Evangeline A True Warrior

Meeting Proteus

I woke in the dark, still kneeling next to Alora on the bed. She was awake, eyes wide, staring at the ceiling. When she turned to look at me I couldn’t have prepared myself for how weak she was. Her cheeks had sunk in like she hadn’t eaten in days, dark circles took up all the other parts of her beautiful face. Her eyes looked a lifeless blue with red surrounding them. How could I have done this to my friend? Caused so much pain? Alora reached for me, her hands closing over mine and I sent as much healing power toward her as I could. The dark circles receded, the color returned to her high cheek bones. Her eyes still looked lifeless but not bloodshot any longer. She breathed deeply and a small smile played on her mouth. I smiled back at her glad she was still able to. “What’s with the smile?” I asked causing her to smile with her teeth, she turned and looked back at the ceiling. 

“Remember when we finally started to form a pack? How it was the most frustrating thing dealing with all those rogue blockhead men? All they wanted was to join and hopefully get laid, take over your pack.” She laughed outright and I giggled with her. “We drank so much one night, just laughing over the men who didn’t deserve us, the unworthy ones who thought us dumb. Screaming ‘my body is a temple!’ At the top of our lungs dancing until we forgot what those fools had spewed at us” Turning to me she smiled, I laid my head on her hands. “The next day we found Hadlee and Keegan. Trying to hide our excitement over the females was almost impossible. We truly have given so many woman a safe place to be themselves. Some men.” Alora rolled her eyes and we laughed some more. She turned to her side and patted the bed next to her. I climbed to my feet noticing how stiff I was from my position on the floor. Laying next to her we faced each other. When she spoke again her tone was serious.  “I mostly remember thinking how lucky I was, to find my own group to care for and be cared for. Never in my life had someone cared about me. I was nothing and suddenly I was something. Something outstanding and beautiful. Like I started glowing from the inside, radiating love mixed with pride. I can’t express how much you’ve given me Evangeline. The life I have now, I truly wouldn’t wish for a different one, I wouldn’t want anything to change. My life will play out perfectly thanks to you. I’m sorry I was cold to you earlier Eve, you didn’t deserve that.” When she reached for me I wrapped my arms around her and held her to me, accepting the comfort she gave me and giving all I had in return.

“You have brought so much joy with you Alora, everywhere you go. I’m sorry I kept this from you, I wish I had told you sooner.” I wondered when, other than now, would have been the best time but couldn’t decide when that was 

“Can you tell me about him Evangeline. About Proteus.” I expected her to ask me but I didn’t know what the best course was. If I spoke badly of him she may never have her mate. I had seen good in him, him answering children when they needed him most was a deed most Gods wouldn’t be bothered with. He had physically hurt me worse than I had ever imagined possible but he made me strong, it’s what I agreed to. I wished her mate was someone undoubtedly great. Someone worthy of the love she gave so freely, not someone like him. Anyone but him. Sighing I ran my fingers through her hair letting it slip past my fingers while I debated how to talk about him. Before I figured out how to start Alora let out a very soft snore. I giggled snuggling closer to her and falling into sleep. Falling into my dreams, my memories.

So much death stained my skin. I felt like I could smell it on me, everyone would smell it on me. Wrapping my arms around my legs I drew them into my chest. My soul shattered more every day I had the guilt inside me. How did one go about healing themselves? I smiled a little thinking of my friends, dancing, laughing. Loving each other. Would that be enough? Eventually healing the cracks in my character. Scrunching my eyes closed I sighed and fell to my back, the grass underneath me scratching my neck, inhaling deeply I enjoyed the beautiful county side, rolling hills, grass as far as you could see, the land was now my packs land. With a few houses just down the hill from me I thought of the best place for my home. Shouldn’t I be with them? My beasts didn’t like that I continued to place myself on the same level as my pack. I was alpha and they wanted me to act like it. 

“I think up here is the perfect place for an alpha’s house.” My eyes snapped open. Focusing on the male voice next to me. How had I not noticed this man approaching me? Smell, he had no smell. That was impossible. Slowly sitting up I kept my eyes on his, watching every move I made. A true apex predator. 

“I don’t believe we’ve met. So we couldn’t possibly have discussed the proper place for my home.” If he read minds I was so screwed, inside my mind, that’s where my weaknesses show. He studied me draping an arm over his bent knee. Turning away he glanced at the mountain side I had secured for my family. 

“It really is a beautiful place, good for you Evangeline. I’ve seen this future, you’ll be pleased with the outcome. Nothing is ever 100% perfect. You’ll need to fight for yourself. Overcoming what plagues you, that will be a vital part of growing. As it is for everyone else. Some in your pack will need to learn that as well, be a mentor for them. A light.”

“I’m sorry.. you are?” Deep inside I felt like I knew him. My beasts stayed still inside me, not upset in the least. Just watching, content. Who was this strange man? As if he really could read my mind he smirked and laid back on the ground. His curls falling all around him. Looking into his eyes they danced with mischief and I giggled some. “You don’t read minds do you?” I was smiling at him comfortable around him. Unusual, I rarely felt comfort around men. 

