章 12: Chapter Twelve
Everyone made their way toward the table and found their seats at their place markers. As everyone was seated, the conversations bubbled and made the large room feel small in all the noise.
Atlas, at the head, stood up. A long, ominous screech from the chair sliding across the floor brought everyones' hushed conversations to a pause.
"First, I'd like to thank everyone for coming last minute and for your positive attitude toward this brunch." He glanced at the two older wolves on either side of him, eyeing them closely. "Second, I'd like for you to meet my guest, Serena. She has no place to go so please welcome her warmly." The table full of heads turned toward Serena, who was sitting opposite of Atlas. She shrunk down into her seat, and slowly sipped a glass of ice water. "And lastly, let us eat this wonderful meal and enjoy each other's company." Atlas raised his glass and gave a slight sip before sitting back down.
Soon the room was filled with happy banter and laughing as everyone tried to get the food they wanted in the chaos.
"Did you want these?" Venus asked, handing Serena a bowl filled with various fruits.
"Oh. No, thank you. I think I have what I need." Serena said as she covered her plate with her hands.
"Was a nice and short speech, don't ya think?" Eli said, mouth half full of toast.
Serena laughed at the sight of full cheeks and Eli's eyes, hungry for more.
"Yes, it was. Short and to the point." Venus replied, taking the platter or toast away from her husband and placing it on her opposite side. "Save some for the rest of us." She scolded, a twinkle in her eyes.
The two continued their loving banter, completely ignoring the rest of the guests. Soon after the plates were settled and the company dug into their breakfasts, the conversations lulled.
"Serena was it?" A greying, frail woman called from the opposite end of the table. Serena looked up, her fork halfway to her gaping mouth.
"Yes?"
"Tell us a bit about yourself why don't you? I know that I would love to hear about the guest that our Alpha Atlas has so kindly taken in." She looked across the table at the older man who nodded.
Serena gulped and wiped her mouth. With a deep breath, she spoke softly.
"Well... my parents owned the cabin on the lake on the other side of the wood."
"We knew that dear." The old woman smiled and nodded for Serena to continue.
"Oh. I see..." She paused. "My mom was a part of this clan before meeting my father, James-"
Again, she was cut short by the woman.
"I didn't ask about your parents. I asked about you." Her eyes narrowed and her voice cold.
Atlas clenched his fist and nudged the old woman. She swatted his hand but continued to look down on Serena's trembling figure. Serena took a long sip of water before she spoke again.
"I understand that ma'am. But, respectfully, they are part of who I am. So I feel it necessary to tell you who they were. Then you will get a better sense of who I am." She placed her glass firmly on the table and stared back at the woman, meeting her gaze with as much intensity. "They had a wonderful marriage and I never had a want for anything. They both provided for me and we were happy. I only had the selfish desires of any normal child. But they were understanding but strict. I needed to work for everything that I got."
"As parents should raise their children." The old woman nodded. "We must not give them everything they want. Some things, they are better off without."
"I am sure that you believe that way." Serena swirled her drink gently.
"Do you disagree?"
"In some instances, yes."
"How so?" She raised a brow and placed her fork down on the table. Her attention was now focused only on Serena.
"Well." Serena gulped and clasped her hands together gently. "A parent should be honest with their children, yes?"
The woman nodded slightly. A polite smile plastered to her wrinkled face.
"So if there is, let's say, for instance, some legend or history within the family, the parent's duty is to discuss it with their children. When they are at the right age, of course."
"That would depend on the history." The woman's crinkled face smoothed as her delicate smile faded.
"Ah. That is where we differ. You and my parents believed that some things should be buried. But I, however, believe that such things should be in the open. I mentioned before that my parents made me into who I am. I lived through their failures and have to deal with the consequences now." Venus tapped Serena's arm gently, but Serena pulled away and continued. Her body leaned closer toward the old woman across the table. "Because of their miscommunication, I have learned not to hide things that could impact other people's lives. It will save others from hurt in the long run. Yes, some things are better left unsaid. Rather, actions should be taken to protect that individual and expose them to the truth of the matter." Serena retracted into her seat, breathless.
The old woman huffed and opened her mouth to speak.
"That's enough," Altas declared, resting a calloused hand on the woman's arm, his eyes fixated on Serena's. "That was out of character." A slight tugged on the corner of his lips and a glint formed in his red eyes, but those could have just been the gold flecks.
"My apologies, Alpha." Serena bowed her head slightly, eyes glaring at the two wolves.
"You don't need to call me Alpha, yet." The tugging ceased and his lips turned into the usual frown.
"But, sir-" The man on his left began but with a raise of his hand, Atlas cut him short.
"We will continue that conversation another time. Please, let's not talk philosophy. It is too early." He pulled his gaze from Serena's and back toward his plate. as he did so, the conversation picked back up slowly, with timid glances at both ends of the table.
"Serena," Eli whispered. She looked up and met his gaze. "Good job" He gave her a thumbs up and a bright smile. She returned the smile lightly and continued her meal.
She sat there quiet and alone. The plates were picked up and a few guests left, the old couple included, but she continued to sit there, staring into the abyss of the hardwood in front of her. Thoughts swirled, and her face grimaced until she forced herself to move. To take the action she so ardently claimed that she would do.
