-Alex-
I was forcefully knocked to the ground, forcing me out of stealth as I landed hard on my back. Emit stood above me with a look on his face. The past few tries of me trying to handle this new ability have been only slightly progressive. Emit, having the advantages of a hunter, had always found a way around my favorite ability, and has landed me on my ass more times than I care to count, let alone tell anyone.
Now, I've also come to learn a lot about Emit's teaching methods. You see, he seems to have a different look for each action I do. If I succeed, he nods and moves on. If I'm wrong or don't succeed, he gives me a grim look and says to try again. Anything in between he's got a blank expression. I swear he plays poker... a lot!
"If you continue to use the same tricks, you're never going to get anywhere," he said, offering me a hand. I grunted as I got up, only to have Amber jump onto my back, nearly knocking me down once more.
"Good gosh, Amber, I can hardly stand as it is. What's the big deal?"
"I need to talk to Xavier," She said, tightening her grip around my neck.
"You know you could have mind-linked us, right?"
I felt her shrug, "Oh, you know me. I like to do things the hard way."
"Which makes the three of us roll our eyes," Xavier commented.
"Huh?"
I could hear him laugh. It was odd for him, yet fitting. Like a deep resonating sound that you couldn't help but smile too.
"Jackie is a little... loud in her thinking."
"She's yelling that she is so not."
"Yes, my love, I know. I can hear her."
I furrowed my eyebrows, looking at Emit. He shrugged.
"How come we can't hear her again?" I asked.
"I have yet to teach her my little trick."
"Anyway," Amber said, obviously trying to block out Jackie's rantings. "I was wondering where Falcon came from?"
"Falcon? He didn't come from anywhere. He was created."
"Okay, but Paige said the chances of you two coming together in the same life yet again is next to impossible. What if he was summoned?"
"I'm not certain if I'm being honest with you," He said with a hum. "If he instead was summoned here... I can't say I'd know of any reason why. There wouldn't be any history of him for anyone to know of; nothing is written, at least."
Amber hopped off my back and frowned. "Okay... well, Jackie has one, and I kind of want to know the answer as well"
"Alright, my mate, what do you wish to know?"
"If you've lived in past... lives, I guess, what about your mates? You know, having a mate in a past life?"
"Actually I was wondering the same thing. I mean, wouldn't you have the same mate throughout your existence?" Emit piped in.
I heard Xavier sigh. "Sadly, Emit, while I was fortunate enough to have a mate in my lifetimes... due to the nature of their death, I was not granted to be with them through all. While I still feel sadness over the loss of them, the Moon Goddess is quite powerful in her will to forge new bonds. Thirteen lives later, I have a new mate, and one I refuse to give up this time."
"Awwwww!" I noticed Paige as she squealed, who was standing behind Emit. "That is soooo sweet!"
I rolled my eyes but smiled at the soft, happy sounding growl that came from Xavier.
"Amber, though I know Alex pledges sincerely to do the same, I also will never let harm come to you or Jackie. I've lost far too much, and I simply refuse to lose anything more. There won't be one way in hell that I will let you slip from our grasp."
Emit gave a low whistle. "And here I was thinking he was after her looks,"
Paige smacked the back of his head. "Way to kill the moment, hot-shot!"
He merely shrugged, "I don't do heartfelt moments."
"I question how you still have a mate," I said dully.
"Oi!" He growled. "Leave my relationship out of this or I'll kick your ass again!"
Amber growled in return, "Emit! Don't make me get your mate out here!"
Paige laughed, "Oh that would be great!"
I only rolled my eyes, and pulled Amber into my arms, holding her tightly.
"Well that's all good and settled," Amber said, leaning against me. "But uh, Emit? When are we going to be able to head back? This has been fun and all, but I'd like to see my family and Jaydon again."
I looked at my current mentor who was nodding. It had been a good five weeks since we'd left. A month was far too long for us to have been away from our pack. "Yes, I understand. But truth be told, Amber, I was kind of waiting for you?"
"Huh?" Paige, Amber, and I asked at the same time.
"Alpha Adam explained to me the strange occurrence over your heat. I assumed getting out of the area and into a secure location would... well... help process it."
"It will not come until the threat is beyond over," Xavier growled.
