Clanking sounds disappeared with the wind the next day as Reid and Jude struck spears right outside Reids private hut. A hut away from the Enclosure and the villagers. His eyes sparked a deep blue flame, his face a mask of cool seriousness, while Judes eyes remained a dull green, calm.
Krii led Joy to the spot where they were training, ignoring her questions.
"I'm not getting paid enough to pretend to be the stupid brother," Reid mumbled.
"Your acting is the best Reid," Jude spoke through clenched teeth, swinging his spear over Reids head. The Alpha ducked and his spear went for Judes legs. But Jude jumped and spun backwards, the spear missing him. He landed on his feet and immediately hurled his spear at Reid who shifted his shoulder slightly, the spearhead whisked past him, piercing the wall of the hut behind him.
"My house did nothing to you," Reid pointed a finger at him. "You are going to fix that."
Jude ignored him, his eyes focusing on Joy. She was dressed in black leather pants and a brown fur strapless top. On her feet were a pair of black combat boots. Judes eyes gave her a gracious once over as she sashayed towards them, appreciating every curve. She had plaited her hair into two cornrows, scratching them as she stopped in front of him. Jude could not keep his eyes off her.
"I know I'm rocking this outfit but your staring is just shameless," she mocked, batting her eyelashes at him.
Reid snorted and pressed his lips together, looking away from the pair. Jude took a step back, glancing at Reid then at Krii who was covering his smile with his hand.
"I-" he cleared his throat, frowning. "We wanted to test out your fighting skills while you were still here. Can you use a spear?"
"I took the classes to protect myself from creeps not fight in a war," she rolled her eyes.
"So, no," he sighed, stepping toward his spear on the wall.
"Do I really have to do this?" She groaned. "I mean... is it really necessary?"
"Well with Alpha Reid away we could have another attack. And we just need to make sure you can take care of yourself in case something like that happens again." He handed her his spear.
"Wait a minute," she held up a finger. "Fighting wolves with a spear? They will eat the spear first. Then eat me."
"Just trust me, will you?"
She eyed him for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "Great now I'm in danger in a home that's not even mine, fighting giant, crazy wolves with a spear. It would be easier if I could turn into a wolf, then at least the fight would be fair," she snatched the spear, "You know, I wouldn't even be here if your stupid Alpha hadn't decided to just leave for whatever stupid reason. And for two months? How can he leave for two months? And where are the other guys in charge?"
Reid let out a loud, humourless laugh. "Stupid Alpha," he repeated, a smile gracing his face as he glared at Jude. "Stupid Alpha she said."
"Please calm down," Jude winced, his eyes pleading with him.
"Oh, I'm sorry I know hes your leader and I don't mean any disrespect, but like if there's a breach in your security shouldn't he like sense it, or at least be informed, and come back to check it out? Especially, if it's the enemy pack guys. And shouldn't he leave someone in charge?"
"Right?" Reid nodded his head in agreement. "I wonder why he didn't come back. If I were him I'd be here right now trying to sort things out." He glared at Jude again.
"And you guys don't have a protector person yet so he's the most powerful right now. Can't you do that telepathy thing and talk to him?" Her eyes met Jude's. He shook his head and glanced at Reid who also seemed to be waiting for an answer.
'I asked you to cooperate.' Jude said into Reid's head.
'She called me stupid and I'm pissed off.'
'She doesn't know it's you and that you're an amazing Alpha.'
'Shut up.' He hissed. 'Im only doing this because there is a very high chance that she is Lyssa's daughter and your mate.'
Then he turned to Joy and spoke aloud. "It's probably because of the long distance. We can't seem to reach him," he told her. "You should fight Krii," he suggested with a smile directed at Krii.
The man had his eyes closed, facing the sun. When he heard his name his eyes popped open, gaping at his Alpha.
"Why?" He inquired gently, his confusion evident.
"Because you like fighting."
"I do?"
"You do." He shoved his spear against the man's chest then he sat himself down, cross legged.
Jude stepped close to Joy, taking her hands in his. Her hands were cold, and he searched her eyes.
