#46

Aurora

I woke to an empty bed and my nose doing the work. His scent lingered. He hadn't been in the room in a little while, but he wasn't far. A new scent wafted up the stairway to the loft. Eggs, buttered toast, and mouth-watering bacon. My stomach groaned, but my bladder called as I begrudgingly rushed for the toilet. The newcomer in my mind dissecting the scent. The wolf scoffed within her slumber, that we weren't with child. I sighed. I had bigger fish to fry. Yet now that was an option. My body was a little off. I figured that would change on the full moon when I turned. She was sleeping but present. She knew everything we did but had yet to fully encompass herself within me. I pulled on one of Evander’s discarded shirts and laid over the armchair near the book nook.

I inhaled his scent, relishing it as I hit the bottom of the stairs. He wore a pair of jeans and a tee shirt that left my mouth watering to taste as it sat tight across his broad shoulders and chest, as he shuffled eggs and bacon around the pan. Buttered toast was working in another. Goddess even in domestic duties was he a site to behold. My sense of smell now magnified made the ingredients and my mates easy to decipher. My brother leaned back against the wall near the back door, barefoot and shirtless, his arms crossed across his well-defined chest. They seemed to be deeply engaged in a conversation of wills. I leaned back against the corner of the wall at the foot of the stairs watching them.

My brother huffed and Evander sighed, and my stomach took this moment to betray me as it growled loudly. Their eyes shot to me. My brother scrutinized my disheveled appearance. But stayed mum. Evander tried to tame his lust, but it only caused me to smile as I sauntered up to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. My head barely reached his shoulder as he pulled me close. The humming bond settled into me with sheer contentment.

“I knew you would wake soon, but did I wake you, love?” he asked. “My stomach woke me,” I replied. I eyed a jug of water sitting on the counter and as I moved for it he turned, grabbing it and a glass from the cabinet before pouring an enormous glass and handing it to me. As I downed it quickly, wiping my mouth with the back of my sleeve, I found the 2 males' eyes surveying my condition. It was awkward. They seemed to both have questions. They didn't feel comfortable speaking out loud. Evander took my cup and refilled it, handing it back to me.

“How long have I been out?” I asked. Evander glanced at Blake choosing his words. “If you don't count the wolf's appearance, 3 days.” He answered avoiding Blakes's gaze. My mind calculated. I had just over 2 weeks to figure out the ceremony. Or if there could even be one. As my mood deflated, I found myself pulled into his solid side. Protectiveness washed over me. The feeling of safety, which I hadn't experienced since my parents died, flooded me. ‘Remember, whatever happens, we go forward together,’ he spoke to my mind. My teary-eyed mossy gaze looked up into his crystal blue ones, nodding.

My brother cleared his throat, eyes adverting from the intimate moment. “How… are you… adjusting?” Blake asked awkwardly. “I'm hungry and thirsty and I want to brush my hair, but otherwise I no longer feel like I will be imploded by my energy.” He relaxed a bit into the wall. I assume he was concerned his resolution may have been wrong. ‘Stop doubting yourself.’ I tested if I could speak to him, considering he was also technically my pack. His shocked eyes suddenly met mine. Evander plated two plates of food with me secure to his side. I smirked at him. ‘All is well, big bro. I need to talk to you later, though. Oh, and I need some one on one time with Millie and Whinnie soon,’ I informed. “Alright you two,” He said. Letting me know he heard me. “I'll check back later. I have a few things to do.” he said before turning and pushing out the back door.

Evander ushered me to the table and placed a plate heaped full of eggs in front of me and then added the toast. The scent of the bacon lingered on my senses making me salivate. My body fought itself. “Who killed the pig?” I asked. “Your brother. He said this was what you would want when you woke up, so he did it.” I sat on the bench contemplating. I could tell he was confused. However, he sat next to me and pulled me close. “It's what mom used to make me when I woke up. Pa had a friend from another coven who had a farm and he would bless the animals. Pa said it felt like cheating, but all in moderation.” He scooped a pile of bacon onto my plate. Then reached up brushing my messy hair out of my face. As he appraised me fully. “I thought I was going to lose you,” he whispered running his thumb across my cheek. I put my hand on his wrist running my thumb over his pulse as the bond vibrated where we were connected. “I am here now with you. Don’t fret over the past.” I smiled at him and he nodded.

