Sounds and Vibrations (Gifted Werewolf Series: Book 1)

Opaline

It took until late night to get to Blue Oasis Pack because Lykaon wanted me to eat every few hours, catching a squirrel or some rabbit. I hadn’t minded, still don’t. My mate was large enough that I could travel beneath him without any troubles at all, and only came out of there when I saw something interesting or wanted to feel the sun on my fur. He didn’t seem to mind though, so I did what I wanted.

When we arrived finally, I had to stop near a crick and drink, exhausted and achy. Klyn watched over me while Lykaon went on a final hunt for me. I was growing used to having Klyn around, and even started liking his personality. I was comfortable, but I still was tense until Lykaon returned. He was the only one I trusted in such a foreign place. He was the only one I knew would help me if I needed it. It seems he trusted Klyn with me, so I didn’t protest. Something about Klyn made me think he is usually gentle around women and children.

After Lykaon got back and all three of us ate a small meal, he led us to where his house was located. I didn’t seem to notice much except for a building that was a bit larger than any other. I paused to stare at it, wondering what it was since my pack didn’t have one. Klyn nudged me forward, making me take my eyes off it to follow Lykaon.

We approached his large house and the two men immediately shifted, throwing pants on that were in a basket by the door. I watched as Lykaon brought me a nightgown and knelt. “Klyn went inside and to bed, can you shift now?”

I whimpered but my wolf said to me, we’re too tired to go much further. Just let him help us.

I don’t like others seeing me naked.

It won’t be for long, just until he puts that on you.

My thoughts swirled around and I couldn’t help but look around in case anyone else was watching. Lykaon caught onto what I was doing and said, “You’re safe, Opaline. My pack respects their Luna. Besides, everyone who isn’t on patrol is asleep, even my parents.”

I looked up at him with my tail between my legs, but moved so my body rested against his warm one. He wrapped his arms around me, and I began to shift. Lykaon opened the gown so it was covering me until I was finished shifting, then he handed it to me and looked away. I quickly put it on, then looked around again. “What was that big building in the middle of all the smaller ones?”

He made me look at him before speaking. “It’s where we hold pack meetings. Everyone can gather in one place and talk about needs and wants. If there is a trial to be held, we hold it there. Does that make sense?”

I nod and wrap my arms around his neck. “Where am I sleeping?”

I feel his chest rumble with laughter as he picks me up. He walks into his dark house and up some stairs before coming to a door down one hallway. Taking one hand, he turns the knob and opens it, then crosses the threshold. My eyes wander from the huge bed to the large windows to a set of doors to his desk. Lykaon lets me observe his huge room. Above is what looks like a chandelier at first, but turns out to be light fixture made of antlers and horns. The windows are actually sliding glass doors onto a large balcony that overlooks a piece of his territory. His walls are a mutual color of a soft beige while his bedding was a black and gray pattern. The rest of his furniture, including his doors, were mahogany.

“It’s so big,” I whisper. I point to the double doors. “What is that?”

He walks over and opens it revealing a closet filled with clothes. What surprised me was only half of it was his clothes while the other half were mine, though it didn’t fill as much as his did. I looked up at him in confusion to which he explained, “Your belongings have been arriving and my mother and a few other females have been putting them away.”

“So, you didn’t see my underwear?” I ask accusingly.

Lykaon laughs again and walks out of the closet to another door, revealing a bathroom. “No. If it weren’t for being busy, I might have looked. But right now, you need to worry about getting cleaned up.” He sets me down on the toilet and turns to the shower, turning on the spray. When he comes back, he kneels and asks, “Can you do it without falling asleep?”

I smile and nod. “I don’t take long showers.”

He nods and stands. “Okay, why don’t you get in and get started. I will bring you a towel and put it on the counter. When you’re finished, there is your essential needs in the cabinets above the sink. I will be in the bedroom if you need anything, okay?”

“Why are you working?” I ask hesitantly.

“Because, if I don’t, the pack becomes disorganized.” He bends down and kisses my head. “Clean up, Opal. Don’t worry about me, just think about you. I’ll go to bed when I know you’re sound asleep and comfortable.” With that, he leaves the bathroom.

I shower and get ready for bed, putting on the shirt I had on previously. It takes me ten minutes all together and I finally step out into the bedroom where there is a little light coming from his desk where he sits and is writing. I watch him for a moment, wondering how he can work when we’ve been traveling all day. No answers come and I walk over to the bed, exhaustion gnawing at my brain.

I feel, rather than anything else, Lykaon come up behind me and help me pull the covers away. His footsteps are steady and even, casual and slow, but careful too like he doesn’t want to scare me. When he reaches around me for the sheets, I still and watch until there’s enough space for me to crawl in and curl up. My mate covers me, then sits beside me, brushing my wet hair out of my eyes. I say, “Are you going to shift again and sleep near my feet?”

He smiles and shakes his head. “No. I’m going to sleep beside you this time in human form.”  We’re silent a moment as we stare into each other’s eyes. Then he says, “Tomorrow, you’re going to meet the pack. I think it’ll be good for them to see you before your ceremony so they can get to know you. After that, I’m going to have Klyn walk you around and guard you.”

