Ayn's Healing

Chapter 24 - Ayn

As we slowly come back to reality, Kari whispers, holding me tighter and rubbing his cheek on my temple.

"That was not taking it slow."

I cannot yet speak, but If I could, I would tell him I am happy because I am lying on the floor with my soulmate, who made my body shake with a completely new kind of pleasure.

I would tell him that, in his arms, my tree's blossoms exploded in a golden flowery mass that filled my chest, throat  and every tiny corner of my head.

And right now, my tree is growing thick roots that wrap themselves around my hips, my leg bones, reaching all the way down to the soles of my feet. 

We stay entangled for a while as the rain taps on the roof and the thunders move their rumble further and further away.

"Hi, Luna."
The voice sounding crystal clear in my ear has familiar inflexions. My heart skips a bit when I realise it's not coming from my mate, who just closed his eyes and lies peacefully next to me.

"I am Storm, Kari's wolf. I got you out of trouble in the forest."

"I remember. Thank you." I say shakily but politely, because being respectful to all sorts of bodiless voices is ingrained in a witch's education. "But how can I talk to you...I am not able to talk to wolves, let alone to shifter's wolves..."

"Well, you have mated my human and you are a very special green witch. I am ultimately a forest creature.. so here we are." The wolf appears in my mind's eye and winks at me playfully.

I stare at the beautiful animal with silvery fur and turquoise eyes, the color of the river that separates the Witches' Plains from the Mountains of the Wolves.

"Can Kari hear us?"

"Somehow,  I can only speak to one of you at a time. I can be your time-shifted mind link"

"Happy to know that. I am sorry, I don't have a wolf to be your partner. It must be hard for you."

"Ah, that's just a legend spawned to keep the subspecies pure. They put the fear of the Goddess into youngsters that, without a Lycan mate, their wolf would get lonely and go feral. Regardless of how many of us tell them that's a myth, they keep believing it. They even go as far as choosing a mate instead of following the Goddess' choice," the wolf says with a smirk of disgust.  "The truth is that I feed on the strength of your bond. As long as you are with him, we are powerful."

"Why did you call me Luna?"

"I am ready now to be Alpha again and so is Kari. When Xander steps down, you will lead the pack together."

Lead.the.pack.

I was too busy enjoying the growth of my tree and the honey-tasting madness of the soulmate bond to fully consider the implications of having slept with the Alpha's son.
If he takes his rightful role as the leader, I am expected to be the Luna. A hot wave of anxiety overtakes me and small drops of sweat cover my forehead.

I was not future Clan Leader Ina and I did not plan to lead anything in my life whatsoever, let alone a pack of Shifters.

"Ayn, love, you are burning." Kari's hand is slowly rubbing my spine as his green eyes turn towards my panicked ones.

"Your wolf just talked to me. He said we will lead the pack together."

"Oh, cool, so he really can connect to you." he stretches, satisfied. "I thought I was dreaming" he adds, finishing the movement by turning on the side and lying half on top of me. "So...are you burning with excitement?" His velvety voice is cracking with a smile.