A week had gone by since Ivy's encounter with Charles and basically, it was the last time they had spoken. Full moon was approaching but besides that, everything was pretty much calm. It wasn't the good kind of calm but the unsettling one that felt like the eye of a brewing storm.
One afternoon, a familiar restlessness stirred within her. It was the day she was to meet up with Charles for their first training session. She was a bundle of nervous excitement at the moment.
"Dad," she announced as she peeked into the living room. Edward was engrossed in a newspaper when his daughter's voice pulled him out of his musing. "I'm going to meet a friend for an extracurricular activity. I should be back by dinner time."
He glanced up, a tired smile and a raised eyebrow gracing his features. "Extracurricular, huh? What club did you join this time?"
Ivy winced at the question. She had always been a terrible liar. "Not exactly a club," she began mumbling, "more like a… self-defense class."
She heard him chuckle. "Just be careful, and call me if you need anything,"
"Thanks dad!" she shouted as she pretty mych ran out of the house. The walk to Charles' house was a rather quiet one, mostly because she was trying her best to listen for intruders or possible attackers.
Reaching the building, she climbed the familiar stairs and knocked on the door. It creaked open a moment later, revealing Charles flashing a playful grin.
"Ivy," he drawled, "glad you could make it. I'm guessing you're prepared for today's class?"
She took note of his tone voice before rolling her eyes. "Very funny. Can I come in?"
"But of course." As he said this, he stepped aside allowing her to enter. He listened closely to her footsteps as she walked in, only to come to a sudden halt at the person she saw inside.
She felt his eyes watching her back and she fought back the urge to snap at him. He could have at least informed her that someone was here. Ivy recognized the lady as the same detective that was at her school, some days back. She had no doubt in the world that the detective recognized her too.
"Umm… hello," she said rather weakly.
"Hello," came the curt reply.
"Where are my manners?" the words came out of Charles mouth and Ivy wanted to just kill him, but then she'd be left without a teacher. "Ivy, this is Detective Riley from the agency I work with."
"Detective Riley, this is Ivy Ainsworth… a friend."
She turned to look at him before turning her head away from him. She could almost swear that she saw the detective make an "oh I see" face.
"Detective," Ivy greeted once again but she was not given a warm reply from the detective.
"Alright, Riley. It would seem that we may perhaps be running late as I have an engagement I must attend to. Perhaps we can continue at a later date."
"I understand Graham. Just make sure to come bright and early tomorrow morning."
She turned to leave but not before saying a few words to Ivy. "It would seem a conversation is in the making for the both of us."
Ivy gulped and gave a nod as Riley exited the house.
"So," he began as he turned to his student. "Ready for your first training?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," she said as she squared her shoulders. "Where do we begin?"
"Come with me."
She followed him through the door that lead to his basement where she could tell it must have been in use consistently or rather that the items in the basement where consistently used.
She however didn't notice the presence of chains.
"A full moon's coming up. How do you plan on keeping yourself under control without chains?"
"I see someone's worried about me. Don't be. I have turned so much in my life that I have learnt to be in control at all times."
It would seem that with every passing day, Charles would basically keep on impressing her. Having control over one's transformation was no easy feat, evidenced by the fact that not everyone could do it, especially not someone her age. She had to ask.
"How old are you?"
Charles blinked twice at the question before bursting into tiny fits of laughter. "You wouldn't want me to answer that question. Besides, that's not what we're here for. We are here for you and your improvement in the realms of fighting."
"How do we start?"
Charles took off his shirt to reveal a tank top before cracking his knuckles.
…
The next hour was a whirlwind of activities as Charles put her through a series of highly demanding exercise, and with the way she was now, Charles had doubts that she would be able to stand and go about her activities. The exercises ranged from agility drills, basic hand-to-hand combat and even awareness training. Despite her best efforts, Ivy was clumsy and easily outclassed. Charles took the opportunity to tease her whilst also encouraging her and pushing her to her limits.
"That's enough for today," he said as he watched her regain her expended energy. It was a good thing she was who she was, otherwise she would have spent the next two or three days sleeping.
"You did good, considering that it's your first time."
Ivy merely nodded as she took in huge gulps of air.
He took a glance at his phone screen. They still had a little bit of time left before she would need to do.
He extended a hand to her. "What do you plan to do in the mean time?"
She looked at him as she held a finger to her chin.
"After that long and arduous workout, I seem to have burned through what little energy I have."
Charles seemed to get where she was going with her statement.
"Fine. I'll order something for you to eat."
She turned to him. "Me? What about yourself?"
"I'll prepare something for myself later."
"Why not prepare for me?" she asked, giving him a rather incredulous look.
"Why are you looking at me like that? It sounds like you doubt my ability to cook."
"It's not like that," she said as she tried to explain herself. "It's more like… I was just thinking… since you're confident in your ability to cook, why not prepare one for me."
"Not a chance."
That caught Ivy off guard. "Why?"
"It's simple really," he replied merely shrugging his shoulders. "You haven't earned that yet. Perhaps someday." There was a chuckle at the end of his statement.
Ivy pouted at the statement but she didn't have a single comeback to his statement, instead she chose to turn her head away from him.
A smile graced his features as he made his way upstairs, hands swiping across his phone as he made to place an order for her. With the full moon approaching, there was one thing Charles knew would be ideal for her.
"How does steak sound?"
…
Ivy pretty much devoured the steak that was presented before her. Charles knew the feeling all too well. As the moon drew to its full form, it gradually caused agitation within them and their hunger for… meat also increased. Charles suspected that she would not be going to school a day or two before the full moon.
"Now that you've finished devouring the steak," he began as she turned to look at him, "how are you feeling with the full moon approaching?"
Ivy turned away from him. She remained quiet for a while before speaking up. "I am scared. I have always been scared of it, especially the pain of transforming, even though it becomes a lot easier to deal with as time passes, I can't help but be scared."
Charles gave a nod. He understood it completely.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"How are you able to control yourself while under the influence of the full moon?"
"The truth is, no werewolf has perfect control over their transformation but through a high mental fortitude, one can influence their actions by diverting priorities. It's something that is very hard to do and it in itself requires practice before one gets the hang of it."
She seemed to be deep in thought. "So you've gone through the process? How was it?"
"Hell… it was torture. The transformation under the full moon doesn't last the entirety of the full moon. The transformation starts to take effect when the moon reaches its peak in the sky and ends three hours into the transformation."
Ivy listened attentively.
"To get the hang of it, one needs to force the transformation to begin again and fight against their instincts."
"That sounds painful."
"It is…" he turned to look at the time. "It's getting late. I should get you home before your dad starts getting worried."
"I suppose," she said as she got up from where she was seated. "Thanks for everything and for a lovely steak lunch… dinner… just thanks."
Charles couldn't resist the urge to smile. "You're welcome."
He resigned himself to be her guard from a far enough distance that he wouldn't easily be spotted from, as he watched her go home. The sunset was pretty, he thought to himself and for the second time that day, he couldn't resist the urge to smile.