Chapter 11

For the next few afternoons Eli made sure he was free to be at Jaz’s house to watch over Cord and keep him company until his sister got home. He was thankful Angelique came home with the little guy and helped out with his homework before she headed to her own home. This gave him time to do anything around the house that needed doing then heat the casseroles that Gilbert prepared for them.

They also got to do some guy, stuff, while dinner was cooking. Eli enjoyed the time he got to spend with his soon to be brother-in-law and was grateful that Cord was completely relaxed with him, now that he knew Cade, was his mate. He smiled to himself because things could have been a great deal more difficult for him if Cord didn’t like him. He didn’t want to think about what he might have had to deal with if Cord that was the case.

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Cade worked tirelessly each day beginning with the training session with Nicolas and her three knew companions, then working Cord through his session, before shimmering away with Trace to work on her swordsmanship.

As tired as she knew she’d be by the end of the day, Cade looked forward to the workout she’d have each day with Trace, always meeting him with a smile on her face and anticipation in her eyes.

The first few days they talked a great deal as they worked first with the knives and easing into the sword. Their conversations weren’t just chit chat they were a means of giving Cade information and also to ensure they built a rapport… a friendship. Trust was imperative if Trace was to teach his charge all he could.

They talked about each other’s lives although Trace did a great deal more of that than Cade. He did after all have a great deal more memories to pull on and during their rest breaks Cade would sit entranced as she listened to him.

By the third day Cade and Trace were working almost as one. When Trace made a move Cade made a counter move. If Trace told her to do something she’d do it without question. On the fourth day Trace produced two swords and her entire face lit up.

“We will go slowly to begin with; I do not want to incur the wrath of your mate.”

Cade snorted. “He’s not my mate yet,” she grinned. “Let me worry about Eli okay.”

He nodded acknowledgement and left it at that.

Cade got several nicks and cuts on her arms but didn’t complain; it was to be expected as she’d never held a sword before. She knew it would take time before her use of a sword became an extension of her own body and she knew herself well enough to know that she’d work tirelessly until she achieved her goal.

What Cade was doing was new and challenging and she was enjoying every minute of it… even if Eli wasn’t. Cade appreciated that he was there to take care of Cord in the afternoons and that he got dinner for them, but the expression on his face when she came home after her first lesson with a sword was not a happy one. She felt her stomach do little flip flops and had to force herself to remain calm.

Eli stood as if frozen for a full minute looking her over before moving towards her. He tried to sound calm but failed. “Show me your arms!”

He took hold of her arm and all but dragged her into Jaz’s makeshift surgery sitting her on the bed before turning to the cabinet holding medical supplies. “Don’t move these wounds need to be tended.”

“Wounds… Eli they’re scratches they’ll be gone by tomorrow.”

Eli brought back what he needed so he could clean up her arms and put a soothing salve on the cuts. Cade watched his every move. “Eli?”

He refused to look at her; keeping both eyes on what he was doing. “You are my mate and it is my duty to protect you. I know that you have a higher purpose but that doesn’t mean I have to like it when you come home all cut up and bloody.”

Cade couldn’t help it she smiled because he was worried about her. Besides Cord she’d never had anyone worry about her. She remained silent hoping he’d say more and he did. “I am a man my sweet Candy,” she raised a brow at the pet name and he smiled.

“I was trained to protect the Pack, to keep the innocent safe and in the unlikely event that I was to ever find my mate I would protect her with my life. I know what you will become Cade and I’ve accepted it.”

He shook his head and finally looked up at her. “It’s just going to take some time to learn to live with the reality of it. So when you come home beaten and bloody I need to take care of you, no matter how minor your injuries.”

He rested his hands on the bed either side of her and smiled hoping she’d understand he was trying to deal with the fact that she would probably never need him to come to her rescue. Relationships even friendships were still so new to Cade and she had no glue what to say so she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.

“Thank you Eli. I know this has to be difficult for you and I appreciate that you’re trying not to go all ‘male’ on me.” then she kissed him softly on the lips and wasn’t at all surprised when he kissed her back.

