*Hekla*
Fog rolled through the trees surrounding the pack Ragna, Rakel, Soley, and I used to call home. The mist caressed all beneath it, and though I wouldn’t be around, I knew the plants would glow with life once the Sun God showed Himself. He’d feed them, night would fall, and the cycle would start anew… depending on the time of year. Depending on the season…
About a month had passed since Ragna’s coronation. Who knew a queen would have sprouted from these humble roots? I stared at the quiet houses dotting the woods, my mind a hazy reflection of the weather. Above the dripping treetops, smoke from chimneys drifted to the Sky Gods like lazy howls. We were lucky to have grown up here. Erik had been a good alpha to us, and the location helped us thrive. Winters weren’t too cold, summers weren’t too hot, and droughts were never a problem. Food was plentiful since there was always water around for the wildlife to prosper and for whatever plants we wished to grow. Looking at it all now, it almost seemed like the Earth Gods favored us.
We had it good here. Life was predictable, and it was safe.
Until Eysteinn happened.
“Hekla? Breakfast is ready!” My mother interrupted my thoughts, calling from inside my childhood home. Reluctantly, I returned indoors, knowing I couldn’t escape the pull of time. This would be the last meal I’d share with my family for the foreseeable future, and that thought was almost enough to give a she-wolf a panic attack.
There weren’t a great many things in the hall that told of my youth here, but I did pause to look at one such item. A straw weaving hung by the mirror, one I’d made with Ragna when we were pups. Two mismatching twigs had been added ages ago by Rakel and Soley, who’d wanted to contribute in their own silly way. They stuck out of either side like whiskers on a bedraggled wolf. Though humorous, the additions completed the piece the way the two she-wolves completed our sub-pack—our group of friends.
I pulled off my scarf and sat at the table with my parents, grandparents, and younger brother. We’d gathered with extended family yesterday, so it was just us this morning. Mother was in even more of a state than she’d been last evening, and Father comforted her the best he could, sitting close and doting.
Plates clattered onto the table, serving a hearty breakfast to nourish my wolf, but my human body didn’t want to eat. Nausea gripped me after a rough, anxious night. I hadn’t slept a wink, which meant hunger had struck well before dawn.
“Thank you for breakfast, everyone,” I said to the table, not sure who had done the cooking this time. “It’s delicious.”
My father smiled as he held Mother’s hand. “Just make sure you eat plenty so Eventide has energy to work with.”
“Yes, you must make sure to eat when you reach the court. Can we get news of your safe arrival?” my mother asked, biting her lower lip and fighting off tears. She loved her pups. Gods, I felt so guilty.
“I’ll make sure they get a message to you,” I assured, hoping that I wouldn’t forget to do that. I was so nervous that I’d be lucky if I left with my head still attached. “And thank you for letting me store my things from my old place. I don’t know what to do with them, but I’m not ready to just throw it all away.”
“We have the room,” my mother replied sadly.
My grandmother slapped the table to—I suspect—lift the mood. “Well, I think she’s going to be just fine! This Generic Blueberry person said he’d give you everything you needed!”
“You mean General Belenus?” I asked, correcting her while suppressing a smile.
“Yes, the gold one with the big ears,” my grandmother clarified, pointing her fingers along her head to imitate fae ears. To my parents’ dismay, she now enjoyed pretending to be senile. Even worse, my grandfather was starting to join her antics.
“I thought his name was Dennis,” Grandfather grumbled as he took a bite of ham. I snorted into my juice, nearly choking on the tangy drink while my sibling laughed uncontrollably. A fae general named Dennis…
I smiled, greatly appreciating their attempts to lighten the mood, and said, “Yes, I’m sure his salary is more than enough to provide. I’ll just have to figure out what to do with myself. I have no idea what career options I’ll have.”
My father nodded. “Don’t rush it. You have an entire new culture to adjust to. There may be exciting trades we’ve never even heard of.”
Mother furrowed her brows, looked from me to Father, and asked, “Do find a way to contact us if you get with pups or… er… what do they call fae pups?”
Huh. “I… don’t actually know,” I said, jutting my lower lip out in thought.
“Faebies,” Grandmother answered.
“Little, tiny, bouncing faebes.” Grandfather nodded, agreeing with her.
