Wolf Moon Ritual
Chapter 8

Arora’s POV

It had been a whole 24 hours since I had last saw Alex, anytime I left my room is when he had left the cabin. I can’t say I didn’t want to see him because that would be been a lie. I was grateful for some space though even when we were confined in the same space.

The cabin’s interior was rustic, all rich woods and plush cream cushions and rugs. The same black metal hinges and bolts, I had seen in the main house fixed the doors and furniture together. It was beautiful and cosy and he was right I did feel safe here. The picturesque views went on for miles and the mountains made it easy to see if anything were headed this way.

I caught sight of him outside here and there, twice to be exact. The first time he were chopping logs with an axe. I had to gulp trying the moisten my dry mouth as I watched his muscles flex in his arms, chest and back with every swing. I could sense he knew I was there, by the elevation in his heart rate, but didn’t look my way. The second time was when he was under the bonnet of his beloved car, that I now know is a Mustang thanks to Cole. The grease smeared on his skin, and sweat glistening in the hot sun light had me biting my lower lip and again dried my mouth out and I had to squeeze my legs together tightly. I wanted his hands on me again, pulling me firmly to his hard torso, my hands exploring his body.

“Hey you okay?” Shay’s voice interrupted my wanton monolog. “Yea.” I choked out, mouth dryer that I thought. “What you looking at?” She asked and saw it wasn’t a what but a who. I turned away from her in embarrassment that she had caught me red handed. “It’s okay to look at your mate ya know.” She giggled. “He’s a good guy.” She rolled her eyes at her own admission. “Most of the time.” Plonking herself on the sofa I went to join her. Since being her Shay had been nothing but nice and welcoming towards me, asking if I were okay or going out of her way to include me in things. She had become the only friend I had, Cole were nice to me but I could tell he were on guard and kept his distance.

“Why is he mean to me? I though having a mate would be different.” I fidgeted with my fingers. “I don’t know. I asked Cole about it but he just told me to let it go.” She admitted. Maybe she didn’t know, or she just wasn’t saying. “He kisses me yesterday and ignoring me today.” I confessed. “I don’t know how to feel. I feel like I need him deep in my bones. How do I get rid of this feeling?”

It was unfair of me to drop this on her but I didn’t know much about being a wolf or having a mate. Seeing her and Cole together, and how perfect they were, sent rage boiling my blood. Why weren’t he like that with me? Her eyes went soft with understanding and she looked hesitant to tell me. “That feeling is your wolf. Your instructs are telling you to mate with him, and finish the claiming process.”

My jaw hit the floor. Mate with him, claiming process? It was all so overwhelming that my head span. “I don’t know what you mean?” I gulped. Did I really want more information? “Look, don’t worry about it now. Just get to know him. The way he claimed you wasn’t really the way we do things but it happened. So you will have to do things in reverse.” Her hands were all over the place as she explained, making me even more dizzy. I grabbed her hands pressing them into her lap.

She smiled, silently thanking me for stopping her ramble. “How do you not know these things?” She asked a question I thought she would have asked sooner. I didn’t know if it was right to tell her or not but I did anyway. These people were protecting me right? “I was separated from my pack as a small child, raised basically on the run by my mother’s friend dodging some bad people. Survival and escaping was more important than learning what being a wolf was all about.” Concern was plastered all over her face, pity mixed in there too. Which I hated but whatever, wasn’t like I haven’t seen it before.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” She squeezed my arm. “Wasn’t your fault.” I shrugged off her hand and stood up. “Let’s go make dinner.” I said and she smiled while pulling me with her to the kitchen. I didn’t know much about cooking a meal but now was a good a time as any to learn. Shay taught me the recipe for a simple roast. First we prepped the meat, rubbing spices into it and searing in in a hot pan before putting in the oven to bake with garlic and rosemary. The smell was already making my mouth water. The vegetables and potatoes were next, putting them in pans and switching on the gas, to get the water boiling.

I weighed out flour and measured milk as instructed. Shay passed me 3 eggs and a large mixing bowl and left me with the simple instruction of mix them all together. I poured the flour into the bowl followed by the milk and cracked each egg in, and began whisking. I have no idea what I did wrong but I ended up wearing some of the mixture on my face. A deep chuckle came from behind me as I huffed into the bowl and threw it down on the counter and turned to face the idiot laughing at me.

“Having trouble there Rose?” He peeked around me at the bowl behind me. “Shut up.” I snapped at him and resumed my whisking. I could feel him getting closer to me, my body tingling with his presence. I forced myself to focus on the task at hand but it was proving difficult.

“Here, let me show you.” He said from to close behind me. He placed his hand over mine on the whisk and the other around me and held the bowl. He lightly began flicking my wrist in a whisking motion and the content seemed to combine much better than I was doing it. He let me go and stepped back and I continued my prep for the yorkshire puddings. Apparently I’m going to love them, according to Shay.

