FEARLESS

THE TASK

"You okay?" Emery asked Al.

He had lost the fight.
You didn't have to be a psychic to predict that. Brock was something almost inhuman, and Al had just come out of recovery.

He nodded glumly.
"I guess, I just know I don't have a good chance in making it", he admitted. Emery slapped him hard on the shoulder. "Ow".

"Don't say that Al-"

"It's the truth, I have a bad enough chance as it is with my injuries but with Eric constantly pushing and digging in where I'm weak. It's just impossible."

Emery bit her lip. There was some truth to that statement. If Eric didn't back off, Al would struggle.

"I know it's hard. I know it's shit. But you can't let him win Al, and I know you think it's all just talk, but I think you can do it. I know you can. Eric, while admittedly a little terrifying is quite simple. He wants control, obsesses over it, that's his one goal, but it could also be a weakness. Don't let him control you".

"He wants control over you Emery". The way Al said it sounded like he was upset with her.

As if he was questioning her, how could you allow him to do this? Have possession and control over you?

She felt a pang of guilt as Her eyes scanned over his bruises.

"He gets crazy when a guy even looks at you. I know you don't want to acknowledge it, no one would blame you, but he's crazy about you and he's not going to have some Initiate stand in his way, or some stupid rule about Initiate and leader relationships".

Eric had already warned her that he was in charge, he had all the power. Unfortunately there was some truth in Als statement. He wanted control, that's all.

Eric had never had someone who he couldn't control, Emery believed he was only obsessed with the idea of her being submissive to him. It's all he cared about, power.

"I'm going to help you Al"

"Yeah, how you going to do that?"

"Well I can help you build back up your strength, show you my tactics to help you when fighting, and..." she grinned at him cunningly.

"Well this should be good your smiling like a Cheshire Cat".

"A plan".

"A plan?" Al repeated.

"A plan. Albeit a little childish, but a plan nonetheless. We get Christina to fake a relationship with you, few pecks here and there, I mean you already spend a lot of time together. It would make sense".

Al pondered the plan over in his head. "Really think Eric will fall for it?"

"With enough convincing, sure".

***

"I can do that" Christina smiled looking up at them both. "I mean Al your not evil on the eyes are you".

"Thanks?" Al replied.

"But why are we doing this again?" Christina asked, Emery bit her lip, and she felt heat rush to her cheeks. Christina already caught on to Eric's afflictions.

"Just to keep Al a little safer", Emery muttered. Instead of making jokes, which Emery didn't mind, Christina looked at both of them with softened eyes. She knew what Emery was worried about.

"No one blames you Em for what happened. And no one is thinking what you're thinking," Al grabbed her hand. "Everyone knows you're succeeding because of talent, not..." Al trailed off, but she knew what he was implying