3 - A Friend And A Hero

~Trixie’s Point of View~

Jeanette just walked with such a purpose, with her head held high, never looking down to anyone. I was beyond jealous, desperate for that kind of confidence. I wasn’t sure I could ever do it. I felt the vibes from everyone else and they clearly said “I’m better than you.”

She led me to a large tree where many females were sitting. I noticed the she-wolf speaking had a name tag that read “Meghan.” I know it may sound so simple to some, but being able to read meant everything to me. I was sure the others that came from Kingdom 10 couldn’t read.

“Curfew is 11pm for those that haven’t shifted yet, 2am for those who have and if you are on your birthday night you are not to be out without a counselor,” she explained. 

“When’s your big day,” Jeanette whispered. 

“The 9th,” I said.

“Ohh jelly! I have forever to wait, it seems, I’m the 27th,” she said, still holding my arm.

I wasn’t completely sure the 9th was my birthday, was the thing of it. The blanket that I was left with at the orphanage had “Jul 9,” sewn into it with rudimentary stitching. So that’s what I always went by. 

It was a general rule that if you were to give up your pup that you did somehow leave an idea of their birthdate. For a pup to not know when their first shift would come was pretty cruel. That was one of the few rules the palace did try to enforce, along with not mating or marking a pup. But of course where I came from, I’d seen things. I’d heard things.

“Just a word to the wise, your phones are waterproof but please do not go out of your way to test that by leaving it at the bottom of the lake. Also when you are in a class or under instruction have it on silent. We’re all adults here and we don’t want to have to take phones away but we will,” Meghan said. 

Oh I had no idea how to use the phone but I would have to figure it out. Not like anyone would call me though.

“Girl we’ll have to swap numbers,” Jeanette said, excited. 

I grinned. Did I have a friend already? I had to play it cool, she couldn’t know I was desperate.

“Sure,” was all I could think to say without sounding too needy.

“All right so it’s about 90 minutes until chow time, why doesn’t everyone find a partner and go on a little self-guided tour? I’m in cabin 39 if anyone has questions,” Meghan said.

“I came here and toured around a bit a couple years ago when my sister came so I kind of know some stuff. I’ll show ya,” Jeanette said, pulling me away from the group.

My feet just absentmindedly followed hers, excited for someone new to talk to. Someone who was kind and didn’t have any expectations of me other than my company. Surely, she’d be bored of me quickly though, I had nothing to talk about of much interest.

I mean what do I say, hey I’m one of the maids who has probably cleaned your house? I’m one of the females that gets sold or handed off to older males that can’t find a suitable wife on their own... 

No! No, I had to put that all out of my mind. It wasn’t going to be my path or my future anymore and I had to do everything possible to ensure I didn’t go back there. Miss Sally’s house would only ever be a distant nightmare.

After a few minutes of her pointing out where the medical cabin was, the dining hall and the path that led to the training grounds, I saw the lake. It was a good walk away still, but it was breathtaking. There were literally no bodies of water in my Kingdom, well that I’d seen. 

There was a sandy beach all the way around it and the sun shone brilliantly on the little ripples created by the small breeze. 

“Isn’t it pretty,” she said, pointing.

“It’s absolutely breathtaking,” I said, simply in awe. 

And terrifying, I thought. A death trap.

“You do know how to swim right,” she said, starting to walk toward it.

I cringed.

“No … never learned,” I said, shly. 

“Oh hey, no biggie. We’ll get that fixed up,” she said, bumping my shoulder. 

“I uhm … well I don’t even have a swim suit,” I said, embarrassed. 

I don’t have room in my bag for a lot of things, but there’s no point in having a swim suit with nowhere to swim.

“Oh no big thing! I have four I brought. I mean you’re a lot more blessed than me in the boob department and you got a nice round butt, but I’m sure one will do,” she said.

I absolutely blushed, and if we weren’t out in public with others around I would probably hide in a dark corner and pine over her words for days. This unbelievably beautiful girl was jealous of my body? She had even … checked me out like that?

A stupid smile crept on my face. I was insanely bashful and in shock. I wasn’t at all used to compliments. 

“Hey Jeanette, I didn’t know this was your birth month! You gotta give me your cell number, we can hang out at night,” a male said. 

We were now at the lake and there were easily two dozen others standing around. I wasn’t getting wolf vibes from all of them, which either meant they were lycan or some other kind of shifter. I was completely intrigued. I’d never seen anything but a wolf in its natural form.

Jeannette dropped her grip on my hand and began speaking to the male. I felt so out of place but I was insanely curious about the water. I found myself walking out onto the long dock, passing a few that were in conversation. I got to the end and sat on my knees. I inhaled the fresh mountain air, the heavenly scent of the woods that every shifter loved so much. It felt right, it felt like home.

Kingdom 10 was a bustling city, filled with people on the go and most working two or three jobs. Enjoying nature like this was beyond a luxury most there never got to know. I pushed away my fear of the water, and reached down, scooped some in my hand. It was clear, and cool. My perfect moment was however, very short lived. My ears quickly picked up the sound of feet moving fast, hard against the dock.

