about it, Ellida,” Astrid said
quietly. “I can’t compare my symptoms with anyone else’s because no
one else I know went through this.”
Morgaine smiled. “Only Ellidas sometimes.
Well, it was relatively easy in my case. My spirits got connected
shortly after the first few changes. You’ve been dropped in the
deep end, Astrid. You’ve been doing it for—how long?—three years?
And it’s getting worse. You must have them linked as soon as
possible.”
Astrid nodded, closed her eyes and drifted
into a shallow, unsettled drowse.
“What would happen if they didn’t connect?”
she heard Peyton’s voice again some time later.
“That’s what we don’t know for sure. During
the full moon, Astrid’s in an estrous phase. This is actually
pseudo-estrus because conceiving is not possible for us in the wolf
form, but all other symptoms of heat are there. Among wolves,
estrus occurs once a year, during the mating season. Werewolves
avoid it completely because they can control the transformation, so
it doesn’t affect them. For Astrid, that’s an involuntary process,
like her monthly period, and she goes through it once a month.
There’s an incredible amount of sexual energy in her body that
requires immediate release. Yet she’s been accumulating it month
after month, year after year. And she doesn’t even allow herself to
feel it like sexual energy. She suppresses it because she doesn’t
have a partner. That why she’s in so much pain. Fortunately, her
wolf is very strong and capable of coping with that.”
“She needs to have intercourse with a
werewolf to get her spirits united, right?” Peyton said.
Morgaine confirmed. “And she needs to do that
soon. She’s way overdue.”
Astrid stirred and peeked at them through her
heavy lidded eyes. “I heard you. We are not having this
conversation. Please.”
Inside her head, Astrid heard her wolf’s
throaty laugh. “ Why? It’s just started getting
interesting.”
“ Oh, you shut up!”
Peyton squeezed her hand. “It’s okay. I know
who you’re going to do that with, and I’m still sitting beside you
and holding your hand.”
Morgaine chuckled. “Ah, I see! A conflict of
interest. In that case, you’re doing great, Peyton Kincaid. I have
to tell you something, then. You know that, fortunately, Ellidas
cannot foresee the time to come, but since I’ve met you I have a feeling that a great future’s awaiting you. And it’s going
to happen soon, mark my words. You just need to open the door to
new possibilities.”
Before Peyton could respond, Betty and Maggie
came back with supper. Food usually made Astrid feel temporarily
better, but not this time. She hardly managed to take a few bites
before she pushed her plate aside.
The pain increased. She kept her eyes closed
and lips pressed tight. No sound came out. A few more hours and the
wolf would take over. The next time… the next time, her hazed mind
chanted. There wouldn’t be a next time. Jack would come back, they
would make love before the next full moon, and her wandering
spirits would unite.
Another gush of pain ripped through her,
taking her breath away. A string of tiny beads of sweat broke out
on her forehead.
“ Please, help me ,” she pleaded
silently to her wolf.
A moment later, a soft growl broke out from
her chest. Astrid slowly opened her feverish eyes, golden-amber and
bright.
“I sent Ms. Spock to sleep,” she said in her
deep, velvety voice. “The pain was too strong for her.”
The Fellowship looked at her in amusement
mixed with worry.
Astrid repositioned herself on the sofa and
reached for her plate. “I’ll finish my supper now.”
Morgaine, Betty and Maggie moved their
chairs, semi-circling the sofa. Peyton remained beside her.
“How are you feeling now?” she said quietly
and glanced at Astrid.
Astrid tilted her head as her eyes swept over
the girl sitting beside her. “You’re still here, huh?”
“I’m not going anywhere, whether you like
quietly. “I can’t compare my symptoms with anyone else’s because no
one else I know went through this.”
Morgaine smiled. “Only Ellidas sometimes.
Well, it was relatively easy in my case. My spirits got connected
shortly after the first few changes. You’ve been dropped in the
deep end, Astrid. You’ve been doing it for—how long?—three years?
And it’s getting worse. You must have them linked as soon as
possible.”
Astrid nodded, closed her eyes and drifted
into a shallow, unsettled drowse.
“What would happen if they didn’t connect?”
she heard Peyton’s voice again some time later.
“That’s what we don’t know for sure. During
the full moon, Astrid’s in an estrous phase. This is actually
pseudo-estrus because conceiving is not possible for us in the wolf
form, but all other symptoms of heat are there. Among wolves,
estrus occurs once a year, during the mating season. Werewolves
avoid it completely because they can control the transformation, so
it doesn’t affect them. For Astrid, that’s an involuntary process,
like her monthly period, and she goes through it once a month.
There’s an incredible amount of sexual energy in her body that
requires immediate release. Yet she’s been accumulating it month
after month, year after year. And she doesn’t even allow herself to
feel it like sexual energy. She suppresses it because she doesn’t
have a partner. That why she’s in so much pain. Fortunately, her
wolf is very strong and capable of coping with that.”
“She needs to have intercourse with a
werewolf to get her spirits united, right?” Peyton said.
Morgaine confirmed. “And she needs to do that
soon. She’s way overdue.”
Astrid stirred and peeked at them through her
heavy lidded eyes. “I heard you. We are not having this
conversation. Please.”
Inside her head, Astrid heard her wolf’s
throaty laugh. “ Why? It’s just started getting
interesting.”
“ Oh, you shut up!”
Peyton squeezed her hand. “It’s okay. I know
who you’re going to do that with, and I’m still sitting beside you
and holding your hand.”
Morgaine chuckled. “Ah, I see! A conflict of
interest. In that case, you’re doing great, Peyton Kincaid. I have
to tell you something, then. You know that, fortunately, Ellidas
cannot foresee the time to come, but since I’ve met you I have a feeling that a great future’s awaiting you. And it’s going
to happen soon, mark my words. You just need to open the door to
new possibilities.”
Before Peyton could respond, Betty and Maggie
came back with supper. Food usually made Astrid feel temporarily
better, but not this time. She hardly managed to take a few bites
before she pushed her plate aside.
The pain increased. She kept her eyes closed
and lips pressed tight. No sound came out. A few more hours and the
wolf would take over. The next time… the next time, her hazed mind
chanted. There wouldn’t be a next time. Jack would come back, they
would make love before the next full moon, and her wandering
spirits would unite.
Another gush of pain ripped through her,
taking her breath away. A string of tiny beads of sweat broke out
on her forehead.
“ Please, help me ,” she pleaded
silently to her wolf.
A moment later, a soft growl broke out from
her chest. Astrid slowly opened her feverish eyes, golden-amber and
bright.
“I sent Ms. Spock to sleep,” she said in her
deep, velvety voice. “The pain was too strong for her.”
The Fellowship looked at her in amusement
mixed with worry.
Astrid repositioned herself on the sofa and
reached for her plate. “I’ll finish my supper now.”
Morgaine, Betty and Maggie moved their
chairs, semi-circling the sofa. Peyton remained beside her.
“How are you feeling now?” she said quietly
and glanced at Astrid.
Astrid tilted her head as her eyes swept over
the girl sitting beside her. “You’re still here, huh?”
“I’m not going anywhere, whether you like
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