Fated By Starlight by Krista Street

Chapter 9

~ AVERY ~

My first week of training was brutal.

True to his word, Wyatt didn’t go easy on us. He pushed us hard, demanding more and more from us physically. The bath and potion had helped me that second morning, but since then I’d woken up each day moaning in pain with limbs that nearly refused to move.

So every morning, I used Wyatt’s advice to get out of bed and keep going.

It’s all mental.

The first few weeks are the hardest.

Remember why you’re here.

Only one week in and already I was giving myself pep talks. Yep. Rather pathetic, but at least it worked.

“How’s it going, Meyers?” Chris asked as he ran by me on the track on Friday morning. It was the third time he’d lapped me. He would be done with his mile in less than a minute if he kept his pace up.

“Just peachy, wolf. You better watch out. One of these days I’ll catch you!”

He laughed and began sprinting again. Twenty seconds later, he was on the opposite side of the track crossing the finish line.

The morning sun shone down on us, and my ponytail whipped around my face. Eliza breathed heavily at my side. Unlike the other days this week, she wasn’t running faster than me.

“Is it horrible that I’m so glad our first week is almost done?” I asked her breathlessly.

She laughed, then coughed. “I am in agreeance. This seems particularly challenging today.”

Across the field, Charlotte crossed the finish line, just behind Zaden. She gave Zaden a high five, then Chris. The three strongest among us were like a little club or secret society—admission granted only if you had naturally enhanced strength and speed.

Pretty sure I would never get an invite.

Ahead of us, Nick was almost done with only one lap to go, while Bo trailed slightly behind him. Eliza and I were only at the halfway mark of our mile run test, but at least it was Friday, which meant our weekend off was just around the corner.

Eliza coughed again, falling behind me for a moment.

I slowed my pace, letting her catch up as she tucked a strand of purple hair behind her ear. Her cheeks were beet-red.

“Are you okay?” I asked her.

She nodded. “Yes, I’m absolutely fine. Just a little tired I think.”

She didn’t cough again. Instead, she put her head down and ran harder.

Wyatt stood on the side of the quarter-mile track, stopwatch in hand.

His sparkling green eyes followed us as we ran. A side of my mouth angled up, and I remembered his teasing at the beginning of the week.

Or if all else fails, remember your neighbor in London and pretend that she’s chasing you.

I smothered a laugh and ran harder. When we passed him, I swore his eyes followed me and only me. My inner laugh died as my belly somersaulted in awareness.

It wasn’t the first time I’d had that feeling this week.

During the last three days, I’d caught Wyatt watching me on more occasions than I could count, but I kept reminding myself that his watchful stares were only because he wanted to make sure I kept up.

I was the weakest after all.

But despite that stigma, it was hard for me not to admire his teaching style. He pushed all of us, but he wasn’t cruel and he never belittled anyone. Instead, he was encouraging but firm when we needed a kick in the rear.

My stomach did a little flip again when Eliza and I passed him on our final lap.

The sun sparkled on his dark hair like dancing stars, and the T-shirt he wore showed off his strong shoulders.Gods help me, but the man lit my blood on fire.

I tried again to concentrate on running, but as had been happening all week, my attraction to him was growing. I was reminded again of why I fell so hard for him in high school. He wasn’t as quick to laugh now, but I figured that could be because his job required him to be serious, but he was still kind.

Kind yet tough, which essentially was the Wyatt I remembered.

It was impossible to guard my heart against that, but I had to. I truly didn’t have a choice.

In three months, I would be gone, and Wyatt Jamison would be another distant memory. It would be the same as it’d been eight years ago when my parents and I packed our belongings and said goodbye to Ridgeback, British Columbia, and all of the wolves who’d welcomed us and wormed their way into our hearts. After my dad’s two-year assignment was up, we were off to France, and Wyatt Jamison was just another supernatural I’d met and left behind.

And now, it would be the same all over again. In three months, I would leave for Geneva and Wyatt would stay here in Idaho. Our lives would once again bisect on different paths.

Exactly, you need to remember that, Avery, and stop this ridiculous crush from forming again.

“Almost done,” Eliza said, puffing when we neared the finish line.

“Yeah, almost there.”

We crossed the finish line together. Eliza’s cheeks were now scarlet. I breathed heavily as sweat dripped down my temples.

“Not bad,” Wyatt said. “Eight minutes, ten seconds. In three months, I imagine you’ll be down to six minutes or less.”

