by Neva Bell
I smile, proud of myself.
“Okay, something else this time,” Frank says.
I frown. “I don’t know if I have anything else.”
Frank gives me a knowing look. “Which is exactly why we need to work on diversifying your skills. You are obviously great at freezing someone in place and shooting fire, but you need more tools. The climbing thing is good, but only if you have access to something to climb on, right?”
No response is really required, but I still say, “Yeah.”
“For the next few days, we’re going to work on learning more magical combat techniques. I can teach you some new power moves and other members of the Guard will teach you new skills too. Willa is also going to spend a lot of time with you showing you all she knows.”
“Sounds good.”
Frank claps me on the back. “Okay. Go grab a bottle of water and then follow me. I want to show you the fireproof room.”
Our group, because of course Whitney and Ivan have to come with us, heads to the back corner of the gym. Frank takes us to a small room that is completely walled off from the rest of the training facility. There is a glass cutout in one wall allowing you to see inside the room.
“This room is completely fireproof. You can practice your fire skills as much as you want in there,” Frank explains. “Wanna give it a try?”
Everyone looks at me expectantly.
I don’t want to practice in front of the group. It’s weird. Plus, my fire skills have only been truly impressive once - when I killed the werewolves.
“Not right now,” I answer. Hiding my anxiety, I add, “Ivan yelled at me the last time I used fire.”
Ivan and Whitney both smile and the subject is dropped.
I say good-bye to everyone and return to my room. I’m not sure what to do with myself after I’m done with my shower. Jessica is still out shopping; Frank is with the Guard; and Willa has retreated to her suite. Whitney told me I can catch up with her this afternoon, but no way in hell I’m doing that.
She seems nice enough, but I’m not interested in making friends with Whitney. I’m not interested in making friends with anyone. I’ve been like this my whole life. I always had Chelsea. Who needed friends when I had her?
I turn on the new TV mounted on the wall across from my bed, but nothing is on. I find myself thinking of Elliott. Is he branding someone today? Or hanging out at home in Vermont? Does he miss me like I miss him? Has he called Frank’s phone and asked to speak with me?
I’m about to give in and ask Frank for a burner phone when Jessica knocks on my bedroom door. I’m grateful for the distraction. We go through the pictures she took on her cellphone and pick out office furniture. We discuss paint colors, office supplies and art for the walls. We manage to kill the bulk of the afternoon.
I never thought time could move this slowly.
---
The next four days are as monotonous as the first save for my training sessions.
Ivan and Whitney continue to supervise our combat training and add in things here and there. I also meet with a different Guard member each day and they show me a new skill. Some of the Guard members show me fighting techniques, while others show me healing and protection spells.
I don’t tell Frank, but I’m a bit concerned about my fire magic. I thought this was my strongest skill, but when I go into the fireproof room, I feel like I’ve regressed terribly. I’d be great at starting a campfire, but I don’t know how I ever blew the wall out of a building.
I took a stroll around the library yesterday and saw a few interesting titles about the history of wolves. I considered reviewing them, but went back to my room and took a nap instead. Funny how exciting sleep sounds when you’re bored out of your mind.
Willa is trying very hard to make me happy. She and I are different people though. And it’s not because of age. She is a pacifist by nature, dove-like. I’m not like that at all. Willa wants to talk to me about keeping the peace and making others happy. All I want to talk about is how we are going to take down the wolves.
Ivan and Whitney have proven to be fine housemates, but I don’t spend time with them outside of meals and training. I get the sense Whitney is as restless as I am, but at least she gets to go outside the building if she wants to. I’m stuck in here.
Jessica is the only person I feel any kind of connection with. She is fun and does what she can to make me feel at home. But this is also her job. Sometimes I feel like she gets paid to be my friend. Plus, Jessica can go out. Again, not homebound like me.
I’ve continued my skinny dipping sessions. Every night around 10:30 I go down to the pool and swim laps for twenty minutes. As soon as I walk in, the camera lights go off. I don’t have to ask anymore, the Guard already knows me so well.
I push hard in the pool tonight. I’m frustrated about everything. My fire training; being stuck in this building; and the urge to reach out to Elliott. The worst part is how bad I miss Chelsea. I cry every night. I manage to hold it in all day, but when I lay down to sleep, I think of her.
When I’m done with my laps, I rest on the side of the pool. I cross my arms on the tile ledge and rest my head on them like a pillow. I let my legs float out behind me and slowly catch my breath.
Suddenly, a flash of light catches my eye. At first I think it’s a camera flash. After a second I realize it’s lightning. The end of February is an unusual time for a thunderstorm, but it has been unseasonably warm.
I lift my body out of the pool and walk toward the glass wall. I’ve been assured the windows are tinted and no one can see in, so I don’t bother to grab a towel or my robe.
I stand in front of the glass and watch the lightning crack across the sky, its blue light illuminating the room. Raindrops hit the glass and slide down in snake-like patterns. Below me, people on the sidewalk are jogging to avoid the rain. Some struggling with umbrellas, others hiding under overhangs and canopies.
