Fenrir stops walking for a moment, shocked at my sudden question, before continuing towards his destination. I’m not sure he’s going to share and just as I’m about to break the silence, he speaks. “I know the stories that are told of me. That I am a monstrous beast set on destroying the worlds of Gods and man. But those are just that… stories. Stories that were told to frighten young Asgardians to eat their vegetables, to go to bed, and listen to their parents. Throughout the years, the stories became increasingly violent and gruesome.
“I never bit off Tyr’s hand as he chained me to a massive boulder, because I was never chained to a boulder. However, I did help them capture my father and chain him to said boulder. I made a deal with Odin. I would help him capture my father and in exchange, he would bless me with the ability to shift and allow me to leave Asgard for good.”
He pauses in his step for a moment. His eyes soften as a reflective smile graces his face. “All for the love of a woman. The most beautiful woman with long dark auburn hair, sea-green eyes, a button nose, lush lips, and ample…”
I cleared my throat and gave him a scornful look that said I really didn’t need to hear that next part.
“It sounds like you really loved her.”
“I did, very much so. I was willing to give up everything to be with her. My home, my immortality, my wolf…”
His eyes turned wistful with the last phrase. Almost regretful.
“How did you meet her if you were a beastly wolf, not a man?” I couldn’t help but ask the question.
“Odin would send me on missions to Midgard… Earth. When he did, he would grant me the ability to shift between a Midgardian wolf and a human man. He did so on one of the missions to track a rebellious elf from Alfheim.”
Before he continued, I jumped in, “Elf? Like tall, sparkly, pointy ears elves. They’re real?” My excitement was palpable.
He chuckled at me, “Yes, though not sparkly, elves are real. So are giants, dwarves, witches, and well,” pointing to himself, “Gods.”
I know my eyes must be huge as I absorb the information he provides. I knew that shifters were real, and I always had a feeling that there was more out there. But this is freaking incredible.
“Anyway, while I was tracking the elf, his path led me to a small shop in the remote town of Telluride at the base of a mountain in Colorado. It was love at first sight. After I caught the elf and transported him here, I found that I couldn’t stop thinking about the lovely Emma. With every mission back to Midgard, I would visit her.
“After one year of visiting and courting her, I wanted more. I wanted to stay with her and so I made the deal with Odin. I would watch over Midgard while we waited for you and your sister and in return I would stay with Emma. What we did not know at the time was that had I not gone to Midgard, you would not be here.”
It was my turn to stop and gape. “Wait… What… I…” Smooth Grace. Real smooth.
“Yes, Grace. Your bloodline is blessed by me. More than that, you are a descendant of mine. Emma and I had one child, your great-great-grandfather.”
“The first Alpha of the Shadowcrest Pack? He said his father passed when he was young, yet here you are.”
“Yes, he was the one that established your home pack.” His face fell as he continued, “And sadly, yes. I had to leave when he was young. After he shifted for the first time and I felt his strength, I knew it would be too dangerous if I stayed. His power level mixed with my own was too much to conceal, sending a live beacon for all who would love nothing more than to kill me. To protect them, I left.”
Seeing the evident pain on his face and hearing the way his voice cracks at his loss, I walk over to him and wrap my arms around him, causing him to stiffen in my embrace. “Thank you, Grandpa.” If possible, he goes even more rigid in my arms. Refusing to let go, I stand there, holding him in my arms, after a beat his arms come around me and he begins to laugh.
“I never thought I would hear that title.”
“If I had known, I would have called you that long before now,” I say into his chest, where my cheek is pressed against him. “Thank you, for the sacrifices you made that saved my family.” Stepping back, a thought hits me. “Wait, does this make me a demigod? Like, do I have immortality?”
