Best Friends Mate

Chapter 23- Invictus

I’m gold? Is that what I just heard? I looked at them both standing before me staring at me like I was something in a Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum. I watched Keely pull her compact out of her make up bag, she walked over to me slowly and cautiously and obviously just as surprised as my color as my

brother and Ryan were. I saw my reflection and sure enough I was gold, like golden statue gold not Crayola box color gold and somehow my eyes had become greener. Id never seen a gold wolf before.

There were few silver ones, and they were rare but never have I heard of a gold werewolf. I smelled the air and focused my hearing on the sounds around me. I thought things were heightened before, but this was truly magnificent. I could both see and hear further and sharper than before.

“Want to go for a run?” Ryan mind linked me and Dustin. I looked at my brother who still appeared visibly pissed.

“We’ll talk about you two later... but now let’s see what you’re made of sis” Dustin smiled at me.

We ran through the woods for what seemed like hours but when we returned, the sun had just gone down. Alyssa and Keely were sitting by the fire talking. Ryan stayed beside me the entire time during our run, guiding me between trees, over boulders, and up and down the ravine. He was pushing me and

testing my limits. We were all surprised by my speed and agility, Dustin commenting that most newly

transitioned wolves required time to adjust. Transforming back into my human form was effortless and

pain free. Ryan had transformed and he walked up beside me, nudging my shoulder with his.

“It gets easier every time and eventually you feel nothing”

I could only smile.

I heard my brother clear his throat. “Can you put some clothes on Kiara?” I turned, completely forgetting my nudity and saw my brother with his head down attempting to avoid seeing me. Keely tossed me some clothes and she laughed at the surprised look I had gave her.

“Seriously Kiara. we all knew you were transitioning tonight. I brought spare clothes” Keely said proudly.

I was so thankful for the friendship I had with her. I quickly put some clothes on while Dustin and Ryan did the same. Apparently, they carry an extra pair of clothes in their vehicles. Mental note taken. I hugged Keely and Alyssa who bombarded me with questions, especially Keely as her 18th birthday was

coming up in a couple months. Getting one’s wolf was a rite of passage, it was special.

I watched Ryan stand beside Dustin who just stood there watching the fire with a beer in his hand. They remained silent until Ryan finally spoke. I eavesdropped on their conversation utilizing my new and improved sense of hearing.

“I’m sorry brother” Ryan said his gaze not faltering from the fire. Dustin took a swig of his beer.

“Do you really love her?”

“Yeah man, I do” but this time he was looking Dustin straight in the eye.

“Are you her mate?” He asked Ryan.

Ryan was silent.

“I take that as a no” He said throwing his beer bottle in the fire and looking Ryan in the eye.

“I don’t know Dustin” Ryan sounded sad.

“What the f**k do you mean you don’t know? She’s 18 now, you’re about to be 24. The mate bond would have revealed itself by now” Dustin was trying to whisper but his voice struggled to contain his anger. He got in Ryan’s face staring at him for a moment. “Why would you do this to her and yourself when you aren’t mates. She already went through this s**t with Tyler, having her heart broken. She’s already lost so many people she’s loved”

Ryan straightened himself and took a deep breath.

“There is something there between us. I don’t know if it’s a mate bond, but the moon goddess has visited us both, revealing to us that our fates our intertwined and that we are meant to be in each other’s lives. I feel it in my soul brother, I’m supposed to protect her.”

They stood there, measuring each

other up, trying to read each other.

“The moon goddess visited our mother often too. listen, Kiara is her own person, and she can make her own decision, but I don’t like this, not at all.” I watched Ryan put his hand on Dustin’s shoulder and

smile.

“You’re a good friend and an even better brother” They both looked at me and I caught their gaze.

Alyssa mentioned she was tired from a “long day”. Yeah right, that was code for I’m pregnant and constantly exhausted. Dustin bear hugged me and asked me if I needed a ride home. I was about to

answer when Ryan informed us that we were close to his place, but he could give me a ride if I wanted. I could tell this bothered Dustin who still felt he needed to be my shield, protector and slayer of dragons.

