by Nana Adu
I take a deep breath as Eliana moans in my arms, shifting to press into me more. Sighing, I stare down at her.
How do I contain myself now that you've told me what exactly you were running from?
What can I do to calm this rage inside me, Eliana?
How do I heal the trauma that's made you who you are today?
CHAPTER 31
Eliana POV
Why did I ever agree to this?
"C'mon Eliana! Get your knees up!" Beth shouts at me as she does her high knees nearly touching her forehead.
I don't think I deserve this.
I push my legs up higher as Beth pipes down for the first time in 20 minutes.
If I were a human, I don't think I'd be able to keep up with her, not even a little.
"Can, we be done?" I exhale out as me legs finally give up on me and I crumble to the ground.
"You're such a baby." Beth smirks down at me, stopping her exercise and reaching to help me up.
"Are you kidding me?" I try to catch my breath as I throw myself against the trunk of an oak tree. Beth laughs.
Fucking bitch.
"It's not that bad. You did better than most beginners. Don't you already feel stronger?" Beth pats me on my back and I scoff.
This is what I wanted but it's not what I wanted. How sore am I going to be from this later?
"Yeah I guess." I say, turning around and heading to the steps of the porch.
My legs need to rest. I need to pass out, before I actually pass out.
"Today's just day one. See you tomorrow and remember to stretch before you get too relaxed, ok? I'm getting lunch." She sends me a smile and I roll my eyes as she skips by me, like she wasn't just throwing her knees towards the sky beside me.
Maybe certain stuff is better cut out for certain people.
I stare on to the ground and take a drink of the water bottle Beth left for me.
At least, I know she cares a little bit about me.
I down the rest of the water and sigh out.
Maybe I am a baby.
I told Noah all that stuff and cried. I didn't want him to see me that weak, but I guess I haven't grown that much yet. I need to be stronger.
"Eliana?" A voice calls from in front of me and I glance up to see Robert.
He's a little late, isn't he?
"I was waiting for you at breakfast, but then Beth and I had something planned this morning too, I guess." I almost forgot about it until she dragged me off to the front yard.
I didn't hate it.
"Well then, this is the perfect time to start out exercises then."
Exercises? Did he not just hear who I said dragged me off?
"No, they aren't physical, just mental. After something so intense, your mind is waiting to be put at ease. Please follow me." Robert walks away and I stumble up, ignoring the shaking in my legs and trudge behind him.
This will all be worth it one day.
He goes pass his hut, walking into the forest behind it. I narrow my eyes, but continue after him.
I have to trust this guy.
We get deeper into the forest as crows call for one another and the noon sun beats down on us. My heavy limbs don't let up as we walk through the trees.
"Why are we going all the way out here?" I finally ask him. Robert glances back at me and smiles.
"This is a perfect spot." We stop in a small area with no trees and grass covering the ground.
The trees stand tall and high, like the night I had ran through the forest. Wild life whisper and sneak around us and the air hums with life.
This is the perfect spot.
"Sit down, Eliana. I want you to feel this grass around you." He sits down with a plop and I follow suit, slowly letting my body fall on to the small circular field.
"Put your hands in the grass and close your eyes." He closes his eyes, doing as he's told me to. His long white beard sits in his lap.
This is for my future. I can do this.
My eyes flutter shut and the quiet hum from before intensifies, capturing all my senses and mind, as I let my fingers feel the green grass.
Small vibrations go through it and the earth at my fingertips moves to my will.
"Do you feel how you've calmed? Can you tell you're in control right now?" Robert whispers out, his voice moving like the wind.
I don't know.
"It feels like everything around me is giving me this feeling. I don't think I'm controling this." I say, as a slight panic disturbs the peace.
"You're letting it in. You're allowing all of that in. It's all you." He says and the panic drifts away.
He's right. I'm feeling this way because I want to feel this way. I'm the one listening to the nature around me, I'm feeling it.
"You are always in control of your actions and emotions. The way you look at a situation will dictate your reaction towards it. Do you understand?" His messages dances around me, fading off as soon as it comes.
I get it. I get it enough.
"Yeah. I think I do." I let my words float out of my mouth as I breathe.
"Good. Good, that's a great place to start. Now open your eyes." The noon sun prick at my vision as the spot Robert sat at now lays empty.
"I'm over here!" A voice shouts and I look out into the forest and Robert stands at least a mile away in front of me.
What? But I swear I could hear him like he was right next to me. Werewolf boost or not.
Robert jogs over to me as I wait.
This makes no sense.
He reaches me, smiling as he pats my shoulder.
"You did it. The books said you guys could but I didn't believe it." He says, chuckling.
"What did I do?" I ask, confused.
I was listening to him, that's it.
"You urged yourself to hear my voice. So you did. It's one of the basic skills for a Royal, hearing things over long distances." Robert smirks at me.
What?
"But how was that me in control? I have no idea what I did to cause that." I say, getting a bit mad.
