Unsettling

Nature explodes around the gathering while everyone takes cover from the oncoming rain. My father is standing stoic looking at the treeline where Odin disappeared from sight. Uncle Grey is standing shoulder to shoulder with him while they share quiet words together that I can't hear.

The campfires are disappearing in wisps of smoke as the rain comes hissing them away.

My mother and Aunt Meela are speaking with the Far North Luna in unhappy faces while the Alpha of the Far North bores critical eyes into me. His darkness spreads across his face displacing any softness he holds.

I have never been looked at that way before with so much anger, hatred, and disgust.

The Luna of the Far North opening the truck door to grab a package before coming to stand in front of me. My mother on her heels is not letting her get too close, out of striking range.

"Charlie." Sadness graces her beautiful smile. Her skirt no longer blowing in the wind because it's soaking wet sticking to her legs.

"This must be a very overwhelming beginning for you. I apologize for that." She gets on one knee in front of me. "It's an honor and privilege to welcome you into my family. You are my daughter now, no different than my flesh and blood." A truck door is slamming hard in the background that makes me jump slightly.

"Bessa, come here now!" She doesn't even flinch with the voice that is greater than the thunder claps. The Alpha's nostrils are flaring, eyebrows furrowed down, dilating veins running along his temple lines standing out in pulsing rage.

"Look at me, Charlie." Angling her head, so all I see is her kind eyes. "I'm going to handle him." She opens up her arms up to me, looking up at my mother she gives me a tiny nod of her head. Tentatively with caution, I walk into them.

She holds me against her body, hand in my hair, with her cheek pressed against mine.

"You're so young, too young for this." Her thumb gliding down the right side of my face. Looking at her cheek, she bares the scars of two thin lines that are old and faded with time. My grandmother's saying that every Far North mated female will always bare a line on their face, from the corner of the right eye down to the jawline. It tells all other packs which they belong to and not to touch what isn't theirs. Only the Luna gets two lines, and every young female from the Far North pack wishes to bear those two lines.

It's the greatest honor coming from the moon herself.

"Bessa!" Her back stiffening from his harshness.

"Do you need protection?" My mother's quickly at her side, while the Luna stands up.

"I think you have it all wrong Victoria, he's the one that's going to need protection, and you're not strong enough to provide him with safety he will need." Her voice a deadly threat of sound that barely rises above the rain falling from the sky.

"This is from Elska; she wanted me to give it to you." Looking at the package that's getting wet from the rain only remembering my package for her that's still in the house.

"Wait I have something for her too." Running inside it's right at the door where I left it. It's been our thing to exchange presents everytime the Far North come for the exchange since I gave her my friendship bracelet a few years ago.

Putting her package down, now running with mine to the Luna of the Far North. I made her homemade perfume oil from white lily petals that have been infused with vanilla. Lana even said it was one of the most beautiful smells she has ever smelled that I created. I think I didn't stop smiling for days after she said that to me because of that compliment.

"Here I made this for Elska." Handing her the package that wrapped up in bright colors.

"She loves your gifts." The Luna's hand on my chin, lifting my eyes to hers.

"Maybe next time she can come with you, and I can meet her." Thinking of all the fun, we could have hanging out together. I don't have many females my age to play with it's sometimes lonely for me. I know she's the same age as me, thirteen except she's a few months older.

"One day when she feels ready to visit she will come." Her thumb on the right side of my face again.

"Don't be scared Charlie, I have faith in him that he could never hurt you."

"Now Bessa!" She takes a big breath in before blowing slowly out, throwing eye daggers at the Alpha who looks like a big bear ready to charge.

"Victoria." She takes my mother's hands in hers.

"Know this; she has two mothers now." Their cheeks are touching. "I will protect her like I have protected my daughter." Both females are now looking into each other's eyes, silently before Luna Bessa turns walking away from us. Alpha Borson has the passenger door open for her to get in which she refuses to get in. Instead, she walks past him only to get into a car further down the driveway. The male driving looks like a smaller version of Alpha Borson as they pass by us. Bryon, Aunt Meela's brother, staring at the car as it passes by which I find odd that he's just standing in his place not moving even in the rain, just watching the car drive away.

