Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

On Thursday, James calls Marco. Marco puts it on speaker and listens while James tells him to bring me to his house for

training. They want to teach me more about hand-to-hand combat in small spaces. Two against one.

“James, have you cleared this with your mate? Three wolves performing hand to hand combat inside your home...your home where your pacifist mate also lives, I mean?” I ask, skeptical of this plan.

“Yeah, Delilah’s totally fine with it. She understands now that you need to know more than just how to block and escape holds. Plus, she said if we break anything it gives her an excuse to use my bonus money to go shopping. Speaking of which, she said to bring your change of clothes, you can shower at our place and then go on this shopping trip with her when we are done.”

I laugh out loud, “Okay, will do.” 

Marco and | make our way to James and Delilah’s little house .I go to knock on the door but it’s already cracked open. I look at

Marco who shrugs and unholsters his pistol and I push the door open slowly and call out.

“James? Are you here? Delilah?” A large fist comes flying from behind the door. I block the initial attack, smacking the forearm hard against the door frame. James reaches out from behind the door and catches my collar and roughly throws me into the living room. I land on the edge of the sofa and roll off landing in a crouched position. He charges at me again, launching another heavy punch aimed down at me. I dodge and crawl onto the coffee table before he can recover his balance. Standing on the table, I’m the same height as him. I use my foot to pick up the decorative serving platter, never taking my eyes off him. As soon as he is close enough, I thrust it up striking the underside of his chin, catching him in the throat. James falls back coughing and trying to catch his breath.

me. He’s at an advantage since his reach is so much longer than mine. I’m able to deflect most of the strikes but one kick hits hard against my knee, knocking me off the table. I hit the floor flat on my back with a thud. All the air knocks out of

there with a kick headed straight for my face. I block him and give him a kick in return just below his gut. I will have to apologize to Delilah later. As he bends over in pain, I knee him in the face. Blood starts flowing on the beige carpet. Now I really have to apologize to

leg up and knock it out of the air back at him. He catches it before it falls. Before he can throw it again, I roundhouse kick and land the top of my foot right against his ear, he stumbles but keeps his balance. He throws the lamp to the side and lunges forward with a growl, grabbing my wrist. | swing out to the side bringing my free elbow down on his arm. I feel the crack of one of his bones, forcing him to let go and grunt in pain. At the same time, I

Practice has just begun.

match. Even though it had been less than a month, Lex was in her wheelhouse. We were stronger and more focused every day. To the point that all James

to Lex being stronger is that all my abilities are stronger too. I am helping out in the hospital wing multiple times a week,

over slowing time for hours. If it was just one or two

can train with the pack warriors. Bronx makes me agree to wait until after the wedding to start working out with the pack. I have a

of James and Delilah’s house is destroyed. There are also a couple of bullet holes where Marco's nine-millimeter handgun went off. Like I said, I told them not to take it easy on me. ° I finally

Just then, the door opens and Delilah steps in. She

uh...yeah, definitely need a shopping trip for some new furniture, oh...and flower pots... and

get to the top of the stairs, I take her by the hand, “Delilah, I’m so sorry, things got completely out of hand. I knew

make it ours. You know? Go get freshened up,” she smiles nervously, “Oh, before we go out, can we stop by your apartment and pick up your wedding binder? I told Ashley I would stop