I balked. It felt as though I would pass out, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to get down to six minutes.

Eliza merely fanned herself.

I eyed her again. Under her ruddy cheeks, her complexion looked slightly sallow.

“Hey,” I said, still breathing heavily from the run. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

She smiled tightly, revealing her pointy teeth. “I am most fine. Please don’t be concerned.”

Wyatt checked his watch again, then gazed at the forest. “Since it’s Friday, and you’ve all done so well this week, I’m going to give you a choice for how we spend our afternoon. We can either break for an early lunch now, or push for another two hours and be done for the day. I’ll leave the decision up to all of you.”

Charlotte stood straighter and eyed the group. “Should we vote?”

Everyone nodded.

“All in favor of eating lunch now?” she said.

Chris raised his hand, which didn’t surprise me since he was always hungry, but Eliza did too. I eyed her chalky complexion under her crimson cheeks, then raised my hand. She clearly needed a break.

Charlotte appraised the rest of us. “And all in favor of another two hours then done for the day?”

Charlotte, Zaden, Bo, and Nick all raised their hands.

Four to three. Onward we went.

Chris scowled, which got a smirk from Zaden, but at least they hadn’t physically fought today. That was an improvement.

“Then it’s decided. Follow me.” Wyatt grabbed the large bag of water bottles that he always hauled around for us. “We have a six-mile course through the forest. It’s strenuous and requires scaling a few short cliffs and crossing one river, but once you’re done, you have off until Monday.”

Zaden grinned, his fangs absent. “Are we to stay in a group, sir, or are we allowed to move at our own speed?”

“Your own speed is fine. Next week, we’ll focus on working together as a group.”

“Yusss,” Zaden said under his breath.

The blond vamp’s pale skin looked snowy-white in the sunlight. I still remembered the first time I’d learned about vampires. I’d been around seven years old, and my father had worked with a vamp at the Ministry of Paranormal Affairs in Scotland. I’d been speechless the first time I’d seen one in daylight. According to my children books from the human library, vampires could only come out at night.

My parents had laughed when I asked them about it, saying that was an exaggerated myth found only in human stories. While there was some truth to it—most vampires were sensitive to sunlight, and as they aged, that sensitivity increased—the reality was that the sun didn’t burn them or turn them to ash. Well, not unless they were ancient.

The ancient vampires were the only ones who truly couldn’t tolerate sunlight. They would burn to death in the sun, but so few ancients existed anymore that I had yet to meet any vampire who didn’t enjoy being out during the day at least to some extent.

And considering Zaden was a brand-new vamp, he didn’t mind the sun’s rays at all. Although in a hundred years, he’d probably be less enthusiastic.

I paused and wondered how much the sun affected Nicholas Fitzpatrick. Since he remembered things from hundreds of years ago, and made my vagina very eager, he was probably pretty old. I imagined the sun had to affect him at least a little bit.

Wyatt led us away from the track toward the trees, and I shook off my thoughts of the vamp I’d had dinner with the other night.

We passed several squads along the way. Those not on assignments were all actively training. In the distance, shouts, drills, and stomping boots could be heard.

Charlotte fell back from the front of the group to join Eliza and me.

“An entire weekend off, ladies. Whatever will we do?” She grinned, which made me laugh. Charlotte had been making comments all week about hitting up the bars this weekend.

“Girls’ night out?” I replied.

“I’m counting on it.”

When Eliza didn’t join in the conversation, Charlotte cocked her head. “Eliza?”

Eliza startled, then gave a wan smile. “Oh, right. Yes, girls’ night out would be very enjoyable.”

Charlotte frowned, glancing back at me.

“She’s tired,” I said, “As most of us are.”

Charlotte laughed since I’d grumbled each morning about getting up early.

We soon entered the trees, the dry earth kicking up small plumes of dust by our feet. Narrow hemlocks and fragrant fir trees rose up around us, their tips swaying in the breeze.

Wyatt led us to the start of a trailhead. The plaque staked into the ground beside it had the ominous title of Dead Man’s Slayer.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know what inspired that name.

“This is the start of the trail,” he explained. “The course is clearly marked. Remember, you’re allowed to go at your own speed, but wait for the group at the end.” Wyatt handed out the water bottles. “Drink up and carry what you don’t finish. I’ll bring up the rear and will help if anyone gets stuck along the way. Otherwise, do your best and see you at the end.”

Chris was already jumping on the balls of his feet. He reminded me of the rabbit in that cartoon about the tortoise and hare. “Sir, when can we go?”

