Wildling

~~~Ember’s POV~~~

I woke up before Jaxson. I had slept enough. The sun was just barely streaming in through the window. It must be close to 6. I got up carefully, as to not wake up my sleeping mate.

Ugh that seems so weird to say.

I was still very hesitant to bring Jax into all my shit, but it seems like he isn’t giving me much option.

I slip on black leggings, my black hoodie, and my corset. I lace up my combat boots and gear myself with my knives and bow and quiver. I pull up my cowl and hood, so it covers most of my face and then Accalia and I slip quietly out the door. I needed to work off some of this tension I have.

Accalia and I walk the winding path that leads towards town. It will branch off towards the mountain and we can go train in the clearing. Jaxson must be awake by now. No doubt he’ll come looking for me.

The walk gave me time to think things over. I think I will come completely clean to Jaxon. Lay all the cards on the table and he can decide what he genuinely wants. The selfish part of me wants desperately for him to accept me entirely, but the logical part of me doesn’t want him to go through that pain.

How would he and his wolf feel to watch their mate get raped and tortured, repeatedly over the course of a year. How would he feel to know that I did in fact conceive that bastard’s child only to lose it after three months? The torture and lack of movement, sunlight, and nutrition had taken a toll on my body.

And dear lord. How would he feel when he listens to my thoughts? When he sees how fucked up, I am to actually grieve the loss of that child.

Yes. I was distraught. My child conceived forcefully by rape to the devil himself, yet I still wept. I still longed to have that child still growing inside me. It was innocent in all this. It never deserved the fate that was bestowed upon it.

I always dreamed of a little girl. Mommy’s mini me. My best friend. I would teach her lessons of the world. How it can be cruel and tormenting but absolutely beautiful at the same time. The world can be a terrible place but the adventure that is life is full of unexpected surprises. And it can be worth the pain. She would have been loved regardless of who her sperm donor was.

It wasn’t meant to be. She was ripped from me. I can remember the agonizing cramping. The feeling of my blood leaking from me, down my legs. My feet so slick with it that it was difficult to stand.

It was his fault. He claims I purposely aborted. But it was after a night that he had raped me so forcefully I tore worse than when he took me the first time. Come to find out he had also still been dosing me with wolfsbane. He was petrified my wolf could come back into power.

It was his fault and yet he blamed me. Blamed me so much he finally let me go. But not before making sure I could never have a child again. He sliced up my uterus. I was half passed out from the wolfsbane he had given me to kill Aoralia. He had a doctor suture me up, making sure I lived and then he dumped me on the outskirts of town.

How would Jaxon take that. The fact that I grieved and still do, the loss of that child. He would never forgive me.

We had reached the fork in the path and I began my way towards the mountain. Suddenly I heard Accalia growl. She was pointed toward the direction of town, her ears laid back on her head, hackles raised.

Dear lord of this is Travis again I’m seriously going to kill him. I’m so fed up with this.

I silently crept closer to the opening of the trail, ducking behind a tree where I could watch them.

Two men walked towards me still unaware of my presence. One man was white with longer hair and striking blue eyes. He had a medium build to him but was still incredibly attractive. Obviously not as much as Jaxson. He had a gun holstered on his hip and was dressed in dark wash jeans, black sneakers, a dark blue tee and black leather jacket. He had a large backpack slung over his shoulder. The other man was more built but slightly shorter. He was chocolate brown and had a close shaved head and a neatly trimmed, short beard. His eyes were so brown they almost looked black. He was also dressed in dark wash jeans and a leather jacket.

Huh. They both have guns, but the black dude has a decent sized knife on him too. They aren’t hikers. They would never survive out here with that apparel. What are they doing here?

As they drew closer, I could hear them chatting.

“I think we got up to early. That or you just drove too quickly.” The white man rolls his eyes as he talked.

“You love my driving don’t be dissing.” The brown man just smirks at him.

“They probably aren’t even awake yet.”

“Oh well. We will give them a surprise. Hope they won’t be naked.” Chocolate man snickered as the words left his mouth.

“With what you told me happened and what we think about her past I highly doubt that.” The white man looked serious as he spoke. His eyes almost haunted by a past memory.

“I wonder what she is like. I worry for my best friend. I don’t want him hurt.” The men were walking closer and closer.

Accalia was the first to move. She let loose a growl as she jumped from the shadows.

The men jumped in fright, drawing their guns quickly.

“Holy shit. That’s a wolf. Like a real one!”

So, they are werewolves. They must either know or be after Jaxson. I don’t recognize them. Either way I’ll find out. They had released the safety off their guns just as I began to step into view.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The men looked more shocked at my appearance than they were Accalia.

I crouched slightly in a fighting stance as I stayed light on my feet; ready to draw my knives and jump into action at any time.

