Angel of the Silent, Chapter 6
JACOB POV
My heart skipped. No, it jumped. Shit, it freaking leaped from inside my chest and lunged itself at Angela. It was like when I imprinted on her in the shopping centre, but only ten times better. How is that possible? You can only imprint once?
"Jake, please, this flood of emotion isn't helping the pack. Either cut it out or phase, all of us can barely remain standing." Sam pleaded, hanging his head low as his knees shook beneath him. He was right though, the entire pack were feeling what I was feeling at that very moment and they all struggled to stay standing. I hadn't even realised I was already on my knees until Collin hesitated and fell to his front right. Without taking my eyes from Angela's painfully beautiful ones, I raised myself to all four feet once again and slowly backed up towards my clothes. They were strewn about beside a fallen tree from the attack, not too far from where we stood, so it was easy to crouch, phase, and slide on the pants while still holding my gaze. Angela stood as still as a statue, her mouth slightly open as a sign of nervousness. Her eyes followed my every move.
"Jacob, I… Please don't be afraid of me" She whispered, her eyes beginning to water. My body moved like a robot, completely detached from my brain as I strode towards her. I stopped a small length away, not sure if I was able to move any closer without having an emotional breakdown. My gaze bore into hers, and I could only imagine how much she must have been feeling the raw emotion emanating from me. "I am what my kind calls an Angel of the Silent." she began, "The Silent refers to those of my kind, as we do not make ourselves known in the universe and we live as all humans live. We blend, without anyone knowing any better. Silent. We are called Elemances, and are gifted with an affinity for one of the four elements; fire, water, earth, and air." Her voice shook as she paused, the space around us was silent. Even the animals had stopped, as if listening intently and waiting for her to continue her story. She cleared her throat before proceeding, "The Angel refers to my abilities. I am their healer; their protector; leader if the circumstance requires. And I can control all four elements stronger than any other.
"My whole life I've felt so… Alone. Before tonight I had never come across another Elemance, leaving me with so many questions a-a-and doubts. Then I saw you in the shopping centre and something inside me shifted. Partly from you imprinting, partly because I new my whole life was going to change. And it did." she shrugged passively as she looked towards the ground. "I just… I need you to know this. I don't expect you to understand, this is all just so stupid. I feel like an idiot-"
"Don't." I breathed. She looked up at me with glazed eyes, one deep and brown and the other the most unusual purple I had ever seen.
"You're… O-Okay? With it?"
"What kind of man would I be if I weren't?" I smiled as I stepped up to her and pulled her in for the most desperate hug I had ever given in my life. She was officially crying now, but I honestly didn't care or know whether they were tears of joy or tears of sadness. I just wanted her in my arms. Around us everyone stood watching; some smiling at the cheesiness of the moment, others completely baffled as to what was going on still. Despite this, I didn't want to leave that moment. It was... Horribly perfect.
It turns out that the six Ele-something-ish people were actually really nice. When Sam had finally brought Angela and I back to reality he ordered Leah and Collin to bring in half of the pack and get them to phase. With Seth, Brady, and Aron still patrolling the perimeter everyone else gathered and discussed the events that had just occurred. Once Sam and I had declared the six to be safe and were no threat to us, we lead them all back to Emily's house. Emily was as worried as ever, but still attempted to tend to the bruises and scratches of the six. They all refused, insisting they were fine. Showers were offered, and gladly taken, before once again everyone gathered together for more discussion. We sat around the re-lit ashes of the bonfire on the great big logs accompanied by both Old Quil and my dad. The wives flurried in the kitchen preparing food for the wolves and guests alike, knowing their obligations to not interfere with pack business.
Angela delved deeper into what exactly it was she could do and who her kind were. She told us all about the man in her dream and what he had said, about what the capabilities of any in her kind were, how she had been living over the past years, all that kind of stuff. Even the six shared things about their past. Some defined their abilities and their limits as such, others simply told us how they came to be where they were today.
The eldest of the group was the water guy, he was close to three and a half centuries old and was originally from Spain. Florent, he said his name was. Then came Moira, the fire woman, who was born a mere generation after Florent in the outskirts of Ireland. Patricia, the earth chick, said she was born in 1842, and she made alliance with Moira shortly after 1877 when Moira was travelling through her hometown in France. Kyle the air guy and Shaun the fire guy both grew up in an orphanage together in Bloemfontein, South Africa, throughout the turning of the 20th century. They were both white, and so did not face the worst of the apartheid back then, but had their differences and parted ways a few years after they matured into their abilities. Which left the youngest of the group, Dennis the earth guy; who was born in Australia, the same day in fact the Japanese first attacked Darwin in World War 2. The group slowly found one another over their times mainly through travelling about. Though not the youngest, Kyle was the most recent to be added to the group and was the most volatile. Who knew that air could put so much anger in one person?
