Fade

8

     When we were ambushed, I didn't expect it. If only we hadn't been attacked by the people we thought we knew, then everything would have been okay. But that 'if only' would always remain as that. After about three years of running, we were reunited with the brethren dragged back to the labs when we escaped all those years ago. But it wasn't a happy reunion. They were being forced against their will by those people and were planning on killing us. Their leader was none other than the girl that had made me cry. As the only one in our group able to use all Awakening and Origin powers, it was my job to protect them and mostly fight. I had trained myself to have no remorse, or even mercy. Yet with her that training immediately flew out the window. I couldn't hurt her, as much as I felt that it was necessary to. We were heavily outnumbered, yet my comrades jumped into a waterfall to avoid recapture and spending the rest of their lives being prodded with needles and not being able to go into the outside world. When they had no more strength, they decided dying by nature was better than dying by experiments. Tobias refused to leave my side, which secretly infuriated me. "Please. Escape while you still can." My old friend pleaded. She had chased us away from those people and spoke to us freely. We were backed to the edge of the cliff.

Next thing I know we were both pushed and I was holding onto Tobias for dear life. If I hadn't grabbed him, he would have fallen onto sharp rocks instead of the water. My friend had disappeared. "Don't let go. I've got you." I told Tobias. "We won't make it." I stared up at the sky. I wished that something, anything, would save us. If we fell wrong, or even landed on rocks at the bottom, we would be dead. My fingers began to slip. "Let me go," He pleaded. "You can make it." "I won't leave you alone. Never." My hand slipped and the both of us fell down into the waterfall, then crashed into the harsh water. I could hear it roaring in my ears and water filled my nostrils as I struggled to break to the surface. I was suddenly dragged and gasped for breath when my face hit the air. Then I was pushed back into the water. As much as I tried to control it, it wouldn't listen to me. I swallowed both water and air as my arms flung around. It must have been the others trying to kill us. Or maybe it was just the untamable water. I remember being scratched by jagged stones and ending up on a rocky shore miles and miles away from where we had fallen. I was dragged out of the water by Celia and Tobias. After I regained my strength we searched for the others who we were separated from. We stayed on the run for another two years until we found a secluded area in which we wouldn't be discovered for at least a week or two. Celia decides we should make each other necklaces infused with our powers so we would always find each other. They were all mini dream catchers with different charms. But it was something we owned and it was ours alone. We had just arrived from the beach where Celia had told me that I could have lived a normal life. Yet deep down I knew that wasn't an option for me anymore.

     I had never been much of a talker, except to Tobias and sometimes Celia. It wasn't much of a difference of how much I talked to them either. Anyways, we built a small cabin in a matter of two days when we decided it was safe. It was cozy and small, but would suffice for a couple of days. My friends groaned as they rubbed certain areas of their body. "I don't know what they shot us with, but it hurts." Zeke explained. Tobias and I luckily weren't shot, so we couldn't experience their pain. "My neck aches." Reese muttered. I figured that maybe some medicine and food would help them relax. I offered to go to the nearest town which was three miles away. I swiftly grabbed my coat and walked out the door. Tobias followed. "Amber." He's always been a worrywart. "I'll be back." "They'll find you." "Tobias, I'm just going to go get some food. I'll be back." "I'm afraid if you go, they'll get you. My gut is telling me you won't come back. And you know my gut is always right." I sighed. He just won't let me off the hook. "Tobias, I promise I will. I swear it." It would just be a quick trip anyways. He watched me all the way until I was out of view. I remember buying things and heading back. I felt I was being watched. Then I was fighting someone. Then I ran. I was chased after by a group of people. I fought them. I only tried to stop them and not hurt them, yet I still ran. Then something hit my head really hard. I staggered farther into the woods to get away. Then I slumped against a tree. And everything was forgotten. My personality was altered. My memory erased. A voice spoke in my head to find him. I was almost killed. I wasn't myself. Everything replayed over and over in my head, so that I wouldn't forget. My mates were added in as help to find Tobias. The voice telling me to find him was my actual self. The me that had been pushed to the back of my head and almost forgotten. But I wouldn't forget. Not anymore. Everything replayed over and over until I memorized it all by heart. Until it was engraved into my brain. "Amber! Amber you're screaming too loud. Calm down. Amber! They're coming!" "Mate? What's wrong with her? How did she get in there with you?" Is this a new memory? No. That's my reality. I need to wake up.