“Only the ones who’s souls I’ve touched. So your mind. I can read.” I stopped smiling at him, suddenly not comfortable. He was bluffing. “Sometimes I wish I were lying, some thoughts should always stay private. This is always the hardest part. Explaining what’s happening.” Oh god. He was the grim reaper or something, my life was ending. He laughed a deep belly laugh a tear trickling  from his eye. “Calm down Evangeline, you aren’t dying.” His laughing died down but the unease I was feeling didn’t seem to be going anywhere. “I am Proteus. I gave you the gifts you now have, some years ago. After a tragedy took what little you had in the world. I heard your pleas and answered them with some of my power. We came to a deal, do you remember?” I remembered. This was a god, I’d seen him then too but his light was so bright, I could only make out his hand thrusting something at me. I was so focused on Sebastian, the gift never reached me, it went for him like I wished it would. He had hummed then only saying ‘Interesting’ then he was gone. We were still trapped until help came but alive. Alive because of him. He hadn’t spoken out loud the deal he proposed but I heard it and I agreed 

“Thank you, for giving me the life you have. Saving my brother. I’m ready to train for strength if that’s what you require now.” He was watching me closely. 

“You are one of the few things unknown to me Evangeline. I didn’t save your brother, you did. We just happened to get lucky when he turned out to be worthy enough for the gift. I don’t know how you did it, I didn’t see it in any future. I also can’t see how strong you’ll be. Just that you are the strongest thing I’ve ever created. Possibly stronger than me and that is never my intention.” Crap. He was here to kill me. What god would allow one with potential power like me to walk the earth any longer. Proteus giggling brought my eyes back to him. “I want you to gain the strength, for my benefit, I don’t want to kill you. At this rate, if not for myself, I would help you gain strength just so you stopped thinking of your demise so often.” Turning back to the growing town below us he inhaled deeply, his eyes focusing hard on something, looking with him I saw Alora laughing and running up to us, her arms pumping madly as she slowed going uphill. I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh and heard Proteus gasp next to me but when I looked he was no longer there. Alora made it to stand in front of me, plopping down where proteus had just been. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she felt the ground, like his heat was still trapped there, inhaling a deep breath she shook her head turning toward me. Eyes smiling brightly out at me. So happy. 

“What a perfect place for the Alphas house, wouldn’t you say Evangeline?” That was the first time I saw the green cord in her soul. Noticing the difference right away, I had looked at her soul for hours before. It didn’t belong but I didn’t know what it meant yet. I hadn’t seen into Proteus. He would come back a month later, very cold and cruel to me. Then he would beat me until I was forced to crawl away from him. Convinced I wouldn’t survive the pain. He laughed and I despised him more than I had ever despised myself. He did teach me though. He taught me to be confident in myself. He helped heal my soul even if it hardened toward him in the end. 

Waking slowly from my dreams I smelled Alora still next to me but someone else was in the room. Breathing in their scent I kept my eyes closed. Sensing they stood about a foot from the end of the bed. Probably facing me, watching us sleep. I recognized it was a man, one I had met before but I couldn’t place it. I needed to open my eyes. Slowly doing so at the same time that I sat up and saw a monstrous man standing just where I thought he might be. Cloaked in the darkness of the room, just a sliver of light coming from outside showed me his face. He stood straight then, looking even bigger. I didn’t understand how he stood in the room without having to duck his head. Long hair framed his face as he watched me. 

“Ivan?” I whispered at him “what in the world are you doing?” I slipped from the bed and pointed to the door following him out. We stepped into the bedroom across the hall. Closing the door behind us. The room smelled of Atlas. Warm like caramel, a hot breeze blowing, fresh air. That’s what my mate smells like. Ivan was quietly watching me. He was a commander like me. I’d only met him once but from that experience I knew he didn’t speak much. After we battled each other and I was named the one everyone answered too, no one spoke to me again, unless spoken to first. “Well, what’s going on?” I was exhausted and needed more sleep, coming off irritable. 

“Ma’am, I think you’re the only one who can help me. My mate. We need help Evangeline. Her pregnancy is taking a toll on her, I’ve never seen her so weak before. She just.. I can’t lose her, please, help me.” A minute ago looking into his eyes he was a man made of stone and now, as he spoke of his unhealthy mate I could see the plea in him. The sadness surrounding his soul like he had already lost her. 

“Where is she Ivan? I know you wouldn’t have left her behind.” The closer she was, the better. I would just need to alert everyone so we could move. 

