Under the Skin

Chapter 12

The wildlife around them was bustling in a quiet, peaceful manner, with birds singing to one another and trees swaying to the rhythm of the wind. Jonah tried to focus on those soothing sounds instead of his own thoughts while the three of them followed the path to the place where the newly presented omega would hopefully get some answers.

Moira had explained to them that Yvanna, her former mentor, was not only an expert regarding  healing properties of different plants and how to treat different illnesses and wounds, but she was also very in tune with old spirits and the ways of the wolf. 

"If there's anyone who can help you, it's her." 

This quelled some of the worries Jonah had, because he trusted her judgement, but he couldn't help but still feel nervous and apprehensive.  

Fortunately, the presence of his mate beside him and holding his hand also helped to calm him down. Ever since he had presented, the pull Jonah felt towards Alec was even stronger and their bond seemed to have strengthen as well. His instincts seemed to naturally seek out the beta when he felt distressed, and in return his mate was more than happy to indulge him. 

After more than half an hour of walking, the trio finally arrived in front of a small hut. The den seemed decrepit, as wooden planks had been fixed here and there to patch up some holes in the structure. With the roof covered entirely with snow, and several icicles of all sizes hanging from it, he hut almost looked like a part of the forest itself. The only giveaway that the den was actually lived in was the smoke rising from the crooked chimney. 

The sight of the hut would've been eerie, especially since only rays of sunshine were allowed to pass through the thick canopy above, but somehow Jonah felt welcomed, like he was meant to come here. 

His thoughts were interrupted when the door from the hut creaked open, and an old woman peeked outside towards them. 

"Moira, is that you dear?" Jonah and Alec watched as their friend released a chuckle and approached the older woman, bringing her into an embrace. It was clear that the two of them were quite close to each other, reflecting the picture of a mother and daughter.

"It's good to see you again Nana. I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier, I've been a bit busy." Yvanna dismissed her words with a wave of her hand. 

"You have nothing to apologize for, child. I'm just glad to see you." Her focus finally shifted to the two mates, who were standing in retreat. 

"I see you brought some guests with you." Moira hummed and turned to introduce them.

"This is Alec, the beta of the pack, and his mate, Jonah, who joined the pack a couple of weeks ago." 

The short, stocky woman took brisk steps towards them and came to stand in front of Alec. She cupped his chin with her hand and turned his face in different directions to examine him. The beta could feel a blush creeping over his cheeks and kept as still as possible.

After some time, Yvanna took a step back with a soft smile. 

"Yes, I remember Alec. He was only a small pup when I met him. He was a fussy one too. It took a long time for him to stop wearing diapers. One time-" 

"Okay, I think we get it, you don't have to continue." Alec interrupted with a nervous chuckle.

Jonah and Moira did their best to fight off their laughter. The old woman's face looked innocent but her eyes shone with mirth.

Yvanna turned her attention to Jonah, whose laughter died down when she noticed she was looking at him. He folded unto himself unconsciously as she came closer, making the woman laugh.

"You don't have to be scared, I don't eat my own kind." She paused to observe him for a second.

"I can see it in your eyes, you've been through a lot haven't you?" Jonah casted his eyes downward as a lump grew in his throat. He felt Alec grab his hand, lightly brushing his thumb against his knuckles to offer him support. 

"It wasn't my intention to make you sad," She looked regretful, "but at least know that the people who went through a lot of pain are some of the toughest and strongest."

Jonah knew she meant well, but he didn't feel strong like she said. Most nights he woke up crying because of a nightmare he had about his past, and there was always a shadow of doubt lingering in the back of his head that the hunters would come back. 

Fortunately, Yvanna didn't pry and she turned to Moira, who was standing in retreat. "Why don't we go inside to discuss why you've come to see me hmm? I'll make you all some tea." 

The four of them sat around the circular table sitting in the center of the singular room that made up the small cabin. The cup of tea they each had in front of them stayed mostly untouched they were all focused on the conversation taking place.

Jonah had just told Yvanna about what happened when he tried to reach for his wolf. This lead to him explaining how he wasn't conscious when he was in his wolf form, only recalling bits and pieces in his dreams. 

After he was done, Yvanna leaned back slightly into her chair and raised her hand to her chin while she thought about what he had just told her. 

"I see. And you're saying that you can't remember anything from your childhood?" Jonah nodded. 

"The earliest memory I have is of the first time one of the hunters punished me." He said this in a quiet tone, while Alec and Moira went tense. 

Yvanna sighed and took a sip of her tea. 

"I can't be sure for certain, because I've never seen a case like yours before, but from what I know of the relation between the human and his wolf, I think this sort of blockage is a response to the trauma you endured. By not allowing your wolf and you to connect, your mind is protecting itself from the traumatic events that you see while in wolf form. That's because your wolf form is only relying on its instincts and its primal functions, so it isn't able to process things like humans are able to." 

After Yvanna was finished speaking, the other three took some time to process her words.

"Is there anything we can do to remove this... blockage?" Moira asked. 

"I think there's a way, yes. Jonah will have to renew the connection with is wolf, and for that he would have to get into a trance. There's no guarantee that this will work, because like I just told you, I've never treated this ailment before, but I think it's the best that we've got." 

All three of them looked at the person this concerned. Jonah looked over at Alec, who showed him a reassuring smile. The omega knew then that whatever decision he took, his mate would respect it and support him. 

He took a deep breath before turning back to face Yvanna. 

"If this could help me regain the memories from my past, then I want to try it, please." A quiet determination shone in his eyes, making Yvanna grin. 

"Good. Then I'll explain what we will do."