Stellaluna

Introductions

I awoke to soft, beams of sunlight, filtering through the glass panes of the balcony doors, warming my face. I sleepily gazed at my surroundings, the sunlight casting a golden hue making the room seem much more warm and inviting than last night. I sat up as the memories of the previous day came back to me.

Today is going to be rough. I thought, remembering all the hostility I’d garnered.

We have no choice then but to turn the day around. Confident as always, it seemed Amaris had gotten a good rest as well.

You’re right Amaris! We will not be intimidated! We are here for a reason.

Yeah! To kick a** and take names!

Exactly! I laughed, getting up and heading to the bathroom to brush my teeth to prepare for the day. I undid my braid and ran my fingers through my hair, working out any knots, and threw it into a high ponytail. I eyed the knives I had dropped on the counter and took them with me. I had to be prepared for anything. I dressed in a simple black tank top, and flexible black pants, and strapped my weapons into place, in my boot, on my thigh and this time on my belt loop. Once ready I went to my door and opened it only to come face to face with none other than the same jerk from last night. Goddess give me strength, I quickly prayed. I would need it if this is how my day was starting.

“Ah, Miss Evangeline, what a pleasure it is for you to finally deign to wake up.” His voice low and really f*cking annoying at this point.

Taking names and butts remember! Amaris reminded me.

“Are you here for a particular reason, or did you have nothing better to do?” I asked him, crossing my arms. He looked a bit surprised by my response and straightened up.

“Alpha Ryder requests you join him and Mistress Hypatia.” He said irritated, before turning and walking away. I smiled and followed after, pleased to have gotten to him.

“So are you the pack lap dog or what?” I said, falling into step with him and feigning innocence. He grimaced, as we quickly walked downstairs.

“No.” He sneered, “I have been given the duty of babysitting you.”

“Ohhh so you’re my lap dog then. Know any tricks?” I asked smirking as we arrived at the formal dining hall he had shown me last night. He growled and took a step towards me.

“Thank you Thomas, that’ll be all,” the alpha from last night interjected.

“Ah yes, thank you Thomas,” I said, winking at him and watched as he stomped away angrily. I turned back to the table and saw it was not just the witch and alpha, but a group of men and a couple women, all studying me with interest. Hypatia was smiling and waved me over to sit next to her near the front of the table. Alpha Ryder sat at the head of the table with Hypatia to his right, and a small man to his left. I took my seat to the left of Hypatia and a plate of food was immediately placed in front of me.

“So. Young Evangeline, what is your business here?” The alpha got straight to the point. I could appreciate that.

“My business is with Hypatia.” I answered evasively.

“Ryder I already told you as much. Do not question my dealings!” Hypatia told him crossly. He banged his hand on the table

“I will when you bring strangers into my home!” He yelled. Hypatia placed her hand on his arm. And I could see that they were having a silent conversation. After a moment, he slowly relaxed and Hypatia removed her hand and continued eating.

“I apologize Miss Evangeline. You must understand, it is not often people come to my home, and when they do I have usually sent for them. It is my duty to protect this pack. I already have more visitors than we are use to here.” He rubbed his face with his hand and gave me a small smile. He looked rather young himself. He couldn’t be more than twenty six. He had tousled light brown hair, dark blue eyes, and no mark, meaning he didn’t have a mate.

“I understand. Though the business I have with Hypatia is private, I would be happy to answer any other questions you have if that would make you more comfortable. I didn’t come here to cause trouble. You have nothing to fear from me.” I told him, and honestly I meant it. I could see he only cared for his pack and if I were in his shoes, I’d be just as suspicious. I really didn’t come here to cause trouble. If trouble came to me however...

“I don’t know about that. I think Thomas for one will greatly benefit from you causing a bit of mischief. It is rare to see his feathers ruffled.” He laughed

I laughed with him. “Sorry about that.”

“Do not lie child,” Hypatia added , chuckling herself. We ate breakfast, which was actually quite delicious, consisting of eggs, sausage, toast, tomatoes and diced potatoes. I studied the people at the table. The small man to the right of Alpha Ryder, or just Ryder as he instructed me to call him, was his beta, Flynn. Though small in stature, he was lethal and worked as an assassin for many years. I planned to take his offer to train later today. His mate was next me, Alyssa, a quiet woman who helped run the castle and pack affairs as the alpha didn’t have a mate. The gammas were next briefly introducing themselves before running off to attend to something. Which left three men and one woman, who I am told were the aforementioned visitors. They neither introduced themselves nor said anything about why they were here.

