The Tracker Hive Academy Year One - Avery Song Page 0,87

Academy.

During the last couple of weeks, I'd focused on improving not only my elemental control but also returned to doing other exercises that I used to really enjoy.

The guys were another influence in that. Zackery loved hip hop dancing and invited me to be his dancing partner once every two weeks for his hip hop class in the other district. Zion was into yoga and meditation which helped me improve my focus and enhance my flexibility. Zeus was all about track, from sprints to high jumps. We'd work out on the outdoor track whether it was rain or shine. Only when it was snowing did he let us go to the gym for our workout.

Doesn't want to make himself look like a fool, or in his words a ‘Zackery.’

Zeke was the only brother who did a wider variety of exercise, which encompassed all his brothers’ favorites. He just didn't work out as often.

Unless you counted sex as a workout. He was an expert at that.

Having them around had helped me grow across the board, to the point even Tanner complimented me during our last training session before the holiday break.

The guys had asked Alaric's official permission to date me, and after a long interview process with them signing the dotted line to accept any consequences if they broke my heart — which included death — he happily approved of the relationship.

For the first time in a really long while, I was happy and doing activities that weren’t solely for an assignment or to prove myself.

Continuing our quiet walk down the busy streets, we turned onto a pathway, my eyes scanning around and realizing where we were.

A cemetery?

Glancing at Zackery, he continued to guide me down the path, his eyes forward while he quietly hummed a Christmas tune.

I held his arm a little tighter, hoping my added comfort would ease whatever must have been going through his head.

We turned left, onto a smaller path with a row of graves, until we stopped at the one at the very end of the row. It seemed to have a double plot of space, and when I looked at the gravestone, my heart sank.

Aurelia Maxwell. Loving Mother of Four. May Your Soul Rest In Peace.

Zackery gently untwined our hooked arms, walking up to lay the flowers on top of the stone surface. He remained crouching, his eyes focused on the tombstone with the smiling image of their Mother.

I remained still, even though I was tempted to put my hands in my pockets out of habit. I may not have known this woman who was able to raise four amazing men before her life ended, but she deserved my utmost respect.

Whatever she taught her boys had paid off, because they were a successful group of Trackers who were definitely a part of the more respectful percentage of our population.

"Hey, Mom. It's me, Zackery. Just came to wish you Merry Christmas." Zackery's voice was gentle, and for the first time, I heard the aching sadness in his words.

"I would have come with the others...but you know how depressed Zion and Zeus get, even when they try not to show it. And we can’t have Zeke getting his emotions all knotted up. We don't need an imbalance, though we've experienced it quite a bit recently." He chuckled quietly before he trailed his finger over a specific part of the grave.

"I actually brought someone. She's our girlfriend." He looked over to me, giving me a sad smile as he continued. "I wish you could have met her face-to-face. I'm sure she'd throw you off with her intriguing responses."

I clenched my fists to hide the slight tremble in them, reminding me of my lost family who was probably looking down on me from wherever they were in heaven.

I still wonder if they’re mad at me.

"Anyway. I didn't want Christmas to arrive without giving you the white roses you loved. The others miss you really bad, and so do I. We're working hard to get rid of all the bad in the world. Get rid of those people who took you far too soon."

He swallowed and blinked his eyes, composing himself as best as he could. "Merry Christmas, Mom. I love you. We all love you. I'll see you again during the new year, ‘kay? Stay warm for me."

Closing his eyes, he remained silent for a long moment before he rose up.

A warm breeze suddenly passed us, wrapping around the two of us and lifting the bits of snow in