The Howling Rite

To The Rescue

***KORA***

"Henry?" I knocked softly on the study door. There was no answer so I let myself in. The heavy drapes covered the window and the only light in the room came from a little desk lamp. I looked around the study. Another tray of uneaten food sat dangerously close to the edge of Henry's desk. Immediately my anger surfaced, which in itself was extremely frustrating seeing as I'd spent all that time convincing myself I'd keep it together. Henry was slumped over his desk, head in his hands, muttering to himself. He didn't even look up as he mumbled, "Just set it there, thanks." and for the first time I wished I could shift. Not even to end this ridiculous search of his, but just because I was so angry I wanted to rip his throat out with my teeth. Not very ladylike, but there it is.

"I am not your maid and I am not here to waste more food! The Elders are here to speak with you. Do you think you manage the stairs on your own?" I snapped sarcastically and slammed the study door as I left. I took two steps before I leaned my head against the wall and took a ragged breath. Way to keep a handle on your emotions, Kora. I berated myself for a few more seconds before going down the stairs to face my in-laws.

"Will he be coming down, do you think?" Berthold asked as gently as he could. I sighed as Via held Lena on her lap and teased her with one of her jingling bracelets.

"No, Dad. I honestly don't think he's even noticed me." He lowered his head and took a deep breath. "What are you going to do?" I asked. Even I could hear how tired I sounded and was completely ashamed that it had nothing to do with being a new mother.

"I'll drag him down by the scruff of his neck if I must." He said as he stood. He pulled me into a hug and patted my back, just like my own father used to when I was little and upset.

"Sometimes I forget that you were a powerful Alpha. You're so kind-hearted and gentle, like a teddy bear. I can't imagine you even being stern with a person." I mumbled into his shoulder.

He laughed deeply, which gave me some hope. "Don't you worry, I'll get him down." He assured me before forcing me to sit beside his wife and my daughter on the couch. I leaned back and watched as he climbed the stairs slowly shifting as he went. I chuckled realizing how serious he was being when he said he'd drag Henry down by the scruff as the bushy gray wolf tail disappeared around the corner. The visual alone cheered me up immensely.

"I'm sorry I was so unreasonable toward you." My head snapped to the side and I stared in shock at Via as she continued her awkward apology. "I let my pride get in the way of logic. It was not very wise of me, and I will not disappoint you in the future should you come to me for comfort or counsel again."

"Thank you." I said. What else was there to say? Rather a lot, as it turned out. I found myself opening my mouth again. "I don't understand you, Via." The words forced their way out before I could stop them.

She raised a brow at me and replied, "This does not surprise me." She smirked as she cooed over Lena.

"No, I mean I really don't. It's obvious you don't approve of me. Why then, did you allow Henry to marry me? You were an Alpha, you could have put a stop to our relationship if you wished. Why did you let a Volmenschen into your pack?"

She looked at me with a hard expression, as though she thought I was being particularly dense. "My dear Kora, as I said, I let my pride get the better of me. If I didn't want you in the pack, you wouldn't be here. Don't forget, you are not the only full human that was allowed to convert." She was referring to the other Neverwolves. There aren't many of us and almost all of us are mates of a runner.

"I'm not sure if I should be offended or pleased." I mumbled.

"Whichever. Both. Neither, I really don't care." She shrugged and I rolled my eyes. She was feisty for an older woman. It's what the pack respects her for. It was a demeanor I'd have to adopt when it was time to take her place as Elder.

After a few more minutes I started to get worried. No sound had come from the study and I wondered if I should go up. Via elbowed me and nodded in the direction of the stairs. My shoulders dropped and I sagged with relief. Henry was coming down. He was dazed, and had the maw of an old grey wolf attached to his wrist, but he was out of the study. Within moments I was holding Lena as Via pushed her son toward the master bathroom behind the kitchen. Berthold followed after like a dog with that bushy tail swinging back and forth with determination. While I waited for whatever the Elders were doing, I fed Lena a bottle and put her down for a nap.

Berthold came out first. He was back to his two-legged self, clean and dressed and I groaned inwardly at all the wolf hair I'd have to clean up later. Shifting is a messy business. The Runners can shift in one of two ways. Their bones and organs rearrange themselves, which takes longer unless you practice at it and is more painful, but with only fur to clean up. Or, the wolves can force their way out of their human forms, vicious and snapping and ripping the human half literally apart to come out. It's quicker and painless, oddly enough, but absolutely terrifying to witness. Although, the new wolves don't get a choice. They have to deal with the pain until they are a few years into the shift. Poor kids.

I pulled myself out of my thoughts as Berthold ran up to the study and came back down with a lockbox. "We've decided it's probably safer all around if this isn't here to tempt him." He explained holding up the metal box. I nodded. The Elders were powerful, but I didn't trust their words alone to keep Henry from getting sucked back in.

"Take it away." I said, still nodding. I looked after him as he took the box to his truck and drove off with it. It was probably for the best anyway. Those were precious documents for the Bachlaufer and at this point I was ready to burn them.

Berthold had come back to the house only a few minutes later with Via's oil case and was in the master suite with her and Henry before I even knew what was going on. Via came for me after about an hour later and said she'd need my help, and that Berthold would look after Lena. Apparently whatever she needed me for would take a while but I didn't argue. I made my way to the bed where Henry lay on his back, showered, shaved and dressed, but still completely dazed and muttering.

"Does he even realize where he is? That you're here?" I asked, shocked. I could only just make out his lips moving in the strips of muted orange light coming through the window.

"I don't think so, Dear. If you need to make a few bottles for Lena, you should do it now. I don't know how long this will take. I had no idea it was so bad. I should have listened to you immediately. Please forgive me for being so careless." She said quietly.

I nodded and did as she said. I lined up three fresh bottles in the fridge and one on the counter for Lena and put out everything needed for diaper changes beside it. I took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds, trying to calm the pounding in my chest. Via was a witch. In fact, one of the little Vollmenschen buggers in town left black feathers on her doorstep as a prank. Everyone knew how powerful she could be, so I had no doubt she could fix whatever was wrong with Henry. I just didn't know what it would take. I was so tired already and I had no idea what she'd need from me. I didn’t know what I had left to give. Doing my best to summon my courage, I went back to her.

Via pulled a piece of candy from her case and handed it to me. Butterscotch. I took it without question and felt a little life return to my cheeks as I savored the few seconds of distraction it gave me. When it had dissolved Via nodded at me and I nodded back. You learn early on with Via that you simply don't ask questions. Part of her magic was that you always knew what she needed from you. Though, later on, you'd never understand what actually happened. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. You might think she was preparing herself for what she was about to do but I knew she was just as worried for Henry as I was. She was trying not to cry. In the intense quiet I could catch little bits of what he was mumbling from his position on the bed.

"Must still be there… Doesn't say… No other prints… No thunder…" He muttered. I frowned as I stood with my back against the wall. I watched Via as she stood at Henry's bedside.

At first it made no sense. Suddenly, Henry sat up and grabbed onto Via's arm and I jumped. She wasn't even phased. I nearly had a heart attack, yet she barely changed the expression on her face.

"Did anyone ever go back and look? Could he still be there?" I understood then. There was no proof Fenrir ever left that camp after he visited. He is a God. What if he hid himself in plain sight? Via sighed and covered his hand with hers.

"No, my son. I went back there not ten years ago. There was no sign." Henry groaned and fell back on the bed. He turned and pulled his knees up to his chest and whimpered like a child. I couldn't take it and I think Via knew that.