Lykaon saved my life, and he barely knew me!
"Are you ok, now?" he asks, his grey eyes searching mine.
I blink and walk up to him, reaching for his hand, just to feel the sparks light up again in my body. "You're so big!" I blurt.
I feel his laughter through his body and look up at him. He says, "You're really small."
I feel a blush creeping onto my cheeks and step away. "I try not to be weak, but being small is weak."
He makes me look up at him with a finger under my chin. "You are incredible. You run faster than Klyn which is hard to do. You can fit into small places we can't because we're too big. You have an easier time of running away."
"But I'm too small to fight," I explain. "My father says so. That's why I ran. I can't fight."
He tilts his head to one side and smiles, pushing a lock of hair out of my eyes. "You are small. But maybe you don't need weapons to know how to fight."
Now I tilt my head in wonder. "Why?"
"You have your own." I look down but only see clothes and dirt. Lykaon makes me face him again, shaking his head. "I mean, your wolf has weapons of her own."
"She's even smaller than me!"
"That can be an advantage as well as a disadvantage." He takes my hand and smiles. "We'll talk after supper. I'll tell you what you can learn."
I smile for the first time meeting him. "Really?"
Lykaon gives me a grin and stops right before we go inside. "I'll make you the best short woman fighter."
I frown. "You don't have women fight?"
"Actually, my pack has twenty willing females fight with all the other warriors. I give the option to anyone who is old enough and skilled enough."
I light up with what he said and immediately smile. "Can I see your pack? Can I come home with you and fight with the other females?"
A sad expression pales his handsome face as he rubs a hand down it. He says something I can't understand, but see sympathy in his eyes. I furrow my brows and only catch a few of his words. "…hate Himalayan wolves so you must stay here…"
All my brain processed was the word hate and I pushed him away. "I should have known!"
His brows furrow in confusion but I move away and into the house, heading straight to my room, and slamming the door. A knock on my door and I groan, "Come in!"
I look up and see my mate in anger. "Why the hell did you do that?"
I raise my brows. "Why did I do that?" Lykaon nods. My eyes narrow in fury. "If you don't know, then what's the use in coming in here?"
"Opaline!" he growls and walks towards me. "Tell me what you heard!"
I punch him in the arm and chest. "You hate me! Your pack would hate me! Why would you want a mate like me?"
He shakes me and I look up at him. Shaking his head, he cups my face. "No! I said Aryn hates you. Aryn, not me and my pack! I want to take you with me, but I can't. Not right now. But I will. Soon."
My eyes widen in shock and confirmation. "Oh," I whisper. I see his Adam's apple go up and down before he takes a deep breath. I recover from my little fit and relax in his arms. "Are you hurt?" I ask, though I have no idea why because I see no blood.
He stares at me for a long while like I had asked him if his father had two heads or something. "Opaline, I'm fine. I couldn't be better actually."
"You what?"
He smiles softly. "I found you. I found my mate. My wolf and I are happy. We're having the time of our lives!"
"You should be too," my wolf informs. "Now everything is going according to the way the Moon Goddess has planned."
I shake my head and Lykaon furrows his brows in confusion. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just my wolf."
He wraps his arms around my waist and cups my face with one hand, sending little tingly shock waves through my body. "Your wolf is very beautiful. The most beautiful I've ever seen, other than my mother."
I tilt my head. "Who is your mother?"
He says a name I cannot pronounce and I furrow my brows. Smiling, he grabs my sketch pad and writes her name on the paper, then lets me see. "Lyall. My father is Ariston."
"Do you not have siblings?"
He shakes his head. "I'm an only child, lucky me."
I smile and point to a picture of my parents, Jacques and I. "That's my brother."
Lykaon smiles and looks at me. "Are you ready to eat, Opaline?"
I nod but hold him there for a moment, to show him something else as well. It only takes a couple of minutes and Lykaon doesn't seem to mind, but in facts enjoys it. Soon, we meet everyone else in the dining room including Klyn.
Lykaon holds my hand as his comrade comes over and looks down at me. "Hello, Luna. I'm Klyn."
"Luna?"
Lykaon squeezes my hand and I look at him. "I'm going to be Alpha once we can be mated. That'll make you my Luna."
My wolf clarifies, "It's an honor to be a Luna. You take care of the females while he takes care of the males, but the whole pack respects the both of you. You lead as partners and help each other out with the pack's needs."
"Like mother and father?"
"Yes."
"I'm going to lead your pack?" I ask hesitantly.
