Jagged Embrace

Chapter 25 - Maeve

Maeve bent over and struggled to catch her breath. She was covered in sweat and her legs hurt. There was no way she could do this every night. How did Ander run all the time? She knew the experience aggravated him. She had to keep stopping to rest, and he hadn't even broken a sweat. Ander stood patiently and scanned the area while she caught her breath.

"We're doing this every day?" she asked between breaths.

"No, not initially. We will do this every other night, until you become used to things," he replied.

Used to this? She shook her head. The very idea it could ever become so routine she thought of it as 'normal' baffled her. "And this is so I can run away from monsters faster?" she asked, still bent over.

"Yes, I suppose it would aid with that, but it is more about discipline and endurance."

She cast an annoyed glare at him and knew he was right, but it didn't make her feel any better. Maeve was now relieved Ander had insisted on more than two outfits to run in when they were at the store. She thought it was an unneeded expense, but she definitely would not wear these clothes again before she washed them.

"Did you have to do this when you were children?" she asked, standing upright.

"Yes, somewhat," he grimaced.

"You had to run more often?"

"No. I ran as often as I could. It was a good excuse to get out of the house and away from Wyatt. We participated in drills, which running was part of." He bent down and rubbed his right calf.

Drills. Will had told her the same thing. "You have to run the drills or you won't be prepared when the monsters come," she whispered Will's words.

Ander's head snapped back to her and he studied her face. "Yes, that is what we were told," he said with caution.

Her stomach tightened, a hazy image crossed her mind. She saw Wyatt and felt the distinct terror from both Will and Ander. She put her hand over her chest, her breathing was erratic and she couldn't catch her breath.

Ander stepped closer to her, his eyebrows drew together with concern. "Maeve, are you alright?"

She nodded and tried to calm her rapid breaths. She couldn't see them being hunted, but she felt it. Wyatt had hunted them like they were monsters.

Repeatedly.

Maeve raised her hands to the sides of her head and pressed on her skull. Over and over, so many times - it'd been for years. They had run until they collapsed.

Her legs gave out, and she sank to the ground. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Will had tried to protect Ander from Wyatt. When her soul touched Will's, she'd seen him throwing himself on top of Ander to stop Wyatt's blows, and even though she couldn't recall the image now, the emotions choked her.

"Maeve, please answer me."

Ander's words somehow reached her ears over her own thundering heartbeat. She opened her eyes. They were on the pavement, her legs were splayed out in front of her and Ander was cradling her. Had she passed out? Fallen?

"I'm okay," she said, her voice hoarse. She moved to sit upright.

"You are not all right. Did this happen because of the run?" Ander checked her pulse.

"No, it wasn't the run." She took a deep, shaking breath. "I'm so sorry," she managed before her tears stopped her from saying anything else.

"I do not understand. You have no reason to be sorry," Ander replied.

"Wyatt," she began.

He jerked his head back as confusion swept across his face.

"The drills, I mean. I knew, sort of, but he was horrible. I don't understand why he'd do that to you."

Ander sighed and sat on the ground beside her. "He had both altruistic and selfish reasons for them. We both had to participate in them."

"You were both terrified of him."

"He made it quite clear during drills he was not Will's father or my uncle. He was a monster, and we were meant to destroy him before he destroyed us."

"That goes so far beyond abuse, I don't even know what to call it," she replied with bitterness.

"Perhaps, but it prepared us well. I will not claim to be immune to fear. No one is, but both Will and I can manage our fear when interacting with monsters. We can act when others are paralyzed."

She stared at him, uncertain how to reply. In her mind, there was absolutely no excuse for hunting children and making them believe if you caught them, they were dead, regardless of the reasoning. However, if he and Will both viewed the drills similarly, maybe it was better they focused on the positive outcomes of such a horrible situation.

"Also, due to Wyatt's aggressive behavior and the sustained injuries over the years, we both have a very high pain tolerance. Very helpful when combating creatures," he added.

"It's a wonder either of you trust anyone, with him as your primary caretaker as children."

He tilted his head and stared at her. "Will only trusts Mason and I," he replied.

"Yeah, but he's distrustful by nature. Wyatt made it worse. Do you trust anyone?" She didn't think he did really, not even Mason and Will. He was always so guarded. "I would understand if you didn't."

He looked away and shrugged. He wasn't going to answer her. "Humans are fickle, and their loyalties are weak."

Maeve's eyebrows shot up at his words. For the most part, he was correct, but it was odd hearing it. "If you feel that way, how can you be around Will and I all the time? Or anyone? If you can't trust anyone, how do you manage?"

He shrugged again. "It has always been that way. I do not think about it much."

His words felt like a punch in the stomach and made her heart ache. He had lived his entire life never knowing safety, never trusting anyone- or at least next to no one. He was always separated from others, always left to feel like an alien ruled by a fear he wasn't allowed to feel. He was truly a wonder. Somehow, despite all of that, he'd maintained humanity. He didn't see it, but she did. He'd maintained compassion, and the desire to help others, with no perceivable benefit to himself. She beamed at him in awe. He turned back to her. She sucked in her breath when his captivating eyes caught hers. She felt lightheaded under his gaze.

"What are you thinking about?" Curiosity filled his tone.

"How amazing you are," she told him in a soft tone. 

"You have used that word previously. I am not certain I qualify as causing great surprise or sudden wonder. Even if you meant it as a verb and were using it in the sense of to overwhelm with surprise or sudden wonder; astonish greatly. There are many things in this world that are amazing, based on the definition."

Her loud laughter stopped his words. He was being serious, which made it even funnier. His expression soured. He thought she was laughing at him. She placed her hand on his arm.

"No, I'm not laughing at you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." She raised her hand to the side of his face and smiled at him. "You don't give yourself the credit you deserve. You are amazing, even if it doesn't fit into the classic definition of the word. I do feel sudden wonder when you speak or do things, sometimes. I mean it," she explained in a silvery tone.

He inspected her as he often did, weighing her words and deciding if she was being honest with him. He slowly nodded.

"You don't have to agree with me. As long as you accept, I'm telling you my truth," she finished. She knew she should look away, because she was getting trapped in his gaze again, but she didn't want to. Her heart picked up pace again, but not from fear or exertion.

"We should get back so we have time to format the spreadsheet," he told her in a rough voice before he stood.

She shook her head before she took his hand and stood.