Haven't Seen The Light In A While

Chapter Twenty-Three

Melody

The last few weeks have been incredible. Our bonds had finally strengthened and been completed. I started training with Vince, which made me stronger, and the effort was showing. I was no longer skinny and frail; I'd built muscle and felt fantastic. However, despite feeling good about myself, I still visited Dr. Kane weekly for therapy.  

Odin was enjoying his job at the library, restocking returned books. I'd see him on his lunch breaks bringing him food. Sam had proposed to me at our pack dinner that he arranged for our wedding announcement to be made. He got me a silver band ring with the words 'now and forever' engraved inside. Rory took a holiday from working, allowing the other maintenance wolves to take over while he was 'gone.' Life within the pack was going smoothly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Odin asks with slight concern in his voice.

"Um, yeah! I wouldn't have asked you to do it if I weren't sure." I shifted on the uncomfortable chair I was sitting on in his room.

"Alright, if you say so. Stick out your tongue." I do as Odin tells me, and he grabs my tongue with the piercing clamp.

"Isthit goin thwo huort?" I ask with the clamp on my tongue.

"Don't talk, goofball." Odin laughed at me as he picked up the needle with his gloved hand, bringing the tip to my tongue. "Okay, ready?"

"Uh-huh."

"1... 2... 3!" The needle pierced my tongue, and I cringed as the pain shot through me like lightning. Then, it was replaced by a tiny throb in my mouth. "You did great. Don't move; I have to put the jewelry in." Odin grabbed the silver bar from the tray he was using. He quickly slid the bar through the hole in my tongue while skillfully taking the needle out from the bottom. "Almost done; I've gotta screw the ball on." This part hurt a bit as he held the bar to attach the ball. "All done!" I slowly let my tongue go back into my mouth, which felt strange now.

"It feels... odd," I said, the bar in my tongue moving.

"I'm sure it will take some time to get used to. Did you still want to do the other piercings?" He asked.

"Yes, let's do it!" He disinfected the clamp and needle he used and then changed into a new pair of gloves.

"Just one side, right? Odin picked up the pen to mark where to pierce.

"Yes," I replied, and Odin nodded, dotting the pen just below the right side of my bottom lip. He picked up the clamp again and placed it on my lip. He pulled it down to ensure it was positioned correctly and then grabbed the needle again. He aligned the needle with the dot he had made, and without counting this time, he shoved the needle through my skin while moving the clamp back down, causing my lip to be pulled to make sure not to stab the inside of my mouth with the needle. He held the needle in place while getting the jewelry in position. "That wasn't so bad!" I felt a tinge of pride, knowing I hadn't cried yet.

"Sam is going to kill me, you know. Are you sure you want the other piercings done?" Odin asked again, ensuring I wanted to continue.

"Yes, Odin. I want the left side of my nose and then my septum done. This stuff means a lot to me. I didn't get to be a teenager and experiment with things like this." Odin sighed but smiled at me.

"Okay, okay." He marked my nose with a dot and quickly did that one. The nose didn't hurt at all. He grabbed a different clamp for my septum. This one has little cylinders on each end. He brings the clamp to my nose and feels around it, finding the spot he needs to pierce. He clamps it in place and takes the needle in his other hand. "Will my Luna protect me from Alpha Sam when he threatens to kill me over this?" Odin asks, grinning as he pushes the needle through, causing my eyes to water.