The Pairing
Page 8
“But that’s good Laura. The stronger the vision the more likely it will work. That’s good news… very good indeed!” Seb’s father announced cheerfully.
Everyone was smiling at her. She smiled back in a strange mood. This was all rather odd.
One down, two more to go…
The next two followed on alternate days, each with a progressively larger dose of hallucinogenic and more blood transferred.
The visions were very clear. Almost life like by the third session. She was able to touch things and feel them properly… She really felt like a wolf inside and out… She could smell things like never before… she could taste them in the air. Her hearing was acute… her eyesight laser sharp. She looked down at her fur… it was almost white, streaked with silver… it was beautiful. This couldn’t be real! She cried wolf like tears of happiness. She could be with him like this… so very soon… she was sure of it!
“Laura. It’s time to try it out now… see if you can phase… shift…. Whilst the drug is wearing off… go on try… think of me!” Seb’s voice reached her in the nether world she was currently occupying.
She forced herself mentally and physically off the table… her mind was in wolf mode, she imagined she was going to run with him, trying to catch up to him… his wolf… She took three steps and fell… too much… too hard…. She opened her eyes… she could see a white paw…. It was there in front of her… it was hers! As she looked at it, it faded and became a human hand… her hand. Just a trick of the mind… not really a paw at all…
Seb’s face appeared above her, as he picked her up. He carried her naked form back to the table, covered her up.
“No good huh?” she said feeling exhausted and dizzy “I tried hard though… maybe next time”
“Laura… you already did it. We all saw. You are a white wolf… they are very rare. You are quite wonderful you know…” There were tears in his eyes.
“Yes… white… that’s what I was… and you all saw it? Saw me in here?”
“Oh yes…. And look, we have a special witness too…”
The Chief Elder rose from his chair in the corner of the room. He was smiling at her in his funny old stern way. He stood at her side and took her hand and started his odd talk again.
“Laura Shaw, you have the new elemental status of a hybrid recipient. That is a human and wolf, by receipt of the bloodstock. This is of course not an inherited state, like ours … it is an acquired one. It must be maintained until it becomes the normal way for you. You must keep up the transfusions for some more weeks, perhaps even months and must practise shifting… but I feel you will be quite proficient in a short space of time. You have an inner strength. It will become more natural over a prolonged period. This will be enough to satisfy the Elder council. It is a cause for celebration. The union can proceed soon. Sebastian can I have a moment alone please…”
He led him out into the living room.
“Sebastian… you cannot think about producing offspring until the year is out. This is most important”
“Oh really? Not that I had thought about a family so soon… but can I ask why?”
“The theriomorphic genes won’t be strong enough to produce pure Shifter cubs until then. She needs to be completely changed. You must ensure she is. Take samples of her blood to check it is complete. Confer with your father about this …. Sebastian… I am warning you… do not have any mishaps or make any mistakes… it will be a fatal one…. Do you understand me?”
Sebastian’s mind was reeling. If she got pregnant…. The elders would kill her? No! Or possibly his human child? Maybe both to be sure…? It was just as well they were being very careful. She had already said she was…
Inside her… it was growing… a tiny speck of life was already forming. Nobody knew.
Chapter 26
Over the next week she received another two blood mixings. It made her feel very strong, albeit a little sick but she was advancing rapidly. She could phase at will for minutes at a time. She had to concentrate very hard to keep it and couldn’t do anything else whilst she was like it, but Seb was delighted. He said she would be almost as good as he was in a few months. He explained that she needed to separate her mind and put the phasing in the automatic part… like driving a car…. You didn’t think about the manual actions, you just did them on autopilot…
It spurred her on to practise harder and harder. She so wanted to be like him…. To run with him… pair with him… to be a wolf with him in every sense of the word. As she watched him rush off on one of his long and lonely runs she marveled at this newly discovered hidden world she had stumbled into. This strange but wonderful animal existence she was starting to love so much was almost fully in her grasp.
The wedding was in a few weeks. She was in a whirl of last minute preparations, discussions about hair, food, clothing, floral arrangements had her mind in a spin. She just wanted to escape… on her own for a while… or to be with him. She had a few valuable hours to herself today…. she thought about calling her dad for a chat about the wedding, to see exactly when he was coming up … She opened her bag and got her phone out. It was dead. She put it on charge for later.
She rummaged around in her bag sorting things out, receipts, pieces of paper, scraps of this and that fabric…
At the bottom of her bag she spotted a pack of tampons. A worrying thought took hold of her. Oh no….! She had been taking the pills, hadn’t she? She fumbled around some more in the compartments in her bag. The last pack was empty… how long ago did she finish that…? Her mind was swimming… Weeks ago that’s when…! Her phasing, affirmation and wedding stuff had taken over her life and her mind. Surely she wasn’t pregnant already? That just couldn’t happen! Didn’t the pill stay in the body for some time…? She would need to get a test to be sure and find out where to get some more pills. She drove to town in Seb’s truck and called in at the drugstore picking up what she needed, then she called in and made an appointment for the next day at the clinic. She drove home silently, more than concerned.
