Omega Pride Ch. 11

"Any other descendant who reached their full potential would be able to do so in less than one, Delphinia," Samira replied calmly, "Do not doubt your blood. That, however, is not the only task you need to accomplish if I were to believe you trained enough for the upcoming battle." She moved her hand out in direction of Fu Zhen; the tiny and lithe Chinese female stood up from sitting on the edge and faced Delphi, "You are to defeat Fu Zhen in combat. There will be no time limit, but you are not allowed to defeat her with the same methods you used to defeat your former teachers."

Delphi looked at Fu Zhen and Fu Zhen gave her a smile accompanied by a gentle bow. "I do look forward to our contest, Delphinia-Fūrén," Delphi could see the light, yet intense look in Fu Zhen's dark brown almond shaped eyes. She was no beginner and was at least a Beta-level she-wolf. She wouldn't be going down without some serious injury on both sides.

"But first, an assessment," Samira removed her cloak to reveal her toned, yet slender Nubian body that was covered in a long wrap skirt similar to that of ancient kalasiris, but with twin slits on the sides that lead high up her thighs and gave an almost loin cloth appearance. She wore a matching strapless twist top that left most of her fit midriff exposed, faint scars from battles long past near her upper ribcage. On her waist was a sai holding belt with two cylinder compartments on her hips. On her neck, uncovered by the cloak, Delphi noticed something that didn't match the light beige clothes: a steel chain necklace with what looked like an emerald embraced within amber with duo sets of beaded moonstones on either side. What would she be doing wearing something both expensive-looking and unprepared for battle?

Delphi's eyes knitted a bit at the sight of two sais on the belt as she it took off and handed it and her cloak to Fu Zhen. So Wyatt gave her weapons back to her.

"Not quite, Delphinia," Samira caught her thoughts again as she removed her sandals, "A practitioner of anything knows always keep spares on themselves."

"Would you using my full name? And stop reading my mind," Delphi barely held back a growl behind clenched teeth, "Unlike me, you have full control of your powers. And you have no right to use my name."

"...My apologies, Delphi. I shall not. And in due time, you'll be able to block anyone from reading your mind," Samira told her as she took a few graceful steps toward her in the ring, 'And it won't be as easy as stopping a projection or ignoring it.'

"Now," Samira spread her feet out to an open, high stance, "Attack me with your best."

Delphi stared at her before taking off her olive tee and navy sweatpants, leaving herself naked before briskly entering the ring. Though only an evaluation, Delphi and her wolf couldn't help but feel eager that they at least will be able to try to lay hits on the source of their anger. She knew that they would enjoy this far more than they should. Delphi took in a breath before darting at Samira.

Delphi had her right hand curled into a fist as she swung. Samira had watched her fist as she dodged it, along with Delphi's body. Behind her now, Delphi dropped and swung a leg back, but Samira jumped and turned to face her, her masked face void of much emotion outside of tranquility. With a frustrated growl, Delphi pulled her leg back and got up, aiming her blows for Samira's openings, but with every swing and kick, Samira would move at the last possible moment and dodge her entirely, even when they looked like they would connect! How was she missing so horribly?

Just as Delphi swung to kick her again, Samira bent backwards in a perfect 'U' and back flipped, staring at Delphi on her way up just as Delphi's foot started to touch the ground. Before Delphi could react, Samira swung a kick of her own, catching Delphi off guard before she could even bring her arms all the way up to protect herself. However, instinct told Delphi to duck and she felt Samira's leg brush over the top of her head.

At her duck, Delphi shifted into her wolf—much faster than before—and jumped at Samira. She could see a knowing smirk under Samira's mask mid-jump. Delphi let out a yelp as the leg Samira had swung quickly came back around and knocked her 10 feet away to the ground.

"Ducking from an enemy blow and then followed up by an attack from below. Very good, Delphi," Samira brought her leg back down in a resting position.

Delphi looked up at her, her eyes hard before she shifted back to human form and charged at her with swipes and punches. Again with ease, Samira dodged each of her blows, and even stopped one of her punches with the back of two fingers before striking Delphi across her face with her other hand, once again sending her flying. Delphi panted as she looked at her, seeing not even an ounce of fatigue on Samira as she steadily walked toward her.

