Damon called her as soon as she landed in Portland.
"Elena finally transitioned," he announced, sounding calm enough that Esmeray had no doubts that this was true, even if it had taken awhile to hear about it. "She's doing a bit better."
"I'm really sorry I wasn't there," she sighed, moving her suitcases onto a small trolley and making her way to the exit. "I just landed, you called at the right time."
"Ah, don't worry, you told us you were gonna go and you did. I'm proud you stuck with your word and did what was best for you. Elena isn't going to feel resentful about that, she knows you'll be there for her if she needs you specifically. How was the flight, though?"
"I felt better this time, but planes are definitely not my favorite mode of transportation."
She could tell Damon was smirking when he asked, "Why are you even scared? If it starts to crash, you can use magic to save everyone. Supergirl mode."
Esmeray shrugged, holding the phone against her cheek with her shoulder as she dragged the suitcases out the main doors. "Doesn't change the fact that I'm in a very heavy tube flying miles up in the sky. I feel confined and frankly, this makes all my trust issues flare up."
"Just join the mile high club with Klaus and you'll feel better. You'll associate planes with sex and not with fear."
Esmeray turned beet red, glad he couldn't see it while she looked at the long line of cars waiting outside. "How about you do it with Elena first and if you like it, I'll try it."
Damon snorted. "Bold of you to assume I haven't already smashed someone in a plane."
"I've seen into your mind, jackass, I know you haven't."
"Mmm, fine, but it would be a fun thing to try. I bet Klaus has done it."
"Surprisingly, no. You know who I think has done it? Elijah. He seems like the kind of guy to fly on a private jet surrounded by hot flight attendants. I bet he'd ask them all politely to reach their hands down his pants."
"Wouldn't doubt it. Hell, if I was one of the flight attendants, I'd offer. Have you seen that guy? I swear, he's the one that makes me think I might be bisexual sometimes. If you weren't a hybrid, I'd be pushing you to be Elijah's bunk buddy instead of Klaus's. But then again, he seems like the type to be very giving, and you hate that."
"Well, I just don't prefer to be the one receiving any sort of pleasure, I like to give it instead— that thrills me a lot more than laying down and feeling someone else doing their thing. Elijah and I would be fighting over who gets to top because we both want to be the one making the other feel nice. I'd probably force him to be a bottom."
They both started to laugh, and Esmeray took only a brief moment to wonder what the people around her must be thinking listening to just her side of the conversation, before deciding she didn't care what they thought. "So how are you getting to your lady friend?" asked Damon once the laughter died down. "Can you teleport?"
"She's actually coming to pick me up. You should know by now that I can't teleport, though that sounds like it would be nice. Her father said it's alright if I stay there for a couple of days while Anya finishes getting her stuff sorted together for our trip."
"Ooh, just remember to use a silencing spell if you—"
"Hilarious," she said, rolling her eyes, but perking up once she saw the run-down truck that Anya drove. "She's here. Bye, Damon, take care." She hung up as she moved down the line of cars, dragging the suitcases with her, smiling even more when she saw Anya coming out to greet her.
The wolf pulled her into a tight hug and sighed. "It's good to see you, Esme," she said, letting go so that she could help her load the suitcases into the back of the truck. "Damn, you brought some Mystic Falls boulders, or something?"
"I brought some clothes to donate," she said brightly. "You mentioned a while back that there's mostly kids in your Pack, and I gathered a bunch of old clothes from my friends. At least that's something the kids can look through to see if they want anything."
"You're too sweet for this world, Esme," said Anya, winking at her, her bald head glistening in the sun, though with a slightly hazel tint from the hairs that were starting to grow back. "What do you think if I grow my hair out like yours?"
"That might take awhile," said Esmeray as she climbed into the passenger's seat. "I could speed up the process with magic whenever you're ready."
"Maybe once we're in New Orleans," said Anya, putting the car into drive and swerving out of the line of cars. "My Pa might grow an aneurysm if he sees me with long hair."
Esmeray smiled in understanding. "What day do you want to head there?"
"Maybe the day after next? Tomorrow is Lyla's birthday. She's turning three, and Aaron wants to do a gathering. You can meet the members of our Pack— which has grown significantly since the survivors of the Columbia Pack joined us. Aaron and Nat are negotiating to merge with the Oaks Bottom Pack, too. They think making a whole Portland Pack would be nice so that all the kids can meet and grow up together."
