Ever Cynical

Chapter 7- Meet Claire

Anais POV

I sighed heavily and stared at my pruney fingers. You'd think over nine hundred years was plenty of time for the pain to fade, but it was still the last second accusations that were the worst. All my years of researching exactly what I was had yielded nothing. I supposed there was probably knowledge hidden somewhere, and while I got along most of the time these days with shifters, I had not even attempted to seek their help with my insanely long life for the last three hundred years.

I just didn't see the point.

I stood and stepped out of the hot bath, and picked up my favorite lotion from the counter. Once I'd done my proper skin care, I put on my pajamas and slipped into bed. It was crazy how easily I fell asleep in Kieran's home, but there it was. This place made me feel safe. No, he made me feel safe. At the same time, I was terrified. The last people I gave my love to ended up hating me because I did not die. I'd stopped aging when I was eighteen. I knew people saw me as a kid most of the time. Crazy that I already felt anything close to love for someone I'd just met, not to mention not had the best interactions with.

Today had been better of course, and there was no denying I felt like I had a magnet in my soul pulling me to him.

As my mind toyed with the possibilities of a future with Kieran, I fell into a deep sleep.

I was running through a dark forest. At least, I thought it was me, but I was on all fours. The full moon was shining high over the forest. I seemed to know where I was going as I heard a howl. I howled back. It seemed that the other wolf was familiar to me. Soon it was running beside me, huge and pure black with golden eyes. He nipped at my legs playfully as we ran. We reached a lake next to a small meadow filled with wildflowers.

A woman stood waiting, presumably in anticipation of our arrival. She turned and beckoned us closer. She was ethereally beautiful with wavy silver hair to her knees and pale citrine eyes. She wore a long white silk Grecian-style gown that pooled around her feet. Her skin glowed like alabaster in the moonlight, caressing her lithe curves. We sat on our haunches before her. She gently patted each of our heads, smiling gently.

"Now, my children. I know it's been a very long path for both of you, but it's time you are properly introduced. I've brought your wolves here to allow them to connect." Wolf? Me? Wouldn't I have long ago shifted if I was a werewolf? She turned to me. "Your wolf has been hidden from you until your mate was located. You are far more precious than you realize. It was not safe to allow you to roam alone for so long. Lone wolves rarely make it long before losing their human selves. I hope you can forgive me for hiding her." I nodded my fuzzy head. Made sense, but then again, this was a dream.

Honestly, belonging to a pack? It was something I would have loved if it were true, but I'd never met a werewolf as old as myself. I'd only met one vampire close to my age, and he'd been an awful being, drowning himself in vice just do get through the tediousness of his day. He'd offered me to be his wife, in other words, a permanent blood bag/s*x slave, but I'd not-so-graciously declined. I might be hunted down if he ever hears I'm still alive. I still could not think that anyone, supernatural or otherwise, would accept me.

The male wolf turned to me and began rubbing himself on me. It was cute, I guess. There was something familiar about his scent, but I could not put my finger on it. My wolf shamelessly returned the favor, but after a moment, we trotted to the edge of the lake, hoping to see our reflection. We saw a beautiful pure white wolf with amethyst-colored eyes. Well, my wolf was pretty, if only it was true.

It is true, silly Anais. I heard her voice in my head. How I knew it was her, I could not have told you, but I knew without a doubt. You know because I am a part of you.

Okay, cool. Does this mean I'm shifting at the next full moon or, we can just, run out and do it? I asked her, humoring the dream.

We need to wait for the next full moon in two weeks, then we can shift anytime, she said. And my name is Claire. She huffed, annoyed I had not asked such an important thing.

Like Claire de Lune? I asked. I could feel her proud preening.

Oui, ma petite, she trilled. Ugh I may have been born French, but I wasn't that excited about speaking French. Not that it wasn't a beautiful language, it just was not my favorite. Her accent was pretty cute, though. She giggled.

The beautiful woman clapped her hands.

"I know you have many questions, but there will be time for that later. I am out of time. Trust each other, everything will be fine if you can just do that." We looked at each other before nodding, and I woke up startled, breathing heavily, still in my soft wonderful guest bedroom.

