We Dream of Hope

Secrets

Waking up to the sun sparkling through the window Nadia was the second person awake in the room. Odion stared with melancholy eyes out the window his head rested in his hands. As she rose he turned to her and smiled halfheartedly. “Good morning.” it was weak, but he at least tried. 

“Are you okay?” she tried, she gave herself that much benefit, she just couldn’t help but want to fix him. 

“I’m okay, how are you feeling?” 

“Concerned for you.” 

“Don’t be.” he turned back to the window.

Sera was about to be disappointed, she couldn’t even make it one minute, “Odion, are you upset?”

He didn’t look at her, just stared out the window, ignoring her question. “Go get something to eat.”

She could feel Sera’s disappointment already, but she didn’t care, he had been there for her when she felt herself getting lost to the panic. “Not until you smile.”

Boredom struck across his face, he wasn’t going to play this game, “I’m not in the mood for this.”

“Seems you’re not in the mood for anything but sulking,” she mumbled but it was clearly loud enough for anyone to hear let alone his sharper hearing. 

“Nadia, honestly.” He rolled his eyes.

“What? Maybe you should just tell me what’s wrong. I know something is. I’ll find out eventually, so why suffer right now?”

“I’m not suffering.” his smile was amused, but still hurt, so she caught his lie right away, but she wasn’t going to push it, at least not out loud. 

Sera had just told her she was stronger than they ever would be, so time to test that. She glared at him looking right through his eyes. She could feel his pain, but it felt strange. Like there was a secret he had to keep and it hurt him to have to keep it. 

“Stop!” The voice was Sera, she had her little clutches on Odion’s mind, keeping him from talking. She came rushing out of her room and growled at Nadia. The first time she had shown any kind of discontent with her specifically and with such an intensity. 

“What?” The noise caused Ma’at to wake and join the now brewing argument. 

Sera looked at no one but Nadia, her eyes focused and her mind was sharp, her voice echoed into Nadia’s head. Please, don’t do this. He’ll tell you when the time’s right. 

Not wanting to play these mind games Nadia shook her head and knocked everyone out yelling, “What are you guys keeping from me?”

Maat stood up and offered her friend comfort, “Di, what’s wrong?”

“These two, they are keeping secrets. I want to know what it is.” at least she was able to follow part of Sera’s advice, she was finally not caring what they thought of her. However, what they were keeping from her was different. 

Sera looked at Odion and was disappointed, she had given him one job, and he was having the biggest issue with holding back. “Look, there are things between us that just aren’t things you should know. Once you’re in a better place maybe we can tell you. Right now, it’s just unnecessary and a distraction. Please, Nadia, we talked about this, just give it time.”

She resigned with a huff, she wasn’t going to just forget about it, but Nadia was going to learn it eventually. Odion was stuck up on it and so it had to be important. However, if she pressed it she might not be able to repair what damage it caused. 

“Look, we’ve got a few weeks at most before we will have to leave,” Sera quickly started up to ease the tension, the day was just beginning and already it was not the best start she had hoped for. “First, Nadia, you have your assignment today. Ma’at you’re going to be sparing with me. Odion, you’re going to be working on your shifting.” She clapped her hands, “now, let’s get going. Everyone knows what to do.” she twitched her head at Nadia ushering her to get going. Then took Odion’s arm and grabbed Maat’s hand, “Let’s go people!”

Outside Nadia kicked the ground, she needed to figure out what she wanted, but how could she discover that for herself? Right now she wanted to be a part of the secret mother/son conversations, but that was a lost cause. Deep down she knew Warner’s death was hitting Odion more than he originally let on, but could his recent melancholy be because of Warner? 

“Stay safe, don’t leave the smaller houses.” Sera waved at her turning back into the sweet carefree young woman. 

Ma’at, still uneasy over watching her leave, had her hand forcefully waved by Sera’s enthusiastic arm. In one swoop she dropped her arm and ducked sweeping her legs around knocking Ma’at onto her back, “First, you worry too much about her. That will get you killed.” Ma’at quickly regained herself with a kick back onto her feet. “Good! However,” Sera with one palm rushed her hand into Maat’s chest, knocking the air out of her lungs and she coughed.

“You’re going to break a rib!”

“You’re stronger than that and you know it. Now stop worrying and start taking this seriously!” She came with a flurry of twists evading Ma’at’s fists and jabbed an elbow into the same spot her palm just pressed. Ma’at closed her eyes and as a reflex grabbed out not only stopping Sera’s attack but holding her close. “You’ve got me, but you’re hesitating,” Sera twisted her legs upward climbing on Maat’s shoulders and releasing her grip. “Don’t hold back, you’ve got no weapon, I am a weapon. So come after me to kill me!” The two continued to dance with Sera pointing out her flaws after every turn. Maat was clearly getting frustrated, this little twig was able to keep from ever being trapped. She always felt like she was losing. 

Odion stayed far from them and watched as Nadia walked away. He seemed to want to call after her, but he knew Sera was keeping an ear to his thoughts. She wasn’t going to let anything slip; he may have been small but was feisty and not to be trifled with. He sat down, eyes closed, Sera had said this was all just a matter of his mind, so why did it feel like it wasn’t? He didn’t even know where to start, she had helped him get in touch with his heightened senses, but at the same time, he couldn’t turn back into a wolf. Sitting legs crossed and eyes closed the world around him faded. The warm light from the sun clung to his face as it rapidly climbed high into the sky.

He thought back to his talk with Sera, it wasn't that he didn't want to tell Nadia what happened, he just had learned so much and Seraphine was not the kind of person to give information slowly. She burst out with one thing and all of a sudden she's explaining his entire life. She knew things about him that no one else did. 

What worried him most wasn't the fact that she was nonchalant about everything he had been through, it was the fact even after she heard everything and was supposed to be his mother she didn't offer him any sort of comfort. Thinking back he didn't know how a wulver mother should act, but they were part human. Warner was the closest thing he had to family before her and even though Warner acted tough he still supported Odion. He imagined that if Warner saw him upset he would have offered guidance. 

Buck up kid! Sera's snarky snap knocked Odion back to the present. You can't live in the past. You want me to be supportive? You want me to be some kind of motherly figure, too bad that's not me.

You could at least pretend to care about my feelings.

Oh sorry, did I not make myself clear? WE are faced with an enemy that will kill us and you do not have time for this. There will come a time when we can stop, and console each other, until then I won't hear about it.

Having enough of her, Odion shut her out. Trying to make up for her past, yeah right.