Esmeray was definitely looking forward to that. On the ride to the house, Esmeray and Anya caught up on some of the things that were too much to explain via text. The wolf learned about Esther having been controlling Esmeray, and the hybrid learned about how Aaron and Nat were now expecting a second child, which had made Elvis unhappy.
"My Pa just clings so much to the old ways," sighed Anya. "He's making it seem like it's a bad thing for Lyla to have Paxon, Deep Water, Crescent, BasRoq and North East Atlantic blood. I think it's good that she's got descendancy from five different wolf packs. He tries to argue that Aaron should know better, but Aaron's twenty-three, not sixty. He's not going to conform to what my Pa wants in this new day and age. My Pa just hates that Aaron has changed so much in the six years that he's been Alpha."
"I think that Aaron is doing the right thing, trying to form alliances and reject the idea of remaining from a pure line. Nowadays, that's nothing special. In my time, separations were kept to keep specific traits. But even then, it boils down to genetics and mutations... witch nature aside, I'm not any different from you. We all have the same advantageous traits— nature selected for that to happen, and I think wanting to have there be wolf royalty by glorifying those who are pure is just dumb, because the pure wolves I knew weren't all that nice to begin with."
Anya beamed at her. "And this is why I think you ought to be the Alpha of the wolves."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, the people talk, ya know, and everyone knows that Klaus Mikaelson would probably love to command an army of wolves for his own benefits. People think he'll feel entitled to it because he's the Original hybrid and the oldest werewolf, even if he's also part vampire. But the thing is, you're the second oldest werewolf walking this Earth. You're a lot more rational and considerate, and if you were to take in a lot of memories, you'd be really prepared for the job."
"But... why do people want there to be an Alpha of all the wolves?"
"There aren't many wolves left, you know that. At most... one thousand are left in the entire world. Vampires made our species scarce, which is why my Pa hates them so much. The number is going to drop drastically once all the older wolves die. Remember that the only other living Paxons are all my Pa's age or older? Pretty soon, Aaron and I are going to be the only pure Paxons left. There must be pure wolves of the other lines, maybe one other pure Poldark, but it doesn't really matter, does it, even if we find them? Wolves in general may go extinct soon enough. From what I know, wolf communities all over are trying to get in contact with one another, some wondering if they can maybe merge Packs, which is what Aaron is doing. They're thinking one or maybe a few more Packs per state depending on the state's size, to keep wolves together. The states with the smallest number of wolves would merge at another state, and so on, so that we can all try to reform our numbers. Eventually, we'll split off again, once we rebuild our population and get a good mixing of different bloodlines. A lot of the whispers are calling for one main Alpha to advocate for this and encourage the wolves to return to the oldest ways, where all wolves lived together."
Esmeray frowned. "Well, from what my father told me, the oldest recorded knowledge of werewolves had less than one hundred together all in one place before the seven Packs separated, and that was problematic enough. Nearly one thousand wolves working together sounds... a bit unattainable. But with a main Alpha, yes, I suppose that would be good. It might be easier to go little by little with the Unification Ritual."
Anya smirked at this. "I remember you told me about that. It passes traits, doesn't it? How about this. You and Klaus get married. He makes it so all wolves can control their turning, even you. You'll be good at keeping him from being a fucktard to the rest of us, and we'll have two Alphas with a lot of eventual prestige to unite all wolves."
"No offense, Anya, but that sounds even more unattainable."
The wolf started to laugh. "Come on, does it really sound that bad? You like the guy. He likes you."
"I-I don't know if I want to be in charge of all wolves. I haven't even joined a singular Pack. As for keeping Klaus at bay... I think the marriage might suffer significantly if I'm having to force him not to make all the wolves be his soldiers."
"Just a thought, you know, no harm to it. You're a natural Alpha, though, Esme. I mean, I can feel the power radiating off of you."
"You can?"
"Yeah, I think it might only be something I can sense because my Pa and brother had Alpha status, and I can understand how someone's energy just feels different when they're in charge or a natural born leader basically made to lead a Pack. My Pa taught us that some people are just born to be Alphas. They're born with the traits needed to be a good leader."