I felt different, but could not place it, until I heard her musical laughter. Oh my. Thank goodness I knew I wasn't crazy, at least.

You really thought the moon goddess visiting you was completely a figment of your imagination, didn't you? Claire mirthfully declared.

Well, can you blame me? My life hasn't exactly been a peach. I snarked back.

It took a while for you to find your mate, that's why.

Do you know who it is? Silence. She'd been so talkative until I asked the most important question. With rejection a very good possibility, I wanted to know as soon as possible to prepare myself. Finally, she spoke.

I've always been with you and I see everything. Yes, I know who he is, but I want to let you get to know him without knowing who he is, she pouted.

Why?

Ma Cherie, you are so mentally tough but you have never let anyone in. This I cannot do for you, and I already know you'll feel forced and fight it. I sighed, I knew she was right, it was just hard to accept. I want you to truly give the bond and love a chance, and I can tell you are already hesitating.

Wait, that means he is here, in this community. Seriously... This is a pack, isn't it? How could I not have picked up on that? Normally, I would have noticed right away. Goddess I felt stupid. For all that I'd met most types of supernaturals, even a few deities here and there, the most obvious answer had escaped my notice.

Because you are exhausted, ma Cherie. You needed rest. Just know that you are safe here. Kieran will help you, even if it seems otherwise, she said playfully. She seemed to know something I didn't, at the very least, but I was still hesitant. Kieran was hard to read, and even though most of the stress I'd felt from him had dissipated, that odd tension still remained.

Alright, if you say so. You've got better instincts than I do anyways, right? I laughed. I could sense her roll her eyes and flop on her belly in my mind.

It's time to sleep now, ma petite Cherie. Rest, you will need it. Guess we're done talking. Fine by me! I flipped over and soon sank back into my dreams of the black wolf with golden eyes.

Is it weird that I found this wolf massively attractive too? Gosh!

Kieran POV

I sat straight up in bed, sweating. She had a wolf! Anais was not human, after all. I felt so relieved.

Don't act like you wouldn't have been just as happy if she'd just been human, you would have anyway. This from my wolf, Ri'dubh. Mates are precious in whatever form the goddess delivers them. Even human, we would have kept her safe and enjoyed every minute we were gifted.

I know, but it just means the process will be simpler. I know she thinks I'm attractive, and you saw her wolf. Is it too much that I wish she was an Immortal? He sighed.

No, Kieran, but at the least you will get more time with her than the average human. At least three or four hundred years, which is more than your current lifespan. He was right, but I was still unhappy with the notion that our love had an expiration date. I already loved her far too much to even think about life without her. The need to claim was growing day over day.

If you're going to win her over, you need to be more positive. She's going to need a lot of support, since she probably knows nothing about us. She might not even believe in what's happening until the full moon forces her first shift.You know how painful that first shift is, and how for some it takes hours.

Yeah, we've got to plan for that too. I still haven't really explained to the pack who she is, though they already seem to have some awareness. I'm shocked my mother has not come to me yet screaming. Ri'dubh's growly laugh resonated in my head. He thought my mother was a hoot and rarely took her seriously.

I bet you breakfast tomorrow. We should probably sleep so we can head her off before she jumps on Anais. I yawned and laid back down after stripping off my shirt, too tired from the night's revelations to change it.

I fell asleep within minutes of my head hitting the pillow, dreaming of the gorgeous white wolf that was my mate. White spirit animals were always blessed and rare. Even my allies, the kitsune, were rarely both white and nine-tailed. White bears or cats , outside of specific breeds, nearly unheard of. My own wolf was pure black with a hint of iridescence, and the purity of his color was also a bit unusual.

Our wolves frolicked playfully in the dream, probably as close as they could get until Anais shifted. I simply enjoyed the sight and let Ri'dubh have control in the dream. I was glad that he didn't pin and try to mate her in the dream, didn't want to scare her off. My wolf had scoffed at me, indicating he thought they'd have loved it, but I was not so certain.

We had to be careful if we wanted them to stay.