peace when she heard footsteps coming her way looking and saw her father. He seemed to be able to sense her and looked up, their eyes meeting.

"Can I come up?" he asked.

"Sure," Talia muttered relieved he at least asked first and she moved a little so he would have more room. He smiled kindly at her as she carefully balanced on the branch before finally sitting down he was sitting facing her.

"Is everything okay?" he asked her.

"My mother and pack was murdered, I lived on the run for a year, and end up finding a father that didn't know about me," Talia said sarcastically rolling her eyes.

"I'm sorry about that and if I had known about you I would have come," Jeremy reassured looking straight into her eyes, eyes they shared.

"I know you would have," Talia stated looking down at the ground.

"We are about to train if you want to join," Jeremy said wanting to protect his child but knowing she needed to know how to fight as well especially with the threat of his father still out there.

"Sure though you might want to warn the others not to cry when I kick their ass," Talia said a smirk forming on her face as she stood and jumped down to the ground landing gracefully. Jeremy smiled because he had a feeling that she would be a stubborn one though he would have to see just how good of a fighter she really was.

~Little Wolf~

The pack, what remained at the moment anyway, could not believe what they saw. Talia had went up against Nick first and while she was a little rusty the girl beat Nick pretty quick. Jeremy was proud but the girl wanted to keep going and the alpha knew it was because she wanted to test each of them though what for he didn't know but they all seemed okay with indulging her. Elena had gone next and the older woman had tried going easy at first only to find that Talia was actually a pretty powerful opponent though some of her fighting could use improvement. It ended with them tying and Elena smiled at the girl. Talia didn't know what to make of the other female werewolf and she didn't need another mother but the woman was being kind to her so maybe she should give her a chance though she was weary. The weariness seemed to wear off though as time progressed. She had only been here for a week so maybe once she got to know them more and test their limits, especially her father's, then she could decide if she should trust them. Talia looked at Clay wondering if she could even really fight him because he was the enforcer of the pack but she wanted to give it a try. She needed to fight, to live for her mother, for her old pack and for her father and this new pack as well.

"Am I next?" Clay asked trying to ease her tension because he knew that she was probably afraid of him despite knowing he wouldn't hurt her. It had been the same for him after Jeremy had rescued him off the streets. Malcolm Danvers had turned him savagely and Jeremy had started coming to earn his trust. It took two weeks and even after going home with Jeremy there was still a weariness that didn't really stop until the alpha saved his life once.

"Yes Clay," Talia stated trying not to give away that her ankle was hurting her because she was taught not to show weakness. Clay was the one besides Jeremy she felt at ease with though she didn't show it. Talia could see in his eyes that while they weren't completely similar they shared the life experience of living on the street. Besides Jeremy he was the only one treat her no different in the week she had been here.

Talia took a calming breath evening her weight like she was taught. Both of them circled each other as if waiting for the other to attack. When she had first started training with her former pack Talia had always been impatient but experience in many forms taught her that sometimes it was merely waiting until their opponent showed a hand before making a move. Clay while he thought the same way was also a little more reckless in some cases and he finally made a move. Talia was standing by a tree and Clay swung his arm around her neck twisting her around so that she was in a choke hold. Talia used her feet to swing her legs up and kick the tree sending them backwards to the ground but unfortunately that made her ankle worse and Clay caught her cry as he let his hold on her go and moved her around so that she was laying on the ground as Jeremy and the rest of them came over.

"Your hurt," Clay said narrowing his eyes as he swept over her.

"It's nothing I'm fine," Talia gritted out not wanting to be weak to them but gasped when Clay's hand touched her swollen ankle.

"She must have her herself in the fight against Elena or Nick not sure when exactly," Clay said looking at Jeremy.

"Guys I'm fine," Talia said worried that this weakness would make them want her gone now.

"Talia I'm the alpha and your father. This pack doesn't expect someone to keep going when their hurt unless absolutely necessary and it's not necessary right now," her father said looking straight into her eyes, eyes they shared.

"Promise me," Talia growled grabbing his arm.

"We promise," the pack all spoke as one.

Talia sighed as surprisingly Clay picked her up in his arms bridal style and carried her inside. She knew that if she had told them about her ankle the moment it happened it wouldn't be a big deal and would probably be healed by now but her stubbornness had to make it worse. She believed her father, the whole pack actually when they said that she was not going to be kicked out or in trouble for being hurt but another part of her thought otherwise. Talia sighed because the pain was finally catching up she gripped Clay's arm not wanting to cry from the pain. She just hoped that this didn't cause problems between her and her father because she liked him and she even liked the pack and she sure as hell didn't want to leave. Talia wanted to be safe and being here she felt safe.