"Venus?" Serena pulled on the edge of Venus' shirt.
Venus turned from her conversation and faced Serena, her eyes wide.
"Yes?"
"I was just wondering... since I am not a werewolf, you know... I don't have any amazing powers or abilities..." Serena hesitated.
"Yes..?" She waved her hand, gesturing for Serena to continue.
"I-I just wondered if you would be able to help me train a bit. You know, self-defense kind of stuff. If something bad were to happen like last time, I'd like to know what I can do to protect myself better..." Serena gazed toward her lap and bit her lip nervously. She had already been staying with these people for over a week, and they had shown her nothing but kindness. Would it be too much to ask for more?
"Oh my God. I was just talking about that with Eli yesterday. We both agreed that it would be good for you to do something other than sit around all day. If you are going to be a part of this pack, then you should learn to defend yourself. Isn't that right, Babe?" Venus grabbed Eli by his collar and pulled him away from his conversation.
"Um, yes? Is that the right thing to say here?"
Venus rolled her eyes and gave him a gentle shove away. He flailed his arms dramatically at the force.
Venus chuckled and continued.
"Serena just asked if she could get some self-defense training and I said that you and I had just talked about that yesterday. We would be more than happy to help her."
"Oh! Yeah! That shouldn't be too big of a problem. Just gotta ask Atlas first. But leave that to me. I can sweet-talk him into anything." Eli puffed up his chest and pointed his thumb toward the head of the table.
"What can you sweet-talk me into?" Atlas huffed from behind Eli. Eli's once proud face turned white at Atlas' voice.
"Oh, hey Altas... Just talking about you..." Eli choked out.
"I know that. What did you want to ask me?" Atlas crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall.
"Well... you see... Serena here wanted to learn some self-defense stuff so that if something like what happened last week were to happen again, she would be ready. Venus and I would be more than happy to help her, but we need your permission first as our Alpha and her," He glanced around, leaned toward Atlas, and whispered, "mate."
"I don't see why not," Atlas said, uncrossing his arms and pushing himself off the wall. "On one condition." He strode toward Serena's chair and placed a hand on the back of it. "Once a day, we spar." With that, he left the room.
"Shit. He's gonna kill her." Venus muttered to her husband, who was still pale.
"No, it'll be fine. He saved her after all, why would he kill her in a spar?" Eli stuttered out rapidly.
"You idiot. You know how he gets. He can get wrapped up in the fight and completely forget who he's sparring with. You of all people should know that. He broke a few of your ribs a month ago in a casual spar." She shook her husband and pushed him out of his chair. "Go talk to him and convince him to take it easy on her, Mr. Sweet-talker."
"Fine." Eli rolled his eyes and followed Atlas out.
"Excuse me, what just happened? I'm gonna die?" Serena stared at Venus.
"No, no. I'll make sure that doesn't happen. The only person here who can rival Atlas would be me. So I will do the main training. Liam would be better than I am, but he's gone till I don't know when. Can't count on him any." She bit her lip nervously. "Okay. Here is the plan for today. You're going to get changed, and we are going straight to training."
"But I was going to meet your son!" Serena whined.
"Yes, I know. But you can do that tonight for dinner. This afternoon will just be light sparring and mainly training and basic maneuvers. Now. Chop chop." She clapped her hands and shooed Serena out of the dining room and up the stairs.
Once in the room, Venus grabbed a pair of shorts and a sports bra and tossed them to Serena.
"Put these on. We've got work to do."
"Yes, ma'am." Serena saluted and changed.
The two exited the building, and Serena followed Venus toward the training grounds on the far edge of the pack. The wooden ring was held together by posts and rope. Vines crept up the sides, and small bushes dotted the base. Venus shoved the front door open, and the two entered the dirt ring. The edge of the ring had a heavily trafficked dirt track, and the center was a bare dirt field. Venus made her way toward the center, and Serena followed closely behind.
"Eli will be here in a second."
"Really? When did you talk to him?" Serena questioned, confused by how she always knew everything that she needed to at all times.
"We mind linked. It's a werewolf thing." She waved her hand dismissively. But after seeing Serena's confused face she sighed. "Basically, I can talk to him when I need to. Once you bond to your mate, that's intensified, but it begins when you are accepted into the pack. There's a whole ritual." She waved her hand again and almost as if on cue, Eli came bounding through the door.
"Nice of you to finally show up." Venus placed her hands on her hips and glared at her husband.
"Woman, we just talked about this. And you just got here like two seconds ago. I spoke to Atlas and he won't spar with her today since he's got some Alpha stuff to do apparently. We get a free day to teach her everything we know." He huffed, out of breath, and hunched over before his wife.
"First lesson." She grabbed Eli's short, brown hair tightly in her fist and pulled it up toward her shoulder. He yelped and held his hands up to his head. "Where ever the head goes," She moved her arm away and Eli leaned in that direction. "The body follows." She grinned at her grimacing husband and released him. He dropped to the ground and glared at his wife while clutching the top of his head.
The two women looked at each other and laughed.
"May I try?" Serena chuckled, moving toward the cowering figure of Eli.
"Be my guest." Venus backed away and gestured toward the man.
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