Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Mate
“You need to constantly keep your weight grounded,” Jasper explains, tapping his own waist for emphasize.
Eliana nods, spreading her legs slightly so that they are roughly shoulder length apart. She takes turns putting pressure on each side. Her ankle is not hurting much.
“It has been almost three days, are you sure we should be wasting our time training like this,” she asks, rolling her shoulders. “Should we not be trying to outrun the Climont soldiers?”
Jasper nods, straightening his posture before moving to her side. “Correct, but we are at least a day’s journey ahead of them. We can take a small amount of time to make sure you can protect yourself the next time they come.”
Eliana nods, but is emotionally shaken, as Jasper touches her wrist. The gasp builds in her chest and escapes before she can control it.
Jasper pauses for a moment, silence overtaking them both.
Clearing her throat, Eliana composes herself, “What happens if the attackers are Pivurlion? Surely I cannot defend well against them.”
He grunts and steps away, “Leave them to me.”
She gently rubs the place where he originally was touching.
“What. . .” staring down at her hand, Eliana runs her finger along the scar that she received when she killed the Climont soldier, “What happens if I have to kill again?”
Jasper scans her face, “It will be for your own safety, it is forgivable.”
“I do not want. . . Taking that man’s life. . .” Eliana is forced to stop as her body shuts down. She heaves in a large breath as the memories barrage her. “I only did it to save you. He was going to kill you,” she whimpers, tears building, thickening her words.
“Eliana,” Jasper moves to her side once more, “It is not your fault. You were trying to protect me. It does not make you a terrible person.”
He softly rubs her shoulder for support. Eliana is overwhelmed by the scent of lavender, that her mind becomes foggy; her world is spinning.
“Please, I cannot. . .” she turns away from Jasper, her heart in her throat. “I cannot concentrate.”
She only barely catches a glimpse of the anguish distorting Jasper’s features. She wants to sob as guilt tears into her chest. Why did she have to pull away like that?
“I’m sorry,” she mumbles, “It is—”
“You are fine,” Jasper says quickly, interrupting her. His features are hardened, his lips pressing tightly together. “You have been through a lot.”
Eliana opens her mouth to speak, but his head swivels around, his dense gaze staring into the darkness of the forest.
“We need to go, now.” He grabs her wrist without thinking and rushes out of the clearing.
“Is it the werebears, or the soldiers?” Eliana gasps as they rustle through the leaves.
“I do not smell any Xefol.” He huffs, pushing branches out of the way.
Eliana’s vision blurs at the edges, and she refuses to look back.
“Hurry,” Jasper growls as they near the small town. “We’ll hide within the village. There’s a chance they will not notice us.” His breathing is labored, as they slide behind the first hut. He tugs Eliana along.
Horses neigh as the Climont soldiers near. Eliana can see their violet hue as she peeks around the corner.
“What if they find us,” she whines softly, her hands clenching into balls.
“They will not,” Jasper hisses, his back toward her.
“But—”
He pivots toward her, placing his hand on her cheek gently, “I will protect you.”
Flames engulf her entire body. Eliana only stands there quietly.
“Come on, we need to continue moving.” Jasper grabs a hold of her arm once more, the places of contact throbbing.
Eliana can now hear the shouts of men as the horses’ hooves beat against the dirt. They will be upon the village shortly.
“In here,” Jasper pulls her into a small shack, just off the main road.
Her ankle gives out, causing her to tumble to the ground. She groans but bites the pain down. Jasper kneels down in front of her, his gaze peering through the cracks in the frame.
“They’re close,” he whispers, close to Eliana’s ear.
She hides the blush forming in her cheeks at their close proximity, and tries to focus on the enemy growing near.
The hooves shake the ground, the vibration rattling up her arm. It finds its way up and into her chest.
Jasper’s hair dangles next to his cheeks, lightly brushing her own. His hot breath hits her neck. Eliana gulps, her mind becoming hazy from his rich scent.
The soldiers pass by, their bickering tightening Eliana’s body with fear. The lump in her throat expands.
“Where have they gone,” one of the men barks tugging on the reigns of his steed.
“I was sure that they would head in this direction,” another grumbles.
“Sir,” a soldier rides up from the side, “I do not see them anywhere.”
There is a span of silence where Eliana cannot see what they are doing.
“Go grab that bear,” the man from before orders. “He said they went in this direction. Let’s ask him once more.”
As the soldier ride off, Jasper’s brow is crinkled.
“I did not smell Xefol. Is my nose off,” he whispers softly.
Eliana watches the slight movement of his facial expression, her mind too clouded to understand what he means. His scent is now coating her entire body and causing all of her movements to be slow. He is crouched over her, his arm on either side. She slowly shifts her hand and ends up brushing his own.
Jasper hisses, his teeth bared, and his face whips around to look at her. It is not pain that she sees in his eyes though. His pupils dilate until almost all of the color is gone. Eliana caresses his features with her gaze, every inch of her body burning.
She opens her mouth to speak, but once he looks down at her lips, she freezes. There is a rope tightening around her heart, yanking. She inhales a quivering breath, trying to focus her thoughts. Her mind is racing once more, the same mysterious word rising to the surface. This time, though, it becomes clear.
“Mate.”
Jasper’s entire body grows rigid above her, his gaze becoming hooded.
That is when Eliana realizes that she had said the word out loud, and not in her head.
Why is she thinking of it now? The word should mean nothing to her.
“Eliana,” Jasper whispers, his voice sending heat coursing through her chest and into her abdomen.
She gasps with the feeling, her eyes widening. Her brow trembles as she tries to make sense of her reaction.
Eliana takes a moment to swallow, trying to control her limbs as the urge to reach up and touch him yanks on her arms.
“Jasper,” she whines as her body begins moving on its own.
He swoops down, curving one arm around her back and lifting her up closer. As their faces grow near, Eliana’s entire body shuts down. They stay in that position for a mere moment, and the same word screams in her mind, on repeat.
Mate.
Before she has time to think, Eliana meets Jasper halfway, crashing her lips with his. Her body goes numb for a minute, her brain trying to process the warmth of Jasper’s.
Then, her entire soul explodes into a burning inferno.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone