After being embraced by Lucas and breathing his scent for a long time, Alexis finally brings her mind back to reality, but a shadow has been cast on her heart, some things that are seen cannot be unseen, even if it was an illusion, it was too powerful and too horrific.
They sit around in a circle, Lucas keeping Alexis on his lap, still trying to offer comfort, even though he didn’t see the same things she saw. The experience still shook him, the fact that he was barely able to hold on to be able to save his own mate when she was in the midst of a devastating episode.
The complete lack of control, the feeling of helplessness, for a strong couple it is hard to admit that they were so quickly destroyed by something so insignificant looking.
Alexis finally brings her face out of Lucas’ chest, her blue-gray eyes skimming around the group quickly before she hides again. It is hard not to see the blood, it is hard not to see the death, she breathes deeply, trying to compose herself, trying hard to stabilize and even press down the surging emotions. As one of the most indifferent girls of the group, she is somewhat glad that she had to go through that and not one of the others, because she is really struggling, so it is hard to say what the others would be like in the same situation. Alexis always felt that it would be hard to shock her, hard to scare her, but right now she feels shocked to the core, she feels terrified.
Jade looks at Alexis, looks at the strong girl, both physically and mentally, who is curled in a ball on Lucas’ lap like a kitten. It is hard to see, it is a hard thing to watch, to be able to do nothing to comfort that person.
Jade grabs out her phone to text Jasper, she wants him to bring Cressida to the blood moon pack, while she doesn’t know exactly what the pendant does until Alexis is able to bring herself to speak. The fact that it can so easily reduce a mated pair to nothing beyond their comprehension, it is obviously magic, and they need to study it, but she is not willing to risk anyone touching it again to transport.
To what extent does the protection need to be to stop someone else going through what Alexis went through?
If they don’t know a suitable way to transport it, the only logical solution is to bring the witch to the pendant, instead of bringing the pendant to the witch.
Alexis finally accepts reality, she has to pull through, she can not let what she saw come to fruition and the best way to do that is to make sure she is better and stronger. Sitting here on Lucas’ lap will accomplish nothing, wallowing in self-pity will accomplish nothing, remembering those scenes will accomplish nothing. She locks away the memory and stores it very carefully in her heart. She needs to move past, but it will also become a source of power and motivation for her.
Lucas’ big hand just strokes her hair while she pulls herself together. Alexis’ meek voice is finally heard and all eyes are on her, Lucas only tightens his grip, he has never felt such emotions through the link before, he just wants to take it all away for her.
“I am not sure what that thing does”
She pulls herself together a little bit more, remembering to link the group, having enough sense to not say it out loud.
‘I don’t know if it shows the future or shows my worst nightmare. You were all dead, even the triplets………. the triplets’
She doesn’t have to continue, they know what she means. The triplets were dead. No one speaks, the air is suffocating, everyone with their own thoughts but they all arrive at the same destination. No wonder Alexis had that reaction.
Seeing Brodie like that was a big enough blow, but to see what Alexis saw, it may have been too much to take, it is so raw, it is so devastating.
Jade places a hand on her belly, Axel’s warm hand covers her cold and clammy one. Alina’s claws dig into her palms, hatred fills her like never before, no, no this is not good enough.
‘This is not the future. I refuse to accept this, we cannot lose’
Alina pauses and looks around the group of powerful wolves that she is thankful beyond words to be included in.
‘No, all this shows us, is that the witch is trying hard to break us by attacking our weaknesses. What they don’t know is that we are a lot stronger than our weaknesses. We have to look at it this way. The reason they want us out of the picture is because they are scared that we can defeat them. If they weren’t they wouldn’t even waste their time on us’
Alexis looks out from Lucas’ chest and looks at Alina, looks at her determination. She is right, if the enemy wasn’t worried, they wouldn’t resort to personal attacks in an effort to eliminate the competition. She nods.
‘I refuse to let this come true’
Jade still keeps a hand on her belly. Alexis looks at her worriedly. She didn’t go into much detail, as it is unnecessary. She does not want anyone else to experience the turmoil that she feels. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything about the triplets, it just sort of came out because it is hard to explain why she was so scared without explaining that point, because while they fear for their own lives, they know their duty is to protect the triplets and they have taken the task very seriously.
Jade notices Alexis’ gaze and looks back at her, Jade’s green eyes regaining their lustre and determination.
‘I am okay’
Lucas helps Alexis to her feet.
‘Lets get back on task. This is a minor setback and a learning experience. Magic is too unknown for us. Don’t touch anything odd and keep close, keep your eyes and minds open’
Soon the group of 8 are standing. They all look at each other before getting back on task.
In the shadows, two unearthly copper eyes stare at the group, an unnatural smirk of disgust quirks up the corner of her lips.
They are stronger and more resilient than she expected. The group was barely defeated for ten minutes by something she thought would destroy one mated pair for good. She clicks her tongue in disapproval.
Phoenix is in natural form, he hears the slightest of sounds and turns his head to look in the direction. He steps one single step forward, Alina comes up beside him, her small hand resting on his flank as she follows his eyes, seeing nothing but dense trees.
‘Anything?’
The big black wolf shakes his head, his green eyes slightly narrowed, there is nothing to see, nothing to smell, just the slightest lingering sense.
The figure shrouded in a black cloak looks straight at Phoenix, he is looking straight at her. If she didn’t know any better she would think he could actually see her. The slightest hint of worry can be seen in her copper-colored eyes as she observes the group for the last time before spinning on the spot, her black cloak making a large swish behind her as she silently walks away.
They may be better than she anticipated but they are still a long way off stopping her.
The plan is in motion and it will take a lot for it to come undone now.
The guardians are an inconvenience but not an end.