Felicity's Beast World Apocalypse-Chapter 128: The Voice’s

The training yard had been loud for the last ten minutes.

Not chaotic. Focused.

Most of the compound had gathered along the stone edges and upper walkways to watch the duel happening in the center ring. Snow Team had only been in Vineyard a little over a week, but people had already learned something very quickly.

When Snow Team trained, you watched. Because someone usually ended up thrown through something.

Right now the attention of the entire yard was locked on two figures in the middle.

Sarge.

Tommy.

Sarge looked like a fortress that had decided to grow legs. Black rhino horns angled forward from his skull, thick shoulders filling the sunlight while faint threads of electricity crawled lazily along his forearms. The air around him always smelled faintly like iron and ozone.

Tommy stood opposite him.

Smaller. Leaner. White rhino build with no horns, water already curling around his wrists in restless ribbons. The hydrokinetic pulled moisture from the trough near the wall and the humidity in the air, shaping it instinctively into shifting shields and lashes.

Sarge stepped forward.

Tommy stepped back.

The dirt exploded under Tommy’s heels as he slammed both feet down and sent a hydrokinetic shock outward.

Water rippled across the ground. Sarge walked through it.

The watching crowd groaned "Bully!" someone shouted from the wall.

Tommy snapped both arms forward and the water around him surged upward into a rotating barrier. It looked impressive.

Sarge hit it like a charging truck.

The shield burst apart.

Tommy staggered three steps backward.

Sarge stopped exactly where the shield had been and crossed his arms "Again."

Tommy wiped water out of his eyes "You’re impossible."

"Again."

Around the ring the rest of Snow Team watched with varying degrees of amusement.

Victor stood near the wall with his arms folded, posture relaxed but attention sharp. Beside him Voss leaned against the stone with amber eyes fixed on the center of the ring. Ivan crouched on the low ledge like a bored lion, toxin gleaming faintly green along his claws, Damien was death starring anyone that stared to long.

Legend rested one shoulder against the wall with shadow pooling quietly beneath his boots.

Pope stood near the gate with his hands tucked behind his back, the dirt beneath the ring shifting almost imperceptibly every time Sarge moved.

Marx sat on the wall with lightning flickering lazily between his fingers.

Sam leaned beside him with his owl eyes half lidded, sound already subtly dampened in the ring so the impact of Sarge’s steps didn’t rattle the windows.

Kai stood with one boot on the wall, golden hair bright in the sun while spatial distortion rippled faintly around his shoulders.

Ash crouched nearby adjusting something that looked suspiciously like a tripwire.

Shadow and Draco watched from the opposite edge of the yard.

All of them were watching Sarge bully Tommy.

Tommy stomped again.

The ground shook.

Water shot upward in a spiraling column this time.

Sarge stepped into it.

Electricity flashed.

Steam exploded outward.

Tommy stumbled backward again and landed on one knee.

The watching trainees burst out laughing.

"Unfair!" Tommy shouted.

Sarge’s horns dipped slightly.

"Again."

Tommy pointed at him.

"You’re enjoying this."

Sarge did not deny it.

At the far gate of the yard, Leaf Team stepped inside.

Most of the spectators noticed them. Snow Team noticed them immediately. Victor’s eyes flicked toward the entrance for half a second.

Voss’s golden gaze followed.

Ivan’s smile widened a fraction.

Damiens tail coiled.

None of them moved.

Leaf Team stopped near the wall.

Dimitri’s presence altered the air in the yard the moment he crossed the threshold. His silence domain spread outward quietly, the pressure flattening abilities across the space.

Most powers dulled.

Edges softened.

Sarge’s electricity flickered slightly.

Tommy’s water slowed for half a second.

Snow Team felt the suppression. They did not react to it.

Victor’s attention returned to the duel. The gate opened again.

Victor noticed before the hinge finished moving. His eyes flicked toward the entrance for half a second. That was all it took.

Voss noticed.

Ivan noticed.

Damien noticed.

Kai shifted his weight on the wall.

Pope’s head tilted slightly.