"You are wearing yourself out," Samira spoke as she stopped in front of her, "Do you feel you are finished?"

Delphi wanted to get up and go again...but she couldn't. She was getting tired much faster than normal, and none of it was from the kick and hit Samira delivered to her. Why?

"...Oui," Delphi looked down at the ring's ground begrudgingly, "Je suis fait. (I'm done.)"

"Your anger and hatred toward me is not helping you, Delphi," Samira spoke softly to her after a moment, "Emotions can help us win a battle just as quickly as it could make us lose one. This was merely an evaluation for you, not a challenge."

Delphi grinded her teeth behind her closed lips; as much as she hated to admit it, Samira was right.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Samira hold out her hand to her, "I am not expecting you to forgive me or even one day see me as a comrade, but in the future, if you do wish to spar and fight, to vent, and channel your animosity at me, I will accept it."

Delphi stared at her hand, then at Samira's eyes, and then back at her hand. After a moment of thought, she took it. Delphi rubbed the side of her face and torso where she had been hit as she started walking over to the spot where she had taken off her clothes. She looked at Katalin and Kamilla who amazed looks caught her by surprise.

'Where did that speed come from?' Katalin projected to her.

'What do you mean?' Delphi raised a brow in confusion.

'Your speed,' Kamilla sent, 'Were you holding out on us during practices?'

'Oh, no,' Delphi shook her head, 'I've just...I've gotten faster. Among other things, I guess.'

'I see,' they replied in unison.

"You two Omegas have taught her well," Samira interrupted their projections as she turned toward them once near her edge of the ring, "I gather that you have taught her the basics, to swiftly shift between attacks, and that every attack has a counter. She has progressed under your teachings far quicker than I thought."

Katalin gave her a silent nod for her praise while Kamilla gave a thankful grunt in return, watching her.

Samira nodded her head in return as she looked from Fu Zhen, Luka, Kamilla, Katalin, and then finally, Delphi, "This will not be a light session for anyone, especially for you, Delphi. Now, let us all begin."

~/~*~/~

"Aïe. Aïe," Delphi both physically and mentally felt sore all over. Her body has several minor and quickly healing scratches on it, her dark auburn hair in more of a tussled mess than normal. She limped out of the ring while Kamilla excused herself and Katalin went to show Samira, Fu Zhen, and Luka where Florence and Denver would normally be found in the hospital wing.

For the last six hours, Samira drilled the shit out of her; everything from attacks, blocks, recovery, and counters to commanding visually with verbal aid, hearing the thoughts of beta leveled wolves and turning it off, and a basic understanding of interacting with the past. Who knew how draining it was to constantly cast a simple command on more than one person at a time. She would need to undo her command to how Lain addressed her to tire her less in the future and though Alphas don't have as much in that department as she did, she needed to give them props for doing so to an entire pack.

"You are doing well," The sound of Wyatt's voice made her sore joints and heart jump.

"You...you..!" Delphi took in a breath as she saw Wyatt's lip corners raise and fall, letting out an airy chuckle, "How long have you been standing here?"

"Not long. Only 20 minutes or so," he answered as he walked her to a Prussian blue colored bench, "But I heard and saw parts of your training when I got up and ready this morning."

"So you saw how I got my butt handed to me even when she was showing me how to fight and control my abilities," Delphi sighed. "Great."

"It's not all that bad." He comforted, easing her down to sit and relax, "You've really improved from a month ago. Staggeringly so."

Delphi gave him a sore bodied, but grateful smiled, "Thanks. So, what's Wyatt Delaney up to today? More work?"

"Actually," he rubbed his palms together, "I wanted to take you out and around the towns in our territory. See if you wanted to explore the lands, and then follow it up with dinner. But, seeing as how your butt's pretty sore from as you say 'it being handed to you', I don't think you want to go out on an adventure."

Delphi let out a laugh accidently. What? He sounded weird saying that and in his tone, he sounded...lighthearted.

"Ok Wait, wait. You do recognize what you just said, right?" Her grin then dropped to a faux grave one, "No seriously. Were you trying to crack a joke?"

"Do you take me for someone who doesn't say what I mean?" His brows furrowed a bit as he looked at her, his lips trembling.

