KNIGHT'S POINT OF VIEW

Knight didn't notice he doze off until he woke up in sweat, breathing heavily. His dreams were none other than nightmares, but he's noticed a change that occurred. Ever since he met Amber, more nightmares have been occurring. Not to mention, she's been in every single one of them, or if she's not in it, she's mentioned in it with the vampires haunting his dreams.

Granted, he only known Amber for a little more than a month and he only slept three times since he met Amber, but that's still a lot. He's gone sleeping once a month before, and kept that routine until he met Amber. That routine disappeared as he's more tired.

Tyler is showing up more often threatening him, and telling him that he wouldn't be able to "save Amber." As if he has the faintest clue as to what that means, and it frustrates him.

He knows these nightmares aren't real and he shouldn't believe them, but he can't get Tyler's words out of his head.

Right on cue, there was a knock on his door. He grabbed his dagger off the table, and threw the door open, pointing the dagger at his opponents heart.

"Woah, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." She said half-jokingly, but never took her eyes off the dagger until he lowered it.

"Sorry, I thought you were someone else." He replied distraught. Some part of him hoped Tyler was on the other side of the door, so he could integrate him, demanding to know what he meant by him not being able to save Amber, and from what.

Then reality hits, and he's relieved that it was Amber and not a vampire who knows their location. They've been trying to stay under the radar only staying close to the house. Amber even mentioned this is one of the "longer" time periods where she wasn't confronted by vampires, and it's only been four days.

"I guess it's always good to stay cautious." She mused. "But who exactly did you think it would be?"

"No one of importance. Now, where are we going to train? I'm ready." He said confidently, shaking away any thoughts of his nightmare.

"I was thinking the backyard because it's bigger." She replied confusing him with her statement.

So we need a large area?

"Yes, we need a larger area, besides the back may work to our advantage. Their may be vampires lurking in the front." Amber responded dismissively, clearly made up her mind. Still, Knight was stunned that she knew his thoughts. He's just hopes he's predictable and not that she could read minds.

Huh, deja vu...

She noticed his expression and immediately started laughing. She rolled her eyes at him, and added "I can't read minds just facial expressions. Which leads me to asking you, what are your three new emotions?" She asked, draining all the color from his face. He just hopes she's not one to lash out in anger because he didn't finished his homework assignment.

"Would you be mad, if I said, I didn't do it?" He questioned, saying the words as slowly as possible, trying to find a loophole, but in the end, couldn't find anything to dance him around this.

"Nah, I actually expected it." She answered reassuringly, but nothing about that was reassuring to Knight.

"Wait, what? You couldn't have possibly known..."

"And yet I did. The good news is we can go straight to training." She said flatly, ending the conversation there. She continues walking towards the back door, not even checking if he's following.

She knows he is. "So today's lesson is all about transforming. The best way and only way to control this anger of yours is to learn how to control your werewolf side. Being a werewolf has it's perks, but it does have it's  disadvantages." She continues.

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"Don't need to sound so sarcastic." She responded sarcastically herself. He was confused for a moment until he realized he spoke those five words out loud.

"Anywho, what was I saying... oh that's right, disadvantages, such as strong emotions. If you're angry, you're more likely to be a thousand times more angry than if you were human. The werewolf inside us, intensifies our emotions." She acknowledged, for once making sense to Knight. 

She opened the back door, stepped through, and turned around to face him. "You have a little bit of control, but not enough. Tell me, what happens when you're angry?"

"Uh, I lose control?" He answered as a question, but smiled at the satisfied smile she shot at him.

"Exactly! Vampires and werewolves their similar in many ways and one of those ways is control. Control is more than transforming anytime you want. It's understanding what you are as an individual. When you gain control you grow a better understanding of you as a werewolf." She's going into full history mode, but Knight was secretly happy that she is.

For so long he hated what he was because he couldn't control his transformation, can't transform anytime he wants. He never knew that if he gains a better understanding of the wolf inside him that he gains a better understanding of his transformations.

It's time he let's go of any hope, any dreams of being human again, and focuses on where he's at now.

It will just become a distant dream, a distant memory.

"Werewolves do have a third transformation, which is their wolf form. We also have mid-stage, which vampires do not. All they have is human form and vampire form, but because our eyes stay the same when it's in our human form, they don't see the point of transforming. Their eyes are red either way, their human form doesn't hide much, just their long nails and fangs. I personally find our human form very comfortable..."

"Same! You don't have to worry about the overgrown body hair or your fangs. Man, I love my human form." Knight emphasized. Amber raises her brow at him, and he quickly added, "though learning how to transform is most important."

"I agree to both loving my human form and you learning how to transform."

"I'm ready!" Knight suddenly spoke, his voice confident and sure, resulting in Amber crossing her arms, an amused smile on her face.

"Okay, Knight. Let's start off easy, transform mid-stage." Amber sternly told Knight. Knight stands there uncomfortably not doing anything. He shifts left to right, but makes no attempt to transform. He doesn't even know the first thing to transforming, let alone, attempting too.

"Knight..."

"I don't exactly know how." He answered defiantly. "The whole reason why you're doing this training is to help me..."

