Felix Fractured

24 : afloat

FELIX

She tilts a little to the side and lets out something like a squeak.

"Concentrate!" I fuss up at her.

"But..." She continues to struggle to stabilize herself midair. "You said it would be second nature?"

'Yeah, when you master it.'

She groans and loses her balance a little once again. "Alexia!" I yell up at her and my mother laughs beside me.

"Just let me go help her."

"How will she ever learn if you don't let her do it herself?"

"Mom, she's going to hurt herself. Just have Nyssa do the same thing for me and disguise my wings."

"Did you not hear anything I said? It's something she has to master. Plus, magic doesn't work well on you, you should know that by now." I huff at my mother's words but don't respond.

It's strange seeing her with white wings when I know the true color that suits her. I fuss up at her again. Deep inside, however, I'm really proud.

"My, my," I hear Leon's voice from behind me and I growl. "What's this?"

"Not now, Leon."

"Please let me train her."

He's begging me to train my mate? Absurd.

But there is a ton I need to focus on... and he's the Gamma, so it's what he does...

"You don't know how to fly," I grumble.

"I'll leave that up to you, Alpha King," That smug look... He's lucky I know his focus is on how to make her a fighting machine. He probably has already decided her weapon type and style.

I'm still considering it when I notice another presence... the one that has been making me on edge since she arrived.

'Lex.' My mate nearly crashes onto the forest floor beside me. Yep, we're gonna have to work on that landing.

"What do we have going on here?" Claudia's voice is just as gentle and poised as her posture. My mother even stiffens beside me at the sight of her sister. "Oh, don't stop on my account! It's a freeing thing learning to use your wings, isn't it?"

Alexia smiles politely, blinking her lashes shyly. This thing where you have to be cordial with family... I don't like it. Why pretend to like someone you hardly know just because you are related. I mean I know why but still. She makes me uncomfortable.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Nyssa's tone drips with sarcasm. My eyes flick to her. I almost forgot my other aunt is here. In her mortal form, she may look more unassuming from a distance, but her bright purple hair and sharp gaze distinguishes her, at the very least. As far as she's concerned, it isn't her family. I envy that but also wonder if she would care even if it was.

"Nyssa! We still need to have tea sometime," Something tells me Aunt Nyssa would rather do just about anything else than have tea with Aunt Claudia. "Alas, I will be returning home in the morning, but I did get to talk to that charming mate of yours. Julian, is it?"

Before Aunt Nyssa's stare starts to take dramatic effect, I speak up. "If you don't mind, Aunt Claudia, why have you come out here?"

Her smile practically glows, but I don't feel any warmth from it. "To beg my sister to not be such a recluse and visit sometime," Mom's face is passive. She has remained completely silent on the subject of her family this entire visit. The only thing she did was be hospitable and accommodating, but that is as far as she seems willing to go. "To wish you all goodbye." Her eyes seem to darken as the trees cast shadows across her face. She smiles. "And to give you a message."