Lost and Found

chapter 10

The rest of the day dragged by. My training was all about stamina. After the morning of shifting we spend the afternoon running in human form. We went miles, I have never ran so much in my life. Isis breezed through it, she had a small sheen of sweat covering her, with barely a hitch in her breath. I was fine the first 2 miles, after that I started lagging. My labored breathing betraying me as I am trying to pretend I can keep up. I had to stop several times because of a stitch in my side. Isis was a drill sergeant, never letting me get a break. Taunting me a bit saying things like, "Are you sure you are related to the Alpha?" "Maybe you are just a human, are you sure your a wolf."  Every time I heard her make a comment I pushed harder, I need to prove myself. 

    The next few days were like this, running, shifting, swimming, climbing, jumping. Everyday Isis pushed me harder and everyday I was able to do more. It was amazing how quickly my body adapted, being able to go faster and farther everyday. When we would take breaks I would catch myself trying to use by abilities.  Always small things, trying to move leaves or create waves in the pond. Like any other muscle I have to keep practicing. It felt like I had no down time at all. I worked with Isis or Cairo from when I woke up until I went to bed. I liked being pushed, the fact that they worked so hard with me told me how much everyone was counting on me. I am not used to the responsibility and I didn't know how much it meant to me. The need I felt to prove myself to my family. The only family I have.  I don't have the undying need to protect the pack yet. I don't know if it will come in time, maybe because all I do is train. I haven't really met anyone yet.

    The days go by quickly and one afternoon, when I am sparing with Cairo, we get a strange smell on the wind.  Cairo immediately drops his hands and turns his head to the east, I take the moment to round house kick him to the face. He dodges without even looking, his hand wraps around my calf and throws me back. I land on my butt, disappointed I didn't get the drop on him.  

    "You are still too slow" he says with a smirk. He turns in the direction of the scent and waits. "The witch is here."

    That catches my attention. I have been waiting, dying to meet one. I take a bigger whiff of the scent being blown in on the wind. It smells of first snow and pine needles, its a hot day but I can smell the cold wafting in.  She finally comes into view just walking through the forest and she is not what I expected. I was told she would be old and I guess I imagined a hump back with a twisted cane, looking to be in her 80s with warts on her face.  In reality she looked to be in her late 20s, she was small and fit, with long white/silver hair pulled back in a pony tail, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She looked like someone's cooler older sister. She has bright blue eyes rimmed with thick black eyeliner, her nose is pierced and she has about 5 more piercings in each ear. 

    She stepped in the clearing and her aura radiated power, I could feel how strong she was under her tiny frame. " I am Octavia." 

    We just stand there staring at each other. I am not sure how to begin and I wait for Cairo to make the next move, but nothing. He just stares at her, I cant get anything from his face. 

    "Well I am Selena, I guess you are here to train me." I say as I step forward. "This is Cairo." I wave my hand in his direction. Still nothing, the guy is like a statue. 

    "Yes, I know of you child. I have come a long way to be here. We don't have anytime to waste." She looks at Cairo "You can leave now." 

    "I will be close by, monitor everything." He looks at me and walks away. Well that was weird.  I look at Octavia, waiting for what to do next. 

    She is eying me up and down for a few minutes. She finally walks up to me and takes my hands in hers, she did it so swiftly and without hesitation that I didn't have time to react. Everything spins, the woods and waterfall fall away and suddenly we are standing in an open field covered in bright snow. The snow is still falling gently around us, as far as I can see there is nothing but clear sky and untouched snow. 

    "We needed someplace private to speak." She says as she releases my hands. "Don't worry, we are still standing in the same spot. That friend of yours wont even notice a difference." She sits down on the blanket we are standing on. I followed suit. 

    "Where are we?" I finally get out.

