Chapter 3

‘Why did I agree to this?’

She pushed herself off the floor, for the third time in the last 10 minutes. She didn’t realize how out of shape she was until she started training with Mikah. He was fast and strong, she couldn’t keep up with him.

She stood up in position again, her chest rising and falling quickly as she tried to control and slow down her breathing. Mikah did a little jog in place then lunged at her again, she blocked the first punch but wasn’t fast enough and he tripped her causing her to fall on her ass, again.

“I am going to kill you” she murmured. Mikah bursted into laughter. “I'd like to see you try, doll” he said mischievously.

Aja lunged at him but he blocked it, she then tried to kick him on the side of his face, again he blocked it, so she tried to get a punch to his stomach, again blocked. She screamed in frustration while Mikah laughed at her again.

He came closer to her “You gotta learn patience, you need to focus on the moves of your opponent, study their moves.” he told her seriously. Aja nodded her head “It’s okay, you are just starting and you have surprisingly good reflexes for someone who’s never trained.

Mikah was good at explaining things but wasn’t too serious, which made it easier for Aja to feel comfortable with making mistakes. If it was someone like Calian she would probably be shaking in her own skin.

Calian promised to answer all her questions after her birthday disaster but ended having to go on an emergency business trip. He has been gone two weeks now. He is in Europe right now handilign some issues with their branch, as Mikah explained it. She wasn’t having nightmares so she didn’t have to worry about that, but she was feeling a little empty inside. She didn’t know why but training was helping to keep her mind off it. Mikah would also go running with her, Leny joined in and even Nicklaus sometimes. Mikah said it's good to let the wolf out and blow off some steam. They’ve been training to shift only parts of their bodies, like their claws or their feet, she wasn’t able to do that before, well except when Sade got really angry and took over that one time. She has been feeling good lately.

“I did train a little before but my wolf wasn’t awake yet, so it’s definitely not the same” She told him.

They went back to the house to get something to eat. Aja has been staying at the family house for a while, it's easier for them to train and they get to hang out more. Yamiel comes over when she’s not busy at the hospital. After they ate they played some video games. Aja really likes playing Sur4 or Millycraft, it's fun and entertaining for a while. Although Mikah always makes fun of her saying that those are typical girly games.

“You need to get into some Car of Dety” Mikah was saying for the hundredth time. “I’m telling you it sharpens your reflexes,” he continued.

“Shooting and killing aren’t really my thing Mikah” Aja said.

“Hey don’t knock it till you try it” he said.

Aja just rolled her eyes. She winced and touched her stomach, feeling a sharp pain. Mikah noticed “You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah.. I’m okay, just a stomach ache I think” she said, rubbing her stomach.

“I get it, you gotta take a dump huh? it was all those taco’s you ate” Mikah chuckled.

“Shut up, tacos are the best,” she said. She felt another sharp pain and decided to get up to the bathroom, she felt more like throwing up. She started feeling dizzy as she walked through the hallway. She had to hold on to the wall to keep steady. She felt another sharp pain in her chest and then passed out.

..............................................................................................................

A knock on the door woke him up from his nap. Leny walked in quietly “How is she doing?” she whispered. He looked back at Aja, she was laying on the bed with an IV drip attached to her arm. “Same no change at all” he sighed.

He was on the plane coming home from Israel when he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He mind-linked Mikah, knowing it had to do with Aja. Mikah was already on his way to the hospital with her. They didn’t know what caused it and had called Aunty so she could check on her as soon as they made it to the hospital. Aunty found out she had been poisoned. Mikah and Niklaus were already looking into it by the time he made it back home. The poison had wolfbane and silver laced in it, which can be lethal, Aunty said they were able to remove most of it out, but she is still in a coma after a week. They decided to take her to the family house where they could better protect her, they all took turns staying with her, her friend Sheri and even Jacob came to visit her.

“I just keep going over it in my head, when could it have happened, we were together the majority of the time, unless she was at work or I was in school, we were together. “Leny said tears in her eyes. She grabbed Aja’s hand and placed a kiss on her cheek.

Calian just looked at both of them, he felt empty. He could barely eat or sleep, waiting for her to wake up.

‘She had to wake up. I haven't even told her how I feel. I was so stupid and selfish, I denied it and her before, but I won’t anymore. Please, Goddess, save her, if you save her I will spend the rest of my life making it up to her, I promise.’

“Alpha, we need to talk” Nicklaus mind linked him, Calian got up and made his way to his office, he could tell by his tone that something was wrong.

He walked into his office to find Nicklaus and Mikah sitting on the sofa. He stood in front of them “Well, what is it?” he asked.

“Maxi, one of the employees at that coffee shop, Aja goes to, added something to Aja's drink the same day she fainted. We checked the camera’s at the cafe,” Nicklaus said.

Calian felt a surge of anger “Kill the bitch!” Wulric growled. “Then go capture her and take her to the cells in the basement” he told them.

“Already done, let's go,” Mikah said coldly. He looked exhausted and his face was hard with no trace of emotion. Calian could tell he was furious, he really cared about Aja, he wanted someone to pay. Mikah can’t see someone else he cares about die, it's too hard, after their parents died, they didn’t let anyone else get close to them. But with Aja it was so easy, she was innocent and had lost her family just like them.

They all pulled up chairs to sit in front of the cell Maxi was in, she sat on the hard floor, her knees bent to the chest . Her hands and feet were cuffed in silver chains preventing her from moving.

“Why did you do it?” Calian growled at her. He took in a deep breath trying to prevent Wulric from coming out and ripping her to pieces.

Maxi raised her head sniffling “What are you talking about?” she asked softly “I didn’t do anything” she said as she sobbed.

“Cut the bullshit we saw the fucking tape!” Mikah growled at her. Nicklaus put his hand on Mikah’s shoulder to calm him down. Nicklaus was a good Delta, he understood both of them, he knew how to talk to them and he was like a big brother to them.

“Look we have the tapes, we saw what you did, you will be accused of murder. So why don’t you tell us why you did it and then maybe we can help you” Nicklaus said calmly.

“Murder! No, no I didn’t murder anyone! She said it was just-” she stopped and her eyes grew wide as she realized what she said.

“Who said?” ask Niclaus

“Nobody … nothing” she whispered crying.

“Speak now!” Wulric growled making Maxi cower in fear.

Maxi started sobbing but obeyed “ Delany..s-she’s my friend, she told me that Aja was trying to steal you away from her. Sh-she said that she just wanted to make her sick and teach her a lesson. She didn’t say anything about murder. I swear I was just trying to help my friend!!” she sobbed even louder.