"In the house now Charlie, you need to go shower first, you stink of things you have no business stinking of, yet." My mom's nose is crinkling slightly with the way she's smelling my body.

Sniffing my skin, I can't smell anything unusual, but it's best to not argue with her when she's so riled up.

"Come down when you're done, we have a lot to talk about. I need to go get your dad now." She steps into the winds fury not caring that she's getting soaking wet and full of mud from the ground that can't hold any more water.

Going up to the room I'm using while here in the Northern part of the territory, it has its own bathroom for me; I don't have to share with my cousins. They said it's because I'm a female and need my space.

Looking out the window this high up I can see how everyone has either gone into their tents or has abandoned their tents that have been blown down and went home for the night. The fires have all died out drowning in the torrent that's creating giant lake puddles everywhere.

The landscape shadowed in darkened ominous clouds, saturating its breath in a haze of drowning grey sight. The tree line is swaying turbulent in the gusts of wind, branches scattering on the ground below. A flash of lighting makes me think I saw something, some reflective flash of light from the upper branches of a tree close to the house. When I try looking closer, the rain picks up disturbing the sight in a wall of rain.

After my shower and dressing for bed, I come downstairs slowly as everyone is starting to gather at the table.

"Come and sit down Charlie." My mom pats the seat next to her. Faces turned down as if we are at a funeral, instead of celebrating I found a mate.

The twins are further down at the table; they look like they are moving slowly as an awkward hand reaches for the food on their plates in one motion.

"Charlie, how do you feel?" Dad always the one so worried about how I feel if I'm alright. I feel as if I can talk to him about anything without him judging me.

"I'm not sure how I feel." That's the truth. I don't know what to think it doesn't feel real. I have a mate, but he just doesn't seem real to me. I don't feel like he is my mate. I don't feel the sparks or the tickle deep inside of me that all the females talk about.

"I don't think he's my mate. I don't feel anything when I was by him or looking at him." Taking some food for my plate.

"He's your mate Charlie; he would have never reacted that way to you otherwise." My mom is saying this while putting a little extra food from her plate to mine. She always does this to make sure I always have enough to eat even if she has to go without. Her hand is going to my back giving it a little rub. I love when she rubs my back. Leaning into her not wanting to eat because I want to cry. This isn't how it's supposed to go; he's supposed to see me and fall in love with me. My parents are supposed to be happy not look like the end of the world has come.

"I'm sorry." Saying it loud so everyone at the table can hear me. I'm not even sure what I'm sorry for, but I feel as if I should apologize for having a mate as if this is all my fault.

Guilty, I feel guilty that he's my mate and how it's making everyone feel.

"You have nothing to apologize for, understand." Now my dad's looking at me with those eyes that tell me how serious he is. To listen to what he's saying because it's important. I can't look at anyone at the moment; my hands clasped together in my lap with my head down.

"I think I just need to go to bed." Wanting to remove me from everyone's eyes that scream pity for me.

"You can go to as soon as you tell use what you did to the twins to make them chase after you?" Aunt Sophie is leaning in giving me a look that makes me look at her two oldest, having a staring contest with them. They hate when I do that because they can't win.

My mouth remains shut to her, I won't tell on them, and they don't tell on me, or else we would be forever in trouble with our parents.

It's our game we play.

"Mom we told you already we accidently got into Charlie's stuff, and it broke on us. Then we started to chase her and Shamus; she was just practicing her new moves on us." Keegan always the speaker Paley preferring only to talk when necessary both of them giving me a hard look. I know that look well, they will get even with me somehow, and I can only be on full alert for their next move.

"I need to talk to you two after dinner." My dad is now giving the boys a hard eye, which has their heads looking down. Aunt Meela and Uncle Grey coming in with the brood as my mom says.

Shamus carrying Callahan, Billie is walking beside Uncle Grey, and Rorke is walking behind everyone. Uncle Grey is settling the two youngest in their chairs before helping Aunt Meela get comfortable on her chair. Her big belly is not letting her get too close to the table. She said it could be any day now; everyone's on standby just waiting for him to come out. She's been sleeping and laying around more than usual. My mom and Uncle Grey catering to her every need, not letting her get too worked up about anything, keeping the atmosphere calm for her.

