10. "Our wolves should meet."

"Good morning Kalmin," Nuri said as she came downstairs, smiling softly to Kalmin as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Good morning; how are you feeling?" Kalmin asked, raising an eyebrow at Nuri as she sat next to him at the table, watching her for a few moments in silence. *'She still hasn't regained her memories? I can't believe it.'*

"What are your plans for the day?" Nuri asked hesitantly as she watched him over the brim of her mug. *'Is it weird if I ask him to spend the day together? I hope not. We are mates, after all.'*

*'It's not weird at all, Nuri. Ask him!'* Temptest goaded, humming happily.

"I was planning on working, is there a reason you're asking?"

*'You know damn well why she's asking, don't be an ass.'* Rian grumbled, shaking his head.

"I thought that maybe we could spend the day together? But, if you have to work, nevermind." Nuri said with a soft smile, trying to hide her disappointment as she stood to make breakfast.

"Is there anything you'd like to do today?" Kalmin asked after a few moments as he stood to refill his coffee, watching as Nuri looked through the fridge to find something to make for breakfast. "We could go to the grocery store. Unfortunately, that is something that we haven't yet had the time to do, and I do not know what you like to eat."

"Sure, we can do that." Nuri agreed as she settled for making waffles, looking around the kitchen for where Kalmin kept the waffle maker stored, trying to hide her displeasure at Kalmin's idea. *'Grocery shopping wouldn't be the worst idea, but not exactly what I wanted to do to get to know my mate.'* She thought as Kalmin crossed around the counter to show her where it was.

"I know it isn't the most exciting thing to do together, but it should only take an hour or two, then we can do something else," Kalmin said, the look on Nuri's face not escaping him, despite her best efforts to hide it.

"Yeah? Is there anything you'd like to do?"

"Not to bore you, but I'm not usually one to socialize much. I prefer to stay home, rather than being out."

"Didn't you say that we met at a party?" Nuri asked, furrowing her brows as she made the pancake mix, watching as Kalmin began chopping various fruits, then splitting them into two bowls. "I'm not saying we're the opposite because most of the time, I'm like you. I prefer to be at home and reading a book or watching tv, but sometimes I get restless, and I need to leave the house, even if it's only for a few hours."

"Yes, we met at a party, and I did not want to be in attendance in the slightest, but my betas would not allow such a thing." Kalmin chuckled softly, shaking his head. "As for getting restless, such a thing is inevitable. Our wolves may be fine with relaxing, but they cannot stay still for days such as we can. It is not in our nature to be stationary, nor is it in theirs."

"That makes sense, yeah." Nuri agreed as she pulled the waffle out of the waffle iron, then cut it in half, setting the halves on two plates, following Kalmin back to the table where they sat, eating in silence.

*'It looks like we are a lot like our mate. Not everyone has a mate that is so similar to them.'* Tempest commented as she watched Kalmin, trying and failing to hide her coos as she watched him. *'Our mate can do something so simple and look so amazing while doing it.'*

*'He's gorgeous. I still can't believe he's okay with me being a hybrid, especially since he's the alpha. I would never have thought our mate would be the alpha. And I never thought he would accept us for who we are.'* Nuri responded as she finished her bowl of fruit, then stood to wash her plate.

*'I know, Nuri. But this is amazing, isn't it?'* Tempest asked, cocking her head to the side.

*'It is, yes. I know you said to stop thinking about it, but I can't. All I can think about is what you took from me and why you felt the need to take it.'* Nuri said with a sigh, shaking her head as she set her bowl in the dish drainer, then began cleaning her plate, unaware of the fact that Kalmin was standing just behind her, waiting for his turn to wash his dishes.

*'Nuri, you promised!'* Tempest growled, shaking her head.

Nuri could tell how upset Tempest was, so she decided not to say anything more to not anger Tempest more than she already had. After setting her plate in the dish drainer, she turned around to walk back to the table but ran into Kalmin instead, causing her to cry out softly in surprise.

