Putting the spices into the utensil, I moved the spatula.
"She does it every year after the mating ceremony is completed. We have our bride. The males are mated. The females who doesn't smell their mate's scent within the territory, she takes them away."
I stared at the earrings dangling down her ears. The bandana covering her braids as she wiped her tears with knuckles.
Amelia had asked for my help as now Reveka and Emily were gone. For how she wasn't even letting me help and doing everything herself, I guessed that maybe, she just needed a company.
Especially, mine. Since all other sisters had sent the females from their homes too.
"They can return home at nights or once in a week. But they have to spend the full moon and no moon at the temple only. It is not like I won't see them again. But Lucine is heartless. How would she keep my daughters?" Amelia said in her hoarse voice while putting the meat inside the big pan she had with hot oil.
I gulped as the meat cooked slowly. The smell was different but I could look away. So, I did.
"Stella barely does any work. It's Nysa who keeps her like a princess. But Lucine will take their souls. The stories from childhood keep us aware of what the Goddess is capable of," she sobbed softly while moving the spatula.
I glanced at my pan. Adding water and the vegetables, the smell blew. I coughed a little while moving the spatula.
"Let it cook. And you move back a little or the smoke will harm your eyes," she said while removing the extra woods from the earthen stove. "There. It won't burn it," she said while turning the meat pieces in her pan.
She cared about my eyes? My human eyes?
"What else they do there?" I asked, not able to get over the red cloaks.
Amelia sniffled while wiping her eyes with knuckles. "They chant hymns to rest Severa's soul. She was a princess, after all. They offer fruits and flowers to her three times in a day and eat it after they feel, she accepts it. There are specific rules that the generations have been following and passing on to the next one. Not to hate, not to be jealous, not to curse someone, not to wish bad, not to lust. . ."
"Like the seven sins?" I whispered.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I am sure, there are more than seven there. No hair braids. They keep their hair down, open and long. They cannot touch themselves, not touch each other like lovers. Clean. Clean. Clean. By heart. By mind. By soul. By body. The real cage is not the territory of this pack but that temple." She whispered while staring at the dark wall.
My eyebrows raised in amazement.
"Lucine too must be the naive girl before. How did she become so intimidating?" I asked in thought.
"She had her Aunts and my aunts, everyone's unmated aunt's as her elders. The stricter they were as you think back to the generations. Intimi. . . Intimi. . ."
"Intimidating," I said, smiling slightly at the innocence on her face that was there.
She nodded while sniffling slowly. "That. And that Rosetta, an arrogant bitch. She is like the pup you always want to hit for no reason," she said while gritting her teeth.
Like Kenny. I could swear, she'd made me miss and love Fred more. I thought he was the annoying one. But Kenny would give me those narrowed spying eyes, all the time. She wasn't even hiding her hatred for me.
But guess what. She was here.
While Emily were gone. I clearly didn't deserve her hospitality. I had been rude to her because of my anger over her Uncle.
"She would take the females away when they turn sixteen, guard the temple and leave them back home for a home when the mating season arrives," she said while clenching her jaws.
"So, they do give them a chance every year to find the mate." I concluded.
Amelia blinked and breathed hard. "Find the mate, smell him, cry for the fates, cross the borders and never go to the moon. That's what she signs by leaving for a month here."
My eyebrows raised slowly. "So, Reveka had already been staying at the temple from last three years?" I asked in shock. "But her hair were braided."
Amelia nodded and removed the utensils off the stove. She sprinkled the water to extinguish the fire and covered the dishes with the lids.
"Yes," she said, her lips trembling as she finally faced me properly. Her eyes filled with fresh tears. "Now, she will reach there. They would bath her, open her braids, clean her with thousands milks and what not. I never get why. Chanting hymns to please Severa, that's what life would be like for her again. Slowly, she would stop even asking to live here for one month before the season, if she looses the hope of finding her mate. She will become another Lucine. Both of my daughters are gone. I wonder if my Kenny will too. . ." She sobbed softly.
