"Have you even gone to school at all?" I asked randomly, dodging a branch that was swung back towards my back. Cleo looked back at me for a second and gave me a small glare, matching her pace with mine so we were side by side.
"Not the kind of school you have. But that doesn't make me stupid, I just don't know formulas but then again why would I need to for basic survival?" I raised my hands and looked back at the boys that were a couple yards back. They were so damn slow when they were talking, especially if it's about business. "So how are you feeling after yesterday?"
"Better, my strength coming back slowly."
"So why do you think the fairy poisoned you?" That's a fair question that I don't have the answer to.
"Maybe as a warning? Or they just wanted to show how easy it is for them to take away our power."
"Would it affect everyone though? That's the question, whether or not they can steal the power from the titles."
"I am a title though."
"But your power comes from a mutation in your DNA. There's is embedded in their DNA, a code made specifically for them. You only have power from a defect of poison." I stayed silent, the only noise from the boys chatter and the crunch of leaves and dirt beneath our feet.
"What do they want from us?" I finally spoke, Cleo sighing.
"Werewolves hold the highest power in the supernatural world. The fae probably want to steal that away, starting with the strongest pack in the world." That didn't make me feel better.
"What do you think they'll do with us if they win?"
"I don't want to think about it, Naomi." I looked at her somber face and decided to drop it. We stopped by the same river that me and Fox mated by and sat on a log, waiting for the boys to catch up.
"We should play a game." Cleo suggested when the boys were in front of us and silent. I forgot she was only fifteen, and I suddenly felt bad for scaring her with all these questions. I guess complying to a game would make up for it. She was still so young, too youthful to face these life threatening challenges.
"Okay, what did you have in mind?"
"Hide and seek tag, the classic children's party game." I grinned at her suggestion and looked at the boys, quirking a brow.
"Team hide and seek, boys versus girls." I stood up and brushed the dirt off my butt and legs. "Girls hide first." We didn't even give them a chance to say no before we both ran in different directions and before I actually started looking I made sure they had their eyes closed.
I looked around, coming short of places. I was wearing a red flannel with the sleeves pushed up and tucked into my black shorts, so being camouflaged wasn't an advantage I would have. Instead of being an idiot and hiding behind a tree I started climbing the tallest tree I could spot and stopped when I reached the crook of the branches where they all sprouted. I could hear them warning they were done counting in the distance and I slowed my breathing.
After several minutes of nothing but forest noises I started to worry. What if something happened, like the fae trapped in here with us found them and took them. Oh god-maybe I should go find them.
I stopped my movements when footsteps on the forest floor came into my hearing range and I looked around, spotting Fox looking around. I held my breath, knowing his senses were more advanced than other werewolves and could probably hear my breathing. Oh shit, I didn't even think about my heart beat. He said he could hear it one time.
"I can hear your heart beat, Naomi." He teased and I held my breath tighter.
How do you know if it's actually me? I mind-linked him.
"I can recognize your heart beat out of a million in one place."
Fuck you, stupid alpha with enhanced senses and wiseness this is not fair at all- I screamed out loud when he looked up at me from the bottom, grinning with raised eyebrows.
"I think of it as just being better at the game." I scowled at him. "Make it easier for yourself and come down." I rolled my eyes at him.
"Not in hell, Fox. I still have a chance and I won't just give up because you're a cocky little shit." He laughed and crossed his arms.
"You're seriously going to make me climb just so I can tag you?"
"Who says you'll actually tag me?" He shook his head and sighed, grabbing the trunk of the tree and pulling himself up with surprising ease. Stupid enhanced strength.
When he got close enough I backed up and looked down at the ground, then back at Fox advancing. Was I a stupid stubborn girl? Yes.
When he got dangerously close I did a salute and jumped, rolling into a landing and sticking my tongue out at him before running. I laughed as I heard his growl. "I think you forgot I love a good chase, Naomi." My heart jumped a beat and I only ran faster. I only prayed Cleo was still alive in the game, too.
I didn't see Fox, but I heard his breathing. He was close then, maybe closer than I thought. When I reached a hill and there was a small cave in it I went in with a look around and slowed my breathing, knowing it would echo if I was too loud.
It was dark, and I was starting to get a little creeped out. I didn't even know where I was, and I was worried Fox wouldn't actually find me because I was too deep in the forest. I worried too much, but the fae was trapped in the force field with us, and I knew they could hurt me already.
