O’ Champion Mine [FxF] (Clearsight x Javorcek)

[Javorcek]

In the Northern Territories, a massive werewolf made her home on the border between wolf land and Native land. Cast out from her pack, with her clan markings ripped from her hide so that she carried the mark of outcast everywhere she went, she had traveled for many days on her own before settling here, in the cold tundra where few lived ...and alone is how she had been for the last four years.

As an alpha she had the luxury of staying in her wolf form all the time, even without the help of the full moon. But because of that ability, that’s how she stayed: wild. The first winter she had spent here, there had been an old Native woman who used to come onto the slice of land she had marked as her territory. She was a Seer, harmless and respectful of the land, so the wolf never paid her any mind. She would come to pick herbs and flowers that only grew within the wolf’s territory, but she never took too much. Sometimes she would leave the wolf small offerings of meat. The old woman called her, ‘Amaroq,’ and that was the closest thing she had to a proper name for years.

Over the years she had run into those who were not so harmless or respectful: hunters, poachers, and mages who sought to take more than the land offered. About a year ago she had been stupid, reckless. A poacher had come into her territory...but he had come prepared. The wolf had been careless, perceiving him to be an idiot like all the others. That was what had earned her a slice to her thigh with a silver tipped weapon. The metal hadn’t been pure enough to kill her, but it was strong enough to keep the werewolf’s healing abilities from taking effect.

Even wounded, the large wolf limped her 20 kilometer patrol route every day, but today was an especially terrible day because she had to go much further. She needed to journey from her territory to the native tribe to the north for medicine, and that march was nearly double that of her patrol. Forcing her wounded body forward while dragging a caribou leg through a frozen tundra was miserable, but necessary. She could smell a storm in the air, and if she didn’t take the trip now, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to make it later. Her leg had been bothering her for close to a month, now it was getting to the point she’d like to chew the damned thing off.

The Seer who lived on the outskirts of the northern village would help her. Now the woman who used to come gather plants from the wolf’s territory was too old to make the dangerous trip, so she sent a terrified apprentice into the wolf’s domain to gather plants. But the wolf would still come to see her, about once a month for the past year to receive care for her wound.

“Amaroq, what brings you to my hut tonight?” the old woman didn’t even turn around to face the wolf, busy stirring a pot over the fire.

The wolf grumbled, not in the mood for small talk. The Seer already knew why she was here, she could already smell the medicinal tea brewing for her.

“Medicine…” the wolf forced the word out, garbeling it in vocal cords that were not made for human speech.

The old woman clicked her tongue, “If you would show me your human form, Amoraq, I could heal you properly.”

For the past year it had been like this. Alex would limp her way to the northern tribe when the pain in her leg became too much. The old woman would chastise her for being proud, and then would give her the tea anyways because she didn’t want to see an animal suffer more than it already was.

The Seer placed a large bowl of bitter tea on the ground. The wolf didn’t like the taste, but she lapped up every drop because it would stem the infection and ease her pain. When she was finished, she ran her paw through the bottom of the bowl. The Seer was always trying to read her tea leaves and the wolf didn’t need anyone snooping around her future.

“How will I know when to stop expecting your visits?” The old woman huffed as she watched the wolf disturb the leaves. Of course she wanted to know more than just when the wolf’s life would end; she truly felt sorry for this creature and wanted to see if there were any paths that could be taken to heal her. She had read bits of the girl’s leaves before but they only ever showed her the past. In her opinion, the wolf had been cast out unfairly. It was obvious the pup wasn’t violent, she didn’t steal from the tribe even though she was skinny in the winter, and the guilt and self loathing she felt over whatever crime she had committed proved she had a conscience. But, the Amaroq was stubborn, perhaps the most stubborn beast the Seer had ever come across; the girl wouldn’t take her help. Even this medicine was paid for, the Seer knew that even though the wolf was hungry, she would find a caribou leg outside of her hut when she sent the girl off. “You are a foolish child,” the old woman grumbled, “If you continue down this path, Amaroq, you will become feral.”

The large wolf grunted. She already knew what her fate was, she didn’t need a Seer to tell her. This was the destiny of all Clanless: cast out from their pack, forced into their wolf forms for survival in the harsh Northern Territories. Eventually she would lose her mind, she would become feral and Hunters would come for her. It had already been over a year since she had last seen her own human face in the reflection of water...she couldn’t even remember what her old body looked like anymore.

There was a bed of old rags that the Seer left her by the fireplace. The wolf plopped down into it, rolling about to make herself a nest. She would rest here a little while, letting the tea heal her. Even though it was warm and she was indoors, she didn’t shift back. Years spent in her wolf form made her more comfortable this way. Besides, she would go back to her territory right after her nap, it would be a poor use of energy to waste calories transforming back and forth.

 

[ClearSight]

Tessa shivered, pulling the blue insulated jacket she wore closer to her body. Normally, the cold proved ineffective against her, but the harsh winds and eternal chill of the Northern Territories proved enough to seep into her bones. Not that the cold dulled the bright blue eyes peering at the white world from atop a towering hill. If anything, the smile on her face showed that none of it bothered her, even if each breath created a misty trail from her lips to the air before her eyes.

After taking in the same white wonderland she spent the past few days trudging through, Tessa shook off the cold and started heading down the hill. A village waited for her at the foot of the hill, the very place she wanted to find for days. Finally, she managed to lay her eyes upon it, no thanks to the stupid GPS she brought along that refused to detect any form of signal to help her along. In the end, she relied on maps, a compass, and a little help from some very shakey detection magic.

If she ever expected to be adventuring, she might have practiced it a bit, but as things stood, Tessa's magic prowess ill-suited her current task. Still, she made it! And, despite her worries that venturing so far into werewolf territory would end badly, nothing had happened. Even as she made her way down the hill and towards the village, there were no angry howls or furious snarls from ahead, only some curious eyes as people went about their day.

As she entered the village, Tessa gave everyone a bright smile, not immediately asking questions that spoke towards her purpose there. After all, she walked through the snow and arduous terrain for a reason. Still, she chose to first ask where she might have a nice meal. After eating nothing but cold rations, she wanted something hot, or at least warm and soothing. Unexpectedly, they sent her towards the Seer without her needing to ask, pointing out a building close to the outskirts of the village and telling her to go there for anything she needed.

After thanking the seemingly nervous young man who gave her directions with a blush, she turned and made her way towards the Seer's home. Soon, she made her way to the front door, and yet again, before she could do anything herself, the world seemed to respond to her presence; a voice from inside told her to come in without her needing to knock.

Tessa pushed open the door and went inside, her cheeks filling with warmth as the fire inside the building drove away the cold clinging to her body.

"Welcome, child. I have been expecting you," an aged voice said, a certain degree of welcoming kindness present that Tessa didn't expect.

"You seem surprised." The woman looked at her from across the room, sitting by the fire as she looked at Tessa and invited her inside. "Come and sit, young one. I can indeed help you." She motioned for Tessa to join her.

As Tessa neared the seat, she noticed a cup of steaming tea and a bowl of what looked to be stew waiting for her, and her eyes widened. She knew of the Seer, but it was not a title unique to one woman. However, of the few she knew of, there wasn't one that had such accurate foresight.

"It's not so impressive. I knew you would be coming, so I had one of the young ones watch over you on your way." The woman chuckled, seeing the surprised look on Tessa's face and finding it amusing.

Tessa nodded, a smile appearing on her face as she reached up and pushed down the hood on her jacket. What appeared before the Seer was a beautiful woman, almost unnaturally so. Her eyes were bright, and her features nearly perfect. Above that, she had slightly pointed ears, and her hair was a brilliant aqua blue, a sign of her bloodline - that of a Siren. She normally kept it dyed brown with magic to hide her identity as best she could, but she hadn't bothered during her journey.

"My, a Siren, how rare." The woman looked more concerned than in awe, even if Sirens were one of the rarer species of magical creatures. Of course, actual Sirens had long gone extinct, but the bloodline was still passed down.

"Yes. It's why I'm here, actually." Tessa took a sip of the tea and placed it back on the table, picking up the bowl of stew instead. After a few bites, she let out a content sigh and looked at the Seer, almost apologetic at her lack of manners.

"Slavers attacked my mother not long ago, and they used Kelpthu. I'm here in search of a Glacial Rose." Kelpthu was a poison, and while it wasn't lethal, it might as well have been to Sirens. For those with their bloodline, any trace of Kelpthu meant losing the ability to utilize mana. Without mana, they no longer had access to their magic, becoming powerless but beautiful creatures sought after by many collectors. As sick as such a thing was, it existed even in the modern world, as did many seedy practices by those with enough power to avoid the oftentimes lax eyes of the law.

"I heard there is a place in the Northern Territories that gives birth to the Glacial Rose, a place of immense cold." The veil and the mana that existed within it meant many wondrous things, but some places were more prone to the mystic than others. If what Tessa learned was right, there was such a place near this village, and she hoped the Seer knew of it.

Tessa knew of no other way to treat her mother. Even with their vast resources and political power, they failed to treat her. They punished the men who attempted to kidnap her, crushing them and their organization, but none of that helped her mother, who walked around weak and listless after losing part of herself.

The desperation that drove Tessa across the world in search of what might as well have been a myth showed on her face. Taking pity on the child, the Seer nodded her head and stood up, walking over to one of the shelves in her abode. After retrieving a scroll, she unraveled it and placed it on the table, revealing a beautiful painting of a flower.

"The Glacial Rose does exist. True Ice lays beneath the earth there, but that does not guarantee anything." The Seet sighed, then continued, "Eat up, child. After you have had your fill, I'll have someone point out the way. Whether you find what you seek, it is ultimately up to fate."

Tessa's eyes glimmered when the Seer revealed that her journey wasn't in vain, and she quickly bowed her head. "I truly do not know how I can thank you."

"You can be safe. The Northern Territory is not a place to be careless, especially for one of your kind." The Seer smiled, displaying a kindness that few would give to strangers.

"I promise!" Tessa grew so excited that she nearly stood up right then and there, ready to continue on. However, a growl from her stomach interrupted her, causing the younger woman to blush. "I'll finish my stew first..." she muttered, gaining another chuckle from the Seer, who watched her fondly. What Tessa didn't know was that the Seer was not just a kind old woman. Her abilities let her gleam things about people, and if she felt something good from a person, she treated them well.

It was only after Tessa finished eating and drinking that she left, too eager to get her hands on the Glacial Rose to remain in the village for long.

Once she was gone, the Seer's smile grew wider, and she looked over at the fire, observing the flickering flames. "You have already thanked me, child. Your fate is tied to that pitiful girl's." She paused and then sighed, "Amoraq, perhaps you will finally find comfort." She only saw bits and pieces, but it included the real face of the wolf she had come to know... as well as a smile that the Seer could barely imagine.

As for Tessa, she knew nothing about what awaited her, not the good and certainly not the bad. After all, not even the Seer could see everything. Neither of them knew that Tessa's journey to the Northern Territory wasn't made alone. The very remnants of the group that harmed her mother stalked her, humans of the worst sort intent on doing her harm, of gaining both revenge and a fortune simultaneously.

"She's left the village. We can keep following her..." said a scratchy voice. The speaker looked at the rest of his group, his eyes shimmering with cold blue mana. As it faded, only one intact eye revealed itself, while the other was missing, a deep scar running down the entirety of that side of his face.

"Got it, boss." One of the men said, checking the rifle in his hands as he did. He then turned to the few men behind him with a grin and said, "Let's go, boys. There's hunting to be done." With a chuckle, they followed, all of them heading in the same direction as Tessa.

 

[Javorcek]

The wolf napped by the fireplace for a few hours before waking to the smell of caribou stew. Apparently the Seer had butchered her payment right away and had thrown the delicious meat into the pot while she was asleep. She stood from her nest of rags, her leg feeling much better...though now her stomach growled and twisted with hunger.. It appeared as though the young wolf would never have a moment's respite. She wouldn’t ask for stew, far too proud to do so even if knew the Seer would gladly share it because she was a kind old woman. The food had been payment, she wouldn't take it back, and that kind old woman needed nutrients far more than the wolf did. It was hard hunting in the Northern Territories; the wolf knew she could handle long bouts of hunger, having been close to starving when she had been first cast out as a juvenile wolf. While the old woman wasn't a frail old thing (and would probably cane the wolf for suggesting such), she was still getting on in years; elders shouldn't have to spend the last stretches of their life in discomfort.

“Would you like some food, Amaroq?” The Seer turned away from her pot to smile kindly to the waking wolf, of course knowing the answer but needing the girl to change her mind. The future was a difficult thing to predict, but not so hard to manipulate once one knew all the paths. If she could tie this beast to the stranger who approached her home, perhaps she could nudge their paths closer together so they would actually cross.

The wolf huffed. She was hungry but she was also stubborn. The offering had been for the Seer! Payment for her medicine; an outcast should strive to not be indebted to anyone...it was the last little bit of dignity she had left. “No,” she grumped, then padded towards the door to leave.

“Just the bone then. The sled dogs have enough,” the Seer pressed. “Come now, girl. There is a storm coming and you have a long way home, you will need your energy. Don’t make an old woman ask twice.”

The wolf looked at her, hesitating before finally nodding. Her respect for elders evidently outweighed her pride. Plus the stew did smell delicious...

Knowing it would be a push of her luck if she kept nagging the girl, the Seer dipped the bone into the stew. She hummed something to herself as she stirred the pot a few times, covering her prayer to the Spirits with a song to not arouse suspicion from the wolf. She set the dripping bone down on the floor for the girl, alongside a bowl of water. The wolf crunched into the bone and rich marrow, licking up anything her massive jaws had missed from the floor, then slurped up the water.

“Thanks,” the wolf growled out when she was finished, a little less grumpily this time. The Seer nodded with a smile, then held the door open for her so she could get out. The wolf padded off into the growing darkness, eager to go back home. It wasn't just because the villagers gave her a wide berth or looked at her with fear...she just felt like she needed to be home. There was a lot of ground for her to cover, hopefully she’d get lucky and find a something to eat along her way. She didn’t want to have to stop, rest, and split her journey into two days. Being away from her territory always bothered her, but for some reason tonight it was worse...perhaps it was the impending blizzard.

———————

The men followed Tessa further north, over frigid tundra, fighting blistering wind and slippery trails on their way. The terrain was miserable the further north they went; but the girl didn’t stop, so neither did they. The wind caused quickly shifting snowdrifts; if they stopped for too long they would lose the trail and then would have to waste mana tracking the girl via spells. It was a delicate balance, staying far enough behind to not arouse detection while not falling too far back that they had to rely on magic that wasn't easily replenished in this god forsaken land. The only thing that gave them a moment of pause was blood staining the pristine snow. Something had recently made a kill here, something big. “Boss, we’ve got some tracks.. Must be a werewolf.”

“Fucking hell...” the mage frowned. They had been lucky so far in this endeavor that they hadn't run into a werewolf yet. A wolf pelt prized amongst seedier collectors, but it was draining to take an adult wolf down, barely worth the price. His magic wasn’t all that affective against werewolves; he could fight a normal one off, but if it was feral...well, feral wolves were a known deadly menace. They were crazy, little better than a rabid animal and far more dangerous. But if he relied on his hunter friends to kill the thing, the gunshots would spook their true prey before she led them to the Glacial Rose. If push came to shove, he’d rather have just the Siren to sell into slavery than the Siren plus the magical plants she was searching for. “If you see it, shoot it. The Glacial Rose is no good to us if that mutt kills us before we can get it.”

The men nodded in agreement and continued on, following the Siren’s tracks through the tundra, then into a thick forest until that finally opened up to a flat clearing. There was a frozen lake here, one that rested at the base of a large mountain partly encased in a glacier. The Siren's tracks went forward and up, towards the glacier. The men followed, the closer they got to the pure ice, the more plants that defied the Northern Territories’ cruel nature sprouted. Here in the absolute cold grew Living Stones, Silver Byzantina, and Nightshade, all of the plants having magical qualities. The men could make a fortune just by gathering these specimens alone. The gods must be smiling on them now; their revenge would be capped off with riches.

Further ahead, their grand prize had stopped her hike at an area where the land leveled and wild silver roses blossomed in the moonlight. “Ms. Reigns, what are the odds of us seeing you here!” the mage shouted with a grin. “I believe you owe us something...something that will be paid with your flesh,” the man grabbed an orb from his belt and threw it. The ball exploded behind Tessa, ice shooting up behind her and forming a partial cage to bar her retreat. “Get her!” The mage barked, the hunters fanning out around him to surround the girl.