I placed the bowl in the fridge to cool, it seemed off to me but Shay knew what she were doing so I didn’t question her. “You have erm… batter on your face.” He pointed before picking up a towel and gently wiping it off. “Thank you.” I looked down not able to meet his eyes.

“You cooking dinner? Because from what I just saw I don’t know if it will be edible.” He mocked as I frowned. “No Shay is, I’m just helping… Sort of.” I admitted glancing up to meet his stare. I was lost in those chocolate brown eyes as soon as I met them.

I cleared my throat not wanting a repeat of yesterday. “You should go clean up.” I gestured to him, instantly regretting looking at his perfectly muscled abs. They were just drool worthy, finally tearing my eyes away I found the washing up interesting. “Okay, I’ll see you in a bit then.” I nodded knowing my mouth was as dry as dust.

Dinner was served and easy conversation ensued, they laughed at old stories and bantered most the way through. I listened mostly, chipping in here and there but not really able to at any point. It was easy to see they had been friends all there lives and were never really apart. I helped Shay clear the table and the guys loaded the dishwasher and wiped round making the place spic-and-spam.

I looked up at the moon from the large floor to ceiling living room window. Having missed it’s amazingness for so long. I did this in my room last night, basking in it and letting my silent friend energise me. I even sneaked a few moments of nakedness, with no wondering and prying eyes in my room each night. I started to feel like me again, like I was missing a big part of my being while stuck in the shadow of that attic.

I turned to three sets of eyes staring at me. Self-consciously I tried to make myself small, to become un-noticeable from their gaze and vanish. “Your glowing.” Shay whispered out. That made no sense. I looked down at myself and I didn’t see anything different, the moonlight touched my skin but that was it.

Still wanting to disappear I slowly started moving towards the west corridor wanting to escape to my bedroom. Cole stood in my path blocking me. Uncomfortable I tried to side step him but he moved with me. “Why… How are you glowing?” He asked astonished. “Please, let me pass.” I asked fear starting to raise in me. A few agonising seconds passed before he finally moved and let me flee.

“What was that?” I heard him ask the others as I reach my room. “She doesn’t know much about her wolf, she was never taught.” Shay revealed my confession to the other. “I know, she didn’t know how to turn back when I found her.” Alexander further elaborated, telling the others just how useless I was as a wolf. I didn’t want to hear anymore and closed the door on their conversation and locked it, as tears brimmed my eyes.

I cried myself to sleep that night, thinking about my past, my losses, and their judgements. Alex would never want me as a mate now he knew more about how useless I was. I would prove to be worthless to him, he was better off without me and marrying that other girl. I had to escape here, that’s what I needed to focus on now. I had to steel myself away, lock up all my emotions and just get the hell out of here.

Soft knocking woke me the next morning. “Rose, you up?” Shay’s beautiful voice called through the door. I stayed silent and soon she went away. The sun passed further across the sky and still I hadn’t moved. Another knock came but was a more masculine knock. “Hey Rose, wanna go for a run with me.” Cole’s easy tone filled the room. Although that was appealing I ignored him too. I knew I was wallowing in self-pity but I didn’t care.

“Rose, come on you haven’t eaten all day. Please open the door, I’m not leaving until you do.” Alex’s voice pleaded with me. I heard him shuffle about on the other side of the door. “Please Rose. At least talk to me.” My resolve wavered. “I’m not hungry or have anything to say.” I whispered, my voice rough from disuse.

“Got you talking though didn’t I?” He chuckled, but there were no humour to his laugh. “Please leave me alone.” A stronger rasp left my lips this time round. “Okay fine, but tomorrow were going for a run.” He barked before leaving and gong into his room, his door closing with a slam.

I looked at the clock as night had descended around the cabin. It was 2am, and my stomach had been growling at me for the past few hours. I pushed off the soft bedding and went to my door. I heard no one around and slowly unlocked and opened the door before peeked out. The refreshing cool breeze that washed over made me smile, and seek out the source.

I took my first steps outside my room and towards the kitchen, as I entered into the main living room, I stopped dead in my tracks. The front door were open wide, letting a fresh breeze cascade over my face. without thinking I walked towards the outdoors for the first time in days. It was freeing, and I didn’t stop until I was out in the night air. I closed my eyes loving the feeling of the chill night air rest on my skin. “You’re not meant to be outside.”

Releasing a startled scream and jumped away from the voice. My hand flying up to clutch my chest as my heart rate pounded in my ears. “You idiot, you almost gave me a heart attack.” I shouted at his silhouette. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” He chuckled, replaceing this amusing.