I scooped up some eggs finally putting something into my stomach. I moaned with pleasure picking up a piece of bacon only to find Evanders lusty stare eyeing me as I chewed on the end of it. “What?” I asked. “I don't think I could watch you eat anymore without thinking of all the wicked things that beautiful mouth of yours could do.” I shrugged smirking back, popping the rest of the bacon in my mouth. “You know we can explore more of that later.” I smirked raising a brow and taking a sip of water. “I’ve been dreaming while I was asleep and I wanted to ask you about some things.” Oh, what's that?” He asked while tucking back into his meal, his leg snuggly against mine. “Well, first know what we’ve done was done as fate intended. The constellations match the drawing of the stars in my journal.” I informed scooping some eggs on my toast and taking a bite. “I'm surprised you were lucid enough to notice,” he said eyeing me. “I wasn’t that's the thing. The wolf brought me back to that moment and showed me. It's like she wanted to make sure I knew we took the right path.” He seemed stumped. “I don’t think we can go by the typical norms when it concerns your wolf. Her presence and your experiences seem very, uhh, unique.” He said. “The fact that you were able to produce your fangs already is unheard of. Normally, one who is turned needs to shift before they can return the claim.” I nodded having come to a similar conclusion.

Taking another piece of bacon I looked up at him his gaze instinctively meeting mine. “I dreamed of hunting with the pack,” I told him before chewing some more bacon. A thrill coursed through the bond. “What were we hunting, love?” He asked darkly. “An elk,” I said simply. “Who took it down?” he asked. “We did.” his anticipation of my answer was a looming thing across the bond his wolf's side pushed forward. “How?” He asked as the beast became more present in the man. “We tracked it through the woods. He had been near exhaustion when we linked minds and you took him down and I went in for the kill.” Lust and sheer pride shone in his eyes and reverberated through our connection. “The pack set chase, My wolf, though dormant, I could sense basked in the approval of his reaction. “If your dreams foretell the future, then love, you will be a fine Luna.” I just hoped he was right. My doubts had filtered into his mind, and he pulled me into an embrace. “You worry too much about others. I think if you get to know them you will find that they are excited you are here and they will want to get to know your better.” Evander said rubbing my back reassuringly.

“How about we take the rest of our meals with the pack so you can start to get to know everyone? You’ve already won the pups over. Amy vouching for you will mean a lot to everyone. They see her as a guiding light.” He suggested. I sighed realizing he was right. If I were going to ask them to be my people, they would have to get to know me. To trust me even after they knew who I truly was and my time to gain their acceptance was running out.

I nodded to him. “Ok,” I relented before finishing up the rest of my meal. I excused myself giving him a peck on the cheek and thanking him for the food. Before heading up the stairs to find clothes and tame the rat's nest that had become of my hair while Evander cleaned up downstairs. Something told me if I tried to help him I’d find myself in a unique position. There would be time enough for that later, though I craved the delicious carnal release of our joining. I, however, had a mountain of other things to sort out. I found a light pair of grey high-waisted jeans that I paired with a lavender oversize sweater. Opting for a navy tank and bra. After lacing up my boots I retrieved my brush and hair salve sitting on the edge of the bed. As I was working the conditioning salve into my hair, Evander came up the stairs. Coming silently behind me onto the bed, pulling me between his legs as he picked up the brush and began working it through my hair. The silence was comfortable, a respite for all the solutions that we would have to come up with along the way. When he finished braiding it over my shoulder, I loosely knotted it with a bit of stirring in my bag to keep it in place.