I began to pull back from my hunched over position but I didn’t get the chance to move far. Suddenly I was thrown forward and I felt the water envelope me, my hands frantically swung around and my feet kicked. Water filled my nose and my mouth, I completely froze with panic! 

I bobbed to the surface long enough to get a gasp of air before going under again. I struggled to breathe and my arms kept flapping the water, trying to break the top. Suddenly I felt a hand grip my hair and push my head back down.

I opened my mouth to cry out for help but it was mostly filled with water and I doubted if anything came out but spit. Who would do this to me?! Will no one help me? I can’t die before I even get the chance to have my wolf, to find my mate!

Absolute fear and panic flooded me and my body was so exhausted from the fight that I almost wanted to give up, to give into it. I briefly broke the surface again as a strong arm came around my neck, pulling my head fully above the water. I spit from my mouth, and coughed so hard my lungs felt like they were on fire. Someone finally saved me, took them long enough.

“Just relax, you’re all right,” a male voice said, pulling me back to his chest. 

He was warm and strong, finally my body stopped thrashing around and just went limp. I obviously didn’t know this male but I somehow trusted him. He felt so amazing. Was it just him or were all males this intoxicating? So much so that I somehow forgot I was half drowning for a minute.

“Help me get her up,” the voice said again.

Suddenly numerous hands were grabbing me, hoisting me onto the dock. The male who’d been my hero rolled me onto my side and held me. I got lost in the comfort of it, the safety.

“Cough it all out okay,” he said.

Jeannette’s scared face was instantly in front of me, wiping the hair from my skin.

“Girl I am so damn sorry, I’m so sorry,” she said, panicked.

My eyes fluttered up to see Mallory being dragged off by two males, she was yelling the entire time but I couldn’t tell what she was saying. Why was she so hateful?

“You’re okay, you’re safe now,” the male said, calmly.  

Yeah, if you only knew this was only about the 50th time in my life someone had tried to kill me. Common occurrence for an orphan with no friends to watch her back. I struggled to catch my breath but it was getting easier. It was like he had cast a net out over me, and it was helping me. Or maybe I died for a minute and was seriously hallucinating.

“Let’s get you up okay,” Jeanette said, trying to sit me up. 

I finally got upright and could only think of how glad I was I didn’t kick off my shoes. They were the only ones I had. I’d have been totally humiliated having to spend the rest of camp barefoot.

“Show’s over everyone! Go back to your unimportant lives,” Jeanette said, shooing people away.

I cracked a smile. I’d barely known this female for an hour but already I liked her so much. The male came in front of me and put his arms around my chest, helping me to my feet. Damn he smelled so good. There was the definite air of “other” though, and something told me he was a lycan. Well, he had to be … he was just … large. Very, very large.

“You alright pup,” he asked, assessing me and holding my shoulders. 

He’s talking to you … say something! My mind went blank, I automatically lowered my head. Suddenly his big hand was in my face, raising my chin. I felt like a drowned rat.

“Hey, you okay,” he said, looking concerned.

“Yes, I just need to get dry clothes. Thank you so much. I’m so sorry about your clothing. I’ll wash it for you. What was your name,” I asked, talking a mile a minute.

I wasn’t going to lie, I was curious about my savior, and for the moment it seemed like he didn’t mind speaking to me … a lowly Kingdom 10 nobody. 

“My clothes,” he asked, almost amused. 

He looked me over again and I’d absolutely never felt more self conscious. Jeanette seemed to be thoroughly enjoying our little interaction.

“What’s your name,” he said, as his hand stroked my cheek. 

“Trixie,” I said, now practically breathless again as I looked up at him. 

His deep brown eyes fixed on mine and I suddenly couldn’t think. I was completely thrown for a loop since no male had ever touched me like that. It seemed personal … intimate in a way, but maybe I just wanted it to be. I had to be imagining things. If he was just being nice this seemed a bit above and beyond.

“And what cabin are you in,” he asked, moving his hand away as if he had made a mistake touching me. 

I froze like an idiot and couldn’t think.

“We’re in 42 big boy, so don’t be a stranger,” Jeanette said, giving him a playful slap on his shoulder. 

Jeanette was taller than me but she still had to get on her tiptoes to make the gesture. He turned to glare at her but quickly fixed his gaze back to me.

“Goodbye Trixie,” he said, turning to leave.

“You haven’t told me your name,” I shouted. 

Jeanette turned to look, obviously interested as well.

He just kept walking and with his back to us, threw his hand in the air with a small wave.

My feet wanted me to stay put, but I didn’t want to move. Jeannette however began pulling my arm and I had to admit I needed to get out of these wet clothes.

The walk back was fast and Jeanette helped me hang up my wet clothes. She was humming something and she just seemed so at ease, like she didn’t have a care in the world. Whereas I’d been here a few hours and I’d already made an enemy who almost drowned me. 

“This place is so big. You know … I hear at night, a lot of people try to sneak over to the other side,” she said.

“Other side? There’s more,” I asked, curiously.

“Oh yeah sweets! The other side of the lake is a whole other camp with their own everything too, that’s why so many people hold out hope they’ll find their mate here, since there’s so many people in one location at once,” she grinned.