Eli was surprised when Cade kissed him but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He moved his arms around her and deepened the kiss. She tasted so sweet, so innocent and she was all his…”

“I’m hungry!” Cord yelled as he entered the room.

That kind of killed the mood and Cade was pulling back from Eli to look over his shoulders at her brother. “Go wash your hands squirt I’ll have dinner on the table in a few minutes.”

Eli laughed. “He has wonderful timing.” He kissed his mate on the forehead and stepped back so she could get off the bed. He followed her back to the kitchen and helped her with dinner.

After dinner Cade fell asleep as they watched a movie her head resting on Eli’s shoulder. Eli smiled down at her pulling her up into his arms so he could hold her close. He turned to Cord, “I’ll take your sister up to bed. You should get ready also and I’ll come see you before I leave.”

Cord reluctantly got up and turned off the television before heading for the stairs. Eli smiled at the boy grateful that he trusted him enough to let him take his sister to her bedroom alone.

Eli carried Cade up to her room and placed her on the bed with care. He tugged off her boots and pulled the covers over her before sitting on the side of the bed to look at her. She was so young so innocent and it pained him greatly that he couldn’t protect her. More so that he hadn’t been there to protect her from her father’s abuse.

He smoothed her hair off her face his fingertips lingering over her cheeks. Cade was his mate, that he had found her at all was a miracle one he would treasure for all his remaining days. He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the forehead before getting to his feet to check on Cord and make sure he was settling for the night.

Eli reluctantly left the house and his future mate. As he moved away from the house he looked back towards Cades bedroom window. She was his, but she was still young and he wanted her to experience life before he claimed her as his own. Cade had already been through so much, endured so much and he wanted her to get to know herself and have some fun before they mated.

As he moved back towards his own bed Trace shimmered a few feet ahead of him. Eli shook his head, “I’m not ever going to get used to you and your brothers doing that.” he laughed and waited knowing full well that Trace wasn’t there by accident.

“Your mate is doing well Eli. Cade learns quickly and she has a thirst for knowledge I have not seen in a great many human years. She is resting?”

“Cade’s exhausted she barely stayed awake through dinner, I had to carry her to bed. The only good thing about it was that she fell asleep resting her head on my lap. She needs time to spend with her friends, to be a kid before she’s too old to remember she ever was one. She learns to learn how to have fun before her destiny takes hold of her.”

Trace sighed. “I agree. Never before have I worked with anyone so focused Cade needs as you said to know what it is like to be a kid or in her case a teenager. She will have her weekends free of me and at least one afternoon during the week.”

Trace waited a moment before he continued, “Your mate will return to you with more wounds. Some will be far worse than mere scratches and surface cuts.”

Eli could feel anger surging but pulled on his inner strength to remain calm. “Luckily she is a Were and will heal quickly. If she wasn’t we would not be having this conversation.” He sighed. “I have no choice but to trust you Trace, but if she comes back to me damaged more than I believe necessary you will answer to me.”

Trace nodded, “Point noted, but Cade is not only to be your mate; she will soon become what most believe to be a myth, a legend, a fairy tale. You are an Enforcer Eli trained to protect the innocent. Your mate will probably never need you to protect her. Are you willing to walk beside her for the rest of eternity? Will you be her backup, her support and most importantly will you stand aside so she can be who she is meant to be?”

“As you said Cade is my mate, it’s instinctive for a Were to want to protect his mate, but I know the histories I’ve made a point of researching them. It will be difficult but if I am to be her mate I need to trust in her and her abilities.”

He shook his head and rubbed the tension he felt in his neck. “It goes against the grain but I will stand with her and we will work through the inevitable arguments.”

Trace laughed and shook his head. “Yes there will be arguments, she is headstrong but she will listen to those she trusts. As her mate you will at times become the go between with her and,” he grinned, “more than likely Braedon, Nicolas and possibly several of your Enforcers. You will be almost as important to the Pack as Cade. I’m just not sure I’d wish to have that honour.”

Eli knew his life would now be different to any other Enforcers mated or not. He wasn’t sure how his relationship with Cade would develop but she was his mate and they would work at it together.

They parted not long after both seeking rest. Tomorrow Jaz would return and Eli fully intended to speak with her in regards to his being there to tend to his mates wounds. Even if they are only nicks and scrapes.

