Watching in the Wind

Chapter 5

-Tala-

Last night I couldn't form any thoughts or proper words. My wolf took over and gods, it was amazing. Her confession and wanting me to be her first and last still pulls at my heart. I am waking up to a new reality of life. She will be bound to another by the authority of the elders. I can't stop it, I don't know what will happen. I saw the struggle in her mind slip away last night. She had given herself completely to me. Now, that internal struggle... sanity versus the wild wolf in my brain is hindering me. I have been awake for a while watching her sleep. I had always wondered what she felt like, sounded like, looked like in the mornings. Now that I have experienced it, how do I walk away? She has given me a taste of a life I dreamed and also, inadvertently, has the wild wolf clawing at the surface. I am lost in my thoughts when I hear her voice.

"Tala?" She says.

I smile down to her, she has no clue what she does to me.

"My luna," I say to her. Her smile grows knowing she is my queen.

"As wonderful as that is to hear, I know the fight in your head this morning," She says. I am confused, maybe I was in my mind longer than I realized. She runs her hands over my chest and it comes to rest over my heart. "I will always be yours,"

I pull her closer if possible and hug her tight to me.

"How am I supposed to let you go?" I ask quietly. I feel her body tense which causes mine to tense as well.

"I don't know," she says.

We lay together in peace for a while. When the time comes to get up and for her to get ready I feel completely on edge. I need to get out of here so I don't suffocate from the air that is being stolen from just one look from her.

"I'll leave you to get ready," I say.

She nods her head and her face shows she is struggling like I am. Not wanting to leave our tiny world we created, our safe universe. I don't want to but I need to talk to Herrick. I gently kiss her and place my forehead to hers. Needing reassurance in all that is bound between us.

"Same moon and sun..." I start.

"Same stars to follow when lost," she finishes.

Another quick kiss and I leave. I will see her at the ceremony and after we will say our goodbyes.

I walk to Herrick's home and I knock on his door. Standing on the edge of emotions. When he opens the door he seems confused.

"Tala?" Herrick says.

"A word please?" I ask.

He shows me in and leads me to his office. We take a seat and he stares me down. Swallow pride, be bold, be loud about what is important to me.

"I..." I start.

"Love her," He finishes. I can only nod my head. "I know, everyone sees it. I will tell you as I told her. I will never love her, not like you. It would be only as a friend."

"What if that changes?" I ask.

"It won't," Herrick says firmly.

"I am not confident enough in that. Once you get to know her it is hard not to fall in love," I say firmly back.

"Tell me Tala, why do you love her?" he asks.

"She calms the wild wolf in me. Makes me feel serene and alive at the same time. Kind and loyal. She was my best friend, one I did everything with as a child. I never saw her as the Chief's daughter and she never saw me as the weird boy. I love her because she is connected to me in spirit and always has been." I state.