Page 2 of Wolf's Reckoning
I watched her as she wandered away, not towards the pack that were gathered but towards our homes.
“The alpha is not with you?”
Once more, I was caught unawares and turned to the speaker. It was the young male who had shed his tears for the couple.
“He is not,” I told him. He stood only a few inches taller than I, and up close I wondered about his age. “He blessed the union earlier this morning.” I saw the anger spark in his eyes as I spoke. “And the Goddess will bless their union tonight.” My voice held a gentle rebuke, and I was glad to see his shoulders straighten.
“Of course, Rowen…” He looked towards the happy couple, and I saw the devastation on his face.
“Her?” I asked him gently. “Or him?”
“Her.” His smile was watery when he looked back. “It should have been me.”
I inhaled deeply, the smell of earth and pine resin as familiar to me as breathing. “I’m heading back to the hall; do you want to walk with me?”
I watched his eyes widen at the offer, but he quickly recovered and nodded in agreement. As we walked away from the pack, I heard sounds of some of the pack following,but they were far enough away that I could speak quietly to my companion.
“Forgive me, I’ve misplaced your name.”
“Henry.”
“Of course. Your mother, Sylvia, bakes the best pumpkin loaf this side of the mountain.”
“She’d be honored to hear that, Rowen.”
I nudged his side gently. “I prefer to see a smile than see your sorrow, Henry.” Looking up at the trees above, I admired the blue sky peeking through. “Were you together?” I asked him carefully, and when he shook his head, I nodded. “Did she know how you felt about her?” Henry gave a sharp nod. “And she…”
“Said we were only friends.”
“Ah.” Slipping my hands into my pants pockets, we walked on a few more paces. “A female’s heat gives little warning.” I saw him glance at me, but I carried on. “The first urge is”—I gave a light chuckle—“well, be pleased you never have to experience it.”
“Mom says it’s painful.”
“It is.” I recalled my own heats. “It slices through you like a hot knife, everything inside you feels like it’s burning, the pain can put even the strongest of us on our knees.” I was speaking from experience. I’d been on my knees begging for mercy from the Goddess too many times. “Then the burning changes. It’s no longer hurting you, butconsumingyou.” I caught his eye, noting his ears reddening as I spoke freely about a shifter’s heat. “It needs to be sated or endured.” I held his eye. “Do you understand?”
“Yes, Rowen.” His head dipped. “But…”
“Once the initial coupling is over, the heat fades, but itdoes not disappear,” I carried on, ignoring his hesitation, knowing my own misgivings from earlier had been resolved. “What comes after ischoice.”
Henry looked up at me in confusion. “Rowen?”
I stopped and faced him. “Once her initial wave had passed and her body satisfied, she had the choice to leave. She didn’t. She rode out her heat with him. Shechosehim.” Reaching out, I pushed the fallen lock of hair off his face. “She didn’t choose you, Henry. You are her friend, and you need to honor that. Honor our Goddess. Honor your friend’s choice.”
He nodded, ignoring the lone tear that slipped over and spilled down his cheek. “I know, but it…it hurts.”
“It will.” We resumed walking. “But in time it will fade, and you can return to being friends.” We’d reached the hall, and it was clear this was where our paths would part. “Are you okay?”
Henry forced a smile, and he looked so young and innocent that I wanted to hug him. “You are very wise, Rowen. You honor our pack and our alpha.”
My laugh was light. “Well, when I need to remind my father of that, don’t be surprised if I call for you.”
His grin was a huge improvement, and we both turned when we heard his name called. He turned back to me with an eye roll. “That’s my mom. I’d better go. Thank you, Rowen.”
I watched him go, then entered the hall. There were few pack members in it, and I moved through them quickly as I made my way to the back chambers, where my father rested. Opening the door to his private quarters, I shouldn’t have been surprised to see the druid was already there.
The druid was a staple of the pack, a trusted advisor to the alpha, and they had steered me in the right direction a time or two as well. However, they were also, and I said this with immense respect for them, a creepy bastard.
They sat in their seat, not too close to the alpha but close enough. Their robes were homespun, heavy with charms made of bone, teeth, iron nails, and what looked like raven feathers. The bird feathers changed depending on their mood. I’d never looked too closely at the bones to know if they changed.