Wyatt checked his watch again. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Chris took off and disappeared into the forest. Zaden scowled and followed, turning into a blur. As usual, I had a feeling those two were going to make this a competition.

Charlotte took off next, followed quickly by Nick and Bo.

Eliza and I were the last to leave.

“Want to stick together?” I asked her.

“Yes, that would be lovely.”

I let Eliza lead the way so she could set the pace. Within minutes, it became obvious that Wyatt hadn’t been joking when he said it was a strenuous course. As soon as we disappeared into the trees, the trail began climbing steeply upward, reminding me of urban hiking in San Francisco and the unforgiving hills sprinkled throughout that city that did a number on one’s calves.

Eliza trudged steadily up the trail, her breathing audible even though I was a yard behind her. My worry grew the more distance we put behind us.

“Hey, Eliza?” I called, panting. “Maybe we should tell Major Jamison that you’re not feeling well.”

Her feet slipped on the dry ground. “I do not need special treatment,” she gasped. “I’m just tired. Besides, nobody else is struggling, so I will do this.”

“You know I’ve been struggling all week, and—”

She gave me a sharp look and resumed walking.

I clamped my mouth shut. Point taken.

The trail switched back and forth up the steep mountain. A few miles later, we reached an opening in the trees. A granite cliff loomed in front of us.

Both of us were breathing heavily when we finally reached the vertical rock portion. I glanced behind us into the trees. I didn’t see Wyatt. The few times I’d caught sight of him, he’d looked like he was out for a leisurely stroll, not laboring along as Eliza and I were.

Most of the time, though, I hadn’t spotted him. I figured he was keeping his distance so he didn’t interfere with our pace, but I knew he was there. I took some comfort in that, especially if Eliza truly fell ill.

“How about I go first?” I said as we stood in front of the rock face.

She merely nodded.

Breathing steadily, I concentrated on my hand and footholds, refusing to look down. Thankfully, a few steps later, I heaved myself over the top of the cliff and peered down to where Eliza waited.

My elation at making the climb faltered. Even from the distance, I noted her pallid complexion. My concern grew when she swayed slightly before reaching for the rock.

“Eliza?” I called worriedly.

She abruptly snapped upright. “Coming!”

A flash of clothing in the trees appeared in the distance. Wyatt emerged from the forest at the bottom of the rocky incline. When he spotted us, he placed his hands on his hips and stopped. I tried to ignore the fluttering in my stomach that always began when he was around and instead concentrated on Eliza.

Eliza tensed and darted a glance over her shoulder at our commander. Her brow furrowed and she began climbing, her movements quick and efficient. Some of my worry abated. Maybe she truly was just tired and not sick.

“Almost there.” I reached down so my arm was dangling over the edge.

She ignored my outstretched hand despite her ragged breaths and heaved herself over the top. She lay flat, panting, and was effectively hidden from our commander’s appraising eyes.

Wyatt continued to watch us from the ground, nodding in satisfaction that we’d done the climb. He had no idea that Eliza looked as white as snow.

I jerked my chin toward the boulder field we now had to scramble over. “Once we’re across that, we’re back on even ground.”

She sat upright, grimacing. “Let’s go.”

I stayed at her side as we traversed the rough terrain, but as before, with Wyatt watching, Eliza seemed determined.

Once back in the woods, the trail climbed steeply upward again, but at least we reached the top not long later. However, it soon became apparent that going down wasn’t much easier than going up. The terrain was so steep that several times we had to get down on our butts to shimmy off rock ledges or grab onto trees to stop ourselves from going too fast.

I helped Eliza when I could, and now that Wyatt was out of sight again, she let me.

“We must almost be to the river,” I told Eliza when the sound of rushing water reached us. “Do you hear that? We’re almost done.”

Her head dipped, letting me know she’d heard me, but she didn’t respond.

The whooshing sound of the fast-moving river grew louder the more we descended.

“We’re almost there,” I said.

A few minutes later, we emerged from the trees.

“It’s moving really fast.” Eliza scanned the broad band of river.

She was right. The water raged here. Frothy white caps and swirling eddies filled my view.

“We can start to cross using those large boulders.” I pointed to the rocks jutting out of the water. “And then we can finish crossing on that felled tree.”

Eliza leaned against a smooth boulder, her eyes closing. I wasn’t even sure if she’d heard me.

