The North

Chapter 9

I shifted uneasily, annoyed they spoke so openly about my health in front of all their friends. Even Fionnlagh and his group had fallen quiet to listen in. Eventually they would notice I kept skipping invites to run with them, or avoided being asked to go at all, but feigning illness would get me out of it this time.

“I do feel quite warm,” I said, pulling at the neckline of my dress. “My head hurts too.”

Pity shone in both Mother and Oighrig’s eyes, the tension between us fading away. It hurt to lie to them but I couldn’t tell them the truth.

Walking around the table, I pressed a kiss to my aunt’s cheek and one to my mother’s. Her warm hand grabbed mine before I could retreat to my room, and I almost crumbled under the look in her eye. It was near impossible to fool a mother-wolf; even Oighrig eyed me with the knowledge something in my nature had shifted since we’d arrived here.

“What troubles you? I’m told you spend your days wandering the halls like some spectral aibhse.”

To bring up Mànas or Aonghas would only dull the twinkle in her eye. So I smiled until my cheeks hurt and kissed her cheek once more. “Nothing, a Mhàthair. I find the building and its walls intriguing, I’ve found out a lot about how it was built and how it’s maintained. I’ll check on the pups, shall I? They should be asleep by now.”

I backed away slowly, and though her eyes narrowed, she let my hand slip from hers.

The whole walk to the door, eyes followed with no attempt to be inconspicuous but I kept my gaze straight ahead. I wished I had the ability of my family to integrate so well. A small part of me couldn’t help but wonder if my run in with Ingrid had anything to do with wolves giving me a wide berth.

My steps quickened and my hands fisted by my sides. With rage and an aching loneliness coursing through me, it was interesting to take note of the wolves who stepped aside at my approach, and those who demanded I do so for them. It was a quick way of finding my place in the new pack hierarchy, that was for certain. Even some of the hulking warriors decided moving out of my way was a better decision than to test my teeth.

By the time I climbed the stairs and was at my parents' bedroom door, I’d worked out some of my frustration, and seeing the sleeping faces of Anndra and Niamh was like a bucket of cold water over burning skin. After a few seconds of watching them, I smiled to see a small twitching tail that had to belong to Seumas.

Maybe I couldn’t go for a run and stretch my legs, but I could shake out my fur and curl around the dreaming pups for a while.

“Psst!”

I froze halfway through the door, questioning my hearing until I heard the noise again, echoing from the top of the winding stairs.

“Psst!”

With an eyebrow raised, I leaned back to see Astrid standing there, summoning me over with frantic waves of her hand. It felt as if I hadn’t seen her in days though we’d spoken briefly this morning. Closing the door gently, I hastened towards her. If it weren’t for the shimmer in sky blue eyes, I’d have thought she was in possession of some tragic news to share with how impatient she was.

“Your mother said you left looking quite upset and think you are in need of company. The patrol is about to go out for the night, do you want to come with us?”

Sighing mournfully, I leaned against the stone wall. “You know Alpha Hati requested I stay inside the castle until he decides otherwise.”

“Well,” she sang, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I am to see to the well-being of the pack, and I say you need to let yourself run free for an hour or two. Hati won’t be mad if he knows you’re with me and other seasoned hunters, if he need find out about all.”