Ayn's Healing

Chapter 15 - Kari

I shaved clean, braided my hair - because "K, bro, the Luna will kill you if you come with a man bun" and put on a suit. Even if I couldn't care less about this Astrid person, I have made a promise to my mother that I intend to keep.

"I, however, didn't promise her anything. If this visiting female touches us, I will bite her hand off." Storm shows his fangs in my head. I allow him to ascend and look for a while in the mirror at the scars my father's claws have left on my cheek and which haven't yet completely disappeared. I am also ready to unbutton my shirt and show him the other, much deeper wounds on my shoulders that are covered in thin scabs.

"Please focus on healing me fully, wolf and let me do...human things. "

"You can do all the human things you want, but you will not be fondled by another female in front of your mate." Storm growls to confirm that, despite my father's excellent efforts, he has learned absolutely nothing about submission.

I wish I could be upset, but in all truth, when the most critical injuries were healed, I had also started to question my ability to comply with the world's expectations of me. 

I could imagine going back to Alpha training but I knew that wouldn't be sufficient for my ascension as pack leader. I needed a Luna by my side and I didn't want the Luna everybody expected me to have - a shifter female, preferably of Alpha descent, with a perfect strong wolf, able to give the pack perfect strong pups. I wanted the witch, the pretty little witch, who didn't have any trace of a wolf inside her and probably little prospects of being able to carry those strong pups.

"Her great powers would allow her to carry pups strong beyond any shifter's imagination."

Storm's worshiping tone is disturbing beyond my imagination.

I hate forcing my wolf deep down because it reminds me of the terrifying time after Lara's death, when I couldn't feel him for days. Ever since he woke up from his bond break-induced coma, I have always let him hover close to my surface. It's more challenging to control him, as the recent events have shown, but for me that has been an acceptable trade-off for the reassurance of knowing that he is very much alive.

Tonight however I need headspace to attend my mother's dinner party, without having to worry that my wolf will attack our guests. So I take that deep breath, and I briefly scan my human body, and I focus on the human things I like doing, until I feel him backing off to a suitable distance.

Entering the living room, I seek my mother's eyes. They are beaming with approval and she invites me to greet our guests. Albert's pack controls a territory west from ours, at the River Border. We have an alliance and a standing agreement with them. I have joined Xander in visiting them for the yearly renewal process, but I have never met Albert and Jenna's daughter.

Astrid is tall and solid, with a red mane of hair. Not attractive per se, but radiating a powerful Alpha aura. I decide to introduce myself first and get it over with.

"Astrid...Nice to meet you", I say looking her in the eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Kari", she answers dryly, returning my direct gaze and signaling with a slight frown that she finds meeting me anything but nice. Our hug is short and half-hearted and the air between us remains cool and silent. I sigh a breath of relief, knowing that there will be no fondling from her side and thus she will leave this house with her large strong hands intact.

"Can I offer you a drink?" I ask her and she nods, following me towards our tiny corner bar.

Our parents chat away on the sofa, but I know the Lunas are listening and I feel them watching us with the corners of their eyes.