Hera

The woods has always been my home. It was easier to have relationships with animals and plants than people.


They are less complicated.

I was taking a stroll, checking on some of the trees I'd planted recently.

The sun was just perfect, not too hot and the air was chilly.


I stopped to admire a family of squirrels when I heard a voice humming.

It was beautiful and captivating.


Against my better judgement, I went towards the voice.

There was a lonely cottage with a woman weeding in front of it. Her red hair was tied up in a big bun. I wonder where it'll reach if she let it loose.

She was so engrossed in her humming that she didn't hear me approach. She'd pause to whisper to some of her plants time to time before resuming her weeding. Her apparent love for the plants kept me in place and warmed my heart.

Maybe she was a healer, only healers tend to plants with such care.

She turned and saw me before I could leave. I could hear the slight increase in her heartbeat but she didn't show her surprise. There was no fear in her scent either. Her green eyes shone in the sun. She was gorgeous.

'Hello, are you alright? Did you get lost?" She smiled so gently.

I was still weary. I could tell she was a werewolf.

'No. I actually live in the woods."

'Oh. Then you're my neighbour. Come, I'll make some tea."

She got up and entered her cottage.

Was this a ruse? No one invites a stranger into their home just like that, especially when this is far away from help.

'Come on, don't be shy. Do you like rose flavoured tea?"

I smiled, she spoke to me like I was a child. I was a lot more older than her.

'Yes, thank you."

Inside looked a lot bigger than anyone would have guessed. It was neat and decorated in warm colors. The place made me feel like resting. It was so cozy.

'How about some scones?" She asked from the kitchen.

'That will be nice."

I looked around, there were weird little keepsakes kept in weird but some how perfect places.

'Sit, sit."

We had tea in silence the first day.

'What is your name?" She asked on the second day as we drank our tea.

'Hera."

'It's beautiful. Hera."

She pronounced my name like she was whispering, it made me smile.

'And you? What is your name?"

'Selen."

We smiled at each other, finishing our tea in silence.

Selen…her name was more beautiful than mine.

On my fourth visit, Selen asked me to help her in her garden.

We worked together, tending to the plants in comfortable silence.

'Do you stay alone in the forest?" Selen asked breaking the silence.

'Yes and no."

'Okay?"

I smiled at her cute confused expression, 'There is no other person living with me but I have animals. Some stay permanently, others come and go as they please."

She smiled, 'I bet it's lovely. Your place."

I nodded.

'I'll like to come over sometime."

No one has ever come to my house before, but I found myself agreeing easily.

'Okay."

It was two weeks after our initial meeting that I overcame my fear of loosing our growing friendship and asked the question that was burning in my mind to ask.

'Selen?"

'Hmmm?" She was stroking the head of my tamed tiger. We were in my house.

'Why do you live alone out her, away from your pack?"

'I ran away."

'Are you in danger?" My worry for her was obvious in my voice.

'No nothing like that. Thank you for worrying-" she paused her petting and smiled at me, '-i just left because I was tired of being used."

I sensed a story there, but I left it slide.

'Then, you stay alone all the time."

A sweet smile full of longing appeared on her face.

'No, I'm waiting for my husband. He went to see his family."

Oh? I couldn't smell someone else on her.

'That's-"

I heard a noise. I tilted my head, paying more attention to the sound.

'What's wrong?"

'Shh, I heard something."

She sat up, looking around. Worried.

I watched my tiger rub its head on her stomach. That's when I realized what I heard.

Heartbeats. Faint but there. Coming from her, there were two different sounds minus her own.

I stared at her, smiling foolishly.

'Hera? What's going on? Why are you smiling at me like that?"

'You're pregnant."

Her eyes widened in shock.

'No." She whispered.

'Yes." I moved to her side and grabbed her hand.

'No."

'Yes."

Selen smiled with happy tears in her eyes, 'Yes?"

'Yes!"

She laughed and hugged me. Tears streaming down her eyes.


****


'What are you doing?"

I walked into Selen's house to find her waddling around, packing a bag.

'I'm going to find him. I need him. I can't do this alone anymore."

'Do you know where he is?"

'Yes, he is in the Black pool pack. I've never been there but I'll just ask."

Selen stuffed more things into her bag. She was already in her seventh month, traveling was not advisable.

'You can't go. You know it's not good for the babies."

'I know that!!!" She snapped.

I'd gotten used to her tantrums and moods because of the pregnancy.

'I just…I'm scared. Is it too much to ask him to be here with me? They are his children too…" she ended, crying.

'Hey." I hugged her.

'Why don't I go search for him? It'll take only a day. Then, I'll take you to him when I come back."

'Really?" She asked, looking at me with teary eyes, 'What do you mean it'll take a day? Do you know a shortcut to the pack?"

I froze. I was so focused on her pregnancy that I forgot to tell her what I was.

Will her opinion of me change? Will she even know what I am?

'I'm a volana wolf."

'A volana wolf? But how? I thought they were gone."

So she does know what I am.

'I'll tell you everything you need to know when I get back alright?"

Selen looked at me for a while. It was obvious I was stalling.

'Okay."

'Good. Now rest up, I may be gone for less than a day."

I left the cottage after ensuring that she lay down and disappeared.

I watched Carlson laugh. He picked up the woman beside him, kissed her and entered his house.