Page 9 of Wolf's Gambit

It was animalistic, at best.

As we evolved in our society, we also evolved in our handling of our basic natures. A female would approach her heat and would be secluded as she fought her body’s desires. Males knew to keep their distance. The days of ravaging each other in the wild with untamed lust were gone.

We were civilized.

Thank the Goddess Luna, that we were.

Actually, this was the Goddess’s fault, so the Goddess could bite me.

It wasn’t unknown for males to get excited, though, especially during a first heat, and a virgin’s heat was allegedly more potent. Because why make it easy for us? Not only was I going to have to deal with my body changing and demanding things I’d never had demanded of me before, but I was also apparently the equivalent of catnip to every eligible male who was unfortunate to be near me during the heat.

However, the look in my brother’s eyes from earlier lingered in my mind. He was up to something, and I suspected I wouldn’t like it. So, I headed to my bedroom and shed my skirt and T-shirt. Wearing workout clothes, I went to the basement and spent the next hour with the punching bag and weights.

When Kris eventually came home, he greeted me as he usually did, with a half nod and told me he was going to change clothes and freshen up before dinner.

The shortness of his greeting didn’t bother me. My brother was no wordsmith, and truthfully, we could go days without speaking.

As I pulled the casserole from the oven and served two bowls of stew, I heard him behind me in the kitchen while he got us both a drink and brought a loaf of bread to the table.

When we were seated, Kris ceremoniously broke the bread, and he thanked the Goddess for our meal. Handing me my half, he dug into his food.

“Too much salt,” he commented as he lifted his fork for another taste.

Tasting my supper, I had to nod in agreement. “Lacks pepper,” I confirmed.

“Still good,” he told me as he dipped his bread into his stew.

“Thanks.”

We ate in silence, and when he finished his second helping, he gave me his full attention. “Any change?”

“Not yet,” I answered truthfully as I scooped up the last mouthful of my supper. “Well, I don’t think so.”

“You’ll know.”

“Oh.” How? “Okay.”

“I need to be by Bale’s side. This Luna Ball is very important,” my brother told me. “There’s a new alpha in the Blackridge Peak Pack.”

“Yeah, Grant said something about that,” I told him, noticing his eyes tightening at my words. “I’ll be fine,” I assured him hastily, realizing I shouldn’t have mentioned Grant, not wanting him to get into trouble.

He said nothing as he looked out the window to the backyard.

“So, you’ll be at the ball?” I felt my stew sit heavy in my belly. I hadn’t for one second thought my overbearing brother would leave me when I may actually need him. “I mean, it’s fine. I understand. How bad can it be, right?”

Kris regarded me solemnly. “Terrible. Unbearable. And if not unbearable, really, really, fucking uncomfortable.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“I want to be near you,” he started slowly. “I don’t want you to be alone, but I have other duties to the pack.”

“I understand,” I said again, and meant it. “Your duty to the pack is important.”

“My duty to you is no less important,” he reminded me. “Which is why I have a solution.”

“Really?” Was he going to knock me out? My brother was ruthless at times, but unconsciousness was not my preferred coping mechanism. “How?”

“You’ll be where I am.”

---