“Where will you be?” I ask.

“Talking with my patrol and getting them to change shifts as well as men. It’s going to be a while before everything is set in place and Klyn already knows the plan, so he doesn’t need to be there. You have free rein over where you want to go, but be careful. Stay where other can see you and don’t fight Klyn if he thinks you should be inside. If something happens that you feel unsafe or uncomfortable with, tell him. If you need me, I’ll have him find me. There should be no reason for you and your wolf getting out of control, so long as you communicate with us.”

“When will the ceremony be?”

“When you’re ready,” he says. “Now, sleep. I’ll be coming to bed soon, but don’t wait up for me.”

I reach up and grab his hand, holding it tightly. “Do you think they’ll accept me? Your pack?”

“They don’t have a choice in the matter,” Lykaon says as he bends down and kisses my head again. “You’re their Luna. They need to accept you.”

My other hand presses against his chest to where his heart is, and reality crashes upon me. “Lykaon, I’m scared. I don’t know anyone. My family is far away. I feel overwhelmed. I—”

“Hey,” he says, getting closer. He cups my face and makes me only focus on him. “You’re okay. I know this is new for you, but everything will be alright. Klyn and I will help you out. We can go visit your family soon and you will get to know everyone soon.  You don’t need to be scared of my pack, Opaline. They’re all good people and very helpful. You’ll be accepted and loved soon enough.”

His gray eyes are sincere and attentive, his hands caressing my face gently while he sits beside me on the bed. I sit up and hug him, believing him because I can feel his words are from his heart. “How long will you be tomorrow?” I ask softly.

He pulls back and thinks for a minute. “All morning and most of the afternoon. I won’t be here when you wake so you’ll be alone. Klyn will come find you to take you around the territory early afternoon. Until then, you can do whatever inside.”

“Will I be able to run with my wolf?”

“With Klyn, or you can wait until I get home,” he says and lies me back again. “Sleep Opal. You have a long day ahead of you.” I obey.

When I wake the next morning, Lykaon had been true to his words: there was no sight of him. I wanted to stay in bed for a while more, but I was actually looking forward to spending the day with Klyn. I went to the closet and brought out some jeans and a plain purple t-shirt. Going to the bathroom, I did all my other personal needs then headed out into the hall. My eyes looked about as I walked towards the stairs. There were two other doors in this hallway, but I decided not to look in them. When I was on the first floor, I saw a large living room with a few couches and a fire place. On one wall were floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the territory.

I headed into the kitchen and rummaged through the fridge, then the cabinets. It took a while, but soon I was cooking bacon and eggs with a side of toast. Lykaon had a lovely kitchen with all modern appliances and granite countertops. His cabinets were stained wood and brass knobs. It seemed he also has state-of-the-art cookware too.

When my breakfast was finished, I went to the dining room and sat down at the somewhat small table. It was circular with only four chairs, but in the middle were some napkins, salt, and pepper. It was very cozy and I ate my food, then cleaned up my mess in the kitchen. It seemed he also had a dishwasher, but I couldn’t find the soap to put in there, so washed all dishes by hand. It was gruesome, but I managed well enough.

I was heading back up to my room when I saw Klyn walking into the kitchen smiling. He was wearing jeans as well and a black t-shirt with boots. “Hello, Luna.”

I leaned against the fridge and eyed him curiously. He went over to the counter, plucked an apple from a bowl, and bit into it before turning to me. I waited for him to stop chewing before saying, “There are leftover bacon if you would like.”

He raises his brows. “Since when does Lykaon cook bacon?”

“He doesn’t like it?”

“Oh no! He loves bacon, but won’t ever cook it.”

“Can he cook?”

Klyn thought for a moment then shrugged. “Sometimes. Usually if he’s having people over, but he hates cooking bacon with all the grease.”

I smiled then took the Ziplock containing the meat out of the fridge and handed it to him. “I made it this morning.”

Klyn took a piece out, then handed it back to me. “It’s fine. I don’t want to take Lykaon’s bacon. He’d be pissed.”

I frown, but turn away, put the bacon back, then go up to brush my teeth. When I went back down, Klyn was looking out the windows in the living room, deep in thought. I wondered what it was he was thinking or if he wanted to just skip today since he looked really tense. I must’ve made a sound because he turned to me with a smile. I hugged myself and looked up at him. “So, Lykaon said you’d give me a tour?”

“That he did,” the Beta said and quickly walked around the couches to stand in front of me. “It’s your choice, would you like to see children or training first?”

“Training,” I say and follow him out the front door which was past the dining room through a little hallway.

Klyn walked a step in front of me and to the right. His hands were in his pockets casually while his eyes scanned the area around us. All around us, other people were staring at us – or me — not trying to hide it. Some people waved and smiled, some just stood there shocked, others… My confidence wavered and I got somewhat closer to Klyn. When we stopped at a gymnasium, he turned to me. “There’s the inside training area for stuff like treadmill, then the outside where we spar. I can show you both or just the outside?”

I shrugged. “Let’s just see the outside.”