Somehow, I didn’t think that was true. I smiled wryly at them and took another forkful of eggs. It was just a tiny bit, but their good humor eased my nerves. The jesting made it seem like this wasn’t the last meal with my family, though I didn’t know if that would make it harder to leave.
“I didn’t think to ask him when he was here,” my mother said, worrying at her hands until my father claimed one of them in his strong grip.
“He wasn’t here that long,” I consoled. “It was just the meal at the pack house to meet you all and Alpha Erik.”
“I hope it won’t be too hard for you to contact us from…” Mother choked on her words and held her hand over her mouth. Father reacted immediately, rubbing her back and whispering soothingly. They were a beautiful example of what a mated pair should be like, and I could only hope for the same with Belenus and me.
I waited until she steadied herself before answering. “I promise I will do everything I can to sort that out. Remember our Ragna’s a queen now, and there’s no way she’s letting me go any length of time without news!” I grinned and reached over to pat her hand.
“What you pups have been through is remarkable,” my father said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Ragna’s banishment, the search for Rakel, and our little Soley—a vessel for the barkin’ Sun God. That tiny, submissive little thing!” My father thumped the table with a finger. “I gotta say, I’m so proud of you little she-wolves!” He wiped a tear away with a growl and shoveled some ham into his mouth. “The lot of you are warriors!” It had been exclaimed with a mouth full of food, but he was far too emotional to care.
“I just can’t believe they’ve all had to leave the pack,” Mother said with a sigh. “You all found your fated mates, but they couldn’t be brought here…”
“Definitely not,” I replied.
“It’s better this way,” my brother added calmly. “Go out, see the world, learn new things. I think it’s exciting.”
Mother rounded on him. “Nuh-uh! I don’t care if your fated mate is a blessed mermaid! You’re not leaving me too!”
Pretty much the entire table erupted into laughter. My poor mother.
***
Alpha Erik arrived at the hour he said he would, and he escorted me to the edge of pack territory, my parents in tow. My mother held my hand in a death grip, and though it threatened to go numb, I let her do it. She was clearly as stressed as I.
Actually, I’m going to need that paw to work, Eventide informed, and I chuckled quietly.
Just walk it off. You’ll be fine, I replied to my wolf. You said all your byes too?
I did… and I’d be a crying mess if it were possible. But. We. Will. Be. Ok!
Alpha Erik slowed, and I sensed the border as we approached it—the edge of our pack’s territory. It smelled different out there, felt different, but I knew some of what to expect. I’d left this place several times in my life—briefly. The first had been when the Sky Gods possessed me to aid Ragna. The time after that? That was when Rakel had been abducted. Soley and I had left together to find her, unwilling to lose yet another member of our sub-pack. Then we’d visited the Earth Gods’ sanctuary. And then there had been the coronation…
Ragna had become our queen, Soley was now a rogue she-wolf living in the Lunar Coven, and Rakel had the grand beta to help her heal at the castle. I was the last to leave for a new home. Being the last, I suspected I felt the most guilt.
My alpha’s stern face softened as he looked down at me. “It’s a shame to lose yet another exceptional wolf, Hekla,” he said, crossing his arms, thinking the exact same thing that plagued me.
“I’m sorry, Alpha,” I apologized with all the sincerity I could muster and bowed my head in submission. “I felt like I had to make an impossible decision.”
“I can’t even imagine.” He shook his head. “I don’t hold it against you. It’s one thing to find a fated mate, but it’s another thing to leave behind everything you know.”
“I am… scared,” I confessed, and my mother released my hand to give me some space.
“The fae should be the ones scared,” Alpha Erik asserted. “They will have a wolf in their woods.” Even though he delivered them seriously, the words were meant to comfort. “As much as you’ll want to blend in, never, ever forget about what sets you apart, Hekla. Use the tools they do not have, and do not let them know your weaknesses. You’ll have to sort out who the predators and the prey are yourself. Do so carefully, because a buck you aim to hunt can still kill you.”
Even though I was about to leave his pack, he continued to look out for me. That hit pretty damn hard. I wiped a tear from my eye and nodded, letting him know I’d heard every word. After that, the separation was performed without ceremony. I barely heard him speak as he severed my connection to the pack, and I stumbled into my father’s grip, reeling.