"You mind filling us in, bro?" I asked, beginning to regret having him as my wolf. He was cool and all of that, but not telling us a lot of this stuff was starting to get to me.
"Once the rogue that possesses Falcon is dead, and his head is lying in front of me, that heat will not come."
"And you know this how...?" Emit asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Who do you think caused its delay?"
Silence.
I heard him sigh, "Thirteen lifetimes lets you learn abilities as an Alpha. A heat comes from the animal -- the wolf side in this case -- of the female. A command strong enough to the wolf directly would be able to stop... temporarily of course."
It was my turn to sigh, "This would have been nice to know a while ago."
"I didn't think it was important. I would think we would have returned by now."
I rolled my eyes, growling softly. 'You're starting to really irritate me with all of this...' I said to him directly.
'It's not my fault that you can't handle a little change.'
'Coming from the mutt that kept himself secret for this long.'
A low growl came from him, but he said nothing more.
"So we head out tomorrow then?" Paige asked.
Emit nodded. "That would be suitable."
~*~
Later that night I was still outside, standing on the small deck and gazing up at the stars that seemed to be limitless. Out here, at a higher elevation and where there was no light-pollution, they seemed to light up the night like a swarm of fireflies. The occasional shooting-star would pass, each one mocking me as if to wish upon it.
"Can't sleep?"
I looked over to where Tobias was standing in the doorway. I nodded and looked back at the sky.
"Sure wish they were like this back home," I said, still letting my eyes drift over the thousands of them.
"I know what you mean," He replied as he leaned against the railing next to me. "It is a sight to see. So what's got you worried?"
"Who says I'm worried?"
"Lucky guess. You've got a lot on your mind, enough to drive anyone mad. Your posture, attitude, and the distant look in your eyes pretty much show it."
I smiled a sheepishly, "Been there yourself?"
"More times than I care to count."
Nodding, I looked down, then over at him. "How do you do it then? Keep yourself from going mad? It's been two months since I've found out I was even apart of this supernatural madness, and it's been throwing more curveballs my way than a baseball game."
He nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line, as he always seemed to do when he was in deep thought. "You remember what Paige told you the day that we left? About how everyone goes through these kinds of things?"
"You heard that?"
"Just what I needed to. In my opinion, I feel she was a little off, in your case. I know you have Xavier as your wolf, so it makes it a bit more problematic, but that's just the beginning."
I rolled my eyes. "Jee, thanks."
"Hold on," He said, raising a hand. "Let me finish. There is a certain tell-tale that people whisper here and there, yet we see it every day. Fate may play with people's lives, but they never completely screw you over. If you take any tale, of anyone, the main character always has to go through a trial that pushes them to their limit, and then some. They've never killed anyone unless it was their time to go. Put simply, the more shit you deal with in life means that they know you're a strong soul, and one to keep on going. If you weren't strong, they wouldn't have done it in the first place.
"Alex you are more than a survivor, you're a warrior. Normal people would have given up or lost it by now, or done something stupid. Not you, no, you've been able to push through it all, and that is because you are strong. Now, you've gone through more shit than I have, so I can't answer your question, but I do know that you've got people by your side. Paige, Emit, Ariel, your pack, Amber, even myself. You have people that have got your back so that if you do stumble, or if you do fall, they will be there to help you back onto your feet."
I was silent for a while, lost in his words as the night seemed to envelop around us.
"You mean it?" I asked, looking up at him.
He smiled, "Speaking words without meaning would be a waste of breath, my friend. And we only have so many breaths in our lifetime."
I laughed, "You never told me you knew wise words."
He merely shrugged, "With experience comes wisdom."
I followed him as we walked back inside, and stood in front of him before we went to our separate rooms. "Thank you, Tobias. It does mean a lot to me."
"Sure thing. Just remember that I speak for everyone when I say that we will get through this mess."
I nodded and opened the door to my room. Amber was sound asleep on the bed, curled under the sheets. I stripped down to my boxers and crawled in next to her, pulling her tightly into my arms.
Tobias' words echoed in my head as I drifted off to sleep, only wishing for the best.
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What Tobias said to Alex, I want to say to every one of you guys. When life gives you hell, push on through, for it would have never happened to you if you weren't strong enough to handle it. And what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger.
-Kaedrik