The elder woman looked up at her taller son with worry lining her tanned face as she scanned his gold flecked eyes. Molaki however sighed with relief. He pushed Asta and himself through the doorway perhaps harder than he intended, pressing the door closed and bolting it firmly, before throwing himself at his mother in a bear hug.
" 'Laki," She hissed, quickly embracing him, but then pulling him off to scold him like a pup. "Stand up straight, they're already waiting for you."
The wolf woman then took a moment to look at the doe, squinting. Asta felt the same suspicion radiating off her as those on the other side of the door, however instead of fear, there was protectiveness attached.
Her hand waving the two younger shifters down the hall made her pale blue draping robes waft. They only had about 30 seconds to speak before they would make it to the wooden archway that held the Tri chambers, where the most important, and most secretive meetings were held.
"What's my future daughters' name?" Molaki's mother asked.
"What?"
"Asta."
The two of them answered at the same time, their voices clashing as the doe stared slack jawed at the elder.
The elder shot a look at her son, hissing through her teeth.
"MOLAKI, she doesn't even sense it?!"
"I - "
"I don't think deer can, Mom," Molaki answered, ears to the side in submission.
"Of course they can, anyone can," she growled. One of her hands was about to reach out for the next large brass door hanger to usher them into the chambers, but she held it firm to stare down Asta, who couldn't help but shrink back.
"Does your kind scent emotions?"
Dumbfounded, Asta shook her head tensely. "We - I - can read the air, the weather" she stumbled. "But most can just scent danger."
Molaki's mother scrunched her nose like that couldn't possibly be true, shaking her head and muttering under her breath something about the Idols as she opened the chamber doors.
Molaki gripped Asta's hand tightly, Nodding in reassurance to her as he whispered reminders.
"Stay upright, do not shake. Trust me. I know this is all so sudden, but remember that feeling you had before you knew what I was."
_____
Two men and one woman sat at the end of the room, a long wooden table in front of them with a red runner cloth and and assorted drinks and dried meats on top. Between that, and the fact that there were rows of wooden stools for spectators to gather, it was clear that sometimes, the Tri meetings were open for all to give their opinion, but today, it was just Molaki, Asta, the Tri, and Molaki's mother hovering at the back door. She - Hera - was one of several wolves who worked as trusted assistants in the building. For obvious reasons, when she heard that her son was bringing in a doe he had some sort of protection over, she insisted she was the one to guard.
The three wolves, heads of the city, were not elders. They were not as young as Molaki and Asta, who had only approached twenty, but they gained their positions not just in wit, but in physical strength. Even through their loose draping shirts, one could see that they were in incredible condition.
"Molaki," one of the men spoke first. He had dark hair, cut short, almost shaven, trying to disguise that he was starting to lose hair at the temples.
"We've been given.... a brief rundown of today's events." His eye's crept towards Asta, who stared straight ahead, avoiding eye contact but not looking down.
"Clearly, we need to hear this from you. Speak."
If it was possible, Molaki dug his fingers into Asta's grip even harder, begging her, willing her to not startle or scent like he was lying, or worse, being deceived by her when he said the words he had been thinking. He had had time to come to terms with it while he was walking her back to his home as a captive, but he hadn't had the time to explain something that made no sense even to himself.
"Amarok, Zylo, Sable," He addressed each of the Alpha's in front of him, "Today while we were on the hunt, I found my True Mate. I sensed it before we were even close enough to pick up her tracks as.... as a doe."
Molaki allowed himself to look over at Asta, who's eyes had snapped to him when he said the words he was afraid she'd reject. But to his relief, when he allowed himself to stop holding his breath, while she still was overwhelmed with fear, he could also scent that she was...accepting; a hint of desire given, looking at him, which seemed impossible given the circumstances. And through it, she still radiated warmth and comfort like a halo.
At first it was dead silent, before the second Tri - Zylo, snorted through his nose.
"Molaki, you're so, so intelligent," he scoffed. "How the hell could you get this wrong? It's it witchery?!"
He glared at the Doe, pressing his large hands on the table and sliding his seat out loudly as he stood up. Asta couldn't help herself, cowering backwards thinking that the wolf was going to launch himself at her.
Molaki snarled as he watched the fellow silver haired man move aggressively, putting himself between Asta and the table. "Take one more step and I'll rip your throat out."
Asta felt light headed, trying her best not to panic like the flight animal she inherently was. Shrinking back, she suddenly felt a grip on her shoulder, and it took all of her strength not to shriek. Whirling around, she was nose to nose with Hera, who quietly, unwavering helped the girl back a few yards.
"We'll let them scream at each other," she said plainly. "You're okay, it's okay. I can scent that you're here for good reason. It took me a moment, I apologize. They are just so fearful of the deer."