 

[ClearSight]

Tessa slowly realized something during her time in the freezing winds of the Northern Territory: she hated the cold. Not regular cold, not chilly, but any weather that required her to wear an insulated jacket. No matter how cute she looked in the puffy blue outerwear, she hated it! While ice and water magic seemed closely related, ice actually stood above water, making most of her spells difficult to wield and seeming to freeze her very blood as she trudged forward.

Always the optimist, Tessa still managed to smile and push on, but her fingertips trembled despite being in gloves every time she cast magic. After all, as she manipulated the very stubborn water in the air, condensing it into a workable spell, she inevitably opened herself up to the harshness of the frigid tundra. Fortunately, not all of her spells stood rooted in water, just most of them. She merely needed to focus and not play around!

Don't cast any water spells. Don't open your mouth. Don't stop moving. Tessa chanted all the things to avoid as she walked, her eyes still bright, but the smile on her face frozen into a straight line as she did whatever it took to stay as comfortable as possible. She even tried making a song out of it, doing anything to distract herself.

Aside from her own struggle with the cold, Tessa knew of nothing out of the ordinary. Her entire journey, from the village to the land near the True Ice, went smoothly, cold but bearable. She even managed to pick up a few rare herbs in passing, though she rarely trod off the beaten path to acquire them. After all, she knew little about alchemy, only wanting to thank the alchemist her family hired once they cured her mother.

Then she found what she wanted, the Glacial Rose. Just like the rest of the journey, Tessa displayed remarkable proficiency moving through the tundra. She disliked the bone-chilling cold, but her sense of balance and grace remained intact even on ice and slippery slopes. It also helped that her boots contained a magic spell specifically to traverse slippery surfaces! As a woman from the entertainment circle, she always liked purchasing new clothes, even if only for function and not looks. This time, it all came in handy!

The purchase, and all the effort she spent traveling there, finally felt justified when she found herself face-to-face with the Glacial Rose. In fact, a bunch of them littered the small area, but only a few appeared fully grown and blooming. "How beautiful," she muttered under her breath, looking at it with both admiration and a touch of desperation. Beautiful or not, the rose meant a great deal to her, for her mother. Even if their relationship suffered over the years, Tessa loved her, and she made the trip for that very reason. She did it... she succeeded.

Just as Tessa began to revel in her victory, she heard sounds behind her. Before she managed to swing her body around, a voice more chilling than the cold reached her ears, causing her to shiver, but not of cold, of fright.

"Protect me, oh spirits!" Tessa shouted on instinct, hugging the Glacial Rose to her chest as a thin water barrier rose up around her, formed by what appeared to be glowing blue dots floating around her.

The moment she cast the spell, she paled, not because the orb managed to hurt her but because she invoked the spirits. Some bloodline-reliant races gained their magic from the spirits of the world, and Tessa happened to be one of them. While her personal ability to cast magic remained mediocre, her bond with the spirits stood tall, and it normally remained one of her greatest secrets. The sudden attack and her desperation to protect the rose caused her to mess up in an instant, however. After all, the young girl never fought for her life before, only ever sparring in school. Plus, back home, given her position as the daughter of a big family and popular entertainer, nobody ever managed to truly threaten her, not enough that she needed to fight.

With the ice barrier behind her and the group of men closing in, Tessa started calling upon the spirits once more. Fortunately, many spirits existed in a place of nature like the field above the True Ice. Unfortunately, Tessa's control over so many spirits, especially those so connected to ice, proved shaky at best.

"Oh spirits, rise up and strike my foes..." she whispered, gulping as she summoned all her strength and send it surging out in a clumsy albeit powerful wave of water magic - magic that froze in the air as it traveled and became something akin to a massive blade of ice.

While her hunters seemed unconcerned about the magic, dodging the clumsy application without much problem, it did give Tessa a chance to flee. Boxed in or not, them dodging presented an opportunity, and she took it.

Darting through their disorganized line, she fled, but they refused to let her go so easily. Although none of them wanted to see their prize maimed or dead, they also wanted her still and unmoving, easy for the capture. They came prepared as well, the gear they packed including non-lethal options like tranquilizer darts and even poison - if it came to that.

For the moment, they wanted to keep her as intact as possible, untainted by the vicious Kelpthu they used when trying to subdue the older and more experienced mother. If anything, the grin on their leader's face made it obvious how easy a hunt it would be.

"Use the tranquilizer. Once you hit her, we'll just track her until she stops moving. No need to make our lives difficult."

A clean, quick takedown sounded better, but they all remembered the burst of power. Plus, she called upon the spirits, sending her value skyrocketing. "We're gonna be rich, boys," the mage said, a grin on his face as he watched one of the hunters lift a rifle and fire a tranquilizer round. He laughed as he watched it sink into her back, his large hand slapping the hunter on the shoulder.

As for Tessa, her adrenaline-fueled self barely registered the prick that penetrated her thick jacket and pale skin. She only felt a small pinch, though, in a short while, she noticed the more worrying signs.

Tessa ran with all her might, putting years of swimming and exercise to the test as she forced out every ounce of strength and stamina she could muster. Her enchanted boots and the use of magic helped, but between her fear-addled mind and the delicate Glacial Rose in her hands, she found herself lost as to what to do and running aimlessly. Worse yet, she started feeling sluggish, her body and mana both growing lazy, refusing to heed her call.

No, no, no. Tessa's internal dialogue also started to slow, her mind becoming hazy. Soon, unable to keep up with her demands, her legs faltered, and she tripped, landing heavily on the snow-covered ground. She tried to keep her eyes open, to remain conscious, but even her magic failed to completely force the drowsiness away. Even after she realized what happened and started to channel healing magic, using the gentle nature of water to cleanse her body, she did so too late. All she could do was struggle helplessly, even when she heard the crisp sound of snow beneath boots and jeering laughter approaching from behind.

"Help... Me... Oh spirits..." she muttered, but her soft plea fell on deaf ears, even the spirits unable to help without the call and touch of mana to guide them.

 

[Javorcek]

The wolf was ready for a proper rest when she shimmied into her den, her weary paws eager for a break. As used to the uneven terrain as she was, walking for nearly 16 hours was not something she did normally. In the summer months it wasn't so bad, food was plentiful and her paws healed quickly. But in the winter she ran with negative calories, the snack she had managed to catch earlier only made a small dent to her deficit. A nice long rest in her den would be the only thing to help her get ready to go for hunts again in a day or two.

Her den lay at the base of the glacier, where rocks and dirt still covered the ground. The plants in the area had always called to her, that was made her settle here even though she disliked the roses further up the mountainside. They were beautiful, but for wolves such a plant was ground down to a paste and used in its pure form to remove the clan markings of outcasts. She could still remember the intense pain as the silver paste had been applied to her skin and scoured any trace of her clan tattoos from her back, forever marring her wolf's pelt as well. There were angry white streaks that ran all over her back and disrupted her grey fur. For humans though, the plant could be use to remove toxins from the body if ingested or rubbed on to the flesh as a soothing balm. The Seer, and now her apprentice, would sometimes venture out here once or twice a year to pluck a few of those flowers for their village.

Just as she laid herself down to sleep, she heard the popping of gunshots off in the distance. She bristled, knowing such a sound was not caused by the Native people for such weapons were thought to be disrespectful and unfair to the land. Another wolf had apparently been tracked into her territory, that was the only explanation for there to be hunters here...and while she didn't appreciate a fellow outcast in her territory (the range of crimes committed by one could range from theft all the way to murder so it was impossible to trust one), she definitely hated the idea of hunters here.

She sprinted out of her den, following the sounds of fire. It was coming from up the mountain, and she tore off in that direction. It didn't take long before the night wind carried the jeers and shouts of men to her ears, even shorter still that she was greeted with their putrid scent. The men were gathered around a fallen blue lump on the ground, arguing about 'who would go first.' The scent of their arousal nearly made her retch, and in the end it only serve as fuel to enrage her further. With a howl, she barreled forward, headbutting one of the men in the chest so hard she heard his ribs crack, and sending the rest scattering to reposition.

"Shoot it!!" a man with only one eye bellowed. He made a motion and cried out an incantation that seemed to be to move the land...but the ground barely shifted under the wolf's feet rather than opening to the grand chasm he had been hoping for. It seemed as though the elements didn't want to obey him, so he threw one of the glass vials he had on his belt at the wolf. Ice shot up around her, encasing her...but such a trick didn't last long. With a snarl the girl transformed, her bones breaking and flesh rearranging so that she was a proper werewolf now. Bipedal, massive, and now -really- pissed off, the ice couldn't contain her.

As she burst from the ice, the wolf found herself pelted with a volley of darts from the hunter's rifles. "Change rounds boys!" apparently in their hurry to see who would be 'going first,' they had forgotten to load lethal ammunition to their weapons. The hunters were pathetic, too disorganized, too sluggish in their recovery. She tore through the remaining three of them with ease. It almost pained her how unchallenging it was...there was no honor in killing creatures that were so much weaker than she.

By the time she had dispatched those trespassers, the mage had backed off, sniveling and begging for his life. "Run," the wolf snarled, her face contorted in anger and disgust for this sorry excuse for a man soiling himself at her feet. The mage didn't need to be told twice, scampering away at full speed. She could chase him, she could kill him, but without his fellows, she was pretty sure he was just going to die anyways. Let it be the land that reclaimed him. She had killed enough for one day.

This left her with the problem of the blue bundle on the ground. Should she kill it? The creature wasn't moving...so she deemed it safe for her to transform back to her wolf form. She investigated the thing, it appeared to be alive...breathing slowly and deeply as if it were sleeping. It smelled...weird. Like salt and clean water, and something else that was alluring all on its own. It obviously didn't belong here with everything else that smelled of the earth and trees. She nudged at it, causing the creature to roll over and reveal that it was a female, a very pretty one too. Well, that explained why the men were talking about 'taking turns.' Upon further inspection she saw one of the darts sticking out of the girl and pulled it from her shoulder, nose brushing her neck as she plucked out the dart with her teeth.

When her nose touched the human's bare skin, her mind flashed. Her body felt warm, she saw blue skies and felt gritty white sand under her paws...and there was a smiling face reaching out to pet her, a woman with blue hair, her outstretched hand covered in tiny shimmery scales that looked like they would be so soft to touch... The wolf recoiled as though she had just been burned, spitting out the dart in the process. She snarled at the unconscious female as the vision faded, ears back and teeth bared. What trick was this?! She had never seen or smelled the ocean, had never felt warmth like that, and hadn't recognized the face that had clouded her vision. Was this what this creature did? Some sort of strange defense mechanism for when she was near death? The men had been acting stupidly, though, they might just be disgusting males...but still, it was a little strange that they were willing to take turns having their way with this girl in the middle of a frozen tundra rather than finding shelter.

She should leave this strange creature here...it was none of her business what happened to her anyways. The wolf had gotten rid of the hunters to ensure her own safety, and she had done her duty to the land by scaring off the mage. The man with one eye would surely freeze to death in the impending blizzard and be reclaimed by the tundra...this girl could be left here and receive the same fate. After all, the lot of them had been trespassers and didn't belong in the Northern Territories.

It all made sense, yet here she sat on her haunches, facing indecision while the wind kicked up and chilled her fur. Leaving this girl here didn't -feel- right, even though she could easily rationalize it. With a disgruntled huff, she grabbed the girl's ridiculous blue jacket in her jaw, trying not to touch any of her bare skin as she did so, and dragged her. This was a lot of effort for something that wasn't going to be food later! Hopefully the land was watching and would be kind to her in the future.

------------------

While the den itself was quite large, the main entrance was not; it was meant for a single wolf to pass through. Still, the wolf managed to get the girl inside with a bit of effort. Under a large split in the rocks below the glacier, her home had been dug out and expanded during the summer months. It was simple: a circular room with an entrance and then a much smaller hole that led out to a tunnel and the back exit. Around the room were piles of things...gadgets, trinkets, survival tools, and clothing. Whenever she killed a man, she didn't let anything go to waste. The animals would eat the corpse (she wasn't that feral yet, she'd still rather starve than eat a person) but then she would go back and rifle through the remains for things that would be useful for her. Most of the items she collected were valuable trades, things the Seer's apprentice would take in exchange for foods that the tribe grew but the wolf couldn't forage for. The cloth items she liked and kept for herself, jackets and comfy things she could make a nest with.

The unconscious girl was a little harder to drag on a dirt floor than the slippery ice, but the wolf got her over to the pile of clothes eventually. For a moment she considered shifting to her human form and starting a fire for her unwanted guest, but quickly decided against it. It wasn't as though she lacked the materials, she had everything she needed here of course, a stack of wood and more fire starters than she had use for. But those things were just for emergencies...even a wolf could freeze to death if the temperature got low enough. This did not seem like an emergency. And she didn't want to shift back and deal with the discomfort of changing forms. She decided to just bury the girl in some of the jackets and blankets. When she was sure the creature was cocooned and there was no risk of her touching the wolf, she laid down next to her for warmth.

 

[ClearSight]

Tessa's mind faded, but somewhere in the darkness, multicolored lights darted about, dancing around her consciousness. When she reached out, they jumped, scattering momentarily before returning, cautious at first but growing bolder as they interacted. She wanted to try to speak, to communicate, but she only managed to reach out with her mind, and even then, it took great effort. The sluggishness of her mind still lingered, though she eventually managed to recall the scene from before she passed out.

Panic overtook Tessa's limited consciousness, causing the darkness to grow chaotic and unstable. The lights scattered again, moving further away and watching her. However, after a time, they returned, moving to her side and comforting her with a strange, pleasant warmth.

"Calm down, child. A daughter of this land saved you before anything bad happened," a voice spoke from the darkness, followed by the appearance of an orb of light far brighter than the smaller flecks of color currently swirling around her.

The light blue light approached, but unlike the aura that it gave off, which sang of cold and ice, it emitted a soft, warm glow.

"Sleep well, young one. When you wake, everything will be okay. My children will watch over you," the ethereal voice filled her ears, and her consciousness relaxed, comforted by the words. The spirits didn't lie. Everything would be fine. Perhaps... when she woke... she would wonder just how a spirit spoke to her. Yes... after she woke.

The last vestiges of Tessa's mind succumbed to darkness, and her body stopped radiating the innate magic, leaving her inert and harmless. However, drained and without the ability to purge herself of the drugs coursing through her system, she remained sleeping for a long time, only stirring after an extended, oddly comfortable sleep... one with quite the unexpected dream.

---

Tessa woke with a startle, wiggling around frantically as she tried to remove the things piled atop her. She pushed it all aside, and only then did her body shoot up to a seated position, her hair a mess and her face flushed with color, both from the heat and the dream she snapped out of. At some point, the hood fell, revealing her ears and the bewildered look on her face as she looked around. Her expression only grew more confused when she saw everything around her, then turned to panic as she looked for the Glacial Rose.

"No..." she muttered, her voice strained as she realized she lost it somewhere along the way. Still, she survived, which meant she just needed to go back and collect another, hoping at least one more reached adulthood.

After her bout of disappointment, Tessa returned her attention to her surroundings, and eventually, the creature she shared it with. Unlike everything else in what appeared to be the creature's home, the wolf seemed calm; even as she looked over at it, the wolf seemed unconcerned. Obviously, her rude awakening caught its attention, but her presence itself seemed to mean little to the creature.

Tessa felt strange, though, finding an oddly shy smile appearing on her face as she looked at the wolf, almost embarrassed to be seen in such a peculiar way - covered in loose clothing and an absolute mess. Taking a moment, she moved the clothes off of herself properly and straightened her hair, turning to face the creature again after she finished. While she knew little about wolves, she knew enough to be respectful, even more so with this one having saved her life.

"Uhm, thank you for saving me. I can't imagine what would have happened to me otherwise," she said, gulping as she found the thought of her fate at their hands difficult to bear. Still, a savior appeared and stopped her from having to think about that.

After a moment, she flashed a smile, a bright, genuine smile filled with thankfulness. "Thank you very much. I owe you one," she said, tilting her head slightly as she took a closer look at the wolf. "May I ask, did you get hurt in the fight when saving me?"

