My Werewolf Guardian

The Past Pt 6: The Growing Feeling

=Claudia=

I woke up the next morning with a splitting headache. Every part of my body burned as if I had just run a thousand miles. It even hurt to move my eyes around the room. “Niven.” I croaked hoping he was within earshot. 

I could hear stirring coming from the far side of the room. He wasn’t outside which never happened. What did happen though? Last thing I remembered was touching Niven, he was in pain. Did I let him go? How did I get in bed? 

There was something else that didn’t seem right. It was cold, my curtains were shut completely, then my senses returned to me. I looked down. I was on top of the covers and somehow completely naked. “NIVEN!” I yelled louder, wrapping myself in the covers. 

He stood up very aware of his own vulnerability and scrambled for something to cover himself up. “Claudia.” his voice was also straining. I had witnessed this a few times before, whenever he had a particularly rough full moon he was disoriented, but what was happening with me? 

“What’s going on Niven?” The sun was starting to come up and with it others in the house would rise. 

“You don’t remember?” He finally came into view, his bare chest had claw marks all over it and bruises ran down the length of his arms. 

“What happened?” I leaned up but fell back when the lack of strength in my arms couldn’t hold me up.

“I-” He cut himself off looking around, “I honestly don’t know.” 

There were a few things that needed to happen right now, but my biggest concern was the possible repercussions of the night before that neither of us could remember, “Okay, so you need to get out, get dressed, and meet me downstairs for breakfast.” He seemed flustered at the sound of my orders and was looking for the fastest way to follow them, “Niven.” I called again when he was caught spinning in circles.

“What?” He looked back at me, his face red.

“Get out!” I called pointing to the window. 

He rushed out shifting into the large white wolf as he landed on the ground. When I was satisfied I was alone I gathered all my strength. My legs felt like noodles as I struggled to walk across the floor. There was something else in my mind, something that was exhausted, but happy. I couldn’t quite place what it was going through my mind but it felt like a new room had opened up. This whole other part of me was completely strange and wouldn't respond. 

After I got dressed my movements got easier. I was able to look around the room at the tattered remains of our clothes. I knew this was going to create issues but I couldn’t explain my clothes completely torn up so I decided to cut my losses and tossed them into the trash can on my way through the kitchen. Niven’s clothes could just be taken to the seamstress, I wasn’t so lucky. 

There was a tray with hot tea on the table with toast and jam sitting next to it. For once I was thankful the maids were over achievers. Then again, maybe they heard what happened this morning? Fear crossed my thoughts, whatever happened it could get Niven in a lot of trouble. If what I think happened did in fact happen Niven would be hunted down by my father and skinned alive. 

“Good morning dear.” I turned to see my father enter the room. He took a seat pouring his own cup of tea and taking half the plate of toast for himself. 

“Good morning father.” There was this energy he had that I never noticed before. I needed to sit far away from him, the pit of my stomach ached at the thought of being close to him.

He’s a fake! The new room in my mind wasn’t empty. The occupant was clawing at the door I wanted to remain shut. 

“Everything okay Claudia?” He looked across the table from over the morning paper. 

Oh no! Could he tell something was different? Did he know what happened? Of course not, if he did he wouldn’t be acting calm, like nothing was going on. “Oh yes father.” the words tested sour coming from my mouth. Why did I hate how nice I was being to him? Why did I want to tear his throat out? “Do you have any plans for the day?” Again that extra person in my mind was displeased. “FALSE!” I barked, shooting my hands over my mouth. We both exchanged a look like I was over playing my hand. “Oh I mean-” I couldn’t think of what else I could mean. 

“Good morning my alpha.” I turned and saw NIven enter the room from behind me, rage building as I heard him call my father his alpha. 

“Yes,” my father nodded and finally looked away from me back to his paper. “Did anything happen last night I should be worried about?” He looked again to Niven, completely ignoring me.

“What do you mean?” Niven playing dumb, honestly it was the best defense. 

