Shifting Alliance: A Shifting Fate Novel

Chapter 5: Lessons

Ava

My back slams into the ground and my jaw clamps shut, vibrating my teeth against my skull. I let out a not-so-silent curse, and my father scolds me with raised eyebrows.

He offers a hand out to me, and I accept it as graciously as I can manage. I'm fuming, but that's not unusual. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to block his attacks.

My father, being human, is training me in hand-to-hand combat in case, for whatever reason, I can't shift and protect myself. Our training lessons include various forms of martial arts and weapons training with an assortment of knives, guns, and, oh yeah, archery.

I dread the days I have to train with my father, as I can't seem to grasp blocking and issuing return punches as needed. Thanks to the wonderful bond with my mother, Dad over here has increased strength and speed far greater than an ordinary human's.

That makes it nearly impossible to beat him during combat. I'm strong and fast when I'm Hestia, with no one able to beat me save my mother, but in human form, I'm lucky if I can walk down a flight of stairs and not fall all the way down.

Dad helps dust me off, a small frown on his lips.

“I've told you time and time again, Ava. Watch me when I move. The simple change in my stance should tell you where I mean to strike next. It's not rocket science," he tells me, a look of displeasure on his face.

I roll my eyes at him. “I did! You move too fast! It's not fair!" I huff.

He sighs and scratches his nose. “You have twice the speed I do."

“Not when I'm human! It would be different if you would just let me shift." I stamp my foot on the ground. I know I'm acting like a child, but the world hasn't stopped spinning since I met Devon. I just want to crawl into a hole and stay there.

“Look, Ava, you know that's not what your mother wants. You need to know how to defend yourself in human form in case...."

“In case I can't shift," I finish. “But in what situation would I be in where I couldn't shift?"

He pauses for a moment, thinking it over. Then, he opens his mouth and says quietly, “Did I ever tell you about the time when your grandfather captured me and locked me in his dungeon for over a month?"

I nod, my lips pressed tightly in a straight line.

“Well, let me remind you then. I had as much strength and speed then as I do now. The only difference is I lacked the necessary skill to defend myself. I was helpless in the hands of those shifters. I was tortured and kept in chains for weeks with little food or water.

“Your mother and I want you to be safe, but neither of us can be there all the time to protect you. That's why you must learn to protect yourself. There are magical ways to prevent shifting. There are also natural ways, such as being in public. You can't exactly shift in front of humans."

“I know all this, Dad. But I'm not like you or Mom. What if I just can't do it?" My chest and throat constrict, threatening my air supply. I push down my emotions, forcing myself to remain calm. Now is not the best time to have a complete meltdown.

He places a firm hand on my shoulder and looks me in the eyes. He has bright blue eyes that change to an emerald green when he's with my mother. Green is the color of the alpha's mate, and though human, my father occasionally shows this color in his eyes.

Before my first shift, I had eyes like his, a bright, brilliant sky blue. But now, my eyes are like dead grass, yellow and charred.

At least my hair, a natural light blonde, still matches his.

“Ava," he says to me. “Don't say that. Believe in yourself as your mother, and I do. I know that it may seem like we're hard on you. Maybe we're pressuring you too much, but it's for the best. You can do it. You can do anything you set your mind to as long as you believe."

I sigh and collapse to the dirt ground, dust wafting into the air.

He sits next to me, arms crossed over his knees, and we both look up at the clear sky above.

We're in the courtyard just behind the compound. This is where I like to train on days when the weather is good.

Sweat beads on my forehead and slowly falls down my cheeks. We've been out here for nearly an hour, and my stomach reminds me it's dangerously close to lunchtime.

I think of Devon again, try though I might to forget him.

I wonder how long he's been out on his own. What pack does he come from? Is he even from anywhere near here?

As far as I know, there aren't any omegas wandering between the packs in this region. Since my mother let a large group of them in when she first became alpha, she's been keeping careful tabs on all the free omegas.

I'm fairly certain this is because she had banished her father as an exiled omega instead of killing him. That was to be his penance for the brutality of his reign.

It's been twenty years since that day, and no one has seen or heard of him.

“Are you okay?" Dad asks with a frown.

I nod my head, unsure of what to say.

“You seem different today," he remarks.

“Oh, yeah? How so?"

He shrugs. “You just seem a bit preoccupied, is all. Is there something on your mind?"

I look up at him, wondering if it's safe to tell him.

It is several seconds before I manage to say anything.

“What was it like when you first Bonded with Mom? Or rather, what was it like when you first met her, before you knew who she was?"

He chuckles slightly, a light filling his eyes.

“I was confused as hell; I can tell you that much for sure. I had no idea why a girl I'd just met would take over my thoughts like she did.

“The day she first walked into that classroom, it was like the whole world had stopped turning, and a spotlight had focused on just her. My whole body vibrated with energy, a strange yearning," he looks at me then. “Maybe I shouldn't be telling you this."

“No, no. Keep going," I urge.

“Well, it only took a split second before I knew I wanted to be with her. Now, I don't mean it was love at first sight or anything like that. It was mostly just a strong curiosity.

“But when we completed the Bond, it was as if I had found my second half. Suddenly, I couldn't remember what life had been like before her. She became my everything. I would die for her if I had to."

“But don't you miss your family? All your friends? Don't you feel trapped being stuck here in the compound?"

“Ava, as I've said before, I could never feel trapped by being with the ones I love. Do I miss my family? Of course, I do. But being here, safe with you, means more to me than all that. One day, I might be able to see them again, but that's out of my control.

“It's important to focus on the present and what's within your control. Why are you asking all this? Have you…met someone?"

The question is hesitant, but it instantly fills me with dread.

I shoot up from the ground, my heartbeat echoing in my ears. “No," I blurt out. “I was just wondering."

I flee from the scene then, not wanting him to ask anything more.

Finding my other half? Well, I know one thing. Meeting Devon does NOT feel like finding my other half. In fact, it feels like being spit in two and then sewn back together.

Before I make it back to my room, I slam into someone and fall back a step, rubbing my shoulder. I look up and see James staring down at me.

“Where is Master Logan?" he asks.

“He's in the courtyard. James, what's all this about? You look spooked." I've known James for a LONG time, and he has NEVER looked this frightened. He is wringing his hands together and darting his eyes around like he's seen a ghost.

“There's been an attack. One of the southern packs has been completely wiped out."