Coming Of Age Ch 05

Author's note:

All characters and companies mentioned in this story have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone or anything bearing the same name or names. Events portrayed in this story are pure invention and have not been based on any events that have happen in real life. All the characters involved in any sexual acts if their ages are not mentioned beforehand; are over 18 years of age. Enjoy.

Hey guys,

Here is the latest chapter, I hope you enjoy it.

Now... about the one line mentioning Grey-hawk's death, I never thought it would get the reaction it got. When I put that line in it was purely so that when I go into more detail later it wouldn't have come as a complete surprise. Sadly you will not learn more about his death for a few more chapters but be assured you will learn what happened to him. I promise.

As usual thanks goes to my fabulous editor and to you the reader for following me.

Happy reading

Chapter 5

Electra watched her sister for several moments as she sent her friends, Crystal and Han, to the dorms. Watching her sister while she completed her task, she wondered how Temperance had failed to see the strain her sister was under, oh she hid it well but Temperance should have known. However, Temperance was also a new mate; it was bound to scramble her brain a little. "Come on, your room," Electra said gesturing for Serenity to lead the way before releasing her. Serenity nodded and together they walked up stairs and into Serenity's room.

Electra glanced around for a few moments, impressed with what her sister had done with the room, before she sat on the thick rug on the floor and patted the place before her. "I know you didn't mean to, but earlier you used influence when you ordered Thais outside."

Serenity sighed and sat, "I didn't mean to, I was just... angry."

Electra nodded in understanding, she understood more than her sister might know. The first few months after she mated Mayhem had been an eye opener for the family, thank Luna her parents were powerful Alphas and could tolerate her and Mayhem's mistakes. "Emotions make controlling your influence harder, more so when you are new to it. Have you spoken to ma or da yet? Told them it has awoken?"

"Spoke to da when it first awoke inside me." Serenity explained.

Electra nodded again pleased that her sister had told her father, "how are you doing with the focusing exercise?"

Serenity glanced away before speaking, "not very well." She admitted honestly but it felt as if she had to tear the admission from her throat.

Electra knew what it had cost her sister to admit that, Serenity was a dominant Alpha while she wasn't, admitting a weakness; a failing wasn't what those kinds of Alphas did, unless it was to a mate or their parents. "I know how hard that was, especially considering I am a lesser Alpha to you."

"You are my sister, it shouldn't have been so hard to tell you that." Serenity replied.

"You are a Dominant Alpha, admitting defeat, weakness, or failings... it isn't in your nature, but a good leader knows when to admit it, not only to others but to themselves... da's words not mine." Electra explained.

Serenity sighed and rolled her eyes a little, of course her father had said those words, he rarely if ever used his influence. "It doesn't listen to me; it won't do as I want it to."

"What you want doesn't factor in to influence; it has a mind of its own, trust me. No one gets it right when they first start. Da told me stories about ma's struggles when Mayhem and I had problems. Her issues were compounded by her beast's predisposition towards strong emotions." Electra explained, "Besides you aren't like them, you are doing this virtually on your own, without anyone to guide you through the problems. How long was your talk with dad?"

"Ten... fifteen minutes maybe but it wasn't his fault, it wasn't a really good time to have a long talk, he had a Beta meeting." Serenity explained.

Electra nodded, "hazard of running a pack, and sadly fifteen minutes is not nearly long enough for him to show you how to control your influence."

Serenity nodded.

Electra gripped her sister's knee, "so I'll show you how to focus and feel your influence but it will be up to you to practise until the control becomes subconscious."

Serenity launched herself at her sister and wrapped her up in a tight hug. Electra hugged and comforted her sister, knowing it was what Serenity needed. Electra leant back until they were both lying down, Serenity on top of her older sister. Electra shifted into a more comfortable position and just let Serenity get what she really needed, comfort from someone who knew what she was going through.

"Ready?" Electra asked after a few minutes. Serenity nodded and went to get up but Electra pulled her back, "like this is fine."

