by Amy Sumida
Thor stood with his arms crossed, staring at the wolf like he was memorizing his face for future reference. He didn’t say anything but the thunder still shaking the walls and the lightning flashing in his eyes spoke volumes. There wasn't much more he could take.
“As soon as you can find your equipment in all that fur, let me know and I’ll think about being afraid. At the moment however, I’m still waiting to be impressed.” I settled further into my stance, watching him closely.
UnnúlfR launched himself at me, boy this wolf was predictable. He was an old wolf, an assassin, he should have learned restraint by now. It said a lot about his personality that he hadn't. I dropped down and gave him a roundhouse kick to the head. Bam, he went down and I would have leapt up immediately but he lashed out with an arm and slashed my brand new leather pants.
“Son of a bitch,” I swore and the crowd gasped. I guess that wasn’t the best choice of curses for this particular bunch. “These were brand new pants!” I shouted at the downed wolf and then my Nahual let out another long growl for good measure.
He started to get up and I kicked him in the head. I kicked him harder and he went slack. I didn't break his neck but he wouldn’t be getting up for awhile. I was a little peeved at the “fuck” comment but the torn pants really threw me over the edge. Don’t mess with my fashion.
All of a sudden, everyone started clapping, howling, and stamping. Two men came through the tunnel and carried the pale wolf away, eying me warily as they went. I got to my feet and realized the cuts on my lower leg were pretty deep. I was going to be at a distinct disadvantage for the next fight. My new power was keeping me going but with a wound like that, I’d be limping soon. At the very least, I'd be slow. Not good at all.
“Enough,” Fenrir stood at the ledge again and everyone settled into silence. “You’ve bested my first three sons, my honor guard, as VѐulfR has already admitted to being excelled by you. So now there’s only one left for you to fight.” He vaulted over the side and the wolves howled and clapped. Fenrir landed with a loud thump that vibrated through the stone floor, barely even bending to break his fall.
“Father,” Trevor was at the wall, along with Thor and the whole God Squad. “You cannot fight her. She’s my mate. If you kill her, you’ll kill me!”
“She’s no mate of yours, my boy,” he stared at me with glowing eyes. “You’ll find another better suited.”
“She is mine!” Trevor shouted as he too jumped over the railing. He placed himself between me and Fenrir and snarled as he began to shift.
“You have no right to interfere,” Fenrir growled. “Get out of my way, cub.”
“All you seem to understand is blood and death,” Trevor's clothes ripped away as his body completed the change, leaving him in his hulking werewolf form. He still only just reached his father's height. “So I'm going to make this very clear for you. You'll have to kill me to get to her.”
There was shocked silence as they faced off. I don't know who was more amazed by Trevor's declaration, me or Fenrir, but I did know that Fenrir didn't have to kill Trevor to get to me. He could easily incapacitate his son and then I'd have to face an even angrier Fenrir. All Trevor was buying me was more time.
So I used it to think.
I couldn’t beat Fenrir when I was wounded. Fear was already seeping through my weakened limbs, just from looking at him, and my Nahual was even pulling away. I wasn’t too sure I could beat him even in optimum shape and she seemed to agree.
So what did that leave? I could try and drain him like I had Aphrodite or maybe one of my new powers could help. War and Victory were doing all they could just to keep me standing, so that left Love and Sex.
“I admire your pluck, boy,” Fenrir laughed, “but you forget yourself. I can put you down in my sleep.”
I reached up and pulled the hair sticks free, then undid my bun. My long hair tumbled down, magic sparking along its length, and Fenrir stopped mid-conversation to stare at me. Hope filled my chest, this just might work.
I gently nudged Trevor aside and tossed the hair sticks to the ground casually. They made pretty tinkling noises as they settled, and then I let the love magic have free rein. The butterflies started to fill me, fluttering delicately in my chest. Sex might have worked faster but I had a feeling it would have been dangerous to tease Fenrir, especially with Trevor so close. So love butterflies it was.
