My conversation with Klyn this morning was very enlightening. It seemed Kurt wanted to know more than needed and had wanted to know what had happened with Opaline at her pack. After Klyn made this speech about not divulging anything without permission, Kurt went back to sparring, his wolf showing in his eyes with an emotion Klyn couldn't read. I told Klyn to stay near Opaline until they got back to the house, and he promised he would. After that, he asked how last night went, and I told him it went as well as it could go when one just left their family and was put into a position like she was.
Now, late afternoon and finished with assigning the guards their new stations and shifts for patrol, I walked out of the little house that holds these meetings and breathed in the fresh air. I asked Klyn where he and Opaline were now and he said still at the children's park. Furrowing my brows, I asked him how long they've been there and why.
"She met Nadine earlier after seeing the sparring fields and took a liking to her. She's been between talking with her and playing with the children who can't seem to get enough of her." He chuckles slightly. "All the kids want her attention, and she can't seem to catch up, but doesn't seem frustrated, only excited."
My wolf howled in delight. "She loves pups!"
"She definitely does if she can handle so many at once," I say with awe to him. To Klyn I said I'd be right over. I started walking and Jayene walked up to me with long lashes and a frown on her lips. "What's wrong, Jayene?"
"You didn't go to training today."
"I had work. I'm an Alpha. I can't just train all day."
I try to start walking again towards the park, but Jayene stopped me. I look down at her and frowned in irritation. She said, "But I saw Beta Klyn there. Usually you two are inseparable."
She had a point. We were inseparable, but I sighed and held her at arm's length. "He was doing what I asked him to. And I have to take care of the pack now, I can't do fun games all day anymore. Plus, I have a—"
"But, you promised you'd be there today."
I furrowed my brows even more. "When?"
She smiled. "The day of your Alpha ceremony."
I thought back, but don't remember this. So, instead of saying anything to her, I started taking long strides towards the one place I wanted to be: near my mate. Jayene followed and asked where I was going and if I could slow down, but I didn't listen.
When I finally got to the park, I found Opaline helping a child on the monkey bars, smiling at him and giving soft encouragements. Her raven hair flew out behind her as the wind picked up, but she didn't seem to notice. Nadine and Klyn were talking on a bench also watching their Luna and the children play. When the boy made it to the end, she set him down and ran around, tickling random children and embracing others. She's magnificent!
"Who is that?" Jayene asked, not bothering to hide her attitude.
My wolf growled at her, but I wasn't paying attention. "Your Luna."
Jayene seemed shocked by this because she turned to me and made me look down at her. "Your mate? I thought she was still back in her pack because it's dangerous."
"I brought her here for other reasons besides danger. She's not like other she-wolves and I needed to help her. The only way to do that was to bring her here."
Jayene pouted which made me shrug. When I went to go talk to Klyn, Jayene grabbed my arm, making me look back at her. "Does that mean we're off?"
"We weren't on. How can we be off if we were never on?"
Her eyes filled with hurt. "So, you love her? You love her after a couple of days knowing her? You've known me longer and seemed to liked me for a while."
"Jayene, I've only had one other girlfriend, and I've known her all my life. I've only known you for a couple of months. You are the one who assumed we were dating, I was only trying to help you get stronger. Nothing more. We haven't even kissed."
The woman glanced at Opaline before focusing back on me. "Fine…" she said and stomped off.
Sighing in relief that argument was over, I strode over to the bench and leaned against the back of it. "Anything I missed?" I asked Nadine and Klyn.
They both looked at me with smiles, only Klyn's faltered when he saw my strained look. Nadine said, "Nope. Your mate is great with children though."
"What's wrong?" Klyn asked.
"I sent Jayene home in tears."
"How?"
"Apparently, she thought we were dating?"
Klyn laughed and Nadine was shocked before shaking her head in mock annoyance. She asked, "If you don't mind Alpha, I can bring her home later if you have work to do?"
I shook my head. "That's alright. Thank you for the offer, though." I couldn't stop looking at Opaline as she continued her games with the children. As if just noticing my presence, her head popped up and spotted me. She froze in the middle of the whirlwind of children, just gazing at me like she was trying to memorize every inch of my figure, not that I could blame her for I was doing the same.
A smile broke upon Opaline's lips and she bent down to a girl and said something. The girl turned and looked at me before smiling at my mate and running off. The other children followed the girl while Opaline started walking towards us, still gazing at me in awe.
"Earth to Lykaon!" Klyn half shouted.
I looked at him, finally breaking my gaze on my mate. "What is it?"
"You were staring off into space, I thought you might have fainted or something."