Fenrir breaks into a full fit of laughter. “No, my dear. You are not a demigod. While a shifter’s lifespan is naturally longer than that of a mortal human and our bloodlines are even longer, I removed the immortality blessing from your Grandfather after he shifted for the first time. I would not allow my bloodline to turn monstrous, feeling they had the right to treat others as lesser beings, simply because of their bloodline origins. As they say, I leveled the playing field. Well, as best I could. Your line is still stronger and more powerful, with hidden gifts that just have to be unlocked.”
“What kind of gifts?”
“You have the gift of dream walking and premonitions. Your sister has the ability to dream walk as well, she just doesn’t know that yet. And there may be some others we have yet to discover.”
13
Grace
I tried not to dwell on the fact that I was being tested without my knowledge and just be grateful that if I didn’t know it was happening, I couldn’t stress about it at the moment. Instead, I was stressing over it all the freaking time.
Enough. My wolf growled in my head. That was something else I was trying to get used to. Now I could understand why Riley was always getting those looks on her face. It takes you off guard when it happens.
“What?” I spoke back out loud, earning me an odd look from Baler. I was currently standing in the middle of the training yard holding a quarterstaff. Since Odin had told me a couple of months ago that I was being tested, I had pushed to have my training intensified. I wanted to be ready for anything he could throw at me. What I hadn’t expected though was that for every test I passed, a new ability would unlock. Poor Baler had been the unwilling victim when the most recent one showed up; strength, magnified ten-fold.
After throwing him across the training yard, the length of three football fields, I had pinned Odin and demanded answers. Begrudgingly, he relented and shared that including the superhuman strength, I now possess speed, agility, and the ability to withstand higher levels of pain and damage. All of those are now included in my new combat arsenal. I would also gain the ability to manipulate others emotions, which is why it has been imperative I learn to control my own emotions. Lastly, I’ll gain invulnerability to diseases. That one felt like a punch to the gut, remembering what it felt like to lie helpless in a hospital bed, slowly dying from a disease I had no control over.
“Grace, where is your mind at?” Baler asks.
Startled at the sound of his voice, my eyes shoot up to his. “Huh? Oh sorry, the voice in my head is at it again. I forgot you can’t hear it.”
“What is she talking to you about?”
A chuckle leaves my lips. “She’s berating me for stressing again.”
Baler moves to stand in front of me. I have to crane my neck to look up at the hulking giant before me. His hands slide up my arms until they come to rest on my cheeks, cupping my face. Locking his gaze on mine, he speaks. “Love, you have been stressing about these tests for a while now. Odin has already told you that you have passed two of three tests. You have nothing to worry about. Please, stop stressing about the last one. There is absolutely nothing you can do to be more prepared.” He places a kiss on my forehead before pulling back and smiling down at me.
“He is right. Though I will deny it if you tell anyone I said that,” a voice from behind me declares.
“Grandpa,” I exclaim as I step away from Baler and wrap my arms around Fenrir. He chuckles into my hair as he returns my embrace.
“I will never get used to hearing that.”
“Would you like me to stop?” I ask curiously as I look up to read his expression.
He smiles at me as he answers, “No. I like the sound of it too much.”
&nb
sp; “Good,” I reply as I tighten my hold on him.
Fenrir and I have grown closer over the months since I learned the truth of my bloodline’s origins. When Fenrir is not helping me practice my shifting, he’s beguiling me with stories of Emma and his life growing up in Asgard. In return, I tell him all about growing up with Riley.
“My dear, listen to your mate,” he says as he pushes me back but keeps a hold of my shoulders. “There is nothing you can do to prepare for the last trial. I have complete faith in you. You. Will. Pass.” He enunciates the final words with a clear pronouncement, driving home his point. All I could do is nod my head in return.
“In any case, I came to find you because I am about to go for a run and thought maybe you would be interested in joining me. Furthermore, Baler, Odin would like you to join him in the Great Hall for training.”
I give Baler a small smile as he begins to gather the weapons we were training with today before coming to my side. He places a kiss on my forehead before looking down at me. “Enjoy your run, Love. I’ll see you this evening for dinner.” I smile up at him, in awe of the man I get to call mine.
