Jay looked at me like I had grown another head. It stumped him to hear me asking to speak to his grandfather. His head slowly tilted from one side to the other, while trying to place the reason behind my sudden request. He understood my thoughts on everyone having the skill to defend themselves, but why do I need to speak to the elder? That he couldn’t seem to grasp.
“I’m not sure if my grandfather can actually help at all,” Jay said slowly and with some contemplation behind his words. “It’s not like we can magically make you something you are not,” he added.
“I know that,” I huffed. “But he might know of a way that I can learn to defend myself too because I don’t want to be a weakness that you and your pack have. I don’t want to be weak and useless…”
Jay made a small sound of complaint but relented soon enough to my request. “We can visit him. I don
The three of us sit in Jeremiah’s room. With how large it is, it doesn’t feel like this is a home for old people at all, and with how spritely the man is, he doesn’t act his age at all. This disillusions me to the truth, that he likely was placed here because of his health and age. I don’t ask, as it is not my business, but he doesn’t appear sick or in need of help. Maybe this is merely a good day for him?I shake my head free of the thoughts distracting me and look back to Jeremiah and Jay. The old man had mentioned there was a solution to my problem, but he hasn’t told me what that is yet. I want him to tell me now, but I know I can’t rush him without offending him, so I wait patiently.“How long are you going to make us wait?” Jay sighs as he leans back on the sofa and places a hand on my knee. He has less patience, it seems, but he doesn’t rush his grandfather either. I offer him a s
I suppose I shouldn’t have been so sure of myself after all. My feet ache and I am all hot and sweaty from traversing through the forest. I was true to my words, in that I wore suitable footwear, but that didn’t mean to say I was experienced with this kind of environment at all. I had underestimated just how hard it would be to travel through the forest. The biggest issues were the roots of the giant trees, not to mention the boggy areas, whenever we reached a river that ran through it.My only consolation for this entire journey into the unknown was that the birds singing overhead were surely the most beautiful sounds I had ever heard. They tweeted and darted about the trees without a care in the world. If only I could sprout wings and travel through this place without tripping and stumbling every second.Letting out an inaudible sigh, I looked ahead to see Jay had paused and was waiting for me to catch up. Had he been in his wolf fo
The shrine of the Sorcerer is much bigger than I ever expected it to be. It is more of a cabin than a shrine or holy place like I had first assumed. Jay had gone before me, scouting it out in case another werewolf was there. I stayed hidden behind the trees, waiting with bated breath for him to come back out and tell me all was safe. Everything seemed quiet, but it was never guaranteed to be safe.As soon as Jay poked his head out of the door and waved me over, I knew all was fine and I could relax a bit more. I had feared another Alpha would have been here, or maybe someone else who posed a threat, but it seemed none of them was going to bother us right now. Perhaps they didn’t think to come here or did not need to visit the Sorcerer’s shrine.“No one is here, but there might be clues where the Sorcerer is,” Jay said as he looked around
The chirping of birds around the building slowly brings my mind into a state of sleepy consciousness. I turn my head, resting it against Jay’s chest as he continues to doze beside me. He holds me close, even while fast asleep. I can’t help but smile to myself at how protective and caring he actually is, despite being a massive buffoon. I can tell that he genuinely cares about me now that I’ve had any misunderstandings cleared up.There is no doubt in my mind that my feelings for him have grown since our wedding day. Though if this is love or not, I can’t quite tell. However, things could be so much worse and I could have found myself in an abusive relationship, or with an Alpha who did not treat his mate as kindly as Jay does. Even with the bond being almost impossible for him to ignore, he does nothing I might dislike.At this point in
I still can’t believe how happy and energetic Jay seems, now that he knows I accept him. I’m sure he is taking this as wildly as he is because this means something far more to a werewolf than a human. However, I don’t mind as much as I thought I would. Seeing him so enthusiastic is something I don’t think I’ll grow tired of. It has gotten to where I find myself constantly smiling. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. Even if this isn’t my natural environment, I hardly seem to notice.“Hopefully, we made the correct choice,” Jay says as he jumps over a log and then offers me a hand to clear it. “If not, I guess it is fine, so long as we don’t run into any rival packs out here. Still, we’re making progress, so that’s a plus!”We spent the entire morning travelling toward the mountains. I still can’t see them from here, and we have got a long way to g
The looming mountain before us made me feel extremely small compared to anything else I have ever seen. I hope we don’t need to trek up there, because I know I am not equipped to do anything like that! Even walking through the forest was hard enough! As I continue to gaze up at the gigantic mass of earth, Jay places his hand on the small of my back in comfort.“Don’t worry. We should be able to find his cabin on the ground easily enough. It won’t be up there,” he tells me and then looks at me with the usual dopey grin plastered all over his face. I can tell he is about to either crack a joke or flirt with me, so before he gets the chance, I tap him on the nose.“I know that. Why don’t you find the cabin instead of whatever you’re suddenly plotting in that mind of yours?” I tell him with a disapproving glance. I’m not upset with him, but I am tired and want to find the cabin so I can fina
While Jay and I wait for Bucky to pour us some tea from the pot, I look around the inside of the cabin. I now understand why he tends to not stay in one place for very long, and why he seems to prefer being away from people. It must be hard to be constantly on edge with thoughts that a hunter might shoot you, thinking you’re a normal stag, or for a werewolf to think you are food. He isn’t completely safe in the Shrine, as only the Elders of each pack know of his true existence. He probably has a lot of the younger ones chase him down often, assuming he isn’t something similar to them. How he has stayed alive so long already, I haven’t figured it out. Maybe it is as Jay said? That he is merely reborn after he dies? Placing the two cups on the table in front of me and Jay, the Sorcerer sits down in his chair and stares at the two of us for a long time in silence. I almost feel like he is peering into my very subconsciousnes
“So which will it be?” Bucky asks me with a tilt of his head. “It is completely up to you, and both come with advantages and disadvantages. I can help awaken either side, without the risk of your mind turning to mush, but I’ll need to know so that I can prepare. Or the witch-blood will need that. Werewolf one… is more about awakening the wolf within, so less of a hassle…” he trails on and on to where I have to shoot him a look that tells him to be quiet for five seconds so that I can think. “Being stronger is better, but I won’t have to look ugly and fly broomsticks, would I?” I ask, cutting him off as he is still rambling on to me about this and that. Bucky pauses and looks at me in thought. “Why? Do you have some kind of skin disease?” He questions. I shoot him a glaring look before he holds up his hands innocently to me. “You will not change in appearance if you become a witch and broomsticks are optional, though they don’t help you fly.”