I cast an anxious glance over my shoulder to see if Wyatt was near, but he was nowhere to be found, obviously giving us room since he thought we were doing fine.

I stepped closer to her. “If you’re not feeling good, Eliza, we should wait here for—”

“I’m fine!” she snapped and abruptly straightened. “Let’s go.”

But when she tried to pass me, I stopped her and laid a palm against her forehead. I gasped. “You’re burning up!”

She took an unsteady step away, and another ragged breath escaped her. “I shall be fine. I can get to the end. I am just a bit unwell today.”

“Eliza, you’re sick. We should tell Major—”

She grabbed my hand, her grip surprisingly strong. “No! I have to get through this, Avery. I cannot get kicked out of training!”

I softened my tone. “They won’t kick you out of training for being sick one day.”

“But I’ve been sick all week,” she whispered, her eyelids dipping down. “I’ve been trying to hide it, but it’s been getting worse, and if I miss too many days, they’ll kick me out for sure. Please, Avery. Please don’t tell him. I just need to get through this and then I shall have the weekend to recover.”

The desperation in her tone silenced me. I knew she was in no shape to be out here, but who was I to tell her what to do, especially when I felt the same about being at the SF. Failing training wasn’t an option. Period.

“Okay, then how about I go first, and I’ll let you know the best place to put your feet. Deal?”

She nodded. “Deal.”

I squeezed her hand again before stepping onto a large rock sticking up from the river. Frothy water gushed around it, and when I put all of my weight on my foot, I nearly slipped. Holding my arms out for balance, I called to Eliza, “Be careful. Don’t jump too fast, or you might slip.”

I waited on each rock until she was safely on the one behind me. We made our way slowly across the river as the deafening roar of the constant rushing water swirled around us. A few times, I reached a hand out to her, helping to keep her steady.

At the center of the river, the felled tree waited. While the rotting wood had a pungent scent, it looked much easier to traverse than the slick rocks behind us.

“We’re almost there.” I squeezed Eliza’s hand again. “This looks more secure than the rocks, so just take your time and we’ll get to the other side.”

Eliza nodded grimly before we started crossing it. Beneath our feet the river churned, reminding me of whirlpools made in a bathtub. I had no idea how deep the river was, but I couldn’t see the bottom.

“Almost there.”

When I didn’t hear her reply, I peeked over my shoulder.

Eliza stood immobile on the tree, a hand on her forehead. Alarmed, I shuffled my feet, turning to face her as she swayed slightly to the left.

“Eliza!” I lunged for her, but she tipped to the side.

Her eyes opened in awareness just as she plunged into the river.

The second she broke through the water, she shrieked and gasped. “Avery!”

I grabbed for her but already the river was pulling her away.

“Eliza!”

“Help!”

I dove in.

The moment I hit the water, my breath caught. Its icy temperature seized my lungs, but I managed to gulp in a shallow breath before kicking toward Eliza.

She clung to a protruding branch from the fallen tree, but she was a few yards downstream. Cold water pushed into me, trying to force me under, but I kicked as hard as I could until I reached her.

“Keep pulling along the branch until you can grab the tree!” I yelled to her over the deafening river.

Fear filled her eyes as she struggled to move against the current.

I managed to keep my hold on a soggy branch as I reached around her with my other arm. “Pull yourself up!” I scanned the trees for Wyatt, hoping he’d appear, but I still didn’t see him. “Come on, Eliza! Pull!” I pushed her butt as hard as I could while the water barreled into my face.

I coughed and sputtered. Icy water rushed into my mouth and matted my hair to my eyes. Kicking harder, I pushed closer to the surface and shoved Eliza with everything I had.

She lurched toward the tree, coughing uncontrollably, but managed to grab onto it and pull herself back up.

I kicked again and tried to follow her, but the water shoved against me. “I can’t reach it!” I yelled to her.

“Grab a hold of me!” She lay down on the tree and extended her arm.

I kicked furiously and reached toward her outstretched hand. Her fingers were only inches away.

“Just a little farther, Avery!”

My fingers brushed hers, then the branch I was holding snapped.

I screamed just as water rushed over my face. The whitewater sucked me down, blinding me and shoving me into its frigid depths. I thrashed and kicked, trying to break through the surface, but its overpowering current only pulled me farther and deeper downstream.

Several times, I knocked against the bottom of the riverbed. Smooth rocks and coarse sand grazed my skin. I tried to turn, to push off from the bottom, but the harder I kicked, the more my lungs burned.

