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After agreeing to our old routine of meeting up ever Sunday night 'for the visions', Blue leaves and I make my way back to the house. When I walk into the kitchen, Mom and Mikyle are chatting quietly about the events that transpired a few hours ago.

"Wisty, here," Mom passes me a slightly warmed blood bag when she notices me and wraps an arm around my shoulders. I blink at the motherly gesture and allow her to guide me into my usual seat at the island. "I'm so glad things seem to be going well with your training, but we'll have to limit your traveling between the territories so this doesn't keep happening." She tells me and I nod, for once agreeing without a fight. She's right after all.

I haven't been attacked outright inside of the Azure or Coven territories, only when I was traveling between them or just outside of them. I pop open the tube at the end of the blood bag and begin drinking my dinner. The days event begin catching up to me as I sit there silently, letting the thick liquid energize me and charge the nearly empty batteries within me. I'm so absorbed in my task I nearly forget about Mom and Mikyle until my shadow hops off his chair beside me.

"Well, Lady M, it's been fun. But I think I should return to HQ now that Scarlett's part of the Coven." He says and extends a hand to Mom. She blinks, looking between us slowly as she takes his hand and gives him a firm shake.

"Oh, right. I suppose that would be best." She nods slowly, casting glances at me. By now I've stopped drinking and feel my mind reeling to catch up with what he's saying.

"Wait, what?" I drop the bag on the counter and face my shadow, eyes wide and disbelieving. Is he serious?

"What, did you think I'd be here forever, princess?" He asks jokingly, but there's a bitter edge to his voice that makes my stomach twist painfully.

"No! I just-"

"You knew I was only here because your parents ordered me to stay. Now that you're position is secured in the Coven, there's no need for me to hover." Mikyle shrugs a little too loosely, the nonchalant expression just this side of mechanical. "After all, 'nothing's going on between us.'" The words I said not ten minutes ago to Blue slap me in the face.

"Mikyle-" I begin but he ignores me and turns to my mom.

"If that's all, I think I'll take my leave now." He tells her, giving her a slight bow before making his way to the front door.

"Thanks again for helping us out, Mikyle." Mom calls after him, a slightly confused look on her face, but she doesn't stop him.

"It's my *duty*, Lady M." He replies and I wince, closing my eyes as the front door clicks shut behind the vampire. A few moments of silence pass between me and Mom before she lets out a breath and wraps me in a gentle hug.

"It's for the best, Wisty." Her words feel like stones in my chest, weighing my heart down instead of lightening it.

"I know." I mutter back, staring at the empty blood bag on the counter, and wondering if by mending things with Blue I inadvertently destroyed the relationship I was building with Mikyle.

- - -

My brain's a foggy mess the rest of the night, muddled by the millions of thoughts racing through my mind. Eventually, I fall asleep, but things aren't much better after that. The nightmares are back, worse than before, they wake me from my restless sleep and haunt me even when my eyes are open. The shadows seem to move in the near-silent hours before dawn, sending icy, irrational terror down my spine and pinning me to the surface of my bed.

It's only when the sky outside begins to lighten that my fears begin to melt away.

Mom wakes from her sleep sometime after me, how long, I'm not sure, but my entire body is achy from being tensed all night. Or maybe it's a result of the Blooming? Regardless, I'm shaky by the time I get up and shuffle into the kitchen for 'breakfast'.

"I'll be late tonight, honey," Mom tells me as she zips around the small room, oblivious to my shaking, thank God.

"That's okay, Mom." I reply, trying to make my voice calm and relaxed. It really isn't though. Without Mikyle here, I'm afraid of possibly being attacked while I wait for her to come home. Then again, I'm also supposed to be getting a 'tutor' so I technically have an excuse to hang out at Coven HQ. Still, I worry that I may run into my ex-shadow while I'm there. "I think I'll just drop by the Coven or something." I finally tell her.

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Mom pauses, holding out a freshly brewed mug of coffee to me. I take the thing and allow the warmth to soothe my twitching hands. "Yuri has agreed to take over your training."

