The following two weeks ran like clockwork; training, eating, and yearning sidelong glances.

Eve was relatively subdued and stayed in her room throughout the day. Any time Visena approached her, she disappeared without a word. Every avoidance triggered a minor rejection that gnawed at the Fae's heart.

Because of Eve's absence, Liam begrudgingly took over her training. "I don't see why I have to train her. Why can't Prim do it?" 

Prim slapped him across the bicep. "Because I'm helping the new shifters this week. Stop being a wimp." She turned to Visena with a grimace and particularly rosy cheeks. "You know I would love to train you if I had the time Vi!" 

Visena laughed at her strange awkwardness and sent Prim on her way with a genuine smile. She loved that chatty, little redhead. 

Jed unsurprisingly kept to himself, but Visena would often catch him staring at her with a conflicted scowl before darting away. On the other hand, Gideon stayed at a respectful distance and offered warm smiles whenever they crossed paths. To her chagrin, he had been busy with pack business and locked in his room most of the time. Sometimes Visena could hear strained whispers and claws scratching across the hardwood floors. 

A loud growl in the middle of the night had her heart leaping from her chest. She wanted to see him but quickly thought better of it. 

Best not to disturb an aggravated wolf.

Lucky for Visena, in place of Gideon's presence, he would leave his hoodies on her bed. It reminded her of a warm, deliciously scented calling card. She was smitten by Gideon's offering and happily snuggled down into his warm jumpers each night.

Prim and Orion seemed to be walking on eggshells, but Visena didn't miss the strange looks of adoration when they thought no one was looking.

And as usual, Visena was just trying to enjoy the ride.

It was finally the day of the Blood moon and only hours before Visena would get to see her mother. They had taken the day off from training to ensure their bodies were well rested in preparation for a fight.

Visena wandered around the fighting squares until she found Jed crouched by a pine tree, coaxing some insect off his hand. The Fae appreciated his gentleness and approached cautiously. "What is it?"

Jed's frown almost made her turn around and walk away.

Almost.

"Oh wow, a stick bug. Cool..."

Jed huffed a breath of air, startling the long creature. "Come on, little guy," he murmured, giving it a gentle prod. It swayed off his palm like a windblown branch.

Visena quickly came up with an idea. "Can I show you something?"

Jed sighed before answering. "What?"

Her smile beamed as she marched into the forest with a very resistant Gamma. "Follow me."

They walked in complete silence, besides a few grumbles from Jed. Giant evergreens cradled them in their embrace. Visena brushed her fingers across every tree and plant along the way. Soon enough, they reached the clearing with the small tadpole pond. Dappled light kissed the rushes and blue Iris along the bank.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Visena beamed back at Jed, causing a slight flush to creep up his neck. He couldn't completely resist the Fae's charms either.

"Yes, it is. I come here a lot..." 

When Visena's face fell, he felt guilty. "Sorry. I mean... Thanks for bringing me here."

She pressed her lips together and made a short, appreciative humming sound. "Well, I could show you something you've probably never seen here before..."

This piqued Jed's interest, and he waited for her to elaborate. Visena knelt by the pond and created a cup with her hands under the water. Soon a small tadpole swam over her open palms, and her eyes crinkled with joy. "Come for a ride, little one." Visena lifted her hands out of the water with the tadpole with a strange look of concentration. The liquid quivered in her grasp before rising in a perfect spherical shape. She could see the little tadpole swimming in circles from every angle as the ball of water hovered in mid-air. Jed's gasp made her giggle. "Here, you hold it."

Jed's eyes bugged out. "What? I can't hold it."

"You'll be fine. Hold your hands out." Visena used one hand to tug on his reluctant ones. He formed a cup of his own and stared as Visena gently passed the water sphere to him. It didn't touch his skin but sat a few centimetres above. As Jed moved his hands, it shifted along with him. Visena held the form with ease after days of practice and revelled at the smile she elicited from him.

"This is cool," he breathed, staring up at her radiant smile. He reciprocated before kneeling by the pond. Then, with a gentle downward tilt of his fingers, he let the sphere roll off his hand and back into the small body of water. The tadpole swum around his submerged fingertips gratefully before darting under a shaded spot. "What was that?" Jed asked from his crouched position. 

Visena sat next to him, cross-legged, and sighed. "I'm not really sure. I just figured I could manipulate water somehow after a few weird things happened, and I guess I was right. I wish I could remember more about my past, then maybe it would be easier to use my magic. Or whatever it is."

Jed looked contemplative. "So you really have no memory?"

Visena shook her head sadly.

"And you're a half breed?"

Visena looked surprised. "How do you know that?"

"The wolf that kidnapped you said it to Alpha before they left you with us. I don't think anyone else heard her because they were too hypnotised by you." His cheeks reddened. "But I heard it."

Visena wracked her brain for the memory and felt a sense of familiarity. "Gideon knows because I told him and Prim only realised it a few weeks ago, so she didn't hear Janna... I'm probably just Fae and human, though, because these abilities I have are pretty weak."

They sat quietly, twirling their fingers in the pond water and watching the dragonflies. Then, a lazy, low-flying bumblebee whizzed past Jed's ear and landed on Visena's knee. She petted its massive fluffy butt before it crawled off her and onto a pollen-riddled flower. "Why don't you like me?" Visena asked suddenly with a soft voice.

Jed's fingers stilled in the cool water, and his head drooped. "I'm sorry. I don't not like you. I just don't trust my feelings."

"I don't understand..."

"When I first saw you, there was a feeling. It sounds stupid." Visena kept silent, hoping he would continue. He did. "It was like a bond or something. Which is impossible, and I don't want to trust it. It's not a secret that Fae are tricksters. I don't want the pack or my brother to be tricked by one of your kind."

Visena took a deep breath and swallowed the burn in her throat. "I don't remember much, and I know you don't have a lot of trust for my kind, but I would never intentionally do anything to hurt any of you. Ever. You are all the closest thing I have to family now."

Jed nodded and bit his lower lip. "Well, I guess tonight will tell if you're gonna betray us." His tone held seriousness but also the tiniest sliver of hope. Whatever bond he felt made him want to trust her. 

She prayed she wouldn't let him down.

~~~~

A/N

 Does anyone else like bumblebees? 

They're just so big and fluffy and kinda dumb? 

I got stung by one while rollerskating through a tunnel (while singing obnoxiously)...

 Maybe it didn't appreciate my angelic voice lol

Anyway, thanks for reading yah cuties,

Until nexxxxt time <3 

Mwah x