“I mean you weren’t at your post this morning when I came home. Is there anything I should be worried about?” The paper dropped and he rested on hand on his knee as he leaned over the table.

Niven shook his head and I was in complete awe that he was able to keep calm through this. “I thought there was going to be an issue,” he looked down at me and then back to my father, “It turned out to be nothing, but just in case I will be making sure there are extra precautions in place.”

“Vampires?” He looked more concerned, but less threatening. 

“I don’t think so.” Niven stayed behind me and I could feel that new occupant resting easy once again, “I would suggest though my alpha,” and the new occupant perked up hating the words from his mouth. 

“Suggest away,” My father nodded as he took a drink from his cup.

“I think there's new wolves in the city.”

I coughed through my own drink putting the cup down while still being completely ignored. 

“New wolves?” My father put down his distractions. “Meet me at my office later. We shouldn’t discuss pack business in front of my daughter.” Finishing off the last of his toast he nodded and walked out. 

Once gone Niven waited making sure no one else was going to come in to disturb us before hastily taking a seat, “A few ground rules Claudia.” He began taking my hand in his. He didn’t give me time to comment on his aversion being extinguished but he didn’t seem to care, “First, do not bring up what happened last night. To anyone!” He added, “Second,” he looked me up and down releasing my hand quickly, “second, keep your distance from me.” 

My extra occupant didn’t like that one bit and growling escaped my lips causing me to slip up once again as my hands covered my mouth.

“That!” He exclaimed, “We need to talk about that.”

“About what?” I looked around praying someone would save me from this scolding. 

“You’re-” he stopped as he looked into my eyes. “Different.” His hand moved slowly up cupping my cheek. 

“I’m different?” I laughed, “Look who got over their fear of touching me.” 

He withdrew and spun back to his feet, “Don’t do that!” He growled and my new roommate was not liking where this was headed.

“Do what?” I snapped, getting to my feet, “I’m not doing anything.”

“You’re-” He signed his hands slapping his face as he gripped his hair, “Claudia, you’re-” He looked back at me, his eyes glowing with that golden hue calling out to me, “Just stop!” He yelled turning away from me.

“Again!” I yelled back, “I’m not doing anything!” 

“Not you!” He yelled. 

=Niven=

Looking at her my wolf was going crazy. He wanted her, he needed to touch her again. Last night was a mistake. Wolves aren’t made that way, how did she become one? She was also walking around like she didn’t care, like she didn’t even know what she was now. We just touched. That was it, that pain that ran through my body was unbearable. It was like a piece of me was being ripped away. There she stood sucking the life force out of my body. My wolf fought it at first until something in him snapped. He could feel something being created. Now looking at her here in front of me I had to fight not just him but her new ability to dominate me. 

My wolf wanted her to be happy, he wanted to hold her so close, why was this so difficult? I was over two hundred years old. I wasn’t some young pup unable to make it one day without losing control. 

“Niven are you okay?” The touch of her hand on my shoulder calmed me right down. 

I looked back to her letting her hand slide into mine, “I’m fine.” I raised back up forcing a smile. I was fine now, I don’t know why but I was okay. My wolf was calm, he was back in the corner of my mind sleeping. “Claudia,” I rubbed her hand between both of mine letting my wolf be lulled to sleep, “Do you really not know what’s happening?” 

She shook her head, “I know that something happened last night. I don’t remember what happened after I grabbed your arm.”

I looked around not wanting to risk anyone coming in, house maids were always gossipers anyway and anything getting back to her father might jeopardize what we have. “We need to go somewhere private.”

“Okay?” She looked at me unconvinced about this conversation and the direction it was about to take. 

“Just-” I grumbled finally getting enough strength to drop her hand, “Trust me on this. We need to go somewhere private.”

I needed to help her realize what was going on, my wolf needed her to know and I wasn’t okay with what he had in mind. She was still our alpha’s daughter and I was not going to let him take advantage of her.