Shamus sitting on my left has a scraped up face from sliding into the grass. He must have let his face fall because it's all bruised and rubbed raw.

He eyes the twins who are eyeing him right back except they have a flash of fang now with their threats, they always think they're so cool because they can do that. Aunt Sophie swipes the tip of Keegan's nose, "stop it." He looks right at me, and I stick my tongue out before quickly putting it away before I'm caught. I hate when I get my nose tipped, or my ear pinched. Very embarrassing especially in front of the twins, who will silent laugh at me behind mom's back.

My dad never has to swipe at me or raise his voice he can just stare me down until I give a whimper of submission out, I can't stand when he does it. We've had some big standoffs neither side wanting to give ground the older I start to get, yet in the end, I'm the one to concede, but I still try, something deep inside that I don't fully understand keeps trying to challenge him.

Bryon is coming to the table swatting Shamus on the head before sitting next to him.

"Next time keep your head up, hasn't your father taught you that yet?" Looking at his face with a shake of his head, he always expects more from him.

Uncle Grey's eyes find Bryon's who doesn't look away ever. There's always an undercurrent of violence to those two males that makes Aunt Meela sad at times. Sometimes catching brief conversations of her and my mom talking only for them to stop what they were saying when I step into the room.

Dinner holds a disturbing silence, the kind that notifies you that things aren't right. The adult's eyes hold language that I can only guess about. A bang of thunder makes me jump in my seat; I hate storms. My mom's lips kiss the top of my head while she rubs my back. Leaning into her I almost crawl on her lap just wanting to be held.

"Are you tired?" My dad's voice above the rise of the storm that hasn't let up in its strength.

"Yes." Saying it quietly.

"You haven't finished your food." Concern heavy in my mom's eyes.

"I'm not that hungry."

"Why don't you go up to bed, we'll be up soon." Pushing my chair away I don't look at anyone else because I feel as if all this heaviness I have brought to the table.

When I leave the room, I get a hint of voice from my father telling the adults he wants to have a meeting after dinner. The edge of the voice holds concern and a trace of fear tickle the back of my neck. This is something I have never detected in my father before.

Getting into the covers making sure I'm covered all the way, reaching under my pillow for my hidden blanket, putting it to my nose, while rubbing the material between my thumb and index finger. It's relaxing and comforting to me, my mom always calling it stanky danky while I was younger because I refused to let her wash it. So danky became my blanket's official name.

Last time the twins got a hold of danky they left it in the toilet. I put one drop of thistle milk in their cereal in the morning knowing they were going to train for the first time with the pack of juvenile wolves. Making sure I stayed to watch they couldn't hold the farts in when they were landing on the mats from heavy punches the other juveniles were throwing. One drop of thistle milk makes their bowels gurgle but not explode like ten drops would. Shamus and me sitting on the bench dying of laughter when their giant farts sounded out, tears were coming down our faces, my father making us leave the room because we couldn't stop.

They never threw danky in the toilet again; lesson learned don't touch my blanket.

The door to the room cracks open, mom and dad coming in to tuck me in but I pretend I'm already asleep. Feeling kisses, on the top of my head, the covers pulled all the way up to my chin before they leave closing the door behind them.

The room completely dark only the lightening to make shapes appear on the walls that freak me out, so I have to hide my head underneath my blanket.

Thoughts of Odin keep interrupting me from fully falling asleep.; he was the last wolf on the planet that I thought would be my mate, in fact, this might make things easier than I thought because maybe if he does reject me, I can become something my mother hates the most, a healer.

My body starting to relax with the thought of him rejecting me, it wouldn't be that bad then everyone would understand if I give up the Alpha position to become what's inside my soul. Even at the youngest age of memory, I remember wanting to become a healer always following Lana asking to help her, asking her questions, my dad giving me my first journal of plants to study. The spine so worn out with use, I'm afraid the pages will start to fall out.

Closing my eye for what feels just like minutes I'm startled awake from the thunder rattling the sleeping house, the hair on the back of my neck raising.