After we finished, Hypatia excused herself from the table, everyone soon following.

“I’m sorry Evangeline, I’m afraid I must see to something immediately.”

“But-!”

“I know. We have much to talk about. I have just gotten word from a mutual friend of ours. I will be back soon.” She grabbed my hand gently and her voice once again visited my mind.

It is Selene. She has found something that will help us. I have to go meet her. I will be back as soon as I can child.

She let go of my arm and turned away.

Hypatia what am I supposed to do here while you are gone? I thought. She stopped and looked back at me.

How long have you been able to speak telepathically?

Me? You are doing it, not me.

No child. I can only do it if I am touching the person I want to talk with. This is you.

What? How could I be doing it without knowing

You are just as interesting as I thought you would be, child. She mused. Stay here. Train. Both body and mind. By my rooms are a library that only I use. Study while I am gone, and try to gauge your powers. I sense there is much to discover about you. Stay safe little one. I nodded, resigned to my fate, and she disappeared. What am I to do now?

As if sensing my plight , Ryder gently touched my elbow. “Since you’ve nothing to do anyways , how about I show you around?” He offered.

“Thomas already did. I think I’m going to go to my room”

“Nonsense, I’m much more fun then Thomas.” He grinned at me. “Come along.”

Without much of a choice I walked beside him. To my surprise he took me outside and around the castle.

“I’m sorry, but don’t you have other things to do?” I asked him and he just laughed

“Of course I do, but they can wait. It’s not often I have a chance to talk to someone who wants nothing from me. Besides that other lot, but they aren’t very good company.” He said conspiratorially. “So why are you a rogue?

“Right to it then,” I laughed. “Well I was born one I suppose. I was abandoned at birth and, long story short, only found a home with one”

“Wow, I’m sorry. That must have been a hard life.”

“I made it,” I said shrugging, “why don’t you have a mate?” I asked.

“Ah. I deserve that for poking in your business,” he laughed. We passed through a vegetable garden and he pointed out the ones that were used this morning.

“I had a mate, once, though we never technically got to mate or mark each other. She was older than me and had known before I got my wolf. She was a very strong fighter, one of our bests actually. My father sent her to scout the south as they had just begun attacking everyone, and she never came back.” He stopped walking and looked down at the ground. “Neither did all of the other scouts. A couple of years ago, my father led a raid, to try to find them and rescue them, and they too just never returned. But that last time we felt their bonds break, so we knew they were gone. That’s when I became alpha.”

“I’m so sorry Ryder, I shouldn’t have asked.” I fretted, and put my hand on his arm. He looked up and gave a sad smile.

“It’s alright. Everyone here just pretends it never happened. It’s nice to talk about it with someone.” He took my hand and put it in the crook of his arm and led me down the path through the garden, continuing our walk.

“What do you do if you lose your mate?” I asked him

“Well, you have three, sometimes four options.” He said, “first, if you mated, the pain of losing your mate might kill you. If you don’t die, you could choose to live life alone. Though uncommon, the Goddess has blessed some with a second chance mate.”

“And the sometimes fourth?”

“You could take a chosen mate.” I looked at him quizzically. “It’s just like human weddings. You choose someone to love and spend the rest of your life with. Even though they might not be your soul mate. It would still work the same, the bond, it just would not be as strong. Which is not saying it won’t be strong,” he said glancing at me, “Some chosen mates are just as close as Goddess given ones.”

“I see.” I said, “thank you for answering my questions. I don’t know much about packs or werewolves. Just the basics” he looked at me questioningly but I just smiled

“So how old are you?” I asked

“I’m twenty four. And you?”

"Twenty."

"I wouldn't have guessed. You seem so mature. Not that you look old or anything!" He held his hands up flustered.

"It's alright." I laughed. He smiled and we continued chatting and walking. He showed me the training area, which was a clearing just beyond the gardens, where a lot of people were training. Some in their human forms some in their wolf forms. Flynn waved at me and I noticed the people from the dining hall were there. One of the men was frowning at me, but Ryder pulled me away and showed me the lake.