Inside their bathroom she sat looking at the bright blue dot in shock. Oh no!…. this wasn’t happening to her…
She would have to keep it to herself… until after the wedding… this was too much… way too soon… she wasn’t even vaguely ready to become a mother.
She wanted to have a lot more fun with Seb before that kind of stuff happened… They were still getting to know each other properly… Oh God… this was all too much on top of everything else.
Chapter 27
Her newly developed abilities were drawing a lot of interest. Never before had they received so many invitations to call at other people homes. They were out almost every evening. Apparently being a hybrid recipient was very rarely successful, a white shifter even more so…
She was becoming the star of the community and the news was spreading even farther afield. Everywhere they went she had to do it… perform her phase. She had to perform it naked, although she did hold a blanket around her to cover her embarrassment.
Then they would hug her and stroke her and tell her how beautiful and lucky she was. She had to agree, she was beautiful. She had never seen such a beautiful sight. She often did it in front of the mirror at home. It was a little vain of her, she admitted.
It appeared that her new found hybrid celebrity was not popular with all in the community though… but that was to be expected. The Wilkins were certainly not amused and shunned the Carters even more.
Chapter 28
The day had finally arrived. Their wedding day.
She had stayed with Ellen and Patrick in their cabin and her father had arrived the day before. Everyone seemed to be getting along fine. Especially her father and herself. They talked a lot, understood each other better.
No public shifting was to take place over the wedding period, as a human was now present amongst them. The Wolfkind were most careful about their secret.
She had been feeling very sick lately. She told Seb it
was nerves and the extra blood mixing sessions, but the truth was, she had terrible morning sickness. It had started almost immediately she found out she was pregnant.
She started preparing for her special day; Ellen continually fussed around her like a headless chicken. It was actually quite endearing… she was quite endearing. Laura had grown very fond of her over the last few weeks.
The hairdresser finished his creation and she stared at herself in Ellen’s dressing table mirror. Her whipped up, corkscrew curled tumble of hair, combined with her veiled and tiara crowned head was like something out of a fairy tale! She really was a princess…. Carella would have just loved to see her like this, she thought suddenly, smirking a little at the idea. She applied her makeup very carefully, creamy eye shadow, a generous flick of eyeliner, lashings of mascara, pale pink blusher and peachy beige lipstick….
She felt a tide of nausea wash over her. She was feeling extra sick today. She sneakily ate a ginger biscuit. They seemed to work quite well in keeping the sickness at bay. She stood up, put on her ivory satin wedding gown and silvery high heeled sandals. Finally finished, with jewelry and special bits and pieces in place, she twirled in front of Ellen.
There were tears in the older woman’s eyes.
“Laura… you don’t know how happy I am for you and Sebastian… I have never seen a couple more in love than you two. He was so right to break it off with Tara. She was never the one for him. You are though; it’s all been for the best, all that upset. The way you have handled yourself throughout it all has been inspirational. I’m so proud to have you as a daughter. You’re the daughter I never had… And I’ll tell you something my love… I have never seen a more beautiful bride in my life… I can’t wait till he sees you… he’s gonna faint over you!” Ellen gave up trying to hold back the tears and they rushed down her plump cheeks.
She hugged her tightly.
“Aww Ellen, don’t start… I’ll cry too… in fact I am - look! There goes my mascara already! I’m so happy Ellen… I just can’t wait either!” she said sniffing and dabbing frantically with a tissue at her black streaks.
She came down to her father. He stood there stunned with admiration in his eyes. His little girl was all grown up and more than beautiful right now. He was rather disappointed that he had to leave so early today, to get get back to Florida and his job. He would have liked to spend more time with her. A few days more perhaps… Still, this was her big day and he was going to enjoy what little of it there was with her. He kissed her lovingly on both cheeks and offered her his arm.
He looked incredibly handsome in his dark grey suit. Her heart flipped upside down with love for him. She was definitely going to make so much more of an effort with her dad. She had missed him so much over the last few years.
They left for the ceremony, which was to held in their community chapel a couple of miles away, in a smart black mercedes.
Chapter 29
Seb stood waiting for her at the chapel. He was so nervous and so excited he could hardly speak. Seb’s dark grey formal suit and rather special tie looked especially good on him… actually he thought he looked quite spectacular, if he was allowed to think that. He’d never worn anything like this before, ever. His hair had been trimmed up a little and his face was clear of the constant amount of stubbly hair he allowed to live there. Yes, he’d had a bit of a de-scruff for her and oh boy, she was going to love this new him! He looked around at the chapel. His mother had certainly been busy. Were there any flowers left in the outside world… they must all be in here right now…
She took her father’s arm and walked by his side in a heavy wave of unusual and rather stirring choral music to where Sebastian was standing ahead of her. All eyes were turned her way….She felt really sick… it was definitely nerves this time… He turned to face her and her mind dissolved in wonder.