Emotional and physical turmoil assailed me before the isolation could settle. The way Ragna had described it was accurate; a place that I never knew existed was suddenly empty. I felt hollow, scraped out. I hated it. Was this to be the rest of my life? How would I ever get used to this? Oh gods, how?
I called upon every ounce of control I had to not cry because I knew my family was doing the same. We were all trying to be strong for everyone else, but I knew we’d individually shattered. No, I felt more than shattered. My shards of glass had been ground back into sand and left to scatter in the wind. A part of my identity had just disappeared—all to be with my fated mate, one I barely knew.
Everyone embraced me for the last time, their warmth fighting my urge to hurry. Mother shook and shivered, and I knew that the sooner I left, the sooner she could let out her grief. After a last round of goodbyes, I departed from the only place I’d ever called home. I hoped that my family could find comfort with my friends’ families because I honestly had no idea when I’d ever see them again. I had another realm to call home now.
***
It'd been a fair journey from my old pack to the castle of the lycan king and the wolf queen, but since becoming the vessel of the Sky Gods, I’d become a good deal stronger. Being the vessel wasn’t what made me stronger; it was the days of traveling I’d undertaken with Soley that’d tightened up muscles. Survival was a brutal trainer.
Finally! We’re here! Oh, I can’t wait to see our sub-pack! I just want to goof off and lie around in the sun! Eventide cried.
I shifted a short distance from the castle and smiled while I dressed, looking forward to the planned reunion. It had been a while since we’d last gathered. I couldn’t really count the cult battleground and Ragna’s sanctuary since we had all still been in the thick of it, and the coronation had been a short affair. A relaxing day with our she-wolves before a life-changing realm hop was just what we needed!
I approached the castle guards and hailed, “Good afternoon! I am here to see Queen Ragna. She’s expecting me. My name’s Hekla Himinn, vessel of the Sky Gods.”
The guards brightened at the mention of the gods and allowed me to pass. An escort met me once I entered the castle, and she walked me to where the wolf queen awaited.
“Thank you, by the way, for your part in freeing the Moon Goddess,” the guard said quietly. “Because all the fated mate bonds got sorted back to normal, I met my mate two weeks ago, and we couldn’t be happier.” She patted her belly over her armor. “Think we’ve already gotten with pups too.”
I gasped quietly and discreetly said, “Congratulations! That’s wonderful news! Yes, I’m so happy that catastrophe is over. Embrace your new life and move forward with confidence.” I nodded, smiling widely. Every new fated mating brought me the most intense sensation of joy, and I hung on to it ferociously. It helped ease the sting of the rocky start I was having with my own fated mate.
When we arrived at a garden, three over-sugared she-wolves ambushed me.
“HEKLA!” the small redhead screamed.
“You’ve got a twig in your hair…” the blonde said wryly, trying to hold me still while performing surgery.
“You’re finally here!” the brunette breathed excitedly.
I’d almost fallen over from their attack and laughed heartily as they fawned over me. Had we all been in our wolf forms, we’d have been a pile of slobbering, whining, barking rapscallions. I made several attempts to calm everyone, but she-wolves would be she-wolves, and I was apparently sorely missed.
Finally, Ragna pulled everyone back and gestured to a picnic blanket surrounded by the autumn bloom and lightly littered by fallen leaves. We settled down and gawked at the spread of food. It had everything a she-wolf could want! I hovered over mouthwatering prime cuts of bison, fresh fish, nourishing greens, and fruit. Also, there was dessert… lots and lots of dessert.
Ragna gestured to a low table in the middle of the blanket and poured four cups of tea. We each grabbed one and waited patiently for her toast. She pressed her lips together in thought and looked away to find the right words.
Finally and decisively, she nodded. “Today is a day of great import! We celebrate our friendship and recognize that we will always be pack in our hearts, no matter the distance. Tomorrow, our dear friend Hekla leaves for her greatest adventure yet.” Ragna wiped a tear from her eye and regained her royal poise.
“Don’t cry, Ragna. You’re going to make me cry!” Soley whined, squirming in her dress.
“Which will make me cry,” Rakel warned, “because nothing is sadder than a crying Soley.”
“T-tomorrow,” Ragna continued, taking a deep breath, “Hekla will be escorted to the Realm of the Fae to live with her fated mate, General Belenus of the fae’s Summer Court! We wish her safe travels, a cozy home, and a wild night of mating and marking!” The last part brought some giggles to the group, and my cheeks heated from the sheer thought of being naked with Belenus.
