Nexus Hill was exactly as they’d left it the previous day, but for some reason, Will felt like he was seeing it differently now. It could have been because he was so different, or even that the threatening air it possessed seemed to have lifted. Edward and Noratuk had been perfectly friendly with him on the way back. They’d walked out of that frozen tundra together, taking their sweet time. Then again, in the helicopter, they talked amicably as they flew back to Fairbanks.

Admittedly, Noratuk talked a lot more than Edward, who seemed to have an aversion to saying more than twenty words per hour. Noratuk continued to give Will tips about his flames, her voice raised over the sound of the helicopter blades beating against the air to keep them airborne. Will could tell that she was regarded as the expert on using the Fire Nexus’ power, and she even told him a few short stories about her time training the other member. Apparently, she was a childhood friend of Edward’s, and she’d been the first person he’d shared his power with.

“You need to master the heat of your flame before you master anything else,” she said. “Mastering that means you have good control over your Condition.”

The helicopter landed just as she finished that last sentence, and the blades immediately began slowing to a stop. Will waited for them to become still before asking the obvious question. “What’s my Condition?”

“Everyone has one,” Noratuk explained, hopping out of the helicopter and offering Will a hand down. “The Condition is what makes us stronger than the average person. It’s also what makes us weak.”

“Why should I train something that makes me weak?”

“If you train it, you won’t be weak as often,” Noratuk said, rolling her eyes and lightly smacking him on the head. “The Condition grows as you grow. The harder you train it, the stronger it gets. For someone like you, it will just be a little extra power. For me, it’s a lot more.”

“What’s the Condition like for you?” Will asked Edward. He had an inkling of how strong Noratuk was. He couldn’t imagine what such a condition was like for the actual Alpha. “How strong does it make you?”

“It makes me immortal.”

Edward walked away without another word, leaving Will with his jaw on the ground and Noratuk sniggering slightly. He turned to her, not quite sure if he should take what Edward said at face value. “He’s immortal?”

“Technically, no,” she said, grabbing Will’s arm and dragging him down the stairs back into the home building. “We think all Nexians have a much longer lifespan than most humans, but we haven’t been around that long, so we don’t know. But Edward’s Condition does make him invulnerable. He got shot once, and the bullet melted when it touched his skin.”

Edward was waiting at top of the stairs leading down to the second floor when they entered the building, and Noratuk pulled Will to a stop. “We’ll talk about it more later. For now, you should take some time to get to know the others.”

“And there’s one quick way to do that,” Edward said, catching their attention. He turned to look down the stairs and shouted, “Get up here, you lot! We’re having dinner!”

The sounds of excited mutterings came from below, followed immediately by the sound of over a dozen people walking quickly. They appeared at the top of the stairs in single file,

“To the kitchen,” Edward said. His voice was stern, but he wore a grin to match that of the others. When they’d passed out of sight and left Edward, Charlisa, Noratuk, and Will alone, the Alpha leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Will, were you being serious about being able to cook?”

“Of course he was serious,” Charlisa said, speaking before Will could even open his mouth. “I’ve worked with him in Cooking Class. He was easily the best in the class.”

Both Edward and Will looked at her with slightly widened eyes. For his part, Will was surprised she remembered something from nearly two years ago. A dull flush creeping up his neck, he nodded in confirmation to Edward. “I wouldn’t say I’m the best, but I think I’m pretty good.”

Noratuk looked as if her wildest dreams had come true. “You mean we’ll get to eat some good food for once?”

“Dad went back to the store and bought a ton of groceries after we dropped you off,” Charlisa said quietly. “You’d never know, but he’s been looking forward to it ever since.”

“You don’t have to cook if you don’t want to,” Edward said quickly. He even looked a little shame-faced. “But I thought it seemed like a good opportunity.”

Will chuckled. The power of food at its finest, he thought. These surly, mysterious people seemed like eager children when confronted with the possibility of a good meal. He shook his head slightly. “Of course, I’ll cook. What did you get?’

“A bit of everything,” Edward replied. He led the way into the cafeteria, moving slightly faster than normal. “Let me know if there’s anything you need.”

——————————

Will got home around eight after they’d all had a lengthy meal and he’d gotten to know the other members of the Nexus. He’d need weeks to get to know them, of course, but he felt confident that he could at least recognize them if he saw them again. He might even remember their names if he were lucky. But the time had come, according to Edward, to cut the fun short. Will had agreed, packing up what little leftovers there were and throwing them in the fridge.

Will had assumed that he’d go home alone, but Edward had offered to drive him again. Charlisa came with, though Will wasn’t sure why. He tried not to give it too much thought anyway, as his mind was already troubled with the conversation that he knew was coming. He had to tell his dad about the Nexus at last. It couldn’t be avoided, Edward had said. He had to tell his father everything about his selection and what he was since he’d be living at Nexus Hill from now on.

So, with his heart pounding at what felt like triple time, Will approached his door. He had the strange urge to knock at first as if he were a stranger visiting. Shaking his head at the stupid thought, he pulled his keys out. His father probably wasn’t worried, since Will had gotten back late several times before, either due to club activities or just because he liked wandering. He didn’t expect any trouble there. And sure enough, as he pushed the door open and stepped inside, he saw his father sitting in his favorite armchair. The TV was on, and he was snoring quietly, having fallen asleep watching something.

