Kanin

Jax came back around mid-morning, not saying a word to me about what he’d been doing. He gave Cade a pointed glare and for a moment his eyes turned red. They were speaking to each other through their connection and it was something that they didn’t want me to hear.

It must not have gone well with the other members of the pack.

I watched Jax disappear up the stairs with a grumble. I was still sitting at the island with Cade, who still hadn’t finished his cereal. It sat soggy before him. “He wants you to get ready to train.” Cade said to me.

So, they were using their connection.

I nodded and without another word, I climbed the steps to my bedroom. I hurriedly changed into a pair of workout clothes before tying my hair in a bun at the top of my head. I made my way back to the kitchen again, hoping that Jax was already waiting for me.

Cade was standing there instead, wearing workout clothes as well. He pulled open the back door and let me out first. Sure enough, Jax was standing there. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of running shorts. He had his back to me, and for the first time, I noticed that he had a tattoo on his right shoulder blade.

I wondered why I never noticed it before. Maybe it was because I’d tried so hard to avoid looking at him at all. Now, things were different. I didn’t feel so bad letting my eyes wonder a bit. It was a black raven with its wings outstretched. Running through it was the outline of a dead tree.

“Are you ready?” Jax’s voice pulled me from my day dream and my eyes snapped away from his muscles. I nodded and stepped further into the yard. “Come over here.” Jax led me into the yard and had me stand with my back facing one of the trees. “Now close your eyes.” I stared at him a moment, but didn’t obey. “Trust me, Kanin.” I nodded and let my eyes fall closed. “Now, focus on the sounds around you. Let your ears do what your eyes can’t.”

I took a deep breath in and tried to focus. It was hard. All I could hear was the occasional bird and the sound of the wind through the leaves.

“Focus, Kanin. Focus on one sound first. Then, move to others.”

I did as he said. I focused on the sound of the wind through the trees. Soon, it was like everything around me was magnified. I could hear Cade’s heart beating from where he stood at the back door watching me. I could hear Jax’s light footsteps as he took a step closer to me. I could hear my shallow breathing as my body tried to focus and relax.

Suddenly, my stomach was on fire. I had the overwhelming urge to duck. My body was moving before I’d told it to. Faster than lightening, I was crouched on the ground. My eyes were wide open and staring at Jax. A spilt second after I’d moved, a throwing knife hit the bark of the tree I was just standing before.

I was suddenly thrown back into the memory of the day I’d met Jax. He’d thrown a knife at me in his office. I didn’t have the mark at my ear from where the knife cut me anymore, but suddenly the tip of my lobe burned with the memory.

I rose to my feet and crossed my arms over my chest. “Back to this, are we?”

“That was good, Kanin.”

I spun around to look at the knife once more. “What if I hadn’t moved?”

“You would’ve healed.” He shrugged, like it was nothing that I’d been seconds away from being struck with a throwing knife.

I balked, “I cannot believe you.”

Before I even had a chance to react, another knife came flying from his fingertips. I watched it, almost as if it were in slow motion, as it sailed end over end towards my face. I reached up easily and caught it before it hit me. Jax had done the same thing to the knife I’d thrown at him that first day in his office.

“Would you stop it!” I yelled, throwing the knife to the ground.

“This is your training. I’m not going to stop.”

“You’re training me by throwing knifes at my head?”

“I’m training you to hone your abilities. Starting with your ability to sense danger before it happens.” He twisted another knife in his fingers and I waited for him to throw it in my direction. “It’s working.”

“You’re the worst trainer in the world.” I groaned.

“That’s ridiculous, have you met every trainer in the world?” Jax quirked an eyebrow and smirked at me. Here he was again, driving me insane. He really did know the best ways to get underneath my skin.

“Would you just shut up and throw knifes at my head?” Well, that’s the first and only time I’ll ever ask anyone to do that.

We worked on my ability to sense danger for the next hour. By every passing minute, I had more of an urge to stab Jax again. It was getting harder and harder to hold my tongue every time he made some remark to me. Sometimes we had to stop and take a breather before I did stab him.

I’m sitting on the ground now, stretching out my legs and back. I can feel Cade’s eyes on me from where he sits on the porch. He’s barely spoke a word since coming out here an hour ago. He’s been a heavy presence by the back door, watching and judging. Sometimes I see Jax’s eyes flash red and I know he’s speaking to Cade through their wolf connection.