Serenity settled resting her cheek against Electra's right shoulder and together they closed their eyes and started to breathe deeply, settling into a meditative state.

Electra waited for Serenity to allow her in, this type of merge was dangerous if she didn't have permission, as they would be going deeper than normal into Serenity's mind. Pass the special wall inside their minds, which guarded their inner minds from intrusion from all bar the most extreme telepath. Electra felt the touch of Serenity's mind and followed her in.

For the first time Electra fully understood how closely her sibling's minds were bound. It was similar to the mates bond, only it seemed to go much deeper. The three very different people were in fact three parts of one collective whole, and to control one would be to control them all.

Now, show me your core,

Electra asked, but stilled as she came face to face with the beast within Serenity who had come to investigate the presence of a different mind within its own. Inside of Serenity's mind the beast was fully grown and only marginally smaller than Amy, it was big and strong, and completely confident.

She sniffed at Electra for a moment, with a gentle purr she rubbed her face against the small human as it recognised her as a family member, a moment later the beast was over next to her human counterpart and a moment after that it vanished into the darkness.

Forgive her, she is protective,

Serenity said as she approached her sister.

I can understand now that I have seen inside your mind, I've been inside a lot of minds over the years but never one as well protected as yours, but it is necessary because your mind is a gateway to another two.

Electra answered.

So... your core?

This way,

Serenity said as she led the way out of what she considered her staging area. She moved towards the 'power centre' where all her powers, both current and to come were housed. It was a large semicircular room that had pigeon holes running up the walls to the ceiling, each pigeon hole represented a power or aspect of a power. Sitting in the middle of the room sat a heavy wooden box bound with iron fixings; its lid was resting partially on top.

Making the box was easy, trying to get my influence into the box, I haven't managed it.

It is never easy, the influence never wants to get into the box, it is there to be used not to be hidden. But once you have it in there it will go back so much more easily. The really good Alphas don't need to use their influence, they learn to lock it up and depend on their strength, character and honour. Those leaders don't control their people and because of that they are the best leaders.

Electra explained.

Now you should feel your influence.

Electra continued as she walked over to the box.

Yeah, that is what I am having problems with. I don't know what it feels like, just that it is there.

Serenity explained.

Electra knew that as there was simply no time for their father to show her any of this.

Okay, no problem.

Electra gestured her sister forward. When Serenity was before her Electra turned her around and hugged her. Using her sister's senses, she showed her sister exactly what her influence was, it tried to hide and disguise itself but it was no match for someone who knew how to control their influence.

Now that Serenity knew what her influence felt like she started to call it to her, and as it came she placed it in the box. Once it was all finally in the box she tried to close the lid, but no matter how hard she pushed or willed it the box wouldn't close completely over.

It won't completely close, what you need to learn is to feel when it starts to creep out and put it back.

Serenity turned to her sister,

So I have to watch it?

Afraid so,

Electra answered,

but as you come into yourself it will be easier because you will know when you influence starts to creep out.

So, we should go now, lots of things to do.

Serenity said a little hesitantly, as she suddenly felt uncomfortable with her sister this deep in her mind.

Are you confident you have this?

Electra asked knowing the true reason for her sister's unease, if it was Temperance or Thais Serenity probably wouldn't mind so much, but she had been hiding her true potential for a very long time, hiding the full scope of her powers.

Are all three of you hiding this much?

Electra asked.

Every time we showed a new power or new aspect ma would get concerned and start to worry, so we've kept a lot of what we can do to ourselves. We have control of them if that is your concern.

Serenity said as she led her sister from the power room.

If you didn't have control ma would have learnt just how much you can do and how much you have kept from her. But you do realise that ma and da need to know what you can do so that they can use your assets.

Electra said as they came back to Serenity's staging area.

Does ma know even what she is completely capable of?

Serenity asked.

Yeah but that's ma, she's a freak and she's the first to say that when she comes up with something new.

Electra said before they both came out of Serenity's mind.