Esmeray wrung her hands together. "I don't know. I guess the idea of being Alpha was nice in the past, but I was always told I was too unstable to be in charge of anything. And that was a small, regular Poldark Pack. This? The entire world of wolves? I know half of them might respect me, but the other half won't. I don't know if I'm ready for that."
"How about this," said Anya. "We go to New Orleans, we get your ritual done, and we do a locator spell for anyone with Poldark blood. We go and meet them. You see if you want to be in any packs. Start small, be the Alpha of a regular Pack— I'm pretty sure any Poldarks you meet will want to accept you as their Alpha when they see how talented you are. Then, get to know other Alphas and let them see how you run things and how the other wolves respond to it. You can move your way up the ranks."
"I'll think about it," said Esmeray, seeing they still had quite a bit of a journey ahead to reach the run-down house covered in veins, where they'd maybe find a meal ready to be eaten. "I have a question, and I hope it doesn't come off as weird. What do you know about wolf mating? Like, specifically, wolves being each other's mates?"
"Oh, honey, you came to the right place. I consider myself almost an expert on this, even though there's not much confirmed knowledge on the subject. Aaron and Nat are mates."
"What? Really?"
"Mhm. It's a cute story, too. Before he became Alpha, he was doing some exploring around Portland to see if being a leader was really what he wanted. They met, and I remember he came home with this dreamy expression and he was telling my Pa and I at dinner how he thought he finally knew what love at first sight was, and how this girl had smelled so good to him, like she was wearing all the greatest perfumes. He said she smelled like other specific things too— clam chowder, pine, and the scent of wood. Coincidentally, his favorite scents as a lumberjack, and his favorite food. My Pa told him that she must be his mate. Of course, it was all very different when he found out Nathalie was an Oaks Bottom wolf, but long story short, they have Lyla and another bun in the oven, and they really love each other."
"So it's just something random that some wolves get?
"Yep. I don't really know the specifics, but I do know that especially with how scarce wolves are now, mate bonds are hard to find. Everyone is spread out— someone's soulmate might be on the other side of the world. Either way, like I said with being able to sense your power, this kind of stuff only happens with Alpha wolves and their perfect matches. Nat was in line to be the Alpha of the Oaks Bottom Pack. Technically speaking, they're both the Alphas of our Pack, but my Pa likes to say Aaron is the only Alpha because he isn't all that happy to accept a woman as Alpha. Misogynistic much? He's got a lot to unlearn. Anyway, as far as I know, no one really understands why any of this happens, but lots of wolves think that nature just sees two strong wolves who would get along well and puts them together to make offspring that will be just as strong.
"In the end," Anya continued, "it comes down to whether the people wants to go through with it or not. When they sense it and realize it's happening, most give it a try, and it almost always ends up working out. Others deny it completely and marry whoever they want, and they're not affected negatively. Some will act on it once and then never again. The myths make most young wolves think that they're going to be permanently bound to their mates, but it doesn't seem to be true, because people have let go of their mates in the past. Sometimes even nature messes up creating its own OTP."
"That's good," said Esmeray pensively. "I was thinking how there's no way a person can have just one soulmate, if they get into one of those interactions. I think there are multiple soulmates— different possibilities that all work out."
"Exactly," said Anya, tapping her hands on the wheel. "It depends on the level of commitment that the wolves want between them. It's just hard for a lot of them to resist. Their inner wolves get wind of this different scent and get to know the person and their primal instincts to procreate take over and people can't hold back, so they end up getting intimate and that usually ends well. It's rare nowadays to find someone with a genuine mate bond. Again, not many wolves left, and the Packs are so split that our mates may be in another continent entirely."
"How does that connect with inner wolves?"
"For one, don't let anyone give you shit about not being able to communicate with your inner wolf. Everyone views them differently, though the interpretations have a lot of similarities. My Pa taught Aaron and I that inner wolves are a wiser version of ourselves, and are only useful for helping us make important decisions. We're advised to meditate and channel that power permanently so we always act logically and not rashly. Other people think that inner wolves are a completely different version of ourselves that is rooted to the old ways, and is not someone to be listened to unless we're in our wolf form, because that will attach us to primal instincts when hunting, but otherwise, that voice will be too traditional to be of use in the modern world. And then, other people think our inner wolves are our spirit guides that help us discover ourselves. I like to believe that interpretation. My inner wolf..."
