"Excuse me?"
"Please?"
"Gentlemen! If you will excuse me, I need a few words with my... fate determined partner on Calla. Jena, you'd better be following me!" Al'Aeen says and storms out.
Aaron shares Jena's look of concern but Sorin is smirking.
"Girl, it looks like your mate's balls just dropped and your ass is about to get whooped cause I know that expression and you just fcuked up. Though I must admit I'm curious as to what a war-form is now since he is making such a big deal out of it. By the Moons, I hope it is a big deal and you two aren't just wasting our time with just another lovers' quarrel," Sorin says, clapping, then rubbing his hands together nonchalantly.
Hurrying to follow her mate, Jena traces his steps, his fresh scent easy to follow but hinting at a larger than usual storm of emotions.
Once far enough from the camp so not to be eavesdropped upon, she finds him pacing around, the surrounding air brewing with anger.
"What the hell, Jena?! What gave you the right to talk about that?"
"You never said I couldn't?"
"Don't mock me! Wasn't it obvious?"
"Not really, no."
"Yeah, like I wanted another reason for everyone to look at me like I'm some kind of freak. Well, a bigger, more dangerous freak than they already saw me as."
"People fear what they don't understand. You bring change with you and they fear change."
"What change? The only thing different is what I shift into. A monster."
"A monster that has already helped save a lot of lives, and had us reevaluate the way we fight the warhogs, becoming a lot more efficient at it. Saving your daughter's life, now mine, and I don't even know how many times you saved the life of your friends when fighting by their side."
"So what?"
"So don't be dense! Do it again!"
"What? What do you want from me?"
"Only what you were already thinking of doing."
"How would you know..."
"You still have moments when you confuse inner thoughts with mind linking me. I just hope you don't do it with others as well."
"That would mean you..."
"Know you were considering teaching the war-form to the rest of us."
"I don't even know if that's possible."
"But it could be."
"But it might fail, it might not even work!"
"What if it does?"
"What if it works for me only because I have no inner beast?"
"Why are you arguing against your own idea so much?"
"It's called a debate! I'm still waiting for you to convince me I'm right!"
"Can you hear your own words? How much more external validation do you need before you believe in yourself? Just man up already!"
"What is it with everyone on this planet always lecturing me?"
"If you don't like it, stop needing to be lectured all the time!"
"Fine!"
"Just give it a try, it could really work!"
"Fine, I will."
"You know how much it could help if it works? I have a great plan around it already and..."
"I already said FINE!"
"Fine?"
"Yeah."
"Really?"
"Yes. Wait, are you trying to make me doubt myself again?"
"Of course not. I just feel like I'm dancing with you endlessly, always afraid of stepping on your toes."
"I thought werewolves were supposed to be graceful and precise in their movements."
"Sometimes it feels like you're intentionally stepping under my feet."
"That makes it sound like I'm trying to be the victim all the time."
"Anyway, can we go back now and demonstrate your war-form?"
"Without anything to back it up? I don't think it's a good idea."
"But I already mentioned it to them!"
"And you should have asked me first."
"I could order you."
"I thought mates didn't do that to each other."
"Are you saying you are my mate?"
"You are literally poking the bear with that question and it's not the time to discuss it. Again."
"OK, but you agreed to..."
"Try and train others into using a war-form. Not showing it up like a freak show."