"Think about it. You were focused on my voice and you heard it. You were completely concentrated on my voice. Try that throughout the day until our next lesson. Let's head home, it's going to get dark soon." With that, he turns on his heel and walks the way we came.
So what he's saying is concentration is key? I'll try that.
I'd try anything to get a hold of this curse.
CHAPTER 32
Noah POV
"So what happened? Did it go well?" I ask Robert as he sits across from me, in my office.
"Yes, she did great. She just has to believe in herself more." He crosses his arms and sighs.
"What do you mean?" I sit up in my seat, leaning on the edge of my desk.
I would've ran out there with them if Robert hadn't told me I couldn't. I understand I'm a distraction for Eliana but how is she going to control herself around me if she hasn't got that experience?
And I need her with me.
"She does things without realizing she's done them and then doubts herself. That's what clouds her focus and leads her to panic." He says, staring at a spot behind me. I nod.
"How are you going to help her?" I ask, as his eyes lay on mine and he sucks his teeth.
"The books should have a solution for this, but she needs to trust herself. She has a shaky foundation of confidence. I can't teach her any thing about that. She has to find that on her own." Robert states and I nod again.
Her pack putting her down her whole life definitely have impacted Eliana. She couldn't stand up for herself when she first arrived here and even though she's gone over that hurdle, confidence can't be build up with one event. She's getting there.
"You're right. Keep me updated on your training." I say, as he pushes the chair back and gets up. I stand across from him.
"I will. Eliana is the most amazing wolf I've ever met. A Royal who doesn't even know it. Do you realize how much power our pack can gain if she learns to control
her gifts? There are many other things Royals can do like-" I cut him off.
"We're not using my mate for anything like that. You're the one who said every time she uses that Royal shit, she loses her life force." I don''t like how he's talking. Like Eliana is something we can exploit.
I'd be damned.
"That's only when she consciously uses it. There are some things she might've been doing for years without realizing." He turns around and hurries out of my office before I can throw any questions at him.
I sigh and drop back down in my seat, putting a hand on my forehead. My jaw clenches as Eliana's words from yesterday night replay in my head.
I'm really going to have to kill Liam. I know where he lives and the fact he keeps trying to piss me off with the notes and warnings about Eliana wasn't even an issue, but now I know exactly what he wants with Eliana.
I take a deep breath.
Why the fuck does it seem so much more difficult to control myself?
Eliana's mine. She's mine. I love her and she loves me. We were born for each other. Literally.
He knows she's mine but he keeps pushing. Eliana isn't a toy for him to want back. She's my whole world.
I chuckle.
She's making me way too corny, even in my own head.
I shake my head and kick up, walking out of my office. I've barely seen her all day and it's almost dinner.
The sound of her shower hums as I near the entrance of her door. I lean against it.
Going in there could turn out bad. In all the ways I want.
Sleeping in the same bed, holding her, and being close to her is more than enough, even if I want more.
I won't let anyone steal what we have, away.
Eliana POV
The water pours down on me, loud in my ears as I close my eyes and allow it to consume me. My arms hang by my sides as my chin lifts. A bird sings, cutting through my process.
How am I supposed to concentrate when there's so much that calls for attention?
I groan, running my hands over my plastic shower cap.
Liam says he's coming for me. A lot has happened since I found that out, but it always manages to sneak back into my head, daring me to forget.
I knew I would end up putting Noah's pack in danger because I came here. Moonstribe has always been strong enough to hold it's own and that stresses me out that much more.
What do I do?
Noah said not to worry, but the thought of being under that roof again and having Liam around me...
The spot on my thigh is set off again as I take my washcloth and scrub at the skin, over and over again. A red tone appears under my dark skin as I wash off the suds.
It's scary, not knowing how the future will play out. It's even more scary when the place and person that's tormented you the most, is right around the corner, waiting to drag you back down that hole.
I don't want to go back. I want to stay here with Alyssa, Beth, even Robert.
And Noah.
I turn up the heat of the water as the warmth of it seems to wane. Breathing in, the humidity clears my mind
There are just too many things to think about. How do I just throw away all of my worries and control how I'm feeling? That's what seems so hopeless.
I sigh, as the steam in the air thickens and I shake my head.
I'm going to try. I already told myself I could do this. I said I would get stronger. I need to cut all of this crybaby shit out. I'm better than this. I'm free, Liam isn't here to tell me what the fuck I can do, because I can do anything I want to do.
My wolf barks in agreement. I smile.
Noah is here to carry any burden I can't handle by myself. I've already told him about Liam.
A loud knock at my bathroom door disturbs me and I flinch.
Is it Alyssa or Beth? They would just come right in, wouldn't they? Especially Alyssa.
"Hold on!" I shout.
"Hurry and come out so I can show you something, Eliana." Noah's says.
Show me something?
CHAPTER 33
Eliana POV
Noah drags me down the stairs as I stumble behind him.
"Where are we going?" I chuckle as we reach the first floor and he continues to speed walk with my wrist in his hand. He glances back at me with a large smirk on his face.
