Sitting in the hospital room, I wait patiently for Jasmin to return. An hour has passed by after we redid all the tests from last week to see how the results have changed. She would have stayed with me in the room, but Jasmin was called away to help a pup that fell from a tree broke her wrists while training.
My mind wanders back to the party last night after the initiation ceremony. It had went better than expected as everyone ate, drank and laughed to their hearts content. No one was an outsider anymore. We were all one pack now, one family that could finally communicate and work together as one.
Simone and Odette had danced most of the night before slipping away and Quincy joked that Caspian was finally going to mark and claim her as his. This prompted me to roll my eyes and shove cake in his face before a few of our Hunters came and stole him away to welcome him into their unit.
“Brynlee.” Jasmin calls, braking me from my thoughts.
“Hey. Are the results in?” I ask, curious to know if there were lasting effects from all the drugs. I missed training. Missed sparing hand to hand with the others. I did find ways to keep busy though, one of them being having the Omegas help me with freeze drying fruits and easy to re-hydrate meals that will last at least two years in storage and will be added to bunkers that we are working on building.
I remember asking Holton to my office, telling him about the plan of creating a few bunkers around the pack and watching him have a field day budgeting for ten bunkers that could fit a maximum of twenty people inside. He was a frequent visitor when we started preparing for the inevitable war, his knowledge in planning and budgeting being something we needed for each step.
“They are.” She confirms, closing the door behind her and giving me a relieved smile.
“Everything came back clear. If you want, you can resume training again later today.” Relief fills me at Jasmin’s words and I find myself flopping back onto the bed as I let out a giggle. For a week I worried that there would be side effects from the drugs Viren injected into me. Knowing that I am perfectly fine and can go back to training with the others in my pack makes me happy.
“There is a small change in your hormones, but I can’t really decern it. It could be your period coming since its been just over week since your forced heat.” She adds.
“That’s fine. Some pain meds and a heating pad will help with it.” I wave off the concern, knowing that it is expected for a she-wolf to get her period after a heat if she isn’t pregnant. Judging by how fine I feel, there is no way I am pregnant. Thank the Goddess for that.
“Glad to see you’re optimistic about this.” Jasmin laughs at my words as I sit up, the two of us smiling at one another. We decide to book regular check ups every six weeks to make sure there are no surprises caused by me being held captive before I leave the pack infirmary with a pep to my step. I decide that a run will do me good and without a care in the world, I shift into my wolf form. My clothes shred as I take off, paws pounding on the earth while the warm summer wind blows through my fur. Many of my pack mates wave to me and I yip back before heading towards the forest. I feel strong, fast and happy.
[What’s with the running?] Caspian calls into the link before his wolf appears beside me. I give him a wolfish grin, my eyes gleaming with excitement.
[Got a clean bill of health.] I answer, bumping my shoulder against his before I rush forward. Caspian growls playfully, racing after me and catching up. Without any more words, he and I race through the forest jumping over logs and bursting through bushes. It feels nice to stretch my wolf side, to feel the dirt between my paws.
We pass by other wolves, many on patrol guarding the territory who let out their own yips of greetings. My ears flick in acknowledgement, too focused on beating Caspian in this race to properly greet them.
[First to the willow tree by the pack house wins.] Caspian calls through the link, his voice coming in pants. I can tell that he is loosing stamina and decide to push harder. He can’t be a good Hunter if he can’t keep up with me.
We burst out of the forest, me having to jump over a group of pups playing by the forest edge that causes me to stumble. Caspian takes this as his chance to push forward, taking the lead, but I find my footing once more and bolt after him. In no time I am beside him, the two of us neck and neck as the willow tree comes into view.
With a grin, I take a deep breath, smelling vanilla and mint. Rune comes around the pack house, his eyes lit in amusement as he watches Caspian and I race. With his eyes on me, I decide to show off and with a finally push, race past Caspian. I make it under the willow tree in no time, nearly colliding with the trunk but dodge at the last second.
[Brynlee won.] Rune calls out into the link with a chuckle, Caspian growling in annoyance.
[She always wins.] Caspian grumbles as I come out from under the tree branches, tongue lolling out while I pant for breath.
[Not my fault you are as slow as a pup.] I tease, getting another chuckle from Rune who shrugs as Caspian glares at him.
[So what’s with all the running? Shouldn’t you be at a doctor appointment?] Rune asks, turning to look at me. His scars have healed further since last night, the four gashes no longer covering his face, but just half of it. They are slowly fading and I wonder once again if this is because I have forgiven him for what he did.
[I was. Got a clean bill of health.] I answer, my hind paw coming to scratch behind my ear. I feel relief through the mate bond and suppress a sigh. It is still not completely healed, but it is close. Close enough that I worry it will snap back into place much to my wanting it not to.
[I’m glad. What ever Viren used on you worried me. Tristan and his men are still trying to figure it out so we can all learn about its effects.] Shocked by this, I ask Rune if he has been speaking to Tristan since our return to Crescent Phoenix. He has, stating that Onix Moon has been renamed to Growling Heart. Delilah has taken well to being Luna and it seems the pack is on the mend now that Viren and his men are gone. Once things have stabilized there, Tristan plans to come to Crescent Phoenix with his Mate and make a treaty with Asteria and Gale.
[So when can you start training?] Rune asks and I grin, standing to my paws and shaking out my fur.
[Today.] I answer with a wink before taking off once more towards the forest his deep chuckle the last thing I hear.