Mate. Mine. My wolf growls in my head. I mentally roll my eyes at her.
Yes, I know he is yours as well. We are one and the same. Do try to remember that. She only growls low in reply. We’ve been separated for so long, with her locked in the dark, that coming together now has been touch and go… something of a love-hate relationship.
I can feel her gratitude towards me for freeing her at last. On the other hand, I can feel her anger that I hadn’t felt her before, trying to communicate with me. She blames me for being buried in the first place. I can’t fault her for being hurt; she’s a little broken, just like me. We are truly one and the same, our souls forever joined. I just need to help her feel that too.
How about a run? Would you like that? I get a sense of unease wash over me. She’s still unsure of my motives, even after a few months of trying to coax her. It’s okay.
Fenrir makes our way to the grassy clearing where I shifted for the first time. I strip down and kneel in the overgrown grass and quietly coax my wolf to the surface. The shifts come much easier these days, and I don’t need Fenrir’s help to manage the pain. It’s still there but not nearly as unbearable.
My wolf crawls to the surface. As soon as the shift begins and she feels that I’m not fighting for control, she bounds to the forefront, eager and ready to run with her packmate and family. Fenrir comes trotting into the area where we stand, his massive wolf with mixed shades of grey and soulful charcoal eyes, moves in front of us. He rests his snout on my head, then proceeds to rub his cheek between my ears in a sign of affection.
Unable to hold back any longer, I nip at his neck and jump back, my front bowed low, tail wagging wildly in the air. I pounce forward nipping at him again then take off quickly into the woods to my left, Fenrir close behind.
For the next couple of hours, we run and play until we come to a stream of cool refreshing water. We break for a drink and to rest for a while. In a state of utter relaxation and calm, Fenrir works to communicate with my wolf, attempting to link with her through a mind link. She resists his initial attempts, fighting against him even with him being her Alpha, which compels her to obey. However, there’s a deeper, more meaningful bond there, a familial bond. This one makes her desire to trust him, to long and urn for that connection. The feeling of belonging. Hesitantly, she opens her mind, allowing him to enter her mind link.
Little wolf, what troubles you today. An image of complete darkness flashes through the link, a feeling of being bound by heavy chains presses down on me. Feelings of isolation, loneliness, and fear pull at my center.
You never have to feel that again. I won’t allow it. You are free, now and forever. I know if I were in human form, tears would be spilling from my eyes at the weight of her despair.
Fenrir moves to lay beside her, nuzzling her face, offering her comfort and security as she cries her heartbreak and fears. When she’s finished, she stands taller and more confident in her place, and I can feel her soul wrap around me. We’ll continue to heal… together. I promise her. A light pulses in our mind’s eye as a new bond cements around our connected souls. A feeling of rightness and wholeness floods our connection. She lets out a happy howl and bounds back towards the clearing, Fenrir right on our heels with an answering howl.
Back in the clearing, the shift washes over me quickly, faster than ever before. I gasp as I fall to my knees. There was no resistance or doubt as my wolf receded to the back, allowing me control. She trusts me to keep my word and keep her safe and knows this will not be her last run or taste of freedom. “Wow, so that’s how it’s supposed to work,” I pant out. A wolfish chuckle in my mind is the only response I get from my wolf and I can’t help but chuckle and smile in return.
Getting dressed quickly, I catch up with Fenrir. We walk back towards the palace in a comfortable silence, each of us in our own thoughts. I know I need to talk with Odin about Wilder. I still have not been able to find him in the dreamscape. I’ve tried to use Riley as an anchor but without connecting with her, I can’t find her other bonds. Not to mention after the last time I spoke with Riley, I haven’t been able to stay away from her. Though, I won’t tell Odin that. I have noticed that the only times I seem to be able to reach Riley is when she is in a state of withdrawal, leading me to believe that she needs to be clean of any mind-altering substances. At least to a point where she has some control, enough to reach back to me.