She paused for a moment, smiling to herself and shaking her head. "She was the one who told me that I was... a she. I hadn't known it at the time, but I'd been feeling all this gender dysphoria, and when I triggered my gene, I was able to talk to this... this new voice in my head, and she sounded like my Ma, who passed before I even realized I was trans. I was confused about my it was a girl voice, but I just sort of let the wolf guide me down this research and thought spiral that helped me understand that while I was biologically male, I was really, deep down, female, and that was what I wanted my identity to be. It made me happier even when I met opposition. Nowadays, my inner wolf gives me guidance whenever I talk to my Pa about this to try and help him see that there's nothing wrong with me wanting to identify as Anya and not my dead name. If I ever want to tap into my powers, my wolf powers me. She comes and goes otherwise, really only a gentle voice that helps me feel at ease when I'm feeling troubled. She doesn't make the wisest decisions, but I like knowing I can call on her when I need it."
She patted Esmeray's hand. "You'll meet your inner wolf soon. And your communication with them might be... a completely different experience compared to me. Maybe yours will be a wise conscience that will always fuel you with power. Maybe yours will never give useful advice, but it will give you a lot of strength. Maybe it'll just be a new friend to talk to when you're bored. I just know that when you find it, you'll be getting the full extent of your wolf abilities. May I ask why you were curious about it?"
"Well... I think Klaus and I are soulmates. Or wolf mates or whatever the correct term is."
"That makes sense," said Anya thoughtfully. "The two most powerful and ancient hybrids. Nature might not like that you're hybrids, but it sure as hell has to respect the power radiating off of both of you."
"It's just a problem. His wolf is so... jealous and assertive. He basically loses his mind and all he can think about is getting intimate."
"Ah, that's probably because he's only just meeting his wolf. The ritual you did to unbind him wasn't very long ago. At first, that's how inner wolves tend to act— irrational while getting to know you. He'll gain control of it after a few more months. It might just be harder since he doesn't turn, and he doesn't have those once a month moments where his inner wolf entirely takes him over. In actuality, this part is harder to explain because I didn't really experience that, but Aaron did, and I know he was really aggressive when he first triggered his gene, but he calmed down afterward. He thinks of his wolf as his other-self mentor, and he has his powers all the time, which is why he can make his eyes glow to tap into his wolf strength when he's mad. It's pretty astounding for someone to be able to control it like that— not even my Pa can do it. And another thing— Klaus's inner wolf might stop being so possessive once you accept him as a mate. I think naturally, it's going to be really really hard for him to be satisfied with anyone else. Sexually, obviously, other people can suffice for the both of you, but emotionally, he's linked to you, and he wants to be your life partner, which means he won't really feel at ease until he accomplishes that. Biologically, male wolves have more problems with their inner wolves. I guess I never had those problems because deep down, I was meant to be female. Is Klaus really so bad that you don't even want to just get a kiss over with?"
"I just get a bad feeling about it," said Esmeray, feeling tired as she slumped back into the seat. "It feels like the world will collapse if I indulge in it, even temporarily. I fear that we could have a tribrid child."
"The bad feeling might be because it's you, as Esmeray, versus Klaus and inner Klaus. You don't have that little voice that's giving you advice. You think completely on your own and in a way, it makes you more level-headed than him. Damn, I hate saying this so much, but it's just hard to explain because it's different for literally everyone, and definitely different for you two since you're from a whole other time period. The point is, once you meet into your inner wolf and get your full hybrid powers, you'll just sort of inherently understand the bond the two of you share. It's nothing permanent, so you don't have to go through with it, but you do have to be able to control your emotions if you're worried about something bad happening. I suggest you turn a few times at will after the ritual to have conversations with your inner wolf and just sort of understand the relationship it will have with you. But if anything, I would assume that the best thing for the both of you would be to just get together. Maybe nature wants there to be a tribrid if it's pushing so hard to the point where neither of you can really explain what you're feeling aside from it being a really strong desire to become one. Don't worry about it for now— it'll piece itself together in time."
Esmeray felt better hearing an explanation even though nothing was explicitly known about all of this. At least it meant everyone else was just as confused about this mate thing as she was. "Thank you, Anya. I really appreciate it."
"Sure thing," said Anya brightly, deciding to play music for the rest of the ride.
Thanks for 200 hearts :) Please remember I'm making a lot of this up on my own to make it more original and fit with what I want for Esmeray.