Leaving Chris alone to fend off a nagata, and not just any nagata, but the Emperor’s General – which is like the Gamma among the nagata – went against all my instincts. I know how superior nagata are to a mutolupus, but I could also feel the power radiating off Chris. I’ve never felt so much power come from him before. I had to trust that he’d be okay and that he could handle this on his own and remind myself that if he does get hurt, I can heal him. I’m starting to feel a little tired from running around healing everyone. Healing people isn’t draining, it’s just that the injuries are mounting faster than I can get to them and it doesn’t help that I have to fend off attacks as I’m doing this, which is slowing me down. My Empress Spirit – as Chris now calls it – is coming in useful. It’s subduing people without me having to lay a hand on them or give them an order that will conflict with the order Zixin gave them. That’s the other struggle, trying to find where he’s hiding. Honestly,
Zixin shakes his head in amusement, “You’re supposed to be their saviour? This is just sad.” In a split second, he’s in front of me, and now I know his scent. What’s so strange is that I feel as though I’ve smelt it before. He smells like katsura and ginseng and I can taste it on my tongue. I go to throw a punch, but before I can even lift my arm he has his hand around my neck and is pining me to a tree. He leans in, his nose skimming along my jawline and I feel my muscles locking up. My vision becomes tunnelled, bile is rising up my throat and flashes of that night are replaying in my mind. I can feel him on my skin, and it’s like bugs crawling across my flesh. I’m trying to will my body to move, but it won’t listen to me. It’s like that night all over again, only this time it’s not serpentine crippling me, it’s my own mind. “You see? You can’t fight me. Just give in, it would be so much better if you did,” he leans in, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear, and I have to sw
I managed to run around and heal the remaining Tian wolves but looking around I can see there were many wolves and nagatas I didn’t get to in time. Seeing their bodies scattered around sends a sharp pain through my heart. I feel as though I failed them. Chris walks up behind me, once again wrapping me in his arms. “You did all you could. Everyone else is alive thanks to you, don’t be so hard on yourself,” he gently tells me. I look up at him sadly, “I was really hoping we wouldn’t lose anyone.” His face softens as he pulls me closer, “I know, honey. It’s never easy.” Chris and I work with everyone else to help gather the bodies of the dead. Everyone was working together, mutolupus and nagata alike. Jianyu, however, saw to his father’s body himself. No one wanted to touch Zixin’s body, which surprised me. I guess I expected someone among these people to have been a supporter, but it seems his people really weren’t big fans of his. Once all the bodies are laid out, Qiang and Nuo mak
When everything is set up and the bonfire is burning big and bright people took turns lighting incense including Chris and myself. People got up and spoke about those they had lost and even though I didn’t know these people, hearing their friends and family speak about them with so much love made me feel as though I’d known them my whole life. I know we’re supposed to celebrate and honour life, but I can’t help but feel sad and shed tears as I listen to people speak. It just makes me sad that one minute a person can be there bringing joy into your life and then in an instant they’re gone. I never really got to mourn my parents or give them the funerals they deserved. I don’t even know what became of their bodies and that thought pains me deeply. “Mei?” I look up to see Qiang looking down at me gently. “Hmm?” “I think it would mean a lot to them if you said a few words,” he says softly. I look at him with uncertainty, “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.” “You saved them and took a
I could feel a weight lifted off me the moment we were back on Invictus land. I can’t explain it, but it was like every cell in my body was reacting, knowing we were now home. I watched as the warriors were quickly embraced by their loved ones who were waiting for them to arrive. To my surprise though I don’t see Chris’ family or Tyson’s. I can’t help but feel a little sad and disappointed. Chris said they missed me, I thought they would be here with everyone else to greet us, I guess Chris was wrong for a change.Luna Marcus, however, is waiting in front of the packhouse with Alpha Elias, Luna Fleur and Alpha Alden and Luna Sorrell on his left and Beta Eric on his right. As soon as Eric spots Vitali he leaps off the packhouse steps and launches himself at Vitali wrapping his arms and legs around him. I can’t help but giggle and blush as they both embrace and become distracted by a very heated kiss. As soon as they’re done Eric detaches himself from Vitali and quickly comes over and g
I finally make my way into the bathroom, undress and get in the shower. I let the hot water soothe my body and I take my time scrubbing off all the dirt and any dry blood I missed earlier. I then wash my hair and the scent of my shampoo, conditioner and even body wash relaxes me just as much as the hot water does. I missed all of this. These things might seem unimportant to other people, but these things mean everything to me.When I’m done I get out and dry off. I towel dry my hair as much as I can and then tie it up in a bun. It’s not as perfect as Chris’ but it will do. Finally, I make my way to my closet and smile wide at all my clothes. My clothes. I’ve been wearing other people’s clothes since I was gone, some of it not fitting me all that well, so it’s a relief to be able to wear my own clothes again. I slip into some lounge shorts and a fitted tank top and already I’m starting to feel like my old self again.I can feel Chris’ vibration close by and he’s swimming with excitemen
After dinner, I helped Kennedy with the dishes. She kept trying to get me to sit down, but I’d much rather help out. This is the first time in weeks I’ve felt normal, though I’m still not entirely sure what normal is but I think this is it. When the dishes were done, we sat around the living room talking some more until it started getting late. One by one we said goodbye to our family, exchanging more hugs and promises to do this again soon, which I am all for. Once everyone was out the door, Chris shut the door behind them and leaned against it facing me with a relaxed smile on his face. “What?” I ask, mimicking his smile. “It’s just the first time in a while I’ve seen you that happy and relaxed. I was happy to see you like that again,” he says walking over to me, wrapping me up in his arms. “It was good to feel like that again. Did you know they were planning on doing all this?” “Of course, I was coordinating with them since we were at the Tian Pack. Evalyn was adamant on it bei
I make my way out of the bedroom, feeling Axel’s eyes follow me on the way out. I make my way to the door but as I do I notice those yummy buns still sitting on the kitchen counter. I quickly grab two and then make my way out of the suite, down the stairs and out of the packhouse where I’m met by the crisp refreshing night air. The moon is high in the sky and even though it’s not full, it’s shining so bright it’s lighting up the entire territory. It looks so magical.When Chris was teaching me about mutolupus’ I learned that humans call them ‘werewolves’ and think they shift when there is a full moon. The idea is kind of funny to me. Imagine not being able to control when you shifted, that would be torture. What’s also funny is a mutolupus has no ties to the moon at all, in fact, they’re more connected to the sun than the moon. At least that’s what I was told. Nagata aren’t tied to the sun or moon, or anything like that… at least I don’t think we are. A mutolupus shifts for the first