"Your hands are freezing," he mumbled, rubbing them. "Are you sure you're not cold?"
She glanced at their hands, feeling her heart increase its speed. She watched the small movements his warm fingers made over hers, caressing and squeezing.
"No, I'm fine," she responded, in an equally low voice.
He folded her fingers over the spear and let go of her. She chewed on her bottom lip to hide her disappointment, her hands already missing the feel of his.
"Lean back and thrust your arms forward," he instructed and she obeyed, hesitating a bit.
"Angle the spear," he pushed it up a bit, "now bend your right knee and slide your left leg forward and at an angle. That's it." He smirked. He sounded like a proud teacher and it was only her first lesson. "You do that if you need to block your opponent. Okay, now turn only your feet forward. Straighten your back. Bend your elbows and point. Yes, attack mode."
Reid's face was back to its natural seriousness, observing the woman with his eyes narrowed.
"You can lean forward and point the spearhead downward. But keep your eyes on your opponent," he stepped forward and used his fingers to turn her chin up. "Okay?" He winked, and she shivered.
"Don't look at the spear."
"Okay, I get it," she stepped away from him and moved to Krii. "Let's do this." She pointed the spear at him.
Krii rubbed and twisted his neck, then swung his spear back and forth with one hand, freezing the hand next to his ear with the spearhead pointing forward. "I'll go easy because I like you," he flashed his canines and a rumbling sound game from Jude who was glaring at him.
"As a little sister," Krii finished off, glancing at Jude.
"I don't care Adonis Krii," Joy spat, positioning herself in the attack mode Jude had just taught her. She rushed forward, clashing her spear with Krii's, managing to shove him back a bit. He recovered and smacked her spear out of her hand causing it to land on the ground.
"Joy," Jude's smooth voice sounded from behind her. "Tighten your grip on the spear. Don't lose your grip."
Taking note of Judes instruction, she picked it up and rushed for Krii again. She connected their spears, left right, middle. Krii blocked each attack with one hand, stepping back each time she tried to poke his chest.
"Make sure your legs follow each other," Jude said. "But they should give each other space too. Don't let them-" he grimaced as she tripped and fell. "-do that."
She got up with a frustrated groan. "This is pointless," she grumbled, gripping the spear tighter.
"Well actually if you look carefully at the point on that spear its very-"
"Adonis Krii, I dare you to finish that sentence," she threatened without looking at him and he raised his hands.
"Okay," Reid stood up, dusting himself off. "I'm done for the day. Jude, come see me later. Krii, walk with me." Krii handed his spear to Jude and the two men headed towards the village.
"Do you want to take a break?" Jude asked Joy who shook her head.
"No." She pointed the spear at him. "Me and you?" She wriggled her eyebrows and his lips curved into a wolfish grin. "There's only one thing you need to know if you're using any weapon. Don't look at it." He spun his spear behind him, threw it in the air, caught it and pointed it at her.
"Show off," she clicked her tongue, and ran towards him, connecting their spears.
He pushed her and she slid back with an intense force, digging her spear into the ground to stop. She huffed, lifting her head, her eyes glowed like pools of honey in the light of the sun, and she felt a strength unbeknown to her surge within her. She attacked Jude with a fierce might, keeping up with his every strike and throwing in a few of her own. Dust and huffs filled the air when they both came to a halt, gazing at each other. Joy's vision blurred and she felt her head swing back, followed by her body, but she landed on Jude's strong arms.
***
"She's a bit weak," Jemima mumbled as Joy regained consciousness, again. "If she keeps passing out like this I'll run out of medicine."
"You can never run out of medicine in this village," Krii said.
"At this rate we will," she huffed. "Look, she's waking up."
At that, Jude, who was sitting on the rocking chair shot up and knelt down next to her. "Joy?" He mumbled, touching her face. "Are you okay? I'm sorry for working you so hard like that."
"Relax, I'm fine," she began to sit up, leaning on him.
"Here," Jemima stretched her hand which was holding a familiar cup. Joy shook her head left and right a few times.