"It's a surprise." We exit the house and he turns towards a silver car in the driveway off to the side.
So it's somewhere far?
"Don't be too curious." He says, as he lets go of my wrist to open the passenger side door for me. I look at him with wide eyes and shrug, sitting down inside the vehicle. A giddy smile makes it's way on to my lips.
Now I'm excited.
Noah jogs around the car and throws open the driver's side door and hops in. He turns on the radio and starts the car as we pull out of the compound.
"We're going to miss dinner." I remind him, as I look out at the dusk.
We better be back before dinner.
"Don't worry about that." He says, as we speed off down the road.
Don't worry about that? Huh? So he's getting us food? But- wait, no way.
"Are we going to the human world?" I almost squeal as he glances towards me and smirks.
"I said don't be too curious. It was supposed to be a surprise." He pouts. My heart races as I can barely contain myself.
The human world? From the TVs and stuff? I've really been living under a rock for way too long.
"Are there going to be cowboys?" I ask. He slows to a stop at a stop sign and laughs.
"I don't know, maybe. They have really good steak though." He says, moving forward again as I beam at him.
You've got to be kidding me. Steak? Fang pack hasn't even served that yet for dinner. He's trying to make me hungrier.
"Why are you taking me there today?" I ask.
As happy as I am, this is a bit sudden. Does he have one of those flower floats waiting for me? Humans seem to gather around those a lot.
"I thought we should escape all the drama back there for one day. We can just go out and relax." He says, nodding to himself. I smile.
It's little things like this that make me love him so much more everyday.
"Stop looking at me like that." He says, as his ear tinges red. I laugh.
"Did you know you blush on your ears? They turn bright pink." He flinches, bringing up a hand to touch the tip of his ear.
"Yeah, my mother used to tell me all the time. I tried to grow out my hair to cover it up once, but it looked bad." He shakes his head, looking out on the road as I try to picture Noah with long curly hair.
He would have a huge afro, it'd be cute.
"I want to see that." I whisper out as Noah scoffs.
"No you don't." He says, taking a turn.
"Yes I do. Do you have pictures?" I burst out laughing as his ears turn pink again.
"I don't." He mumbles.
"You do! I have to see them." I say, hitting at his arm as he laughs, grabbing my hand and holding it in his.
"Look we're here." He whispers, looking out of his window.
I gasp, turning to the window as the lights surrounding us, brighten the night.
"This is the city. Pretty isn't it?" He says, slowing down into traffic.
Buildings stack on top of each other, reaching out to the sky as humans roam the streets. Some with family and friends, and others alone.
I didn't know so many people could exist in the same place. I've never seen so many bodies together.
"These are humans? They look a lot more like us than I thought." I breathe out in awe.
"I know right." Noah responds.
They're are so many creatures like us and I thought they existed in a box.
"The humans rule over this world. They make it hard for us, but they do have their uses." Noah turns into a parking lot and parks his car.
"Do you want to get something to eat in a restaurant or get food and come back and eat it in here?" Noah asks, trying towards m
e. I smirk.
"Can we do both?" I ask, still looking out behind his window.
This really is a brand new world. The trees and fields I grew up around aren't anywhere near here. It's bright and everyone is going their own way. No one has to know anyone here.
They don't live in packs.
"I knew you would say that. Let's go." Noah leaves the car and I tense.
This day has already been so crazy.
Noah knocks on my window and I flinch back to reality.
"Are you coming?" His voice reaches me clearly despite the glass between us. I nod frantically, opening the door and stopping.
I look up and the sky. Not as many stars shine here but the lights they have everywhere, make up for it. They're beautiful.
Noah's hand grabs mine and he smirks at me, tilting his head.
"You really like it here, don't you?" He says. I hit his arm.
"Of course I do. Thanks for this." I smile up at him as he does me. He leans down close to my face. My pounding heart races faster.
"I like seeing you this happy." He presses his lips against mine and I return his kiss, pushing myself closer to him. I pull back as an amazing smell lifts into the air.
"What is that?" I ask Noah as he bites his lip, still looking at me intensely. The feel of his lips on mine causing my breathing to continue it's quick pace.
"Steak. One of our members own this place, so it's free for us to eat here." I glance at the little shop in front of us and gulp.
I haven't even had dinner yet. Oh my Goddess.
I tighten my hold on Noah and begin hurrying over to the shop. He laughs.
I'm a growing wolf, I can't go without food for this long.
CHAPTER 34
Noah POV
Eliana cuts into the steak, ripping the piece of flesh off, dipping it in steak sauce and devouring it.
I love to see her eat. It feels right. Maybe it's just my instincts talking, but I feel even better when I get her the food.
I nimble on a piece of pasta as she smiles up at me.
"I used to make steaks all the time for my old pack. It was like a once a week thing for them and it was the one food they didn't even let me sneak a piece for." She says, her cheeks full of meat. I nod.