The entire team registered her presence before she had taken two steps inside the yard.

Felicity stepped through the gate carrying a small wooden crate against her hip. Sunlight caught her hair first.

Long waves of pale gold spilled down her back and over her shoulders, the strands bright enough in the late afternoon light that they looked almost white at the edges. When she moved the hair shifted softly around her waist.

She wore a sky blue crop top that matched her eye’s.

The fabric hugged her ribs and curved beneath her chest, the lower edge sitting just high enough that when she lifted her arms the soft underside of her breasts threatened to show.

A white pleated tennis skirt brushed her thighs.

White knee high socks covered her calves.

She looked like something that had wandered in from a completely different world.

Bright.

Soft.

Ridiculously beautiful.

Ivan’s grin widened slowly.

Damien watched her from the wall. He did not move, he did not smile. But the poison resting quietly beneath his skin sharpened instantly.

Across the yard Sarge had Tommy pinned in the dirt again.

Tommy groaned.

"Abuse."

"Again," Sarge said.

Felicity clapped both hands together "Tommy you can do it!"

The sound bounced across the yard.

Tommy looked up and burst out laughing "You hear that!"

Sarge turned his head. The moment he saw her something in his expression softened.

Just slightly.

Felicity ran toward the edge of the sparring ring. She bounced lightly on her heels "Stomp him!"

Tommy scrambled upright. Water surged instantly around his arms.

"Yes ma’am!"

He slammed both feet down.

Hydrokinetic force rolled across the dirt.

Sarge slid half a step this time.

The watching trainees exploded with cheers.

Felicity gasped "Yes! That one!"

Snow Team had already shifted around her.

Victor’s stance angled slightly toward the ring.

Voss drifted three steps closer without appearing to move.

Ivan rose from the wall.

Kai hopped down from his perch.

Marx stopped playing with lightning.

Sam straightened.

Damien pushed away from the stone wall and moved a few steps forward.

None of them looked at each other. They didn’t need to.

Felicity leaned forward over the ring rope with both hands gripping it. Her crop top lifted slightly with the motion. The soft curve beneath her chest flashed in the sunlight.

Lucan saw it immediately.

Leaf Team had been watching the duel when they entered. Now every one of them was looking at her. Richard’s breathing paused. Thane’s wings shifted.

Dawn’s jaw tightened.

Exile went completely still.

Lucan stared.

Not subtle. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Not apologetic.

Interested.

Across the yard Victor noticed. His jaw tightened.

Ivan noticed Lucan noticing.

That made him frown.

Voss lightly growled.

Damien noticed everything.

His gaze moved from Lucan to Victor to Felicity in one slow sweep.

He said nothing.

Tommy stomped again. Water spiralled upward.

Sarge stepped through it.

Electricity cracked across the impact.

Tommy went flying backward into the dirt again.

The entire yard roared.

Felicity doubled over laughing.

The sound rang bright and light through the training yard.

Lucan inhaled slowly.

Something in his chest tightened unexpectedly.

Felicity straightened and clapped again "You almost had him!"

Tommy pointed at Sarge from the dirt "He cheats!"

Sarge crossed his arms "You’re slow."

Felicity giggled.

The sound rolled through the yard.

Victor felt something cold slide into his spine.

Lucan was still watching her.

Not the fight.

Her.

Victor stepped closer to the ring. Not aggressively. Just enough that if Felicity stepped back she would step into him.

Voss noticed and shifted position slightly to Victor’s right.

Ivan drifted left.

Damien stopped five feet behind Felicity.

Leaf Team saw the movement. They did not miss the pattern, and they could smell them on her.

Felicity had no idea it was happening, she leaned forward again "Again!"

Tommy groaned "You’re supposed to be on my side!"

"I am!"

Sarge waited patiently.

Tommy stomped again.

The ground shook.

Leaf Team barely noticed.

Because the fox woman in the blue crop top was bouncing on her toes and clapping like this was the most fun she’d had all week, and every predator in the yard had started watching her instead of the fight.