When I looked into the cave I spotted a light in the distance, surprising me. Someone was in here too, and I knew it wasn't Cleo. I felt lured into the light, and took a couple steps deeper in. Before I could keep walking arms wrapped around my waist and a hand was over my mouth, stopping me from screaming. I craned my head to see Fox, who was looking at the light deep in the cave with a serious face.
Without saying anything he picked me up and walked out of the cave a couple yards. He didn't put me down, much to my annoyance, and seemed to be having a conversation through mind linking. When I opened my mouth to say something he shook his head slowly, giving me serious eyes. The way he was acting made me start to panic, and being near the cave wasn't helping.
Don't make a noise or speak. Fox talked to me through our mind link.
What is that?
I don't know, this cave wasn't here last week.
Why was I in a trance to walk to the light?
It's the fae's hideout. People are coming, Striker is coming to take you back home.
You're going to go in there? Fox, you can't-
I think you're forgetting this is the kind of stuff I do everyday.
But-
I'll be fine when you're gone.
What about Cleo? Why isn't she coming with me?
She's going to charm the warriors coming so they don't get tranced like you did.
Why weren't you tranced?
Because it takes more power than the normal fae has to get me under their spell.
You're scaring me.
Striker's here. I turned my head to see Striker and Cleo walking to us, stopping when they reached us. I tried to reach out to link Cleo, but I couldn't find one. I forgot she didn't have links with anyone but Striker. I jumped but relaxed in Fox's arms when the warriors came and stood with us. Fox nodded and Cleo and she whispered as silently as possible, barely to where I could make out her gibberish. When she was finished Fox put me down and nodded at Striker who grabbed me and Cleo's backs gently, pushing us in a direction where we started walking fast. I looked back at Fox and he gave me a soft smile before him and the warriors went in the cave.
•
I couldn't really sleep like Striker told me to. He said Fox would be back by the time I would wake up and the time would go by faster if I were asleep, but I was too worried to be calm. So I was just sitting in Fox's room on the bed in the dark, fiddling with my fingers. Striker and Cleo were downstairs, not really seeming like they felt the same way I did, but then again their mate wasn't the one going in that death trap.
I perked when a new noise shifted through the house apart from Striker and Cleo's chatter, catching my attention. It was a whisper, sounding exactly like Fox. When it came back I stood up, going to the door and stepping out into the hallway.
"Fox?" I rasped out, too soft for Striker to hear from the first level.
"Out here." I shot my head to the window and looked outside, the sun setting above the mountains. I didn't see anything from the limited window space and tip-toed down the stairs, making sure Striker didn't hear or see me before slipping out the back door. "Naomi."
"I'm coming!" I stepped on the dirt and looked around, folding my arms when nobody was around. I felt an odd shift in the air and an odd feeling settled in my gut. "Fox?" My voice was deflated as I looked around, jumping when a figure was in front of me. I looked up at a familiar face and opened my mouth to scream a warning for Striker, but he held up his finger and laughed.
"Nobody can hear us." Maven motioned his head to the fairy a couple steps away with bright yellow hair. Panic settled in my chest, and I stepped back, almost tripping.
"Such a shame it was so easy to trick you, Mi. You really need to set up a guard." He stepped each time I backed up until I reached the back door, desperately twisting the knob that wouldn't open.
"W-what do you want?" He towered over me, a shadow looming over my figure. The sun was gone, and darkness stretched over the skies. I raised my hand but he quickly grabbed and squeezed it, making me gasp and tremble. I couldn't feel the bolts anyway.
"I made a deal with the fae."
"I don't care."
"You will." I strangled a squeal from my throat as his grip on my hand only tightened. "The deal was that I help them find weaknesses with you and your mate and I get to keep you after everything. It's how I actually got to your Luna ceremony." I tried pulling my hand away but he was too strong, stronger than before. "And we realized your mates real weakness is you. The perfect trade, huh? I get to keep you and this pack crumbles because of the separation he'll suffer." Dots started clouding my vision and I shook my head.
"N-no-" My voice gave out, and my legs buckled like they were jello and I fell.
"Don't worry, Mi. You'll love it at home."
•••
SOS I'm sick and I still have to go to school :(
anywhooo things are about the happen again ;)
P.S. I have an addiction problem with smiley faces