You have to get to the surface!

I kicked harder, my arms clawing, but just as my hand broke through the water, my body collided with a rock, and I was sucked back down again.

No!

The violent force of the water swirled me down in its unyielding icy realm. My lungs burned, panic seizing me.

I’m going to die.

My limbs grew sluggish. The dark, cold water wrapped around me, welcoming me to its unforgiving depths.

I sank again, blackness beginning to descend over my vision, when a strong arm suddenly encircled my waist.

A rush of magical power barreled around me, and then I shot through the surface.

The second my face broke free, I gasped for breath while sputtering and clawing.

“Avery, it’s me! I got you! Don’t fight me!”

It took a second before I recognized Wyatt’s voice. Water still rushed over my head and threatened to pull me down again, but Wyatt swam toward the shore, cutting through the water despite the powerful current.

I clung to him while I coughed and struggled to breathe.

The bottom of the riverbed suddenly brushed against my soaked hiking shoes, and then Wyatt was carrying me in his arms up the bank.

I shivered and shook. Terror still coiled within me.

I’d almost drowned.

I’d been seconds away from death.

If Wyatt hadn’t jumped in after me, I’d be dead.

Wyatt laid me against the river bank, his eyes burning like molten emeralds as he looked me over. “Are you hurt? Is anything broken?”

I shook my head, my teeth chattering uncontrollably. “No. I’m . . . I’m okay. But Eliza? Is she—”

“She’s fine. I got her off that felled tree before I dove in after you.” Wyatt breathed heavily. His T-shirt was soaked and clinging to his strong frame.

I glanced down, my jaw dropping when I saw that I was in a similar state. My shirt stuck to my skin, my breasts clearly visible through the fabric. My cargo pants felt like they weighed twenty pounds, and my shoes felt like concrete blocks.

Wyatt took in my soaked clothes, but his chin abruptly jutted up when he saw my breasts.

“I . . . I . . . don’t know how to thank you,” I stammered. My teeth wouldn’t stop chattering, so I gritted them together to stop my shivering.

Wyatt shook his head, his brow furrowing. “What the hell happened?” he growled. “I came out of the forest to see Eliza reaching for you as she lay on that log and then you went under.”

My teeth snapped again. “She fell off the log, and I went in after her, but after I got her up, the branch I’d been holding snapped—”

“You jumped in after her?”

“She fell, and I didn’t—”

“You never go in after someone unless you’re also secure. Otherwise you both could have drowned!”

A flush crept up my neck. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know—” I snapped my mouth shut when another shiver hit me.

A low growl emitted from him before he snarled, “You’re freezing.” He pulled me against him, and his warm body covered mine. His calloused hands ran roughly up and down my limbs, as he used his large body and the friction from his palms to warm me.

For a moment, I closed my eyes, letting myself revel in the feel of him pushed against me and his blissful heat permeating my limbs.

After a few minutes, his hands slowed. “You’re sure you’re not hurt?”

I shook my head. “No. I don’t think so. Just . . . uh . . . shaken up. I didn’t think I was going to survive that.”

His arms tightened. “I didn’t know if I would get to you in time.”

“But you did.” I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring smile.

He pulled back, just enough to see my face better. Light rimmed his irises, the same light that I’d seen when he’d been watching me have dinner with Nicholas in the cafeteria.

He lifted a finger, his expression impossible to read, as he brushed a wet strand of hair from my face.

I closed my eyes, relishing his touch, as an entirely new feeling made me shiver.

But as soon as that electric tingle shot to my toes, Wyatt lunged off me.

Gasping, I opened my eyes to see him standing two yards up the bank. His jaw worked, his face dark. “We should head back. Eliza’s not well.”

My lips parted, as shame flowed over me. Did I really just bask in my commander’s arms while my friend is sick, feverish, and alone on the riverbank?

“You’re right. Of course.” I pushed against the bank, my limbs still shaky, but when he reached out to steady me, I shook my head. “I’m fine. I’ll follow you.”

His hand hovered in mid-air for a moment before he lowered it. “Stay close. You drifted pretty far downstream, so we’ll have to hack our way through the brush to get back to the trail.”

I nodded.

Wyatt forged our way through the tangled bushes and trees along the river’s edge, while I followed closely behind him. Exhaustion made the trek difficult, and I couldn’t get images of the icy river and Wyatt’s strong arms out of my mind.

One thing I knew? If he hadn’t found me when he did, I would be dead.