“Oh I was hoping to come out here!” I told him and he laughed

“It’s beautiful isn’t it.”

“I think it’s more so at nighttime” I told him. “It was just stunning.” I sighed, remembering it.

“Well you are free to come anytime you want.”

“Really? No more Thomas ?” He laughed

“Maybe if he needs to be punished for something” he said elbowing me in the side softly

“As long as you promise not to get mad at me if I make him cry!” I said laughing.

“Of course! So is there anywhere you’d like to go?” He asked. I looked back at the training area. And he smiled. “Let’s go”

Flynn came over once we arrived with a grin on his face.

“Come to show us your rogue skills?” He teased

“I wasn’t aware you needed lessons, but I am more than happy to show you a trick or two,” I joked back. We stretched and Ryder and Flynn sparred first.

I leaned against a tree, eager to see the skills of an alpha and beta up close. I really didn’t know much about packs or how they fought, but I was excited to see if they were any better than Sarge.

Flynn started circling Ryder, just like a cougar waiting for an opening to strike. Ryder crouched and launched himself at Flynn so fast I almost gasped. But Flynn wasn’t taken down , he dodged and used Ryder’s momentum to pick him up and slam him on the ground. Ryder was strong and quickly picked him up and reversed their positions. They seemed equal in battle. Ryder was obviously stronger, but Flynn was faster, his movements more precise. You could tell they knew each other very well and could predict what the other was going to do as neither seemed to be able to get the upper hand. As I watched, I felt someone staring at me, and looked around. It was two of the men from the dining hall, and one was the one that was frowning at me. He was again. What the heck was this guys problem? I frowned back at him and flipped him off before turning back to Flynn and Ryder, who were just finishing up. Looks like it was a draw.

“Ughhhh I think you squished my liver!” Flynn complained.

“Me? You punched me in the same place like twenty times! I might as well have a hole right through me!”

“Well I’ve been telling you to learn to block it’s not my fault you’ve got no defense!” I smiled at their antics.

“You guys sound like an old married couple. I want a turn now, I’ve got some pent up aggression I need to get out.” I jumped in place, excited, and pulled my ponytail to make sure it was tight. They both eyed my energetic and determined self before playing paper rock scissors. I rolled my eyes. Ryder lost.

“I could just order you” he told Flynn

“Come onnnn, don’t tell me you’re scared!” I taunted. And he shook his head grinning.

“Fine, but you better not beat me up in front of my pack.” He said laughing and getting into a fighting stance. I quickly ran forward and threw a kick at his side, making him stumble before throwing a left hook that hit him in the side of the face and jerk his head.

“No promises” I whispered at him before dancing back.

“Oh it’s on” he said, rubbing his jaw and charging at me, trying to catch me by surprise. I ducked down and swung my leg out, knocking his out from under him. And was on him in an instant, my hand at his throat like a knife.

“Aaaand you’re dead.” I sang, hopping off. “I’m disappointed. I thought that would take at least forty seconds longer.” I teased him, holding out my hand to help him up. He grabbed it and smiled evilly, yanking me so that I fell on top of him and he rolled until I was underneath.

You should of seen that coming, Amaris laughed at me.

“Aaand you’re dead,” he sang back laughing

“Goddess you’re f*cking heavy,” I groaned, making him laugh more.

“Ooooooo k-i-s-s-i-n-g!” Flynn giggled, dancing around us. Ryder just wagged his eyebrows at me.

I can’t handle this. Kick a** not kiss a** Evie!

I’ve got this. Don’t doubt me! I told her. I ran my hands down Ryders sides and grabbed his hips, pulling him closer to me. He looked down at me in surprise and I smiled sweetly at him before using my legs to push off the ground and flip him over my head an onto his back. I jumped up and dusted myself off laughing. He just laid on the ground groaning.

“So dramatic,” I told Flynn, walking up to him. “So when do I get to fight you?”

“First we train, then we spar” he said smiling.

He showed me a lot of pointers of fighting someone bigger and stronger, though I was pretty good already, I still learned a lot. We spent the rest of the afternoon there, and I was actually having a pretty good time. I think I will be okay here for a little bit.