"I think ma already knows that we have been hiding what we can do." Serenity said as she got up off her sister.

"Probably, doesn't mean you shouldn't tell her though." Electra said as they both go to their feet. "Well I'll leave you to your packing. See you at thanksgiving." Electra said before she vanished.

Serenity took a deep breath before she remembered that she hadn't thanked her sister, she grunted but shrugged as that was sometimes the way in the family, you didn't need to say the words for them to know you've thanked them. Turning she left her room. Temperance was waiting and the moment she saw her sister she wrapped her arms around her. Serenity pressed her face to her sister's shoulder and just held her tightly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Temperance asked but she had already guessed her answer. "Just because I have other obligations doesn't mean I have been unaware of your struggles. You are my sister, you are always important to me."

"I'm sorry." Serenity said.

"Don't do it again, if I could have helped I would have." Temperance replied as she rested her head against her sister's.

Bastion hesitated when he saw the twins, he didn't want to break them up as he knew Serenity needed the comfort, but they had a lot of work to do and not much time to do it in. "I am sorry, we have work to do." He said gently, "I won't fuss if you want to curl up together this afternoon."

Temperance and Serenity pulled apart, Temperance turned and glared at her mate a little.

"I promise, no fussing if you decide to curl up and nap together." He held up his hands hoping to reassure her.

"Okay, you better go, you know how Crystal is with packing." Temperance conceded as she turned to her sister. Serenity chuckled, oh she knew how Crystal packed as she had helped setup Crystal's room, books in with clothes, clothes in with ornaments and electrical. Hap hazard packing was the best way to describe it.

Serenity vanished to help where she could.

****

Sky walked from her room a few hours later, the house was quiet, eerily quiet and after the night before it left her unsettled. She had just finished unpacking, in fact it had been a really easy move, what with Serenity willing everything into boxes or suitcases, all neatly folded and padded. Once everything was packed it was willed away to its new home and once all their personal items were gone it was but a simple thought later and the room was spotless.

It had taken an hour to pack their lives up and move, once they were in their new rooms they had been left alone to unpack and arrange their rooms as well as come to terms with how their lives had changed. This time yesterday they were normal and carefree. After unpacking Sky had become restless, she was ahead in her studies and assignments so she didn't even have that to take her mind off her problems.

She knocked gently on Serenity's door, hoping she was in as she wanted to talk to someone. When she got no response she gently opened the door and popped her head in and her eyes scanned the room. Serenity, Thais and Temperance were curled up around each other and napping.

"You can join them," Crystal said making Sky jump as she hadn't heard her approach, "they won't mind, they won't even ask what you were doing in bed with them. They would know, after last night, that you need comfort and cuddling up like that is what Were do for comfort."

"Does that happen often?" Sky asked as she gestured to the three sleeping siblings.

Crystal nodded as she closed the door gently, "not uncommon to find them curled up around each other, Serenity's been under a lot of strain this last week so... this is kind of like therapy for Serenity. But don't be surprised if you see them curled up together like that again, they do it often, before Temperance mated it wasn't uncommon for them to all go to sleep at night together."

"Is that normal?" Sky asked as she followed Crystal into the kitchen.

Crystal frowned as she got to the fridge, opening it she glanced inside, "you know for someone who has grown up with Were being loud and proud, you are every naïve about them. You should have learnt all this in your non-human studies classes." She came out of the fridge with a beer and everything to make sandwiches; she placed it on the centre bench and slid the bread box over to Sky.

"You forgot what I told you earlier, my parents' home schooled me and by the time the state stepped in I was almost at the end of my formal education." Sky opened the box and pulled out a homemade loaf of bread, she cut several slices and handed them to Crystal. "My Aunt knew the principal so with the State's approval managed to get me out of the Non-human requirement for graduation. The state didn't want to stress me out because my parents had brainwashed me from childhood to fear non-humans."

Crystal started to construct a sandwich as Sky packed the bread away.

