A Wolf's Miracle

Chapter 27

A familiar scent flooded my senses, and by the way Selene relaxed I could see it hit her too. A woody but ever so slightly sweet smell surrounded us. "Did I startle you?" someone said suddenly from behind me, and I jumped. Selene only stared at him with a serious expression.

"Really, Blaze?" Selene said as she punched his arm.

"My apologies," he bowed his head slightly. "I see you are up and about, ready to train?"

"Have you even asked her if she wants to learn how to fight?" Selene interfered.

"Nope, I don't care, she's going to, I have orders" he crossed his arms.

"From whom?" She inquired. I watched the exchange, and it seemed like Selene and Blaze got along but it looked like the type of friendship where one is a nagging parent and the other is a misbehaved child.

"Harlan, he asked me to train her myself" I almost flinched in surprise at the mention of Harlan. I hadn't seen him in so long... Did he want me to train? To make sure I can protect myself? 

A warm feeling pooled inside of me, my heart feeling like it was being crushed to death. He cared. I knew he cared but this was proof. Harlan wanted to make sure I wouldn't be defenseless anymore.

Selene was about to say something but I spoke "I'll do it, it's better than staying indoors doing nothing." Selene only gave me a small smile with a short nod. It seemed like it was very important to her to let me know that I didn't have to do anything I didn't want to.

"Don't be too rough on her, she's only just recovered" Selene warned as she stepped aside.

"I've seen her wolf, she can take it," he said with a smirk. And before I could register it, he had tackled me. "Now that," he got up "was way too easy."

I stayed on the ground, confused. I didn't even see him move, I also had no idea we were starting right now. "That was unfair, I was not prepared" I complained and he offered me his hand. I looked at Selene and she only smiled at me. 

"That's what it is about, you can be attacked at any time, you need to always be prepared" I took his hand and he pulled me to stand. "Werewolves are fast in our human forms but we are faster as wolves, seeing as you can't turn when you want to, I'll have to teach you to use the resources available in this form."

"Right now?" I asked, there was no warm-up. No easing into it. I felt like I was learning to swim and he just threw me in the water.

"Yep," Blaze said with a smile, pushing the longer part of his short hair away from his face. "I'll never warn you, I'll ambush you every time. It will be up to you when you've successfully predicted an ambush" That seemed fair. How hard could it be?

____

Very hard. Almost impossible. I was not good at this at all. We had been at it for weeks. Working out non-stop. Learning hand-to-hand combat techniques and how to properly fall. Apparently, there is a wrong way to fall. Who would've thought? I mean, when he explained it to me it made sense, medically.

But I was never able to predict when he would attack, it was getting bad, to the point I was walking around extremely paranoid. Is that what he wanted? He got me looking under my bed and shit.

Sometimes he lulled me into a false sense of security before he attacked. Always in his human form because that was 'All I was ready for at the moment' and I believed him. He was a walking breathing tower of muscle and being tackled by him felt like being charged by a bull. I couldn't handle anything else at the moment.

Harlan still hadn't appeared at the house. No one wanted to say it to me directly, but I was pretty sure he was avoiding me. I just had no idea why. It couldn't be because he felt guilty about the attack, could it? He was prone to blaming himself, I'd noticed. Maybe that was it.

Maybe I should go and find him... But how? I literally have no idea where he is.

"What are you thinking about?" Blaze said curiously as we both sat on the floor panting. 

I thought he might think it was random, but I had to ask "How does one ...track another wolf"

He looked me up and down before asking "Why?"

"Just... curious" I lied. Maybe I was overstepping and maybe I was being crazy but I wanted to make sure Harlan was okay. I couldn't stop thinking about him. I couldn't understand why, but I knew he wasn't feeling his best.

Blaze looked like he didn't believe me at all, "You'd have to smell something of theirs first, then walk for a while until you pick up a trail. It can be hard and tiring, I honestly don't have the patience for it" he shrugged, and looked away, avoiding my gaze. Something was up.

"Are you okay?" I asked, not sure if he would answer, Harlan usually didn't. 

"I'm just stressed" his muscles were tense, and during training, he had been rougher than usual.

I nodded "You can tell me about it if you want" I offered, ready to be turned down.

I was surprised when he took a deep breath and said "I had a talk with my parents today, they've been endlessly nagging me to date. I knew I couldn't refuse them forever but shit, I didn't think they would start setting me up" he blew a breath "Of course, I know they are doing this because they love me, but it's getting tiring."

"They set you up with someone?" I asked, urging him to speak more.

"Yeah, and she was nice, but dude- I don't get why everyone's rushing me to find my mate" he threw himself to the ground in frustration. "It hasn't even been that long since Gemma and I broke up, you know Gemma right?" I nodded "I feel super pressured." I had no idea he and Gemma dated, but I brushed past that detail.

"By your parents?" I observed him, there was something he was repressing.

"By everyone. Damien, Selene and Elowen and Arden." He frowned.

"What did they say or do that made you feel that way?" I turned to stare ahead, to make sure he didn't feel observed. And like he was figuring this out by himself.

"Nothing. They are just so happy" he said bitterly "I want that so bad, and no matter how hard I look it just doesn't happen for me." There was sadness in his voice. This wasn't just about his parents or his friends. This was about Gemma. 

"You wanted it to be her," I said softly.

"Why couldn't it be?" he asked me, but I did not know the answer. "I told her I didn't care, that we could mark each other and choose each other, but she broke it off" he looked at the sky, searching for an answer. And what he said next made me believe he found it" Was I not enough?" his voice broke, and I could see him trying to hold the tears in.

"I think it was the opposite" I added "I'm new at this wolf thing but, from what I've heard finding your mate is so amazing it can even turn a half-ling into a full werewolf," I said giving him a little smile "Maybe she wanted you to experience that. Maybe she loved you too much to take that away from you." 

I lay on the ground next to him, shoulder to shoulder. We stared at the clouds for a while, not talking. The silence was as comfortable as a warm blanket. The clouds were so beautiful. 

It took me a second to notice he was staring at me, and when I looked at him he had an amazed expression. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said with a smile, not looking away.