Cade woke early next morning a little stiff and sore but ready to dive back into whatever was to come. She showered dressed and organised breakfast before waking Cord. After they ate she got his bag ready for school and waited for him to come back down from his own shower.

Cade shook her head as he came back down the stairs, “You forgot to comb your hair squirt!” she pulled him in front of her and ran her fingers through it trying to tame the curls, in the end giving up. “This’ll have to do Cord, come on we need to go.”

“Jaz will be home today right?” he asked and Cade nodded leading him out the door and pulling it closed behind her.

“Yep! You missed her huh?”

Cord nodded, “Yeah it’s nice having someone to take care of both of us.” He looked up at her, “You did a good job taking care of me Candy but… well I’m glad we’ve got people to do it so you don’t have to so much. You know?”

Cade smiled and ruffled his already messy hair, “Yeah squirt I know. I’m glad we have Jaz and Eli too. Come on I’ll race you to the training centre.”

The session with Nicolas went well; the guys were getting used to having a female train with them and were now giving their all against her which pleased her no end, this meant they saw her as an equal not some helpless female.

It was Friday and she knew the guys would be going out tonight, Cord had told her they were going to see a movie. She’d have liked to have gone with them too but Jaz would be home when she got there and besides she’d be way too tired to even think about going out.

She met with Nicolas and Trace when she was finished with Cord and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of them. “So how am I doing?”

Nicolas laughed and Trace did his best not to join him. He gave Nicolas a nod and both looked to Cade. “You are doing extremely well Cade, in fact you’re just as good if not better than your training mates.” He grinned and gave her a wink, “I wouldn’t tell them though.”

“No problem,” she smiled.

“Seriously though, every time I see you train you show improvements from the last session. Trace and I have both been discussing your progress and we feel you’ve earned some time out. The training will be ongoing but the weekends are your own as will be one afternoon during the week.

You and Trace will need to discuss which afternoon, but for now you’re a free woman. Its Friday night go have some fun, Jaz got back an hour ago and knowing her she’ll already have dinner started. Go spent some time with her I’m sure she’s missed you.”

Cade was surprised at what Nicolas said and turned to Trace for confirmation. He nodded, “How about you have Wednesday afternoons off that gives you two days each side of it?”

“Trace I don’t need a break during the week, I mean unless something comes up and I need to. I’d rather stick with what we’re doing at least during the week if that’s okay with you?”

“It’s more than okay Cade, now take off you’ve worked hard and earned some time out. Next week is likely to be more stressful on your body so you need to relax for a couple of days.”

Cade got to her feet grabbed the bag she now brought with her each morning containing her snacks and water and ran for the door. She didn’t stop running until she reached the house but stopped short when she saw her brother sitting on the stoop with a confused look on his face.

“Hey squirt what’s up?”

Cord smiled up at his sister and she took a seat beside him waiting for him to tell her what was bugging him. It didn’t take long for him to turn to her all serious confusion in his eyes. “Candy what’s a blood oath?”

“Where did you hear that?”

He sighed and she could see he was worried, “I heard Eli talking to Jaz about it. He said our father made you take one… a blood oath. Did you?”

Cade knew this was likely to happen, she’d just hoped it wouldn’t be until he was older. She wrapped her arm around her brother and leaned into him, “I love you squirt you know that right?”

He nodded, “Our father was…” she sighed, “he was a difficult man. He always believed his first born would be male and he was none too pleased when I came along. When you were born he had high hopes for you, he believed that you would one day become a great warrior. That’s why he trained me the way he did. He knew if he wasn’t around you’d need someone to teach you.”

“Candy,” Cord let out a huge sigh. “Our father was a right bastard and you know it. Don’t sugar coat it I’m a lot more mature than people think you know.”

She couldn’t help but laugh, “All right squirt but don’t be calling our father a bastard too often okay, there are a lot of people who still remember what he was once like. Let’s not burst their bubble okay?”

“Okay but you have to tell me!”

