Xavier's POV
I immediately regret my question. I asked it out of instinct, not thinking of her past. She said her pack had been attacked when she was a kid and she's been living as a rogue on the run. Her smile fell and my thoughts were confirmed. "I'm sorry, you don't have to say anything you don't want to." I want to know everything of course but Celeste is hesitant in our relationship, in me, in my pack. It hurts but I know it's justified. In due time. .
"No umm, it's okay. I don't really remember a whole lot before the attack. I remember the feeling of love?" She tilts her head and looks out at the waterfall. "I remember laughing a lot. And my dad's smile." She let a little smile grace her lips. "After the attack. . . It was bad. I'll say that much. . ." I needed to know more. My wolf was growling, my skin was itching. What did she mean, bad? "But I had a friend!" My ears perked up. "He was great," my wolf growled. I growled back, wanting to focus on her words. "He helped teach me some of what I know. How to read, though I'm awfully slow and a terrible writer." This information was new. I was glad she had some school knowledge, it'll make it easier when her lessons start. We are going to have a tutor come to the pack house to catch up to at least a 12 year student. More, if she'd like. "He um. . ." She trailed off, shaking her head. "I haven't seen him in years, I don't know how long it's been. . . " She went quiet and I watched as memories flash through her head. She looks sad. I squeeze her hand. She breaks out of her trance, there's a tear in her eye. She wipes it away frantically, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to- I-"
"It's okay. It's hard to lose friends. . . I hope he is well," I give her warm regards though I study her reactions to try to figure out this 'friend' of hers. My wolf's on edge at the sympathy she feels. I try to ration that a singular friend was probably a deep connection. Maybe too deep of a connection. . . Damn.
"I um, me too." She takes a sip of her drink , letting go of my hand in favor of nibbling on a cracker. "But my favorite person in my life was always my mother. She was quiet after Dad. . But she was kind and gentle and protective of me to a frustrating point. She sacrificed so much for me over the years and now. . ." She returned to the cracker. "Can we change the topic?" I nodded, not sure how I felt about the outcome to my question. I was glad for the insight but I was upset with her current state.
"I'm thinking of having my room redone." The redirect worked as she turned to me with an inquisitive stare.
"I like your blanket," she whispered and blushed again. I smiled. I like her rosy.
"I think it's too dark." I don't but she nodded a bit which was my initial thought. "I'm terrible with room decor though," I'm not, "I've always hired someone to do it for me," I redesigned several rooms in the pack house myself. My office for one was redone to my specifications about six months after I took over as Alpha. "What do you think?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Let me think on it." I nodded. "The sun is starting to go down." It is. The sky is illuminated a bright blue with streaks of orange and yellow just starting to make its exit. We sit in a comfortable silence, facing the sunset while nibbling on our snacks. The sky is complimented by a reddish orange briefly before I hear an inhale to my left as a deep blue consumes the sky. I turn to see Celeste stalk still. I quickly adjust myself, prepared to catch her incase she falls or faints or anything else that could go wrong. I didn't read anything about this in my research nor did Zay say anything. She bid us farewell on our way out, smiling with no worries seen in her face. "Ancillary?" She smiled and then giggled and then chuckled. She nodded a few times, humming in different confirming or non-confirming patterns. She laughed again and turned to me. "I can hear her." My wolf started whining, wanting the attention of his mate's inner wolf. From my understanding, once mated, our inner wolves can connect to talk at any time. I'm unsure if I'd be able to talk to her inner wolf but I knew my wolf was happy to be in her presence.
"How's your leg feeling?" I stood up after she stretched it out, hissing a bit but continuing. I offered her both my hands and she obliged. The sparks felt stronger somehow, more consuming. I refrained from making a sound at the shock of the increased sensation. Celeste inhaled again and I smiled. She stumbled at first but then found her footing. I helped her for a few steps, to confirm she felt okay, before letting one of her hands go. I kept hold of the other. "Remarkable," I commented on the effect of the moon. I had felt an increase in my strengths as well, something I was accustomed to as it's happened to me since before I shifted. Alpha blood.
"Can we shift?"
I nod, "Of course." Celeste took a step back, bringing our hands to stretch across from each other.
"I'll be right back." It was another heartbeat or two before only our fingertips grabbed the others. Another before that connection was broken. I watched as she ran behind a tree, shaking my head at her shyness. For a wolf who grew up as a rogue, I was curious if she acted this way around others as well or if it was just because I'm her mate. I took my clothes off before shifting, disregarding them along with the remainder of the picnic. It felt amazing to shift, although I remember quite a different thought at my first few shifts. Almost like a satisfying post workout ache. Like the sweet satisfaction of popping your knuckles. Like. . Akin to what I now know as the sparks of a mate bond. It briefly washes over you, all of it, before everything enhances. In our wolf forms, we are stronger, faster, often deadlier, and more attuned with our senses.
It isn't long before the source of vanilla and berries bounced out from behind the tree, a decently healthier looking small wolf. Celeste is beautiful, though her size is that of a maybe medium sized pup which I've never seen of a grown wolf before. I was surprised when she came up to me and nuzzled herself into my neck. I obliged, letting my head curl towards her as if in a hug. I inhaled her enhanced scent, wanting to be here forever. 'Shall we go?' I tested the proximity mind-link.
'Let's,' she replied happily. She turned around, taking off into a run. My eyes widened before I decided to follow suit. She took a pathway that could lead down to the pond if one were adventurous enough. I had never done it in wolf form as the edges you had to use to get down were quite small. I watched as Celeste zipped down, navigating with ease down the rocks and ledges. I smiled at her form. I don't know if she was courageous and lucky or if she assessed it quickly beforehand but either way I was impressed. She got to the bottom, by the water, before looking back up at me, yipping. I backed away before making a running start, diving into the water below. I pushed myself up off the bottom, going up to the top.
'Come in, the water's not bad at all!' She made a run herself before jumping in, making a much smaller splash than I had. She swam to me and I met her halfway. We spun around each other before returning to a nuzzle. My wolf was purring in my head and I had a feeling hers was too. I don't know how long we stayed doing that before she ducked under the water, coming up again closer to the waterfall. I followed, coming up only to see her gone and yet again closer to the falls. The water was splashing off rocks, splashing onto Celeste. It made her ears fold down in time with the splashes. I swam to her, keeping my head above the water and my eyes on her. I brushed my nose against hers before swimming under the fall, letting the water wash over me.
We swam for probably an hour before deciding to lay by the bank. The moon was shining brighter than before now, lighting the clearing and water gorgeously. I looked over to see Celeste staring back at me, she turned away. I pushed my snout into her neck, inhaling her scent. I can't believe she's real - that this moment is happening.
Crickets were chirping when Celeste scooted closer to me with a yawn. 'Tired?' She nodded, laying her head on my side. I let my body wrap around her, her fur lighter than mine, highlighting nicely. She snuggled into me, perhaps relishing in the sparks I was enjoying so very much right now. She fell asleep before I did. I sat there for a while just watching her, listening to her breathe. Taking in my dreams, now a reality.