"You don't even know how to transform to mid-stage? That's the easiest transformation." She accused, clearly frustrated. He sighs, mentally calming himself down.

"Not for me." Was all he answered.

She stared at him intensely, and he stared right back, trying to figure out what she's thinking. He didn't back down, but did thought the staring contest was going to go on forever, and he already blinked several times.

"Man, we're in deeper trouble than I thought." She mused after several seconds at staring at him. It felt like a lifetime. "Okay, how would you normally transform?"

"I don't know, I need to be...motivated...for self-defense." Knight told her scared of her reaction, she would probably think he's a weakling. She actually starts smiling at Knight's answer.

That scared him more than the intense stare contest they just had, and he didn't even know that was possible.

Nothing good comes from her amused grins.

"You have to be motivated huh?" She asked, walking up to him. She keeps her distance, but she's still too close for comfort.

He just stood there frozen, not sure of how to react. She holds out her hand waiting for Knight to do something he didn't know what. She raised her brow, her eyes drift between her hand and his eyes.

He puts his hand in hers and she immediately pulls her hand back, takes a step away, and glares at him.

"The keys, Knight, I need the car keys." She said as if it were obvious. She shows no emotion to his reaction making Knight feel even more uncomfortable than before.

Oh, well, how was I suppose to know that?!

"Oh...wait what?" He asked confused. He feels slightly embarrassed at how he reacted, but it seems like Amber let it go, so he can too.

He soon finds himself playing with his car keys. He doesn't remember when he brought it out.

"You said you need to be motivated, I need to get something in your car." Amber asked taking the keys from his hands and running off before he can say anything else.

Wait, the car keys!? Why would she need them? And why not ask me instead of holding out her hand? It's not like I can read minds.

The fact is you wanted to hold her hand...

No I don't! I just thought it was all part of the process to get me to transform...

Because she's the thing that will get you motivated.

No, vampires are, the need to protect myself is the reason why I transform.

Oh yeah, of course, but she's also the reason too.

You know what you're right, she is the reason why I would transform because though she's not a vampire, she scares me just as much as they do...maybe even more. I don't exactly trust her, and that's what scares me the most.

"You okay?" Amber asked looking at him with a little bit of concern, the rest an overstatement of not interested.

Still, a little bit of concern is better than no concern, which is what it would normally be with Amber.

"Oh me? Yeah I'm good, so what's behind your back?" He asked curiously trying to look behind her, but she moved opposite way, so he couldn't see.

"Well, I remember when we put the trash can in your trunk there was an...object that I can possibly use to help motivate you." She slowly spoke. Knight doesn't like where this is going. He only had one other thing in his trunk, and he has a feeling this is going to hurt.

Knight doesn't say anything, slowly taking large steps away from her.

"You said you needed to be motivated and for you, I think it's instinct. You transform when you need to transform right? So to learn how to control it and transform whenever you want, we need to work on your reflexes..."

"How does working on my reflexes help me transform again?" He asked lost by her logic in this. To be completely honest, he didn't hear half of what she said. He's just waiting for the torture to begin.

"Just do what I tell you!" She snapped making Knight more alert. He stands up taller.

Out of the blew, she threw his keys at him. "Ha, I got it!" Knight said proud of himself. "I should have told you, but I'm pretty good at reflexes." Knight said brushing off imaginary dust on his shoulder. Amber just smiles in response.

Suddenly, as fast as lightning a basketball came hurtling towards him, and hits him right in the stomach. Knight fell down, holding his stomach, feeling like his innies will become outies any second.

"Good at reflexes huh?" Amber hovered over him her same amused smile on her face. She bends down and grabs the basketball, leaving Knight there still feeling awful.

At least I didn't eat before this.

"Get back up Reflexes, we're just getting started." He slowly gets up, ignoring the name he just called her, and gets in a ready stance.

"Okay, I will admit I may have over exagger..." Another basketball to the gut cut him off, but this time he stayed up.

"You couldn't have waited until I was ready or at least done speaking?" Knight asked annoyed at her, contemplating if he should give her the basketball or not.

He didn't make any move to give it to her.

"When the situation comes you won't have time to get ready. I've never met a vampire who was kind and generous enough to wait. What do you think they would do? 'Oh, I'll wait for you to transform, young sir.' And what, you reply 'thank you, that's very kind of you'?" She said disapproving, grabbing the basketball out Knight's hands. Knight was completely caught off guard, he doesn't even remember her walking up to him.

"Of course I wouldn't say that!" He said preprosperously. He knows better than to believe that foolish tale she just told him. Vampires would never be so kind to werewolves and vice versa.

"Knight, shut up and focus!" She hissed. "I need you to get your head in the game!"

"Whatever you say." He said rolling his eyes, but she didn't notice. Now that Knight thinks about it, it's a good thing she didn't notice. She would have probably gone harder on him.

All the while, he couldn't help, but to think that the voice in the back of his head was completely wrong before. She hates him, and he's not very fond of her either. Their just doing this as a partnership deal, strictly as business.

He has no time to think of foolish thoughts.
......

They stayed at the backyard for couple hours, and every single ball Amber threw hit Knight somewhere whether it was stomach, arm, shoulder, leg or face.