"Yuri?" I blink a few times, wondering if I misheard her.

"Yes, well, after last night, Zane felt it would be best that you try to train with a Wolven since Wolven are exactly who we'll be fighting." Mom explains.

"Oh." I mutter, but can't help but wonder if that's Blue's only reason for making Yuri take over my training. "Okay. But Hale said he'd get me a tutor-"

"Wisty, I'm sorry, but I need to get going or I'll be late," Mom interrupts, glancing at her phone. "I'll have Hale come by for dinner and we can talk about it then." She compromises and presses a quick kiss to my hair before heading for the door. I frown, wondering why she's in such a rush.

"Okay, bye, Mom," I call over my shoulder and begin sipping my coffee.

"Love you, honey, bye- Oh, good morning, Yuri." Mom suddenly says. I glance over my shoulder in time to see her dash out the front door just as the huge Wolven walks into the room.

"See you later, Marissa!" He waves at Mom as she goes before turning his coal-like gaze on me. "How's it going, gorgeous?"

"Hey, Yuri," I smile at him, immediately feeling calm when I see his easy-going, flirty grin. I hop off my chair and go over to him. We hug, as if it's the most normal thing in the world. I can't help but feel completely at ease around the large Wolven, so used to his reassuring demeanor. I've missed him, I realize after a moment. He's like the best friend I never had. "You're my new trainer, huh?"

"Yep. Our esteemed Alpha-to-be has commanded me to take over your formal training, hence forth!" Yuri gives a mock bow and salute, making me shake my head and try to hide my laugh.

"So it would seem." I chuckle around the rim of my coffee mug and lead him into the kitchen. "Want anything?" I ask casually, fishing through the cabinets for a thermos to take tea in. I have a feeling I'll need the extra blood.

"Nah," Yuri takes Mikyle's old spot and drums his fingers against the stony surface of the island. "But, fair warning, you're going to need lots of fuel for what I've got planned." He grins at me, the kind of grin you'd expect to see from a shark.

"I figured." I reply dryly, grabbing two blood bags from the fridge and an ice pack from the freezer to keep them cool. I toss the provisions into my emptied backpack before disappearing back into my room to change into something I won't mind completely destroying. As an afterthought, I pack an extra change of clothes, assuming Yuri's idea of 'training' will be utter hell.

"Ready?" Yuri asks when I come back into the kitchen ten minutes later.

"Now I am." I reply, pulling another blood bag from the fridge, this time popping open the top and beginning to sip.

"I'm never going to get used to that." Yuri mutters, wrinkling his nose as he watches me.

"You and me both," I grumble around my makeshift straw and shoulder my pack. "Lead the way." I gesture for him to take the lead out the front door as I continue drinking my cold breakfast.

We jog to the Azure's HQ, passing a few Wolven on the way, but Yuri never slows long enough to chat, only waving as we pass. I'm relieved I drank some blood before embarking on our trip, despite knowing I have enough stamina to run for hours without becoming fatigued, I find myself physically drained by the time we finally stop. It's like I'm human. I'm huffing, beads of sweat trickling down my face as I brace my hands on my knees.

"Am I your kryptonite or something, babe?" Yuri jokes, winking at me as he stretches in the large courtyard I met him and Blue in yesterday.

"Not even," I hiss, rolling my eyes. "I've been..." I take in another deep breath, feeling my laboring heart slow a little. "Weak lately..." Huff. "Cause 'o the Blooming." I explain and he nods slowly, eyes slowly taking me in. Not in a creepy or sexual way, but the way a robot would. His gaze is sharp and analytical. Very un-Yuri like.

"Let's warm up," He finally says when I've stopped puffing and my sweat's dried under my t-shirt and sweat pants.

"That jog here wasn't a warm-up?" I can't help but whine. Yuri grins at me maliciously.

"Oh, honey," He shakes his head in an annoyingly patronizingly way. I grit my teeth, feeling my face twist into a scowl. This is going to suck, I can tell just by the pitying look on his face. And this mountain of a man I'm so comfortable around sure as shit isn't about to go easy on me.