“I am dying to know what he’s hiding under his armor.” I grinned impishly, daydreaming.
Everyone took a sip of the tea, and Soley had to have her say. “May Belenus finally get the courage to look upon a sexy, naked she-wolf!” she toasted, and I laughed along with the others, albeit a little weakly.
We all took another sip, and Rakel cleared her throat. “So that they can finally do more than kiss, great gods,” she toasted dryly, but I winced at that one. Rakel frowned and lowered her cup when she noticed the change in mood. “Gods! I’m sorry, Hekla! I shouldn’t have assumed… I mean, I haven’t kissed Rude either. You were just so aggressive about it, I thought for sure you’d have gotten him to cave by now…”
“He still insists on courting me… slowly,” I mumbled, staring into my steaming drink.
“How long are fae courtships?” Ragna asked with a puzzled look on her face.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve only seen him a couple of times, and that was to get things sorted for my move. At first, I was really confident about it, but as time passes… what if he rejects me? What if he’s just buying time to gather the courage?” I asked my she-wolves, baring my fears before them.
“Not possible!” Soley exclaimed with a fervent shake of her head that sent her curls flying.
“He was desperately wanting to find his fated mate when the bonds were all messed up, Hekla,” Ragna reminded, propping her head up with a fist.
“Yeah, when he thought you were his mate,” I replied, gesturing to her. “What if he preferred you? What if he’s disappointed that I’m his mate instead?”
Rakel gawked at me like I was a complete stranger. “Hekla, I can’t believe what I’m hearing! I’ve never seen you so out of sorts before. Where’s our confident Hekla gone?”
“It’s just… more and more time has passed since we met. I’m starting to doubt his enthusiasm,” I replied, doing everything I could to hold back tears. My eyes stung horribly from the fight. The novel insecurities that had grown over time—that I’d tried to ignore—encroached.
“The mate bond really does make you vulnerable, and you’ve both been apart for too long without marking,” Ragna said thoughtfully and reached over to hold my hand. Hers were warm but nowhere near as warm as her heart. “Remember yourself, Hekla. This isn’t like you. You’re the most levelheaded of us. I need you to keep asking yourself what you would do, ok? We can visit each other, but you’re going to have to rely on your strengths.”
I sighed and wiped my sweaty palms on my thighs. “Right, sorry. I’m just so nervous. First, I leave my pack, and now I have to leave my realm! With someone I barely know! I’ve been more than obvious with my desires… I’m tiring without results…” I thought I was beautiful enough to seduce him, but it seemed he had more restraint than a male wolf.
“Trust in Belenus,” Ragna said as she rubbed my back, trying her hardest to soothe me. “There’s a reason why the Moon Goddess paired you two. Look at all the work she had in store for Zorian and me before we even knew we were fated mates. My goodness, I still wonder how we survived all that!”
“I’m hoping it won’t be quite that intense,” I said with a chuckle, wiping a rogue tear from my eyelash.
“We will come visit,” Rakel promised, patting my knee. “We’ve seen him look sweetly upon you once. We’ll witness with our own eyes how much he cares about you.” She then went wide-eyed with Ragna, and they both doubled over into a fit of snorty laughter.
“What?” I asked with a nervous chuckle. “Trail being inappropriate again?”
Ragna scratched her ear and cleared her throat. “She just wanted to say he totally likes you. We’ve seen th-the way his p-pants look at y-you!” She barely managed to get the sentence out of her mouth before bursting into laughter. The rest of us were in stitches for a good five minutes.
“It’s true,” Soley said, giggling nonstop and wiping tears from her eyes. “He’s always adjusting his pants around you, especially when you’re being a horny tease.”
I smiled a little to myself. “Perhaps I’m just thinking too much.” Goddess, it was true there had been a lot of time to ruminate. Too much, admittedly.
“What are the fae like, anyway? We only saw Belenus,” Soley asked, tilting her head at Ragna while she dug into a piece of bison. The rest of us began to fill our plates.
“Oh goddess,” Ragna said and looked away to think. “Just as diverse as us, really. The women at the court are kind of… competitive, though. They kept trying to get Zorian’s attention and attempted to embarrass me by asking how many lovers I had. Just shut those females down, Hekla. They’re not even worth your time.”