Someone's in here with me.

Vivid flashes of lightning have me sitting up looking around the darken room trying to see something that I know is inside it.

Ears are straining to hear above rolling rumbles of sound.

It's fast when it happens a wet cloth pressed against my mouth.

"Don't be afraid; it will be fast." A hushed voice close to my ear; my body is turning, wrapping into the covers tight. Unable to make a sound as the wet cloth is pushed deeper into my mouth, I try opening it to scream for help, but nothing escapes out. The storm is raging outside, booming thunder crashing like waves hammering the sea shore one after the other in succession of great magnitude. I can't even kick the intruder because my blankets are acting like a cocooning prison.

Out of the corner of my eyes, his hand going behind his back bringing out a sliver blade that's reflecting the crackling lightning like a mirror. The polished ivory handle held tight in his grip, our eyes connect.

He points the tip of the blade to my throat, it's shaking. Tears are coming out of my eyes as the blade rises, its path cutting a gash along my cheek, opening me up easily.

Instant hot searing pain spreads across my cheek sinking deep into my flesh.

"You're mine Charlie; I don't care what your father says, I'll mark you if I want to mark you. Remember nothing will ever stop me from coming for you one day." He places a white fur cloth to my face, the blood soaking into it as he applies a steady pressure with his hand.

Some kind of salve is on the fur that's saturating into wound, but I can't place the smell it's nothing that I have ever come across before.

"I don't care what my father says either." That part comes out slightly lower, a hint of a challenge to it.

"I would never kill you like he wants me to." He's still holding pressure on the wound that's burning hot into my bone. The pain spreading like liquid lava consuming my entire cheek. The flow of tears keeps streaming down silently while his other hand holds the knife and the cloth against my mouth. He moves away from me with a fluidity that I have not encountered before, it's more shadowed movement, a shift of his form from one spot to the other.

"I'm going to pull the cloth away from your mouth Charlie if you scream the first wolf through that door will get this knife through their throat do you understand?" Nodding my head, little whimpers are hard to keep in, the cut stinging my face while his body slides down on mine.

A flash of lightening lets me see his eyes that are the color of green moss that grows on the rocks in the creek bed Shamus and me play in.

"You are so young, too young." His head bending forward inhaling my scent while his jaw starts to shift slightly, soft cries are starting to escape out into the storm that's unleashing Armageddon on the land.

"Too young, just a baby wolf still." He smells of sweet damp soil that's been freshly turned up with my hands trying to find the root bulb buried deep inside the ground.

"She's still sleeping inside you, buried deep it will be years before your wolf decides to wake." His jaw shifting back to that of his skin side, he's in complete control now.

Eyes finding my danky, he picks it up giving it a sniff. My hand automatically reaching for it, trying to pull it away from his grip. With the material pulled taunt he takes the knife quickly before I have time to react and cuts it up the middle. Leaving me a small piece while he takes the bigger one. Again bringing it to his nose while inhaling deeply, his eyes closing for a fraction of a second before opening once again but this time his eyes remind me of the ivy that grows on the northern side of the house that wraps everything up in its suffocating embrace.

Pulling the fur from my face, he looks concerned slightly, "You're still bleeding, it should have stopped by now." Pressure now being applied with a purpose to stop the flow of blood, it doesn't work as the white fur is saturated in my red.

"I want all males to understand Charlie that's my mark on you, it serves as a warning you're spoken for. I know in your pack that doesn't mean much, but for my pack it means everything. One day your neck will hold my mark but until that time comes let this be a warning for all that you are mine. If you are touched, I'll eat them." The crack of thunder shakes the house this time as if the storms darkness is cheering him on.

Holds my arm being carful not to touch my skin with his; he makes me hold the fur against my cheek.

Watching as he becomes a shapeless shadow that melts into the darkness of the room until I am convinced I'm alone again in my room.

Bringing danky to my nose, the smell so familiar, so me. Noticing it's lighter, shorter, doesn't feel the same. With great distress, I remember that half of it has been cut away. Only a small piece of faded blue remains from cloth that use to cover me fully. This makes me cry harder than the cut that's now on my face.