"No. I just take you for the dead serious type. You know, the one who's the serious, straight-edged male in the roo—" She froze when she noticed the constant movement of his lip crooks, "...You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"What makes you say that?" The only thing that betrayed Wyatt's seriousness was the scent of amusement.

"The fact that normally you look stoic and don't smile—at all—like a regular being, but right now, clearly enjoys seeing my reaction to said change in your demeanor," A semi-joking expression was on Delphi's face, "As well, you don't make it easy to read you on an everyday basis as it."

"Well, I've never been called a funny wolf, Delphi," He told her, the amusement in his eyes starting to come to light at her getting riled up.

"Exactement (Exactly)! That's what I'm saying," She stated with her smile spreading over her face.

"And I'm agreeing with you," He said in a straight tone.

Delphi stared at him suspiciously, searching his face for any signs as she sniffed. At the sight of his corners twitching once again, she scoffed out a playful laugh, "You know I believe most people would call your humor confusing, terrible, or call you the comically serious at best."

Wyatt shrugged as he let out another light chuckle. He isn't known to have a comedic bone in his body. His ancestors set up the foundation for the pack and though he has changed some of the old traditions, it is still how he's always led it: serious, emotionally hardened, and with an iron fist. But with Delphi, she wasn't born here, and inside his heart, seeing her smile and laugh like this even to his awkward, horrible attempt at "humor" that was drier than any desert, he didn't want her to ever act the way the others were raised to here; the way he was raised. He wanted her to be the way she is now.

Delphi after a silent moment spoke with frisky touches in her voice, "Sure. I would love to go see the towns, explore the pack lands, and then follow it up by dinner. Or in which ever order is best. Though, if we're going to be roaming the grounds a lot, I'm not so sure how great I'd look in a dress."

"To be honest, I prefer the unkempt beauty to one who dresses extravagantly," He ran a hand through her messy hair, his thumb caressed her cheek, "There's nothing like the natural look that the deities gave you."

She smiled with a blush and lifted her hand, putting it on his hand against her face, "Well then I shall not disappoint. But first, I'm going to need to get up." She turned to start rising, before she let out another sore groan at her sudden movements.

"Are you sure you want to go out, Delphi?" He asked as he started to stand up.

"No, no. I'll be okay...but were you thinking about leaving anytime soon?" She bit her lip with a nervous chuckle as she looked at him.

"How about we wait until your body has recovered from your ache first?" He shook his head before turning to her and lifting her like a bride, "As well, I might remember a few massage tricks or two."

She only let out a small sound when he did, "You know how to give massage? I never would have guessed with those beat-em-up hands of yours."

"You're not the only one full of surprises, Delphi," He put his forehead to hers and started to head for the manor.

"You know, I wouldn't doubt that," Delphi whispered and with a hand on his cheek, she kissed him tenderly.

Wyatt's walking halted in the midst of their kiss. They broke only for a brief moment before they captured each other's lips again. In that moment, they felt that it was just them outside in the late February morning. They didn't even feel the warm stares of a distant Keric, Samira, and Naomi, the surprised stares of a busy Denver and his staff, the stumped stares of the other wolves at their open affection, or the damn near scowling stares of Beatrix. With a soft lick on his bottom lip and a light, sucking tug on his top, Delphi heard a deep growl reverberate from Wyatt's chest.

"Should we just skip the exploration and dinner then?" Wyatt breathed huskily against her lips.

Delphi couldn't help but let out a laugh against his lips before shaking her head, "No. I want to...see how long the Alpha of Delaney," a quick, moist kiss, "can hold out. I'm sure we would need a lot of nutrition before we can go a whole night."

"I've waited a long time for you, Delphi Delaney," He whispered with a subtle growl in his voice, "Don't think my patience will run out so soon."

She smiled and rested her head against his shoulder as he started moving again, savoring his rich, spicy scent.

As he walked into the manor and started to head for their room to get ready, Delphi couldn't help but see the ever so uncanny icy white of the main hall walls. The more she stared at them day after day, the more she wanted that color gone. She was so afraid to act on it before, but now...she felt that there was a need for some change...