“I need to talk with my brother and I want to spend some more time with Millie and Whinnie learning about your customs.” Seeing the drop in his face that I was leaving his side. I was ultimately not happy with it, but I also needed moments away from our bond that demanded we be physically fused as well as mentally. Kissing him softly on the lips. ‘I will make it up to you.’ I said as I projected into his mind an intimate vision of me on my knees before him. A rumble vibrated in his chest and I whispered in his ear. “Good things come to those who wait,” before scooping up my bag while dodging his reaching grasp with a giggle before bounding down the stairs. I tested my connection with my brother. ‘Blake? Where are you?’ I asked. ‘At the stables trying to get that filly combed, it’s useless,’ he sighed back. ‘I’m coming,’ I replied, glad he was at one of the few places I knew how to get to.



When they walked up, my usually serious alpha was giving his mate a piggyback ride while she held a small sack and wore the head wreath Amy had given her. I smiled as I stood. Her tossled hair and rumpled appearance were evidence of what had commenced in their time together in the woods. “Millie! Just the person we would hope to see,” Alpha sent me a pleasant smile followed by a sheepish look as the unaffected future luna slid her slight frame down his muscular back. Their scents mixed together like discovering honeysuckle in a pine forest. I steadied my thoughts. Remembering a time when my scent did something similar to someone else's. “We will meet Whiney later at her place for dinner tonight. Just us girls. We have some things to go over.” I could see Evander deflate instantly and I shook my head inwardly at how ironically different 2 alphas could be.

Luna went ahead pushing open the door as she wandered upstairs, returning with her backpack and a brush. Her unusual eyes quizzically landed on her mate and she took her seat on the bench and we both sat after out of respect. Even the alpha revered his mate the highest status within their home. Even though she hadent been there a week. “Is there something the matter?” I asked looking up at Evander, the dread wafting off of him. “I just don’t want to turn into my brother.” He said words I understood, but she wouldn’t. She left it alone as she worked the brush through, her hair pulling out bits of twigs and leaves. Keen ears were listening and the slight movement of the muscles in her forehead was the only telling sign she was truly paying attention.

“I started to lose it, It's stronger than I anticipated. I thought I would have a better grip.” He said vaguely. She looked up at me briefly, a small smirk on her face shaking her head, and continued brushing her hair. “Alpha I cannot read your mind and just know anything you tell me will be kept in complete confidence even from the other elders. There is nothing about mating they would know over me so there is no reason to confer with a historian and a mystic.” it was true I loved my Alpha and could respect him even in this by holding his secrets as he held mine. He had caused a big rift by accepting me into his pack. He didn’t know half of it he just saw someone desperate to get away and now here I was. And I was more than willing to return the favor no matter how uncomfortable it would turn out to be.

“All I could think about was throwing her on the table and fucking her till the end of time.” He blurted. Aurora remained quiet a soft smile on her lips. I bet she could handle this better than I did back in my time. I sighed. “You are newly mated and You are a powerful alpha with what appears to be a very strong mate.” I held myself together spewing facts. “The instinct will call you to claim your goddess-chosen mate to a degree not seen since the beginning of our time. Typically, alphas are mated to lesser wolves who easily submit to the whims of the higher ranking. Until the instinct feels completely solid you will look to mate her and be near her constantly. You will struggle with dominance until one of you comes to heel.” Aurora let out a soft almost undetectable huff. Was I missing something here?