I took a deep breath calming myself. “It’s okay. I was hungry and then saw the door open. I just wanted to be in the open.” He nodded standing and walking my way. “Let’s get you something to eat then.” I crinkled my nose biting my lip. “Actually, if you don’t mind. Do you fancy that run now.” He looked back at me. Half of his face in the moonlight and half hidden in darkness, studying me.

“Sure, why not.” He stepped closer and off the porch in two bounds. Removing his shirt and throwing it back on the wooden bench he was previously sitting on and kicked off his converse. “You ready?” He asked backing away from me towards the forest. I looked at him nervous now, did he want to run with me in wolf form? “What’s the matter?” He teased. “You scared?”

I was a little, I wouldn’t be able to shift even if I wanted to. I looked down at my wrists and pushed them towards him so he would see the silver bracelets. Recognition in his eyes he walked back towards me, unwrapping them from each wrist with ease and pocketed them. I huffed when I had tried that they wouldn’t budge. “You wouldn’t be able to get them off yourself.” He answered my thoughts.

“Now come on, not getting any younger.” He pulled me along with him to the tree line. He pushed his shorts and boxers down in one quick motion. I turned quickly surprised he get naked so easily in front of me. “Really, it’s not like you haven’t already seen me naked before.” I sighed annoyed. The faint shimmer ticked my skin, the rich smell of pine and fresh rain wafted strongly towards me. I smiled as it surrounded me and made me feel protected and safe.

A quick whine had me turning back, my eyes dropping a little in search of him, only to replace a huge wolf were he last stood. His body was covered in hair, the colour of ash with a light blown patch on his left flank. His eyes the colour of golden hazel, I was in awe. I had seen his wolf through the mate link when we first met but this was nothing compare to that, this was amazing. He was amazing, pure strength and power.

He whines again pointing to something behind me with his nose. I followed his gaze, my eyes landing on a large boulder. “What about it?” I asked. He shook out his body, trying to tell me something. I looked back at the boulder and then to him. “Oh, you want me to change behind the rock. Got it.”

I walked myself behind it concealing myself from him and stripped out my pyjamas. Okay, now shift, I told myself. He whined again, this time knowing he was telling me to hurry up. I thought back to him telling me how to shift back to human and thought I‘d give it a shot if it works one way, then it should work the other right?

Centre yourself and feel the magic. When your heart and head are in the same place you will be able to make the change.

I felt myself changing, this time not at all painful, as I had known it before and in seconds landed on four paws. Giddy I jumped out from behind the boulder and pranced about. “You took your time.” I stopped and looked at him. Complete surprise taking over my mind.

His wolf grin told me he was amused at me again, the shame flooding back from last night. “I’m not laughing at you and you shouldn’t be ashamed. If you don’t know, you don’t know.” My jaw if it could, would have hit the floor.

“When you’re in wolf form. I can erm… I can hear everything you think. In time you will be able to learn to stop that, and only tell me what you want me to hear.” My mind reeled. I wouldn’t be able to hide anything from him. I train load of imagines some good, some bad and some so painful I could still feel the whip singe my flesh.

Panicked and not wanting to share anything with him I shifted back. Reaching out for the rock for support but it was too far away, I instead fell to my knees. Panting hard, a panic attack in full swing and my vision blurring. I tried to block it all out and calm myself.

Strong arms gripped me and held me tightly placing my head to his chest, holding my trembling form together as I fell apart. “Just breath. Listen to my heart beat. Just breath.” He repeated this over and over again in my ear not moving from my body. I calmed after several minutes and could now start to take deeper lungful’s of air. “What was all that?” He asked pulling back from me and staring deeply into my eyes.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I whispered holding tears in my eyes, but some escaped in long lines down my cheeks. I didn’t want to be any more vulnerable in front of him. “Okay. Do you want to try again?” I vigorously shook my head. “I’m kinda tired. I think I’m gunna go back to bed.” I tried to stand but by legs were to wobbly. Staggering to my left, he caught me and pulled me towards him again. “Let’s erm, just sit here for a bit while you gain your strength back.” He sat me back down next to him.

We sat in silence, staring into the distance. It was kinda romantic, being like this with him. I snuggled into his chest and sighed in contentment. “Why did you kiss me?” He stiffened before clearing his throat. “Because I wanted to.” His tone was harsh. “Really, that’s it? That’s the reason?” He shrugged. “Yea, your mine why wouldn’t I try to get some.” I gasped at his crudeness.

Shoving at his chest, I got to my feet and stumbled away from him and back into the house. I knew he was a jerk, why did I even start to think overwise. I was just his plaything. Something to pass the time before he got married, and even then I’d be around for whenever he wanted.

I threw myself back on my bed and planned on staying there until morning. I would start planning my escape tomorrow. He would rue the day he tried to make me his plaything and trap me in this prison.