Victor noticed Lucan smiling. Victor’s grip tightened, the plastic water bottle in his hand cracked quietly.

Damien heard it.

Ivan heard it.

Lucan definitely heard it. Lucan’s smile widened just slightly.

And the tension in the yard stretched another inch tighter.

Then Lucan shifted slightly beside him. Lucan did not need to speak loudly "There."

Exile did not move his head.

"Fox," Lucan said quietly.

Lucan had already told him about her. The strange fox woman Snow Team had collected. The one who did something to their pack that even Dimitri’s silence domain couldn’t suppress.

Exile had listened.

His eyes shifted.

The movement was small enough that no one outside Leaf Team would notice.

Then he saw her.

She stood near the sparring ring gripping the rope with both hands while she leaned forward to watch Tommy and Sarge.

Sunlight caught her hair first.

Long waves of pale blonde spilled down her back and over her shoulders, the strands bright enough that the edges almost vanished in the afternoon light. When she moved the hair shifted softly around her waist.

Her top was blue.

Short.

Too short.

The sky blue crop top curved under her chest, and when she lifted her arms to clap the lower edge rode up just enough that the soft underside of her breasts threatened to show.

A white pleated tennis skirt brushed against her thighs when she bounced on her toes.

White knee high socks covered her calves. She looked like she had walked into the wrong place.

The yard was full of steel and dirt and predators.

She looked like sunlight.

Exile’s mind went silent for half a second.

Then something older than thought woke up.

Mine.

The word did not come from his voice. It came from instinct, his breath stalled.

She clapped again.

"Again!"

Tommy laughed from the dirt where Sarge had knocked him down "Unfair!"

Sarge waited patiently.

The crowd along the walls laughed.

Felicity leaned forward even further over the rope. The crop top shifted again.

Mine.

The instinct sharpened.

Claim.

His fingers tightened behind his back.

Lucan watched him from the corner of his eye. There it was, Lucan’s mouth curved slightly "Told you," he murmured.

Exile did not answer.

His gaze stayed on her.

She bounced on her heels again as Tommy climbed back to his feet.

"Stomp him!"

Tommy stomped, water surged outward.

Sarge stepped through it.

Electricity cracked.

Tommy went flying backward again.

The yard roared with laughter.

Felicity spun around to grab the crate of water bottles she had brought, Her heel caught the edge of the rope.

She nearly fell.

The movement was fast, one second she was upright. The next her balance tipped backward.

Victor caught her before she hit the dirt. His hand closed around her waist automatically.

She laughed breathlessly.

"Oops."

Victor steadied her until her feet were planted again.

Then she leaned up and kissed his cheek like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Quick.

Soft.

Familiar.

"Thanks."

She pulled a bottle from the crate and pushed it into his chest "Hydrate."

Victor took it.

Across the yard Exile felt the instinct inside his chest twist violently.

MINE.

The word was louder now.

Felicity turned and began handing out bottles.

One to Ivan.

One to Voss.

One to Damien where he stood just behind the ring.

She smiled easily while she did it.

Still laughing at Tommy, still oblivious. Every predator in the yard watched the movement.

Lucan leaned slightly closer to Exile again."Problem," he murmured.

Exile did not move. His gaze stayed fixed on the fox woman as she passed out water bottles like this was nothing more than a normal afternoon.

Victor had stepped slightly closer to her again. Not touching her.

Not necessary.

Voss stood just beyond him.

Ivan drifted left.

Damien stayed behind her.

The formation had closed without words.

Leaf Team saw it instantly.

Territory.

Possession.

Mine.

The instinct surged again.

Claim.

Exile forced his breathing slow. Seven months.

Seven months since the world had broken and turned them all into something else.

Seven months of learning how to keep the instincts quiet.

Now his brain had stopped whispering. Now it was repeating the word steadily.

Mine.

Across the yard Felicity laughed again when Tommy complained about the duel. The sound landed in Exile’s chest like a hook. His eyes narrowed slightly.

Lucan watched him carefully.

Exile did not look away from her.

And the voice in his head did not stop.