“Fenrir,” I purred, not recognizing the sweet voice that flowed over my lips. “You rule with strength, Wolf God but what do you know of tenderness? What do you know of love?”
I heard Trevor's sharp intake of breath but I ignored him as I walked forward, rolling my hips smoothly so I could mask my limp. I held Fenrir's gaze intently. The power filled me and I let it rush out to him. I felt it when it hit, heard his startled gasp, and a contented sigh left my lips. Between us ran an invisible line and I poured Love down the cord. I set the butterflies free into it until it flapped wildly with life. His eyes widened and his hands began to shake.
“Stop,” he breathed as I approached.
I connected to his heart then and it opened to me like sunken treasure, heavy with the weight of time and fathoms of anguish. There was gold there but it was covered in silt, caked with an ocean's worth of cynicism and sunk deep beneath the shipwreck of his soul.
I saw his life clearly, felt his loneliness. The rejection of his mother upon seeing she’d birthed a monster. The long search for a home and family of his own. Hunted by the other gods until he grew too powerful to kill, he’d been the first to leave Atlantis, years before its downfall, and he'd wandered for years alone.
He’d found comfort in women occasionally, women drawn to his power, but most had left after birthing his children. Showing the same distaste for them that his mother had for him and driving deeper the ugly word that had been branded on his soul from birth: Monster.
By the time I stood before him, tears were pouring down my face and my gloves were lying on the ground behind me. Fenrir had dropped to his knees and still he towered over me but I felt no fear of him. Only tenderness, empathy, and overwhelming love. I knew what it felt like to be alone but his loneliness had been so much worse, peppered with the sting of rejection from those he loved the most. From those who should have loved him the most. Love had failed him horribly, over and over, and I felt responsible for it now that Love belonged to me. I needed to right this wrong.
My power whispered to me seductively: Heal him. Free the wolf. Show him what love really is.
“I see no monster,” I whispered so only he could hear me. His pain was private and I refused to share it. “Only a god.”
I slid my hands up the sides of his face, pushing back his unkempt hair and revealing the striking features beneath. I let my love and admiration shine through my eyes. I let it bathe him in healing radiance and concentrated all my will on filling him with my magic. I felt him take a shuddering breath as it poured through him and chased away the shadows of lies.
“The blessing of Love be upon you,” the words spilled off my lips unbidden. My magic was talking, not I. “Freely given, richly deserved, and long overdue. We failed you once, Wolf King but never again. You shall have your Queen.”
I kissed him chastely on the mouth and something passed through me and into him with that light touch. When I pulled back, I knew I'd taken his pain and replaced it with hope. There had been the flash of a face, a beautiful woman with patient hazel eyes. My magic had found her, shown Fenrir that he would find her too.
“She loved me for the dangers I had passed,” he whispered, his voice shaking, his eyes overflowing, “and I loved her that she did pity them.”
He gave a great shuddering sigh and sank his face into my hair. Beneath my hands, his shoulders shook and I felt his tears soak into me but he cried silently, safely hidden within my arms. I pulled the remnants of his pain from him, drew it out bit by bit with those butterflies and then sent them flying away, so he could never draw it back. I stroked his hair
, combing the heavy locks with my fingers and soothing his back until his cries subsided. It felt strangely holy, like an ancient rite or Communion.
He dried his tears in my hair and sat back to look at me. “You’ve given me a great gift, little Frami.” He held my face as I had held his. “I never thought to feel hope again.”
“There’s always hope,” I smiled gently, my face still streaked with my own tears, “and for one like you, there will always be love. Just open your arms and it will find you.” I kissed him again, this time it was purely me doing the kissing, and the wolves murmured and exclaimed. I’d almost forgotten about them.
He kissed me back as gently as I did him and it was all the more precious for the strength I felt behind it. When he pulled away, he lifted me off my feet and up into the air above him. The wolves went crazy, howling, stamping, and cheering as their god turned me in a slow circle like a war prize. He finally lifted me in his arms and faced Trevor.
