The Minx

Aspen was mad at me. I couldn't let go of the idea of putting myself in danger for Aspen, and it pissed him off. He was worried for my safety, and I wanted to do everything I could to be a proper mate to him. I figured that if I could figure out how to control the blue light that came from my hand that one time, I would have an advantage. I turned my fear into actively seeking out Marco for more training over the next few weeks. Aspen wallowed and silently pouted but he didn't interfere. I wanted to active the light defense from my hands again. Which meant Marco would come at me with everything he had. So far, it resulted in me just getting beaten up every day. On the plus side, I was getting strong when it came to fighting. I was getting stronger in wolf form as well. Marco and Ben alternated training me as I stopped going to school altogether. I couldn't risk leaving the heavily guarded Alpha House before I was ready. Plus, Aspen wouldn't let me anyway.

I panted as I used a towel to wipe the sweat from my neck during a break. I still hadn't been able to recreate the blue light yet and it was frustrating me. Maybe it was because I knew I was in a safe, controlled environment.

"Ben, I need you to stab me with a knife," I blurted.

"What?" He exclaimed, caught off guard.

"Stab me. Don't hold back, and don't fake it. If you actually break skin, I'll just go to the infirmary. But I need to test something," I tried to explain.

"You're my Luna. I can't just... stab you," he said uncomfortably.

"I'm ordering you to," I said sternly. Ben hesitated before pulling a switchblade from his side.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked. I took a breath, set the towel down, and faced him head on before nodding. He sighed before coming at me full force with the knife. At the speed he was going, I knew I wouldn't be able to dodge it. I felt the adrenaline course through my veins as my fight or flight response kicked in. I raised my hands up on reflex to block myself and the blue light shot out of my hands. A streak of light hit Ben in the shoulder, immobilizing him. He grunted and dropped to his knees as the knife fell from his hands. My eyes widened as the light retreated. I knelt in front of him to check him over.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Remember the feeling you just had right then. You'll need it for later," Marco said before helping his son to his feet. Ben held his shoulder gingerly as he tried to get his breath back.

"Holy shit. That thing is no joke," Ben grunted as he tried rotate his shoulder. He groaned before dropping his hand back to his side. Marco sighed before lifting Ben's sleeve slightly.

"It left a burn. Let's go get you looked at," Marco said before assisting Ben out of the practice room. I was left to stare at the dropped blade on the mats. I tried to recreate the feeling I had earlier and the light shot out of my hands again.

"You figured it out?" Aspen's voice reached my ears. I recalled the light before turning to face him. Even though I finally figured it out, I wasn't in the best shape. Before that, I was just getting beat up by Marco and Ben. I was pretty sure I was black and blue with bruises all over. I nodded silently as I hid my hands behind my back.

"If I keep practicing, I'll be able to call it out on my own," I answered. Aspen sighed before grabbing the towel and dabbing the sweat away from my face.

"You know you don't have to work this hard," he said softly.

"You're finally talking to me again," I noted. He paused before letting his hand fall back to his side.

"Because I know you want to make me happy, but why can't you see that you, alone, make me happy? I don't need anything else. I've already experienced losing a mate. I don't want to go through that again. I don't want anything to happen to you," he tried to explain.

"But since I've come here, and become your mate, you've given me everything. I haven't given you a single thing. And we won't last if it's one-sided giving all the time. Even if you're okay with it, I'll feel guilty for the rest of my life knowing that there was something I could've done," I tried explaining myself. Aspen touched my face gently as he sighed.

"I know that nothing I say will change your mind," he sighed in disappointment as he looked away. I kissed him gently just to try and reassure him, but I knew it wouldn't. I knew why Aspen was upset. I was willing to risk putting myself in danger, for one. Two, he knew it was because of him. Three, we weren't dealing with just any old, cocky human.

Kieran was a nine-tailed fox. We were dealing with another mythical creature. One that was arguably higher on the food chain than us. Nine-tailed foxes were crafty and powerful, but most importantly, they were hard to kill. Kieran was a male nine-tailed fox, which was telling in itself. Younger foxes were typically female. To be a male fox, Kieran had to be even more powerful than the average fox. Which only brought my questions back full circle: why was he targeting me?

"So you agree to let me go?" I asked hopefully. He sighed and dropped his hands away from my face to hold my hands in his. Before, I was petrified, but after thinking about it more, I was feeling more worried about getting my questions answered and solving the issues Kieran created in the first place. After finally getting the light to work from my hands, I feel like I had more confident in myself.

"Why you're dying to run back to that fox, I don't understand, but I don't want to fight with you for the rest of our lives over what ifs. I'll let you go on one condition," he finally agreed. I waited, hanging onto his every word. Finally, the ray of hope I needed. I knew why I wanted to go to Kieran. As much as I told Aspen I loved him, it was really a debt. He saved my life and gave me a place where I belonged. He gave me a place where I fit in, where I was wanted. It was something I craved after my parents died. Every day I questioned if I loved Aspen, or if I loved the place he created for me. I knew the answer. I wanted to pay him back. I was uneasy receiving so much from him without giving him anything in return. That was the main reason I was so desperate to give him something, even if it was a child.

"I'll do anything," I promised.

"You have to beat me first," he gave the ultimatum.