NightLock

Chapter Eleven

I had found Jasmine in her usual hiding place, the stables, and told her what I had wanted her to do for me. I knew she was interested in the medicines and practices of a Healer since she always wanted to know what she needed to get for me to treat myself anytime I had an injury that took a few days to heal, so when she said she would meet me at the house for training. I went back to the house to get the things they would need in their first lesson.

I looked around the dark room lit by candles and found the three copies of the books I would need to give the twins and Jasmine so they could help me gather herbs to make the healing potions that we've run low on from having to treat injuries from the past few battles. I looked in the corner where the NightLock plant grew its poisonous berries flourishing in the light of the sun coming through the small basement window. Hopefully they wouldn't  mess with the plant that's taken more than one foolish apprentice life before from when my Gran had been the packs Healer after my mother died in the attack.

I knew that they would be arriving in just a few minutes so I started to light the candles and lanterns that had always lit the room as I worked there. As the dim, flickering glow of the candles and lanterns brought light to the room I opened the secret stairway that led to front and back of the house, taking the turn down the long path to the front of the house I could hear Rayn and Wade racing up the path and Jasmine had be sitting on my old swing for about five minutes now.

I hit the brick on the wall that would open up the door into the cave and heard Wade let out a girly shriek as the ground opened up and I walked up the stairs leading upwards staying on the last step so the passage way would not close.

"What the fuck!?" Wade yelled as he picked him self off the ground and began brushing off the dirt from his clothes. 

"How were the clouds, boy, cause you just jumped so high you coulda met Jesus! " I said laughing as he glared at me.

"It's not funny, Alpha!" he said trying to hold back his own bout of laughter.

"Yeah, Kid, it is. Come on you three funs over. " I said as I turned and headed back down the stairway without looking to see if they had followed me.

I lead them down the passageway never slowing or looking back to see if they were keeping up with me. I walked into the candle lit room and picked the books up off the station that held the Ghost Root that needed to be crushed into a powder to be added to the sleeping potion. I didn't know then if I wanted them to learn to grind down roots and herbs to fine powders or to have them start learning herbs and roots needed for basic healing remedies. I quickly made up my mind and handed them each a book.

"Alpha, what are these books for I thought we were going to be learning to be Healers?" Rayn said as she looked at the thick book she held in her hands.

"You are, Rayn, the same way I did, you're gonna learn every herb and root that can heal and kill and pick them. " I replied as I got down three thick, spiral notebooks that I had filled with basic rules, notes, and tips that would help them to learn and memorize each technique I teach them as they learn under my instruction.

"But, Alpha, that's so basic!" Wade said as he threw the book back onto the desk.

"Oh, so you mean to tell me you know every herb and root that I would try to teach you and you can tell me what medicinal properties it has?" I said as I picked the book up from the desk and shoved it back into his chest as he stuttered out his answer of no.

I pulled a Sharpie marker from my drawer and wrote their names in my flowing script across the front cover and handed each of them one of the notebooks and told them how what was in the notes would help them to learn all the information they would need to know.

"Y'all I hate to cut this session short, but I have to go cook supper for my brothers. We can go through the house." I said and they followed me up the basement stairs with the books and notebooks I walked into the kitchen with Jasmine while the twins ran out the front door.

"Star, why do you work so hard in the house instead of being like any other teenager?" Jasmine said as I took down pans and some pots and got the huge bowl of shrimp I had cleaned earlier before they arrived.

"Ask Tyler that question I already explained to him go on and relax somewhere or study you'll need to know a bunch of herbs tomorrow to help me out." I said as I got more supplies for supper.

I was barely listening as she said 'ok' and left the kitchen. I put a third of the shrimp in the pot to boil and left it cooking after seasoning it the way me and my brothers liked most and went into the training room. I needed a run but with no time to run through the woods today I figured a fast run on the treadmill would work fine for now. I was putting my headphones in as I walked into the training room and saw Tyler training with John and their heads shot up as I walked in.

"Hey, Tyler. Hey, John." I said as I walked through the room to the treadmills on the far wall.

I blared my music as I ran as fast as the treadmill would go while they trained behind me and was doing so about ten minutes when Tyler tapped me on the shoulder.

"Want to train John's tired." he said once I'd pulled loose a headphone.

"Sure, but when you train with me you train just like fighting a rogue. No pulling punches or going easy ok? " I said as I stopped the treadmill.

"Alrighty then." he answered and that's just what he did.

Tyler knew I was pulling punches and I know he didn't like knowing that, but he didn't know how much the wolf came forward when I fought even when I trained even Cody has left with broken bones that I healed after training. Even knowing this Tyler fought without pulling back and I'm glad he did. We had taken to sparring by a little bit after we stopped all out fighting and with him pinning me one good time by straddling my waist and holding my arms firmly above my head with one hand, well because of this the inevitable happened.

Tyler's lips crashed into mine as he kept me pinned down to the mat and his free hand yanked my hair free from its place in a high ponytail causing it to spill over my arms in soft, golden waves as our tongues danced together in our passionate embrace. When we finally stopped we stayed there on the floor breathing heavily as we stared into each others eyes. Tyler pulled us up in a liquid, smooth motion and gently pressed his lips to mine again as I felt him interlock his fingers mine.

"I love you, Star." Tyler said.

Then I heard the scream.