I lowered my eyes. "So, you want your daughters to find their mates across the borders?"
Amelia stopped crying and stared at me when I looked up at her. "Not across the borders. From among the Lycans only."
I sighed heavily. I expected that answer only. "You don't want them to feel the longing of a mate?"
She stared at me blankly. "You know what a longing of a mate is? Even then you yell at Karam like that in the morning. . ."
God! She heard the fight.
". . . Taunt him with those bitter words? While all he wants is just to love you? Have you been so full of love your whole life, you do not value his love for you?" She asked coldly, her voice still hoarse.
My body turned stiff. "Love doesn't happen like that in my world. He doesn't know what I like to eat, what color I love, what music I listen to, what place I like to visit. He knows none of my hobbies and habits. He knows nothing. How can he love me? Just by seeing me. That means, it's just lust. Isn't it? I wonder if there had been the same love, had I been some older, ugly and fat person."
Amelia smiled tightly, tears resting at her lashes. "Had you been that way, it would have been better. He wouldn't have gotten hurt after roaming around the forests of this pack for years, since he had come to know about this thing called 'mate'. She would have understood unlike you."
My jaws clenched.
"The moment he heard the loud beatings of his heart when he came to your name for the first time, he kept running around the forests murmuring and writing it all around. He plucks those fruits from the high valley just for you. Those vegetables from the farming fields just for you. He is already ordering around the tailor for warmer clothes for you, for the rainy season which is still there months away. He hunts the bear too to convince me enough to give you the most beautiful red colored clothes a Lycan's bride had ever worn."
My eyes lowered and nostrils flared angrily. I was pissed to the core.
"Do you know that he gifted three rabbits to Nysa today? So, from tomorrow she would help you draw a hot water bath for your silly human body," said Amelia while glaring at me. "Now, he knows all of your past too, he says. Do you know his past, Foxy?"
Tapping my chin, she raised it to make me look in her icy blue eyes.
"Had it been Robin, Lysar, Anton, Oskar, anyone. You would have been touched the first night only. Anton had fucked Alvena even before the rituals. Salome didn't leave Natasha out of the bed for continuous five days and nights. Lucine has never met a virgin bride before," she said while giving me the blank look. "But she met you. Pure as you came."
"Because Karam is being patient with you. Even when you pushed him to the level of desperation of dominating you. Inside him, there is this fire burning of passionate love. Been thirsty for years and now, you throw bitter words at him like that, stab him in the heart all the time. You are playing with fire, Foxy."
Goosebumps risen on my arms while my teeth gritted as she added, "When his patience will go away, his beast will come out. The beast asks for wild passionate love which could be a war for your silly human body." She gulped slowly. "He has been a good brother, a good Uncle, a good. . ." She sighed heavily. "He is trying to be a good mate to you, Foxy."
Removing her hand off my chin, she literally cupped my cheeks and made me look at her properly.
"Even if Moon Goddess chooses my daughters for wolves outside the border, I would still be following her. The longing teaches us about love. How it keeps growing for a person who is just meant for us. But still two mates can't meet each other," she whispered. "I do not want my daughters dying of that pain, like Miggy or Tara. Enough it is. My daughter deserves the lovers too. I wish they'd find them on this territory."
"How big is the pack?" I asked, still pissed off by the lecture.
Amelia blinked. "It's not hard to find each male on this territory. The pack isn't big. But sometimes, the nature itself tests the mates. Sometimes, the scent is there. But you can't find out if it's your mate or not. Lucine's Goddess manages to confuse people."
"Does Luna Severa—"
Amelia cupped my mouth immediately and widened her eyes. "Don't. Say. That. On. This. Land. Ever. Again." She warned through gritted teeth, making me widen my eyes. "She will not hurt you. She will hurt the ones you love or will love."