Seeming to think she knew what happened to the wolf, she inched forward, not doing so in an aggressive manner but intending to get closer and extend a helping hand. She knew that repaying the favor would prove difficult, but her healing abilities made a good start. Whatever she could do!

However, her smile and gesture both found nothing but rejection as she approached, reaching out to touch the wound on the creature's outer thigh. A snarl woke Tessa up from her happy little daze, forcing her to pull her hand back. She tried to keep a smile on her face, but she barely managed to look as cheerful as before.

"Sorry..." She wanted to say that she didn't mean to, but she did. After all, she just wanted to be helpful. Still, Tessa knew better than to push her luck, and after the rather nasty snarl, she decided to stick to herself, shrinking away to do what appeared to be pouting. In truth, she did withdraw to pout, but her mood came from more than just the rejection. Losing the Glacial Rose, the attack, her weakness, and now not managing to repay such a favor - it all left her down in the dumps.

"At least everything else worked out well," she muttered to herself, shooting a small look at the wolf. She would find another Glacial Rose, and she no longer needed to worry about the hunters or her own weakness, not really. While she lacked the full story, she guessed as to what happened. After all, wolves weren't known for their mercy, and hunters rarely backed down from prey while alive. All she needed to do was figure out how to convey her thanks beyond meaningless words.

---

Tessa discovered something horrible when she finally decided to peek her head out of the wolf's home; a blizzard raged outside. She ducked back inside almost instantly, shivering slightly as she looked over at the wolf, who still seemed just as calm and unconcerned as before. Though, perhaps it seemed a bit wary?

Tessa pouted further and plopped back down, unsure how to thank the wolf or go back out. She needed to find another Glacial Rose! And the sooner she returned home, the better. She really needed to thank the Seer again as well, even if things became difficult. She also wanted to thank her savior, but that seemed impossible. Perhaps, though... What about some food?

The moment the thought appeared in her head, Tessa lit up. Her cooking skills were above average. Even if she grew up with servants, she learned a lot about preparing her own meals to keep her figure perfect. Vegetables and lean meat composed much of what she ate, but she knew quite a few recipes from here or there. No, something simple.

Tessa quickly shook the silly thought of making a complex meal from her head, finding it ridiculous from the start. The best she could imagine was a fire, so she needed something she could cook without tools.

She turned and looked at the wolf again, chewing her lower lips as she thought about her options. Aside from herbs and some rare vegetation, the area seemed barren. Perhaps the spirits could help, but even that seemed slim, especially if she wanted to make something tasty! Then it hit her - fish!

Although the area remained cold year-round, Tessa remembered seeing a fast-moving river. Even in the cold, the speed of the river kept it flowing and unfrozen. Tessa immediately smiled brightly, already prepared to deliver quite the surprise. Now all she needed to do was wait for the blizzard to die down, then she could run out and do what she needed to do - get fish and another Glacial Rose!

---

Tessa made another mistake, one of many that day; although the blizzard died down, it didn't disappear. So, after she went out and caught some fish, it picked back up. Before Tessa made it back to the wolf's home, the blizzard attacked, chipping away at her no matter how much she tried to rebel.

Not again. Tessa's final thought before once again falling into darkness, this time due to cold and clumsiness instead of being attacked. Somewhere between the wolf's abode and the river, Tessa collapsed, a plethora of fish clutched in her arms.

 

[Javorcek]

“No.” The wolf grunted out her response. The hunters had been a joke due to whatever state this creature had put them in. The mage had been little better, with none of the elements wanting to obey him in this harsh land. Some of the tranquilizers had landed but they had been made for this odd creature, not a full grown werewolf. The only thing they had done was put the wolf into a deeper sleep, one where she had actually dreamed.


The other girl didn’t seem to let up though, apparently wanting to ‘help’ in some way. So of course the wolf snarled at her when she reached closer, long white teeth bared. She didn’t need any help! Certainly not from something that had made her brain do funny things the last time they had touched.


“Old…” she nodded to her leg. The cut never healed, not really anyways. It had been much deeper when she had first gotten it and over the year it had slowly mended itself. But the flesh was still broken open, slowly bleeding and matting down her fur. She’d often go out and roll in the snow to clean it off, too afraid to lick it because of the silver.


————-


The wolf had no problem lazing about on such a terrible day. She laid in her nest and kept dozing in and out, resting up and conserving her energy because there would be plenty to do once the storm was over. The girl on the other hand didn’t seem to share her ability to just sit still and be quiet. As soon as the storm let up for a moment, she was heading out of the safety of the den.


“Blizzard...” the wolf shook her head, trying to warn the other girl that the blizzard was not finished. She could still smell the cold and ice that hung in the air...there would be more wind and more snow in an hour or so. But in this form it took great effort to speak more than one word at a time and her inability to communicate all that she knew left the girl with little warning. The strange female left and the wolf was left there to lament her poor choices.


Guh. She was incompetent anyways! Fine! Let her go out there and freeze to death because she was too stupid to understand when the wolf said ‘blizzard’ she meant ‘the storm system is huge, don’t go out there you will die.’

She laid down in her nest, stubborn and sulking. Why did she care? She didn’t know the girl and all she was was a nuisance anyways. Leading hunters and mages here, making the wolf drag her into her den so she wouldn’t die. It was a wonder such a creature had made it this far in the Northern Territories without perishing in the first place!


But...she did care. That creature had come all the way out here for a single rare rose. She hadn’t harvested many in an effort to gain riches...she had taken just one to make a cure, just as the Seer and her apprentice did. Her intentions were noble, even if her execution was idiotic. So with a grumbling huff, the wolf left the warmth of her nest and den, venturing into the brutal cold. If the land hadn’t taken her by now, there must be some greater purpose for this odd female.


The snow hadn’t picked up yet, but she could feel it in her bones that it would soon. The winds had blown away the girl’s tracks, but they also carried her scent to the wolf. She followed the smell of salt water to the river, finding the girl fishing, actually -fishing- in the brief calm of a blizzard.


Spirits, she had thought the girl was stupid, now she realizdd she was just crazy!


The wolf didn’t announce her presence. She stayed out of sight and just watched the girl, wondering what she would do. When she finished urging the fish out of the water with her magic, the girl had an armload of them and appeared to be heading back towards the den...but then a gust of wind came, bringing with it flurries. Those flurries soon turned into a whiteout of snow. It wasn’t long before the wolf watched her collapse in a blue heap. With a sigh, the wolf left her hiding spot and bounded over. The girl looked a little bluer in the face, not frozen yet but definitely heading that way.

Having to drag the girl and the fish in one trip wasn’t going to happen. She had to shift, turn back into a werewolf, and then scoop up everything from the ground. She hefted the unconscious girl over her shoulder and gathered the precious fish up in her other arm. The entire trip back to the den was spent grumbling as she sank in snow that was already halfway up her calf.

At one point the girl’s skin brushed against hers, causing her sight to unfocus. Her bones felt weary, entire body feeling heavy and achy. She was...old? Her head lay in the lap of a female, a different one this time, one who gently scratched behind her ears- Startled, the wolf dropped everything she had been carrying. The girl groaned, but she didn’t wake up...whatever the creature had done, it didn’t appear to be on purpose, and it seemed as though it would be safer to drag the girl by her jacket the rest of the way so they didn’t accidentally touch again.


—————

Her home smelled like a heat den as soon as she set the partially frozen creature into the clothing pile. The girl reeked of tantalizing scents; that, coupled with her actual beauty made it difficult for the wolf to resist. Alex decided that now was an actual emergency and time to light the fire to smoke out the scent of sex. She shifted back to her human form, turning into a muscular young woman who was far too lean from lack of nutrients. She was lovely to look at...but so gaunt that she kept an edge of wild, dangerous predator. Bits and pieces of tattoos remained on her back and arms, but for the most part the girl’s clan markings had been erased. It hurt to go back to this unused form. Even with her rapid healing, she was sent to her knees, huffing and grimacing from the pain. When it was over, she grabbed some things from the clothing pile now that she didn’t have her fur to keep her warm, tugging on men’s clothing that was a bit too big for her. The clothes felt itchy on her skin and she immediately didn’t like them, so she left everything unbuttoned.


It had been a year since she had used her hands, four years since she had used them with any sort of regularity....she was a lot clumsier with them now than she would have liked. Alex needed them though, swallowing tiny fishbones as a wolf was awful. Even though there was a river by her home, she didn’t really eat much fish. Transformations took up too much of her energy without the full moon so she rather hunt or forage than go through the effort of fishing. But she needed this human form now to start the fire and butcher the fish.


Northern wolves were different from their southern and eastern cousins in that they still held strong ties to the land. Many packs had adapted to the modern era, living in cities and working normal jobs. Alex doubted they’d do much better than this girl trying to survive in the birthplace of werewolves. But she had spent her years learning out to hunt, track, and trap...how to forage, farm, and trade. There had been little time in her upbringing for hobbies other than necessary reading. Sure she had learned to play music, dance, and sing for festivals, but for the most part she was perfectly content quietly sitting with her thoughts and doing work. And quietly work she did. After the fire was started, she left her den for a moment to clean and scale the fish, tossing the inedible remains as far as she could for the scavengers. She filled a large pot with snow and fish bones, she’d make a nice sipping broth with the bones and some of the less desirable parts. Then back inside she went, dusting some of the snow from her hair and jacket. There were some good coals in her little firepit now, so she set down the pot in the fire and rigged up the spits for the fish. She didn’t have much in the way of herbs or spices...but she had a little bit of salt and some wild medicinal herbs that were plentiful and tasted good. She rubbed those onto the fish and then skewered them, then set them up to be roasted.


By the time she was finished, she heard stirring from the pile of clothes behind her; apparently the girl was done freezing to death for the moment. “I told you there was a blizzard,” Alex’s voice was lower in register, coated in a wolfish growl with just a tinge of human femininity. It left her sounding angry and serious all the time, despite her being a great big puppy dog on the inside.


“You reek of pheromones...like you’re in heat,” she said after awhile, turning the fish on their spits. She didn’t say it to be mean...just, as a matter of fact. Right now it wasn’t so bad. With the smell of a burning fire and cooking food, Alex could ignore the girl’s scent. It was just disconcerting to think about what would happen if she got too close when the wolf shifted back. “Make sure you stay away from me...I spend almost all my time as my wolf...I’m more wild than the city weres,” she said gruffly. It could be hard to control the wild creature that lived inside her on a good day...and after all that happened, this was proving to be a very bad day.

 

[ClearSight]

In the modern world, Tessa's skillset proved valuable, impressive even. Smart, talented, successful, a decently talented mage with a connection to the spirits that made her special. Even her Siren bloodline served to make her stand out. She knew how to cook too! A skill obtained from taking care of herself after leaving her family home the moment she turned eighteen, but she felt proud of her cooking regardless of her reason for working for it. She felt the same with all of her accomplishments.

However, proud of not, Tessa knew that her talents remained rooted in the modern world, providing very little in the Northern Territories. She not only struggled to arrive there, but hunters made an attempt on her. Even after being saved, she found herself in a similar situation, unsure of what to do to properly express her thanks. She wanted to heal the wolf, to use her water magic and connection to the spirits to close what appeared to be a pesky wound. But the wolf refused to let her get close, seeming on guard even.

Therefore, Tessa decided to do something else, and her mind settled on finding food. She wanted to show off her cooking, even if she only knew how to get a few fish. After all, foraging for anything else went beyond her skillset as much as doing anything else in the frigid lands.

Unfortunately, the land proved more heartless than she imagined. While she managed to get the fish, easily coaxing them out of the water with a little magic, the blizzard quickly returned. Before Tessa managed to prepare herself, the blizzard engulfed her, making it impossible to reach the wolf's abode, no matter how hard she tried. For the second time in a day, she found herself losing consciousness, and then, for the second time, she woke up after being saved.

Of course, between falling into darkness and returning to the light, she experienced quite the dream. But the moment she opened her eyes, all of that slipped from her mind as the sight in front of her caused Tessa to gawk.

Tessa forgot how cold she felt due to the nature of what she saw upon opening her eyes. Not that her first glance caught the wolf turned woman, she noticed the fire and the roasting fish as well, but none of that managed to pierce her consciousness after she saw the woman.

Why?

Tessa lacked the ability to understand what she felt upon seeing the other woman. Unlike usual, she felt out of sorts, completely different from before. Even considering the obvious lack of nutrition, the woman in front of her took Tessa's breath away, and for a time, she stared, almost rudely so.

Why am I feel like this?

Tessa questioned herself, wondering what affected her so much. Gorgeous or not, Tessa's odd staring and internal turmoil made no sense. Even as she questioned herself, she found it difficult to look away, difficult to even control her own expression and thoughts. Even her eyes refused to budge, taking in every inch of the powerful but gaunt form. To her, the woman looked neither pitiful nor dangerous, but she did want to reach out and touch her again, her heart yearning for it. She barely managed to stop herself.

After a moment, she snapped out of her strange state, but her heart continued to beat quickly. She felt so out of sorts that she nodded furiously at the woman's chastisement, agreeing without even thinking about what she agreed to. Of course, she did agree, but at that moment, she barely registered any of it. In fact, the attractive voice drew her attention more than the words spoken, which then drew Tessa's eyes to her lips. When they accidentally locked eyes, hers widened, and she turned her head away with a blush on her cheeks.

Idiot! What is wrong with you!

The hunters did something to her; she felt sure of it. Something in the tranquilizer, perhaps? Even without proof, she knew, or at least she failed to think of another reason.

Tessa's already panicking mind exploded when the woman spoke again, the words so shocking to the young woman that her entire face turned red, and her body trembled slightly. She reeked of pheromones? How? Did her current state cause her attraction to be obvious? She instantly thought the woman meant that she sensed the undefined attraction. She felt seen through, and her thoughts grew chaotic as she tried her best to quell her sudden desire. That only made things worse.

When Tessa finally looked back up, she felt the same, and her flushed cheeks and rapid heartbeat grew more intense due to the embarrassment that now clung to the odd feelings blossoming in her chest. The fact that she believed the woman sensed her inner thoughts only served to make matters worse, with all of it compounding to the point that Tessa barely managed to form words.

"S-S-Sorry," she stumbled out, completely out of sorts. She tried her best to appear normal, but another thing she failed to realize came in the form of the small truth she stumbled upon in her panic; the tranquilizer affected her even after she woke up.

With the tranquilizer still floating around in her system, Tessa lost control of the abilities she took for granted, having long since gained control enough not to let them seep out. Now, however, her charm oozed into the air, the natural pheromones of her bloodline filling the air, and it grew stronger as Tessa's emotions thrashed about in her chest.

She grew so uncomfortable with it all that she took of her jacket, hoping the heat building in her came from the fire. It did nothing, though, only making her feel more self-conscious, which turned into more fidgeting.

Even with the jacket off, Tessa still wore modest clothing, but her slender neck and shapely features now appeared in the open. Even a small bit of the shimmering blue tattoo that ran from the center of her neck down to her tailbone revealed itself as she stretched her neck, her hair falling away.

Silence ensued after, with the fish cooking and Tessa chewing on her lip as she tried to figure out what to do. She felt so uncertain that when she noticed the fish getting overcooked, she panicked, shooting up with a clearly nervous, "I'll get the fish!"

She wanted to be helpful, to distract herself, but in her haste, she stumbled, not quite enough to faceplant into the ground, but enough to approach the woman far closer than either of them seemed prepared for. She wanted to apologize; she even wanted to curse and chastise herself for being so foolish, but the moment they touched, her entire body heated up further, and her brain seemed incapable of forming words. Instead of saying anything, she looked up at the woman with flushed cheeks, slightly hazy eyes, and pheromones kicked into overdrive.

 

[Javorcek]

Bright eyes watching her so intently had the wolf fidgeting. It was strange...not unpleasant...but just weird. Alex knew that she was easy on the eyes but she couldn’t remember a time when anyone had looked at her with that much admiration and desire. She had been quite a lovely female growing up, drawing the eyes of many...but when she had started presenting as an alpha, everyone in her pack had just avoided her like the plague. Some of the more modern packs embraced female alphas and their ‘unique’ anatomical and physiological differences. But for her pack, rooted in the old ways, it was shameful for a beta or an omega female to match themselves to her. And if she had let herself be mated to a male alpha...well, that was gross, she didn’t want a male, plus no male would want her due to her...differences in anatomy. Her casting out had always been inevitable, but her presentation as an alpha had been the final nail in the coffin: it meant she would never have a mate and would never continue on her family line.