"My aunt is responsible for getting me here at this level, when I graduated she asked me to have a gap year and spent nine months getting me to lose my distrust of non-humans." Sky explained as Crystal halved the sandwich and offered half to Sky before gesturing her to follow.

Sky grabbed a plate and followed Crystal back up stairs and to her room. "Ignorance breeds fear." Crystal stated firmly and gestured for Sky to grab a chair. "The best way to not be afraid is to know what you fear. Your aunt did wonders, it is sometimes very hard to make someone trust when they have only been taught to fear and mistrust."

"It took a very long time," Sky said as tears formed in her eyes.

Crystal offered her a hanky, "What happened to her?"

"She was killed..."

Crystal's eyes closed as she knew what happened to Sky's aunt now that she had a time line; it had made a lot of people

very

angry when the HSL attacked a teddy bears picnic. Fourteen children were killed, nine of them human; thirty children were injured; twenty critically, four were orphaned, and twelve helpers, who had used themselves to shield children from bullets died. It was a black day and put the entire HSL on the terrorist group list. People could have accepted if the HSL had attacked a bunch of adults, a building or a monument but children... that was the line which shouldn't have even been approached let alone crossed.

"The Picnic," Crystal said, showing she had made the connection.

Sky nodded, "my aunt was very big on integration and cohabitation with non-humans, she had organised the picnic. It wasn't until after her death that I learnt she had made a provision in her will that if something happened before I turned twenty one. I was to live with her closest friend, a Centaur."

"His name?" Crystal asked.

"Nhor," Sky answered.

Crystal went still as she couldn't help but recognise the name, "Nhor? He hasn't by any chance offered to give you a tattoo?"

Sky nodded, Nhor had in fact offered to ink her skin when she was ready, he said he already had the designs for three tattoos but she didn't understand why Crystal had asked that. It simply didn't seem important or relevant.

"Honey... can you introduce me to him... please... pretty please... I'll beg," Crystal promised.

Sky frowned, "I don't understand."

"Your guardian, Nhor, is the greatest tattoo artist the Centaurs have ever produced; a legend." Crystal explained. "I was told that that he sees the design your body wants displayed on your skin, it's there and all he has to do is trace what he sees."

Sky shrugged indifferent to the awe in Crystal's voice. "I know him as the man who held me as I cried myself to sleep those first few nights." She took a bite of her sandwich, it was yummy but she wasn't much in the mood to eat. "I really should call him and tell him what's happened."

"He is your guardian." Crystal agreed as she stood and took the plate from Sky's hands. Nodding to the phone on the table Crystal took her seat back and finished Sky's half of the sandwich.

Sky took the phone and dialled the number she had memorised at Nhor's request, at first she had wondered why Nhor had got himself a brand new phone before she went off to college and only given her the number. Now she knew it was for times like this, when she called from a strange number.

Nhor's answered on the second ring his voice a little furry, "Sky, I thought you were going to call tonight?"

"Yeah, sorry for waking you from your nap, I think you should know, things kind of went pear shaped last night." Sky said trying to play down what actually happened. Crystal gave her an amused look, pear shaped? That was an understatement.

Sky snorted a little as she realised what Crystal was thinking.

"Do I need to bail you out?" Nhor asked as little grumpy, he had known his fosterling was going out with friends last night to celebrate. He hadn't seen any harm in her going out and in fact he was pleased that she was making friends with, from what he gathered, a mixed group of human and non-human age mates. To his mind she had come a long way since he first met her nearly three years ago and didn't want to jeopardise her standing with her friends by suggesting she shouldn't go.

"Gosh no!" Sky stated a little shocked that Nhor would think that of her.

Crystal pressed a pillow to her face to keep from laughing as she listened to both sides of the conversation.

"Good," Nhor said relieved. "So what do I need to know about?"

"Um... I'm going to give you to Crystal, she'll explain better than I can." Sky said.

"Are you in hospital?" Nhor asked before Sky could hand the phone over.

"No! Nor have I been. Crystal will explain." Sky said and almost threw the phone at Crystal.