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"Iona, come on, wake up, sváss," gently patting her cheeks between each word, Egil tried to get her to come to. Holding her as if soothing a sleeping babe, he kissed her forehead while pleading her to wake up with a whisper.
She had lost conciousness after hours of agonizing pain, but not until her beast had taken over her mind and gotten both of them through the shift. He knew how the shift goes, he had seen it many times during his life, yet not one of those times would compare to this.
Watching his máni weep, cry and scream in nothing but pain, all the while her bones cracked and twisted, was the most horrifying moment of his life. He took comfort in the single thought he had; him being here, made it at least a little bit easier for her.
She recognized him, immediately. After the aftershocks of her shift, the wolf lifted her nose and took a sniff. She sprang towards him, nuzzled her nose against his neck and whined. She seeked comfort from her máni, and Egil happily gave it to her. Only if the human side would wake up, and feel the full potential of their bond for herself.
The wolf in her was beautiful, almost the exact replica of her father with the grey fur with black and white patches, only she had white socks on her paws. She was not small, which made Egil question who her mother truly was, again.
It was only natural, that a pup of a warrior would hold some size above regular pack members, but she was close to Egil's size, if he took a guess. Her mother would have to have been someone above others in her birth pack, but no one knew where she came from.
Egil stilled, when Iona furrowed her brows, relaxing only when her facial expression returned to the peaceful one it had held before. He wished for her to wake up, but also wished that they could stay right where they were, forever.
She was tucked in to his arms, cuddled in like a babe seeking comfort from a loving parent, only he was not a parent. Oh, no he was the one who would do things for her no other would ever do. Granted, Viggo would die for her, but so would any parent for their child.
But Egil would be there for her through all, even if it meant fighting every damn beast, God and giant to ever exist. He would be there for the good and bad, the most perfect days and the most terrible nights. He would steal Máni from the sky if she asked him, would take her to Asgård to visit the Gods if she so wished.
He would do what no man has ever done, as long as he would some day hear her say "ek elska þik," to hear her confess her love for him.
Suddenly, Iona gasped for air and rose up in his arms. Egil sprung in to action, and began to sooth her. Rubbing circles in to her back, whispering how everything would be alright and how beautiful her beast is, she gathered herself.
She paused, stilling before slowly turning to face Egil. Her eyes were looking at his hands that were still holding her tucked in to him, and inch by inch she lifted those bright blue doe eyes to meet his, and the full power of their bond hit them.
It took both of their breath away, to feel that instant trust, admiration, lust and need for one another. Devotion and determination to have the person by their side for everything, the need to be everything for one another.
He could see it in her eyes, she was scared to hold these emotions, but it was not surprising. She went through Hel and back with Jarl Gunnarson, but no more.
"Wh-what?" The confusion was devastatingly clear in her eyes, which was a small dissapointment to Egil. Why is she questoning our bond? Then, realization slips in to those gorgeous eyes of hers, and she gasps. "You knew."
It does not take the wisest man in the pack to know what she was referring to. He knew she was his máni, and now he would have much to clear for her. "I did," He said without any waver in his voice, implying that he was not nervous, but damn it he was. His heart was close to espacing his chest, his lungs were having to expand themselves to their fullest capasity just so that the oxyden would keep his head clear.
Still in his arms, she began to move and Egil was prepared for her to leave is embrace. Only, she moved to straddle him, confusing and shocking him in the most pleasant of ways. "Why did I not feel it before? I have seen you many times, but this is different." As if she did not control her hands, they began to absently draw little circles around his shoulders.
Still shocked, Egil kept his hands to themselves no matter how much he wished to ravage her right there in that secluded cave. "It is the beast. Humans have a harder time finding their destined pair, their instincts do not support it like they do with us.
I met you for the first time, when your father brought you to the völva's house. Your father and I agreed that after everything you went through," she flinched, and he could not withold the apology. "I am sorry, for everything you suffered, you did not deserve it. We agreed that meeting you then, would only cause you more harm. You needed time. Your beast was still hiding, meaning you would not have been able to see or feel what I have for all these months. It would have only confused you more, and we feared that it would lead to you running away from not only me, but your father as well."
Silence ate the air around them, only the cracks and pops from the small fire could be heard. She stared him in the eyes all this time, and her eyes turned teary at the end. Suddenly, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him in to a long waited, much needed hug.
She quickly pulled back though, and Egil already longed for the warmth she produced when near him. His beast whined inside, reaching for his máni, and surprisingly she answered back. She sent comfort back, silencing the whines of the loving beast inside of Egil, who wished nothing more but to keep her near, through Hel and beyond.
"Th-thank you. It is all I can say, for you do not know how much it tells me, that you and father care," the most beautiful smile was gifted to him when she spoke, but then her smile turned sad. "But Viggo was right, I needed, no, I need time. I know how fast mother and father embraced their bond, and how fast all the rest do it, too. But I am not them, I had no safe place to call home or safe people to hold me. I had only him, and he still torments me.
"I can not jump in to this. I am sorry for dissapointing you, bu-"
"What? Sváss, you do not dissapoint me. Never would, never could. You are my moon, minn máni, I will wait for you. I only ask of you to give in to us little by little. We could start training together, having feasts with each other sitting side by side, or now that you can feel her, we can hunt together," he spoke the truth. He would wait, he had no rush. At the age of 29, he had no need for quick bondings, or a rush to start a life as one. He only wanted for her to not shut him out, but to allow him near even if it did mean that he would still be lurking in the shadows, watching her from afar.
A hesitant smile was all she gave him, and then a nod. "I can do that, minn máni," she whispered.
