"Why on earth did you bring me here at this time." I said folding my hands over my chest tiredly and leaning back against the tree stump.
Even though soaking wet and freezing I was still sleepy. Which was kinda beyond me, that sudden burst of liquid on me should have knocked all the sleep out of me.
I guess I was just really tired.
We didn't get much sleep the night before. My wolf said suggestively.
Remove that smug tone from your voice at once!
It's true though.
Come to think of it, he carried me all the way out here, and I didn't stir or wake up, not even once? That's too deep of a sleep.
What happened to all your wolf senses? We could have been in danger.
But we weren't. Our mate was with us. She purred obviously feeling content.
I rolled my eyes at her.
"Training." Is all he said bringing me back to the issue at hand.
I shook my head and wondered if I had heard correctly.
First of all I don't rember the last time I went for training and isn't training done with the rest of the pack? Cause we're alone right now.
And also I really wasn't in the mood for any tedious physical activity at the moment.
Any? Really?
Again. Shut up.
"Training? Why?" I asked and finally stood up, rubbing my arms in attempt to warm them up.
He remained silent. Staring at me.
"Okay since you have no tangible reason for bringing me here I'll just go back home now and lie on-" I started off, already dreaming about my nice soft warm and dry bed, while turning around to make my swift escape, but Damon wasn't having it, as usual.
I was cut off by a strong grip holding my arm and yanking me back. Although it wasn't harsh.
And oddly enough his hand was very warm and soothing against my chilly skin.
I found myself involuntarily moving towards him but I stopped myself at a safe distance.
He frowned slightly and removed his hand clasping his hands together behind his back.
His eyes lingered on me for a little while and quickly dipped down to the rest of me and then he looked away.
His jaw tight, he cleared his throat and spoke.
"Incase you havent noticed yet, there have been some, sudden unexpected changes." He looked like he was searching his entire mental vocabulary to look for the appropriate words.
"Due to recent unforseen events you are now Luna of this pack, or on your way to being one, which means I cannot have you vulnerable and defenseless all the time. So you need to undergo intense training which only I can give you, understood?"
Apparently his vocabulary wasn't extensive enough, because he most certainly did not find the appropriate wording for his statement.
Of course.
I chose to pick up only one line from his useless rant.
Recent unforseen events?
That's the best he could do?
Are you kidding me?
You can just say it you know?
I huffed and shook my head, which sent droplets of water tumbling down. I was still wet.
I tried to squeeze the most part of the water out of my hair.
"You're an intolerable moron." I said it under my breath but he still seemed to have caught it since he froze slighlty and stared at me bewildered.
Then he actually started laughing.
At me?
Is this guy normal?
I don't think so.
It was only a light laugh but it was enough to pause my movements mid-hair squeeze.
The way he smiled just made me melt.
It was almost as if I was drawn to it.
His pearly whites.
Pink plum lips.
Those adorable dimples.
And now you're staring.
Oh damn!
I looked at his eyes and he was staring right back at me.
But he didn't look at me for long and just looked away.
"Okay, now that we have that cleared up lets get you in shape." The moment long gone, his neutral expression back on his face.
I mentally gasped.
Then I physically did it.
"I am very inshape for your information." I snapped. I'm not exactly the most inclined or athletic wolf out there, but out-of-shape isn't something that applies to me either.
"Oh really? Fine then, lets go." He said cocking a brow with an amused smirk on his face.
And I could read it in his eyes.
He doesn't think I can do anything.
I'll show you, you arrogant pup.
I've still got a few moves left.
****
Arrrrgh! I can't move!
I lay face down on the grass.
My lungs were burning due to the lack of oxygen.
My limbs were dead and stinging at the same time.
I couldn't move.
All he did was casually stroll towards me and flip me around.
I felt like a sack of potatoes.
Then he burst out laughing.
What the hell?! And how come he's suddenly smiling so much?
He's so lucky I am immobile right now otherwise I'd smack that smile right off his face.
Oh we both know you wouldn't.
Maybe.
