Passion for Blood

Chapter 24:

After our talk in the temple, Valerie brought me back to their home. Their house is entirely made of oak wood with the exception of the fireplace, it's most decorated with fur which I find ironic but I have no right to judge. "Your home is beautiful," I say as I continue to admire the interior, its a small cabin with space for a sitting area and the bed is behind curtains in the far back. It's comfortable and warm. "It's not much but for us it's perfect, most alphas would prefer a bigger home decorated with many fancy things to show their power and title but cole never liked such things. He believes as Alpha you are more a servant to your people than anything else." I smile loving his view on such things. "You said your minds are complicated earlier at the temple," I say recalling her statement. "Oh yes well, as you know our human selves and our wolves are not exactly the same, the animal side of us has a mind of its own, literally," she smiles. "I don't understand," I say confused. "You know my human part as Valerie but if I were to shift I would no longer be myself the animal within would take over and you would know her, our bodies are like shields for our animals we hide them within but when we shift they take over hence it is difficult to control us, our minds are different they are not the same." I stare at her in bewilderment I'm sure.

"How does controlling you cause your animal part to take over then?" I ask. "Well since we already have two minds in one vessel, two very different ones it's easy to control the human but once the human loses control the animal is able to take full control but it must first fight the magic that tries to attack it, think of it like a sickness attacking a body. "The magic being the sickness and the human and wolf being the victim?" I ask to which she nods. "So if the animal part has a mind of its own are you able to communicate with it?" "Yes, once you have reached the age of which you shift your mind links with the animal and you have direct communication, can be annoying sometimes," she rolls her eyes. "At what age do you shift?" I ask, she then sighs which makes me feel guilty for asking so many questions. "At the age of 16, the first shift is the most painful and requires your mate to be there." "why?" "When you bump your elbow or stub your toe what do you feel aside from the pain?" she raises a brow. "Anger, irritation?" "And your mate serves as an Anker to..." she looks at me expectantly, the same way a teacher does when they ask for the answer to something. "Keep your animal side under control, I take it the presence of your mate calms you or at least your animal," I ask to which she nods excitedly.

Dark soon falls upon us and my time with Valerie comes to an end. I have to thank Cole, I thought this would be a waste of time but it's given me clarification on the situation. Aside from that I had a lot of fun learning their village and their ways, it is truly different form my customs. "Please give my thanks to Cole for this," I tell valerie who nods in response. "It was lovely to see you again Madeleine and I hope this helps in your decision to accept Fitz." I simply nod not sure how to respond to that. This was never about the mate bond it was about who to trust.

"Are you ladies done yet?" someone says from the dark. A shadow emerges that soon turns into Fitz, looking at him now I feel that jealousy rise again. It's ridiculous how could I feel this way? I have not known him long for such feelings to arise let alone over a dead person. "Madeleine I asked Fitz to accompany you home if that's

alright?" Valerie asks warily but my focus is on his brown eyes. I have no idea what I am looking for, a reason to like him perhaps? A reason to trust him?

The drive is silent with the both of us on opposite sides of the car. This jealous feeling has not subsided and it is becoming rather irritating. Anastasia is dead so why do I feel this way? Probably because he still holds onto his feelings for her. "Do you spend most your days there?" I ask filling the silence. "Trying to get to know my routine are we?" he jokes to which I roll my eyes. "Every time I am there I always find you there as well is all, I was just curious," I say staring out the window. "Only when you are there," "What?" I ask. "I only go there when you are there," he says again as he stares into my eyes. "Why?" I ask to which he shrugs his shoulders and turns the other way. "Of course, half answers," I mutter but he still hears. "What was that?" he asks to which I turn away from him. "You heard me," I say. Silence falls between us again and all that's heard is the engine of the car.