Will smiled at his father and stood aside, letting Edward and Charlisa into the house. They both paused politely just inside, waiting for Will to take the lead. Perfect guests, he thought with a snort of laughter. He closed the door quietly and walked over to where his father slept. He tapped him on the arm. When there was no response, he tapped again, a little harder. Cameron woke up with a start, looking up at Will. His eyes were bleary and unfocused.

“What?” He croaked. “Oh. You’re home. I’ll go to bed now. Why is it so hot in here?”

“That’ll have to wait, Dad,” Will said. “I’ve brought guests.”

“At this hour?” His dad checked the watch on his wrist, then swiped a hand across his forehead as if to wipe away sweat. “Why did you bring your friends over so late? Did Benjamin get himself hurt or something?”

“No Dad,” Will said hurriedly. Ben, his friend from school, was accident-prone. “It’s… hard to explain. Just… come meet them.

Looking more confused now, his dad pushed the legs closed on his recliner and sat up. It seemed that he only just noticed who was standing there. Hitching a smile onto his face, he staggered over to the two, his hand held out in welcome, approaching Edward first.

“Cameron Andrews,” he said in a friendly tone. “Pleasure to meet you!”

“Edward Ambrose,” Edward said, offering a polite smile and a bob of his head. “The pleasure is all mine.”

Will’s dad gave a little start at the name. “Wait. Isn’t that the name of… Aren’t you the Alpha of the Fire Nexus?”

As Edward nodded, Cameron’s face appeared to sink in on itself in fear. Trying to seem casual but failing miserably, he cast a worried glance over his shoulder at Will. His reaction was understandable. With all the violent rumors that flew around a Nexus, having an actual Alpha appear in his house was sure to give him a shock of terror. Especially the Fire Nexus, Will thought. His dad was clearly worried about the damage that could be done to his house, not to mention to him or the son he loved. Will hurriedly waved both of his hands, hoping to clear up any misunderstandings at the start.

“It’s alright Dad,” he said. He paused, hoping that someone else would take up the lead, but Edward shook his head ever so slightly. So he’d have to do it himself, then. “I’ve, uh, joined the Fire Nexus, Dad.”

A long stretch of silence followed this announcement. Will tried to say more, but the frozen expression on his dad’s face stopped him in his tracks. What was going through his mind, Wil wondered. Was he having a stroke? “Say something, Dad.”

Suddenly, his dad’s face was as level as could be. He leaned towards Will, gripping the front of his shirt in an unusual show of strength, pulling him close so that only he could hear the next words. “Will. What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Will said. “One of his family attacked me and blamed me for it all. I proved my innocence and asked if I could join. Edward accepted me.”

Now Cameron Andrew’s face was back to a state of blank shock. “But you’re, uh, not like them.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Will said shortly. “Everyone says the same thing. So I’m the first white person to join the Fire Nexus. What of it?”

“No, that’s not what I meant!” His dad said, his voice rising slightly. When his son looked at him skeptically, he frowned. “I mean it, Will. These people are steeped in violent history, and you’re a kind young man. You’re not like them.”

“Oh,” Will said, standing up. It hadn’t been the expected response. Well, as a father, of course, Cameron would care about such things, but it hadn’t crossed his mind. He glanced back to where Edward and Charlisa were standing. He met Edward’s eyes, and a silent message seemed to pass there before the Alpha gave an understanding nod. He took several steps away from the door toward’s Will’s father. Cameron twitched slightly, but he got to his feet all the same.

“Mister Andrews,” Edward said, his voice unexpectedly delicate and soft. “Your son’s safety will be of the utmost importance for me.”

“Of course it will,” Will’s dad replied. “You can’t afford to lose a soldier, can you?”

Will took a step forward, his temper flaring. A tiny lick of fire actually shot out of his right hand as it clenched into a fist, making him jump. “Dad!”

“That’s enough, Will!” Cameron snapped. “Your war with another Nexus nearly destroyed half the country. You did destroy the midwest! Do you really expect me to just hand my son over to you? My only child?”

“I do not expect you to hand him over without a fight,” Edward said, his voice still gentle. He held one hand up as Will made to speak again, then, to all of their surprise, except Charlisa’s, he dropped to one knee in front of Cameron. Will’s dad stepped back a bit in shock and open his mouth, but Edward spoke before he could.

“I understand your worries, sir,” Edward said. When Cameron looked nothing but doubtful, he gestured towards the door where Charlisa still stood. “That is my daughter, Mr. Andrews. Do you think I don’t fear that I won’t be able to protect her sometimes? But I have great power. Surely, with this great power, I should strive to protect everything and everyone I care for, yes?”

“Well, yes,” Will’s dad said, his voice a bit weak. “I didn’t say that you didn’t care about-”

Edward cut him off, putting the second knee to the ground, a further unexpected gesture. “I mean what I say, Mr. Andrews. I use my great power to protect those close to me. As a member of my Nexus, I will protect Will. I will train him so that he may gain great power of his own so that he can protect those he cares for.”