He turned to Ryan and with frustration rising in his voice said, “why would you take her to your place?”

Keely of course opened her big mouth. “Ha! You should see what they did to hers”

Immediately realizing what she had done she cupped her hand over her mouth. A growl escaped my brothers’ chest. He stood between me and Ryan, fists clenched.

“you know what... I don’t even wanna know what that means, and I don’t want to know why or how Keely knew about you two before I did. I’m going to go home now and pray to every God imaginable that I don’t have a daughter”

I knew better than to laugh but inside I was rolling. Here I was worried about transitioning and gaining my wolf. I thought I was stressed out. My poor brother. I watched him go to Alyssas car and grab something from the back seat. When he returned, he presented me with a gift wrapped in brown paper. I looked at him, my eyes wide and he only smiled.

"You don't have to open now but this is my birthday gift to you" and he hugged me.

"I love you brother" and I squeezed him in our hug as much as I could. He smiled and turned to grab Alyssas hand.

I watched him get into the car with Alyssa and drive off. Keely hugged me and said she was sorry. I told her not to worry about it. I’m glad Dustin knew

as keeping that hidden was difficult.

“Ill see you at training Monday?” she asked getting in her car.

“I don’t know maybe” I shrugged.

She waved and sped off as fast as she came in when she thought a wolf was about to rip her car apart. I turned to see Ryan behind me, watching me and wearing a grin.

“come on, I want to show you my place” and he extended his hand to me. Not even Dustin had been to Ryans place.

I walk through the door of Ryans cabin completely surprised. I didnt know what I was expecting but I wasnt expecting what I saw. There were two large book shelves that boasted books of different genres, records of various artists dating back to the 50s, and what looked like trinquets or souvenirs from everywhere he had visited. There were frames on the wall housed newspaper articles ranging from the announcment of world war two to the last american presidential election. I eyed another wall with photos of Ryan at different places, with different peoplex doing different things. Two in particular stood out. One he was in village sitting on the steps of what looked to be a school, a kid on each side of him. Ryan looked like he was mid laugh. The other was him and a friend standing beside eachother standing in the middle of a ring. Ryan had his hand on his friends shoulder and the other in the air making a fist. They both looked rough in that one. Ryan watched me as I made my way back to the book shelf. A few books in particular were worn and had post it notes marking their place. I opened one to read a poem by William Ernest Henley.

I read the title to myself.

"Invictus"

Ryan walked up behind me placing his arms around me and he quoted every word from memory, his voice was deep and smooth.

"Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul."

I turned to face him my eyes wide and my heart burning hearing Ryan quote poetry, especially this one that seemed as if it was written for him.

"you dont take me as the poetry type" then I hugged him close.

He rubbed my shoulders and just laughed leading me to his room. His bed was huge and art covered his walls.

Ryan walks into the bathroom and turns on the shower for me.

"Joining me?" I asked him hoping he would.

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I have to make some calls, babe. How are you feeling anyways?"

I stepped into the shower after changing allowing the hot water to pour over my hair, face and find its way down my entire body. "I feel ok" and turned to let the water find its way down my back.

"Ill be waiting for you when you get out"

and he smiled leaving me to shower.

I spent a good hour in the shower, the heat relaxing my sore muscles. Ryan knew id feel sore.

I turned off the water and wrapped a brown fluffy towel around me. Walking out I found Ryan asleep, actually sleeping. He laid there on his back, one arm above his head and the other across his abdomen. I saw a shirt he had laid out for me and quietly pulled it over me before finally laying down beside him. A photo on his bedside table caught my attention. It was 12 year old me, Dustin, Ryan and Markus at Silvermoon. I never noticed before but Ryan was looking down at me smiling. I heard the sound of thunder and looked out the window. A flash of lightning lit up the sky and I couldve sworn I saw a man in the distance, his face so familiar but when I looked again, I saw nothing. The rain began to pour and shaking it off, I curled up to Ryan drifting off to the sound of gentle raindrops on the roof.

(music recommendation. "Roselyn" by St Vincent)