The Hatchling

First Sight

***Beck***

I watched her as she stood in front of me, brown eyes in fury as Aiden handed her over to me. Her blonde tresses framed her face and dropped down past her chest in delicate waves.

"I can't do flame training if she can toast me alive. You're the only other one here who's available to do it and not burn," Aiden sighed, his eyes starting to show his age.

I saw the infuriated expression she tried to bury beneath her skin and fought a laugh. I'd never seen anyone look at training from a special ops soldier as punishment.

Setting my hands on my hips, I thought of a proper response for her.

"Who says I'm available to train some bitch..."

In a split second, her hand flew out and struck me on my cheek. There was a slight sting, but not enough for me to be hurt.

Her face grew red with anger. "Watch your mouth or I'll show you who the real bitch is here!" She spat. "Who do you think you are to talk about me that way? You don't even know me!"

Did she not know who I was? I could tell she was a Creed, and they were the next coven over from mine. Her parents surely knew who I was if they were in the service.

Smiling darkly, I stared into her large brown eyes and tried to strike fear in her. "I am Beck the last shadow."

Emira snorted in disbelief, looking to Aiden for support. "Last shadow?" She asked, assuming I was crazy.

I waited for him to answer, watching her body stiffen at Aiden's grave expression.

"As in he's the last shadow you see."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure," Emira scoffed.

Emira looked like a goddess. She had chiseled high cheek bones, marble smooth skin, and a prominent collar bone. Her physique was accentuated by the tight uniform new trainees had to wear.

Two red stripes? They were already marking her team then. She was captain for sure. Aiden didn't pull strings like this for just anyone.

As Aiden explained my credentials, I saw her glancing back and forth between me and him suspiciously. Grabbing some liquor from my small cabinet, I poured myself a glass.

I had put her off and that amused me.

That scowl she held made me want to pounce on her. "And today will be the last time you see me. Aiden take her away," I ordered, taking a sip of my rum.

I needed the buzz at the moment. Her looks were making me second guess things. I already had enough on my mind, thinking of how to get Ferren to reenlist me.

The senile man was blind...

"Actually you owe me little Beckette. I saved your ass from disciplinary action not too long ago, in case you forgot. But if you don't want to, I'll just let Ferren know about your...incident," Aiden mused, eyeing me curiously, but I could see he was serious.

My stomach dropped onto the floor.

No. He wouldn't, would he? Looking into the cheeky bastard's one working eye, I gulped.

He would.

Thinking about the single nugget of dirt he had on me, I could have hurled, but I restrained myself.

He would tell. That little snitch would open his mouth. My own teacher would tell on me!

"How often? How often do we do flame training?" I figured it would be one day, but by the look on Aiden's face, I was very wrong. "No, not every day." I whined.