“You’ve found not only a worthy mate but a worthy adversary,” he didn’t have to shout for his voice to ring out over the cheering. “I give my blessing to my heir’s chosen mate and welcome her to the Froekn as our Rouva!”
Rouva? Oh crap, what had I done now? I looked up at Thor with wide eyes and he shook his head with a small smile. I guess it couldn’t be all that bad if Thor was smiling. When I looked over at Trevor, he beamed at me like a boy who’d just been given a pony. He stood gloriously naked before us, he must have changed back when I was with Fenrir, but it was his eyes that held my attention. They were so beautiful, shining with pride and love.
Then Fenrir handed me carefully to Trevor and Trevor held my gaze as he lowered his mouth to mine. I kissed him back(what else was I supposed to do?) and the wolves cheered louder. He put me back on my feet and wiped the remnants of my tears away. Then he shook his head, wonder filling his eyes and a soft smile stretching his lips.
“The best day of my life was the day it became yours,” he whispered. “Thank you for whatever you did for my father. He looks happy. I don't think I've ever seen him happy.”
Before I could say anything, the man in question stole me away from his son. His hair hung down his back, shining from the magic I’d combed through it. His face had even changed. Unhampered by his bitterness, he was breathtaking and I heard the women murmur in appreciation. They were leaning over the sides of the walls to stare purely at him now. He smiled and it was a cocky male grin that shouted confidence in his appeal.
“I’ve created a monster,” I laughed and ran a hand down his face. For some reason I needed to touch him. I felt drawn to the trace of my magic.
His smile turned mischievous as he took my hand and kissed it. “That’s not what you said earlier.”
I shook my head as I felt my love for him rise up. I knew then, the price of my power. I could bring men to their knees, hell, probably women too, but I’d be tied to them forever. I’d love the Wolf God, not in the way I loved Thor, not in a sexual way, but in the way children love. A pure, simple way. Eternally.
“Touché,” I felt the love pour out of my eyes and his face softened. “You’ve every right to be arrogant.”
He threw back his head and howled with laughter. “Come along, Trevor,” he put an arm around his son as he carried me out through the tunnel on his side of the pit. “Let's introduce our new Rouva.”
We exited into a wide antechamber filled with people. The wolves pressed in around us, sniffing the air, marveling at the change in their god. Fenrir lowered me down and I felt Trevor pressing warm against my back, rubbing a comforting hand over my shoulder.
“Little Frami,” Fenrir took my hand again and pulled me forward. “Come and meet the Froekn. Come and meet your new family.”
They closed in around me but Fenrir and Trevor had both taken positions at my sides so I didn’t feel nervous. They didn’t push and jostle like humans would, they simply flowed over me like a tide. A warm welcoming tide. Bodies rubbed along mine, circling the three of us and making soft contented sounds. Eyes flashing up and away. Hands darting out to flick over me. I held my hands out to them, the love power rising to meet their own animal affection like a sibling, and they trembled around me in delight.
I was tied to them all and completely unable to stop it. I didn’t even know if I wanted to stop it. I felt like I was home, safe and loved. You know the feeling you get when your pet curls up to you and bathes you in their love and loyalty? Well multiply that by ten and imagine that unconditional loyalty and unbreakable love being given to you by people. Humans just don’t love like that, with the freedom of an animal, but the Froekn do.
When they finally withdrew a bit, it was only to draw us along into a huge feasting hall where long tables were already piled with food. I guess if I’d won or lost it didn’t matter, they’d have celebrated either way. I smiled, finding no offense, only more love for the wolves who lived life to the fullest. Every day should be celebrated, every moment explored for all it had to offer. They understood that.
I turned and looked for Thor. He caught my eye and smiled his assurance before waving me along. The rest of the gods were with him and they all were looking a little shell-shocked. Horus especially, peered about him in morbid fascination. Persephone was the only one avidly enjoying every second. She had Hades on her arm and he wasn't looking pleased at the way she was looking at the Froekn.
Fenrir had one of my arms and Trevor had the other. They led me to a table on a dais at the end of the hall. It was heavy wood but covered with white linen and china. The wolves may have barbaric tendencies but they liked to coat it with luxury.