Aurora's mossy gaze looked at me before they met Evander’s eyes. She looked back at me. “I didn’t submit to him. I met his challenge.” My face screwed up at the thought. “How did that turn out?” I asked, curious at the outlandish idea.” I won,” she simply said as if it were nothing. Reminding myself she wasn’t a born wolf I looked back up at Evander with shocked eyes. He already knew this was odd and seemed lost for words. “H… how did that work for you? I asked looking up at Evander. “Much better now. I'm just afraid of it happening again. She never submitted to me in the way I would have expected I wanted. She lowered herself to meet the challenge but won it. Making my instincts flood with pride?” he said. Even though I set an expectation, I felt I knew she shouldn’t be able to meet. Which isn’t something I should want to do to my mate as I know how detrimental that could be” He side-eyed me before looking at Aurora. Still, being vague for both of our sakes and this information new to me could be very valuable to my own predicament. I may have to get really close to my new luna because the alpha wasn’t spilling the details I needed to know. She pulled out a packet of trail mix pouring some into her hand before offering it to me. I took it glancing at Evander as the gesture could come across a lot of different ways. I'd seen alphas enraged that their lunas offer their food to others, and I’d seen lunas use it as a backhand gesture to an alpha out of touch with his mate. Evander seemed proud of it. I poured some of the trail mix into my hand eyeing him, but his eyes were on his mate. I passed it back to her and began picking at what was in my hand nervously.

They seemed to be mind-speaking. “Ya know Millie? Whatever you're thinking, I may not know all the little territorial customs or how other alphas act. But I can say without a shadow of a doubt he's overreacting as I can handle him and that me sharing my food with you brings him joy because I'm an antisocial creature due to necessity. Though we haven’t known each other long, I can feel he yearns for me to lead with him, and each small step he encounters where I interact with his people.” “Our people,” Evander insisted, and she sighed before continuing. “gives him hope I will be accepted. I don't think you can fit any couple in a box and judge them on your past knowledge of other individuals. I think Evander is just looking for coping mechanisms because he's terrified of smothering me.” Alpha's mouth dropped open but no words of argument escaped. I scratched the back of my neck and sighed. “Evander, you know the side effects of distance. You know the answer, there are only 3 ways out. Sex with your mate, sex with others, or produce an heir.” I pushed the tears back. Alphas didn't have the 4th option, or at least it seemed that way from my point of view. However, I never claimed him. I’d had sex with him, sure, and the apparition of those encounters ate at me when my mind was quiet.

My Alpha looked at me apologetically. To a point he was able to sense the distress or depression. The luna missed nothing but remained mum, tossing a bit of chocolate into her mouth. She passed me the rest of the trail mix and went to the sink searching for a glass. Typical lunas are expected to be served. Our luna wanted to serve with others. My mind was backflipping. Everything ingrained in me was a lie. It didn't matter what her origin was; they were making it work looking to me for a guild and I couldn't help them because my expectations were false. She was right every couple had its own chemistry. Every pack had its own needs and she would be the Luna of all lunas whether she liked it or not. I was positive the pack would accept her in the way she insisted before she accepted the role. She was strong yet humble, she was generous, and yet I couldn’t help that my instincts told me she was perfectly capable of being a malevolent force to be reckoned with. Her humor and sincerity as I was begning to get to know her was everything I reckon a true luna should be. As Evander was exactly what a true alpha should be.

Im sure my demenor slipped as my mind ran with a jumbled mess of contrary forces. My hands shook and i moved them out of view. Hope crossed with fear, panic mingleed with faith. Faith that maybe the goddess hadnt matched me wrong. I couldnt fathom ideas outside my known reality. And I just wanted to drowned for a moment. Goddess damn it your fucking hope in their joy and the way they could read the turmoil I carried through the bond between them. She took a sip and handed it to me I took it cautiously. “What's this?” I asked hesitantly realizing this was something more then a luna dotting on her future elder. “Seems we both need a friend right now. I shared food and drink inside my home.” she shrugged. “It's a subtle gesture of friendship, something my father taught me.” I smiled taking the glass to my lips and taking a sip. Luna’s friendship tasted like honey water. It was sweet and refreshing and without strings. Her peculiar eyes flickered with her gifts and I smiled. It would be good to have someone from the outside that didnt know the full history. Someone I could rely on to give me another perspective. Someone at my back when my mediocre dominanced inner wolf wanted to cave. I suddenly felt a weight lift and the hope glimmered at the immpossible end of the bleak tunnel of my future.