"In what world was that necessary?" Kalmin asked with a groan, setting down his dishes in the sink before using his hands to cover his groin, which Nuri had just smacked with what seemed to be all the strength she could muster into the back of her right hand. *'I didn't know she was pissed at me, but that was just unnecessary!'*

*'So, she didn't lose her memory, and she was faking it? No, she lost her memory. I saw it!'* Rian mumbled, then chuckled softly as Kalmin inched back to the table, eyeing Nuri suspiciously as if she would run after him to hit him again. *'You deserved it, Kalmin.'*

*'I'm glad you think it's funny, Rian. You realize we share the same body, yes? All she has to do is hit us again after you take over. I doubt you'll find very much amusement in it if that happens.'* Kalmin growled back with a roll of his eyes.

"Kalmin, I'm so sorry!" Nuri gasped as she dropped to her knees in front of him, her baby blue eyes wide with shock and disbelief, brimming with tears as she shook her head. "I swear, I didn't know you were standing there!"

"It's okay, Nuri." Kalmin lied, faking a smile as he watched her. *'Hmm, so she didn't do it on purpose?'* He thought as he looked down into her bright blue eyes, smiling softly as he watched her. *'Look at how pretty she is, down on her knees before me.'*

"I really didn't mean to do it. I promise! I-" Nuri started to apologize again but stopped as her words caught in her throat, her tears threatening to spill over as she shook her head again.

"Nuri, hey, calm down," Kalmin said as he cupped her chin softly, tilting her head back so she'd look up at him. "I believe you, okay? Don't get so upset."

Nuri tried to talk but stopped herself as she bit her lip then stood, sighing softly as she walked past Kalmin to go back to her bedroom. *'I can't believe I just did that. Stupid, clumsy Nuri!'*

*'Nuri, he knows you didn't do it on purpose!'* Tempest said, trying and failing to console Nuri as the damage had already been done, and she wanted nothing more than to burrow under her covers and hide from the world.

*'Even if I didn't do it on purpose, I still hit him in his... Well, you know. He's going to hate me forever for that!'*

*'No, he won't. You're overreacting, Nuri.'* Tempest said with a sigh, growling softly with a roll of her eyes. *'We're going into heat, Nuri. That's why you're so... emotional. You realize that, right?'*

*'I didn't realize that, but it makes sense.'* Nuri responded as she sat down on the edge of her bed, looking absentmindedly around her room. "I don't know why I even came upstairs. There's nothing to do up here."

________

"What the hell?" Kalmin mumbled as he leaned back in his chair, watching Nuri as she walked upstairs, shaking his head with a growl. *'I will never understand women in the slightest.'*

*'She said the other day that she would need female products, didn't she? Our mate is going into heat, and we all know how emotional women get when they're in heat.'* Rian offered with a shrug, then chuckled softly when he realized what he'd just said. *'Our mate is going into heat, and she doesn't remember that she hates us.'*

"That's going a bit far, Rian. I don't care whether she remembers us or not. It's wrong to take advantage of the brain damage we caused her, for our own selfish desires." Kalmin said as he stood and walked back to the sink, washing the dishes he'd set aside.

*'I know, Kalmin. I wasn't suggesting such a thing. I was only saying that our mate going into heat means that Tempest will be taking over soon. I'm excited to meet Temptest, aren't you?'* Rian asked, scoffing at Kalmin as if he was offended that Kalmin could think he'd suggest such a thing.

"Oh, is that it? Yes, I am looking forward to meeting Temptest. I do find myself curious, as not even Nuri knows what she looks like." Kalmin admitted with a nod as he wiped off the kitchen table, then looked up towards the stairs, trying to listen to see what Nuri was doing. *'She must be speaking to Tempest mentally, seeing as how I cannot hear a thing.'*

*'Why don't you call her down? Letting her sit there lost in her own thoughts could end up causing more harm than good, you know?'* Rian asked, cocking his head to the side as he waited for Kalmin's agreement.

"Very well, then," Kalmin responded with a sigh, then stood at the base of the stairs, looking at Nuri's door for a moment before speaking. "Nuri, will you be coming down?" He called out, wincing softly when he heard how harsh his words sounded.

"Um, yeah. I'll be down in a minute!" Nuri called back. Kalmin could hear as she jumped to her feet and walked to her wardrobe, no doubt getting a jacket, Kalmin assumed.

"Let's skip the store. I'll send someone to do it. What would you like to do today?" Kalmin asked once Nuri came downstairs, trying to hide his surprise when he felt Nuri's hand grasping his, then lead her outside to the car.

