adjective ~ unfriendly; antagonistic

The next morning, I found myself once again sitting at the grand dining table for breakfast. With my brothers on my left, my mate on my right and all of the protectors surrounding me, I felt like I was ready for battle.

Avani Terra sat before me, her blonde hair longer and seemingly thicker, if that was at all possible. Her green eyes were wide with excitement as she animatedly chatted to Phoenix about his bloodline. My mate didn't seem too interested and with a slight frown, she dropped the subject.

Phoenix's bloodline was a touchy subject.

"So... This was a very last-minute visit, what was it in aid of?" She wondered, sipping her coffee.

I noticed her gaze was locked on me and so I quickly finished my mouthful before answering her.

"I wanted to ask you all some questions." I shrugged.

Her eyebrow raised. "What for?"

"Well, pregnancy, birth... gifts." My eyes darted to Aldren. "History..."

The redhead smirked lazily at me, leaning carelessly in a dining chair opposite Pollux.

"Well, I can help you with some of those." She nodded. "As for family history... Dawn may be able to help."

Samson choked, coughing loudly to clear the blockage. Avani merely raised an eyebrow at him, uninterested in his displeasure.

"My mother? I doubt she will." He eventually coughed out.

"Oh, she will." Avani mused. "I think she may find interest in Nova."

"Interest?" Phoenix wondered. "What kind of interest?"

"The curses placed upon her as a child, her gifts or lack of." Avani shrugged.

"Mother never leaves her home or takes guests, what makes you even think she would listen in the first place."

"I won't give her a choice." Avani crossed her arms defiantly.

"You say that like you're just going to barge into her home uninvited." Samson shook his head, laughing.

When Avani didn't react to his joke, his face dropped.

"You're going to barge into her home uninvited, aren't you?" He murmured.

"I am her daughter in mating, and Nova is a child back from the dead! With her grandmother's wolf too!"

I watched the exchange with wide eyes, finding amusement in the little partner spiff. When Avani turned to me exasperated, I nodded frantically with an agreement.

"That is true! I do have a hand-me-down wolf!"

Laughter filled the table at my expense, even Samson fought back a small smirk of amusement. An elbow nudged me in the ribs, and I was about to huff at Pollux for annoying me until I remember the small human bodies inside of me. Well, human for now at least. Who knows what they will end up being!

"We shall go to her after breakfast. She is always content with a full stomach." Avani jeered and we all carried on with our meal.

True to her word, Avani took me by the elbow and led me upstairs to my room. Urging me into my warm winter clothes, she warned me of the oncoming storm. Apparently, it happened regularly, something I was not looking forward to. I hoped it came after we left because I did not want to turn into ice cream.

Linking her arm through mine, heavily dressed and prepared, Avani led me from the house. Of course, I had three of the guards with me, one of them being Kelsey. They stayed behind, keeping an eye on everything around me. I was surprised I didn't have all five of them, but it warmed my heart when I saw that he dedicated their protection to my twin.

Phoenix really did have a soft spot for him.

"So, what is Dawn really like?"

"I think it is better you just see for yourself," Avani admitted.

I frowned, disagreeing which caused her to laugh.

"She will spy if you have been prepared and have no interest in you." She explained further. "Dawn despises visitors or new people, but your best chance is to go in unprepared. She likes to get a good read on people that she meets."

I gritted my teeth, preparing for the worst as we walked for around ten minutes. Eventually, we came to a small cabin, which reminded me a lot of the one from my visions. Wooden walls and snow-filled window planters greeted me, the chimney puffing out soft billows of burning wood.

We stopped on the threshold, my nerves gripping me when a loud cough echoed around the house.

"Go away, Avani." A feminine voice shouted. "Take your guests with you."

"Dawn, please, I would love for you to meet Nova." Avani pleaded through the door.

"No." The old woman growled.

"If you could just-"

"No!"

I looked to Avani, frowning. "If we are going to upset her..."

Avani shook her head, silencing me. The entire house fell silent for a few slow breaths until a soft creaking of wood sounded from somewhere nearby. I sniffed slightly, picking up the older wolf's scent in the first room of the house.

"Who is that with you?" Dawn wondered softly.

"Nova..." Avani replied, shooting me a strange look. "Nova Terra."

Footsteps grew closer, and the sound of skin scraping along the door handle alerted me to her presence. The door creaked as it opened, revealing the elder Lycan before me. She barely looked a day over fifty, with soft ginger hair and those dazzling sky blue eyes. I could see straight away where Samson and Aldren got their looks from, the younger man almost identical in terms of hair colour.

Those whitening eyes barely glanced at Avani, dismissing her with a purse of her lips. When they found me, I noticed the way they slightly widened in the corners, the creases of her skin disappearing with the movement. She ran them cautiously over my face and attire, her tongue darting out to dampen her lips.

"Isabelle?"

Without even looking at Avani, I shook my head softly. "Nova."

