Power Rangers Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Wild Force: Dark Lion ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 4 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: See Prologue chapter.

AN: Time to meet the other Hunters…and Alyssa’s Best Friend, who has a painful past. Plus hear about someone that can cause problems later on in the story.

Note: “*…*” means Animarium or Hunter language and *…* means talking mentally.

“Talk about working for your food first thing in the morning,” Max said as he and Danny entered the dinning areas where the food were set out.

“Yea, but it was for a good reason,” Danny added as he tossed Max an apple. With his short black hair, dark brown eyes and medium beige skin Danny is a strong guy with a gentle heart.

Max, on the other hand, is a body full of energy with his black curly hair, brown eyes and brown skin. When it’s needed, Max can be very dangerous as a Wild Hunter…same as Danny.

Both were wearing black jeans and boots, but Danny wore a black T-shirt as Max wore a blue shirt.

“So, did you two find the campsite,” Merrick said as he joined them.

“Just where you told us,” Max said, “All her camp gear is in the Temple and the area looks like no one was there.”

“That’s good to hear,” Merrick replied.

“Hi guys,” Celestria said as her and Alyssa entered the area, “Danny Delgado, Max Cooper, Merrick Balitou; this is Alyssa Enrilé. Alyssa, these are you fellow Wild Hunters.”

The three guys were surprised…at how beautiful Alyssa is as the two girls sat at the table…and how that she was already taken.

Just then, Cole swing in to the area, landing near Alyssa. “Morning Alyssa,” he said as he sat down next to her, “Did you enjoy your walk?”

“Yes,” she replied, a bit surprised to see Cole there…when she was thinking about him, “I had a nice talk with Celestria and met my Wild Animal.”

The other Hunters were surprised to see Cole so relaxed and cheerful…after so many years of him being so…distance.

“Does this mean she’s going to stay here?” Max asked as he and the others sat at the table.

“At first no,” Celestria said, “She has to go back to Turtle Cove so no one would start looking for the Valley. Slowly, she’ll move to the house I have set up.”

“Celestria own a lot of land surrounding the Valley,” Cole said to Alyssa, “The house we use during the day in case someone comes by.”

At that moment, Alyssa remembered where she had seen Celestria before. It was bugging her for a while that she had seen the Sorceress before, but not remember where…until now. “Wait a sec,” she said as she looked at Celestria, “You’re the millionaire Celine Ortiz? You helped create the daycare center I work in…That’s where I’ve seen your picture.”

“You’re right,” Celestria aka Celine replied, “Living for centuries, I have a lot of riches to use to Protect the Valley and the Wild Animals. If the world knew how rich I really am, they’ll be wondering where I keep it all.”

“Well…I could say to anyone who asks that you’re a family friend,” Alyssa said, “That will be a good reason to go see the richest woman in town.”

“Also, you’ll see me all the time,” Cole added, “So that I can train you to be a Wild Hunter.”

“I think its one of the reasons,” Max said to Danny, as Danny had a hard time keeping a calm face.

Celine gave Max a look that made him stay quiet as everyone started eating.

Alyssa was surprised that she was with a group of guys as if they were Friends. Normally she was very wary of guys and always kept her guard up. Now, she felt relaxed around Cole and his Friends as if she’d known them all her life.

Cole, on the other hand, was looking at Alyssa. He saw a beautiful, friendly and strong person who was caring and full of love. ‘I just hope I can hold on to make the Bonds,’ he thought as he finished eating.

*I know you will,* Celine said mentally as she looked at him.

Then Alyssa looked at him and smiled, making him get warm inside his body.

“Cole, how about you take Alyssa back to Turtle Cove,” Celine said, “Merrick, Danny, go get her things while she changes.”

“You’ve done so much for me already,” Alyssa said, “I’m not that important to worry about.”

“To everyone else, that is,” Cole added as he held her hand, “You are very important to all of us here…especially me.”

“Thanks Cole…for saying that,” she replied shyly, “It’s nice to hear how…Special I am.”

Cole felt a tone of sadness, as well as some pain, that goes deep.

Celine sensed it too as she put an arm around Alyssa’s shoulders and said, “Come on Alyssa, I’ll take you to your room.”

After Alyssa and Celine left, Cole got up and walked to the stone wall…before hitting it with his fist. The impact caused some fine cracks to form in the stone…yet he didn’t feel it.

“Cole, you’re ok?” Merrick asked.

“I’m fine,” Cole replied as he took deep breathes, “It’s just that…Alyssa’s so Special and she doesn’t even see it.”

“Don’t worry, Friend,” Merrick said as Cole looked at him, “Now she has you to show her that.”

“Yea,” Danny added, “All of us can see that in her from the moment she was presented to us. You just have to have her see that for herself.”

As the other Hunters left, Cole thought about Danny’s words and how he was going to use them to help Alyssa.

After changing the skirt and flats for her jeans and boots, Alyssa was ready as she and Celine reached the edge of the Valley.

Now Celine was dressed in jeans, a violet tank top under a matching mini-jean jacket and ankle boots. With her hair in a ponytail, Celine look like a normal person.

Cole was waiting for them near two motorcycles.

“Look like everything’s ready,” Celine said, seeing that Alyssa’s pack was tied to her bike, “Alyssa, you go with Cole on his bike and I’ll follow on my bike.”

“Ok,” Alyssa said before going towards Cole’s bike.

He was ready as he gave her a helmet. She put it on before getting on the bike, behind Cole. “Hold on tight,” he said as he started the motor

In reaction, she put her arms around his waist as he drove away from Celine.