Fenrir seated me on his left in a massive, padded chair and Trevor sat on his right. On my left, I was pleasantly surprised to find TryggulfR. He rubbed his cheek to mine and kissed me lightly on the lips when he got seated.
“I’ve never been so jealous of my brother,” he whispered with laughing eyes.
“Thank you,” I smiled shakily. I was still coming down off my high of endorphins and magic, “but I’m sure you have no trouble finding women. Good looks seem to run in the family.”
“You're flirting with me? Now I’m really mad he found you first,” he leaned in closer and waggled his eyebrows. “You want to trade up? I’m younger, full of more stamina, and very eager to please.”
“I think I’ve enough trouble on my plate without adding a second helping but thanks anyway.”
“Well, let me know if you change your mind, Vervain,” he gave me a quick wink, “Pretty name that, I’ve always liked human names.”
“What does TryggulfR mean?”
“It means faithful wolf,” he twisted his lips. “Once I give my loyalty, it’s eternal.”
“Are your names always accurate descriptions of your personalities?”
“They’re chosen by magic, so they usually are but you may have to dig deep to see it sometimes.” He chuckled and leaned in again. “UnnúlfR means to love a wolf.”
“What?” I laughed and as I looked up, I met Thor’s worried gaze. He was seated as an honored guest at a table on my left. The other gods were around him, having a great time, but he was looking at me as if I was slipping away.
“Yes,” TryggulfR continued. “But then it says nothing about him giving love, so you see it is accurate. It can be dangerous to love a wolf.”
“Yes,” I kept my gaze locked with Thor, “I see that it can be.”
I wanted to get up and run over to Thor, to kiss him and tell him I loved him, but I was pretty sure it would be bad form to go snuggle my boyfriend when I was just accepted as Trevor’s mate. So instead, I tried to reassure him with my eyes and after a moment I felt him pushing at the shields in my mind. I dropped them instantly and let him in.
It wasn’t really him speaking to me. There was no voice in my head but it was like I suddenly felt him there and knew he could see what I was thinking. I let him invade me, knowing he needed the reassurance but feeling a little upset that he did. He needed to trust me and
as soon as I thought it, I saw him smile and lift an eyebrow. I felt his amusement run lightly over me and then he showed me an image of Trevor, covering my body with his and shuddering through his orgasm.
I closed my eyes tight and sighed deeply. When I opened them, he was staring at me with a smirk. He shifted his gaze to TryggulfR, then back again and I smiled ruefully. I sent him waves of apology, imagining myself showering kisses all over his face. He laughed loud and booming, every head in the hall turning to him. He didn't even noticed, just lifted his glass up in a salute before he drank it down.
“And what was that about, little sister?” TryggulfR had evidently been watching the whole exchange.
“Your brother bound himself to me because I spared his life,” I looked at TryggulfR to see if he’d known. He nodded. I leaned in closer and dropped my voice to the tinniest whisper. “I didn’t bind myself to him. I didn’t even know the Binding had occurred until Trevor told me.” He raised both brows and I hoped he’d understand. “Trevor knew I was with Thor when he bound himself to me. He knows I can’t truly be his mate and he’s accepted that. I just don’t know if your father will.”
“He knows you two aren't having sex,” TryggulfR looked around me to Fenrir, who was speaking with Trevor excitedly. “Trevor has been honest with him. Father just sometimes hears only what he wishes to.”
“I can see that about him.” I looked over at Fenrir and I knew my heart was in my eyes. I'd need to really work on controlling that or every time I used the magic, I'd be making moon eyes at someone else.
“Are you in love with my father?” TryggulfR’s whisper was low and horrified.
“Not like you mean,” I looked back at him and laughed at his relieved expression. “I’ve recently come into a new power and in using it on your father, I’ve formed an affection for him. It's more of an admiration than a sexual thing.”
“A new power,” he looked at me as he chewed at his lower lip. “You’re a witch, I can smell it on you now, but before I was confused. You smelled like a goddess.”