Well, I guess everyone in this pack needs to be beautiful and built like athletes or models.
Not that it was any different back at home, where I stuck out like a sore thumb amongst those tall and lean figures of female wolves.
Annika, was a beam of sunshine if I was to be precise.
Where her brother's hair was a sandy blonde, hers was golden, stretching down to her shoulders in soft, beach waves. They also shared those wide and full lips, adorned with what I considered the whitest smile I have ever seen anyone have. However, where Klaus was buffed and muscular, his sister was lean and tall, she looked like one of those girls who, whatever they try on, will always look good on them.
Her energy was infectious and I found myself smiling as she strode through the door proudly and looked around the hallway as if she expected some big changes to be brought on by me moving in here. Her nose sniffed a couple of times and she looked at me with a frown on her face. "It needs to smell more of you. You smell divine by the way." She came closer to me and I almost scurried away when she placed her nose on my neck and inhaled me.
I was lost for words and had no idea how to proceed actually communicating with her now. Giving access to your neck was something that was considered reserved for one's mate, however, I didn't want to impose my own beliefs or my pack's customs onto her. Maybe they just had it different here. "Thank you." I said softly and once she stepped away, she smiled again with her bright teeth.
"It's sweet, but not too sweet. I just love it." She looked me up and down, noticing I was still wearing my pyjamas and she frowned once again. "Well, I'll go up with you to change, then." She started walking up the stairs and I felt like asking her to take her shoes off, but then again, I knew better than to ask that of anyone in this house.
I followed her up the stairs, trying to untangle the braids I had worn to bed last night when I actually remembered to ask. "What am I changing for exactly?" When she turned on the hallway, walking towards Bjorn's room, I nodded my head towards the room that I slept in for the past two nights and she opened the door before stepping in, in her shoes.
"Well, I am here to be your own personal guide through our lovely pack." She clasped her hands as she sat on the armchair in the corner of my room, looking at me expectantly. I offered her a smile that was almost genuine, given how much I loved and enjoyed basking in her energy, however, I felt a bit let down that my mate wasn't the one to show me around.
Again, what did you expect him to do? Bake you cookies? Take you for walks? Kiss your hand?
I wanted to tell the voice in my head to shut up. I knew how weird the situation was and I knew that I made it so. But still, I expected courtesy of him, not avoiding me for the entire day, just to sneak off on patrol last night.
"Bjorn didn't even mention—" I snorted and then looked to my closet. "Never mind, thank you for taking on the duty." I said to her over my shoulder, trying to sound cheerful, while I rummaged through my clothes for something that would be okay to wear. Finally, I settled on a button-down light dress that was in pale blue, embroidered with red cherries on both of the wide straps.
I made quick work of putting it on while trying to take my pyjamas off and put a bra on, without making myself or Annika too uncomfortable. I knew we are wolves and I knew I should be comfortable being naked, but this girl looked like a gazelle, while I was an English bulldog.
"I actually wanted to meet you ever since Klaus told me you arrived here. I was super happy Bjorn actually didn't just leave you in your room and forgot you existed." She said, standing up and coming near me to fix my belt on the back.
"Ouch." I said, releasing a laugh and I felt a bit better, knowing someone else was also aware of what I was dealing with.
She turned me around, still smiling. "Glaciers don't melt in one day." I laughed at that and she joined in. "It will also probably take a bit more skin as well." She said, pointing at my dress.
"I'll make sure to parade the house naked from now on."
We walked through the territory all day, with Annika showing me some of her favourite places. By some little research I had done on their pack, I knew the territory was large, however, Annika explained that people were allowed to build their houses wherever they wished, they only needed to get a permit from the alpha first, therefore, their territory ended up being divided into a couple of smaller towns that were all connected and easily accessible when you shifted and ran or you drove. We mostly walked around the settlement which was built around the packhouse in the early years of the pack.
She showed me the library, elementary school, high school, and kindergarten, her favourite shops, snack bars, and restaurant. We stopped for breakfast in one of her favourite cafes and she promised to take me out one night with her to one of her favourite pub which was located in another settlement. I loved how she loved every little corner of this place and how proudly she displayed it.