Celine smiled as she put on her helmet before starting her bike and followed close behind.

During the drive through the forest, Alyssa was getting used to feeling the wind blowing by…and the warmth coming from Cole. What made it so different was that it was a warmth that was full of Strength and calm. It put her mentally in a place that, she thought, she would never feel again since leaving home.

She placed her head against his back and closed her eyes. ‘It’s nice to be like this,’ she thought.

*I agree,* she heard Cole say…in her mind.

She opened her eyes and looked to see Cole looking at the path ahead. ‘Did he really do that?’ she wondered as she held on, ‘Did he really talked to me…in my mind?’

*I did,* he replied, *I’m able to talk to you mentally when I choose to. *

*Really?* she asked.

*Really,* he replied, *See, you’re doing it now. *

*Wow,* she replied as she smiled, *I didn’t know I could do this. Besides being able to tell if guys were…using me, I thought I didn’t have any Mental Powers. *

*That’s one of the Powers of a Wild Hunter…that are starting to come out, * Cole said, *There’s a lot I will enjoy teaching you in time. *

*For that I’m glad,* she said as she hugged him.

Cole smiled at the hug, happy that she’s starting to Trust him. Also, he formed a Link to her mind that’s important between Lifemates.

*So, did you find out anything?* Celine asked.

*I sure did,* he replied, *I found out that Alyssa was used by men. No wonder she was wary of me and the others. *

*I agree. You must be very careful when it comes close to that time,* Celine said before breaking the Link.

Cole steadied the bike enough to touch Alyssa’s hand in Friendship. ‘Know that I will do anything to keep you safe,’ he thought, ‘and earn the right to have your Love and Trust.’

In reply, she tighten her hug before he returned to driving.

A half-hour later, Cole stopped in front of a two-story house.

Alyssa was surprised that he knew where she lived as she looked at him.

“Don’t worry Alyssa,” he said with a smile as Celine stopped her bike near them, “Celine found your wallet in your backpack.”

“Along with your address…since I know where you work now,” Celine added after she took off her helmet, “Beside, I have to know where to send my driver to pick you up.”

“If it’s ok, I won’t mind if Cole picked me up,” Alyssa said.

Celine, while untying the backpack, looked at Alyssa at her words.

“I won’t mind,” Cole replied as he and Alyssa got off his bike, “She doesn’t mind my driving.”

“Well…she does have to get use to riding a cycle. I won’t mind a bit,” Celine replied as she gave Alyssa he backpack, “I’ll see you at the house after work tomorrow.”

“Sure,” Alyssa said with a smile.

Celine return the smile before she got on her bike and rode off down the street.

“Well,” Alyssa said as she stood on front of Cole, “I work until three tomorrow at the day care center.”

“I know where that is. I’ll be there,” Cole replied as he brushed some of her hair back from her face.

She blushed at him before walking to the house.

He watched her enter the house before he got on his bike and rode off.

After closing the front door, Alyssa leaned against the door and thought about Cole…and how he made her feel.

“So…who was Mr. Handsome that dropped you off?” a female voice said.

Alyssa looked up the stairs to see Ebony.

With her black hair in braids, showing off her golden brown highlights, Ebony Starr is a beauty with her golden brown eyes and light brown skin. Even while wearing a pale purple dress and flats, she looked a lot younger than her seventeen years.

“A Friend,” Alyssa said as she went into the kitchen, dropping her pack in the closet on the way, and closely followed by Ebony.

“A Friend? From my POV, he’s more than a friend,” Ebony said as she got out two soda cans, “He’s…I don’t know, more.”

“He’s a good Friend I’ve known for years,” Alyssa said as they sat down at the table, “He moved to Turtle Cove a few days ago.”

“How come you never said anything about him?” Ebony asked.

As much as Alyssa hated to lie to Ebony, she some how knew her new Life has to be kept Secret. “He’s the only guy who see the real me,” she replied, “He’s…someone Special that…means a lot to me. That’s why I’ve never talk about him.”

“I understand,” Ebony said as she held her Friend’s hand, “He’s one of a kind. I wish I could meet a guy like that.”

Alyssa heard the tone in Ebony’s voice. Ebony’s life was so different from her own.

Ebony’s father died when Ebony was a baby. Her mother re-married when she was two. After her mother’s death when she was nine, her step-father showed his true colors and abused her. Three years later, she left home and lived on the streets. By chance, she befriend a female lawyer who helped her press charges against her step-father.

Now her step-father is in prison and she’s living with a loving foster mother…who’s Alyssa landlady.

Mostly shy, Ebony is a strong and kind-hearted person who is very choosy when it comes to people.

“So the camping trip was to see him?” Ebony said.

“No,” Alyssa said, “I did camp out in the forest. He was hiking there too and saw my camp fire. We spent half the night talking.”

Ebony looked at her before saying, “Ok, I get it. He just happen to find your campsite.”

“Yea,” Alyssa replied.

“Anyway, Rick called after you left,” Ebony said, “He wanted to know if you’re still single.”

That was more than enough to get Alyssa in a bad mood. “I can’t believe him,” she said, “I told him I only see him as a friend, nothing more. What did you tell him?”

“Something along the lines of ‘in your dreams’ before hanging up on him,” Ebony said with a smile, “I would be careful around him if I were you. He‘s the type of guy that doesn’t take no for an answer.”

“Thanks,” Alyssa said, “I think with my Friend around, Rick might have to give up this game of his’.”

The two Friends ended it there as they enjoyed their drink.