"I don't really mind what we do, to be honest. What is there to do?" Nuri asked as Kalmin held the passenger side door open for her, then walked around to the driver's side.

"There are many things to do. I do not know what you'd prefer to do. We just ate, so getting food is out. We could see a movie if you wish?" Kalmin asked as he stopped at the end of the driveway, waiting until he knew where they were going, so he knew which direction to go.

"We could go on a walk?" Nuri offered with a shrug, eyeing Kalmin curiously out the corner of her eye.

"Sure, a walk could be nice. Any specific setting that you'd prefer?"

"I thought it would go without saying that we'll both be more comfortable in the woods, wouldn't we?"

"Alas, you are right," Kalmin said with a chuckle as he turned to the left and drove forward for a few moments before saying anything more. "There is a spot a few miles away. It's on a beach, but it leads into the woods. I'm sure you'll love it."

"Sounds great!" Nuri agreed with a nod, smiling as she leaned back in her seat, watching out the window as they continued forward.

Just as Kalmin said, it only took about thirty minutes before he pulled into the parking lot of a forest preserve bordering the beach. Nuri couldn't help but gasp out in happiness as she jumped out of the car and threw off her shoes, running to the hot sand as quickly as her legs could carry her. "It's so pretty!" She said softly as she arrived at the shoreline, smiling as the water washed over her bare feet. *'It sucks that I didn't wear shorts today, but oh well.'* She thought as she looked back at Kalmin, watching as he slowly walked closer to her, his hands in his pockets, his green eyes boring into her like he was trying to see straight through her. Something about the way he was watching her made Nuri feel uneasy like there was some part of her that wanted to lunge forward to rip out his throat. It was the same feeling Nuri had earlier when she'd accidentally hit him. Most of her was upset, but a little part of her enjoyed it, and that was the reason she'd had such an adverse reaction.

"Are you alright?" Kalmin asked her, narrowing his eyes as he watched her.

"Hmm? Yeah, of course. Are you alright?"

"Of course. Will you be needing your shoes?" Kalmin asked, holding up the shoes that she'd discarded, smiling softly as he watched her. *'I half expected Tempest to come out, seeing as how quickly she ran to the shoreline.'*

"I won't really need them, will I?" Nuri asked as she bent down to roll up her pants so the water wouldn't wet the bottoms of them. She started to roll up the second leg but stopped mid-way through to look up at Kalmin. "Our wolves haven't met yet, have they?"

"No, they haven't. Rian was speaking briefly about it earlier. Why do you ask?"

*'She wants us to meet! Kalmin, please do not ruin this for me!'* Rian gasped out happily, then tried to force his way forward to take over, but Kalmin growled and fought back, forcing Rian to retreat in his advances.

"I see Rian is really excited to meet Tempest." Nuri giggled softly as she watched Kalmin, shaking her head softly as Tempest jumped up and down happily.

"Yes, well, he can wait his turn."

"Letting our wolves meet is usually one of the first things mates do when they meet. Do you... do you want to?" Nuri asked hesitantly, biting her lip nervously.

"I see no harm in doing so. Not to mention, I don't think our wolves will give us much of a choice. Rian is pissed that I pushed him back, and the next time he tries, I know he will make it near impossible to hold him back. I only wish he was as well-behaved as Tempest is." Kalmin said with a chuckle as he motioned for Nuri to follow him to the edge of the woods where he kicked off his shoes, then pulled his shirt off.

"I- Um- Yeah." Nuri faltered as she watched Kalmin begin to undress, feeling her cheeks burning as she turned her head to the side, following suit as she turned her back to him to take her shirt off. *'Tempest, are you ready?'*

*'Of course I am! I finally get to meet Rian!'* Tempest exclaimed as she impatiently waited for Nuri to give her the go-ahead to take over. *'You realize that this won't be the only time you see our mate shirtless, right?'*

"Yeah, I know. Just take over already, will you?" Nuri groaned with a roll of her eyes as she pushed her pants down, then took a deep breath as she felt Tempest jumping forward, switching her consciousness to the back as Tempest's jumped to the front. Although she was born this way, she still found it hard to get used to the feeling of her very soul being pushed to the side, as the voice in her head took over her body, changing and distorting it as it transformed into that of a wolf.

*'Nuri, don't keep your eyes closed. I want you to see me too.'*