I don't know how she does it, but she seems to know when I'm off guard.

Not to mention, she went twice as hard after the first couple tries. After our disagreement.

"You know, I'm starting to think you really hate me..."

"Knight, you already knew that."

He ignored her comment. "And that you're enjoying this."

"Every last bit." She said content. Her being so happy just fueled Knight's pain and anger. He felt his hair grow longer, his nails grew longer and sharper, and his fangs slipped out.

"Finally, I was wondering when you were going to crack. Unfortunately for you, it took too long to transform so we are going to be working on this for a while until it becomes faster." She sighed.

She threw the ball. With ease he caught it. She gave a small smile, and caught the ball when he threw it back at her. She raised both of her brows as she felt the force behind it.

"What, you think you can beat me at my own game?" She asked and when he didn't respond, her usual smirk was on her face. "Fine, I accept the challenge, and I'll stay in my human form."

He was ready for her just as much as she was ready for him, but when her eyes widen looking behind him, he thought something was wrong and turned around. He felt the ball plunge into his back, pushing him down the ground.

His eyes instantly change to an intense dark pale gold, his anger overcoming him. He got up and didn't even hesitate to throw it.

Amber caught it, but stumbled backwards. Knight's growls grow louder as he no longer focuses on the basketball, but Amber herself. It's taking everything in him not to attack her.

Sensing the change in Knight, she transforms mid-stage, putting the ball on the ground.

"Knight, you need to fight the animal inside you. You need to control your anger!" He growls in response.

Stupid werewolf intensifying my emotions.

You need to learn how to control it, before you hurt Amber...

You don't think I know that? I don't know how.

Well, think of something!

"Knight, remember what I told you? The werewolf inside you is intensifying this anger, granted I don't know why you're so angry." She mumbled the last part under her breath, but Knight growls grew louder, signifying that he heard it.

"Look, in order to control the anger you have to want it..."

"You don't think I don't want to control this?" He roared at her, but to his surprise she stood her ground. She didn't take a step back, she didn't grimace, she didn't show any sign of fear.

"Then prove it!" She hissed at him, once again, showing no fear. If it was the other way around, Knight would be terrified.

But he did notice the fact that she is in her mid-stage, and so much more calmer.

"There are black specks in your eyes Knight." She said more calmly. "If half of your eyes is filled with black and the other gold, you are going to transform to your wolf form, and for the time being, we don't want that to happen."

"How do I control it?" He whimpered, pleading with her. This is what caught Amber off guard, not the roaring, not the growling, but the pleading.

She quickly recovered, giving him a small smile. "Think of a time you were happy...think of all those time you defeated vampires." She offered. His eyes soften a little bit, but the anger's still taking over him.

"Think of the time, or times I should say, when you one-up me. All those satisfying memories."

"I thought you said you would punch me if I ever mention one of those moments again." His voice half-teasing. He slowly felt the anger melt away.

"Well, you don't have to say it verbally." She used the same tone, visibly relaxing.

Knight's still in his mid-stage form, but almost all the anger left. He felt like his normal self, just transformed. Amber smiled at this, transforming back to her human form.

Knight closed his eyes, picturing himself back to his human form. He had a clear image in his head, and slowly opened his eyes to see he was in his human form.

"Wow, well done!" Amber exclaimed, as she kicked the basketball towards the house, but not powerful enough to reach.

Secretly, he high fived himself making sure Amber was facing the other way. It was a habit he never broke out of.

"Did you just high five yourself?" She asked out of the blew, clearly amused. He looks over at her, but she wasn't looking over it him. She was actually picking up the basketball to take into the house.

"I don't know, do you have evidence?" He teased, challenging her to prove it to him that he did such a thing.

She turned around to face him, not a hint of a smile, not a hint of her amused grin on her face. She was dead serious, her eyes changing constant shades of orange.

"Knight, I have eyes in the back of my head." She said in a deadpan matter. Knight's face paled. He stopped breathing, he stopped moving, he just stood there frozen.

She bursts out laughing. "You're so gullible!"

"Am not! I just...trust easy." He said defensively, but stumbled in the end.

"No, you don't. We both don't." She said defiantly, but a small smile was there.

He walked up to her, forcing a smile of his own. "That, I can agree with." He said, opening the door for her. She stepped through and turned around waiting for him. "You still didn't answer my question, how did you know I high fived myself?"

"I heard the clapping sound...it was quite loud." She answered.

"That could have been any sound..."

"You're right, but the fact is, I know you high five yourself because you didn't deny it." She countered, Knight mentally slapped himself. That should have been the first thing he did.

"Touche." He responded, knowing there's nothing to do to dance around it. His response clearly satisfied Amber.

"Same time tomorrow?" She asked, her hand touching the doorknob to her bedroom.

"Bright and early." He replied enthusiastically, which she moaned too.

She steps inside, and he gets ready to turn around to his room, but she turned to face him first. "You did good Knight, though I would keep practicing that anger of yours. The best weapon in battle is self-control." With that, she took her leave.

Huh, she complimented, sort of.

Well, that's as close to one as I will get, so I'll take it.