She removed the hand while I gasped in shock. "But she is my Luna. That's what they call her back at my pack."
"You belong to the Lycans now. That pack was your father's pack—"
"He is not my father. . ." I whispered absentmindedly.
"Don't cut me off!" She said angrily, making me flinch. "Don't even take her name from your mouth in silliness. A soul gets stronger when we chant its name."
"What a hypocrite," I mumbled. "You chanted her names like crazy back there in the evening."
"When?" Amelia asked angrily while looking at me. "We respect her as our ancestor. We know her history. Thus, we respect and love her more. But when it comes to encouraging a sad soul like her, I won't take part. Neither will my family."
She seemed so genuine that I was scared now.
Chills ran down my spine.
She seemed oblivious.
They all were chanting the name. Right? I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my ears. She was pranking me.
"Lucine never lies. You are going to provide us answers. The heir," she said while touching my cheeks with her hands. Looking in my eyes, she smiled through tears. "Four pups. My. . . My. . . You have a stronger womb than mine."
My heart jolted in sudden shock.
My lips parted as I widened my eyes and observed the hidden pain in her eyes. "You tried for more?" I asked in shock.
She smiled sadly and nodded. "Emily is my fourth pup, Foxy. Kenny is at number six."
I gasped, my heart squeezing in extreme hurt as I saw her nostrils flaring. Her nose ring shined as with crying, her face had turned pink. "Third one was a male, Lucine had told me. My womb was too weak to grow such a powerful Alpha male."
I gasped again, my eyebrows furrowing as I cupped her cheek and pulled my face back. "But you are Lycan. You both are," I said in confusion. "How can you not be the strongest woman here?"
That made her smile through the fresh tears. "Strongest was my pup, not I. A Lycan father and mother, he would have been like a miracle. But that Goddess," Amelia said through gritted teeth. Her chest heaved as she let out a low growl. "She never lets this pack grow. I had fallen at the porch of my home, on my stomach. The male died. I would have named him, Princeton." She said while wiping her tears.
I blinked rapidly, observing her face. "What about other pups? What happened to them?" I whispered shakily.
Amelia chuckled sadly. "This is a daily story, pup. You will see one woman fainting for no reason and her pup dies. Another woman who was just plucking flowers and you will hear the news, her pup died. It is everyday story. I have been trying continuously after Kenny too. But when the last pup of mine died few years ago because of unwanted bleeding, the mother in me died." She gulped hard.
I sucked in a huge breathe.
"After that, I am not even able to bear a pup anymore. As if the womb in me is done with. Broken. A graveyard. As if it is a place for the dead pups and not to grow new ones. . ." She choked out while looking at me. "I am the Luna. I order around. I cannot show this pain on my face. But other females do. Nysa lost two pups and after that she has gone rigid."
I blinked, cupping my mouth in terror. Woah! Woah! Here, those words sounded scary when I didn't even have my first orgasm yet.
"Natasha has had only one female, Costina. Alvena had little Annie two years ago. I wonder if she is now barren or haven't fucked again. She has not come to talk with me from past months. Maybe, she is bearing another child hopefully. With third month, I might hear the heartbeats very well." She said, more to herself.
I wiped my mouth, not being able to hear anymore about the situations here.
"For now, it's only Savina who is bearing the pup in my knowledge."
I stiffened. "What?" I whispered in disbelief. "Is it her first pup?"
Amelia shook her head. "Second. She had delivered a strong healthy male," she said, looking away in thought. "Vali, a beautiful pup just like his father."
My eyes narrowed immediately. "Who is his father?"
"Virion. He is an angry Lycan. Very authoritative. He would make a good Beta," she mumbled absentmindedly.
My eyebrows raised. Was he the Beta's son?
Wait! The Beta!
I gasped. "What is the name of the current Beta?"
"Barald, he has been a great one. Supports Kingston like a big brother would."
Barald.
Barald.
Where did I hear that name? I was forgetting things.
