Unbroken, Betrayed, and Chosen

Chapter 22

"Remember, take as little and give all you can," Nesyne reminded me as she brushed past to the outskirts of the mat. I nodded and took my place in the center. I readied my nerves and remained still, awaiting a change in the air to signal an attack.

When the air hitched I threw out my hand to sop the roundhouse kick launched at my head. I knocked her down and shoved her back with my other hand with a powerful palm strike. I dropped to a crouch and swept my leg under Cioua, sweeping her off her feet. She landed with a thump next to me and I wrapped my legs around her torso, locking her in a python-like grip. I gave a powerful twist and I flipped her onto her back. Releasing her body I reeled back from the flying strike coming to my face. I ducked low and kicked backwards, my foot flexing over my head and knocking down the attacker. I heard another thump against the mat and I stood back up in a defensive position.

Nesyne nodded with an impressed smile. "That was great Aris, you couldn't have sensed the attacks coming sooner than I could have. Remember though, you needed that leg-lock to take down Cioua, extra strikes are not necessary if you make that initial strike strong enough. But good job, you fight very well."

I smiled in reply and took Cioua's hand, helping her up, she nodded but didn't smile; I guess we still weren't friendly.

"Do you wanna go again?" Isrou asked and I nodded, "I am going to be ready for tomorrow."

We didn't leave the training area for six more hours.

I awoke to an unsettling feeling pitted in my stomach and growing like a weed, sinking its fear into each vein. I sat up from the bed I randomly crashed on, me and the Amazons had stayed late at the training ground, more precisely until it was too dark to see five feet in front of you. We came back and after checking on Rowan to find him just waking up, I slipped away without a word. I knew if I talked to him last night I would have made him stay.

I rolled out of the bed and walked into the shower. Mindlessly, I cleaned myself and put on a new suit left at my door this morning. I pulled my hair back into a slick ponytail and pulled on my boots. I left the room messy; I was too worried, focused, and anxious to care.

I made my way down to the hall, many o the clan wolves had either made their home in a room or were strolling about the property of the Midnight Lake pack. Smelling a heavenly scent of breakfast, I made a sharp turn to the kitchen. Vesper was at the stove, eggs and pancakes and ham and bacon lined the counter and people were taking food as they please.

"Good morning Aris." Vesper stopped turning the egg when she saw I had entered the room.

"Morning Vesper, did you see Rowan before he left?" I asked, taking a plate and piling it high with food; a hungry wolf is a weak wolf. Ves nodded. "He wanted me to tell you that he was going to be careful and that he'd see you soon."

My heart wrenched, I needed to get going, the sooner I get to Logan the sooner my nightmare is over. "Thank you Vesper. As soon as I finish eating I'll go, and I won't return until I have his head on a stake."

Vesper nodded her understanding and went back to cooking. Taking my plate I walked out of the kitchen and into the dining room. There, I found the rest of the clan wolves, the Amazon wolves and the leaders of the other clans.

I set my plate down on the table. "What's going on?"

"We are seeing you off of course." Raven replied.

"You make it sound like I'm leaving forever," I said.

"Maybe not, but we all wanted to wish you luck that you and Rowan come back safe today." Fang added. My smile dropped. "I promised to bring him home safe."