Chapter 15

1526 Words
All eight members gather around the large wooden dining table which is doubling as their meeting room. Jade has documents, maps and photos as well as handwritten notes spread all over the table that she will pin to the wall. She wanted this all done before their return, but unfortunately, due to time restraints, there are some things she just didn’t accomplish and this was one of them. “This is all we have on the enemy. I am not going to lie, it is a whole lot of nothing. We are basically blind. Unfortunately, without knowing enough, we have no way of guessing the opponents next moves, so do you know what that means?” Everyone looks at each other, Lucas leans back in his chair, casting a glance over the photos in front of him, the photo of Samuel and Anna’s corpse drawing everyone's attention. “We are waiting for someone else to die” A suffocating silence hangs over the room. It is far from ideal, but it is the reality. Jade nods helplessly. “Samuel and Anna said that they felt like someone was watching them, there were signs, so I can only hope that after the meeting, people will be a bit more cautious. If we get an early warning and can intercept before it comes to that, it will be best, but if not…..” Jade puts away her serious voice. This can’t all be doom and gloom. The task is already hard enough. If they don’t make the best out of a terrible situation, it would be a real pity, but dragging a bright side out of this mess is a task in itself. “All we can do until that moment is prepare” Jade laughs as she looks around the room, as she tries to sound as lighthearted as possible. “I hope you all like training” “I do” Ava yells excitedly, causing everyone to look at her with a look of amusement. It is hard not to like such a pleasant bubbly girl. “That’s the spirit. Now don’t think of me as s*xist but we will be splitting into gender teams tomorrow. I will take the girls and Axel will take the boys” Ava’s grip on Hunter's leg increases in intensity. Why does this feel familiar? Jade looks at the odd expression on the girls faces and looks at Axel. “Why don’t you guys go check out the bar? I stocked it already. We will join soon” The men happily follow Axel out of the room. Jade looks at Ava. “Tell me what is wrong?” Her face is full of concern, there is no hint of anger or condescension in her voice, Ava wrings her hands together nervously with all the eyes on her. Jade can guess what she is thinking so she continues. “Do you think I am separating us because I am going to take it easy on you?” Even though the others don’t know Ava well, her face can be read like a book. Clearly, that is what she is worried about. Jade laughs. “You are very wrong, I know that you are an alpha blood, I know you are strong. In no way am I saying that you are weaker than the boys or less in anyway, I haven’t seen you all train yet but since the moon goddess said the specific words ‘in each pair usually in our world there is one strong and one weak, but in all your cases you are stronger together’ I can only assume that you are all not some sort of arm candy Luna, even beyond her words I can feel each of your strength” Jade looks around at the three girls that are intently listening to what she is saying. “While I say that, Ava, even with alpha blood are you able to properly defeat Hunter?” Ava grits her teeth and shakes her head. “There is nothing to be ashamed about. It is the way we are designed. That does not mean we are weak. While we are here, we want the boys to train to be the best that they can be. I assume back in your own packs you are all your mates strongest challenger?” All three nod without hesitation. “Let them go, they can train against themselves, they can reach new heights” Ava’s look of dejection grows. “But we will also reach new heights. We are built differently, we train in a different way to enhance our skills and build our own strengths, we are not less than, we are just different. Don’t worry, I will have you kicking your mates ass in no time, not with brute strength, with tactics” Alexis looks around, she has always been a kick ass first ask questions later type of girl. “But we will train our bodies, not just our minds?” “Of course, you girls have to trust me, I have your best interests at heart, we are all in this together. I am not going to let you down” She pauses again, the smile falling off her face. “I know that Axel and I have sort of taken leadership roles, but that doesn’t mean I don’t value your opinions, voice any concerns. Do not bottle them up. Try my training first. If you hate it, we can join the boys” “Really?” “Of course” Ava knows she is probably seeming very ungrateful, but after her last experience, being segregated to the girls group did not garner the best results, but after hearing Jade's words she can only choose to trust. She can’t throw all these girls in the same category as those other lazy b*tches. What has she got to lose? If it doesn’t work, she just goes back to training with Hunter. If it works, then it is going to be a whole new experience for her. Ava grabs Alexis’ hand and they move toward the bar. Jade looks at Alina, who is sitting quietly seemingly in a daze. “Are you okay?” Alina looks at Jade, studying her face. Apart from the massive shock at the start, Jade seems to take everything in her stride and is not bothered by too much. Alina decides that she might as well just come clean with her feelings. “What if I am the worst?” Jade shrugs. “So what if you are. As long as you are willing, nothing is set in stone, the worst can become the best with a little hard work. Don’t be daunted, even though I don’t know these girls well I can tell that are essentially good” “Will I bring everyone down?” “No, you can’t think that way, the moon goddess wouldn’t have given you the task if you couldn’t do it” “Okay” Jade stands and walks to Alina, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry so much, you will love this” Alina and Jade walk toward the bar. Jade leaves the others drinking as that is not an activity that she can take part in. She returns to the dining table, slowly arranging things before starting to pin things up on the wall. She feels a presence behind her. “Back again so soon?” “Do you think I am going to give you this monstrous task, then leave you to fend for yourselves” “You could take down the witch for us” Jade turns around and looks at the woman in white standing in the corner of the room. “I can’t see he or she, it has shielded itself from even me, so I can’t give any more information. Anyway, I can’t seek vengeance, I can only give life I can’t take it” Jade can’t help be disappointed. A better starting point would be helpful. The moon goddess continues. “I can only help my guardians as much as I can, which is really minimal unfortunately, but you have a fantastic team. With all your combined experience, there is nothing you can not face” “Do you have anything for me?” “I have a little something. If you mark over the eight ringed mark on their arm, you can all be joined by link, you can operate as your own pack without losing your connection to your original packs” “So I bite everyone?” “Pretty much” Jade sits down on the chair with a heavy sigh, contemplating the thought of marking strangers as a weird bonding experience. “You couldn’t have said this while everyone was here?” The moon goddess smiles before her figure fades from vision, leaving one last sentence. “You will be fine” Jade sigh heavily as she leans back on her chair staring at the white ceiling, why has she heard those words so much recently and she still can't bring herself to believe them.
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