"This I call 'The Lost Souls building'," She blinked up at the four-story building, which was the tallest building I have seen so far here. Its walls were decorated with street art and I admired one of the portraits on the wall as she continued explaining. "there are apartments inside, for male and female wolves that stay in our territory while searching for their mate." I nodded and then she turned to me. "Did you go travelling and looking for your mate?" She asked.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "No, I always thought he would be the one to simply show up on my doorstep." I continued walking around the building towards another street. "I had no idea the Goddess will still make me have to run after him like a lost puppy." I added when she grabbed my hand.
"It's a disgusting feeling, isn't it?" She asked, sincerity and nothing else lacing her words.
She had no idea how right she was. The guy didn't even have the decency to check in on me yesterday, let alone do anything else. I felt as if all that I am doing is humiliating myself further. But still, I did this and I decided to fight for this.
I looked at her again. "I waited for 45 minutes yesterday morning, just so that I can jump out of my room and catch him before he went to sleep after his patrol shift." Her lips trembled a bit and I continued. "You should've seen the way I opened that door and almost jumped through them, it was pathetic." I could see that she was trying not to laugh. "It's okay, laugh, I would at myself as well." Once she did, her laughter was loud and bright.
"I am so sorry." She said. "I just—"
How pathetic do you actually look to her Klara?
"I know, it's pathetic..." I sighed and continued walking, her arm still linked to mine.
Her soft voice was even quieter as we passed a group of kids, chasing around on the street and disappearing behind one of the houses built here. "It's not pathetic, not at all. I know Bjorn and I know what he's like. To be honest, I think he is a decent male, but he will need time. And you min venn (my friend) will need help." She smiled as she winked at me with a wicked grin. "Let's get you to the training field, okay?"
I simply nodded and let her lead all the while continuing to discuss my pack and our setups and customs. We walked through the neighbourhoods and passed by some more cafes, a couple of bakeries, and restaurants where we stopped for Annika to say hi to people and introduce me to them.
The streets were wide, but still, the entire settlement gave out a warm feel of a snuggly neighbourhood with people who would often open their windows just to say 'Hi'. The houses were big and there was space in between each house, so it was obvious these people valued their privacy as much as companionship. However, unlike in our pack, there were no fences here and that was the one thing that no one wanted to do. The territory was there for the pack, not individuals, however, it looked like everyone respected their boundaries perfectly well, even without fences surrounding their homes.
Everyone we met was generally nice and were offering their congratulations to me while at the same time teasing Annika for not finding her own mate just yet. "He's just not ready for me yet." She would smile as she joked with them, but I could see that the people's obsession with mates, especially when it comes to older members of the pack, was a bit too much for her.
"Don't get me wrong, I understand how important having a mate and setting up your life is," She said when we are alone and walking down the road towards the training field. "But there are so many other things I want to do before I get to that part of it." She shrugged.
"I completely understand. I myself didn't go out looking for Bjorn. I mean, I do want that life and pups and everything but I feel too young to know what I am to do with myself, let alone with something so small and gentle." I smiled.
"I knew we'd be good friends." She winked and I couldn't help but laugh as we cleared the field and I was able to smell him as clear as the moment we met. There were a lot of young wolves on the training field as we approached and I could see that they were all sorted around in age groups, with four trainers facing one group of pups.
We usually don't start shifting until puberty hits, right around the age of 13 for female wolves or 14 to 15 for males. However, it is encouraged we have our own practices every day since we are kids, just to get us balanced and prepared for when the time comes. Since no one wants to have an uncontrollable teenager shifting around and tearing stuff up.
"Back at home, we start around 5," I murmured, noticing that most of the kids on the field have passed that age. "here it looks like you do it a bit later." I commented as I stepped from the paved street and onto the grassy field.
"Seven, once we start school." I watched the group that Bjorn was standing in front and I could feel his shoulders tense as the wind changed its direction and he was able to scent me. "This is actually a part of their lesson plan through the year. They have these lessons three times a week and then, as they grow older, they start coming in more often." Annika added and fell silent as she noticed I focused all my attention on the broad plain of his back and muscles that rippled as he showed some simple movements to the eager kids in front of him.
"Does he do this all the time?" I asked, my eyes never leaving him, nor the way kids followed his simple instructions.
"Yes, he takes the youngest group and the first shifters, which are teenagers that just shifted that year or in that time period. It is always tricky since you never know when the first one will be." Her voice was even softer now.