So here she was, alone. And she had finally been alone for so long she didn’t mind it, was actually starting to prefer it. Interactions with others were so complicated...it was unnecessarily stressful. Like now. This female here in her den and causing her major stress.

Despite the wolf encouraging the girl to stay the fuck away from her, she seemed intent on not listening to a damned thing the wolf said. The girl was already getting up and moving closer, mere seconds from when Alex said she should keep her distance. “I can-“ she started, about to say she could deal with the fish, but the other female tripped forward. On instinct, the wolf reached out, easily catching the lighter female in her arms.

That proved to be a very, very big mistake.

Her clothes, as loose and unfastened as they were felt too tight, her body was too hot. Her heart hammered in her chest too fast. The girl in her arms smelled and looked far too good. It was all too much. The worst part was that this girl didn’t fight her! She didn’t listen! She looked human but she was behaving like an omega in heat and Alex didn’t know what to make of that. She was caught between wanting to push the human away for her own safety and wanting to mount her like the needy bitch she smelled like. If the other girl were a wolf she would have known exactly what to do but this...this was very confusing.

She leaned closer before she could stop herself, not leaning in for a kiss but moving to nuzzle at the other girl’s neck. Her motions were slow, tentative, as though she were investigating something that had the potential to hurt her. When her nose came into contact with unbelievably soft skin and was bombarded with that delicious scent, her heart rate spiked even higher. She suddenly felt dizzy, so close to the girl’s pulse and a source of her scent, Alex was suffering some sensory overload. She wanted to bite, wanted to claim….there were no marks, the girl had no mate. She could do it! She was within her rights as an alpha to claim this willing omega!

She drew away, shaking her head, her wolf’s consciousness was roaring at her for being an idiot. She tried to take a deep to clear her senses, but all that managed to do was jam more pheromones even deeper into her lungs, “What...what are you?” she asked, dazed.

The sudden pop and crackle of the fire startled her out of her haze. Food. Food was important. Without food she couldn’t have sex. Shush! No! Stop that! Well definitely without food hunkering down for this blizzard would be worse. All her transformations were costing her precious calories and she needed to eat. “The- the fish.” She said dumbly, righting the girl back on her feet so she could rush over and take the skewers from the fire. The stew wouldn’t be ready for hours still but while she was here dealing with the food, she stirred that pot and filled up two metal mugs with some of the hot water. It didn’t pack much of a flavor yet but it was something warm, good for a chilly day.

 

[ClearSight]

Tessa's first instinct remained to chastise herself for her stupidity. However, that instinct quickly got pulled under by the torrent of emotions surging through her body. Things she never experienced, things she never expected to feel for someone she just met. Suddenly, the words the wolf spoke to her previously returned to her mind. She seemed to be in heat. At first, the embarrassing comment felt like a jab at her, but considering she barely managed to think straight due to her own desires, she found it more plausible.

Of course, the current her barely recalled the statement, or more aptly, she barely managed to think about anything beyond her immediate wants and needs. Her lips parted, and she began to breathe more heavily as an intoxicating scent filled her nostrils. The woman currently holding her smelled... delightful.

Tessa barely registered it when she reached forward, her fingers brushing lightly over the other woman's exposed skin as she fought the urge to lean in and capture her lips.

Pull... yourself... together.

Her mind faced as much chaos as her body, both her logic and instinct fighting for control. She wanted the person in front of her, more intensely and deeply than made sense. It scared her enough to cause her mind to gain a small hold, stopping her from completely falling into such bold actions.

In fact, Tessa never stood as someone modest. While she never dated, her innocence ended with actual experience. She knew things, knew what she wanted, and she definitely knew what other people wanted. After all, she made a living selling a mix of her talent and her charm as a famous idol! However, she currently found herself out of her depths, completely unable to understand the things she felt.

Before Tessa's logical side managed to come to a decision that made enough sense to convince her body, the woman leaned in. A nuzzle, such a simple action, and yet when it happened, Tessa's body reacted oddly, a shiver running up her spine. Even the mana present in her tattoo, the symbol of her bloodline, reacted, shimmering brightly as her entire body seemed to kick into overdrive.

A moan escaped her lips, soft and short, but also so sweet and honeyed that the desires behind it exposed themselves. At that moment, Tessa knew that if the other woman did so much and kiss her once... God, the things she felt willing to do. She blushed at the thought, a reaction buried beneath flushed cheeks and gentle, dazed panting.

Only when the other woman pulled away did she seem to regain some semblance of control, but even then, it took her a moment to recover, her beautiful, hazy eyes staring at the wolf needily.

"I..." The moment she regained some control, her entire being panicked, embarrassment flooding her system. "I'm so sorry," she finally said, lowing her head in shame.

"I'm a Siren... Uhm, my bloodline has the effect of charming others... But... But normally, I can control it." Tessa's entire face turned red again, but for a different reason now. As she moved away, trying to find somewhere to hide due to her humiliation, she tried to explain things further, but she felt as if she made things worse.

"I've never felt this way or had this effect on someone else... I... I've never even... I don't know what is wrong with me," she muttered the last few words, but she displayed clear signs of distress. Even when she just looked back towards the other woman, she felt some of her desires returning. Even if she failed to figure out why, Tessa knew that her own powers were out of control. More than that, her desires seemed to follow. Perhaps most concerning was that they should have had nothing to do with one another.

The throbbing in her spine served to further impress upon her how serious matters were. With her bloodline responding so powerfully, she found it difficult to keep herself stable, though she did her best by looking down at the ground, trying not to stare anymore.

Tessa found herself so out of sorts that she forgot about the fish, merely letting the wolf gather everything. She barely even managed to take her share when offered, her eyes still lowered and seemingly afraid of touching the wolf again when she clearly didn't want to be touched.

"Sorry..." she muttered again as she took the food, still fighting quietly against the thrum of her bloodline and the heavy, lust-laden breaths that had yet to completely calm. God, she wanted to touch herself... touch the woman so close to her. Resisting took everything she had. If not for the blizzard, she would have run outside immediately. Even knowing how bad it was, the thought crossed her mind. What she failed to realize was that even though she moved away a bit, her active bloodline was filling the room with the "pheromones," which grew stronger than ever after the intense stimulation from being so close to a beautiful, powerful woman. Even if the wolf seemed a bit thin, she radiated strength, and the current Tessa, bloodline or not, found that difficult to resist.

 

[Javorcek]

Hearing the embarrassment in the other girl’s voice and watching her actively avoid making eye contact made some of Alex’s gruffness melt away. Even the most ferocious werebeast would turn into a nurturing, tender alpha if pups or a lesser wolf were in distress. “It’s...it’s alright. Don’t be sorry, it’s just your body…” Alex tried to be reassuring, as she would with an omega in heat. Usually that consoling would manifest itself in a more physical sense: closer proximity, soft touches, maybe even little nuzzles, things that could be nonsexual but definitely wouldn’t be if she attempted them. Everything inside of her still screamed to be let out, her wolf howling that she knew exactly how to ‘take care’ of this omega.

“Yeah...well… I’ve definitely never even either,” the wolf blushed a bit at her admittance; her inexperience was probably far greater than the other girl’s. She figured showing a little vulnerability would help put this embarrassed female at ease, even though it hurt her alpha pride. Werewolves were always portrayed as these loyal, wild, knowledgeable lovers in romance novels, movies, and TV. But Alex had absolutely no experience other than things she had read or seen before her banishment. Females in her clan had avoided her, as was proper. Female Natives also gave her a wide berth because she was Amaroq: a lone werewolf of legend. “The pack I belonged to doesn’t accept alpha females… so I’ve been a lone wolf for a long time, ever since I’ve presented as an alpha. Most of my thoughts are on food and not dying...not a lot of time left over to think about mating,” honestly, she only thought about sex during full moons. On those days she wasn’t clawed at by hunger or pained by her leg.

As more of that delicious scent filled up her den, Alex tried to focus on something else. She tried to focus on her favorite smell of earth, they were surrounded by packed down dirt after all, it should have been easy...but the scent of the storm had invaded her home. The treacherous moisture that hung in the air acted as a vehicle for the siren’s scent: water, salt, fresh wild winds, and warmth. It was so different from a typical wolf’s scent: of earth, the forest, and a cool night breeze. It made her mouth water, filling her with the overwhelming curiosity to see if this girl tasted as good as she smelled.

“It’s okay...really,” Alex mumbled after the girl apologized again, obviously distracted. Yup. It was fine. Everything was fine. Her entire den didn’t smell like sex and willing female. She could totally ignore it. It didn’t bother her! Not one bit!

She was doomed. She was so fucking doomed.

“Let’s just eat,” if she was eating at least she’d be thinking about the food and not about devouring the other girl. “Maybe you’ll feel better after the meal.” It was wishful thinking...but hopefully if the Siren had more strength from the food, she’d be able to control herself better. Alex handed her a few of the skewers of meat (the best ones, because a good Alpha only gave her omega the best! ...Plus she spent the last year eating raw meat as a wolf, even the undesirable parts of her prey, so it wasn’t like she had a sensitive palate) and a cup of hot broth to drink, careful not to accidentally let their hands brush together as she did so. Then she sat down, close to the fire so the smell of smoke filled her nostrils. She winced as she did so, her human’s tolerance for pain not as high as her wolf’s. There was already a small pool of blood staining the outside of her thigh; she’d have to go outside and deal with it after their meal. At least such a task would give her another break from the Siren’s scent after her meal.

The first skewer of meat and cup of broth were practically inhaled by the wolf. All her transformations and her quick brawl had left her with a terrible hunger. She was used to existing on an empty stomach, but sometimes it was nearly unbearable, especially after shifting so many times in one day. Without the moon, every transformation cost her calories: the rapid breaking and rearranging of bones and muscle were incredibly taxing on the body, even for a pure blooded alpha. She started working on her second skewer, slower this time, actually tasting the delicious fresh meat and sipping the broth like a civilized person. “Thanks for catching these…” really if the girl hadn’t ended up in her territory, she wouldn’t need the fish in the first place. But she was thankful the siren had gathered a lot of food so she didn’t have to spend the storm as a grumpy hungry wolf. There was enough meat and stew to see them comfortably through the storm; maybe even with some leftovers the girl could take on her journey back and stew that could be left here for Alex.

“The storm should end sometime tonight...and you can either leave right away or wait another night or two for it to harden and make your trek easier,” really she should kick the other girl out tonight for the sake of her own safety. Alex didn’t want to accidentally mate her and bite her if she kept smelling this way. It was incredibly dangerous for adult humans to be bitten by a were. She knew the other girl wasn’t human but she knew absolutely nothing about sirens and their interactions with werewolves. She’d probably be fine because she was magical? But still, the wolf would rather not take the risk.

“I’m Alex, by the way,” she said after a moment, realizing she was offering her den to a female who didn’t even know her name.

 

[ClearSight]

Just her body. As well-adjusted as Tessa grew up, the truth of her bloodline and the world she lived in often made her overly conscious about her body. After all, one of the reasons she made it so big in the entertainment circle happened to be her body and her bloodline. As thankful as she felt, she also hated it sometimes. Being a Siren, especially now, seemed a burden more than anything else. She loved her heritage, but it attracted a certain kind of glance, and the hunters that attacked her only displayed the tip of a very seedy iceberg.

Tessa's imagination ran wild as she thought about how miserable an experience awaited her if she lost control over the rather dangerous innate powers of her kind. Illusions, seduction, hypnotism - it all sounded useful but brought as much bad as it did good. In front of her now sat a werewolf, a beautiful woman that seemed troubled by her very presence - tempted like the sailors of old. The very idea of coming across as some alluring sea witch made her uncomfortable, even more so when she thought about it being unintentional. Worse yet, she found herself attracted to the woman she inadvertently tempted.

How much did she know about her own power? Even her family held little ancestral knowledge. Her kind, through being hunted for sport and trophy, lost their community. They existed as humans, as creatures with a thin bloodline that rarely awakened. Tessa's family seemed special, with almost all of them awakening their bloodline, but they existed as the rare few.

She knew very little, so when things started happening that she lacked the capacity to understand, she pulled back. Even when the beautiful woman tried to comfort her, Tessa remained silent, her head down and a quiet falling over her. Even when the woman told her a personal story, she struggled internally, barely managing to pull away from her inner thoughts long enough to give the woman an apologetic look. She felt sorry for her, not knowing that level of rejection. While she strayed away from her own family, they still loved and supported her. Even her fans showed her a great deal of support.

Tessa looked at the other woman for a moment, suddenly wanting to comfort her. Unfortunately, when she thought about how she seemed to affect the wolf, she shrunk away again, not looking down, but once again avoiding eye contact. Even then, she began to wonder... why anyone would reject such a beautiful creature. While Tessa found the werewolf form strange, unaccustomed to seeing anyone in such a form, the human figure across from her drew her shy eyes.

"Okay," she said, answering the call to eat in an attempt to seem like less of a downer. She still felt embarrassed, perhaps more so considering her current line of thought, but she felt hungry, and the woman showed her nothing but kindness.

Tessa took her fish and broth and began to eat, each bite and sip almost dainty. While she normally ate in a much simpler manner, she felt self-conscious - enough to cause her every action to appear measured. Each bite seemed more a nibble, and she sipped at the broth for quite some time, looking over at the other woman as she did, peering over the edge of her cup. While she failed to be sneaky, she did seem quite cute, even if her own mind found her actions more ridiculous than endearing.

"Oh... You're welcome. I still don't think it's enough to express my gratitude, though." She managed to get out a few more words when the wolf spoke again, even sending her a gentle smile. Oddly enough, the smile faded when the woman mentioned the end of the storm, her heart feeling far heavier than made sense.

"Right," she muttered, looking at the meager amount of broth left in her cup. Tessa knew not why her heart felt so heavy, but she felt thankful enough that the wolf let her stick around as long as she had. Any longer seemed inappropriate. Besides, she needed to leave, right? Even as she asked herself the question, she found answering it difficult, and her eyes turned back to the wolf, full of various emotions.

What is so special about this woman?

Tessa asked herself the question, but an answer never came. Instead, her heart began to beat faster, and she felt the urge to move closer. Then, when she heard the woman's name, an explosion seemed to take place in her mind. Alex... Alex... Alex... It reverberated in her head, and she didn't know why, but she felt a familiarity. As the name rolled around in her mind and on her tongue, she felt drawn to it, as if she thought and spoke it many times.

"Alex..." she started, her voice low, almost distant. Then, she looked up, seeming unsure about her own thoughts but responding anyway. "I'm Tessa. Tessa Reigns."

"Hey, Alex, I know you said that you didn't want me to, but I can't just give you fish as a thank you for saving my life. Let me treat your wound. I can heal it, and I owe you a life debt. Do not deny me the chance to pay it back." Tessa understood very little of what currently resided in her head, but she found herself convinced that Alex would accept it if she spoke in that way. So, she looked over at her with pleading eyes and waited, wanting to see if her odd hunch accomplished anything. All the while, she needed to use all her willpower to avoid blushing or darting her eyes away.

 

[Javorcek]

“Tessa…” Alex tried out the name, finding it pleasant on her tongue. She nodded a little bit but gave no other sign of recognition. Having been in exile for four years now, she had missed all of Tessa’s career as a pop idol.

“An outcast is not someone you need to pin a life debt to,” Alex said with a shrug. Her life was next to meaningless, she had already accepted this. While the sentiment the other girl was trying to convey was nice, it was unnecessary. Just as her offer to heal was, “It’s a silver wound; the metal wasn’t pure enough to kill me...but my powers don’t work on it at all, if anything my transformations just make it worse. I need either biotech or traditional herbal medicines. Magic is not all that effective on my kind,” she tried to talk Tessa out of her generous offer. She was fine! Her leg was fine; it just bled sometimes.

What got her were those great big pleading blue eyes. With a huff and a roll of her own, she finally gave in. “Alright, fine, after you finish eating. But don’t burn yourself out.” Alex was pretty stern with that last regard. She had seen mages expend so much of their powers and energy that they collapsed...she didn’t want to be responsible for taxing Tessa’s body in such a manner.

