I’d been so proud of my efforts during the recovery mission and proud of not being overpowered by the heavy gear or the long hike, so I find myself incredibly motivated to be able to pull my weight even more.
I refuse to be the liability.
Gabe and Atlas are both still going to their training sessions at the Tac Training Center each morning before they head off to help in the rebuilding efforts, and I force myself out of the incredibly comfortable bed to go with them. I need to be ready for the next time we get called away from the Sanctuary, and I don’t want to rely on my bond to do the heavy lifting for me.
A few days after the council had threatened North during the meeting, I wake up to the sounds of Gryphon getting up to head off for the day. When I move to head into the bathroom to get myself ready to go with him, North grumbles in his sleep, his arms tightening around me, making it even more difficult to get out. I've come to learn that he’s the worst of all of my Bonded when it comes to waking up.
You’d never guess it from all of the suits.
Once I’m dressed and ready, I meet Gryphon, Gabe, and Atlas on the front steps of the house to head down to the Tac Training Center together. The jog down there has become one of my favorite parts of the day.
Gabe and Atlas start to get very competitive with Gryphon and me, and it's not long before our slow warm-up run turns into an all-out sprinting war over who is going to get down to the center first.
It's childish and stupid and the perfect distraction that I need so desperately these days.
I arrive at the Tac Training Center with the taste of blood in my mouth, my lungs screaming, but, to my great joy, the three fully grown men running with me arrive seconds later.
I beat them all, finally.
As I catch my breath, I find Kieran and Sage waiting for us outside. I almost burst into tears at the sight of my best friend, my eyes watering the second I realize it's her standing there, and when she gets a good look at me, she does the same.
She hesitates for a second, as though she's not sure how I'm going to react to her, but I fling my arms around her neck and cling to her desperately.
I’d spent the last few days messaging her constantly, trying to get her to agree to meet up, but every time she’d answer that she was spending time with her Bonded and getting her feet back underneath herself.
I wanted to be very respectful of her Bonded Group and give her what she needed, instead of just taking what I wanted from her, but it's been the hardest few days. Almost as hard as the admittedly few days her loyalty had been in question.
“Thank God, I honestly thought I was going to have to come and fight Kieran for your honor.”
She snorts into my shoulder, a very wet sound that I will not judge her for, and mumbles, “Sawyer beat you to it. We tried to keep him out, but he just used his Gift to unlock the doors and bitch me out for the state of myself. He's dragging me to dinner tonight with our parents. It'll be the first time that Kieran is coming to see them in a formally Bonded capacity, so feel free to snatch my soul right out and get me the hell out of that situation.”
I bite my lip and glance at Keiran, ignoring the way that he glowers down at me, as if daring me to say something.
Joke's on him, I give zero fucks about his feelings on the matter.
“Meeting the parents! Do you feel nervous? I should probably let you know that their opinions on their daughter's Bonds have always been pretty weird, so you're gonna have your work cut out for you. I can totally give you some tips though. I won them over pretty damn quick. How do you feel about walking into burning buildings?”
Sage grimaces and buries her face in her hands. “Don't remind me! My dad is still falling over himself trying to get my forgiveness. Even after this whole ‘Neuro hacking into my brain’ debacle, he's been even more protective about it. He's trying to convince us to move into the same house as him, my mom, and Maria, but I honestly can't think of anything worse.”
Gryphon greets Kieran with a clap on the shoulder and then reaches past us all to scan his card to get access to the building. Gabe and Atlas are squabbling over who beat who in the running race, and I throw an arm over Sage’s shoulder to tuck her into my side tightly, already feeling like today is going to be a million times better than yesterday, thanks to Sage’s appearance.
We step into the center together and out of reflex, I duck my head so I don’t have to see any of the curious and wary looks that I know will be slung my way.
I distract myself with my bestie. “So, are you here to see me to do training or because Kieran refuses to let you out of his sight, because he's a typical boorish Bonded man?”