Black clouds move across the midnight blue sky. The moon hidden somewhere behind them. Thunder rolls on the other side of the thick glass.
I extend my right hand and press my palm against the glass. I wish I was outside. I wish I could run in the rain with the people below me.
Standing here in this moment, high up in the sky with the storm clouds, I can’t help but be moved by the power of Mother Nature. A force even witches cannot control.
I don’t know how long I stand like this waiting for the storm to pass. At one point, chills run up my spine and I feel like someone is with me. I turn to look, but no one is there.
When I can no longer see the lightning strikes in the distance, I put on my robe and head for the elevator.
I call the Guard. “The pool is all clear.”
“Understood.” I’m about to hang up, but the male voice says, “Ms. Chloe?” This is the first time one of the Guard members has said anything more than “Understood” when I call.
I press the phone against my ear. “Yes?”
“Frank wants me to let you know James and his men have arrived. They all passed his test.”
Great. More werewolves to deal with.
“Okay. Thank you.”
“Goodnight Ms. Chloe.”
“Goodnight.”
The next morning, I’m relieved to see James is not at the breakfast table. I can tolerate Ivan and Whitney; I don’t think I can put up with him.
Despite his absence, James’s name comes up rather quickly.
“James and his men are joining us for training today,” Frank tells me as I pull the lid off my yogurt.
“Can’t wait,” I mutter.
“My brother is an excellent fighter. Much better than me. He can teach you a lot,” Whitney says in his defense.
Willa looks at me expectantly, like she’s waiting for me to agree with Whitney. When I don’t, she does it herself. “I’m sure he will be incredibly helpful.”
Frank and I exchange a silent glance, both wary of what James has planned for us.
As promised, James and five men are in the training center when I arrive. All six turn to look at me. I glare as each of them gives me a onceover.
“Yeah, I’m little,” I want to shout, “but I will kick your ass!”
I stay quiet. Let them underestimate me. I’ve come to learn it will be an advantage later.
Frank walks over and joins me as I approach the group. All of the men are wearing black tank tops with black Adidas training pants and white shell toe shoes. They look like they’re about to bust out some breakdancing moves. I have to admit though, they are all well-built and attractive. Where were all of these hot guys when I was just a normal witch?
James doesn’t bother to say “hi” or ask me how I’m doing. Which is fine with me. I don’t want to chit chat with him either. Instead, he goes right into introducing all of the wolves to me. I’m awful at remembering names, but I’ll do my best to remember Ben, Mark, Tim, Andy and Mike.
“Whitney and my grandfather told me a little about your training over the last few days. Sounds like it hasn’t been anything intense,” James says to Frank.
“We haven’t done full-on combat with Whitney or Ivan. Whitney wasn’t comfortable with all out exchanges and Ivan isn’t healthy enough for it,” Frank explains.
James nods. “I get it. I do. But we’ve got to ramp things up or she’ll never be ready.”
Frank is about to respond, but I interrupt their conversation. “Hello! You realize I’m here, right?”
They both turn to look at me.
“Sorry Chloe.” Frank steps back to allow me to join their circle.
James clenches his jaw, then continues talking to Frank. “All I’m saying is pretend combat won’t do any good.”
“If you think I’m going to let you or your buddies attack her, you’re crazy!”
I put my hand up. “Enough of this. What are you proposing?” I ask James.
“I say we let my boys turn into their Were forms and really practice combat.”
I nearly come out of my skin when Frank roars, “Absolutely not!”
James puffs his chest and walks closer to Frank. “You can’t keep her in a castle forever. She needs to know what she’s up against.”
They are nose to nose now. Men. So ridiculous. I step between them and push them apart. They both recede easily enough.
“This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen.” I glare at the both of them. “We’re supposed to be working together, right?”
The wolves against the wall talk quietly back and forth. Like me, they’re probably thinking this is a tremendous waste of time.
I pull Frank by the arm. “Come with me.”
We walk a few feet away and convene quietly.
“No way they’re going to transition in here,” Frank hisses.
I’m not ready to see that either. I’ve never seen a werewolf in its Were form. Even the men who killed Chelsea were still in their human form.
“How about this?” I suggest. “We’ll agree to let them work with us as a full pack. To show us what the pack combat technique looks like. We’ll do that for a few days and if we feel like we can trust them, we’ll let them transition.”
Frank considers this. “Fine.”
“This was all your idea, remember?”
Frank frowns. “Not all my idea.”
“We need their information. We need to work with them,” I reason.
Frank nods and walks away. He and James talk while I stretch out. The other wolves join me when they see me warming up.
One of them, Ben I think, extends his hand. For the first time, I return a wolf hand shake. His hand is warm and strong.
“Thanks for letting us in,” he says with a smile.
“What can I say? I’m a glutton for punishment.”
Ben is about to say something else, but his smile drops when James approaches.
“We’re not here to gossip,” James snarls.
Ben scoots away after muttering, “Sorry.”
I stick my tongue out at James when he turns his back to us and a few of the wolves laugh. James whips around to see what we’re laughing at, but we all resume our warmups.
