A Healer's Pain: Celestial Wolves Book 1✔

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Oh, sorry." Nia hurried out of the way. "Come in."

Adelyn was graceful, in that polished way that came naturally to aristocratic people. Her rich brown hair fell in waves to her shoulder in an expensive cut and her clothes screamed money even though they were just jeans and a t-shirt.

Next to her Nia felt frumpy. Lex's sleep wrinkled t-shirt hung off one shoulder and she just knew she looked even skinnier in its bulk. A self conscious hand wove through her hair in an effort to put it in some semblance of order. Lucky the moon goddess had done something to detangle their hair, otherwise she'd add an odd wince to her first impression.

Was she supposed to order this poised, confident girl around. "Please sit," she invited. "And excuse me while a freshen up a bit."

"Of course." Adelyn replied as she flowed down onto the sofa. Even her name was beautiful, elegant.

Nia's steps felt awkward as she walked back to her bedroom. Once there she hurried into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Oh goddess, she'd answered the door before she'd brushed them or washed the sleep off her face!

Looking into the mirror she thanked the moon for her natural tan, otherwise she'd look more wan than she already did. With a wry laugh she rinsed off, remembering the doom and gloom she'd been projecting and how fast she'd abandoned it all because she felt intimidated by her beta.

Deciding a five minute shower wouldn't be that rude, she dashed in and marked the time as it moved to be done in just under. She was rather proud of that as she quickly changed into a pale yellow sundress, black leggings and a black cardigan with her black Uggs to complete the look.

Even though it was the height of summer, Nia found she was more often cold than comfortable despite were tolerance for the cold. "This is as good as it gets." She told herself as she returned to the sitting room.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." She apologized as she took the armchair close to Adelyn.

"That's alright." The other girl replied with a genuine smile that made Nia feel better.

"So you're my beta." She stated. "I have to say that's a little hard for me adjust to." Nia added, deciding to just come out and say it. Maybe it'd help her stop feeling so awkward.

Adelyn laughed and Nia thought she sensed relief in that laughter. With that Nia realized she hadn't been feeling anything from her before and was now relying on common sense. Was the other girl shielding or were Nia's shields back to being effective?

"I've had all my life to get used to it but..." she shrugged. "I mean everyone here is so used to the Beta pair having a son only, or as a firstborn I'm a bit of an oddity." She dropped her eyes to the hands she had clasped on her lap. "Maybe now that you're here..." once again she left the statement unfinished.

Nia though, heard the unfinished thought as if it had been said. '....I'll finally fit in.'

Compassion welled up inside Nia, but she didn't want her beta to feel even more self conscious so she gave her a soft smile. "Well, I'm glad you're here and I hope we can be friends."

The smile Adelyn returned was beautiful, more because of the hopeful relief that infused it than anything else. Her beautiful face shifted somehow until she looked younger, her posture losing some of its rigidity. Nia hadn't realized until then how tense the other girl was.

They were quite a pair, Nia thought. A luna who wasn't allowed to fight and her beta who appeared not to have the authority she should.

"So tell me about yourself." Nia invited.

"I'm not really much of a fighter." She stated and Nia didn't find that surprising. "I mean, I can hold my own against the other betas, male or female, but I'd rather not fight. I'm more at home with old manuscripts, doing research and reading anything really."

"That's amazing," Nia enthused. "I think I'd like to do some research on a few things."

"I would love to help you." She agreed then went on her knees before Nia.

Indecision froze Nia as she met the supplicant eyes of her beta. Was this normal? She had no idea what the girl was doing and silently cursed her aunt for keeping her away from the pack. Until she remembered there was a strong possibility she had been the moon goddess.

"I'm honored to be your beta and pledge my loyalty to you above any other individual." Adelyn said, lowering her head in the way of old.

Nia was speechless, what was she supposed to say to that?

She felt her wolf stir, then rise to take over. She offered no resistance as it spoke through her lips with a formal tone she could never have pulled off. "I am honored by your vow and pledge never to betray your loyalty."

"My luna," she bowed even deeper before standing up with a radiant smile. "Oh," Luna Althea wants us to go to New York to shop for you and your sisters." She added as an afterthought.

"What?"

"You are going to become official members of the pack tomorrow, so you will need proper clothes."

"But New York?" Nia questioned, still stunned.

"Well Paris would be better, but its a longer trip than we have time for." She looked at her watch. "We have only an hour and thirteen minutes to get to the airfield."

Nia had no purse to fetch, no possessions really, so she allowed Adelyn to lead her out of the suite. Her sisters were already in the kitchen, Lola standing by the sink with her hands folded and a suspicious look on her face. Rya sat on a stool close to Lola, her head bowed so her hair covered her face.

Nia walked over to Rya and brushed the hair aside. Maybe her wolf was still influencing her as even though she was herself, the formality she'd experienced with her beta was still there.

As Rya looked up to her, Nia lay her forehead against hers, her hand holding the back of Rya's neck. "May peace find you this sunrise." She intoned.

Rya's eyes widened for a fraction before she became as formal. "May the sunset find you prosperous." She replied, her voice stronger than Nia had heard in a while.

When Nia straightened they stared at each other for a moment, an acknowledgement of their bond that didn't need words. Until the moon had shown up, Nia had wondered at how they'd come to trust each other so implicitly, now she accepted it.

Lola watched her with rounded eyes, the mutinous look of before long forgotten. Nia held her gaze, aware of the fact that somehow what she was doing was momentous.

"The earth finds a path for you, as the stars guide your steps." The words were ancient, Nia could not even guess at what they implied, but they were relevant in the moment.

"The sun and moon shine their blessings on you." Lola finished, her voice bringing out the fullness of the ancient blessing.

A sense of something inevitable infused the air, a path set in motion to draw all choice towards it. Shivers ran down Nia's spine, she straightened.

"Nothing is inevitable." Lola said, somehow knowing her thoughts.

Nia smiled at her.  What could she say? The certainty burned in her bones but Lola sensed the passage of time and events. Yet even as she said that Nia could see the uncertainty in her.

HAPPY 2019 EVERYONE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.