Welcome back, my lovely reader!
Let me tell you this, Alice is nothing if she's not stubborn. She's loyal and dependable, but she's reckless as the nine hells! She'll stand against any that disrespect or threaten her family, but you probably saw a bit of that during her evaluation.
Still, will you stand before the one you love in order to protect them?
Let's jump right in!
—♥—
Episode 13:
I did not ask you to be a shield
I awoke to a thunderstorm, lightning filling my bedchamber as I stood and moved to the window. The flashes of light filled the sky, illuminating the thick clouds, the haze of rain making it impossible to see the city in the distance. I set my jaw in thought and reflected on things, something I did a lot these days.
My mind wandered while I stood there alone, then I shifted my gaze to the large thicket of trees adjoining the grounds of the mansion. I could see my teeth showing through the glass, clearly showing the anger on my face.
I reined in the fury in my soul and turned from the window, quickly dressing in something more casual. I noted the look of shock on your face when you saw me emerge in blue jeans and a short-sleeved shirt of black. I showed my teeth in a grin as I spoke with command, "With me my pet."
"Powers are lovely, it's nice to streak across the sky in bounding jumps. Likewise, it's fun to find yourself moving at speeds that would leave an Olympic runner green with envy."
"I myself... there is something therapeutic about a late-night drive in the rain..." I hummed the words as I pull the fifty-something-year-old sports car from the garage as you sat beside me with an excited grin showing.
The wiper blades glided back and forth against the windshield, batting the rain away while I drove on the dark roads. A long silence hung between us before I simply started recalling what was on my mind earlier. "Elias summoned me to his chamber while I was training. It had been nearly a month since our return..."
—♥—
"You called upon me, Master?" I spoke out to the fox upon entering his study. A servant had fetched me from the training facility in the basement area. I hadn't bothered to change and still wore the beat-up black shirt and torn blue jeans. Both articles of clothing flecked with blood stains and rips.
Elias folded his hands on the desk and gave me a long calculated look. "Are you well, my Lady?"
My white ears lowered and I felt my posture relax a little, assuming his casual address meant it wasn't official business. "I am my love, why do you ask?"
"Katrina expressed concern to me because you did not come to bed upon the dawn. She says this has happened multiple times, ever since our return from house Lakestone a few weeks past." The white fox shifted his gaze to look intently into my eyes as if reading me like a book.
I frowned and put my hands on my hips. "I have just been focused on my training. I didn't mean to neglect her."
"Why so dutiful? Even Alex has expressed concern with your nearly... obsessive routine." Elias rose to his feet and stepped over to the window sill, placing a hand upon a pane of glass.
I pursed my lips and followed his movements then spoke out pointedly. "I wish to be stronger to protect what I love."
"Protect it from what, pray tell?" The fox looked at my reflection in the dark windowpane, his ears lifted as if gauging for falsehoods in my words.
"Hunters, celestials, demons and... other houses. Just to name a few." I cut my eyes away at his gaze, feeling him seeing right through me.
"Other houses? We are not hostile towards any houses, Alice." The fox locked in on my hesitation with the words right away.
I frowned and straightened my back before speaking. "Several members of our family have mentioned houses can fued. I simply wish to-"
"Enough!" The fox barked the word out and pushed his hand out towards me. I felt his will slam into me and the words in my throat caught. "I can sense there is more to this. Explain things to me, now." The words came out as a commandment and I clenched my teeth.
"My lord... with all due respec-"
He was on top of me in a blink of an eye, his fingertips under my chin lifting my face to gaze upon him. His teeth showed in anger and I saw flames starting to flicker at his folded ears. "Do not deflect with me, Alice."
I folded my own ears and felt my own teeth show. I tried to jerk my head away but he clenched my chin and pulled me back to look into his eyes. I gave him a glare at the motion and my own flames showed before I pushed my will forth and broke his grip, taking a step back. "I love you, my lord, but you ask me to speak of things I have sworn to not talk of! Would you have me go against my word?"
Elias folded his arms, his own foxfire flaring up as we stood there in his office apart from one another. I clenched my teeth trying to maintain my resolve in his overbearing presence. However, deep down I knew that if I could not stand before him even slightly, how could I if he needed me against someone on par with him. I clenched my jaw and dug my heels in, spreading my legs and thrusting my hand out, flames lapping at my fingers.
"Why this display of defiance?" He called out with a snarl. "I can feel you testing your resolve against mine. I do not wish you to break your oath, but if this concerns your family. I have a right to know!"
"If I cannot stand against you, how can I protect you?" I spat the words out with a glare, my sharp canines showing and my flames growing brighter.