Cade nodded and kissed the top of his head. “When father was ill, when he realised he probably didn’t have much time left he took me for a walk away from the camp while you were sleeping. He told me he had something important for me to do and that I had to swear a blood oath to make sure I would keep my word.

He made me swear to watch over you Cord, to take care of you and to train you to be all that you can be. It’s not something he needed to ask, you’re my brother and I love you. I’d always take care of you. But the good thing about it is that Braedon and Nicolas had no choice but to let me train you.”

“But what is a blood oath?”

“A blood oath is like a promise but this kind of promise you can’t break.” She saw the scowl on his face, “Okay here’s the thing. We had to cut our wrists and say the words… the promise. He spoke and I repeated what he said. Give me a sec.”

Cord sat quietly giving his sister time to think. “I’ve tried not to think too much about that night, but the words will always be with me. He passed his knife over the fire a few times I figured it was to sterilise it or something. Then he cut his wrist and mine, dropped the knife and held our wrists together with his free hand.” She sighed.

“Then he spoke! He said the words I repeated them. I Cadence Rendee Maeve Aidenholm do hereby swear an oath of blood to care for, protect and train Cordelle Ransom Aidenholm my brother. For the rest of your life and into the hereafter under threat of death with untold pain I will uphold this oath I swear to you this day.”

Cade looked down at her brother and saw tears running down his face. “It’s not that bad squirt, I didn’t promise anything I wouldn’t do anyway.”

“B… but if you can’t keep the oath you will die in untold pain!”

“Not gonna happen! I’m keeping my oath Cord, I’m taking care of you with help from the Pack right?” he nodded, “and I’m training you too and as you get older you will be able to train with others your own age by men who’ve got a lot more experience than me.” She smiled and ruffled his hair, “I’d say that’s keeping my oath, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

Cord wrapped his arms around his sister and held her tight, “He hurt you so much Candy, I don’t want to be the cause of anymore pain for you.” Then he hid his face against his sisters’ chest and cried his heart out.

Cade wasn’t surprised at his reaction. He’d held things in for so long learning at an early age that to cry was to show weakness and that was not allowed not for any offspring of Nairn Rendell Aidenholm. She held him close and stroked his hair letting him know she was there for him and that it truly was all right.

When he was ready she got to her feel pulling him with her, “Go wash your face Squirt, I’ll see if Jaz needs any help, oh and I have the weekend free so have a think about what you’d like to do?”

Cord ran inside and up the stairs and as Cade came inside she saw Jaz wipe at a tear. “You heard huh?”

She nodded and rushed to give her surrogate daughter a hug. “I’ve missed you Cade, missed both of you. Maybe next time I’ll take you both with me, I’m sure the Elders would love to meet you and they’d make a fuss over Cord too.”

“I’m not so sure I should meet them until… well after you know?” and she rested her hand on her chest where the final marking would soon be.

“They are curious about you Cade; many knew your father and would like to meet you and your brother with or without the final marking.”

“I’ll think about it okay.” She smiled and pulled back heading for the kitchen. “Is Eli coming for dinner?”

“No he thought we’d want to spend some time together, he said he’d be over in the morning to see what you’d like to do.”

“Did he tell you about him tending my wounds?”

Jaz looked at her curiously, “Sounds like a story there, give!”

Cade explained how upset Eli had been in regards to the cuts and scrapes she had on her arms last night and how he said he would need to be the one to care for her. Jaz smiled softly, “His way of dealing huh?”

“Yeah. You okay with it, I mean it’s your job to…”

Jaz laughed, “If it makes him happy and keeps him from ripping out someone’s throat its fine.”

They spent a quiet evening together, the food was good and plenty and it wasn’t a casserole which put a smile on Cords face. They watched television and chatted for a while after they’d done the dishes but all too soon Cade was getting weary.

She yawned, “I’m going to get an early night.” She got up and gave Cord a hug kissing him on the forehead, “goodnight squirt.”

Jaz came to her feet and gave her a hug too, “Sleep well Cade.”

Less than an hour later everyone was in bed and the house fell into darkness. Far off in the distance a Wolf could be heard first one then another. Had Cade been awake she would have recognised Eli and rightfully assumed that Nate was with him running free, hunting and rejoicing in simply being Wolf.