Chapter 6: The Strain of Separation

The days blurred together for Elias. The academy had become both a sanctuary and a cage. He was excelling in every test, every scenario they threw at him.

His combat skills were unmatched, his ability to endure grueling physical trials seemingly limitless. But every time the sun set, and his fellow recruits retreated to their apartments, Elias felt the pulse of the bond, growing stronger. It was suffocating, pulling him in a direction he couldn't deny.

Elias stood in the training room, facing Sergeant Walker for another sparring session. Walker was one of the academy's toughest instructors, his no-nonsense demeanor making him both a challenge and a test Elias couldn't afford to fail.

"Alright, Blackwood." Walker said, cracking his knuckles as he rolled his shoulders.

"Let's see how you've progressed. I'm not going easy on you today."

Elias nodded, keeping his posture loose but attentive. Walker lunged at him, fast and aggressive, aiming for a quick takedown. But Elias, with the speed and precision only a vampire could possess, sidestepped and caught Walker mid-stride.

In one smooth motion, he twisted the sergeant's arm, slamming him onto the mat with little effort.

The room went silent.

Walker grunted as he hit the floor but laughed, sitting up and rubbing his ribs. "Damn, Blackwood. That was damn impressive."

He wiped his hand across his brow. "You sure you ain't ex-military?"

Elias extended a hand to help him up, his voice calm. "Just a guy who's been around. You get good at learning how to survive."

The other recruits around the room were watching, some in awe, others whispering among themselves.

Later in the locker room, Jordan, a recruit with a broad frame and a no-nonsense attitude, leaned against a locker, grinning. "Okay, you gotta tell me. What the hell was that? Seriously, where'd you learn to fight like that?"

Elias shrugged, pulling off his shirt and grabbing his towel. "I told you. Just a guy who's learned to survive."

Jordan wasn't convinced. "Survive? Dude, you don't just pick up moves like that off the street. You some kind of secret agent, or what?"

Elias grinned, the edge of amusement in his voice. "Let's just say, I've learned a few things. Keeps life interesting."

Jordan shook his head, still skeptical but laughing. "Whatever, man. I don't care who you were before. You're alright. You got my back when we hit the streets, right?"

"Count on it." Elias said, offering a friendly clink of his water bottle against Jordan's.

As the day wore on, Elias couldn't help but feel a gnawing in the back of his mind. His new friends, these recruits though they were quickly becoming like family weren't the ones he was meant to be with.

The bond he shared with Alice, the pull toward her, made the camaraderie with his fellow officers feel distant, temporary. But he had to remain grounded.

'For now...'

Alice's POV

Alice sat on the edge of the couch in the Cullen family living room, her eyes staring out the window. Her fingers gripped the cushion tightly, and despite her usually calm demeanor, there was a tension in her body she couldn't shake.

The bond was stronger than ever.

She couldn't explain it, but it was there, always present, throbbing in the back of her mind. A connection to someone she had never met but knew in every fiber of her being. Elias. He was out there, getting closer with every passing day. And yet, she still couldn't see him. It was maddening.

"I can feel him." Alice whispered, almost to herself.

"But it's like he's slipping through my fingers."

Jasper, sitting beside her, turned his head to look at her. He could feel her distress radiating off of her, and it made his own emotions swell in response.

"Alice..." His voice was soft, soothing.

"I can feel it too. He's getting closer. You don't need to worry. He's coming."

"I can't help it..." Alice admitted, her voice tight.

"I know he's near, but it's like he's holding back. I feel it, but I can't see him. It's... it's like he's preparing for something."

Edward, standing near the fireplace with Edythe, exchanged a look with her. His face was grim, but there was a flicker of understanding in his eyes.

"He's holding himself back..." Edward murmured, the realization striking him.

"He's making sure he's ready, Alice. Ready for you."

Alice's heart ached at the thought. "I need him. I can't wait much longer."

Edythe stepped forward, her calm presence grounding Alice's heightened emotions.

"You won't have to wait much longer. The bond is too strong. He'll find his way to you."

Rosalie, sitting by the window, crossed her arms. "Whatever he's doing, it's serious. He's not just waiting for things to fall into place. He's making sure that he can stand beside you when the time comes."

Alice's eyes locked with Rosalie's, a flicker of gratitude passing through her. "I just wish he could feel that I need him. I want him here. Now."

Edward stepped closer, resting a hand on her shoulder. "He's coming, Alice. You'll be together soon."

Weeks passed, and Elias found himself at a crossroads. His training at the academy was nearing its end, and his identity solid, rooted in the life he had carefully constructed was now unshakeable.

He was Elias Blackwood, a new man with a new purpose. But the bond, the pull to Alice, was undeniable. He could no longer ignore it.

Elias stood in front of the mirror in the locker room, adjusting his police uniform. The badge on his chest gleamed under the fluorescent lights, symbolizing everything he had worked for, everything he had become. He no longer felt like an imposter he was Elias. He had found his place.

And yet, as he stood there, the bond between him and Alice surged, as though calling him home. It was more than just a feeling it was a compulsion, an urge that consumed his every thought. His breath hitched, and for a moment, he thought he might collapse from the intensity of it.

He couldn't wait any longer. The need to be with her, to fulfill the promise of the bond, was too much to bear.

He grabbed his jacket and left the locker room, a new determination in his steps. He wasn't just a man anymore. He was a vampire, bound by fate, and his path led straight to Alice.

It was time.

Nothing.

Not the academy.

Not the life he had built would keep him from her.

He was ready.