Chapter 4

Charlotte’s leg was going to fall apart anytime soon.

She was just coming back from work, and all she got was $10 as tip, she was vexed, even her eyes felt like they were falling apart. But she needed to train, she needed to feel important.

With that thought in mind she stubbornly stuck out her chin, and raised her shoulders. It was tiring but she felt it was worth it, with her rigid back and strained toes she walked sluggishly into her room.

“honey is that you” calls Hayes.

“who else mom” she responds even her voice was strained. Charlotte could hear the various pots clashing against each other, it was so much noise for her, especially when her senses were heightened, and they are always heightened, well except when she can control it, and now she is too tired to control it.

“mom!” she screeches.

She could hear footsteps padding along the hallways.

Her mother after sometime fills up the space in her room.

“honey we need to talk” Hayes pauses at her daughter’s door like she would bolt through it if she lets out what is on her mind.

“you know the full moon is coming up soon?” asks Hayes. 

Immediately she says It Charlie already knows where she is going.

“I am not going to that pack house again mother” Charlotte counters as she stands up from her bed, and take noisy steps to her wardrobe, pulling of her shirt she tosses it on her bed and is about to take another from her hanger when she hears sniffles, honest sniffles.

She grunts, and closes her eyes she always found it hard to breathe when she hears those sniffles. 

With careful steps she gets closer to her mother and seats beside her on her bed, “what’s it mother?”

Hayes looks up at her and tries to fake a smile, but when she sees the determination in her eyes she decides otherwise.

“I miss my daughter…. So much” Charlie nods, knowing what she actually needs right now is a vent. 

“she misses me, I know that too” she swallows her saliva and continues the explanations.

“you remember when she used to take those meatballs, and steal my purse?” she asks Charlie, her eyes are holding tears. Tears that don’t seem to fall when Hayes wants them to.

“I remember” Charlie shifts a little closer to her mother, her memory travelling on a very rocky soil.

“I really want to go see her Charlie” Hayes turns towards her daughter, her eyes already shimmering with tears, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“I miss her so much, char” 

“I know ma, even I do too, but I don’t even know what you want me to do, I mean she didn’t want to leave with us, how sure are you that….” Hayes put her finger on her lips, stopping her from saying what she wanted to say.

“we don’t know for sure Char, but I know your sister misses us”

“well I am not sure about me” Charlotte mutters, Hayes smiles at that. “you forget I am a werewolf” 

“I don’t ma” replies charlotte.

“it just came out that way” adds Charlie

“staying around humans has made us suppress our other side. Well me, since you train every now and then. But Char” she takes Charlie’s hands in hers and squeezes them.

“I think it’s time we accept their services, let them provide for us, let them give us better jobs, and take care of our other needs” Charlotte knew pride has always held them both back, she couldn’t bear to accept any help from the now office. It makes her cringe each time the idea is being mentioned. But she knew she had to compromise if she needed better schooling, better training grounds, not sneaking around with her late father’s bodyguard to train, Jeremy has already given up much of his time, told her as many times as she could recall to give up the pride.

“I don’t know ma, can we not talk about that now, maybe after training this night, by then my brain would have been cleared” she uses her both hands to wipe the tears from her mother’s eyes.

“everything will be better, and we will make sure of it” Hayes doesn’t say a word and walks off nodding frantically. With a sigh Char gets up and begins putting her stuff in order.

**

“yes well you’re not as strong as when fully transformed, so make use of your were form” Jeremy pranced around Charlie in glee, in his eyes as he fed on her weakness.

“but you’re light on your feet, and you’re fast, use that to your advantage, where strength doesn’t go, skill does, I think” although the last sentence was supposed to be on a not serious note, his face spoke otherwise.

“we train to keep fit, to thrive in what we own. Forward” he orders. Charlie shoots her leg forward in the air, and holds, it’s a process she’s been up to for as long as she knows. According to Jeremy most of her strength is in her legs, but that doesn’t mean her hands are useless though.

“hold for as long as you can, this exercise teaches endurance, and pain, get used to it”

Her breaths are ragged now, and even her muscles were exhausted.

“now come at me, only with your right leg, act like you have no other part of your body functioning, only once your leg gets a part of your body you’re free to go, if you use any other part of your body you’re going to have to start afresh” 

“come on at me” he orders. His hands in his pockets. With a sly smile gracing his lips he begins pacing around.

Charlie raises her legs up to the air only for her to land with her pelvis.

“think Fast Charlie, and get used to the pain, involve your super side”

With her brain trying to comprehend she gets up and tries to take another swing with her right leg only for her to hit the empty air. Her legs hit the ground due to lack of movement.

“use your brain and your imagination, understand the power of movement” 

Watching his every step, and his legs she takes another swing, but comes up empty again.

“hit me Charlotte”

“give me something” she says still panting, her singlet is already soaked, the same could be said about her joggers. “take a swing Charlotte, like we mastered…” he takes a breath and twists his side to avoid coming in contact with her legs.

“the hand movements” she takes a swing again, only for her to come back down hitting nothing, frustrated she takes a step back, and sits down a little close to a tree.

“if you really want to hit me, you have to cheat Char, and you have to think with your brain not your legs”

Charlotte looks at him with eyes that could kill, only problem is that, they won’t actually do a thing.

“hit me Char, and I will let you know why I need you to train”

Standing up and wiping sweat from her forehead and chest, she ties her hair properly, and begins bouncing on each foot.

“come on Charlotte, let’s see what you have” with his hands at his back he waits for her to take a swing.

“remember Charlotte, don’t ever underestimate your speed, you’re faster than most people”

She runs toward him with all she has, Jeremy tries to slide only, it wasn’t what she was aiming at, charlotte jumps as high as she can and with her left leg she touches a tree for support and taking three twirls in the air she uses her left leg and as fast as she can, she hits him hard on his neck with her right leg.

He falls with a thud on the ground his hand blocks his forehead from coming in direct contact with the ground.

Charlotte smiles and with a no grace at all walks toward a tree.

“I said to touch me not to hit me so hard” he gets up and stretches.

Charlotte lets out a chuckle, and bows her head.

“well you said the only way to hit you was to cheat, whatever that meant”

He takes a seat beside her and smiles at her, they both smile at each other.

“you know I recall the time I wanted you to train under me, and I guess it’s time you know why I really want you to train” he takes a deep breath and bows his head.

“it’s the least I can do for my friend, your father”, he has a faraway look as he says this. she looks at him confusion written all over her features.

“what exactly do you mean?”

“vampires have been spotted outside our coast since the death of your father, three years after to be exact, and we’ve been receiving threats from unknown sources since 10 years back. I just need you to be able to take care of you, no one knows what can happen next”

Charlotte nods, not wanting to comprehend the importance or effect of what he just said. The situation is a bad one she knows it, but she wouldn’t want to put more fear in herself by asking him to explain more.

“I understand”

“you have to submit yourself to the services Char, if you really want full immunity, you have to, else, you’ll be all alone when bad stuff happens”