“Why don’t you boys put away your guns and we can talk civilly.” Chocolate man smirked at my words. His eyes flickering to his friend as they appeared to have a silent conversation.

God, I missed mind linking.

“Why don’t you drop the stance little miss.” My eyes narrowed as he walked forward a few steps. “Or better yet why not just try and make me put it away.” He raised his gun, pointing it at my face. I watched his face and body language for any sign of a bluff. There was none.

I saw his finger twitch. I turned sideways and leaned back a bit just as his finger squeezed the trigger. The bullet missing me entirely after I had moved. His friend looked at him a little shocked as if he couldn’t believe he just fired at me.

I took two fast steps forward, stepping to the side of his arm so the gun wouldn’t be pointed at me, grabbed his arm and twisted my body around so that my back was to his front. Keeping ahold of his arm, I jammed my elbow in his face and caught the gun as his grip loosened. I turned quickly to face him, pointing the gun at his astonished face.

“I can make you if you want.” I shrugged. “But I was trying to do this without hurting anyone.” I smirked at him although he couldn’t see it with my cowl over my face. “How about this.” I put the safety on the gun and tossed it, grabbing it by the barrel so the handle was facing him. “I’ll give you this back if you fight me hand to hand. You can even use that little knife of yours. But your little friend over there can’t intervene.” I laid my terms out.

The man seemed to think for a minute before replying. “Honey this knife isn’t little.”

“It is compared to mine.” I chuckled I put the gun in my left hand as I drew my knife from my side. It was about half the length of a sword. His eyes widened comically as he saw it. “So, what will it be? Afraid to be beaten by a girl?” I smirked, goading him.

“You’re on.” He didn’t waste any time drawing his knife from its sheath as he lunged towards me.

“Sean really?!” His companion stood by looking on seeming slightly embarrassed. I didn’t really understand it.

I tossed the gun to the side of the road that his companion wasn’t on and raised my knife to block Sean’s attack.

It was a flurry of overhead strokes, side strokes, under cuts, anything to land a blow. We traded blow after blow neither of us landing a strike. I couldn’t tell if this guy was using his all. I sure wasn’t. I was having too much fun to take it very seriously.

I was having the time of my life. I hadn’t had good hand to hand combat in years. This was seriously helping my stress relief. I couldn’t hide my smile and kept letting off laughs that seem to thoroughly confuse my opponent.

About 15 minutes later we were both tiring slightly. In a desperate bid to end this, Sean began to swing a hard blow overhead. Thinking quickly, I withdrew my other, smaller knife and crossed the two together. As soon as his knife crashed down on mine, I slipped my smaller knife out under and drove it towards his neck, stopping just before I cut him but still applying pressure, so he knew he was beat.

He stilled; eyes wide. A slight trickle of fear slid through his eyes and I heard his companion gasp.

“Ember!” I heard Jaxson call to me. When did he get here?

I backed away from Sean, sheathing my two knives and then lowered my cowl. I grin Sean. “That was fun.”

He looked stunned for a minute before he started laughing. A full belly laugh that had him hunching over before gasping for breath.

I raised my eyebrow at his companion. “Is he okay?”

Jaxson chuckled from behind me. His eyes held humor and amazement as I turned to look at him before he stopped beside me.

“He’ll be fine. He’s just never been beaten before, at least not by a woman.” Jaxson chuckled as Sean came to his senses.

“You sure are a little wildling, aren’t you?” He grinned at me.

I raised my eyebrows at his remark. They are all awfully chummy.

“So, I’m assuming you all know each other?” Jaxson nodded and walked towards Sean, slapping him on the shoulder as he turned back to me.

“This here is Sean and his mate Ashton. Ash for short.” He started rubbing the back of his neck, his ears turning red.

Was he blushing?!

“I kind of fell asleep last night before I could tell you they were coming.” He grinned sheepishly at me.

“Well, I guess I can’t complain. I haven’t had fun like that in years. I’ve missed having someone to spar with.” I smiled. I have been doing a lot more of that lately. Well, that and crying.

Sean looked at me incredulously. “That was fun?! You didn’t even know me. How were you having fun if I could have killed you?” I shrugged my shoulders before smirking a bit.

“I was never in much danger.” I laughed at his crestfallen expression.

“Hey, I could have gotten you! I was just going easy! You’re a girl.” He tried to gain what dignity he had left.

“Uh huh. Well guess we should head to the cabin.” I whistled for Accalia who had been laying off to the side watching the show. She bounded up and ran over to me as I turned and walked back in the direction of the cabin. I completely missed the expressions on Sean and Ashton’s face as they watched this huge, wild wolf follow me like a puppy dog.

I almost didn’t catch the conversation between the boys as they lagged behind.

“She sure is something man.” Sean’s voice filled with awe.

“Yeah, she is.” Jaxson’s voice filtered to me; the admiration evident in his voice making me sigh with content.

A/N

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