Chapter 2
2
TALIA
A s I stepped into the bathroom, I opened the glass shower door, and turned the knob all the way to the left.
I liked my showers as hot as they could get.
If my skin wasn’t red as hell when I was done, then it wasn’t warm enough.
I quickly showered, stepped out and dried myself off.
As I was finishing drying my hair with my towel the door to my bedroom was being thrown open.
The walls shook with the force of her slam.
Damn she was quick, I didn’t even get to blow dry my hair or put lotion on yet.
“Talia you better hurry! We only have two hours until the packs start showing up and I am going to need it to get you ready!”
Celeste shouted from the bedroom with panic evident in her voice.
Can you believe her Sionn? Trying to get us all dolled up for these males? My wolf chuffed in annoyance; she hated the idea of settling down just as much as I did.
She liked having her way with as many males as we wanted, and she had given up on finding our fated mate long ago.
I guess we will have to dry our hair the fast way huh? Think you can lend me a hand with that? I could feel her smiling inside as a wave of heat rose within me, letting me know our magic was surfacing.
I closed my eyes and concentrated, while moving my hands from the roots down to the ends I envisioned my hair drying.
I could feel the temperature of the bathroom rising as my heart rate increased.
Once I felt my heart rate normalize, I opened my eyes to find my hair fully dry.
My eyes were glowing since my wolf was so close to the surface, and anytime I used my magic I could feel her even more.
Shifters didn’t have magic abilities, but the stronger ones did have extra strength, speed, and endurance.
Only Vampires, Fae, and Witches were supposed to have Vemor.
The reason that I had a well of Vemor inside of me, I just wasn't sure what the reason for the was just yet.
“Girl come on, we need to get started”, Celeste whined as she stepped behind me.
I looked at her in the reflection of the mirror and her eyes widened.
“You used your magic again? Doesn’t that drain you?”
she said, concern filled in her voice.
I smiled and said, “It does, but it also brings Sionn and I closer together every time I wield it.
I feel like there is a well of power at the bottom of my chest, I just haven’t been able to tap into it yet.”
I rested a fist between my breasts and turned to Celeste and said, “I will be fine, let’s go get ready, shall we?”
She looked me over then nodded, “You seem better already, let’s do this, but I want you to be careful and not use any magic tonight okay?”
she said, while looking over her shoulder and walking into the bedroom as I followed behind her.
“I promise.”
Celeste grinned as she turned around, holding her pinky out to me, “I’m going to hold you to that Tal’s.”
“A pinky promise? Really?”
I laughed.
“Are we kids?”
I rolled my eyes as she just widened her smile, the corner tipping up as she said, “No, but I take them seriously.
So, unless you want to do a blood oath and swear it to me that way.”
I shuddered while hooking my pinky with hers, " A pinky promise it is then." I was not a fan of needles.
Blood didn't scare me, but tiny little needles poking at my skin.
Yeah.
No thanks.
“Shit I forgot the straightener in my bathroom, I’ll be right back!”
she screeched as she hurried from the room leaving me to at least put some underwear on without company.
Celeste and I lived together in a house we shared on pack land.
Her uncle was the alpha so when we moved here a little over five years ago, I just moved into a room in her house with her.
Normally, there would be several other pack members sharing a house with her but since she was the alpha’s niece and the only one at that, she was given some liberties that others were not.
She used to share this house with her brother, but he had gone missing several years before she started college.
She didn’t talk much about him, so I didn’t pry.
I figured when she was ready, she would let me in.
Celeste was the most loyal friend I could ever ask for.
I never would have guessed she came from money when we lived together back at NYU.
Our apartment was a studio in a hole in the wall complex a couple blocks from campus.
“Okay I got it!”
she smiled as she walked back into my room.
Sighing, I stood up and gave her my best do your worst look.
“I found a few different outfits that will work for tonight, and don’t worry I brought shoes and accessories as well.”
Celeste bounced up and down in excitement, the pink hair from one of her buns coming loose with the motion.
Of course she did.
I wouldn’t expect anything else from her.
She has a degree in fashion design afterall.
She had job offers from all the top fashion designers before graduation.
It’s probably why she was such a clean freak.
Style, fashion, and presentation were her love language.
I tried on clothes for what felt like forever, but it had only been twenty minutes, before we found the perfect outfit.
“Damn girl.”
Celeste stood next to me propping her hands on her hips.
“This right here is the one!”
she cheered.
I smiled as I took in the outfit laid out before me, Celeste’s happiness was infectious.
She’d chosen a forest green halter top that showed a little of my midriff and a pair of skintight leather pants.
She tried to get me to wear a pair of heels, but I shot that down fast.
She sighed.
“Alright you can wear your stupid combat boots.
At least they go with the outfit and give off that I’m sexy as shit but don’t fuck with me vibe.”
Once I was done getting dressed, she proceeded to do my hair and make up for me.
Thirty minutes later, when I was given permission to look.
I walked up to my full-length mirror next to my closet door, I let out a small gasp.
