The Omega Queen

Twenty

“All right, let’s see how these look,” Kaison said as he clipped the x-rays to a light board and turned it on.

Cahira frowned as she looked at the black and white images. She recognized the shape of a skull, but most of it was too strange for her to understand. Erin seemed far less interested.

Kaison studied the images with a deep frown.

“So, what is the verdict,” Cahira asked.

“I don’t see any sign of damage, no obvious scar tissue, no masses, nothing abnormal,” Kaison said after a while. “Everything looks normal. And you used to be able to speak, correct?”

Erin nodded. Yes, when she was young, she was like any other growing pup. She laughed and raced her older sister and little brother. Her mother said she had such a gentle voice and praised her singing. All the pack did, so Erin knew it to be true.

“Do you remember when you lost it, by chance?” Kaison asked.

Erin grimaced and looked away. She really couldn’t remember the last time she truly thought about that incident, or anything that happened before and after. Maybe that was why her nightmares were always so intense. But it involved a promise she swore to keep.

“Could you tell me about it?” Kaison asked.

Erin hesitated and shook her head. No, she couldn’t go to that dark place. Her brother’s rattling breath already echoed in her ears. Erin clutched her head, feeling the familiar sensation squeezing her chest.

“Erin! Breathe, sweetie,” Cahira gently intoned, rubbing her back. “Deep breaths. In and out. In and out.”

“Here, drink slowly,” Kaison said, handing her a small cup of water. “Tiny sips. Relax and breathe. You are in a safe place. Nothing can hurt you here.”

Erin struggled to breathe, calming herself as the memories slipped back into their box deep in the recesses of her mind. Her wolf paced in her mind, helping to contain them.

‘This can’t continue, Erin. You need to tell someone about this.’

‘But I promised.’

‘We have a mate now. He needs to know. He can help.’

‘Or he will reject me and use me like others did.’

‘Mate will not do that.’

‘You don’t know that.’

Her wolf whimpered, ‘Keeping this secret is only hurting yourself. Let Mate help. It’s okay to trust.’

Erin’s breathing slowly relaxed and the tightness in her chest eased. It had been a while since she endured such a profound attack. Her wolf had a point. She couldn’t keep doing this, walking around with landmines in her mind never knowing what would set them off. There had to be a better solution. Maybe her mate was the answer, but how would he react to a mate that was so broken?

He was Alpha. Alexander needed a strong Luna. It would surely lead to her rejection.

“We’ll give you a moment,” Kaison said, nodding to his Luna.

“Take all the time you need,” Cahira said, gesturing to the sink. “We’ll give you some privacy.”

Erin nodded. She thought she had a good handle on it, but some more time to settle down was appreciated. Once they left her, she moved to the sink and splashed water on her face.

* * *

“Kaison?” Cahira prompted once they were in the hallway.

“Well, clearly we are dealing with some sort of deep trauma,” Kaison said. “It’s possible her muteness is psychosomatic.”

“And that means?”

“It means she thinks she can’t speak,” Kaison said. “It’s all in her mind.”

“But she has been this way for a long time, years.”

“Unresolved trauma doesn’t have a time limit. But this is out of my area of expertise. Meredith is better at this sort of thing,” Kaison said. His mate had helped many wolves since she joined the pack, including their own Beta.

Cahira nodded. She supposed if there was no physical cause, then psychological was the next logical step. Still…could she ever convince Erin to speak to Meredith after her recent reaction? How would Erin ever be able to start talking about something that clearly affected her so deeply?

Then again, it was Meredith’s area of expertise. Navigating the mind’s rough waters would be easier with a guide. But it still meant convincing Erin to meet with her. Maybe a casual dinner would be best for introductions. It was important for the gamma pair to build a rapport with their new luna anyway.

“So, where did she come from?” Kaison asked. It wasn’t like Cahira to bring a random stray into the pack, especially a wendigo.

The luna frowned, glancing around them. The floor was quiet and the staff busy. It was unlikely any were trying to listen to their conversation, but Alexander wouldn’t be happy if she blurted it out in public.

“Don’t react, or freak out,” Cahira spoke through their mindlink. “She is Alexander’s mate.”

“What!?” Kaison stiffened but managed to contain his reaction. “Are you serious? He finally found her?”

Cahira nodded with a smile.

“But she’s a wendigo.”

“So? What does that have to do with anything?”

Kaison frowned. He supposed it didn’t. Mates between other shifters were not common, but not completely unheard of. Even a human could be a mate, though he wasn’t sure exactly how it worked since they didn’t have the second soul that made the connection complete, but it had happened in the past. Who was to question the will of the Goddess when it came to mates?

And wendigos were wolves. It was just the culture of their packs that was strange. Perhaps their new Luna was the answer to bridge that gap of understanding. Maybe it would also deepen their knowledge of natural remedies that would improve their own medical care. The more he thought about it, the more exciting the possibilities became.

“So, why hasn’t Alex claimed her yet?” Kaison asked.

“There are—complications,” Cahira frowned. “Probably the same reason she can’t speak. I have a feeling it’s all tied together. But you’ll have to ask him.”

“I think I will do that.”

They turned as the exam room door opened and Erin hesitantly emerged.

“How are you feeling, dear?” Cahira asked.

Erin gave her a small smile.

“How about we head home, and I’ll show you my garden?”

Erin’s grin widened and she enthusiastically nodded.

“Good. Well, thank you, doctor.”

“Of course, Luna,” Kaison nodded. “I am at your service. Both of you.”