“I think we’re done for right now.” Jax said, stepping past me to the back door. “We’ll train later.”

I nodded and climbed to my feet to follow the two back inside.

For the next week, that’s all we did. We’d get up early in the morning and train for a few hours. It would always end with me being irritated with Jax. I was starting to think that it was part of his training to make me mad. It was working if it was.

After our morning sessions, we’d go back in the house and avoid each other for the rest of the day. Then after dinner we’d find ourselves back in the yard to train once again. After training, we’d break apart again to go our separate ways. Cade would plop himself down in the living room. I would watch Jax disappear into his office. Then I’d make my way into my bed room to take a shower.

Tonight, was no different. I stood under the steamy water until my fingers pruned. When I stepped out, I wipe the steam from mirror and studied my reflection. I looked stronger. I looked more confident. For once, I knew exactly who I was seeing as I considered the mirror. I knew who I was. I gave the girl starring back at me a smile before I pulled on a pair of sweats and a tank-top.

When I stepped back into my bedroom, I stopped mid-stride. Jax was lying on his back on my bed, arms folded behind his head and blank eyes staring up at the ceiling. “Do you miss your stars?”

For a moment, I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. Then, it took the breath from my lungs. The glow in the dark stars I had at home on my ceiling. The ones that were now fading. “You’ve been in my room?”

He nodded, “Sounds pretty creepy when I say it out loud.”

“Well, you did follow me around for twelve years.” I teased. I made my way to the bed and sat on the edge beside him.

He sat up and looked over at me, “So, do you miss them?”

I sighed, wringing my hands together, “Sometimes. I don’t really think about them much anymore.”

“I’m sorry.” His voice was weak and quiet.

I didn’t have to ask him he meant, “It’s okay. Really.”

He nodded, but I knew he didn’t agree.

“If it weren’t for you and your pack, I’d probably still think I was human. I probably still would have thought my father was away on business when he left for the weekends.” I sighed. “I would have thought my mom was just another girl that met the love of her life in college.”

Jax didn’t answer, but he gave me a ghost of a smile.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You just did.” He teased.

I glared at him, but continued with my question, “The tattoo on your back, what does it mean?”

He gulped and suddenly looked away from me, “They say ravens mean grief and loss.” He reached his hand back and traced his finger over the tattoo on his shoulder blade. “The tree stands for my pack’s symbol.”

“You got it for Jamison.” I realized.

He nodded.

I climbed back into the bed, lying on my side with my head on the pillow. He followed suit, laying on his side to face me. My eyes searched his face, content on finding all the little scars that he had. I liked to study him. I liked to watch him. His eyes studied me right back. I used to feel uncomfortable under his heavy gaze, but now I felt safe.

He leaned in the few inches towards me and planted his lips against mine. It was quick and light, but I didn’t miss the passion behind them. He didn’t have to say anything for me to know what he was thinking. I reached across and entwined my fingers through his. I closed my eyes and started to drift to sleep.

Suddenly, Jax’s hand was ripped from mine and he bolted upright. I was just as quick, but I wasn’t sure why. I saw his eyes turn a dangerous shade of red and knew something was very wrong. I heard tearing fabric and saw that he’d let his claws slip into place, shredding the covers he was clinging so tightly to.

“Jax?” I reached out to him, but my hand only touched air. He was at the door in seconds, my eyes barely catching his movements. “Jax!”

I watched him pull open my bedroom door. I heard running footsteps coming up the stairs towards us and knew it was Cade. I was at my feet and standing behind Jax in seconds. I watched Cade come into view, his eyes were red as well.

“What’s going on?” I asked frantically.

“We have a visitor.” Cade said out loud, his eyes never once leaving Jax’s.

I followed the two down the stairs and towards the front door. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. Standing at the front door of Jax’s mansion was the blonde haired she-wolf, Bevin.

I heard Jax growl and I saw Cade reach towards his alpha. Cade placed one steady hand on his friend’s shoulder, holding him in place.

“What do you want?” Jax sounded more beast than human now.

Bevin’s eyes traveled across us three. She barely gave me any attention as she stared at the two man before me. I could feel the tension between them. “I’ve come to warn you, Jackie.”