When the pair of them finished their meals, Alex kept up her end of the deal. She shimmied out of the men’s hiking pants she wore, flinching slightly as some of the dried blood pulled away from her thigh. The fact that she was without underwear didn’t seem to bother her as she sat back down; humans were the ones with issues with nudity, not her species. She sat with one leg tucked under the other, the bad one extended for Tessa’s view, hiding her private pieces a bit with the oversized shirt to spare the other girl’s eyes. True to her word, the wound did appear to be healing...just at an exponentially slower rate. “It looks much better than when I first got it…” she mumbled. At least she couldn’t see the muscle anymore? That was good? The cut was still fairly deep and it was a wonder it was only slowly bleeding rather than running down her leg with blood. It had taken a whole year for it to get healed this far...but she could be patient and wait for it to seal on its own.

She fidgeted a little as Tessa moved closer. At first the siren did what Alex had seen mages do: her hands glowed a bluish purple as she tried to redirect mana into the wound. Rivlets of the magic just bounced off...some of it actually went in and provided relief. But for the most part it just ran over her leg and went back into the air or dripped into the soil. She was about to say ‘I told you so,’ when the stubborn girl actually touched her. Alex’s vision blurred and she felt as if she were falling though she knew she was just sitting there.

——————

A woman who appeared to be strikingly similar to modern day Alex paced back and forth in her preparation room, looking very much like a caged animal, especially due to the suppression collar around her neck. The collar would keep her from transforming during her match...it wasn’t something she was often forced to wear, but for a purse this large, all gladiators would be forced to wear them today.
Aleks was one of the most popular fighters who would be making an appearance midday; having fought for the last two years as the only female gladiator she had quite the fan base. In only her balteus, manica, and ocrea, much of her sun kissed, muscular body was shown off. The wolven clan tattoos that covered her back and arms made her appear exotic. All that, coupled with her bright golden eyes, charming smile, and her ability to impress the crowd with her finesse for fighting - it was no wonder she was a favorite for today’s matches.

A prisoner of war, she had been tossed into the Coliseum like many others two years ago; forced to fight for the entertainment of 50,000 strangers who cheered in a language she hadn’t understood (of course now that she had learned the language, she knew they had been cheering for her death the first time.) Given nothing but a sword and hampered by a suppression collar, her first match had been against 3 hungry lions. She had survived, barely, and had been healed by the woman who was the reason she still fought today.

Aleks’ freedom had already been granted, she was a citizen of The Empire, she could leave this hedonistic bloodsport and never return...but though she was free, she willingly stayed here for her healer. She would either buy Tessa’s freedom or raise a small army to break her from this place. Either way, the wolf was stubbornly committed to something so many told her was impossible. She would be better off settling for one of the many willing females that adored the strong gladiator. And maybe, at the beginning of her career she would have. Slave or not, her bed had never been cold when she had first got here. But after getting to know her healer, after falling in love with all of her, after feeling truly seen and accepted by Tessa....Aleks wouldn’t settle for anything less; even if everything less didn’t require her facing death once or twice a month.

A familiar scent that was much cleaner than the blood, sweat, metal, and leather that surrounded her made her look up. She smiled brightly, rushing over to her lover who had snuck down here to wish her well before her match. “You shouldn’t be here...you could get into trouble,” Aleks chastised, but it was always like this. Tessa would sneak in the secret passageways or use her charm to make her way to her favorite werewolf. Aleks would then scold her, and then the two would end up in a feverish embrace with the wolf barely able to hold back biting the siren and mating her right then and there. ( Tessa deserved the best though! She could wait and give her love a proper mating ceremony.) Today was a little different though, today Tessa appeared very scared for her. It was Alek’s first time competing this way after all...and her opponent was a feral werewolf who wasn’t hindered by a suppression collar as she was.

“Do not worry, my darling,” Aleks soothed, gently pulling Tessa closer to her for a reassuring kiss. She knew her lover’s fears weren’t misplaced. With the suppression collar on, there was a very real possibility that Aleks could die, especially today. Today the opponents in the Coliseum were prisoners, violent and deadly ones who were convicted for their crimes and sentenced to death. Men who fought with nothing to lose were dangerous...cruel men under the same circumstances were absolute savages, they’d kill her just because they wanted to, and perhaps make her suffer just for their own enjoyment. Tessa would have to watch it all happen if things went poorly.
Aleks was not going to let things go poorly.

Aleks took no joy from killing, often competing in matches that were for points or were against wild beasts. But a fight to the death against these prisoners was worth twelve regular matches in gold. With her current savings, she could potentially buy Tessa’s freedom at the end of the day and still have enough money leftover so they could start their life together. Otherwise, she’d have to wait another year (maybe even two because she would have to upgrade her gear soon) to make enough money...she couldn’t bear another year like this. She had trained harder than ever in the month she had had to prepare, even wearing the suppression collar in all of her sessions. She was confident that she would succeed!

“I don’t want to wait any longer my love, the price for you increases the more powerful you grow…. I would fight for the rest of my life for you, but every day we’re not mated feels more painful than any wound I could sustain in the ring,” it might be selfish, but Aleks was willing to risk it all on this fight. Wolves themselves did not fear death, only the failure of leaving a loved one behind. Caught between the two, she saw this as the only way. The longer she waited, the more likely it was she would never free her mate.

————-

After the first swipe the feral beast landed, Aleks knew something was wrong: she felt dizzy from just a scratch. Even with the suppression collar on, wounds shouldn’t feel like this. Pain from a cut was bright, filled with a glaring reminder to not make another misstep. But this...this was cloudy, sluggish. Poison, it had to be. It wasn’t unheard of in the ring; nobles didn’t like paying out the spoils earned by expendable fighters. But for all her preparations, all her careful calculations, she hadn’t accounted for this. This was definitely something that could ruin her plan to win her lover’s freedom.

She needed to win and she needed to win now.

The battle quickly took a turn for the worse. The finesse and speed that the crowd admired Aleks for was replaced with the wild strikes of a wounded animal. As the fight drew out, she nearly lost her grip on her sword, her body betraying her as the poison pumped through her veins all the faster. In a last ditch play, she dropped her shield and switched her sword to her offhand. Aleks used her manica to backhand the wolf. He took the bait, grabbed on, teeth slicing through the leather and into her arm, his claws grabbing at her, digging into her side and tearing her open. With a roar of pain she slammed her sword into his collarbone, down into his body and through his heart to kill him.

She staggered, throwing the heavy lifeless form off of her and freeing her blade. She stumbled, digging her sword into the sand to keep herself from falling. If she died now, she would not be paid. If she showed weakness, the fickle crowd would boo her. There was blood, a lot of it, and everything was spinning...but she managed to raise her good arm in victory. The crowd let out a thunderous cheer and she walked off, staining the sand with a trail of her blood. It took every ounce of effort she had to hold her head up high, but she could do this...her stubbornness knew no bounds.

Spirits, please...just a little longer, long enough to see her.

Her mind narrowed to a singular thought: she was going to die. There was just so much blood...and the longer she wore the collar, the more she lost. Not to mention the poison… she couldn’t heal herself without a transformation and food. But! If she could make it just long enough to get to Tessa, if she could bite her, they would be mates. Werewolf law was clear, even here in The Empire. While these humans and mages left nothing to their wives and everything to their sons, wolves gave all their possessions to the mate or first born; male or female, slave or free, it didn’t matter. Even if she died, Tessa could collect her winnings, inherit all of her property, and buy her own freedom. Aleks had had the foresight to settle on a price for her love that would expire tomorrow, there was still time, they could make this plan work.

As soon as she crossed the barrier from the ring to the preparation area, her strength and stubbornness deserted her in the shadow of the room. She collapsed, her entire world swallowed in black.

Aleks’ friends and fellow gladiators hefted her off the floor and rushed her to the healers. Healers for free citizens were different from those for slaves. Arguably the slaves had better ones - nobles didn’t like when their investments dropped dead. But hopefully there would be something the healers could do for her.

 

[ClearSight]

Whether Tessa needed to use a life debt or not, she owned one to Alex. The fact that the wolf seemed uncomfortable holding such debt only made her more sure that nothing bad would come of acknowledging and repaying the debt. Therefore, regardless of the woman's protests, she simply smiled and insisted, doing so gently but firmly.

When Alex finally gave in, Tessa's face lit up, and she quickly finished her food in a manner far less delicate and shy than her previous nibbles. After that, she dusted off her hands, even summoning a bit of cleansing water for good measure, and moved towards Alex, absolutely ignoring everything the other woman said about not burning herself out. She already prepared herself for what promised to be a taxing ordeal.

What she did not prepare for was Alex removing her pants and having nothing underneath them. The moment that happened, despite the glaring wound, her eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed. She almost froze, barely managing to avoid staring as Alex got comfortable. She found it even more difficult to pay attention, uttering a few distracted words of acknowledgment when Alex talked about the wound.

When she finally returned to her senses, Tessa shook her head and turned her head towards the wound. Immediately, she summoned her mana, sending it towards the wound first. While it didn't seem very effective, she looked calm, not because she knew what to do but because she knew how werewolves worked. The truth was, Tessa's magic didn't conform to the same rules as a mage's magic.

While many might call Tessa a mage, her magic came from an entirely different source. In fact, her control over water stood closer to a bender than a mage, and all of it came from spirit magic, an actual connection she shared with the world due to her bloodline and a rather impressive natural affinity. While she never studied it deeply, her magic might just bypass a wolf's defenses when properly channeled - maybe. After all, many wolves were close to nature, giving them a somewhat common origin. Even though Tessa had no idea if that was how it worked, the theory gave her confidence she wouldn't have otherwise.

However, in Tessa's eagerness to push the theory, she touched Alex's wound, and immediately after, she found herself swallowed into a vision.

---

Tessa’s life knew nothing but darkness when she first arrived at the Ludus. Even if the gladiatorial school seemed far removed from her own life as a servant, she knew better than to expect that to last. After all, rare prize or not, she knew her fate. Whether she died a tragic, meaningless death at the hands of a free citizen or became a gladiators plaything, nothing seemed bright. In fact, even though Siren blood ran through her, only her healing skills allowed her to remain unscathed in her early days.

Everything changed when Aleks appeared. A light in the darkness, even happiness, both such foreign concepts to the chained being that she found it difficult to recognize at first, and even after that, she found accepting such things even more troublesome. Then, she fell in love, and none of her worries mattered. Though, new worries took their place, like the safety of her gladiator.

To others, Aleks’ tantalizing figure and charm stood out the most, but Tessa cared little for that. She appreciated it, dreamed about it even, but she just wanted her to be healthy. Now, despite how strong the woman she loved appeared, she put herself in danger, and Tessa spent the entire day worried about it. In the end, she even went to see her before the match, appearing in front of her when they both knew it spelled trouble if anyone noticed. After all, Aleks chose such madness for her.

“I know I could get in trouble, but I can’t simply watch you go out there and die for me, Aleks,” Tessa nearly started crying the moment they neared one another, her slender arms wrapping around Aleks and hugging her with every bit of strength the tall but lithe woman could manage. How she wished she also had the strength to fight by her gladiator’s side. She wanted to protect her, to stop all of it from happening, but her power paled in comparison to a real fighter, even with her magic. As much as she hated it, her kind suffered when it came to battle magic - just another reason they found themselves as slaves more often than not.

“I don’t want you to do this,” Tessa said, and not for the first time. She said it from the start, back when Aleks proposed the idea to her. Now, seeing the suppression collar, all of her worries shot back to the surface. Although incapable of changing anything, she still uttered the words, worried eyes peering into Aleks’.

Tessa’s worries refused to abate, even as her gladiator pulled her in and tried to soothe her nerves with a kiss. Tessa melted, forgetting for a few moments, but the second it ended, the passionate action served to intensify her worries, not lessen them. She wanted more than ever to just run away, to flee the arena. Yet, how much trouble awaited them if they chose that path? Aleks stood a free woman, fighting only for her, and such an action damned them both.

“My love, please do not die for me,” her voice trembled as she spoke, fear coursing through her as she thought of the possibility. She wanted to make it to the days they spoke about together, to the little farm near the sea, somewhere close to her hometown but far enough away to avoid prying eyes. Just them, enjoying a life of solitude, no need for money or blood. No need for the cold gleam of steel or the constant fear of being sold or used as slaves. As free people. Just the two of them.

Perhaps her pain increased as Aleks spoke about her reason for fighting. They both knew that Aleks winning here earned her freedom, but it made the danger no less real. Tessa knew that Aleks spoke the truth, though, that her price rose quickly as her powers grew more potent. Unfortunately, working as a healer in a place full of suffering and death meant a lot of growth.

“I know, Aleks, but… Just come back to me,” she said, stopping herself from saying anything more. Nothing else mattered as long as Aleks came back to her. Even if she remained a slave for the rest of her days, as long as Aleks survived and lived healthily, nothing else mattered.

They spent little time together after that, their moments constricted by the approaching bout. Aleks needed to go, and Tessa’s absence needed to remain a secret. So, they parted after a few more loving touches, each longing for more but unable to change the rigidity of time. So, while Aleks went to risk her life, Tessa returned to the windowless room belonging to those of their Ludus. She thanked the guard she bewitched into letting her out and returning to her place in the corner, nervously fidgeting as she listened to the roars of the crowd coming through the walls. Only when she heard them roar for the arrival of the champion did it all hit her again, tears slipping down her cheeks as she clenched her hands and prayed, begging the spirits to allow Aleks one more victory.

Please keep her safe.

---

Tessa knew something went wrong from the chants of the crowd, but the muddled sounds did little to tell her the details. Eventually, when things began to wane, she moved towards the guard at the door, once more using her Siren powers to make him do as she pleased.

When she first approached, as always, he gave her a stern look, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. However, when influenced by her power, his stance loosened, and he smiled politely, asking her if she needed anything as if desperate to please her. Then, he answered every question she had, doing as much as leaving his post to find out what happened. The news that he brought horrified her, and for the first time in her many years as a slave, she disregarded everything and openly used her magic.

“Take me to her!” she demanded with panic in her voice, a panic that affected the guard and caused him to turn around in a hurry. While the panicked guard leading a slave made the situation strange, she managed to reach Aleks’ side quickly enough, and the moment she saw her, Tessa broke down, barely able to break.

“No… No, no, no…” She darted towards her, going so far as to send a confused guard near her flying, unable to remain calm enough to cast Siren magic and sending out a weak but unexpected blast of magic instead.

“Aleks!” she shouted in a choked voice as she reached her side. Her hands instantly reached for the wounds on the woman’s body, and even when she realized how serious they were, she didn’t stop. In fact, with poison and such severe wounds, Tessa’s abilities failed her, but she tried nonetheless. Even when it failed, she kept going, intent on draining her body of mana completely before admitting defeat. Then, at the peak of her heartbreak, the tattoos running down her spine exploded with light.

Soon, her entire body seemed to glow, and new tattoos appeared along her arms, one even appearing beneath her right eye, a small upside-down triangle, all of which matched the beautiful aqua blue of her hair.

“I see…” she suddenly muttered, her voice seeming much calmer than before. Then, she began to murmur to herself, a strange, rough language escaping her lips. The light from her tattoos intensified, but it also began to drain out of her, pouring into Aleks, dimming by the second. Then, slowly, they began to disappear, starting with the one beneath her eye, followed by the line of dots and symbols running down her arms. They all vanished, and even her hair seemed to lose some of its luster, the brilliant aqua blue dulling. Not just her hair. Actually, her entire body seemed to lose some of the ethereal radiance it previously held. She remained beautiful, breathtakingly so, but the additional charm and brightness of her Siren half faded away, leaving her looking remarkably… human.

However, her memories stopped far before that, and she passed out the moment it ended, looking drained and exhausted. She looked so fragile that even the guards who meant to draw her away paused, looking at one another in confusion. Nobody understood what just happened.

 

[Javorcek]

Aleks drifted out of consciousness as she was brought to the healers. The mages took one look at her wounds, gave her something for the pain, and then just left her on the cot to die while they tended to the others. Even linens to stem the bleeding wouldn’t be wasted on her. The medicine for pain made her feel even more fuzzy than the poison; she would be hard pressed to correctly answer which way was up at this point. It was only the sound of her lover’s voice that drew her into a more grounded state, her mind growing more clear as she saw the other woman, “Tessa...my love,” Aleks smiled weakly. “Tess, I am fine, do not worry yourself,” pale as a sheet with her skin cold and clammy and a gushing wound at her side, Aleks was anything but fine; she knew the end was coming. But still, even with all that, she made an attempt to offer her most charming smile. “Please, my love...I don’t have much time, I know it’s not the ceremony we talked about but I can still mark you as my mate…” Tessa would have none of Aleks’ bright ideas any longer. She put her hands over the wound, and Aleks could feel the familiar flow of magic weave its way into her body.