    "Think of it as our bodies are still were we left them, but our minds have traveled somewhere else. Nothing to be alarmed about. I need to be sure we are not overheard. When we conduct your training it will be in these scenarios. So no one will see what you are doing or what you can do. Every affinity wolf is different, there have only been 5 like you before. They have all had abilities but each one a little different, and often having a closer connection to one or two of the elements then another. Some times they can not wield an element as they are not connected, for whatever reason. We will conduct a series of tests  to see which one is stronger in you. I have never trained an affinity wolf but I have had ancestors that have worked closely with them and we have passed down what we have learned. Well we better get started." She stands and waves her arms, wiping away the snowy scene and now we are standing atop a stone tower. I look around and se nothing below us, we seem to be hundreds of feet above the ground. 

    I take a deep breath and try to remember this isn't real, I bring my eyes up and meet hers. She is waiting for me to get my bearings. 

    "Alright lets go." I say with a nod. 

    "Now close your eyes, center yourself. Don't focus on your surroundings. Instead find your safety within, find your peace and when you feel the warmth pull it towards you."

    I do what she tell me. I take a few deep breaths and try to fine my "peace" whatever that means. I get that she's like super old but jeez this is feeling a little ridiculous. How can any of this be real? It's so crazy and yet I know its real. I have seen it all and felt it all. I shake my head trying to clear my thoughts before I go down a long road. While trying to find "my safety within" I start thinking about the few times I have felt safe. As weird as it sounds it has always been outside, in the woods or fields. Just open spaces, I guess because I always have the ability to get away. There have been too many times that I was trapped. Trapped in a bedroom or closet, caught in shitty circumstances that no kid should have to deal with.  I feel a tear fall on my face as I think of being trapped in that room again. Unable to get away, begging, pleading for him to stop. 

    I open my eyes and see Octavia studying me. I wipe away the wetness on my face, in an attempt to hide my truth. "Where did you go?" she asks. I am not even sure how to answer. I just shake my head and close my eyes. I am not gonna let my past get in the way of what I could be. I steady my breathing and take my pain, I feel it and find where I don't feel the pain anymore. I hear the "Whoosh" as something goes flying by me and I feel the wind tickling my face, moving through my hair. I open my eyes and we are no longer on the tower, instead we are in a beautiful meadow with flowers, I can see some deer off in the distance.  

    "Well that was better then I expected." Her face breaks into the first smile I have seen, and she looks stunning. "Well its safe to say you are most connected to earth and wind. Excellent. These are 2 elements that are always around, and I believe they can work well together. As it is getting late I feel we should call it a day. We will pick it back up tomorrow." She waves her hand and I open my eyes, we are back in the forest, she is still holding my hands and it is not pitch black. We must have been still as statues for hours. I start to move my arms, shaking off the stiffness. 

"You will get used to it." She says. I just nod in response. Out of the woods Cairo walks out. 

   "Damn I thought you were never gonna come out. I was getting a little worried about you Sel." 

    "I am good. I hadn't realize how long we had been in there. Kinda crazy." I respond. 

 "Well our time is done this evening. I have spoken with Alpha and he has agreed that you will split your days between training with myself and the wolves. This will only get more intense Selena. I hope you will push yourself and you do not give up. The path you are on is not an easy one, and that path starts now.  Good evening and I will see you both tomorrow." She gives me a small smile, then turns on her heels and walks back in the forest from which she came. 

    "She gives me the creeps." Cairo says with a shudder. I smirk up at him.

    "Oh the big bad Beta is scared of a little witch?" I taunt him laughing. 

    "Absolutely." He says while laughing, "Witches are not to be taken lightly. They are very dangerous and some are crazy powerful. Don't let her image fool you. That one, you are working with is really old, in order to be that old and look like she does." He blows out a deep breath. " She must be messing with some seriously powerful stuff. Someone like her could snap my neck with a flick of her wrist." He says shaking his head.  

    "How old is she?"

    "I don't know but I would say at least 200 yrs old. Just based on the way my dad talks about her." We have turned and started walking back towards the house. 