"Not immediately," Lykaon assures. "When we get there, we'll give you some time to get to know them first, then when you're ready—and only then—you can help me lead our pack."
I shake my head. "Your pack."
He becomes serious now, eyes hard and mouth in a thin line. "You are a part of Blue Oasis now. It is your pack as much as it is mine. It's our pack, Opaline. Your pack, the Whisper Eclipse, is my pack as much as it is yours. The only difference is you'll start to help lead Blue Oasis and live there as well."
I put a hand on his chest where his heart beats strong. "What's yours is mine," then I put it on my heart, "and what's mine is yours?"
His mouth tugs upwards and his gray eyes brighten a little. "Exactly." He looks up and it alerts me to people rushing by towards their seats at the table. Lykaon pulls me closer to him to get out of the way and I watch as our beta, Dorlus, Jacques the future Alpha of this pack and his mate Rona, a couple of men I have never seen before, and Klyn find a seat. Jacques says something to Rona and walks over to us, eyes twinkling with mischief and mouth raised in a grin. I roll my eyes and face him head on.
He stops and looks at Lykaon and bows his head respectfully before turning to me. "I see you've found your mate, Opal."
"Go away, Jacques! Aren't you supposed to be helping our father with Alpha duties?" I snarl softly so not all the guests could hear.
He laughs. "Lucky me, I got the night off thanks to you!"
I blink in surprise. "Me? What do I have to do with you getting the night off?"
Our father walks up and says to me, "The whole pack is celebrating for you, Opaline. You found your mate. You're growing up."
Jacques pat my shoulder and smirks. "Don't worry, I won't embarrass you too much!"
I growl low in my throat before arms wrap around my waist and pull me against a hard body. I look up and Lykaon says, "He's teasing you! Don't let it get to your head."
I roll my eyes, but pull my mate to a pair of chairs together near my parents' seats. Lykaon helps me sit first, pulling out and pushing in my chair for me while he takes the one on my left. My father's is on my right, at the head of the table. My mother across from me and my brother beside her. If it were a formal setting, my mother would be at the other end of the table, but she prefers to be close to my father as possible.
Lykaon puts a hand on my knee and I look at him. He gives me a small smile and leans forward. "This is my first time too, so don't feel too embarrassed." I smile and nod before relaxing a bit.
My mother comes out with two steaming dishes piled high with delicacies that make my mouth water even though I won't be able to eat half of on one plate. She sets both dishes in front of Lykaon and I and squeezes my shoulder. When I look at her, her azure eyes are bright with pride and happiness. "I'm so proud of you!"
I hug her before settling back in my seat, my nerves on an all-time high. "This much attention for just finding my mate? I didn't want to think how all this would go in Lykaon's pack…Oh no! What if I make a fool of myself?"
"Calm down!" My wolf directs calmly. "Mate won't let us be embarrassed. He'll help as much as he wants."
"What if he doesn't know? What if I'm alone?"
My wolf snorts and rolls her eyes. "That isn't happening for a while, at least not until you've been Luna for a year or so."
I bow my head and my hair falls like a curtain to hide my face from every one. I didn't want Lykaon to see my doubts, no matter how foolish they are. I didn't want my parents to see me worrying about my new pack that I supposedly have to lead now. I didn't want Klyn to think I was weak, because I wasn't. I was small, yes, but I have strength as well. I just hoped nothing gets in the way…
A hand squeezes my knee and I look up to see Lykaon staring at me with narrowed eyes. "What is wrong?"
"Just thinking," I say softly, waiting for my mother to dish out everyone else's food before I start eating.
"About what?"
I shrug. "Your pack."
Gray eyes soften and Lykaon frowns. "They'll accept you. They'll love their new Luna."
"I hope so," I whisper.
"Opaline, why wouldn't they?" I give him a knowing look and he sighs. "Nothing will happen. I'll make sure everyone accepts you. Klyn and I have."
"Klyn?" He nods. "Why is he Beta?"
"He's my best friend and someone who can understand my thoughts. I need him for smarts, not strength. I have other wolves for strength." Lykaon thinks for a moment. "Would you like to see him at work?"
"When?"
"After supper."
I smile and nod my head. "I would like that."
Lykaon nods as my mother and father stand up from their chairs, the meal getting started. My father looks out at everyone and smiles kindly. "Tonight, my daughter Opaline, has found her mate. A sign of many great things to come. Because of this, everyone gets the night off. You will all enjoy yourselves as my daughter will enjoy herself."
With that, we began to eat.