"No. Way." She enunciated each syllable.
"Fine," Jemima grumbled. "Let me massage you then." She folded up her sleeves and cracked her fingers.
"N-No thanks," she swallowed.
'Must you?' Jude spoke into Jemima's head.
'If I don't she will suffer when she starts to shift to her wolf form.'
'You think she'll shift?'
'We all know that she is going to shift Jude. You and Reid are certain she's Lyssa's offspring, so it's inevitable. Right now, she keeps passing out because her body is responding to the environment, and it's only going to become worse.'
"Would you like me to massage you instead?" Krii offered, winking at her.
"No. I'll take the medicine." She held her hand out to Jemima who placed the cup in her hand. The liquid still tasted the same as the last time, maybe even worse. She gagged and experienced the stinging underneath her skin. Again, she didn't scream. She only grunted a few times and huffed when it was over.
"Wheres Khaya?" She found herself asking, worried about him.
"With... Flint," Jude answered. He was still kneeling next to her, watching her. "Why do you suppress your pain like that?" He blurted the question.
"Donny we should get going," Jemima glanced at Krii who bobbed his head up and down.
"Are those two together?" Joy asked when the door closed.
"Yeah, but they don't normally show their affection. Probably the most private couple in the village. What gave them away?"
"She called him Donny. If she hadn't I wouldn't have thought of it," she looked up at him. "Come to think of it they suite each other. She's mean and he's just too nice. The perfect match."
"Yeah." He nodded. "Are you going to answer my question?"
"Physical or emotional pain?"
"I understand why you didn't scream when you drank the medicine. It hurts, but it's bearable. But when the intruder attacked you didn't scream for help. Why?"
"I'm only telling you this because after I leave I'll probably never see you again." Her eyes moved to the ground, and her fingers played with the fur she was sitting on. "So, basically, the woman who gave birth to me left us when I was really young. I don't care to remember when it was. Anyways, I got attacked by this group of bullies at school. Yeah, me being bullied? I know, weird right?" She grinned. "I got attacked and I actually screamed for help. First, I screamed for her, Lyssa, but of course she didn't come. Then I screamed for anyone, but no one came. It may sound silly, but from then on, I found screaming pointless. Thus, I don't do it."
"It's not silly." He shook his head. Those are valid feelings. You were scared and that still haunts you. And you're just finding a way to cope with it, though I wouldn't suggest doing it alone. There could be at least one person you could call for help."
She only shrugged at that, a period to the conversation.
"Your mother's name was Lyssa?" He wanted to clarify. To make sure he had heard right.
"Yep. That's why I hate the name Lyssa," she yawned. "It reminds me of her."
"Do you know why she left?"
"No," she blinked back the tears that were beginning to form on the surface of her eyes. "And frankly I don't care. She made her choice. And I'm doing just fine without her."
***
"She thinks Lyssa abandoned her." Jude paced back and forth in the throne room, constantly rubbing his head with both hands. "She doesn't know that her mother was only trying to protect her. That she missed her every single day. She's heartbroken because she doesn't know."
"This is wrong. This is a bad idea, I'm against this." Jemima spoke up from her position on the floor. We should tell her the truth about everything.
"We can't do that Jem," Jude growled, stopping his pacing to look at her. "We can't do that," he repeated, his voice low but calmer.
"She is putting her trust in us, especially you," she pressed. "She opened up to you just now and you're deceiving her. She will hurt and she might never want to trust anyone again and you will lose her."
"I thought you hated her. What's changed?" Krii asked. He had been sitting quietly next to Jemima.
"I don't hate her, she's just... unlikeable the first time you meet her. But even if I do hate her, that doesn't stop me from feeling sorry for her. It doesn't change what's wrong."
"Jem's right," Reid spoke up from his throne where he was sharpening his spear.
"Reid," Jude huffed.
"But..." he continued. "She is Lyssa's daughter, which means she might be Jude's mate. And if she's Jude's mate, then she might be who we've been waiting for. We can't let this chance slip away."