chapter 28

LYNEXIA

I'm doomed.

From the moment Julianne holds her knife so feebly, I know our training is doomed.

There are only three people who can tolerate me enough to train me in combat.

Gavin being the first, is busy. Dimitri, well, I hate him and even I can't tolerate his presence. And that leaves me with Julianne.

When I first informed Julianne that she would train me in combat, she gaped at me and told me she didn't think she was the right person for it, but as the good, positive radiating girl that she is I was able to convince her otherwise and she agreed and convinced herself and me—barely— that she could do it.

I rub my thumb on the pack of my forehead where an ache is starting to form from watching Julianne fumble a knife in her hold.

There is nothing difficult about holding a knife but I doubt she can do that. What I have seen Julianne do so far is enough to conclude that she isn't fit to train me in combat but I still hold on to a flimsy hope because she is my only option.

When I can't take the eyesore of the knife slipping from her hand time and time again, I walk to her, take the knife from her grip, and hold it like it should be held.

"Like this right?" I ask her, twisting the knife in my hand.

Julianne nods her head delightfully. "Yes. Yes. Like that."

"Let's skip that then," I say, handing over the knife back to her.

"So..." Julianne twists the knife between her fingers for some time before she can get a proper grip on it. She makes a series of very easy demonstrations in the air and tells me to replicate them.

With a resigned sigh, I do them easily and even better than her.

Julianne eyes widened with delight as if I did something extraordinary. She applauds me with claps. her hand. "Oh goddess, that is so good. You are catching up faster than I expected."

No, I am not. The demonstrations are just too novice even for an amateur like me.

When Julianne takes the knife from me to do yet another amateurish demonstration. I yank it from her hand and throw it across the floor.

"I think that's enough," I say. "How about we fight?"

Julianne nods her head. "that sounds good."

She balls both of her hands into a fist over her face, ready.

For a second, I think she may actually be good at one one-on-one combat but when she lunges forward wobbly and loses her footing, I know it's a dead end.

I gape as Julianne tries to keep her leg ground, her arm flailing until she eventually lands on the ground with a wince.

How can something as easy as that make her lose her footing?

I shake my head. Finally accepting the truth I dreadfully don't want to believe. She isn't equipped with the skill to train me against the likes of Elena—she isn't equipped with any skill at all.

I say with a resigned sigh. "Let's call it a day."

I outstretch a hand to her and then lift her to get her feet when she takes it.

"I didn't do well, did I?" She asks, wiping the speck of dust off her dress.

"It isn't about you, I'm just tired," I say, feigning exhaustion. "I learn quite some good skill from you." I smile and she beams right back at me. I peel my eyes away before I linger too much and start seeing traces of my best friend in her.

"If that is the case, then will you follow me to the store?" She blinks at me, adorably. "I want to get some flowers and paintings too. It will just be a few minutes we won't take long."

"Sure," I say.

"Okay," Julianne says joyfully. "Let me have a change of clothes. I will be right back." She splints back into the house.

I mull over how to go about training myself. My wolf powers should have been my source of power but it's nowhere to be found and combat is the only thing I'm relying on. Though, it still doesn't hold against wolves like Elena, it is still something.

With Julianne and Gavin out of the picture, it leaves me only with Dimitri.

No. I shake my head. Like I said at breakfast this morning, I would rather eat pebbles than spend another moment with Dimitri.

For a moment, I felt bad for what I said when I saw the pain flash in Dimitri's eyes, fleetingly. But it quickly washes away when I remember our past and why I am here in the first place.

Julianne sprints out of the house and we then take our leave.

A few minutes becomes two hours. We brought several things more than just paintings and flowers. We go from store to store, testing out lipsticks, mascara and mainly ladies accessories.

I feel so light again and I enjoy coming with Julianne.

With a sigh, we walk out of the last store toger.

"It's been so since I felt like that." I say. It's been so long since I feel like the weight of the world isn't draped on my shoulder.

"I know, right?" Julianne beams beside me. "Let's do this everyday, please." She drawls.

I nod my head, knowing that isn't possible.

As we start to walk down the sidewalk, Julianne says. 8"Thanks Lynexia."

"Oh please, friends ste supposed to go shopping you know?" I snort.

"True."

We make our last stop to buy ice cream before we finally head home in a silence pregnant with content.

My first suspicion should have been when I pushed the gate in and it opens easily with a lock but I'm still bringing with joy from this afternoon and I brush it off my shoulder. Besides, Shadow pack is relatively safe from things like robbery so it isn't common to not shut the door.

The moment I step foot into the house is when my suspicion spikes up. The usual warmth the house usually have is now so chill that I feel it deep in my bone.

Julianne must have felt it too because I feel her tense behind me as she walks into the house.

I feel a pull of my dress from behind. "Someone is in here," she whispers.

With my hand I gesture that she stays behind me. Without a sound, I pick the long broomstick leaving against the wall of the foyer.

My heart hammers as the intruder finally comes into view. They look lanky, slightly taller than me, and their face is hidden behind a mask.

"Who the hell are you?" I point the end of the broomstick at them.

The intruder just smirk, their eyes flashing with subtle recognition. They know me but I don't know them.

The lunge forward so fast, easily yanking the stick out of my hand and unto the floor. Before I blink, they push me forward, knocking off to the ground.

I groan in pain, my eyes squeezing shut.

When I open my eyes, the horror I see steals the air from my lungs.

The intruder has a knife pressed against Julianne's neck.

Julianne trembles against the hold, fear visibly rolling over her shoulder.

"No. No. Please." I say, my voice thuck with plea. "Please...whatever it is that you want...please..." My voice cracks.

With pure cruelty, the intruder presses the knife into Julianne's neck and let drip out of her throat.

"No." I scream, like a banshee.

My body trembles, overwhelmed by horror that just happened.