Loving a Fantasy - Romantic Shorts

The Search for Love - I

Nikolai was overseeing the training for the Greenwood pack when it happened. As a treat for the warriors, he'd set up an obstacle course that was much like what the humans would do in a Spartan Race. The wolves, young and cocky and full of energy, saw the course and began the inevitable betting and challenges as their supervisor looked over the group, a flicker of amusement in his golden eyes.

As the head warrior, Nikolai was perhaps the most fearsome of the wolves in the pack. The Alpha, though a stern creature, was tempered by compassion and understanding. And, though Nikolai was capable of humor, none of the wolves present could testify to having seen him laugh. Indeed, no one in Greenwood had seen so much as a smile from Nikolai in years.

At thirty-five, Nikolai was not an elder. He had, however, sufficient time on the earth to be wily. As more than one brash young warrior had learned under his tutelage, Nikolai's favorite saying was, "old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill." When one combined his sharp mind for tactics with his physical prowess, there was no denying that Nikolai's position was earned.

Nikolai was made to be a warrior.

Just as much as the members of the pack had only the barest memories of Nikolai ever showing happiness beyond the flash that would occasionally show in his gaze, they had certainly no memory of his admitting to such a base thing as pain. The lycan had no time for such nonsense. Scars littered his flesh, each carrying a story, but none causing him any concern.

So, it was with shock and fear that the wolves training under Nikolai saw him double over that day. Clutching his abdomen as he dropped to his knees, Nikolai was in apparent agony. Although no sound came from his lips, the increase in his heart rate and the steady huff of him panting was enough for each to know that their leader was struggling.

A young male warrior, inexperienced with Nikolai, rushed to help the lycan. He received a low rumble of warning as Nikolai lifted his head. With teeth gritted, the older beast came to a standing position, his shoulders hunched as the pain continued to sweep through his body in wave after wave.

"Finish," Nikolai ordered, the word more of a growl than anything. The wolves, uncertain, turned back to the obstacle course.

"What is he doing?" one female asked another as they climbed over the tall wall. Nikolai continued to watch, his body wracking with pulses of fire, as his trainees continued.

"He's leading the training," the other, who had been a warrior for three years, answered.

"But, he's in pain," the first argued, which only earned her a steady look.

"Does one's pain stop the enemy from coming?"

The answer was obvious, of course, and so the warrior went back to the course. Without specific agreement, all of the wolves pushed themselves harder that day. There wasn't one among them who wished to see the torment etching in their leader's face and each knew that he would not leave the training grounds until they had completed their tasks.

Finally, when the training for the day was complete, Nikolai nodded to the others and turned on his heel. Each stride brought suffering as he made his way to the pack doctor. And, though anyone looking would see his affliction, he refused all help.

"Nikolai!" Alpha Terrance called out, jogging to his head warrior with concern in his eyes. The Beta's daughter had mindlinked her father, who told the Alpha of what had occurred on the fields.

Nikolai nodded to his Alpha, his eyes set on his goal. The pack doctor had a small clinic run out of an old home on the pack lands. Each step Nikolai took got him closer to the woman whom he hoped would be able to explain the searing pain tumbling through him.

"Let me help you," Alpha said, offering a hand. Nikolai's eyes turned to his superior as he shook his head slightly.

"Almost there, Alpha," he replied.

Alpha Terrance sighed, but did not push the issue. Nikolai was one of his oldest friends, despite the distance that could be heard in his voice right then. As such, Terrance knew that the only means for getting Nikolai to bend would be to issue an order.

Nikolai was brought to a room immediately upon entry. The Alpha and seven other wolves had mind linked Doctor Fleishman, who was waiting to treat the large lycan. She swallowed as she watched him bend to duck into the doorway, settling her nerves as she approached.

The Greenwood pack was a mix of lycan and wolves. Though it was uncommon among others, Alpha Terrance had accepted werewolves into his pack long ago. Doctor Fleishman, a wolf, had thus received training in tending to both creatures. That training, however, did not mean she was without some anxiety as she faced the second largest lycan in the pack.

"Please describe what happened," she invited, attaching monitors to Nikolai.

"We were on the training grounds when I felt a sweltering pain start in my lower abdomen," Nikolai answered, his rumbling voice laced with the effort it was taking him to speak. "It comes in waves and feels hot," he continued, gritting his teeth as another one hit him.

Doctor Fleishman licked her lips as she looked at the monitor, noting Nikolai's heart was doing exactly what her ears had told her was the case. She gestured to the bed on which he sat, indicating that he should sit. Releasing an unsteady breath, Nikolai did as she bid while the Alpha looked on, worry in his eyes.

As a werewolf, Doctor Fleishman had a strong sense of smell. It was no where near the lycan sense, but it was sufficient to tell her that Nikolai had not been poisoned with anything. Had he been, she would have been able to scent it coming from the sweat that mottled his brow. So, it was with careful, tentative hands that she approached and ran an ultrasound over Nikolai's stomach.

Nothing. There was nothing wrong with him internally, but his temperature was elevated, his heart was pounding, and he was describing heated spears of pain.

"Wait," Doctor Fleishman said, her eyes casting up quickly to the prone lycan. "Heat," she said.

"What?" Alpha Terrance asked, confused.

"He's experiencing his mate's heat," the doctor replied, only to have Nikolai growl.

"The female's heat doesn't begin until she meets her mate," he rumbled. "And I wouldn't feel it without the mark," he concluded. Doctor Fleishman's expression turned pained. The Alpha, recognizing the look, met her gaze.

"Speak plainly," he ordered. The doctor blew out a breath and then nodded.

"Although rare, a wolf's heat can be triggered by trauma," she answered, doing her best to ignore Nikolai's fierce growl. "And, though I'm not familiar with the bond attaching before they meet, Nikolai's symptoms all match what wolves go through when separated from their mate during the heat cycle."

"What kind of trauma?" Nikolai demanded, his eyes heated.

If the doctor were right, then Nikolai was feeling only a shadow of what his mate was experiencing. Out there, somewhere, his one was hurting and he couldn't help her. Worse, she had suffered something else to cause the heat. Every one of his instincts were going haywire as he wrestled for control.

"There aren't many examples," the doctor prevaricated.

"What kind?" Nikolai growled. Alpha Terrance's hand settled on his shoulder as the doctor answered.

"She had to have been in a lot of pain – from an accident or an attack – to have started her heat."