     Wake up. Wake up now! Hurry! I sat up quickly as my eyes flung open. My heart was racing a mile a minute. Christian was putting the keys into the lock to enter the cell. I brought a single hand up and watched as he was zapped into the wall. My face remained blank but inside dozens of emotions were running rampant. Teagan stood there frozen in place. "Did you just... use electricity?" I turned to him and he flinched. I snapped my fingers and the wind banged his head against the bar. He was instantly knocked out. The Mate bond had made me extremely powerful. I wasn't even used to this much power. A small ache in my chest tugged at me. It's the mate bond, I'm sure of it. It's trying to tie me down. I won't let that happen. "Did you come back?" Dante cautiously asked. I broke the chain with ease. "Get up." I swiftly commanded. "You're back." He sighed in relief. Of course I was. I can't believe I cried in front of everyone and acted like a damsel. That was the side of me that would have materialized had I never been in this world in the first place. I'm sure of it. I internally cringed. Dante patted my back and I almost zapped him too. I didn't want another male touching me. It's the Mate bond. Damn. I melted the bars and we freed everyone. Christian struggled to stand. "Mate. What are you doing?" "Having a party," I sarcastically retorted. "I don't need you." I verified to him. I hugged Tobias and he kissed my neck. We were beginning to see each other as lovers. No wonder he went searching for me alone. Christian's eyes turned pitch black. He growled and lunged at us. Tobias' veins turned red and he put up a wall of flames between us and him. My heart began to ache when we walked out and I went further and further away from my mate. Anyone in my way was easily stopped as we made our way to leave. I was grateful to the bond for making my powers stronger so I could protect my friends. Tobias' hand intertwined with mine. It felt wrong for some reason, although I knew this was what I had wanted for a long time. So I tried to push the uneasiness as far back in my head as possible. "Amber!" I turned when Celia was suddenly tackled by a blur of black. It was Nikolas. Celia screamed her lungs off as her arm was in between the jaws of my other mate. His teeth sank deeply into her arm and blood spilled everywhere. Failure. Failure. Failure. Stop it. Stop right now. "HELP ME!" She screamed. Reese made a move to go after her until I extended my arm. "Stay." I walked forward to my other mate. Celia was in an enormous amount of pain that she was unable to use her powers. I stopped two feet away from them. Nikolas shifted into his human form, a firm grip on her wound. Her arm could get infected if we didn't treat it quickly. Deep inside, it angered me. She had a full life ahead of her and losing a limb was not something that I would allow under my watch. He applied a bit more pressure and Celia sobbed. "Mate." He shook his head. "Amber. What are you doing?"

My eyes slightly widened. Saying my name brought chills down my spine. He had my full attention. He sounded sad, which was strange. He was usually loving or angry. There was no room for sadness. I raised an eyebrow. He immediately tensed. I perfected that look a long time ago, and it definitely has its benefits. I instead began walking towards the house that I had stayed at. Nikolas immediately let go of Celia and ran after me. I whispered, "Sixty." Out if the corner of my eye, Tobias' eyes widened. I was telling him our chance of my plan successfully working. I needed those pills if I was going to get out of here. Without those heat pills, I would never really be able to never come back. I'm not sure how long this heat thing lasted, but I just need enough time to be able to replicate it somehow. Maybe if I found an herbalist or a physician to quickly give me the ingredient list. Soon I heard another racing towards me. Christian was right behind Nikolas. I ran into the house as fast as I could and found the pills in my room. The guys blocked the doorway. I could hear fighting outside. We would not be taken again. "Amber." I couldn't stop the goosebumps that formed in my skin. I clicked my tongue. "Where would you go? You can't just leave." Christian negotiated. "Stay with us. Our packs need their Luna." I shook my head. We don't belong here. We need to leave before they arrive. "I can't." That was all I said. "Do you remember who you are?" Nikolas asked me. I quickly nodded. Then the house suddenly began to smoke. It wasn't me who started it. It must have been Tobias. I opened the window and jumped out, but Christian grabbed a hold of my ankle. Half of his body was outside while he kept his grip on me. My leg ached from the amount of pressure. "Let go!" I kicked his shoulder hard. He yanked my leg and I winced in pain. He then jumped out of the house with Nikolas following. The entire house was in flames. Christian had his arms wrapped around me. I didn't even notice. When did he do that? I tried as much as I could to push him away. I pushed his face and wriggled under his grasp. The electricity was out of control, making me feel weaker. The frustration in me caused me to yell. "They'll kill us! I have to go!" "Who will?" My mates asked. "Us."