Is This what it's like ?

**Sekreta**

*” You are going to have to pull yourself up and out of this bed sometime”*

Salvi paces the room, opening the curtains and windows.

“I cant it hurts too much “

She leans down onto the bed brushing my hair out of my face.

*” Don’t worry Sekreta, We will get Kalf back. They must have done something to make him go with them he wouldn’t have left his mate”**

“You really think they did something to him?”

I sit up and her nose wrinkles just as I catch a whiff of my own scent.

*” I’m sure of it darling, now how about you jump in the shower and we get you some food ?”*

“I’ll shower. I just want him, I barely got a chance to know him before he left”

*” Darling I know, we are going to get you through this. Were going to rescue him and bring him back, he would have never have left you willingly. Now come shower “*

She leaves the room and drags me from the bed into the bathroom. I’m so lucky to have found her, she is honest with me always, I finally have someone I can count on.

I let the water rush over me.

**She's lying to us you know I can feel it**

“Savea, she’s not lying to us. She is the reason we are safe”

**No we were safe with Artemis and Ryan. We are not safe here I can feel it **

“You're just nervous and feeling weak Sav. Why don’t you rest up and you might feel differently “

**She is the reason our mate left Sekreta, and the sooner you realise she is bad news the better**

She cuts the link and I continue in the shower. She has been weird since Kalf left, she is pining for him but she is taking it out on Salvi.

Why is she so convinced Salvi is bad, how can she be? She saved us and gave us a second chance at a family.

I finish the shower and head downstairs, passing some wolves on the way. Since I have been here very few have spoken to me or even acknowledged me, I guess it because I’m an outsider.

I descend the stairs past a young male wolf who is assisting in some of the renovations, this house is old and grimy but Salvi is hell bent on repairing it.

*” You dropped this “*

I turn to face him, checking to see who he was talking to but there is no one else around.

“Me ?”

I point at myself like an idiot.

*” Well there’s no one else here”*

He steps forward and places the small flower in my hand. I stare down at it confused.

“This isn’t mine”

I try to give it back but he doesn’t accept it.

*” You just looked like you could use a smile, I thought that would help”*

I again look down at it confused, when I look back up he has gone back to work.

“Erm. Thank you”

*” Any time, I hope next time we meet your smiling “*

“You know I’ve been here for days, and your the first person that even acknowledged I exist other than Salvi of course “

He stands back up again looking me over.

*” You must be her little sister”*

“How do you know”

*” I’m Ivar’s younger brother, I’ve heard a lot about you”*

“You mean Ivar as in Salvi’s mate?”

*” The very same”*

He extends his hand to meet my own.

*” Ildi. Nice to meet you “*

“Sekreta.Nice to meet you too “

We stand awkwardly for a few seconds, I don’t really know what to say. Social situations are not my forte.

“Well I should get going, Salvi said to meet her for breakfast “

*” I'll walk with you, I could eat”*

I nod and begin to walk towards the kitchen again. He asks me a few questions, nothing too invasive. It's more like he just wants to know about me.

I’m not used to someone taking an interest in just me. Usually, they want to know what my powers are or what I’m capable of.

It makes me wary of him still and I keep my answers short.

*” Have you been shown around yet “*

“No, I’ve only been to a few rooms but I’ve not seen the whole house”

*” How about I take you?”*

“Oh erm it's okay, I can just go back to my room “

*” You can’t stay in there forever you know, and besides Salvi said this was her family’s home so I guess that means it’s yours too”*

“Salvi did mention something but she hasn’t had a chance to show me, Are you sure you won’t get in trouble ?”

*” I’m sure. And besides, you’ll be helping me too, My mate is back at my packhouse and I’m missing her a lot it would be good to have at least one friend here “*

The word friend ripples in my ear, no one has ever called me that, least of all someone who I’ve just met.

We enter the Kitchen and see Salvi standing next to a man with dark hair, his presence in the room is dominating, it’s making me want to cower away from him. It reminds me so much of Arlo.

He stares at me for a second before Ildi breaks it.

*” Stop staring at her Ivar! You are scaring her “*

He breaks the eye contact and it feels as though he has just loosened a very real grip on me. Salvi put plates in front of us, both piled high with more food than anyone could eat. She lets me know she has some business to attend to but she will catch up with me later.

Leaving me to face the mountain plate of food alone, I turn to face Ildi about to comment on the amount on the plate only to see he is now half empty.

I can’t help but let out a giggle at the sight of him shoving another pancake in his already full mouth.

*” What is it ? is there something on my face ?”*

He looks genuinely concerned and wipes his hands all over.

“It’s not that, I’ve just never seen anyone eat like that before”

*” This... This is nothing but waiting until you come to your first pack BBQ. That’s where the real eating is done”*

I smile for the second time today before tucking into my own.

It’s around Thirty minutes later when I finally admit defeat having barely eaten any of it. I can see Ildi from the corner of my eye watching my plate.

“Do you want it? I’m done.”

*” Can I? I’m starving and watching you push it around your plate only made it worse”*

I stare at him in amazement as he shovels forkful after forkful into his mouth until the second plate is empty.

I sip on my water while he cleans the dishes, even the taste of clean freshwater regularly is going to take some getting used to but I savour every drop as if it's the first sip from the bucket.

