She hadn't spoken to someone this freely for ages. Even with her friends there was an air of cautiousness that rendered her uncomfortable. Jordan might think it was his pitiful attempt at being charming that made her agree to this game. But she knew, it was the desire for normalcy that had gripped her. He had wanted to know about her, the Stella who was more than what the rumours whispered. Maybe she could find a friend in him who will see her for who she is.
"So tell me-" She started after some deliberation.
"Tell me about your wolf." She said. She knew she had caught him by surprise before understanding flashed through his eyes.
It was a stupid question but also a test. She wouldn't get her hopes up if he didn't pass this test. This question alone expressed how vulnerable she was without her wolf.
"My wolf is of the rank Alpha. Naturally he possesses all the traits observed in Alphas. His fur is black, just like my hair but his eyes are a more prominent shade of blue than mine. I have my mother's eyes but my wolf's eyes are the same as my father's wolf. It used to be quite inconvenient to harness any ability of my wolf without letting anyone know. I still tend to slip up sometimes. Good thing only few people know about it." He said and shot her a smile.
"Tell me more." She blurted out without thinking. But it had been so long since she had discussed wolves with someone. She wanted to hear about them, remember what it was like when she had her wolf.
"Technically it's my turn to ask but I'll humour you this time."
She looked away embarrassed.
"When I was a kid, I used to be terrified of the concept of having 'voices in my head', having an animal communicate to you was an abstract experience I initially couldn't grasp. But now he and I are a team. I turned under unexpected circumstances so it wasn't a smooth journey of finding a balance with him. There is still a battle for control sometimes but he is mostly quiet and rational so I can easily mingle with humans without worrying about losing control or being uncharacteristically short tempered. Although this is a first." He said.
"What is?" I asked.
"Competing against him for a woman's attention." He smiled.
"He probably lets you win." I said, settling down comfortably. The way he had spoken of his wolf had left her with a lot of nostalgia but had also set her at ease.
"I beg to differ. Although now you have exhausted your quota of free questions. My turn to ask. " He said.
"I wasn't aware I had free questions."
"Well now you know. So now that you know about my wolf, it is only fair you tell me about yours." He said.
She was surprised. Nobody asked her about her wolf but when she looked at him,his eyes didn't betray any other emotion besides curiosity. She took a moment to gather her thoughts before she spoke. He remained calm and relaxed, unaffected by the silence on her part.
She took a deep breath and finally began, "My wolf is a sensitive and selfish bitch."
He chuckled and she couldn't help but giggle too. She had always wanted to say that aloud and not be lectured about how everything will get better. This was oddly liberating and she was relishing the brief reprieve Goddess has bestowed upon her.
"Well this is another first, but do go on." He said and lightly laughed to himself.
"You are an Alpha, you probably already know." She said but slight trepidation filled her heart. Had her wolf gone so dormant that even an Alpha couldn't sense her?
"My senses could never match up with your eloquent words or show me the finer details." He shrugged.
Maybe it wasn't too late for her. He could probably sense her wolf but wanted her to talk about her. Was he doing it to make her feel comfortable? Whatever his reasons maybe, she was going to let go and relax for now.
"My wolf is of rank Beta but with her being MIA I have to identify as Omega. Lyall, that's her name, is loud. Ever since I turned, my mind felt like a cluttered mess with her being vocal about anything and everything. I never had to fight for dominance because she enjoyed spectating more. She has brown fur and her eyes are the same as mine but my brother says sometimes Lyall's eyes seem more golden than brown. I just didn't expect her to be this sensitive that she would abandon ship at the first sign of distress." I sighed.
Jordan had been looking at me the whole time. Doubt slowly crept inside me.
"Lyall. That's an interesting choice of name." He said.
"What is your wolf called?" I asked.
"Conri. My grandfather named him. Neither of us were a fan of it initially but the name slowly grew on us. My father wanted to name me Conri but my mother won that argument. So my wolf got saddled with this name." He shrugged lightly, a small smile lighting up his face as he spoke of his family.
"My turn now. Why Lyall?" He asked.
"Everything doesn't have to have a deep meaning attached to it." I tilted my head towards him, contemplating how much information I should share.
"There must be some story. Lyall means wolf. I was hoping something would justify why you would call your wolf a wolf?"
"This better stay between you and me. I had named her Reika earlier. Although it translates to possessing power, in a very distant sense it also meant Wolf Queen." I smiled as old memories came to the forefront.
"Reika? You could have chosen Luna too." He said.
"I was in enough trouble with Reika as it is. My mother was brought up in an orthodox environment. She stays away from anything that would and I quote 'belittle the royals or hurt their sentiments'. Plus Luna also means Alpha's mate. I did not want that association." I said.
"Calling your wolf queen is hardly an offense to any royal." He said.
"Depends on the situation really. It was my ode to our present Luna. She has always been someone I inspired to be and calling my wolf Reika felt like a step towards becoming a woman like her. I really admire her strength and courage. I was never a physically strong wolf but she made me realize strength is not just in our bodies but also in our hearts. Especially after the death of our King and Queen, she was the one who rallied us together and held the kingdom together while everyone was drowning in grief. It was admirable. Having lost so much she still managed to survive and pulled others with her too. " I said.
"Yes. She is indeed admirable. I-I am feeling parched. I'll just go grab a glass of water." He said and rose up, not meeting my eyes.
"I could get it-" I started but he cut me off. "It's fine. I'll be right back." He said and went to the kitchen.
I arranged the cushions and settled down comfortably, thinking what I could ask him next. Jordan might never realize but this was the first time I have spoken this long to a person who was not Felix or a member of my family.
I wish this night would never end, because soon he'll leave and would never want to come back.
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Entwined
مستذئب"Just because it is fated doesn't mean it is right." He is haunted by nightmares. He dreams of being worthy. He is bound by duty. He seeks freedom in love. He is the King. "Just because it doesn't feel wrong doesn't mean it is right." She is haunt...
