Even with my considerably fast wolf-healing, it took a week for Callum to let me return to the room where I had been staying in before. I suspect it was because we were having a good time talking and theorizing, but he would never admit it. He said it was because I needed to heal.
I hadn't seen or heard of Harlan since that night and when I asked Callum about it he said "Harlan left the pack house and hasn't come back, none of us know why, it is extremely like him." This only made me worry more.
Selene had visited me as well and when I asked her she said "He does this sometimes, he often feels overwhelmed and needs some time for himself. He'll come back, he just needs space"
So I decided I would give it to him, the time that he needed.
____
"Thank you for letting me stay here, Selene," I said as she escorted me back to the room I was using, the one that was close to hers.
"This is and will be your home for as long as you need it," she said calmly "You can redecorate it as well, it is yours." She then pointed to a few boxes that now decorated the corners "We managed to rescue your things from the crash, a few things are broken but we figured you'd still want them."
"Thank you," I said sincerely as I beheld the boxes, not wanting to open them at all for some reason. Instead, I found myself asking "Can you give me a tour of the place?"
"A tour of the community or the packhouse? Yes to both!" she said excitedly.
"I want to know the others, do my part, I guess." She looked even happier at that.
"Of course! But first, you need to change, those clothes won't do" I looked at what she was wearing. It was a flowy pink sundress that made her curvy body look fantastic. I, on the other hand, was wearing a sleeping gown.
"What should I wear?" I asked.
"Anything, just not that, it's pretty see-through" she whispered "Normally, it wouldn't matter, but some males can be a bit aggressive, mating season being around the corner and all."
"Is mating season what I think it is?"
"If you think it is about a bunch of horny werewolves trying to hump each other so they can find their mate/procreate, then yes," Damien said as he leaned against the door frame.
"Damien!" Selene looked away embarrassed and Damien only smirked.
"You are just too cute," he said as he stepped into the room and hugged her from behind "I love it when you get so flustered" he whispered in her ear, but I heard it clearly. Selene only got progressively redder.
A particular scent tickled my senses, something I had never smelled before but still somehow knew what it was. Arousal.
Selene cleared her throat and tried to calm herself as she said "You shouldn't eavesdrop Damien" she nagged.
"I know," he mused "what are you going to do about it?" Selene cleared her throat again as she tried to still herself. Damien only smiled mischievously.
"I said I would..." she stopped, not being able to think clearly "give Diana a tour--"
"Fine," he said kissing her cheek sweetly "Cockblock" he said to me before exiting the room with a smile so bright it could outshine the sun.
Selene only glared at him, relaxing when he was no longer in the room. "I'm sorry about that, we haven't been mated for very long so the urge is still strong" she whispered.
"That was hot" I was not going to lie, the way he whispered in her ear and touched her carefully but comfortably was making arousal pool in my stomach. Had it really been that long?
Selene giggled even though she was a little embarrassed "Well, it was normal, it will happen to you once you find your mate" she said taking a deep breath. "Change into something comfortable, I'll be waiting outside."
____
We ventured into the terrain around the massive mansion they called "pack house". I ended up going for jeans and a purple long-sleeve but loose blouse. It was what seemed most appropriate. Though I have a feeling that if I would have shown up in less see-through pajamas she wouldn't have cared.
Selene was very maternal, and that became very clear the further we walked. The packhouse was a little bit far away from where the rest of the community lived. The rest of the pack lived about ten minutes from Miracle by foot. It was a little neighborhood of houses scattered in the woods.
Everybody was kind to me, but extremely adoring of Selene. They respected her and feared her, but loved her for her kindness and attention to detail. I could see that, in a way, she was everyone's mother. A fearless warrior and a kind and fair leader always down to help. I could see how Damien loved her, hell, it was impossible not to fall for her.
When we were walking back from the remote place she explained why the community lived so far away.
"People like their privacy" Selene explained when I asked. "Some don't mind as much as they live in the town."
"Does the town know?" I said as we walked by some very pretty rustic houses.
"Some do, some don't" she smiled "The older generations remember, the younger ones think it's folklore." Her golden-brown hair seemed to glow under the sun. "We try to steer clear just in case."
"You were amazing with them," I admitted.
"I wasn't always," she said with a sad smile "I don't think I've ever told you my story, have I?" I shook my head. "Would you like to hear it?"
"Only if you are comfortable--"
"I assume you know this better than anyone, but at first I hated talking about it" She looked away as if remembering something "But the more I do the less it hurts, the less power it has over me- he has over me" she corrected herself.
"Things were different before Damien's time, women were traded as livestock, treated like objects for satisfaction and breeding..." She put her hair behind her ear "I was sold by my own family when I was about thirteen, to one of Damien's father's gammas." Her voice was weak, and though her tone was usually calm and serene I could have never described it as weak. Could never describe her as weak.
"I was practically a sex slave, barely fed with anything without aconite on it, barely allowed out of the dungeons. I was to be one of his wives, forever stuck in that basement, never seeing the light of day" Suddenly she smiled, a sadistic smile that was most unlike her "But he messed up, and betrayed the alpha, so he sent his sons to destroy him" she closed her eyes "Damien and Harlan saved me." Selene finished, and I couldn't imagine how horrible that must have been. But her face was relaxed once more when she said "Damien told me the bond snapped into place the moment he saw me, but he never told me because he saw I needed space, needed to heal."
I didn't know Damien much, but I can't imagine how hard that must be. From what I've heard not every man can be so noble. "I am so sorry you had to go through that, have you felt any anxiety, nightmares, any flashbacks?"
"Yes," she said calmly. "And I have days where I can't get out of bed" she admitted. "But I can't let him win, he would want to watch me crumble. That is why I fight."
Those words were truly so inspiring. I had been dealing with a lot, the attacks and everything were starting to become more than I could bear. But seeing her like that, seeing her fight after what she went through inspired me.
"If you ever need to talk, know that I'm here, and I can help you with these symptoms, it is possible you have PTSD and---"
"I appreciate it, I will come to you" she promised.
I could feel her drifting back into her memories so I changed the subject.
"Right," I found myself staring at the white ends of her hair. I remembered she was a white wolf so maybe it wasn't dyed. "Your hair, is it natural?" was kind of a shallow question but I was curious.
"Yes," she answered honestly, fingering the ends "When I am about to turn the white creeps up my hair until it reaches my roots. Damien says it is pretty magical to witness."
"That is so cool" In my imagination it seemed pretty cool. "I would like to see it someday" I gave her a shy smile and she returned it.
"Of course, name the day, I'd show it to you right now but I don't want to shred my clothes" she laughed.
"When that happens what do you do?" Do they hide clothes in the woods or walk around naked?
"We normally wait to end the transformation until we have clothes," she giggled.
We were in silence for a moment, but then I remembered something. "What is aconite?"
"It's a plant that is highly toxic to werewolves, I'll show you a picture when we get--"Her smile disappeared as soon as she heard something. A second later I heard it too, like wooshes of air. "Stay behind me,"
Something supernatural was here, we could feel its presence. Selene looked ready for anything, her eyes glowing purple as if she was getting ready to shift.
I heard breathing, it was getting closer.
And before we knew it he was behind me.