This couldn’t be him… not this male beauty now standing in front of her!
The eyes were the same but that was about it!
His scrubbed up person left her breathless and speechless. The scrunched pinned silvery tie thing he had round his neck was just about the sexiest thing she had ever seen…! She was just about salivating over him.
She noticed he looked to be in the same state looking at her. He really did look like he was going to faint over her! She’d never seen his green eyes any wider.
After the total adoration period was over, they both managed a stunned smile at each other. What a sensational couple they made, they both thought rather immodestly.
So, this was their union, finally…
Their now favorite chief Elder stood before them conducting the ceremony. Her father passed Laura’s hand to the Elder and he in turn to Sebastian.
Words of love were spoken… rings were exchanged… there were tears all round … a poignant very long kiss… hearts spilled over with more love…
It was done.
The bells rang out in joyful announcement.
Chapter 30
Tara was incandescent with rage and despair in the forest not far away as the bells sounded out.
She howled and screamed her heart out, phasing back and forth in agony. This was pure hell… torture… the end of the whole fucking world in her mind.
That goddess of a white hybrid wolf couldn’t get to be any worse in her brain than she was right now….
She was wild with distress….
She wanted to see that satin gown drenched with blood, her hair pulled out in handfuls, her neck broken and ripped out.
Her mother had made her promise not to come. To stay far away… but she had to see. To torture herself to the point of madness to see her Seb on his wedding day. She had watched from across the road as they arrived at the tiny little chapel at the center of their wilderness community.
She had seen her gorgeous ex-pairing wander inside… he had never looked so handsome, polished, happy and incredibly sexy in her eyes.
He was male perfection incarnate… her insides churned with want at the sight of him.
Then she came.
She saw her emerge from the car… the amazingly beautiful chestnut hair that hung in curls down her back under that wispy top dressing of a veil… the twinkling tiara that sat on her too pretty to be true head… a mass of peach and white rosebuds lie in her hands. Her figure hugging ivory satin gown swept the floor behind her as she made her way through the gate and inside the chapel door as if she were a princess.
Tara bit her hand until she drew blood….
It was too beautiful, too perfect… she shouldn’t have come… there was a massive knife wedged firmly in her gut.
The pain was intense…. A jealous fire was eating away inside of her fuelling her agony….
He had been hers; her Seb…. If he hadn’t met that fucking witch he would still have been hers, she was sure she could have worked on him…. Made him love her too. She had just needed a little time and his attention…. Too late now… he was gone… gone with her instead.
She wanted her dead like nothing else mattered now… she would die herself too, she might as well. What else was there to live for anyway?
He would never, ever want her….
Chapter 31
The wedding day was over… they were finally home. Tired and happy. They were going to delay the honeymoon for one week whilst Seb and his father finished some practice business and then they were off to a luxury honeymoon cabin in Banff at Lake Louise. They made sure it was the mid moon cycle so that they could enjoy it as humans more fully too.
They stood outside their small and modest home as man and wife.
“So Mr Wolf… you have a little traditional something to do” she said smiling at him. “Don’t drop me or step on my dress will you…” She took off her silver shoes and held them in her hand.
“So I do… here goes…” he picked her up with ease, flung her dress over her legs and took them inside. He placed her down carefully on the floor. “Welcome to your home again Mrs Wolf. I missed
you very much last night.”
“Did you? Oh that’s so sweet Seb! D’you know, I’m feeling really exhausted tonight. I think I’ll go straight to sleep if you don’t mind.”
“No, I need to go straight to sleep first…” he grinned.
He loved the bedroom games they played.
“Oh really…? Well we shall see who’s the sleepiest later! But before that, there’s a little thing or two I’ve been wanting to do all day.” She pulled out his sumptuous pinned tie and pulled him towards her. She kissed his lovely smooth face all over and ran her fingers through his shorter hair. “You looked so wonderful all today Sebastian… like a silver and grey ice cream dream. You are far too beautiful for a man, it’s just not allowed!”
She carefully removed his tie, waistcoat and shirt and then mussed up his tidy hair.
“There… that’s more you… isn’t it….?”
“So you like me scruffed up wearing just my pants do you?”
“Oh, silly me…I forgot those…. I like you scruffed up wearing not much at all really… let’s get those off too… and your shoes and socks, then you’ll be able to sleep much better won’t you?” She undid them and helped him out of his socks and shoes. “You’re just perfect now Mr Carter.”
“Well you seem a little overdressed for sleeping too. Let me help you out of this rather tight and lovely dress thing you have on…” he unbuttoned her dress slowly. There were quite a few tiny buttons. He kissed her neck and back as he went down. He slid it off her and she stepped out of it. Underneath she was wearing nothing but a silky pair of panties. “Well that was very easy… you’re certainly dressed for sleeping now… just let me undo your hair… you can’t sleep with all that stuff in it.” He unpinned her tiara and hair, running his fingers through it. The curls all tumbled down around her face. “Very sexy hair Mrs Carter… the perfect style for sleeping I’d say.”