*” So, are you ready to go ?”*

“Sure where to first ?”

*” You seem like someone who would appreciate a garden so how about there ?”*
“I'd like that”

I follow along behind him as we walk through the house, this time every wolf we pass smiles and says hello to me.

“Why are they doing that now ?”

*” What do you mean ?”*

“I mean before they wouldn’t speak to me or look at me now they are saying hello”

*” Because you are with me. You're not part of the pack so they were wary of you is all. Now they have seen you with me though you should be fine the next time you walk alone”*

Hearing that gives me a little bit of confidence and I hold my head a little bit higher as we leave through the double doors into the garden.

I can’t help but let out a gasp at the sight before me. The most beautifully pristine garden I have ever seen.

Not one single blade of grass is out of place or overgrown, each flower in perfect bloom, their faces pushing towards the sun.

Ildi takes my hand and drags me further down the path.

“What is this place?”

He pulls me towards a bench and we take a seat surrounded by white roses.

*” I found it when Salvi first brought us here, it’s not changed the entire time. It's as though it is in stasis, nothing has overgrown or fallen out of place.”*

“Even the flowers ?”

I ask him but my eyes are still transfixed on my surroundings.

*” The flowers simply close at night and then they reopen again in the morning “*

“It’s amazing”

I can’t help but wonder if it was a wolves power that did that. Could mine create such beauty?.

Could I even manipulate the greenery in this way ?.

I stay seated next to him, taking the time to let my eyes wander over every part of it still in complete awe at its beauty.

*” Woah are you okay?”*

I snap my head around to see Ildi looking at me with concern.

“I’m fine why wouldn’t I be ?”

*” Sekreta. Your crying “*

I lift my hand to wipe my cheeks only to find he was right, my palms are wet with tears.

“I didn’t realise”

*” Are you sure you are okay?”*

“I’m fine really, it’s just been a crazy few months. Well years actually I guess I was just overwhelmed with how peaceful it is here “

I don’t know why but it feels like I can talk to him without fear of judgment.

*” Well you can come here anytime you like, I haven’t shown anyone else and truthfully I come here sometimes just to get away. The guys that are here from my pack can get a bit rowdy”*

“I appreciate that, thank you”

I stand up and begin to walk around the border of the garden Ildi following close behind me.

“So what do you think it is that’s keeping the garden this way ?”

I ask him but I think deep down I already know this answer must have been created by someone with gifts. I’m curious to see what he has made of it though.

*” If I tell you, you’ll laugh “*

I cross my fingers over my heart.

“I promise I won’t”


*” I think its magic.”*

I let out a giggle.

*” See I told you!”*

He starts walking away from me in a huff and I feel a wave of panic that I’m about to lose the only friend I’ve made here.

“No, I promise you it's not that. I guess I’ve just never heard a fully grown man talk about magic. Please tell me what you were going to say I’m sorry”

I grab hold of his wrist and he turns to face me, desperate to apologise to him. He has a stern expression on his face and so I drop his arm and look at the ground.

*” Woah Sekreta I was just messing with you, don’t get upset “*

He lifts my chin to meet his gaze.

*” See I’m not really upset”*

I raise my eyebrow in confusion.

“What?”

*” It was a joke, I was just pretending to be upset “*

“I don’t understand why that’s funny ?”

I don’t mean to come off stupid but making people think you’ve hurt them for a joke isn’t something I’ve experienced.

*” You haven’t had a lot of social interactions have you”*

I fold my arms over my chest.

“Is it that obvious ?”

*” Just a little, you have this look on your face like a deer whos spotted a predator “*

He shrugs it off and carries on walking, I follow besides him silence once again admiring my surroundings.

When we reach the bench again we both take a seat.

*” So Sekreta, where are you from exactly. Up until recently, we didn’t even know Salvi had a sister “*

I don’t know how to answer that and I feel my cheeks begin to flush. He grabs my hand in his as if he sensed how uncomfortable I had just become.

“Hey, it’s okay you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“Let’s just say I’ve been away for a long time and that I’m back now thanks to Salvi”

He nods and squeezes my hand before letting go again.

We sit for a few more hours just talking and getting to know one another before I hear Ildi stomach growl.

*” Ahh damn I’m so hungry”*

“Really? but you ate so much “

I place my hand over my stomach and actually, I could eat too, is this what it’s like to have a wolf's appetite.

“I think I am too?”

*” Let’s go make pizza then watch a movie, you strike me as the kind of woman who hasn’t seen many”*

I Nod and stand up following him back into the house towards the kitchen, the same question replaying over and over and I can’t help but blurt it out and ask.

“Erm Ildi”

He stops and faces me smiling.

“Whats pizza?”

His mouth opens and he looks at me as though I’ve just told him I’m going to sacrifice him to Hela.

*” You are messing with me right?”*

I don’t say anything as he stares at me with confusion. Oh, man, have I done something wrong, I just wanted to know what it was.

*” You really don’t know do you ?”*

Shaking my head began to walk again.

*” Well that changes the plans for tonight, we are not just having one pizza we are having four”*

He picks up the pace practically jogging to the kitchen always turning to check I’m still following. I can’t help but smile.

Is this what it's like to have a friend moreover what is my new friend going to do to me if I don’t like this Pizza thing.


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A/N
*Hello Everyone , thank you so much for reading!
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