Scarred Wolf Queen Chapter 30

**Briony's POV**

Conrad set down his glass and looked around the table. "I've gotta say, I'm impressed. Your teamwork and individual skills went beyond what I expected." His gaze settled on me. "Especially Briony."

My cheeks warmed as I stared down at my plate, hoping no one would notice. Being singled out still felt foreign to me.

"Two back-to-back intense fights, and you barely broke a sweat," Conrad continued. "That kind of endurance is rare. The Sentinels need people like you."

"Thanks," I mumbled, unsure how to handle the praise.

"Sentinel work isn't just fighting," Conrad explained to the others. "We need people who can think on their feet and adapt to anything thrown at them."

"Fighting skills don't matter much for girls anyway," my father cut in with a dismissive wave. "They find mates and have children. All this training is wasted on Briony."

The table went silent. I felt Maxwell and Christopher tense on either side of me, their anger radiating like heat.

I looked my father in the eye, keeping my voice steady. "Learning different fighting styles helps me understand how other packs operate. That's useful no matter what, right?"

"Briony makes a good point," Alpha Adam smoothly interjected. "Knowledge is never wasted, regardless of the path she chooses."

My father didn't argue, but his disapproving stare said enough. I went back to eating, trying to ignore the familiar ache in my chest. Some things never changed.

A loud crash from the kitchen made everyone turn. Benjamin and Noah were scrambling to clean up broken plates.

"What the hell?" Ethan asked, confused.

Benjamin locked eyes with me from across the room. "Quit talking about leaving, Lightning. You don't need to prove yourself at some Sentinel camp."

I froze. "How did you hear...?" They'd been at least fifty feet away, with running water and dinner noise between us.

"We all heard," Noah said, his voice unusually deep as he approached. "Just drop it, okay? We need you here."

"What's going on?" Conrad asked, looking genuinely curious.

Layla grinned. "Briony's thinking about joining the Sentinels, but these giant babies can't handle losing the only girl who can kick their asses in training." She punctuated it with a wink.

The adults exchanged looks I couldn't quite interpret. Luna Isabella and Alpha Adam seemed to be having an entire conversation without words.

"About the Sentinels," Conrad turned to me. "We've had teenagers join before. It's tough, but age isn't the only factor we consider. The three-year program covers everything from combat to rescue ops to diplomatic missions."

"So it's not just fighting?" I couldn't hide my interest.

"Far from it. We're building complete warriors, not just fighters. That's why most wash out in the first three days - they come for the glory but can't handle the responsibility."

"How can you tell who's right in just three days?" Noah frowned.

"We look for the fundamentals - can you adapt, work in a team, keep your cool under pressure, and make ethical calls. You either have those or you don't. We can teach skills, but not character."

Conrad scanned our faces. "Sentinels handle the difficult jobs - undercover missions, working with humans, even negotiating with other supernatural groups. Fighting is just one small part."

"Sounds risky," Benjamin said, his eyes narrowed.

"It is," Conrad nodded. "But worth it."

As conversation drifted to other topics, my mind stuck on the Sentinel camp. It sounded perfect - an escape from Polaris, a chance to find real purpose.

"The selection team will be in Polaris next week," Conrad said, bringing me back to the moment. "You should try out. Show those veterans what you can do."

Excitement bubbled up in me until I caught the triplets' expressions. They looked genuinely upset at the idea of me leaving. I wasn't sure what to make of that.

"Briony," my father's cold voice sliced through my thoughts. "Why waste time on this warrior nonsense? Your only job is to find a mate and continue the bloodline. Everything else is pointless."

My blood went cold. I could feel Maxwell and Christopher going rigid beside me.

"I'm just keeping my options open," I said carefully. "If my mate comes from another pack, knowing different fighting styles could help me fit in."

"Keep dreaming," my father scoffed. "You'll learn your place eventually."

Before the tension could build further, Ethan jumped in. "Hey, Conrad, you must have some crazy Sentinel stories. Mind sharing a few?"

The skillful save worked. Conrad launched into a story about a border dispute he'd resolved through negotiation rather than force. I shot Ethan a grateful look, which he answered with a subtle nod.

"Our job is protecting the pack's future," Conrad concluded. "Sometimes that means fighting, but usually it takes brains over brawn. That's why we're so picky about who we accept."

"Maybe we should send our future leaders for that training," Adam suggested. "Might give them perspective."

"We do offer short courses for pack leaders," Conrad nodded. "But it's different from full Sentinel training. Leaders balance diplomacy and internal politics, while Sentinels handle crisis management."

"Different paths, same goal," Isabella said softly. "Both protecting our people."

"Exactly," Conrad agreed. "Whether Alpha or Sentinel, it all comes down to protection."

"For protection," the warriors echoed, myself included. The simple phrase struck a chord in me.

As dinner wound down, I pushed food around my plate, trying to process everything I'd heard.

"Come on," Maxwell suddenly stood and pulled my chair back. Before I could react, he'd hoisted me onto his shoulder.

"Put me down!" I protested, though I couldn't keep from laughing. "I can walk!"

"At your height? We'd get there next week," Christopher teased, walking alongside us.

He playfully smacked my thigh, making me gasp and rub the spot. "Hey!"

"Quit whining, Lightning," he laughed. "If we left it up to you, we'd be talking tactics all night."

I glanced over and saw Ethan carrying Layla the same way. The adults watched us with amused expressions.

"Don't stay up too late," Adam called to Maxwell. "Training tomorrow."

"Got it," Maxwell replied, carrying me toward the lodge.

They took us through the main building and up a hidden staircase. Maxwell punched in a code at a security panel and pressed his thumb against a scanner.

"What's with the Fort Knox security?" Layla asked, still dangling over Noah's shoulder.

"Too many unwanted visitors," Maxwell explained with a backward glance at me.

"Translation: girls they hooked up with tried breaking in when they weren't invited back," Layla snickered.

"Pretty much," Christopher grinned, pushing open the door.

Maxwell carried me through with Ethan and Layla right behind. A strange buzz ran through me - part excitement, part nervousness at entering their private space.

"Gross," Layla made a face. "I don't want to see your hookup headquarters."

"First, we don't bring girls here," Maxwell said. "Second, the cleaning staff is very thorough. And third, we're going to the entertainment room, not our bedrooms."

Finally, Maxwell set me down in a spacious, brightly lit entrance area.