~*/~*~

"I can't believe there's actually a place called South Park out here," Delphi looked out the window as they drove through the South territory of the Delaney pack. The clouds covered the skies while a huge blanket of white concealed the fields, towns, and parked cars. Every so often, she'd spot humans daring to enjoy a day outside as well as a few Delaney Deltas on patrol through.

"Why does that surprise you?" Wyatt asked after he had pulled off the 26 and onto a road leading to a secluded area of the Bridger Forest in a steel grey Toyota Honda Crewmax.

Wyatt eyed his beautiful mate as he drove. True to her word, Delphi had decided to wear something both dressed down and hike-worthy, yet eye catching nonetheless. She had decided to wear denim cargo pants, black hiking boots with a small heel that didn't look out of place in the mountains or a restaurant, and under that dark green parka she wore was a loose, shoulder exposing blue and grey sweatshirt. Delphi had all but one unruly curl brushed back and into a low side ponytail.

"Because there is a cartoon show on TV that humans watch called South Park. And considering how that series is... Well, I never thought it existed," When they pulled over, she opened the door, got out, and stretched her limbs with a much relieved exhale. Had they not stopped at every other town along the way every 30 or so minutes, they would be extremely stiff. She took in a deep breath of the fresh wilderness air and let it out with a smile, "It looks so much different than the show."

"Is the show any good?" Wyatt got out, rounded the car next to her, and held onto her hand as they began the hike of the land.

"Eeh, the humor is pretty crude and dark," Delphi shrugged with thoughtful hesitance, "But they have a wide array of characters and themes. To each their own, I guess."

As they hiked, Delphi listened to Wyatt's explanation of the territory and how he remembered it before European humans started to really settle into it in the late 1880's. Though his childhood hadn't been a pleasant one, he still remembered the freedoms of the land for his first 100 years, the only restrictions being what his father had given them and wolven laws.

"In this present time, we have returned to hiding ourselves just like all other packs in Eurasia," Wyatt told her with a hint of melancholy in his tone, "There are very little packs left with the freedom of the ancient days."

"Well...well at least we still get all this," Delphi voiced optimistically for once, her hands signified the lush, snowed down forest, "In the cities like New York City and Pittsburg, they have very few places where they can just shift. When I was a lone wolf, it was easier not to shift since not only would it keep you from getting caught by humans, but it was very uncomfortable and concrete among other things never felt very good under the paws."

Wyatt nodded in agreement as they hiked up the side of the slight slush-covered highland until they reached the tip of a small clearing.

"Wow," The flavor of awe exited through Delphi's lips and scent.

In front of her eyes was a downhill ridge covered in fluff snow that matted the feet of grouped evergreens and staggered whitebark pine. The occasional blade of frost covered grass and shrub peeked out with a herald of the upcoming spring. The azure sky shown bright and graceful against the silver and white clouds that headed north toward the mountains that matched the one Delphi and Wyatt stood on.

Some birds that returned early and the brushing of pine needles could be heard along with the feel of the brisk, yet comforting February air. Aside of those, the crunches of Wyatt's feet as he came to a standstill next to her, and their steady warm breaths, she could almost hear the bark of trees shiver and a sporadic branch drop to the snow.

Delphi closed her eyes and took in the refreshing scents and crisp air, each breath cleaner than the last and leaving a euphoric feeling in her body. She hadn't felt that way since living in Québec. The invigorating sensation reached her wolf, and was encouraging a shift out of both of them. In fact...

Delphi turned to look at Wyatt, a playful look in her smile. Wyatt looked at her quizzically at first as she quickly started to strip, her eyes dilated as they stayed on his as best she could.

"Delphi," Those contracting corners told her Wyatt was getting a hint of what she was planning.

"First one to reach the bottom wins!" She darted for the hill as she got her last article of clothes off, "See you there!" She jumped and tumbled onto the tree-free side, laughing with each roll before she shifted to her wolf, her laughs turned to happy barks and yips as she ran down and skidded in the snow.

Wyatt watched her quick movements, his pulse sped up and make him want to growl, shift, and give chase immediately after his hasty mate. However, with a short chuckle, he removed his bothersome clothes slowly with as much control as he could muster over his wolf before sprinting off after her, shifting as he made it halfway down the hill. He wanted to enjoy this.