Appleberry(Completed)

Ch. 5: Training & Conflict

It had been a full weekend of nonstop history and spell lessons. Along with doing extra school work. Since I had missed two months of school. It was January and cold outside. Snow covered the grounds and trees. Even the roads weren't safe from the snow.
I was lying in bed with Slade when Franks came in. "We have to leave in a bit to train my friends."
"What? Who? There are more of us?" I sat up in bed.
"Yep. The little siblings. Well, my age. You get it." Frankie sat down at the foot of the bed.
I looked back at Slade. "Did you know about this?"
He shrugged. "Yeah, they all have siblings. Except me. I was the only child."
I put my attention back on Franks. "Who are they?"
"There is Maddox Appleberry, Iggy Barlow, Zif Hardy, and Pixie Alderman. They are all in my class." Franks was staring at her phone.
"Waiting on a text from lover boy?" I leaned against the headboard.
Frankie shot me a look. "Why don't you like Zeke?"
"I like Zeke. I just like protecting you too. Is Pixie the same age as Zeke?" I watched Frankie look from her phone to me.
She nodded. "Just as smart too. She just wanted to be with people her own age instead of skipping to senior year."
"I can understand that. When do we go to Zeke's and start training?" I got up and went to the bathroom.
Frankie followed. "In about an hour. Then we may go to the beach."
"They do know that it is freezing outside. Why go to the beach?" I brushed my teeth.
"They just wanted to. So, dress warm." Franks smiled and skipped out of the room.
Slade came over and leaned on the door frame of the bathroom. "You ready to watch the kids?"
My toothbrush was still in my mouth. "No. But we have to do it."
Slade raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me? We? I don't have to go there."
I rolled my eyes and rinsed out my mouth. "Slade, you have to be there. You know your stuff. They could use your experience."
"My experience. Meaning I am brilliant and can do everything perfect?" He gave a self-satisfied grin.
I threw my head back and laughed. "You are so air headed."
I walked pass him into my room. "Just please, come. I want you there."
Slade plopped down on the bed. "Wouldn't your boyfriend be upset if I was there?"
I sat down beside him. "Yeah, but I want you there and he will accept that. Just don't flirt and it will all be okay."
"I can't make any promises Sloane. Now come on, let's go." He winked and went downstairs.
I did not want to go and teach the young ones. It wasn't because I had to deal with them. It was because I had to be around both, Slade, and Phoenix. I couldn't stand the testosterone. It was like animals fighting over meat. I knew they cared about me but still.
***
The whole ride over to Zeke's, Slade bugged Franks. She was about to go nuts. "Sloane, put your dog on a leash."
I looked over at them. "Why don't you two just be quite then I won't have to put him on a leash."
"We only have about five more minutes until we are there. Just hang in there and shut up. Or I will let you both walk." I put my focus back to the road.
They fell silent and kept their hands to themselves the rest of the way there. I couldn't get the car parked fast enough for Frankie. She was out in a flash and up the steps to see Zeke who was standing at the door.
"Do you think they will get married and be in love forever?" Slade moved his eyebrows up and down.
"They probably will. I am just glad she is happy." I got out of the truck and slammed the door.
"Hey." Slade came running up behind me.
"What?" I kept walking.
He took ahold of my wrist and spun me around. "Are you okay?"
"I'm just not feeling it today." I kicked the snow.
He grabbed my hands. "Whatever it is, you can do it and get through it. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for."
"Thanks. Let's go in and see what is going on." I let go of Slade's hands and walked swiftly inside.
I was greeted by Phoenix who was waiting on the stairs. "Hello darling."
We kissed. "Hey, where is everyone?"
"They are in the study and then some of them are in the backyard." He grabbed my hand.
When we were fixing to walk off Slade came in. All three of us tensed up. "Slade."
Slade's jaw tightened. "Phoenix."
"How long are you two going to do this?" I let go of Phoenix's hand.
Phoenix looked from Slade to me. "Until you choose which of us you want."
My eyebrows raised in shock. "Excuse me. I thought we were together?"
"We are but..." Phoenix's face was getting red.
"But what? I am with you Phoenix. Slade is one of my best friends. What are you so afraid of?" I searched his face for an answer.
He threw his hands up in the air chuckling. "You seriously don't see it? You and Slade have spent more time together than you and I have. I am your boyfriend, that means you spend time with me. But you seem to be in love with him. It's bullshit."
Slade went to get between Phoenix and me. "Hey, don't talk to her like that. It's not her fault. No one can be put to fault when they fall for someone or like someone. It just happens."
Phoenix's jaw got tight. "Are you doing all the talking for her now?"
I tugged Slade out of the way. "I can talk for myself just fine. He is right though. But I am with you Phoenix. Shouldn't that count for something?"
Phoenix stared hard at me then to Slade and back to me. "Screw this."
He walked passed us and slammed the door leaving. I ran after him calling for him to come back but he never stopped. He got in his car and left.
Slade was right behind me. "Just give him time. He should realize that you aren't going to break up with him. It broke the curse and everything."
I turned to look at Slade. "Why did I have to meet you? If your aunt would have just left things alone, none of this would have happened."
I could tell that hurt Slade. "My aunt was just being a caring person like she has always been. She wanted to make sure you were okay because your family and friends were worried. I looked after you because I owed her that. I didn't know I would fall for you. Yes, I know it had only been a short time. I told you I had feelings before I even meet you in real life. I can't change that. Nothing is going to change that."
I crossed my arms. "Are you done?"
Slade copied me. "Are you done?"
"I hate you." I stormed off.
Slade yelled after me. "No, you don't."
I didn't hate him. It had been a little over three weeks since being back from Montana. My feelings for Slade had grown. But my feelings for Phoenix was there too. He helped me with a lot before I ran off. We broke the curse. But that curse never said I had to stay with him. Just fall in love with an Appleberry and I had. But I was also in love with Slade.
Slade had been there when I was at my worst. I don't think anyone would have went after me and watched over me when I went lone wolf. But he was there. He let me do my thing without getting bothered or getting upset that I was a jerk. He just went with it and didn't ask anything of me or to stop. He matched up to me.
Just when I thought my love life would get easier, it just got complicated. I didn't know what to do. Phoenix was mad at me and Slade was just chill and letting me take it out on him.
I walked out to the woods. I just wanted to run, again. "Hey Sloane, are you okay?"
The fleet was out trying to teach the younger siblings to transform. So far it was going okay. "I will be back in a minute."
Zig came running up to me. He leaned in so no one else would hear. "Are you okay? If you get lost out there, it's going to be hard to get back. Those woods while it is snowing, it gets thick."
"I'll be fine Zig. I just need to run off some steam." I started taking off my jacket.
"Woah, what are you doing?" Zig grabbed my arm before I could take my jacket all the way off.
I shook his hand off. "I am taking my clothes off. I am going to transform and run around."
"You might want to go into the woods and do that. The kids, Sloane." He nodded towards the woods.
I rolled my eyes. "Okay."
I walked out in the woods. There was a log laying there. I laid my clothes on that and started to transform. At first it feels like all my blood is boiling hot. But closing my eyes and grounding myself to the earth makes it feel less painful.
Once I was transformed, I could hear for miles and the smells around me were so much more powerful. My senses were heightened as a wolf. The snow even felt different under my paws. I took in the smell of the snow and took off.