I also have not been able to reach out to Killian, Paxton, or Jameson since I accidentally pulled them into my visions. I’m not sure if it’s just the timing or if I’m trying too hard to force it. Odin has been so focused on mediation and emotional control that he has not taught me how to control this gift. I’m at the point where I feel like I’m flying blind.
Unfortunately, Odin was unavailable this evening, so my dream walking instructions will have to wait. Instead, I find myself sitting at the familiar small table on my balcony with Baler relaxed across from me as we enjoy the quiet night with a hardy meal of meat, vegetables, cheese, and bread.
Baler watches me closely as we eat, like he’s trying to read my mind. “Why don’t you just ask? I’m sure you’ll find it much easier.” I give him a smug look when his eyes widen at being caught.
“What?”
“You were staring at me as though you were trying to read my mind. If you just ask, you’ll find it much easier to find out what’s going on in here,” I tell him as I tap my temple. “I mean, unless one of your new powers is mind reading. It isn’t, is it?”
He smiles at me but doesn’t say anything in reply. “Baler, I mean it, if you’re reading my mind, I will cut off your balls. You stay out of my head.” At that, his face falls just before splitting into a full-on grin as he bursts into a full-body laugh.
After a few minutes of laughing at me as I school my expression into that of seriously unamused, he finally collects himself enough to reply. “No, Grace, I am not reading your mind. Yes, I was wondering what was going on in there, seeing as you have been silent since joining me for dinner, not replying to a single question I have asked you.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been ignoring you. I just have a lot on my mind right now.”
“Thus, why I wanted to know what was going on. Talk to me, Grace. I am your mate, remember?”
I give him a rueful half-smile before I tell him everything. My worries for Riley. Not being able to reach the other guys. Concerns about Alastair’s plans. Lastly, “I have this deep-seated feeling like I need to get back to Earth. As though something terrible is about to begin and I’m meant to be there before it does. I know it has something to do with Riley. I need to get back to her and help her get ready before she ends up blindsided by the whole thing. I need to warn her but I’m not sure how yet. I just… shit, I just feel lost, Baler. I don’t know what to do about any of this.”
Baler stands from his seat and comes to
kneel beside my chair. Grabbing the armrests of my seat, he turns me so that I’m facing him head-on. Resting one hand on my knee and the other on my cheek, he stares into my eyes. “Do you trust your intuition?” he asks, to which I just shrug one shoulder in reply. “I do,” he declares. “You are one of the most intelligent, determined, if not bullheaded at times, and powerful individuals I have ever had the joy of meeting. If your intuition is telling you that you need to go back, or you need to somehow warn your sister, then follow your gut, as you’ve said. I will have your back, no matter what you decide.”
I lean forward and wrap my arms around his neck, placing my lips over the shell of his ear. I whisper so low only he will hear me, “Have you learned how to portal yet?”
“No. I will learn though. In the meantime,” he begins, pulling back slightly, “let us get you connected with the others. I have been thinking about this, and I have an idea that may help make that happen. Besides, we are going to need their help soon enough.”
Baler stands from his kneeling position and takes my hand, leading the way into the bedroom. Spinning me around to stand in front of him, chest to chest, he pushes me back until the back of my legs hit the bed. He leans down and kisses from my ear down to my neck, threading his fingers into my hair to pull my head to the side, giving him more access. My wolf protests the submissive gesture but soon is quieted when his mouth locks on the soft juncture of my neck and shoulder. She whimpers as he sucks deep, drawing a shiver of desire from me.
Warmth floods my system as moisture pools between my legs. My hands come up to fist in his tunic. “Baler,” I gasp. “Mark me. Please.”
He pulls his mouth from my neck with an audible pop, having not released the suction first. “I have, love.” His fingers come up to skim over the deep purple bruise he just left on my neck. “But I know what it is you are asking for, and I promise you I will when the time is right. Just not now.”
Death's Gift: Norse Blessed Book One Page 11