Siren magic was bizarre...no mage could ever heal her in such a way, usually their channeling of mana would be left with resistance. Perhaps it was due to their mutual connection to the earth that sirens could heal werewolves; Aleks’ to the land and Tessa’s to the sea. But this time it wasn’t working, Aleks could feel it. Tessa couldn’t put back what wasn’t there, even with her powers. “I’m sorry...I’m sorry…” Aleks could probably count all the times she’d cried in her adult life on both hands, now the tears flowed freely. She had failed to keep her promise to always come back, now she was failing to fix things by being healed. In her mind her sacrifice was worth it, but one look at her lover’s grief stricken features broke her. “Tessa, please,” the wolf begged in earnest as her lover tried harder, an effort Aleks knew was futile, “I can’t- I can’t keep… I’m going to die,” she said finally, firm acceptance in her voice. “You need to come closer. Let me bite you, I can shift, just one last time...I can mate you, you know the laws, you can still be free. Please!”

She heaved a struggling breath. Blackness was overtaking her vision, she couldn’t keep going like this, she had already pushed herself hard to stay awake this long. “Tess…” Alek’s plea fell on deaf ears. Her hand reached out, coming to rest on her lover’s bloody fingers. Another breath, and her heart quivered, threatening to stop entirely….

Tessa collapsed just as Aleks awoke with a start. Her wound was gone. Not just set on the path to healing but totally gone. And her clan markings...they flared blue for a moment before going back to black. Her hands were somewhere between paws and fingers, her ears had grown out to their wolfish state, and she could feel the sharp points of canine teeth in a human mouth. After assessing herself, she took in her surroundings. Tessa was on the ground. There were two guards by the door. Seeing the men near her defenseless lover made her anger flare. “Leave us!” Aleks snarled, golden eyes glowing, pointed teeth bared, lupine ears back. She couldn’t even remember ordering her body to transform, but thank the Spirits it did. So wild in her appearance, it startled the men and they quickly scrambled to obey.

Now alone and terrified of what her healing had cost her love, Aleks dropped to the ground, gathering Tessa up in her arms. The Siren was still out cold. Her tattoos were dull, her skin was pale, even her hair had lost its luster.... She nosed at her lover’s neck, whimpering softly. Something was wrong! The wolf knew it, the way animals knew before a natural disaster tore through the land. Tessa wasn’t just unconscious, she had sacrificed something, “Tessa…” the wolf growled out, shaking her slightly. The longer her love stayed like this, the more the animal inside of her howled to be free. It knew, the beast inside knew that Tessa had called on the spirits for her. She had sacrificed part of her soul in trade for Aleks’ life.

Without any idea of what else to do, Aleks’ teeth clamped down over her lover’s pulse point. If her healer would give her part of her soul, the gladiator would gladly offer up her body in return. The sharp fangs of the wolf pierced the soft flesh as she initiated the mating bite, binding the woman in her arms to her. When Tessa awoke, Aleks’ jaw closed just a little more as she tilted her own head, offering her own blood to seal their mating bite and tie them to one another. While the bite would not turn Tessa into a werewolf, part of her heart would always be bound to Aleks’, as Aleks’ heart would be tied in return.

——————

Alex ‘fell’ back into her body with a gasp. Her vision cleared and she found herself back in the safety of her den, with Tessa’s hands resting on her now closed wound. “What- what did you…?” words failed her; there was too much emotion for her to work through to form a cohesive thought. Everything she had seen...it had been real. In a past life she had really been a gladiator and Tessa had been her mate. Sharing their souls and hearts had bound them together; even after all this time, Aleks’ soul was still finding Tessa’s.

Part of her knew that they weren’t the same. The paths they chose, the lives they led...she was not Aleks. She was not a brave and confident gladiator who in the height of her career had risked everything to free her lover. She was an outcast, clanless, destined to be alone. And yet...when Tessa looked at her, she felt like she could be so much more.

Before her rational mind could talk her out of it, she lurched forward, lips crashing into Tessa’s into a feverish kiss. The scent of a Siren in heat washed over her, and the emotions of her past life carried her away.

 

[ClearSight]

After she healed Aleks, what happened to Tessa stood a mystery, one the stunned and confused Tessa found herself unable to solve when she returned to the present. Or was it all a hallucination? Her mind doubted itself as she tried to figure out what she just witnessed. Everything, from the scenery to her emotions, felt so real. One oddity was that she seemed unable to remember anything else from that life or whatever it was, but the feelings she experienced were enough.

Aleks, her love, and the woman in front of her were the same person. Different, but the same. Even if her mind failed to understand what she just saw or what it meant, she knew one thing: she loved this woman, and they stood tall as lovers, as mates. Her visions ended before she saw the bite, but she almost felt it, a gentle throbbing on her neck that she seemed to recognize.

"Alex..." Tessa's voice spoke out softly, a pained quality to it as the torrent of love and desire she felt for the woman in front of her crashed around inside of her. It might have been sudden, but Tessa's feelings rose above everything, breaking through the surface and defeating even common sense. Whatever the truth, whatever magic involved, she believed the things currently pushing her towards the woman.

"I don't know, but..." I missed you, my love. She stopped herself from saying the words since they made no sense, but they danced at the tip of her tongue, desperately wanting to escape. Like a lingering ghost of what they saw, she felt the temptations to become those versions of themselves. While she managed to prevent herself from speaking like someone else and ignoring reality, she only managed to go so far with her own denial. They shared something, and the intensity of it made escaping it impossible.

Tessa looked at Alex, the attraction she felt for the woman magnified by actual feelings, those that transcended mere lust. So, when the wolf lurched forward, she met the kiss in mind, wrapping her arms around Alex and deepening the already feverish kiss.

Upon locking lips, Alex felt desire more than anything else, but relief washed over her as well. It seemed as if her very soul sighed and relaxed, finished with its search.

"Alex, I..." she moaned gently, unsure of what they were doing. However, nothing on her face said that she wanted to stop. If anything, her eyes expressed an absolute desire to continue, and her scent only grew stronger after their shared hallucination. Or was it a dream? Past memories? Tessa still didn't know, but none of it mattered at the moment, only taking up a fleeting thought before being replaced by more pressing thoughts. One of which was Tessa's desire to be out of her clothes.

Even if they didn't say anything, and even if Tessa's rational brain rejected things somewhat, her current emotions and the strange sense of comfort and familiarity she felt with Alex incited Tessa into bold actions. She quickly started removing her clothes, revealing not only an incredibly perfect, lithe form but also the tattoos running down her spine, which she normally hid. Even as a popular idol, she never wore anything that fully revealed them. Yet, without a thought, she started to bare herself to Alex, not forgetting to continue their heated kiss between removing articles of clothing. She wanted her... more than she understood.

 

[Javorcek]

Thoughts and emotions swirled in Alex’s mind, warring with one another. It was too soon...she barely knew this girl, she had never- she didn’t know what she was doing! But the rational thoughts were getting wrestled to the ground by raw need, by Aleks’ pain, by gladiator’s fear that she had almost lost this girl… Even in this life, the fear of loss ate away at her. If Alex hadn’t gone to the Seer for medicine, if she had stopped to take a rest during her journey home, if she had delayed for even an hour, Tessa would have been prey to those disgusting men. They would have missed eachother, she would have lost her soulmate in this life… The thought made her growl, a low and possessive rumble reverberating from her chest. Tessa belonged to her! And now that she had her, she wouldn’t give her up without a fight.

The alpha in her flared, whether spurred by Aleks’ memories or the scent of Tessa in heat, the inexperienced girl couldn’t be sure. All she knew was that she could feel her ears and tail grow out, knew that a trail of soft fur sprouted down the back of her neck and led to the base of her tail. The front of her stayed pretty much human, except for teeth that were a tad bit sharper. She stayed between forms, much in the same way lesser Alphas did...though Alex didn’t appear as ‘cute’ or ‘adorable’ as her softer counterparts. A little on the malnourished side, she still sported the beginnings of an incredible physique like any pureblooded Alpha.

“Tell me what you need…” Alex murmured between kisses, hands flying to Tessa’s clothes to help get them off her faster. If the other girl needed her to stop, she would (she -really- didn’t want to, but she would). If she needed her to be gentle, needed her to go slow, Alex would do whatever she wanted. The wolf would do just about anything to prove she was a good potential mate, even in this life.

“You’re beautiful….” golden eyes stared unabashedly at the perfect body splayed out before her. She didn’t look at Tessa with the same lecherous gaze that men would show her, Alex was reverent...maybe even a little surprised and humbled as well because such a desirable female would choose to share a bed with her.

She took off her shirt, removing the last barrier between them, and then adjusted the pair of them so that she could kneel between Tessa’s parted legs. She leaned down to kiss at her neck, teeth aching to bite her, claim her, and put the scar of a mating mark there...but she managed to tamp down her wolf’s urges. This Tessa was not the same Tessa of her vision, there were many similarities but Alex strove to not fool herself into thinking they were identical. If she wanted this version, she’d have to prove herself a good mate, just as Aleks had. Her wolf told her that a good mate would prove to be a good lover...and it led her downwards. Kisses and licks were planted down Tessa’s collarbone, over the modest mounds of her breast, down the flat plane of her stomach, and finally down to the wetness that awaited her.

She wanted to tease more, she really did, but the scent of sex broke her brain and she was a slave to her desires. Despite it being her first time, she dove right in, lapping hungrily at silken folds rather than placing shy, tentative licks. Tessa smelled and tasted delicious and the ravenous wolf couldn’t hold herself back. Perhaps a bit clumsy and overzealous at first, her wolf soon guided her, focusing on places and techniques that it knew Tessa liked. Suckling gently at the tender bud of her clit, fluttering her tongue against the sensitive bundle of nerves...it wasn’t long before Alex’s efforts were rewarded with fresh slickness coating her chin and sweet moans filling head ears.

By now the poor wolf ached...and a slightly embarrassing change had arisen between her legs. Aleks was very proud to be a female alpha! Alex on the other hand...she struggled with the shame of her pack not approving of her differences in anatomy. The overwhelming need to claim, to be joined together and mark the siren as her’s eventually won out...her wolf knew her lover would enjoy it, so why was she being so shy?! She got up, resting on her haunches between her lover’s legs. “Tessa...I need…” An unhealthy shade of beet red took over Alex’s face, her ears drooping slightly and she let out a little whimper, unable to finish her sentence. Despite her new found confidence, she was unable to say the words...just sort of nodding down between her legs at the appendage that definitely hadn’t been there a moment ago.

Like a proper alpha, she could sire pups (well, if there was a full moon she could anyways) she could be a good mate even though she wasn’t a male! If anything she was better, able to please her lover multiple times. And while her alpha was very proud of the thick cock between her legs, one that was a bit more elegant in appearance than a male’s and could bring such pleasure to her bitch in heat... Alex herself was nervous.

 

[ClearSight]

In Tessa's mind, certain emotions stood firm. The memories and experiences she felt as the Tessa beside Aleks refused to budge, but at the same time, she barely struggled. They felt real, and somehow, without any logical basis at all, Tessa understood that all of that happened. At one point in the past, another version of them fell in love, and she sacrificed herself. While a disconnect remained, the torrent of emotions and desires seemed acceptable. Even as she questioned herself about rashly sleeping with Alex, she found herself okay with it.

No, "okay with it" failed to describe her feelings. She wanted her. She felt comfortable around Alex, connected, and Tessa rarely felt that way about anyone. Alex was not Aleks, and Tessa was not the same person as the her of old, but it seemed like both Tessa's liked the wolf.

Tessa might have smiled if not for the needy kissing she refused to put a stop to. Lust fueled her, even if the argument raging in her head focused more on their two lives and love more than physical desire. Though, while her thoughts and the odd spikes of happiness from days past failed to give her pause, Alex's transformation managed to do so.

Tessa looked at Alex, her eyes widening slightly. Then, within a second, a smile appeared on her face, bright and adoring. "How cute," she muttered, her hand reaching up and touching one of Alex's ears. Cute might not have suited Alex under normal circumstances, and her semi-transformed state held an intimidating quality, but to Tessa, she appeared cute, almost adorable. Perhaps residual feelings from their past memories drove her current admiration, but Tessa truly found Alex's current form adorable.

Alex gave her precious little time to admire the view, though, returning to kissing her soon after. She even started helping her undress, removing the last few traces of clothing from Tessa's form. As for what she wanted, Tessa responded on what seemed to be instinct, "I need you, nothing more." Gentle, rough, none of it mattered. In fact, Tessa held overwhelming trust for the woman she just met, believing that whatever happened next would end pleasantly. She believed in Alex's - that the gorgeous woman would do nothing to harm her and would ensure her comfort above all else.

Even as Alex ogled her, Tessa simply smiled, blushing slightly but finding herself appreciating the attention for once. As an idol, she grew accustomed to being watched and stared at, but she never cared for it. She enjoyed Alex's staring, and she even began to chew on her lip as she considered showing off a bit. In fact, if she had more room, Tessa could have given her quite the show. After all, years of dancing and performing left her quite... flexible.

Tessa wanted to impress Alex, but she also found herself in awe of the woman in front of her. Although Alex needed to gain some weight and appeared much like one expected an outcast wolf to look, the foundation attracted the eyes. Plus, Tessa knew the potential, knew just how tantalizing the already beautiful woman could become.

"You're also beautiful," Tessa said, not an ounce of hesitation in her voice or eyes as she looked at Alex, kissing her again when given the opportunity, though even that came and went in a fleeting manner. Alex wanted control, wanted to kiss and bite at her neck, and Tessa gave in instantly. Even though she managed to subdue the thought, she also felt an unexpectedly strong desire to be marked and claimed. Of course, Tessa's understanding of the importance stemmed from some light werewolf education and her memories as Aleks' lover. Still, she knew enough not to ask for it, not now.

"Ah! Alex!" Tessa moaned as the beautiful wolf moved on, her lips traveling down Tessa's body in a very pleasant fashion. She felt so sensitive that every kiss sent a bolt through her, and the moment Alex began in earnest, her already needy body began to beg for it, writhing and emitting more of her already potent scent. It became so severe that even Tessa became aware of it, her head swimming from the things she wanted - what she needed.

When Alex started to give her what she craved, she responded in kind. Tessa's legs quivered, and her voice filled the abode with sweet, uncontrollable moans. She didn't last long either, finding herself swept up in pleasure she had never experienced before. In fact, she almost sounded surprised when it hit her, the crescendo sending her voice to a new high as she tried to get a grasp on the explosive ecstasy.

It didn't take long for Tessa to become a complete mess, her moaning followed by panting and gentle whimpers as she tried to endure the aftershocks. In fact, she was such a mess that it took her a moment to realize what Alex was talking about when she started speaking, and by that time, she noticed obvious discomfort on Alex's face as she began to withdraw.

The moment she saw that vulnerability on Alex's face, Tessa's heart broke. Her love - her soulmate - how dare anyone make her feel this way! She felt anger course through her, a rare emotion for her, but one that came like the roaring waves of an upset ocean.

However, as angry as she was at the thought of someone mistreating Alex, she was more concerned about making sure that she didn't make her feel the same way. She broke away from the muddled emotions of two lifetimes long enough to start humming a little song, her magic filling the air. Siren's songs could do many things, such as affect the emotions of another, calming them down. As she hummed, she reached up, pulling Alex into her embrace. When she seemed to have calmed some, Tessa stopped humming and said, "Never feel ashamed when you are with me, Alex. As much as I am yours, you are mine, and I adore every part of you."

The words that poured out of her lips didn't sound like those of the current Tessa, and while even she found them surprising, she didn't deny them. In fact, she couldn't agree more, merely topping it off with a gentle nuzzle at Alex's neck, followed by a nip and a hand that traveled down, gripping the appendage Alex seemed so worried about. She wanted the beautiful woman to stop worrying and do whatever she wanted - or needed - to do.