I barely recognized myself.
I’d let Celeste dress me up before, but tonight she’d outdone herself.
She had defined the natural curls of my red hair and slicked it into a high ponytail that reached my lower back as I swished it side to side.
A couple of loose strands had been left out to frame my face, tickling my cheeks.
My golden-brown eyes stood out so brightly against the light brown and gold eyeshadow that they almost glowed.
Maybe that was my wolf peeking through with her approval.
My favorite part of the outfit was the pants, my pants were so damn tight you could bounce a quarter off my ass.
I turned slightly and smirked at Celeste. “Now these are what I call a pair of pants.”
“You look hot as fuck Talia! Now all you need is a damn dagger to strap to one of your thighs and that would complete your look.”
She sighed while looking my outfit up and down.
Since the night of my graduation, I've had the urge to learn how to protect myself.
I wanted to know how to use every weapon at my disposal.
I have been training in hand-to-hand combat, long swords and just recently added daggers to my routines and workouts.
“Well, now that you mention it, a dagger would class this outfit up.
Let’s see what I have around here,”
I said with a shit eating grin on my face.
“Wait, when did you start using daggers in your training? And why the hell wasn't I invited to join?!”
she pouted.
I chuckled as I bent down onto my hands and knees, reaching under my bed frame to move a few floorboards back.
Underneath was a metal bin that contained all my weapons.
I reached in and grabbed one of my favorite daggers.
I knew exactly which dagger I had grabbed by the metal twists and Celtic knots on the handle, the texture only broken up by the smooth surface of the sapphires set into its hilt.
The weight of its hilt in my palm caused a sense of calmness to wash over me triggering a memory to consume me.
“Protect your face!”
Lucas growled.
I shifted my feet and leaned to the left, managing to avoid the blow to my face but only by an inch.
My lips turned up at the corners just as a loud crunch echoed through the room as his fist connected with my ribs.
Fuck.
Grimacing, I held my ribs with one arm while trying to catch my breath.
With each breath came a wave of intense pain.
Yeah, he broke a few.
"Arms up, square your shoulders, widen your stance." He ground out.
Why did I ask for this? Fuck.
He just kept shouting orders at me.
“You just broke my fucking ribs! Give me a minute you asshole.”
I shouted while my ass proceeded to fall to the mat beneath me.
The sound echoing through the gym where we trained after my shifts at the silverwolf tavern.
“You asked for me to train you.
In a fight your attacker won't give you a moment to breathe Tals.”
Lucas replied.
“I know, but shit.
I need a minute, okay?”
I leaned my head forward, pulling my knees to my chest as I tried to catch my breath and for my healing to kick in.
Someone cleared their throat from behind me.
Lifting my head my vision blurred slightly making it hard to make out the figure in front of me, but I'd recognize that deep scottish brogue anywhere.
The voice of my Alpha.
“Natalia, can we talk for a moment?”
Jericho was staring at us with a frown forming on his face.
Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck.
Jericho towered over me, his stance wide and arms crossed over his chest.
Clearing my throat, I stood up and looked at him briefly meeting his bright green stare before lowering my gaze, “Yes, Alpha.”
Lucas murmured, "I'll just be outside.
Yell for me when you two are done," before he walked out, giving us the room without glancing back.
The sound of the doors closing behind him echoed off the gym walls, causing the floor beneath me to shake.
“I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be training.
I just want to know how to protect myself.
I will never allow another to scar my skin, or harm me without me giving a good fight.”
I whispered.
I looked up hoping I wasn't about to be kicked out of the pack and he was smiling.
Jericho was smiling.
“I have a present for you.”
he chuckled, while running his hand through his deep red beard.
“A present? Women aren't allowed to train… why aren't you punishing me?”
I questioned.
Jericho stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder, “Natalia, I have known you were training with Lucas since the moment you started.”
He chuckled.
“Why didn't you stop us?”
My brows furrowed as I turned my head to the side, glancing toward the door where Lucas was standing.
“I was there that night when Celeste brought you here.
I know you were traumatized that night, and I would never prevent you from learning to protect yourself.”
He whispered.
My throat felt tight as the emotion I was feeling began to consume me.
Squeezing my eyes shut to prevent any tears from falling, I took a deep breath then asked, “What did you have to give me?”
Reaching into his jacket pocket he pulled out a wooden box with the letter Z engraved on the lid.
I reached forward and took the box from his grasp.
I ran my fingers over the clasp before opening the lid to find a dagger lying inside.
A dagger with sapphires entwined in its Celtic hilt.
I closed the bin, put the floorboards back where they belonged, and stood up with a smile on my face from the memory that I just had.
Eyes wide from shock, Celeste smacked my shoulder, “Well I’ll be damned! Next time you change your training I want to be invited.”
I chuckled.
“I started a few months ago, and I didn’t want to tell you until I had it mastered, which I now do.
So next session I’ll let Lucas know you are joining us.
Now, let’s get this strapped to my thigh and make me look fucking ruthless.”