“I’m at a house just a couple miles away. She’s resting. She’ll be furious I came to you Evangeline, she won’t be happy I asked you to help us.” I’d never met his mate before, I had to question her animosity toward me. I lifted my eyebrow in question. Ivan sighed and sat down on the end of the bed. Running his hands through his hair and tugging at the ends. The bed looked like it touched the ground underneath his massive form. “When we fought each other, my mate patched me back up. She saw the damage inflicted on me by the other commanders. In my grief over the lose I described you as a monster. So brutal and unforgiving in your pursuit to win. Her family was killed by a white dragon Evangeline. She thinks that it was you.” He gazed at me, his eyes begging me to deny it. I probably had killed her family. She could die and she would rather that, than accept help from me. 

“What’s her name Ivan?” 

He smiled then, while thinking of his mate. I could see his bond with her glowing, his soul moving at a snails pace, sped up. Just the thought of ones mate made even the darkest parts of someone’s soul move, reaching for the connection. “Her name is Samantha.” 

“Of course I’ll help you Ivan. I can’t tell you weather I killed her family though. I just simply don’t know who I hurt in the first year my dragon appeared. I fought so hard to gain control but I couldn’t and my dragon is an ass hole.” I sat next to him, bumping his shoulder with mine. 

“Thank you Evangeline. My Samantha can also be an ass hole so I apologize in advance, she won’t be very nice. I don’t know anyone more powerful than you. I didn’t know who else could save my mate.” His voice had gone raspy from emotion. I couldn’t imagine losing Atlas. He had steadily become everything to me, I wouldn’t want to live in a world without him. 

“I’m going to help in anyway I can. What beast does she have? That could help me.” I was very good at healing people with similar shifts as mine. He looked sad when he looked at me next. Like he suddenly thought I couldn’t help. 

“She’s a human Eve..” I was startled by the use of my nickname, Ivan had never used it before. I felt like wrapping my arms around him and offering comfort but that would be inappropriate so I smiled at him hoping to reassure the gigantic man. 

“That’s okay too Ivan. I can probably still help.” He exhaled a shaky breath and smiled back at me. The door to the room slowly opened to reveal Atlas standing on the other side, the smile on his face disappeared when he saw I wasn’t alone. Ivan stood quickly and I stood beside him. Atlas.. he didn’t smell like anything. His red cheeks and wind blown hair told me he had been outside but he didn’t smell of the land surrounding us. He smelled like nothing, meaning he had been with Proteus. Proteus possessed no scent, the lack of it overpowered other scents around him, especially if you spend a large amount of time with him. My jaw clenched, I knew he was ready to fight over Ivan but I was ready to murder a god for daring to go near my mate. 

“What the f**k Evangeline. Who is this man!?!” Atlas screamed at the same time I yelled 

“Have you lost your mind!? I told you to stay away from Proteus!” Ivan shifted uncomfortably next to me. 

“General.” It was meant to show rank in front of Atlas. Ivan was trying to help calm him down but I missed the camaraderie of first names immediately. “I’ll wait out front for you.” Atlas had to step away to allow Ivan out of the room. I thought he would push against him but he seemed to understand who Ivan was to me. 

“Evangeline, I’m sorry. I just saw you with another man and lost my temper.” He seemed ashamed of himself, like a sullen child caught drawing on the walls. That only served to piss me off more. 

“I told you. Stay away from him Atlas. Why would you go near him, spend time in his company? Did you not see the pain I put my friend through over him? How could you do this?!” I was screaming at him by the time I finished. The room had chilled significantly with my anger. Atlas stepped toward me obviously worried but I stepped away. “Answer me damn it!” My anger was mounting, I felt betrayed. That man tortured to get the results he wanted out of me and Atlas spent time with him. Proteus always has an agenda, he wanted something from Atlas and I hope to god it wasn’t a bargain. 

“I went for a run and he was outside. He confessed some stuff to me and I told him he should tell you instead but let him come along for my run. We ran a couple miles and sat on an embankment. When i shifted to speak to him again he was gone. I only spoke to him once, he just wanted to run like I did. I figured it was safer than running into him while in one of his shifts.” Atlas reached for me again and my anger vanished once his body connected with mine. Wrapping me in a hug I basked in his warmth, happy to see my mate unharmed. “I’m sorry Eve. I really didn’t think it would upset you this much. I didn’t make any deals with him. Our lions just ran together.” He started rubbing circles on my back, I felt so tired. I needed rest and just being with him almost lulled me into sleep. I couldn’t sleep though, I had other things to do first. I tried to step away from Atlas intending to go help Ivans mate but his grip tightened around me. I looked up at him confused. His eyes looked tortured. His soul seeming to dim around him. “You can’t forgive me Eve? I know I f****d up but please don’t leave me.” His plea broke my heart. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him hard. 

“Atlas. I’m not mad or trying to leave. I DO forgive you. Ivan needs my help, his mate is in trouble. I just need to go do that okay? Then we can relax with each other and sleep. I just have to help him first.” His soul seemed to breath a sigh of relief.

“Thank f*****g god Evangeline. I thought I had lost you for a second.” His arms constricted around me before letting go. Atlas smiled down at me and I couldn’t resist kissing him one more time, nibbling along his bottom lip. So close to having my mate all to myself