    "What?! No. You are messing with me?" I ask

    "I wouldn't. Its kinda mean for someone to do that, you are new and are going through enough already. You don't need someone messing even more with your reality. A lot of those monsters in movies come from urban legends...and many of those legends are rooted in some truth. Witches can be centuries old,  now there are rumors and some things we know as truth. As wolves we do have a certain amount of protection, we are able to smell and sense witches before they come, there are also talismans that prevent any spells or curses from touching you. It is said that the witches that delve in dark magic are distrusting, ugly creatures. But they do have ways of hiding it." I look up at him confusion written all over my face. "I know its alot. I have been learning this stuff since I was a kid. There are a lot of holes and hopefully one day someone can provide us with more answers to all the questions. But for now just know that, that hot witch you are working with is also dangerous."

    "I get it. I will watch her as well as learn from her." I say

    "Ok well look at you little double agent." He laughs and gives me a small shove. We have finally made it to the house.  Cairo stops me before we get to the door. "What did happen when you were standing there. It was kinda weird." He asks.

    "Nothing really. It felt like I was only there for 30 min, I had no idea hours had passed. I don't know if we did a lot or if time just passed differently. I guess I can get more answers tomorrow. " He nods in response.

   We walk into the house together, it is relatively empty this late. Cairo lives in the floor below me but he decides to walk me to my room. "What a gentleman." I think to myself. I look over at him as we climb the stairs, its strange. He is really attractive, I would say hot. If I had seen him out in the human world I would have definitely hit on him, or batted my eyes and wiggle my hips to get him to come to me. But for some reason I have no interest in him like that.  We stop at my door and the question is burning though me to find the answer.

    "Hey, I need to know something." He perks up, waiting for me to continue. " Are you attracted to me?" I ask. His eyes widen in surprise and he looks away. I wait for him to respond. 

    "I mean, well, dont get me wrong Sel you are a beautiful girl-"

    "Woman" I correct him. He gives a brief smile and nods his head. I can tell he is feeling more nervous about this conversation then I am, and he is more nervous then I thought he would be. 

    "Sorry, woman. I think you are awesome, but I am not like....well.." he stutters trying to think of his next words, and then it clicks for me. 

    "Oh my god, I am not trying to sleep with you! Chill out!" I say shocked to realize he thinks I am trying to get him in my bed. I see warmth rise in his cheeks and I can tell he is embarrassed.

    "I am so sorry, I had no idea what was going on. We get to your room and you are asking me if I am into you. I am thinking you want me to come in,  I don't know how these situations happen or what to do. I am  sorry Sel, I wasn't trying to make it seem like you are some type of way, or I don't know-

    "Wait, are you a virgin?" I ask.

    "Well, yeah." He says without hesitation. "Its pretty common here, I am gonna wait for my mate." He says simply.  I roll my eyes, here we go again with this mate talk.

    " Ok, that's off topic. Look I am asking you if you find me attractive because I find you attractive. I look at you and I can see how hot you are, before I was a wolf I would have definitely made a move on you, but now. I don't know, its like I can see your beauty but I have no interest in it. Does that make sense?" I ask, not really sure how to word it. 

    "I get it. Wow, so that's because we aren't interested in anyone but out mates. That is who we need and crave for. You have no interest in anyone else because deep down with your wolf there is a soul mate for you and no one and nothing will compare to them." 

  "See I am all cool with being a wolf and everything and then you guys start talking about mates and its like you are in some sort of cult or something."  He laughs at my response.

    "I can understand that. How about you meet me for breakfast tomorrow? We will eat with my parents and maybe they can shed some light on the subject or at least you will see how they are." He asks. 

    "Hmmm, Im down. Maybe it will be different getting the perspective from someone actually in the relationship." I nod in agreement. 

    "Sounds good, well I will see you bright and early, breakfast is at 7, good night Sel." He says as he walks back down the hall.

    "Good night." I say to his retreating back.