Blood of the Moon: Samora

Chapter 12: Once-In-A-Lifetime Ride Home

{Samora}

A Keeper's word was law. Especially one as high-titled as Master Savage.

“Yes, Master Savage,” I agreed to his terms, and then silence followed.

Then suddenly, I felt his eyes on me. “How have you been, little one?” he asked me.

To be honest, I was surprised when he spoke casually to me. Master Savage and I never really had an actual conversation before. It was improper to talk to a Keeper that wasn’t your own, and even then, it was only when you were spoken to. He seemed to have no problem with going against this rule at the moment, however.

“Everything’s fine, Master Savage,” I answered with a smile.

“You know, you can look me in the eye, Samora. I will not bite,” he chuckled.

“That—” I thought about his offer to stand on equal ground, and while tempted, I decided that I would not. “Better not to get too comfortable with that sort of respect, sir.” I tried to pass off this sad realization with a chuckle, but he did not seem to find it as funny.

“Every being deserves respect, Samora,” he said to me as his eyes looked forward, his hands behind his back. “Do not ever allow anyone to let you think otherwise—even your…” He scoffed. “Sister.”

“My sister, I don’t think she really likes to be called that,” I confessed. “At least, not where I am concerned.”

“Hm, normally I’d ask what makes you think that,” said Master Gideon.

“But?” Finally, I looked up at him with amusement on my face. We both knew why he didn’t have to ask.

“But I know Carly,” He said. We both laughed at this bit of dark humor. “I’m sure it hurts to know that she feels that way.”

“It does,” I answered without hesitation since we were speaking frankly. “But it doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t?” He looked down at me, and for the first time, I returned Master Savage’s amazing gaze. His eyes were as intimidating and beautiful as Master Pierce’s.

“No, it does not matter,” I reiterated and then looked forward again. One could not stare into such a handsome face for too long. I continued on the subject at hand. “I have no right to those feelings because… at the end of the day, I… am their vassal and they are my Keepers. I should seek no relationship greater than this. To do so would only result in problems for the Pierce family.”

“Hm,” he replied without words, though his grunt was enough of a response.

“You do not agree with me?” I realized.

Master Savage snickered. “It is not that I agree nor disagree with your ideals.”

“But that’s just it,” I retorted. “They are not my ideals, but… everyone else’s, and I have to abide by that.”

Again, he exhaled and smirked before speaking again. “The fact of the matter is that… in our world, you speak facts, Samora.” Master Savage sighed. “But facts—however true they may be—do not negate feelings, do they?” His eyes found me again with a small, sympathetic smile.

He was right, which wasn’t surprising. Master Savage was as wise as Master Pierce. But in this case, I simply had to disagree. No one could really understand how difficult it was for a vassal to place their feelings for their Keeper—especially one whose Keeper actually cared about their vassal.

I simply chuckled. “Maybe for inhumans,” I said under my breath, suddenly feeling solemn about the conversation. “Not for vassals, though. It’s just not the same for us.” Before I knew it, my feelings were falling from my lips. “We cannot speak without chastisement or a strike. I cannot make eye contact without being whipped. Everything I do, every breath that I take, whether my Keeper agrees or not, is for their happiness… their feelings, not mine.”

Had I not known any better, I’d have thought that I heard a hint of disappointment in Master Savage’s breath after I said what I said. “Well, that certainly is a safe way of thinking. That is for sure.”

“Best way to think, if you ask me,” I replied as we continued to head off into seclusion.

Again, the beta chortled. Apparently, I was on a roll that night in saying things that he found amusing. “Yes, sometimes,” he said and shrugged. “Sometimes, however, thinking outside the box… well, that’s not so bad either.”

“I wouldn’t dare do that,” I murmured. “I’m afraid that I’m too cowardly to do such a thing as think outside the norm of what I was meant to think.”

“Somehow… I doubt that, little one.” When we hit the town line, he took a few steps ahead of me. “Now, stand back.” And I did.

Shortly after, the beta’s bones began to c***k and shift; dark brown and white fur elongated from his rich brown skin, and his ears began to sharpen, as well as his teeth.

When his clothes began to tear away from his form, I immediately turned away. Usually, when they transformed, it was so quick that one would hardly see anything, and if one would, I was sure that Master Savage would insist that I turn away to preserve my innocence. Nevertheless, I always thought that transitioning as a whole was something of an intimate and personal matter.

I stood there, obediently waiting for a cue for me to turn around. When I felt a breeze that whipped my hair from back to front, and a low guttural groan, I turned. Standing before me was Titan, Master Savage’s beautiful and ginormous beast. His eyes mirrored the deep green of the beta with specks of black in them. I raised my hand to touch the wolf’s magnificence when I thought better about it, pausing my gesture.

Quickly, I looked away and then felt the softness of his giant, fur-covered head beneath my hand. When I turned my gaze back up, I saw his large head palmed against my hand, Titan’’s fur engulfing my significantly smaller fingers.

After a moment of Titan allowing me the honor to touch him, the great beta turned around and gestured his head for me to hop on. He settled lower against the ground and gave me space to straddle his back.

When I did, immediately, I held on to his fur. “Apologies if I’m pulling too tight, Master Savage!” I quickly said before we went any further. Then the beast almost seemed to cackle at my apology before dashing off and back home.

This was a new experience for me, so when he took off, my heart jumped. After the initial terror of Titan’s speed, I calmed down and simply laid my head on the back of the wolf’s neck and enjoyed the once-in-a-lifetime ride home.