He nodded then turned to the left, walking down to the end of the building before turning the corner. What I saw made me halt and stare. Men were fighting with women, women were holding their own against men, they all were enjoying themselves no matter how sweaty and bruised they got. One woman flipped a guy over her shoulder then straddled him, blonde hair tied back except for the few strands that managed to escape. Another woman seemed about my height and managed to kick a man to his knees who was three times her size.

Klyn turned to me and grinned. “Cool, huh?”

I nodded and continued to watch only to see Klyn say, “Would you like me to introduce you to one of my friends?”

“Who?”

“His name is Kurt. He makes sure everyone here builds the necessary strength they need to help in battle.” He whistled and a man from somewhere on the far side of the training field started running towards us. Klyn said, “He’s going to like you.”

“Why?”

“Because, he always took an instant liking to women who have a fire in their eyes.” Kurt slowed and stopped beside Klyn who introduced him. “Kurt, this is our Luna, Opaline from the Whisper Eclipse pack. She is excited to start her training here.”

Kurt smiled at me, big and seemed taller than Lykaon. “Hello, Luna. How are you liking our pack?”

Something in me liked him and didn’t fear him like I thought I would. I shrugged, crossing my arms. “From what I’ve seen, it’s good.”

He turned to Klyn. “So Alpha and you managed to get her here without problems?”

“It wasn’t too bad. Took all day and half the night to get home though.”

“What exactly happened?”

“You will have to talk to the Alpha about that. I’m not about to talk to anyone about what happened when it’s between him and the Luna.”

Kurt nodded and turned to me again. “We’ll see each other soon, Luna. I must excuse myself to spar with someone for a while.” I nodded and he ran off.

Klyn didn’t seem happy and was staring off into space, his eyes were focused, yet unfocused. It occurred to me he was using the mind link and I looked away before he realized I was staring. Behind me were little houses and different people coming out of them. To the training field’s left was the large building where Lykaon said the pack meetings were held. It was there I wanted to go, to see what it looked like on the inside.

Klyn was still staring at nothing and talking to whomever through the mind link, so I walked off towards my destination. I passed children and adults, all doing whatever they wanted. Some children circled me, as if I was a part of their games before running off towards others. I smiled and finally made it to the building. Above the doors leading inside, there were large letters that spelled PACK HOUSE. Intrigued, I went inside.

First thing I noticed was that it was nothing more than another home. A living room much larger than Lykaon’s. A game room where there were video games and board games and card games all neatly organized on a shelf. There was a kitchen, bedrooms, a library, storage area, fifteen bathrooms, and in the basement was an auditorium that could sit a small crowd with a stage in the front. This must be where they hold the meetings, I thought. What I had noticed was there weren’t any windows and the space seemed dark no matter if I switched the lights on or not. But another thing was that this building was well cared for, well used, well loved.

I went back outside and looked around. Klyn had disappeared from his spot, probably either looking for me or off to some business. I didn’t mind much, I could find my way around easily. Not wanting to go back to Lykaon’s house, I took a stroll looking around at everyone and eventually found myself at a little park where the children were playing. I caught the eye of one small girl whose eyes brightened and said something to the others, before running towards me. I was slightly curious, as well as cautious of the female adults. But none of them seemed to mind that the children were running up to a stranger who wasn’t officially part of their pack.

“Luna!” The girl launched herself into my arms, barely giving me enough time to catch her before she wrapped her arms around my neck and embraced me. The others were around my legs, hugging me however they found possible.

Suddenly, they all moved away and a woman stepped forward with a smile on her face. “I’m sorry. Children have been excited about the Alpha getting his mate, and wanted to meet her.”

“It’s alright. No harm. They’re sweet and cute, and I love children.”

The woman took the girl and shooed her off to play before extending a hand to me. “My name is Nadine. I think you’ll find this place very welcoming.”

I shook her hand. “Opaline. Nice to meet you.”

Nadine smiled again and walked me over to a bench. She watched the children for a while before turning to me. “So, what pack are you from?”

“Whisper Eclipse.”

She seemed surprised by this and asked, “Are you the Alpha’s daughter?” I nod slowly but she smiled and took my hand. “I can already tell you’ll make a wonderful Luna, Opaline. Lykaon will take good care of you. If you’d like, I can introduce you to people?”

I smiled and was going to say something when she turned her head. I looked and saw Klyn running towards us, saying to Nadine, “Thank the Goddess it was you who found her. I thought she might run into Jayene.”

Nadine laughed and shook her head. “No, Beta. She wandered here and immediately got swarmed by the children.”

Klyn stopped before us and smiled. “Better children than someone else.” He turned to me. “I’m sorry, Opaline. I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

“It’s okay,” I said softly.

“Where did you go?” he asked and crossed his arms.

“The Pack House. I was in there before wandering here and meeting Nadine.”

He nods and looks at the woman beside me. “How are you, by the way?”

I turned to Nadine with concern, somewhat surprised that I reacted this way but payed attention. “I’m fine. I just wished it wasn’t him.”

“What happened?” I asked, confused beyond belief.

Klyn got my attention and said, “She found her mate the other night.” I sat still, knowing there was bad news to go along with this. “He is the leader of the Rogues that keep attacking.”

<Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I know I enjoyed writing it.>