I squeezed my eyes.
"It is only Janine who grew a dull one like her mother. Otherwise, Rosetta is an angry bitch. Virion and Scott are aggressive."
I opened my eyes. "Their mother?"
Amelia hummed while breathing slowly. "Valeria."
I gasped mentally.
Fuck! She was alive?
.
.
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____
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.
.
Staring at the silk roof, I felt the cold wind filling up the room.
The door opened slowly.
I remembered I had bolted it definitely.
The footsteps occurred and in the candle light, I fearfully glanced at the silhouette of the man.
Through the silk curtain, nothing was clear. I crawled ahead on the mattress to Karam's side of the bed and peeked from the side of the curtain.
My heart started beating faster when I realized, Karam would never enter like this. Like letting me know he was coming.
He would always appear like a wizard. He liked to sneak in. He liked to startle me.
"Karam, is that you?" I asked shakily, my voice cracking as Amelia's words revolved around my mind.
When?
Taking a soul's name makes it stronger.
I froze when no one replied and directly went to the bathroom.
After a shuffle with water, the person returned while I was now shaking with fear.
"Ka-Karam?"
The candle was on the table beside the door. The light wasn't reaching the space beside the bed. There were no side drawers to put a candle nearby. I would put the tables closer from the next time.
The sound of metal dropping on the floor came. Then, the shuffle of clothes and moving the chair. Footsteps occurred around the bed and stopped in front of the cupboard on my left side now.
It was definitely Karam when I heard the faint clearing of throat.
"Why aren't you talking? You have been quite since your sister left," I said, looking back at the ceiling and laying down properly on the left side of the bed.
The shuffling of clothes came and the cupboard was closed. He walked around the bed and blew the candle.
Removing the curtain, the bed dipped as he sat and laid down on his back slowly. A long sigh escaped his mouth.
"Are you tired?" I whispered, biting my lip.
He didn't reply.
"Karam," I whined in the annoyance of him continuously ignoring me. "Talk."
"About what?" He asked in the heavy voice, making my stomach churn.
Amelia's lecture kept revolving in mind. Clenching my jaws, I sighed heavily.
"Anything."
"Anything I say to you backfires at me." He said, exhaustively. "I have had enough heartbreak for today, my mate."
My heart jolted at his words. He was upset about the morning conversation.
"Are you sad about what I said in the morning?" I whispered while looking at the right. He wasn't visible in the dark but I could feel his presence strongly.
"Does it matter to my mate?" He asked and breathed softly as if he was about to sleep.
"So you won't talk to her?" I asked quietly.
He stayed quiet, making me turn on my left side and close my eyes.
"She thought she could know about your life too. Since, you listened to hers last night." I muttered while sighing slowly.
He grunted slightly and I felt the bed dipping further. Guessed, he turned on his side too.
"You had enough stories for today. Mine would ruin her sleep. It is dull," he said while I smiled to myself.
"You sure?" I asked lightly.
No voice came until it finally did.
He hummed and drew the furs all over us.
The warmth engulfed me slowly but his silence was killing me.
"The morning conversation," I mumbled. "You can forget it. I was being mean. I was angry. The undies and all that stuff. I don't know but it's okay. I know it's not your fault that you don't know about that stuff. I didn't mean to upset you. Maybe, to make you concerned a little. But not upset." I said while opening my eyes.
He stayed quiet and now, it was making me more concerned.
My demons would call it Stockholm Syndrome. But hell! He was upset since Lucine left. I was shit scared of the darkness and environment. On top of it, I didn't want him upset with me too.
"Do you want to share some sorrow? What's bothering you?" I asked calmly. "Not that I care about you. But I know how cheery you stay all other days. What's wrong, tonight?"
"You don't have to be worried. Sleep, my mate." He said, making me frustrated.
I turned on my side and moved my hand towards him. His elbow came in my hold and I roamed my palm over his forearm. Lowering down, I caught his hand.