I didn't even know what I expected, a glance back, a wave. I just stood there like an idiot and in order to avoid the conversation about him further— "I was barely twelve." I told Annika, turning towards her. "My dad said I pushed my wolf out too early and that that earned me this body." I waved a hand down myself while we both giggled at the presumption he so easily made.
"I love how he thinks it's a bad thing. I would kill for an ass like that." She pinched me lightly and I yelped, looking at her, shocked. "Too far for a first day?" When I just laughed, she smiled again. "And here I was, teaching myself Slavic customs and thinking you liked being all touchy-feely."
I turned around, taking her hand to walk off the field. "We actually do, just don't pinch my bum like that again."
"Sure, I'll ask next time." She murmured and as we turned to go, I noticed Emma walking in our direction with two little girls in tow.
I smiled at her and waved a bit as a small smile appeared on her face as well.
"You are close with Emma?" Annika asked.
I shrugged, releasing a half-laugh. "No, not really. I don't think she would allow that. But she did save me when I ran from rouges to come here and let me stay with her for a couple of days." I turned to Annika as we walked. "I will always appreciate that."
Her hand released mine as she noticed the girls were coming toward us and she stepped forward to greet them. "I figured, it's just that Emma doesn't smile at anyone. Not even at Steph, at least not in public."
"Yeah, she did seem that way when I met her. She seems like a badass though." I almost sighed and swooned as we approached her. I wanted to be Emma when I grow up, to be honest.
"That indeed she is." Annika nodded and that was when I was able to properly take in one of the girls that were walking toward me. Her raven black hair matched perfectly with her dark eyes and her alabaster skin had tiny freckles in her cheekbone area, but what I noticed most was how chubbier and shorter she was than her friend with brown hair, ebony skin, and sapphire blue eyes.
Complete opposites, yet they walked hand in hand, step by step, like two souls in one body.
"Welcome luna," Emma said promptly and both girls looked up to me in awe. "How was the tour?"
I almost rolled my eyes at the formality but smiled at the two girls. "Can it be Klara for now, please? Luna sounds too formal." I winked at the girls and the sapphire-eyed beauty came up to me to hug me.
I knew why she had brought them to me, or rather because of whom she brought them, and I couldn't help but smile as the second girl joined in for a hug as the first one giggled. "Nice to meet you." I smiled at them, feeling weird while looking them down, but still would be looking up if I crouched down. "What are your names?" I asked, trying not to be too weird, even though I felt a bit uncomfortable, seeing as they were both looking at me like I am something rather wonderful, or strange, with kids I never knew the difference.
The raven-haired girl spoke first with a nudge from her friend. "Bo." She said simply and her friend jumped in to correct her. "It's Bo Bae. I tell her it's a cool name, but she doesn't listen. I am Seline." She extended her hand and I shook it, trying to keep my expression serious.
Cutting our conversation short, Emma spoke for them next. "They are both twelve, however, Bo is a bit hesitant in joining us for practices every day. So I was wondering if you would like to come and practice with us sometimes so that you can show her—" She grew silent, trying to find the right words, just like her mate usually did.
"Of course," I said, not letting her think on it for too long. "I would love to come practice with you." I decided to crouch down, and both of the girls took it as a sign to sit on the grass in front of me. That's when Annika released a laugh and we both sat down as well.
Emma walked away, no doubt to resume the exercise, leaving us with the two girls. "There is no shame in being different," I said, looking at Bo's dark eyes, her sharp chin and high cheekbones told me how devastatingly beautiful she would be one day, they were in contrast with her tiny body but still fit in perfectly. "back at home, I am the shortest and chubbiest wolf in the pack, and yet, when we were little, I was able to beat our current alpha every time we paired off until he shifted and his wolf started helping him a bit." I smiled at her and her eyes grew wide.
"Can you shift?" She asked, sounding already so insecure that it made me want to cry for the little girl I saw in her.
I snorted, trying to play it cool. "Of course, I shifted around twelve and I do just fine in both my wolf and human form." I leaned in towards them and whispered to Bo, holding her hand. "I want you to remember this: you can do what every other wolf can do, you might just have to do it a bit differently." I winked and when I saw the genuine smile break out on her and her friend's face who nudged her again I couldn't help but smile as well.
We chatted for a bit with them before Emma called them back and as I watched the two girls walk away, hand in hand once again a smile cracked on my face again, feeling a familiar stare on my face. I turned just in time to see my mate's eyes bore into mine and see him turning around the next second.