“Well, it’s nice advice, but I doubt I’ll ever be at court,” I replied with a laugh. “Belenus is a general, so his house is probably in the surrounding city, if it’s set up like our castles.”
“Ah… yes. That’s right.” Ragna fiddled with a strand of her hair. “A general. No, I haven’t been to the city. Your guess is as good as mine, I suppose.”
Rakel sighed. “I wish we could have a run together. We still haven’t done that, have you realized?”
“That’s true,” Ragna replied apologetically and grimaced. “Once again, I’m keeping us from doing that, aren’t I? Sorry, my she-wolves.”
“Let’s just plan on doing it after you deliver your litter!” Soley stated cheerily. “It’ll be safe then.”
“We’ll make an event of it.” I grinned, glad for the distraction. “We’ll have a party at the following full moon and let our wolves go nuts!” I nudged her playfully. “Get you started on losing that pup weight!”
“Hey!” she snapped, barely able to contain her smile, and threw a piece of fish at me. I snatched it victoriously out of the air and popped it in my mouth, grinning like a scamp.
***
I woke the following morning after a late night with my she-wolves, barely prepared for my visitor. Ragna came running into the guest room with a pile of clothes and jumped on my bed. For a moment, I had no idea where I was, surrounded by mostly foreign scents, but her excited howl snapped me to attention.
“Wake up! Today is the day, Belenus’s mate!” she crowed. “Get up so we can put you in something sexy! The servants are bringing up breakfast!”
“Oh my gods!” I sat up a little too fast, and my vision greyed for a heartbeat. “Am I running late?”
“Nope! We have just enough time!” She pulled on my arm to get me out of bed. “Go bathe!”
I did just that, hurrying to get ready. Each minute poured more nervousness into me until I felt like screaming. When I was clean, but no less frazzled, I joined the wolf queen to regard my seducing options.
“I wonder what Belenus likes. Think he likes breasts or bottoms? Legs maybe?” Ragna pondered, eyeing me thoughtfully. “You have it all, though. My mate likes breasts, but I’ve noticed he enjoys me in leggings. Fae women do wear dresses, though. Should we put you in a dress? I don’t know… What do you think?”
I glowed under Ragna’s zealous efforts and thought about her question. I preferred leggings and tunics, but if I was entering a new realm, perhaps I’d make a better first impression if I tried to blend in with their culture. I could put my discomfort aside for a while. I was sure that as long as I was with Belenus, I’d be happy anyway.
“Maybe a dress then, just to be safe.” I nodded decisively.
“With a low décolletage!” Ragna said with a feral grin. “I learned that word recently. It’s like how you display your breasts… I think. Something like that.” She dismissed the uncertain explanation with a wave of her hand, a gesture I didn’t recall her using before meeting Zorian. She then dug into the pile of clothes and laid out several dresses. One was a pretty teal, and the other a sunny yellow. She pulled out a third in a vibrant coral. The lycan fashion differed from what the wolves wore, and they definitely had access to superior fabric. Caressing the elaborate embroidery, I knew that I’d always keep whatever I picked here, even if it no longer fit. Everything from here on out would be mostly tailored by fae.
“What do you think?” the wolf queen mused with a finger on her lips.
I held them all up to the mirror and agonized over the decision. “They all look nice…” I said, frowning. “Which one has the lowest décolletage?” I riffled through them and landed on the sunny yellow one.
“That one!” Ragna agreed and giggled as she helped me into it. The laces were confusing, but she showed me how to tighten them.
“Don’t overtighten. I made that mistake once and almost fainted at a banquet,” she cautioned and ran to the door to let the servant bring in several trays of food.
“My favorite…” I remarked, feeling sentimental at the sight of waffles and strawberries. Ragna was as thoughtful as always.
“And these will be here for you every single time you visit!” she exclaimed, shoving a syrupy forkful into her mouth. Overwhelmed and a touch speechless, I gave her an affectionate side hug. These were all lovely distractions, and she was the most wonderful friend for her efforts.
“I’m going to miss you,” I eventually confessed. “We only just reunited.”
“It will be ok, Hekla. It’s ok to be scared, and it’s ok to miss people. Remember,” she said emphatically, “we will always be pack here!” She thumped a fist against her chest. “Always and forever.”