"Karam," I whispered while raising my head. "I really didn't mean to call you uneducated. If you keep—"
"You are being played by the mate bond," he taunted. making me blink in confusion. "You are overwhelmed by everything and now, you are just curious. I am only exhausted. Don't worry about me, my mate." He whispered softly.
I flinched and moved back, removing my hand from his. Turning on my left side, I felt my heart aching like nothing before.
Closing my eyes, I tried to sleep. But only to get scared by the imaginations of shifted female Lycans running around in the forests, those red cloaks. Luna Severa. Even thinking of her name was scaring me, that it might make her stronger.
And that hypnotization.
"Why did you all chant the Goddess' name like that?" I blinked.
Karam hummed lightly in curiosity. "In front of my sister, we have to do it. If we hesitate, she feels it. It's disrespectful."
"No. When she was still away in the street. She hadn't reached us. She didn't even show up." I said, quietly.
"When?" He asked, just like Amelia did.
Now, I was terrified.
I couldn't even glance at the window anymore, thinking that Severa's ghost would be peeking on me.
First, Alpha Rucus came to my nightmares and now her.
I could swear, both the mates were playing with my mind and heart.
I shuddered and clutched the furs tight.
"Could you give me your hand?" I whispered, awkwardly. Chills ran down my spine as I felt that the bed was too big. I couldn't believe I was the only one not hypnotized. "I am having a little trouble sleeping."
It was horrifying me.
"My hairy hand? The hair of this caveman might scratch your skin," he said coldly.
My eyes closed in the sudden shame.
He was hurt by all of my comments.
He didn't have much hair on the arms and hands.
He was just being upset by those beard comments.
"Fine." I mumbled defensively. "Can you just light a candle by my side, then?"
He stayed quiet while I felt my nostrils flaring. My eyes filled up and I felt my hand shaking.
What the fuck!
I needed Mom closer by me. She would always lie with me in those last two months whenever I felt scared.
Severa
Don't even take her name from your mouth in silliness. A soul gets stronger when we chant its name.
I stiffened and shuddered slightly.
Trying to distract myself, I thought of good dreams. I imagined being closer to Gran. With Mom and family. With Thomas, Natalie, Eva, Pete and their father. With. . .
Severa
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Breathing softly, I tried to give in to the sleep that wasn't coming knowingly.
I blinked calmly and breathed.
Okay. I wasn't a baby. They all must be pranking me. No hypnotization happened. Severa was just their ancestor.
Severa
I collected my legs and curled my toes.
Just fucking sleep. You won't feel scared once the sun shows up.
All of a sudden, a hand snaked around my waist from under the blanket.
My heart fluttered crazy when warm breaths fanned my neck suddenly. His hand caught mine on the bed and he breathed roughly. His chest touched mine, leaving breathable space between us.
I relaxed under his hold and brought the big hand closer to my chest.
"Is this mate bond now, Karam?" I whispered absentmindedly, noticing my throbbing heart at his closeness. I could feel my stomach churning and legs going lazy.
Goosebumps risen again on my skin. But they were because of pleasure. Not some fear of a ghost.
"It might be," he whispered. "Or you won't accept my hand without spitting curses, other times. Does my mate feel scared now?"
I closed my eyes and smiled to myself.
"No."
His leg rested behind mine when I slid my knee upwards on the bed, raising it to keep touching my leg.
"Good night, Karam." I said, making him leave a long breathe against my neck.
"A night that makes you accept my hand is more than good," he said, making my smile. "I wonder if tomorrow will begin with more curses on my face."
"If you do more than spooning me, I will definitely go mad." I mumbled sleepily.
"Spooning?"
"Laying like this."
He released a long breathe, making me snuggle more inside the furs shyly.
"I will definitely do more than this."
My eyebrows raised and relaxed immediately when he completed the last sentence of the night.
"In my dreams for the time being."
______
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