It’s not the most mature thing I’ve ever done, but I want the wolves to see I’m not taking shit from James. He is not my boss. This is my house.
Chapter Eleven
Training the next few days is exhausting. At any given time I have three to five wolves coming at me. Fending off all of them is a challenge. I have to use a lot of magic and by the end of our combat training sessions, I’m completely spent.
My healers are a huge asset. They can fix any injury in seconds. I had a nasty fall yesterday that may have broken my pinky finger. I gritted my teeth and refused to cry as I waited for the healer. I cannot let these men see me break down.
My magic training is going fairly well. I’ve learned how to put a protective bubble around myself, to shoot electricity from my hands, and enhanced my ability to move objects without touching them. It’s all coming at me fast, but I’m doing the best I can.
One thing I’ve had zero luck with is Willa’s glamour spell.
“It will come,” she keeps telling me.
I’m not so sure.
After magic training, it’s dinner time. Then I hang out with Jessica in the “Entertainment Center”, i.e. a room with a huge TV, games and a ton of movies. Jessica invited Whitney to join us one night after dinner and Whitney has come every night since.
I am not thrilled about Jessica asking Whitney to join us. I fight with the wolves all day long. I don’t want to hang out with one in my free time. I let it go when Jessica tells me how lonely Whitney is.
I think what annoys me about Whitney is her neediness. She’s so desperate for attention and it bothers me. She is over the top nice and that’s not my personality at all. Chelsea would have loved Whitney. Me, not so much.
Being in the pool is my favorite part of the day. I find the water relaxing, like a getaway. I’m not thinking about combat training or being the Verhena while I’m swimming. I’m too focused on my breathing as my hands and feet glide through the water to worry about anything else.
On the fifth day of training with the wolves, I walk into the gym to find Frank and James arguing with each other. Again.
I glance at the other wolves and roll my eyes. They all give me “yeah, we know” looks.
“What are you two fighting about today?” I ask loudly to get their attention.
Frank and James turn to look at me. They’re both scowling.
James talks first. “It’s time to up the training. It’s time for you to see a werewolf in action. Frank doesn’t agree with me.”
Frank crosses his arms. “It’s unnecessary. I do not trust any of you to fight with her in Were form.”
I grit my teeth. “What you really mean is you don’t trust me to fight a werewolf.”
Frank drops his arms. “That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Yes it is,” I press.
“No, it’s not,” he argues back.
“And you,” I turn to James, who has a smirk on his face. “How do I know these wolves have enough self-control to stop attacking if they get an advantage? You’re asking me to put my life in the hands of strangers.”
“Exactly,” Franks says from behind me.
“Is that your only concern?” James asks.
Umm, that’s a pretty big concern in my book.
“Yes,” I answer.
James shrugs. “In that case, I’ll do it.”
He takes off his tank top and throws it aside. I pause momentarily to take in the hotness that is James. Of course he has six pack abs. Of course his body looks chiseled out of stone.
I hate him. I hate him so much.
“Wait, you’re going to do it?” Frank asks, sounding as surprised as I am.
This is the first and only time James has volunteered to fight with me. He usually stands around barking instructions at everyone and yelling at me.
�
�Yes,” James answers simply as he takes off his shoes.
When he starts taking down his pants, Frank puts his hands up. “Whoa! What are you doing?”
“I don’t want to rip my pants. We only brought two hundred pairs of these.” James grins and the wolves laugh.
Wait a second, did James just crack a joke? He is chocked full of surprises today.
James steps out of his Adidas pants and stands in front of us in nothing but black boxer briefs.
“Won’t those rip too?” Frank asks.
Before James can answer, I interject. “He wishes.”
James shoots me a look before responding. “These will stretch. They’ll be fine.”
A part of me is truly disappointed to hear that.
“Are you ready?” James asks me.
I’m not sure I am, but I straighten my back and take a deep breath. “Yes.”
Everyone stands back against the wall as James slowly moves toward me. His graceful movements remind me of a tiger stalking its prey.
Suddenly, his skin ripples. I stare in horror as James begins to pulsate and expand. All over his body, hair begins to sprout from his skin. I’m struck with the memory of a movie or music video I saw as a kid. I used to run from the room screaming when it came on. I’d really like to do that now too.
James’s face twists and contorts. A long snout with massive white teeth sits where James’s mouth and perfect smile used to be. The only part of him I recognize are his brilliant green eyes. James is no longer James.
A deep growl rumbles in the werewolf’s chest as it grows in width and height. I wait for the beast to fall down onto all fours, but it doesn’t. It stands upright and is at least seven feet tall. It’s a terrifying sight.
I see the werewolf run at me, but I’m paralyzed. I can’t seem to get my thoughts straight. The werewolf hits me full force on the shoulders and slams me onto the ground. My head bounces off the mat and I struggle to maintain consciousness.
The beast sniffs my throat and I hear a guttural laugh from deep within its chest. “And just like that…you’re dead.” I hear James in there, but the voice is a deeper, crueler version.
I should be scared to death, but the taunting pisses me off. My haze is lifted when I remember it is James, and not some terrifying beast, on top of me.