James made his way into the garden, and Damon stood up to meet him.
The two of them talked before breakfast, and Damon told James about the situation with Nora.
James was not surprised to hear that Nora found her way into Damon's study when no one else was around, but he didn't expect that Nora would end up in the dungeon. That only confirmed James' guess how Talia was important. Very important.
James also respected the fact that Damon rejected Nora. James knew very well that his father never refused a free meal.
Damon told James to include in his (aka George's) daily report how Nora was disrespectful toward Alpha Damon and that she was sent to the dungeon to reflect on her actions, per request from Damon's future Luna.
Of course, Alpha Edward will think that the future Luna is Marcy, and by the time that's clarified, Damon will secure Talia's position and protection.
"Done?", Damon asked, and James nodded in response. "Any problems?"
"No problems. I already got confirmation that things are progressing well. Did you arrange for the things I asked?"
Damon's evaluation of James changed. He was not only observant, but also calculative, smart, proactive, and he knew how to ask for what he wanted.
The thing was that Damon didn't ask James to confirm with Alpha Edward anything, yet James did it on his own.
Damon thought how having that youngster on his side would be a good thing, but if James turns against him, it could be dangerous. However, they already started this dance, and the only thing Damon could do is to keep his eyes on James and stay vigilant.
"You can head out after breakfast.", Damon said. "Until then, you should get to know guys who will accompany you."
Damon's eyes lost focus for a moment and then he turned to look at the main entry. A second later, three figures emerged.
They were three teenagers, two boys, and a girl. They all looked to be about James' age.
"James", Damon called. "These are Zack, Eric, and Petra. They might be young, but they are my junior warriors and they each have qualifications you asked for. Zack and Eric can drive, Petra will get her license after she turns sixteen years old. In addition, they all went to human town at least a few times, and they will double as your bodyguards. I assumed that you would prefer this arrangement compared to having a few older guys going with you."
James nodded in approval and listened to the instructions Damon gave to the three teens.
"You have the list of places James wants to visit. It is not set in stone, as you are welcome to suggest alternatives and make adjustments as needed. If there is any emergency, let me know. Keep your phones on, so we can track you with GPS if anything happens unexpectedly. When you are in human town, he will not be James, the future Alpha of the Red Moon pack. There, he will be James, your friend. Don't stand out, don't cause trouble, but above all, don't let anyone bully you and prioritize safety. If James is pleased with your performance today, you will get to accompany him tomorrow as well."
They all nodded in understanding, and Damon gestured toward the table with food while saying, "Help yourself with breakfast. When you are done, you are free to leave."
With that, Damon returned to his table.
James shook hands with three teens and they exchanged names while assessing each other.
Zack looked like a quiet guy who spoke only when spoken to.
Erik had a big smile on his face, and the only thing bigger was the lens of the camera that was hanging around his neck.
Petra was a girl with a hair full of curly brown hair, and her keen gaze told James that she shouldn't be underestimated.
James didn't realize that he smiled brightly while talking with his three companions for the day. While imagining his days ahead, James always saw himself doing things alone, while one or two older guys stood at the back and watched him. But with three teens, James will look like he is hanging out with friends.
Who knows, maybe he actually makes friends? That would be first.
At the Red Moon pack, he is surrounded by trainers and tutors, with George being among the youngest ones. Teens that are James' age are looking at him like he is some untouchable royalty because status and rankings are strictly respected in the Red Moon pack.
James found it refreshing to be able to engage in conversation with kids his age and they didn't look like they swallowed a stick.
James, Petra, Erik, and Zack got food and sat at a table that was prepared for them.
"You must have these feasts often.", Petra said while gesturing toward the table that was full of breakfast items. Her plate had the most food piled up among the others.
"Not really.", James said. When he saw that Petra's curious gaze was directed at him, James added, "I mostly study and train and days are the same. This is different." Very different.
James realized that they probably think he has a super exciting life as the future Alpha of the Red Moon pack, and he really didn't want to disappoint them, so he decided to stir the conversation in a different direction.
"Alpha Damon said you are junior warriors. What does that mean?", James asked.
To his surprise, it was the silent Zack who responded, "At the age of sixteen, students who perform well in school get a chance to start training, assuming we pass the physical and mental exams."
Zack opened his mouth to say more, but James raised his hand, indicating that he had a question.
When James saw that Zack, Erik, and Petra looked at him strangely, James cursed himself. This was a habit he got from his tutoring, don't speak without permission, and he just asked for permission to speak.
James wished to disappear. Who talks to peers by raising hands to announce he wants a turn? How embarrassing.
James cleared his throat awkwardly before asking, "You need to have good grades and pass exams in order to become a warrior?"
They all nodded in confirmation, and Zack corrected James, "Junior warrior. We attend training and get evaluated based on our performance, however, we don't get official duties until we finish high school, and there are additional tests we need to take, both physical, mental, and emotional…"
James thought how all that was fascinating.
In the Red Moon pack, it's assumed that everyone will start training by the time they are ten years old, and if they don't show promising results early on, they will be dismissed from the path to become warriors and will get labeled as Omegas.
Compared to that, in the Dark Howlers pack, Alpha Damon was prioritizing regular education and one must be an exemplary student if he/she gets to train before finishing high school.
This concept was novel for James and he was eager to find out more.