 

[Javorcek]

The overwhelming urge to go out into the blizzard to either roll around in the snow until her cock froze off or she died from frostbite overtook the young wolf. She started slinking away, ears drooping. She just wanted to be normal! Be a beta or an omega or something other than this thing. While it wasn’t strange for female alphas to exist in territories where food was plentiful and there wasn’t such a need for procreation...she was an abnormality out here. Tessa’s reassurance came at a point where Alex had already talked herself down and made herself feel ashamed. She’d asked for too much, too soon. She was strange, built wrong, built weird. She was inexperienced and a fool and- and-

Tufted ears twitched as gentle humming wrapped around the wolf like a warm blanket. Tessa reached up to bring her closer and the wolf couldn’t maintain her skittish nature when the softest, most amazing body she had ever felt pressed against hers. She practically melted against the Siren, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Okay...okay…” she calmed down, even mustering up a smile when soft nuzzles and nips were given to her neck. Tessa didn’t mind that she was odd for a werewolf and to really bring that point across, actually touched her down there. The wolf groaned, trembling as slender fingers wrapped around her and started playing with her overheated flesh.

Alright, okay, she could do this! She could be a good lover and a big confident alpha…at least, for Tessa she could.

Alex was making it a point to just last, even though every nerve ending with her core was vibrating with the need for release. She could hold on though, long enough at least so that she properly marked her new lover...her wolf wouldn’t allow for anything less. So while Tessa touched her, she touched her back. Fingers found their way toying through slippery folds, making more of a mess than she already had with her mouth as she moved to the Siren’s entrance. Carefully, she eased a finger in, immediately enveloped by tight satin. She thrust the lone digit in and out slowly, letting Tessa acclimate to the stretch before adding another, now moving faster and curling her fingers. The wolf patiently brought her to the precipice of pleasure, dangling her mate right over the edge before withdrawing her fingers entirely.

“I need- I need to be inside you. I want to mark you,” Alex was so high strung by this point that she was panting and her hips were jogging a bit of their own accord. Between Tessa’s moans and her touches, every muscle in her body tensed up and ready to snap. With the other girl’s permission, she lined up her cock, carefully pushing inside. Her wolf was roaring at her to go faster, to claim the mate that they had nearly lost, to stop wasting so much time! But Alex wanted to savor this, this was her first time after all...she wanted it to be good, for both of them. Plus she was still having a hard time reconciling that -this- was supposed to fit into -that-.

Tessa was soaking wet, but she was just so tight around the wolf’s shaft. Alex made sure to go slow, to give her lots of nuzzles, kisses, and encouraging words, “I’ve got you… I’ll take good care of you…” the wolf murmured as she pushed in deeper, stretching Tessa further than her fingers had. When she finally bottomed out, she held her hips still, giving her lover a moment to adjust to the burn before she began thrusting in earnest.

 

[ClearSight]

Calming Alex proved to be an easy first step. Tessa's Siren magic played a role, but Alex clearly felt as comfortable around her as she did around Alex. Something about the other woman soothed Tessa, and she found herself accepting of things out of her comfort zone, like giving herself to someone and, even more than that, being with a female alpha from the werewolf clan. For someone who barely even went on a date before, those were big choices that just felt... right.

"That's a good Alex," Tessa said with a smile, teasing the other girl a bit as she slowly moved her hand, doing something that would have caused her to be a blushing, ridiculous mess at any other time. However, she needed to be strong for now to show her beautiful companion that she could accept every part of her.

Tessa kissed Alex again, gentle and loving, though as the other woman started returning the favor with her hand, the kiss became more passionate. Tessa wanted it to be gentle and light, to go slow, but she knew that was impossible from the moment Alex made her move. "Mmm, Alex," she whined, her body quivering as a finger pushed inside of her. No matter how aroused and ready Tessa found herself, her inexperience made itself known, the tightness of her sex enough to squeeze a finger. Even as Alex warmed her up and used another finger, Tessa felt nervous. Alex wasn't small... not at all.

Still, the worries about what would fit inside her grew distant as new pleasure numbed her brain, removing errant thoughts. Instead, as Alex pushed her into a euphoric state, her thoughts turned to how much she wanted more, not how difficult it might be. As if by design, Alex stopped before giving her relief, causing Tessa's desperate and hazy mind to panic and cry out for that last little push.

"Alex... don't stop, please," Tessa whined, reaching out and grabbing the magical hand that stopped short of giving her what she wanted. What Alex said next stopped Tessa in her tracks, though, causing her begging to disappear, swallowed by silence and a wide, adoring smile. Her wolf was so cute when she wanted something, so cute that Tessa couldn't imagine saying no to her.

Tessa looked at her lover, watching as she panted and her hips moved on instinct. Tessa's smile widened, and she leaned in, kissing Alex again. "Okay, mark me. But remember that I've never done this." Tessa couldn't deny the beautiful woman in front of her, but she remained cognizant enough to warn Alex to be a bit more gentle with her. She trusted Alex to only give her the best, but neither of them knew what they were doing, even if they apparently had plenty of experience in another life.

Alex seemed to nod in understanding, and with that, Tessa allowed her to take control again, lying back and watching as Alex lined herself up. It felt surreal. To think that she traveled so far for a single flower and instead found herself being taken by... A stranger? A long-time lover? A soulmate?

It didn't matter what they were. Now, they were one, and Tessa smiled despite the discomfort of having Alex's large shaft pushed into her. "Thank you, Alex," Tessa responded happily at the wolf's comforting words. Then, slowly, they both started to get used to it.

Tessa started moaning soon enough. There was still pain, but Alex let her get used to every step, slowly and surely taking care of her just as she promised. Tessa kissed the other woman, arms wrapping around her body as she did her utmost to keep them close and pressed together. She wanted to be close, to feel her, and that connectedness soon led to Tessa moaning and writhing in earnest beneath the wolf.

Neither of them would last long, but Tessa tried her best to resist the pleasure, seeming to want to match Alex's climax without realizing what she was doing. So she moaned, whined, and whimpered as she did her best to control something that wanted to be unleashed. From the slow beginnings to the neediness that came after, every thrust sought to undermine her determination, but she persisted - until she couldn't.

However, the pleasure she expected didn't come alone. The moment the crescendo came, as Alex marked her, the rest of the previous memory appeared, filling her mind - along with the vague notion that they spent many more lifetimes together than the one she could see clearly. She saw nothing clearly, but she knew that their time together spanned lifetimes, and she desperately hoped for one more. Why was she so desperate? Tessa was so long in the confusing mix of pleasure and the emotions of her past memories that she barely managed to stay conscious. But she did, and instead of wondering why and trying to grasp at the vague images in her head, she wrapped her arms firmly around Alex. She chose the moment in front of her over the many they seemed to have shared before.

 

[Javorcek]

Alex’s hips rocked slowly; while emotionally reassuring, the closeness of their bodies didn’t allow for the deep, claiming thrusts her wild half craved. Even though her wolf howled that their mate could take it, even insinuating that the Siren would enjoy being roughly mated like a wolf rather than be gently taken like a delicate flower, Alex reined her primal urges in. She would gladly trade that wildness for soft kisses and the feeling of Tessa’s arms wrapped around her, her soft breasts pressed against hers. As much as Alex wanted to stay like this for hours, there was no way the pair of them were going to last even a few minutes. Between Tessa’s warmup of foreplay and Alex’s inexperience, it wasn’t long between the two of them were moaning, trembling messes.

“F-fuck!” Alex let out a surprised yelp as Tessa’s walls suddenly seized up around her. There was no way she was holding back through that, she nearly passed out from the heavenly sensation of silk rippling around her. Trading their impassioned kisses for her teeth digging into Tessa’s throat, she managed to prop herself up just enough so that she could thrust her hips faster. Her jaw ached to bite, to truly mark her soulmate as hers in this life, but she managed to keep herself from doing something so brash.

It was a silly wolfish desire to mark Tessa anyways...there wasn’t another werewolf around for kilometers who’d be able to actually notice that change in scent. Humans wouldn’t even pick up anything out of the ordinary other than the scar on the Siren’s neck. The bruise of a bite mark would have to do for now, as well as the mark of her arousal as she came inside the other girl. When she was too sensitive to keep thrusting, Alex collapsed, rolling the two of them onto their sides so she didn’t squish the smaller female. Her hands kept running all over Tessa’s back and sides, like Alex was trying to prove to herself that she was real and this had all happened. There was an odd sort of familiarity she felt when touching Tessa, like her hands still remembered the things her mind had forgotten.

Resting for a bit like that, it didn’t take long for Alex to get her second wind after her very first orgasm ever. “Can we do that again?” The wolf grinned, nuzzling excitedly at Tessa’s hickeyed and bitten neck. With her tail wagging and ears perked up like she wanted to play, she definitely looked like an adorable puppy for the moment. At the other female’s affirmative, she let loose a playful growl and rolled them both over for another round...and many more rounds until the two of them were too exhausted to do anything other than fall into a deep sleep.

——————

There was no way that Aleks would let her mate be disgraced with a burial in a mass grave like one of the other slaves. The wolf retrieved her lover’s body before it could be carelessly tossed into the pit and be sullied with the stench of death. Tessa’s murder had been her fault, she had left her alone...and she would be damned if she would let the threat of angry nobles keep her from reclaiming her mate’s body for proper burial.

“Stop her!” the captain of the guard shouted as Aleks made her way out of the room with Tessa’s limp frame in her arms.

No one made a move, Aleks was well liked by the other gladiators and slaves; Tessa had healed and saved the lives of many of them as well. No one would stop the wolf, not even the guards. Anyone stupid enough to stop her would be met with death anyways. Aleks was a grieving werewolf, no one was foolish enough to keep her from cradling her mate’s body and carrying her away to where the free citizens were prepared for their afterlife rituals. If the nobles had a problem with the break in protocol, they could address their concerns with her and find themselves ripped limb from limb.

The gladiator knew a little of Siren burial rituals...at least enough to know that her lover needed to be returned to the place of her ancestors. Aleks took great care in wrapping her mate’s body in clean linens, pouring perfumes, and then getting a horse and cart so she could transport the body to the sea. It was a half day’s ride...one she spent in silence and lost in her own thoughts. She felt as though she were outside her own body, watching someone else’s life that couldn’t possibly be hers… When she arrived on the sandy beach, her heart clenched and her jaw tightened, no, this was real, this was her burden to carry and her loss to grieve. A few tears she had been holding back finally managed to fall. It wasn’t very wolf-like to crumble in agony at a funeral, even for one’s mate...but she couldn’t keep the feelings of loss from overwhelming her now that she was looking out at the horizon. It wasn’t just a person she had lost...she had lost every single dream, every single fantasy. The entire path of her life that she had planned with Tessa was no more. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this…” she let out a shaky breath, heart breaking further as she thought about how she was supposed to be carrying Tessa here bridal style to their new home on the sea...not cradling her lifeless body to be laid to rest.

She sniffled, then pulled herself together enough so that she wasn’t a mess as she purchased a small skiff and pushed/swam the loaded boat past the breakers and towards the open water. By the time she swam back and could retrieve her bow from the cart, the skiff was peacefully rocking back and forth on the open water. “I will be with you soon, my love. I promise…” Aleks murmured as she drew the flaming arrow back and fired.

History would remember the Slave Riots that signaled the collapse of The Empire, but time would forget all about the wolf who burned down an entire city to avenge her mate.

Pieces of Aleks’ influence could still be felt in the world today. The werewolf had freed the dragons that had been kept chained up in the Colosseum, letting the beasts rampage through the city and collect their own vengeance while she had fought for hers. This small act had sewn the seeds of an alliance between dragons and werewolves that continued even into modern times.

Using all of her riches to discreetly buy up slaves and weapons had given the people a taste of what it was like to be a free citizen… Even those in the slums had joined the fight to destroy their noble overlords. She had put into motion the fall of grand The Empire. Today a schism now divided the battle mages and humans who had survived the fall of The Empire… They were separated into two main sects: one seeking knowledge and growth; then another who wished to see The Empire return to its former glory by any means necessary.

——-

Alex woke up in the middle of the night with tears running down her cheeks. It was clear this young werewolf was much more sensitive than her battle-seasoned counterpart. She could feel the gaping chasm of loss in her chest created by her dream and she couldn’t keep it from upsetting her. Tessa had died...and a massive part of her still felt that guilt of not being around to defend her. While Aleks had gotten her revenge in the end, that didn’t make the current Alex feel any better now. She swiped at her eyes and then nuzzled her way under a sleeping Tessa’s chin, nosing at her pulse point. Feeling a strong heartbeat thrumming under the skin helped soothe her. The wolf wrapped her arms tightly around her soulmate, quietly vowing to never let what had happened to her predecessor ever happen again.

—————-

Keeping up with her promise from last night was easier said than done. The morning had been fine, spent with soft kisses and a nice, shared breakfast. It was no trouble staying at Tessa’s side for as long as the blizzard raged outside...but now that it was over, Alex’s soulmate would need to leave. To make matters worse, she didn’t know how much of their bond Tessa could feel or see. Alex was afraid of scaring the other female away by being too intense or too clingy. Was she the only one who saw the visions so vividly? Was it only her that could feel her past life’s emotions? The Siren’s bloodline was obviously diluted with human influence.... As far as Alex knew, only the races that kept close ties with the spirits and the land could feel their past lives, if they even had one to begin with. For wolves it was even stronger than the other races; besides her own consciousness, there was the one of the wolf lurking around her mind. Alex had to contend with balancing this wild animal who knew Tessa, knew all the Tessa’s that had been bound to them over the ages, and the fact that she had just met this version of her a day ago.

 

[ClearSight]

Tessa's connection to her past lives might have been strong, but she paid it little attention. When she saw her life with Aleks and some of the other vague snippets of other lifetimes with the wolf, she found herself emotional. She experienced the love and the happiness, and she also felt the pain and loss. However, none of that meant as much to Tessa as the beautiful woman looking down at her as they made love. The adorable, slightly shy, and gorgeous creature that caused her heart to pound furiously in her chest took priority.

She began offering gentle, loving kisses, keeping her close as their night pushed on. She even found herself rewarded by one of the cutest things she had ever seen. Alex, excited that she wanted more, had a furiously wagging tail and perked up ears. The sight almost made Tessa laugh. In the end, she simply smiled and kissed her lightly on the lips. She felt absurdly lucky to have met her - in any lifetime.

The next morning proved more awkward. When Tessa fell asleep, her dreams turned to nightmares, with the negative aspects of their past together seeming to replay in her head. She even saw what happened after she passed in her lifetime with Aleks. Tessa watched as the love of her life mourned her loss and rose up against an entire system in response. She remembered thinking how strange it was to see that, but once again, the details mattered little to the Siren. If anything, despite how painful some of what she saw was, Tessa just felt lucky. They found each other, not only once but many times. Fate brought them together, and it had done it again.

When she woke up the next morning to an adorable beauty in her embrace, she smiled brightly, taken with the woman. She wondered if being secretly sweet was how Aleks had won over the past her.

She kissed the top of Alex's head with a slight chuckle, then leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Wake up, Alex." She started kissing any bit of flesh she could get to while wrapped in Alex's arms, giggling as the wolf began to groggily nuzzle and nip at her.

The kissing that followed and the shared breakfast and conversation caused Tessa to constantly wear a smile, one that refused to go away. She felt smitten, all after a single night. She knew the memories of before impacted her emotions, but she couldn't be upset that she cared for someone. If anything, the only concern she had was Alex's odd mood, which grew progressively strange and noticeable as their morning went on.

Tessa could see it getting worse as she started to get dressed and asked Alex if she could lead her back to the Glacial Roses. She needed to gather another before she left. It wasn't until they were halfway there that it struck her.

Tessa stopped in her tracks, not moving as her eyes locked onto Alex's back. They started off beside one another, holding hands even, but at some point, Alex went ahead a few steps, seeming so caught up in her own head that conversation lulled. She hadn't realized it at first, lost in her own thoughts, wondering what was wrong and whether she could cheer Alex up. Once the thought hit her, though, she couldn't stop herself.

"Hey, Alex..." Tessa started to speak, still rooted in place. "You are planning to come back with me. Right?" Maybe she was wrong, but it was the only thing that made sense to her. Alex saved her life, they spent an incredible night together, and they had a pleasant morning. Yet, despite all of that, Alex suddenly appeared distant.