You know the people in world who always seem to be angry and never smile, but when they do its like their smile can run the world.
Those rare perfect smiles.
He's got one.
And I just had to lay there and admire him, even though he was laughing at me.
"Still got moves left?" He asked me, and maybe it was my ears but I could hear a hint of teasing tone in his voice.
I rolled my eyes and went back to scwoling at him.
A-hole.
He helped me up and my legs almost buckled underneath me but I did not want to give him that satisfaction.
So I injected all the energy I had left into my legs and held myself up.
And started heading in the direction of the house.
"Hey, where are you going to? That was just the warm up run. It's now time for the actual work out." He said from behind me.
Then I froze.
More like, I died, and came back a statue.
For the second time in my life.
We just finished sprinting up and down an entire mountain while dodging tree branches and jumping over stumps at a very grueling pace.
And now he wants more.
He can't be serious.
"You bet I am. C'mon lets go."
*****
I'm gonna die.
I'm gonna die.
I'm gonna effin die.
Now this time I was lying by a river bank desperately trying to keep my heart from bolting out of my chest.
This was it.
Of all the ways to die.
Death by training.
Oh cruel world.
"You can't posssibly be serious."
Damon sat at the river bank watching me curiously while I tried to keep alive thanks to him.
"You are really out of shape." I ignored him.
Say all you want, I ain't moving.
"You know, this would have been much easier if you had just shifted into your wolf. Why did you refuse?" He asked with a serious expression.
Again with the wolf issue.
Yes, I can communicate easier with her now, I mean there are even times when I want her to shut up, but shifting still seems so hard for me.
She said I shouldn't just call her, but that I should 'feel' the shift. I have to actively let her in and let my walls down in order for her to take control.
Ha.
Easier said than done. And even theoretically that sounds hard.
I sat up a bit staring at him.
"Look Damon, it isn't that easy."
"What isn't?" He questioned.
Huh. Now how do I explain this.
"I don't know, my wolf doesn't exactly do what I want her to when I want her to. She comes out on her own accord and calling her when I need her sometimes seems impossible." I huffed.
He stared at me with a blank expression.
"You're kidding right."
I slowly shook my head.
His eyebrows furrowed. "You're serious?"
I nodded.
"Have you ever felt any connection with her before?"
I thought about that for a while. Depends on what you mean by connection. She's always in my head, speaking, yes. But to actually feel her coursing through my body, as in more than just a mental connection?
I nodded. It has happened once or twice before.
"See, all you have to do is focus and communicte with her. You have to will her out, its actually very simple." He said turning to face me more, encouraging me to go on. Telling me it was going to be easy.
No.
Not really. Not for me anyway.
But for the benefit of the doubt I still tried to focus like he said.
I swallowed and nodded at him, planning to make an effort.
I tried very hard to concentrate on... on what exactly?
His beautiful blue orbs...
No not on him! On you!
But I was already hooked. Looking up to him to help me with what I should focus on had me in a bind instead. I couldn't look away, I was hooked.
And he seemed so too.
He was sitting right beside me now, very close actually now that I took my time to notice.
He had turned slightly so that he was facing me while he tried to help me guide my wold out.
But it seems we were getting distracted.
Seeing him here, under the morning sun, his skin slightly glistening making me wish he didn't have a shirt on so I could oogle him more, all this, was doing stuff to me.
He smelled good, like really really good, and it seemed infuriating that this was his natural scent and not some expensive cologne or something. It was literally drawing me in.
It's like he was purposely built just to torture me.
Lately there has been way too much tension around us and I didn't like it.
Or maybe I did.
It's the novelty of the situation that made it so weird for me.
The furthest I've gone in my life liking someone was just a harmless crush, with a fantasy of some kissing at most.
But this, this was kinda feral.
And not just even wanting to go beyond second base, but it felt like I was merely craving his presence.
I liked just being near him and it was, it was, weird. I don't know, I think it's weird.
He hadn't said anything concerning my shift again.