I shake my head and stood straight while Opaline walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me middle, head resting right below my chest. Kissing her head, hug her tight and give her a little squeeze to make her look up at me. "Ready to go home?"
"No," she whispered and glanced at the children. "I want to stay outside and feel free because I like it. I like running around while the wind whips my hair back." She paused and blushed a little. "But I am hungry."
Nadine's eyes brightened. "Alpha, would mind bringing your Luna out to a bar tonight?"
I looked down at my mate. "How old are you?"
"Nineteen. I'll be twenty soon," she said and tilted her head to the side a little in curiosity. "How old are you?"
"Twenty-five." I turned to Nadine. "We'll go, but let me help her get changed first."
"Go where?" Opaline asked while Nadine took off to get ready. "Where are we going?"
I smiled down at her and loved the way she was so innocent. "A place where it seems like people lose their money often."
"How is that good?" she asked with narrowed eyes that seemed to be trying to read my mind.
"Because, you can get drinks and food, and dance all night long and no one will judge you." I looked to Klyn who seemed to be in deep thought. "Come on, best friend. Let's get drunk!"
He turned and gave me a wicked grin. "Oh no, Lykaon! You are not really going to help your mate get drunk, are you?"
"Of course not!" I say with a hand on my heart while Opaline pulled away to say parting words with the children. "She's not going to even be near drunk. I won't let her do that unless we're home and when I've figured out how much she can handle. Besides, I have a feeling we would have a hard time catching her if she did get drunk."
Klyn laughed and left, saying he'll meet us at my house in a half hour. I let Opaline finish her good-byes before taking her hand and leading her home. She said, "I hope you don't plan on putting me in a dress."
I looked at her, then ran my eyes down her frame. "Not if you don't want. But I do expect you to change."
She smiled and let go of my hand to run ahead, my house in view. Without stopping, she ran inside, leaving the door wide open for me. Once I stepped inside, I heard her shuffling around upstairs before a door closes. I smile at how excited she is, and sit on the couch to wait.
It was only five minutes later when I looked up from a book to see her walking down the stairs, shoulders back and hair tied up in a messy bun. She changed into a tight pair of leather pants, a loose shirt that stopped just above her belly button, black boots that ended mid-calf, and a necklace with a pendant resting on her collar bone. She was stunning to say the least, and her blush to her face only added to that.
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and shyly said, "I hope this is okay."
I blinked a few times and stood up, going over and resting my hands on her hips, my index finger grazing her skin lightly as I looked down at her. "Do you have a jacket? It might get cold."
"I don't want to lose it," she whispered and looked at what I had on. Since I hadn't changed, I was still wearing jeans and a gray shirt. "And I don't want to wear it while dancing."
"No one will steal from you," I say softly. "They know better than to piss me off."
Opaline smiled and seemed to get distracted by running her fingers over my stubble. "Can Nadine spend time with me? I mean, can I trust her when you and Klyn aren't around?
"Nadine would be a great person for you to hang out with. She can help you settle in and get accustomed here."
Her smile widened. "Can she fight?"
"Yes, but she hasn't trained for a while now."
Opaline went silent, thinking and stroking my chin softly. "She will be my Beta. If you trust her and Klyn trust her, then I trust her. She was really nice to me today and offered to keep me company. I like her a lot."
I smiled. "I'm glad. She seems to like you a lot as well." Opaline embraced me and Klyn's words about marking her came back to me. Taking a deep breath, I pulled her to the couch and sat down with her, making her look at me. "Opaline, do you know about the mating bond?" She nods. "Do you know that in order for that bond to grow properly, we need to do certain things?"
"My mother explained it when I was thirteen, but I'm not sure I understand it."
"Well, first we meet. Both wolves become aware of who their mate is and are instantly attached. With consent, the male will mark the female, telling any other male who has her heart and soul. Once he is finished, the female will decide if she wants to mark him or not."
"What happens if she doesn't?"
"The female won't feel the bond as much as the male, so it will mostly be one sided," I say and watch as Opaline took this in before I continue. "Once this is done, they are able to sense each other, talk to each other through the link, and get closer to each other."
"I can't use the link," she said, her body slumping a little.
"Klyn seems to think that if we mark each other, then your link will open up. He said maybe you're blocked somehow, so maybe if we try the bond, it'll open up."
Opaline thought about this and shrugged, but a spark of hope lit in her eyes. Her tone was serious when she asked, "What if it doesn't?"
I sighed, "I'm not sure yet, but I want to ask you if you'd be willing to try? You'd be able to at least hear me in your head while in human form."
My mate smiled at the thought and only hesitated a moment longer before nodding. "I want to try. I want to hear your voice in my human form."