Angela held my hand the whole time, listening so intently to each and every word said by everyone else. She looked so… Enthralled. And so was I, this was so much to take in. She and these others were Elemances, they could control the elements, they had super senses and a wicked powerful eye, Moira could even breathe fire. What was next? Surely nothing could get weirder…
"Not weirder, no. But more serious, yes." Florent commented, abruptly cutting off Shaun whilst he spoke about how he had found Kyle again. Everyone went quiet, having no idea where the wise man's statement came from.
"Excuse me?" I replied, his gaze didn't falter away from me and became extremely unnerving. Leah tensed, feeling like her alpha was being challenged.
"Your thoughts, we can all read them. They appear as words and images above your head and the eye can see them" he stated, shifting his position less directly towards me. "I highly doubt our situation could become much 'weirder' despite your opinions, but as I previously stated this will definitely require great discretion, cooperation; and if we deem fit - some assistance." The six sat silently, their knowledge of what Florent had just said was obvious. The pack, Angela and I on the other hand had no-freaking-idea. A long question-filled silence followed before Brady stuck his foot in it.
"So like, you can read our minds?"
"Yes." replied Moira calmly.
"Can you read it right now?"
"Brady, I don't think anyone wants to know what goes on in that head of yours, shove a sock in it, 'kay?" Leah commented sharply before Moira could respond.
"Just because you joined he pack before me, doesn't mean you can push me around!" Brady called, sourness dripping from his tone.
"I'm third from the top, pup. Shove a really big sock in it and calm the fuck down."
"You think you're better than me!? Prove it, you bitch!" Brady jumped from his seat and tore off his shirt, ready to phase at the drop of a hat. Leah stood too at the threat of challenge, her cold hard stare not breaking from his.
"ENOUGH!" I bellowed, so everyone froze. "This is not the time! Brady go on patrol, relieve Aron and send him back here immediately. Don't report back until sunrise."
"Graveyard shift, ouch bro." Quil snickered jokingly, but the cocky smile faded as soon as I looked his way to give the 'You too, smartass' look. Quil sighed, knowing that I wouldn't be taking any of their shit tonight. He slumped his shoulders as he stood up and began to make his leave. "I know the drill. Not a peep till sunrise. I'll send Embry back as well. Come on Brad, lets hit the nightshift before the moon gives us a punishment too." The walk of shame was watched by everybody as they disappeared into the woods, no one liked the graveyard shift - especially when they were forced to start it at around 10pm. Serves them right for stepping out of line.
"Your pack dynamics are quite fascinating, I must say. We've never come across such a lively bunch of shape-shifters." Patricia smiled, but she too cowered and felt intimidated when I turned my enraged glare her way.
"Leah"
"Yeah, boss?"
"Sit."
She sat, and not another word come out of her mouth. Angela looked horrified, dumbfounded by the intense and sudden atmospheric change. I reclaimed my seat beside her and clasped her hand into mine reassuringly. "Florent, please continue."
Florent nodded understandingly, "An old threat of ours has gained strength over the last few centuries. Elemances are born when the balance of good and evil is unstable, much like your kind experience the transformation when your enemies are nearby or the land needs protecting. My point is that more and more Elemances are being born much more than usual, which is a bad sign. Our enemy grows stronger, gathers it's allies and beats down it's foes, but still remains in a shadowed view of the humans. I fear it won't keep in the dark for much longer, and I ask for the help of both our Angel and your kind." He gave Angela a glance, and she barely returned the look blank-faced. "I don't expect you to agree to this straight away, Jacob, but I'd appreciate if you thought it through. Angela, I'm afraid I can't say the same for you. You are our natural born leader, your place is with us by our sides; healing, protecting." There was a long pause, "We won't leave this place without you."
"You can't have her."
Sorry for the wait, life doesn't like letting writing take a front seat on the priorities list…
DUN DUN DUNNNN! Who said that? You tell me!
What is this threat that has the Elemances so desperate to try recruiting shape-shifters?
Read&Review fellow fanfictioneers, I love to here what you think :)
-Shady x