She frowned, glaring at the ground. "There is no Nova Terra."

She was about to shut the door when I darted my foot out in desperation. "Cassie, I am Cassie."

Dawn halted, those eyes shifting back to me.

"My name was changed when I was... found."

She hummed, a slight nod of her head. I held my breath, waiting for her short response but was overwhelmingly surprised when she widened the door.

"Come in, Cassie."

I beamed, stepping over the threshold. Once my foot hit the ground, a strange shudder of wind brushed down my back. I shrugged it off, frowning as the overwhelming feeling of magic took hold of me. Turning to face the elder woman curiously, her lips quirked up in a smirk.

Just as my protectors went to enter, she shut the door on Kelsey's foot. "Only her."

Kelsey growled. "We are her guards."

"What do you think I'm gonna do? Rip her throat out?" Dawn snapped.

My eyes widened but Kelsey's eyes narrowed. "Wouldn't be the first time one of yours went against us."

Dawn didn't react, shrugging. "I could say the same to your kind. Pretentious wolves."

I stepped forward, raising my hand to diffuse the situation. "How about you just stand at the doors? Just for now."

Kelsey's jaw clenched, her wolf eyes focusing on me. Nodding firmly, she took a step back and jerked her head at the other two.

"Yes, Luna."

"Avani. You can go." Dawn tutted before slamming the door. "Cassie, sit."

I blinked, astounded at the short and sharp woman and turned to find a seat quickly. The room I had entered was a small living space, with two armchairs facing a wood fire with a coffee table in the middle. Upon the table were a few old books, a puzzle book and a pencil. The elder woman groaned as she sat down, rubbing her knee as she stretched out her leg. I smiled at the sight of her soft pink slippers, but when she hitched her trousers up to scratch at her skin, I lost the expression.

Her left leg was full of scarring. I had seen enough tooth and silver marks in my time to notice them on someone else. An intricate carving, wrapping her entire calf and up to her knee. I knew she had to be showing me her leg on purpose, the trousers too long to be pulled so high for no reason. It only made me more intrigued by this lonesome woman. I felt sorry for her, living alone without her mate, secluded from her family.

"So..." She huffed, dropping the fabric from her hands. "You are Isabelle and Frederick's daughter."

It wasn't a question but I nodded anyway. "Yes."

She hummed, raking her eyes over me as she leaned back in her chair. "You look a lot like her. Twins you carry too?"

I have been told that a few times now." I smiled softly. "And yes, it's twins."

"Yes..." Humming again, she scratched at her knee. "Enough of that anyway, what do you want?"

I blinked, taken aback, my mouth opening without an answer. My jaw closed, annoyance wrapping around my chest. I didn't like how she was speaking to me. Just because she was an elder, original wolf did not mean that she could speak so rudely.

"You want to ask me something, out with it then!" She quipped. "You are lucky that I even let you in here, now speak, child."

What did I even want to ask? This woman was short and snappy, I needed to think carefully before I ripped her-

"I have no gift dear, there is nothing I can give you but my words and time, and frankly you are wasting it. Do not make me regret this."

My jaw ticked, anger blazing within me. I had a short temper lately, and this woman was about to realise that.

"Excuse me?" I glared.

"What?" She snapped.

My teeth bared slightly, crossing my arms subconsciously. "You cannot speak to me that way."

"Who do you think you are? Her royal highness?" Dawn retaliated.

I narrowed my eyes. "I could say the same to you! Speaking to me like a piece of shit when you don't even know me. Treating my guards and your own daughter-in-mating like crap because they had the slightest show of emotion."

"Don't you tell me what to do-"

"Don't interrupt me," I growled. "I have barely known you for five minutes and yet I am already infuriated by you. The way you treat your family is proof of how you hold your priorities as an elder. You are a lonely woman with nothing better to do than belittle anyone you come across. It is no wonder your son warned us not to come here."

I was breathing heavily by the time my rant ended, my hands clenched into fists as I glared at her. She was frozen in her chair, her eyes wider than before but still holding empty nothingness. The only sound was the air rushing through my lungs, the rapid pulsing in my ears turning the background into white noise.

Eventually, Dawn moved, adjusting her position in her chair. Her hands gripped the arms of her chair, the wood creaking with the movement. I licked my lips, trying to force my wolf at bay. Celimene wanted nothing more to show this wolf who was boss, and when the glinting of my eyes met hers, she paused.

Shock coated her features, and she rubbed her eyes with her fists before blinking back at me.

Disbelief coated her features, her voice soft when she spoke. "Celimene? Is that you?"

****
First impressions of Dawn then?
Nova's mamma bear turned on lol

Question of the Day:
If you could be a supernatural creature by night, what would you like to be?

I don't know what but definitely something that can fly or teleport make holidays a lot easier hah

Always Luna © 2022 XDeafening_SilenceX on W a t t p a d