The only shift that occurred was happening in his eyes, as he stared at mine, and my face, like he was studying me. Observing my features.
And that would have made me a bit self concious, but I was too busy caught up in him as well.
And also a slight shift in position. Was he closer now?
What were we even doing again?
The atmosphere around us was always messing up my brains and making me do weird stuff.
And today was one of those days.
Otherwise, I would have pushed him away when he leaned in.
But I didn't.
And I allowed it.
And you enjoyed it...
I guess I did.
He kissed me, slowly and softly his hand gently resting on my cheek and it felt very different from all the kisses he's ever given me.
That's like three kisses so far.
Shut up.
The kiss ended soon, maybe too soon, and he pulled away a bit. His face only inches away from mine while he stared me in the eyes.
What are you doing to me?
I could hear his voice in my head.
I- I dont know.
He barely looked me in the eye for five seconds before he looked away and shook his head and sighed.
"Why do you keeep doing that?" I asked him.
He turned to look at me with a confused look.
"What?"
"The eye thing. You can't look me in the eye."
He only chuckled and shook his head bitterly.
"Adriane, I don't want to go there right now."
Hmmmm, Adriane... I like the way he says it...
Now is not the time.
Right.
"You don't want to go where?"
He turned to me.
"It's got to do with your dead parents. Happy now?"
"No actually, not quite. I don't understand you." He said something along the lines of my parent's ghosts are haunting him, which is actually quite strange to imagine.
Maybe it was just his conscience making him think that?
He stared at me wide eyed for a brief second then he sighed and went on.
"I still see your parents anytime I look at you, Adriane. In your eyes, all I see is the blood on my hands. And honestly, it freaks me out. Its feels like they're literally haunting me," he paused and sighed, "but I deserve that." He said while staring straight ahead.
I remained silent.
Haunting?
Like actual ghost haunting?
My parents?
Wow.
That's why he can't look me in the eye?
I shook my head. I don't know if either of us will ever be able to get past this. It all seems too much.
****
I was lying on my bed, trying to collect my thoughts.
I have issues.
A whole lot of problems.
A bucket load of them.
And I don't know how to deal with even one of them.
And now I'm in a tight spot.
I'm Luna now. Almost.
All thanks to that idiot.
Hey, it takes two to tango.
Three apparently. Actually four, his bloody wolf was in on it too.
I sighed.
I don't even know what's happening with us.
He's so complicated.
At least things aren't as bad as before.
He makes it so hard for me to like him.
Okay now we both know that you more than like him already.
Speak for yourself.
I am.
My life sucks.
Tell me about it.
Grrrr...
Hey no need to be feisty. I was just trying to agree with you.
My thoughts were interupted by my loud blarring ringtone.
I'm getting a call?
Since when do I get calls?
Huh.
Maybe I should pick it up.
Maybe you shouldn't.
I picked up my phone and saw that it was a private number calling.
I tapped the answer button.
"Hello?" I said unsure of myself.
I heard strangled and strained voices on the other line. But nothing more. No one was speaking to me directly. It all sounded like I was listening in on something rather than having a phone conversation. The voices were a bit far off so in as much as I could hear them talking, I couldn't actually make out what they were saying.
A brief moment later, right before I decided to end the call thinking there was a mix up, I heard a high pitched scream. I paused.
But still no one was talking.
I stayed on the line just a little while longer out of sheer curiosity but still having heard no one in particular I cut the call.
My phone immediately rung again. I picked it up, but this time I remained silent, waiting for whoever called to speak up.
Then they did.
And my heart stopped.
"A-Adriane! H-help us please!" And then she screamed again and the line went dead.
And I couldn't move.
I couldn't even put the phone down.
It was still cluched to my ear.
I was holding it tightly.
My grip strength on it only increasing.
I didn't want to let go.
I didn't want to believe it was her.
But it had been.
I couldn't miss the voice anywhere.
Even if I did, the high pitched scream she let out was enough to let me know it was her.
It was the last thing I heard from her before I run away.
It was her.
Gabriella.
My sister.