"I know we just met, and maybe you don't believe in the whole 'past lives' thing, but... I kind of assumed... I mean, I want you to... come with me?" She had dropped her eyes at some point, too embarrassed if she were wrong and too scared to be right. After all, Alex was... She... She didn't want her to stay! And considering she had lifetimes worth of experience reading the woman in front of her, even if it was buried deep in her subconscious or soul or however the hell all of that worked... she was pretty sure she was right.

"You'll come with me..." she wanted to make it a question, to ask if she would, but her voice began to quiver and it came across as a desperate statement more than a question.

Way to come off as pathetic, Tessa. Way to go.

She clenched her fists. What if she was making something out of nothing? No, what if Alex just didn't want to pick up and leave her home after a single night of passion... even if it had been amazing. Was she the only one? If Tessa didn't need to run past Alex and find another Glacial Rose, she might have fled at that moment.

She stood there, under the falling snow, trying to keep control of her emotions, which seemed far more unstable than usual. Whether it was her past lives' influence or the fact that she faced nothing but hardship since heading to the Northern Territories, one way or another, she ended up barely containing her emotions. Nearly in tears, she just stood there, unsure of what she was saying and what she expected. Was it right of her to just assume Alex would be with her in every lifetime? Was that even normal? Should she accept everything she had seen so readily? She didn't know. She only knew that it seemed more important than anything else.

 

[Javorcek]

Tessa’s need to get another Glacial Rose was where Alex’s spiral into self doubt began. She had no problem putting on some of the human clothes that were far too big for her and hiking up the mountain with the other female to show her the way. After the blizzard, everything looked different and the sameness that the snow created could make it difficult to navigate where one was going. The trees that could have been used as markers were now covered in ice and snow, and the path up the mountain was hidden in the fresh powder. Alex knew all the routes by heart though, leading them upwards on sturdy ground without even thinking about it. For a while they were fine like that, she even maintained a conversation with the other girl...but when Tessa started talking about her home and about herself, Alex grew quiet and pensive.

It sounded like Tessa lived in a big city on the coast and had a successful job entertaining others. Alex had never been to anything larger than a small town, she had never even seen a real skyscraper or the ocean- had never even been in a plane to be able to travel somewhere so far away! Following Tessa anywhere other than up this mountain seemed like an impossible dream. The wolf had no money, she had no skills (unless being able to growl at things and scare people away was a skill), and she didn’t even know if she would be welcome following the other girl wherever she went. Last night had been great- amazing- wonderful even. They had shared a deep and powerful connection...but Alex wasn’t Aleks. She wasn’t a charming gladiator with riches capable of wooing a beautiful and talented healer of a siren. She was a poor wolf werewolf who didn’t even own a pair of boots that fit her. Besides, it was just -one- night...and if she went anywhere with Tessa there would be many more nights and many more chances for the other female to see her as this burden that couldn’t do simple, human tasks for herself.

Alex was so independent, she was proud of herself for surviving this long in the northern wilds all on her own... Although there was absolutely nothing here for her, she didn’t cost anyone else anything. Tessa would have to take care of her… Would she even want to? Their original roles had been reversed; the gladiator had been the one who would have provided her mate with a home and safety, as an Alpha should. Alex couldn’t do that, she couldn’t be a good strong mate, she lived in a glorified cave and took baths by rolling around in the snow or jumping in a freezing cold river!

So wrapped up in the negative echo chamber that was her mind, Alex didn’t notice she had fallen out of step with Tessa until she found herself several paces in front of the other girl. When she turned around, her lover was staring at her, looking concerned, and Alex couldn’t help but feel like a jerk for making the other female upset. “I…I don’t know. I didn’t want to assume…” she looked down, breaking eye contact and looking once more like the skittish wolf that Tessa had first run into.

“I’m sorry...I’m not really used to being human,” Alex frowned, her brow furrowed with the effort it took her to clear out all the thoughts that had been eating at her. “It’s - it’s really loud in my head right now...if that makes sense,” probably not, but she pressed on, trying to get Tessa to understand. “I’ve spent the last four years just being a lone wolf and when I’m a wolf I just- I just -am.- I patrol my territory, I hunt, I sleep, and then I wake up and do it all over again the next day. I don’t worry about anything or anyone else...and I definitely don’t have so many thoughts all at once.”

Tessa upset of course made her upset. Gah. She was screwing things up already!! The wolf moved closer to the other female; comforting with proximity the only thing the animal inside her really knew how to do. She took her lover’s clenched hands and wriggled her warm fingers between them. Then she nuzzled and gave her cold cheek a soft kiss. “I do want to come with you...and I do feel this connection between us,” she murmured, dipping her head down now so that she could nose at Tessa’s neck and give her another nip, another reminder that she had claimed this gorgeous Siren last night. “I feel more complete with you than I have in my entire life...and it’s scary but...I like it.”

“I’m just...worried. I’m an outcast for being a burden to my pack. Even if I’m not violent and not a thief, without my clan markings, my pelt marks me as potentially feral. I’ll be a target for hunters if I go back to the city and I don’t want you to be mixed up in all that. And I just...I don’t know if I’m cut out for the city at this point anyways. I don’t have things or money or any skills that would be useful,” this last bit came out in a rush, as if reflecting the many, many thoughts that were bouncing around in Alex’s mind. There were a million reasons for her to not go with Tessa; she didn’t even have her own clothes that fit! “I don’t want to be a burden you have to deal with…I’ll need food and clothes and a place to stay… I’m like a giant, grumpy, not housebroken puppy dog you're going to have to take care of until I figure out how to be human in a society again.” Alex sighed and gave Tessa’s hands a soft squeeze when she was finished, bracing herself for the inevitable rejection.

 

[ClearSight]

Tessa recalled one life, one she paid attention to more than the others. In fact, as much as she preferred the present to the past, she knew that it helped that not all of them ended poorly. Many of them contained far more happiness than sadness. Even her lifetime with Aleks carried with it a great deal of happiness, enough that they ended up linked to one another forever, across lifetimes and even now.

Still, she knew it could be more than that. Images of them together, of a family, of gray hair and aging smiles - it all stuck to her mind. She knew, absolutely knew that they could be happy. She wanted that, and as tears threatened to roll down her cheeks and potentially freeze there, she found herself wishing that Alex saw it the same way.

Even when Alex started to act cute and stumble through a flimsy excuse, Tessa didn't cheer up. Though, it really was cute. Alex saved her from hunters, then acted all big and tough, and now she just appeared adorable every time she did something. Even without her memories, she would have found the other woman charming in a goofy way.

"It's not so complicated, Alex," Tessa said, managing to stop the tears long enough to look up and meet eyes that seemed as unwilling to be raised as her own.

She understood that Alex lived alone, that she kept her wolf form and existed as an outcast, but none of that mattered to her. Perhaps it should have. After all, she didn't know what it was like having another voice in her head or being forced away from others and made to live alone. But, she did know about loneliness. Even in a city, surrounded by people, she knew loneliness. Even as someone who spent her life surrounded by others, working in a career where she stood as the center of attention, she knew loneliness.

Their lives couldn't be compared, but Tessa didn't want to just pass up something she thought could make her happy, and she didn't understand why Alex seemed capable of doing so. It upset her, and she only felt better when Alex said the words, said that she wanted to come with her; the nuzzle and gentle kiss helped as well.

"Alex, as long as you want to be with me, you don't need to think about anything else," Tessa said after listening to her concerns. A burden? Perhaps some people worried about that sort of thing, but Tessa never even considered it. She had money, she could easily support both of them, and as far as danger went, considering how they met, she found it a silly reason.

"I mean, I may be a bigger burden to you than you will be to me," she sighed before leaning in to kiss Alex, giving her a quick peck. "I'm a Siren, Alex. I'm coveted by many, and hunters often capture my kind." The truth was, normal hunters wouldn't, but there were a lot of mercenaries and rogue hunters who made a fortune hunting valuable creatures, and Siren's certainly fit the bill. Few of them existed, they had rare powers, and they were beautiful - plenty of seedy individuals wanted one of her kind.

"If anything, you coming with me means you can protect me. Not only am I wanted by hunters, but I have a lot of... unreasonable fans." As for the clan markings and all of Alex's other worries, well, all of that was easy.

Tessa hugged Alex tightly after she finished speaking. Then, her magic, which had proved effective previously, began pouring out of her hands and into Alex's back. Only, the mere healing she planned got away from her quickly, with a bright light illuminating their surroundings. Something happened when she used her magic on Alex, something she couldn't put her finger on but felt... comfortable. There was a warmth, and the closeness they shared the night before seemed to return at that moment.

"Why..." she started, but a soft, pleasant moan stopped her from questioning what was happening. She felt so comfortable, more than made sense. All she wanted to do was restore Alex's markings, to give her markings like those owned by Aleks. What actually happened, she didn't know, but she didn't want to let go of Alex, not even to check.

 

[Javorcek]

The wolf let out a soft snort of disbelief when Tessa told her she didn’t have to worry. Of course she had to worry! The future was scary. She had spent the last four years living day to day. Nearly every choice she made was entirely in her control because it didn’t have to hold up past a day or two. Now she’d have to think a week in advance, a month in advance, even years in advance! And everything she planned from this day forward would have to include Tessa into the calculations. But there was no controlling Tessa; she was her own person that came with a slew of uncontrollable variables. And friends - what if she made friends and those had to be taken into account as well? How had she survived all these thoughts as a teenager?! Was this what it was always like for people who led regular lives?! They had to actually think and plan and worry about things?

Alex didn’t like it, she missed being a wolf already.

She couldn’t just retreat into the safety of an animal whose life was so much simpler. More than anything, she wanted to be with Tessa...that’s why she was giving herself a headache trying to figure this all out in the first place. To her soulmate everything seemed simple, to Alex it was anything but. It did soothe her a little bit when Tessa thought up a purpose for her: protector. She could do that...she protected her land and herself for a long time, she had protected the Siren from hunters just the day before…”I’d like that...to come with you and protect you…” the wolf smiled, returning Tessa’s hug with her own.

Warmth and light poured out of her lover’s hands during their embrace. Tessa may be able to resist checking on what had happened, but Alex certainly couldn’t. Her skin felt...weird. Tingly, but not tingly all over? Like purposeful, moving lines of pins and needles that traveled over her biceps, shoulders, and down her mid back. She pulled away, not totally out of Tessa’s arms but just enough so that she could pull her shirt to the side and look at her shoulder.

Alex actually squealed!

She was so excited for the little bit of blue markings she could see that she pounced on Tessa, forgetting her strength. The two of them tumbled into the soft snow where Alex feverishly kissed her. The words, ‘I love you’ danced at the tip of her tongue...but she replaced them with lots of “thank you”s. Whether Tessa had meant to or not, she had given Alex back a major part of herself. Clan markings were incredibly important to wolves. They started getting their tattoos as children and the practice continued on until they were seen as an adult in their pack. The markings meant you belonged somewhere...that no matter where you traveled, however far away from home you may end up, you carried your pack with you. Having the marks back meant she wasn’t alone anymore...and even though they were the Siren’s blue instead of traditional werewolf black, Alex didn’t care, it all just meant she wasn’t alone.

———————

As soon as they had returned to the warmth of the den, Alex practically tore off her jacket and shirt so that she could examine her clan markings. She looked like a puppy chasing her tail for a bit, trying valiantly to catch a glimpse of the artwork down her shoulders and spine. From the little she could see, it was reaffirmed that the markings belonged to Aleks, to a long extinct pack. But she didn’t care! Well, maybe she cared a little. BUT! To her the markings symbolized that Tessa was her pack now; even a humble two person pack meant a brand new start and a person she could identify as part of her home.

The granter of these new markings would find herself getting jumped on by a very happy and energetic wolf. Back onto the floor they went, Alex not even making it to the nest of her bed in her rush to smother Tessa with kisses and take her pants off. She needed to ‘thank’ her mate properly, and there was no better way she could think to do so than worshipping between her legs for a little while.

—-

After their impromptu quickie, Alex loaded her ‘treasures’ up in a rickety dogsled she had repaired and modified many times over. There were a lot of magical and non-magical things she had scrounged up from trespassing hunters over the last few years- no weapons like guns or knives because wolves didn’t care for implements that took the skill out of hunting. The wolf had no idea what anything was worth (let alone what half the things did) but part of living on her own had taught her to not let anything go to waste. Apparently one of the things was supposed to be some sort of magical grenade? That became Tessa’s to hold onto, because apparently Alex was handling it a little too loosey goosey for her mate’s liking.

With the sled all loaded up and no reason to delay, Alex stripped out of her clothing to prepare herself for her transformation. She gave Tessa a kiss before shifting into the large grey wolf that would have a much easier time navigating the Northern Territories than her human. Even in this form, the usually grumpy and serious looking wolf looked quite happy; the white scarred fur of an outcast was gone, her pelt looked its normal fluffy grey. She was so joyous that she didn’t even care that she had to pull a sled like a common canine for the next half a day!

———————-

“Ah, Amaroq. I was wondering when you’d stop by,” the Seer smiled. She grabbed a large wool blanket she had hung by the door, apparently truly expecting to see the girl, then laying it over the exhausted wolf.

Alex hesitated for a moment. She was most comfortable being in this form here...the villagers often looked at her with fear and never approached her. There was a certain type of safety that came with everyone leaving you alone. But she would need to speak in order to trade, and the Seer knew that. “Know it all…” the wolf ground the words out before she shifted back into a human, drawing the blanket tightly around her naked form.

The wolf had set aside a few gifts for the Seer, little things that were practical, useful for survival rather than a real ‘gift’. The old woman seemed to enjoy the sentiment. There were a few magical things she wanted, healing potions mostly...things she knew would equal the price of a new outfit for the girl. One she just happened to have waiting here. The clothes were a bit big, Alex would fill them out better if she ever put on weight, but the girl looked rather handsome in the new fabrics once she pulled them on. “There we are...now you can practice blending in with the rest of us,” the Seer smiled, highly doubting this wolf would ever blend in well. Even when she appeared as a human, the wolf’s golden eyes and wild mannerisms set her apart from the typical person. “Tessa, my dear. Would you please take these to the artificer? He’ll give fair price for these, perhaps more to a pretty new face than an old crone like me,” the Seer chuckled. “My apprentice will show you the way. Ashkii!” the Seer called and a nervous looking young man came in. “Come, come, she won’t eat you.”

Ashkii didn’t look so sure. Even though the werewolf appeared human for the moment, the apprentice could see what the female truly was. “Sorry…” he didn’t make eye contact with Alex but his gaze didn’t leave her direction either, as though he were afraid she’d pounce on him at any moment. He did manage to inch himself closer to the trio in order to put some of the magical items into a satchel so that he could carry them for the Siren.

“Don’t mind him...his mother told him too many legends about The Amaroq when he was a child. And he no doubt sees you now, sees the past lives you carry with you,” in truth, Alex did appear quite intimidating to one who could See. Strength and determination radiated from her...she looked like a warrior. Well, a warrior trapped in the body of a starving skittish pup, but that would work itself out in time. Her gaunt appearance and inexperience was what made her dangerous: Natives knew and respected the unpredictability of a juvenile animal in such a state.

Ashkii and Tessa left, leaving Alex and the Seer alone. The loss of her soulmate’s close proximity made the wolf conflicted and agitated. “She will be back soon and safely. Now, I know you have a question to ask me, child,” the old woman spoke kindly to the troubled creature as she poured two hot cups of tea. She sat at the small round table in the room and offered a cup to Alex, as well as a seat.

“I...I saw her die,” too upset to beat around the bush, Alex let it out. She had only seen one life, the very first lifetime her and Tessa had spent together. It was so marred by violence… “Will it always be like that? Will she always die?” Misery tinged the wolf’s voice as she flopped down into the chair and accepted the drink. Even only knowing Tessa for a few days, she was so fearful of letting down or losing this woman. Tessa had mentioned hunters for Sirens and overbearing fans...what if something happened when they were separated? There was no doubt in her mind that she could protect her, but it was impossible for her to constantly be shadowing Tessa. Even now, they were separate and her soulmate walking around the village made her wolf anxious. Despite knowing that this place was safe, Natives were notoriously neutral as well as a proud and upright people, she felt more and more agitated the longer Tessa was away from her. Natives would never tangle themselves in plots for slavery or allow hunters in their village; Tessa was safe here, her rational mind knew this...and yet her wolf still demanded that they get up out of this chair and scare half the village by playing bodyguard to the Siren that belonged to them.