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Tears, scenting, fury, and The Thing


Seph was sobbing already, her nose running and eyes bright red. She sniffled loudly, rubbing her eyes and pulling her blanket tighter around her body. She could feel the humiliation of the events that occurred all those years ago. Kayla was crying with her; she too, felt Seph’s shame. Theo was trying to hold them both and comfort them. “They wanted me gone, even then, before I knew anything about myself,” Seph told Kayla. Her distress was plain for everyone to see.

“I know, baby, I know, it’s gonna be ok, though, you have us now, and we love you no matter what,” Kayla replied, without even realising what she had said. They hadn’t said the L-word before, even though she felt it deep in her heart; she didn’t know if Seph felt the same or was ready to acknowledge anybody’s feelings.

Seph just nodded, curling up tighter still between the twins. Theo rubbed her side through the blanket. “If you need a break or a drink or anything, it’s fine, baby girl, just tell us,” Theo said softly. When Seph didn’t reply, he looked to Kayla for help, ‘I don’t speak girl… what do I do now?’ He asked his sister, mind to mind, carefully ensuring that Seph couldn’t hear. Usually, they let her in on their mind link. Kayla shrugged, ‘go get hot chocolate. I’ll see if she wants a bath. Then it will be tea time.’

Kayla spoke aloud to Seph, “I’m sending him for hot chocolate; that always helps. Shall I run you a bath?”

Seph shook her head. “I want to go outside to that waterfall, please, Kay?”

“Whatever you want, my sweet”, Kayla replied as Seph began to sit up in the middle of the bed.

“Make sure you’re warm enough, Seph, it’s nearly December now, and it’s pretty cold in the middle of the forest here,” Theo said softly as he sat up, leaning over and kissing Seph’s neck softly. Kayla didn’t like seeing her brother giving their mate affection like this, but for Seph, she didn’t interfere……well, not very often. Theo slipped the blanket off her shoulder to kiss over her almost bare shoulder “everything will be ok now, baby girl, and I’ll deal with anyone who says any different. I promise you this, now and forever. Together we can solve anything, and we can run this pack. You are at least half mine, baby, and I don’t plan on letting you go anywhere.” Theo whispered quietly as he nuzzled against her, covertly scent marking her; he knew that it would piss Kayla off, but it would help Seph, and that was all that mattered to him now. With a final kiss, Theo climbed off the incredibly comfortable bed, put his shoes and jacket on and jogged downstairs to pack a picnic; however, he only got to the bedroom door the first time before he had to turn around. Dextra was still on his shoulder; she chattered in his ear. Theo figured it was a “take me back idiot” chatter, not that he knew; he was going on instinct right now.

Upstairs, still, on Seph’s bed, Kayla sat behind Seph, her arms wrapping around Seph’s middle and her chin resting on the shoulder that didn’t smell like Theo. “He scented you,” she said softly, though Seph could feel her fury.

“Well, I am his mate too, you know… he’s kinda allowed to scent me like you are. And if the mood so takes me, I can try and conjure up a giant, neon, flashing sign that will contrast with your hair and everything you wear, and says ‘Seph’s hot piece of ass… hands off’ try being the operative word here” Seph replied playfully, drawing the words on Kayla’s skin with her fingertip.

Kayla laughed loudly. “Do that to him, please do that to him,” she begged playfully, still laughing.

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Seph carefully climbed off the bed; she grabbed her jumper and threw it on; it still smelt like Theo. She had caught Archer, his wolf, rolling around on her clean laundry last week. He had huffed at her and sat on the bed, letting her lay on him like a pillow and use him to keep warm. He seemed to recognise that Seph was more comfortable with him in this form, even if he couldn’t understand why. It was a new thing Seph didn’t use to be comfortable with Archer at all, he was a large wolf, and it could be somewhat intimidating; she didn’t really know anything about wolves. Slowly she was starting to understand Archer more. She liked how Theo/Archer smelt; it was always a bit like a bonfire, and the morning after bonfire night, the fog from the bonfires and the fireworks. But still kind of foresty. Kayla and Remi, however, smelt sweeter, a hint of parma violets, strawberries and some honeysuckle and lily too, but not just any honeysuckle and lily, the ones in the bottom of Seph’s grandma’s ‘human’ garden.

Once dressed, Kayla handed Seph another jacket to put on. She pulled out the bag they had under Seph’s bed for this eventuality. It contained blankets, hats, scarves and gloves and had enough space to hold clothes if anyone had to get furry; both twins would today; it would take a while to reach the waterfall on foot in the pitch dark. The girls headed downstairs, where Theo was waiting with a picnic bag; he was stuffing a thermos into the side pocket. “Ready to go?” He asked as he straightened up.

They headed towards the tree line; Theo hid to Seph’s left and Kayla to her right. They each threw their clothes at her; she folded them neatly, packed them in the bag, and then threw them on her back. Archer was first back out; he usually was. Werewolves were giant compared to their natural counterparts, but that was common knowledge. However, Archer was maybe the biggest she had seen in the pack, fluffier than a malamute, with the temperament of a hyper puppy. He was primarily grey, with a few black spots, like his paw, the middle of his tail, and one ear. Seph thought he looked adorable as a wolf. Remi was on the smaller side, even for a female. She was sleek, thick and warm fur, but it didn’t look it. Remi was almost entirely black; she had a white tail tip. She was gorgeous and still one of the top fighters in the pack despite her size. She used it to her advantage, as most men would underestimate her. Seph loved playing with wolves’ fur; Archer was perfect for snuggling into. Remi was calmer and more level-headed than Archer. Kayla said it was the virtue of being female. Where Archer was adorable, Remi was simply drop-dead gorgeous.

Remi carried the picnic bag with the food and drinks, and Seph rode on Archer’s back, the rucksack with clothes and blankets on her back. The twins seemed to race through the forest every time they did this. Dextra burst free as soon as Seph settled on Archer’s back. Again, she was her fire drake, chattering excitedly to Archer and Remi. Dextra was egging them on, telling them how she would beat them today and calling them losers. Seph chose not to translate this, as she did most things Dextra said.

The twins set off with a howl. Both ran full out; Seph couldn’t see anything as they ran. It was a blur of green and brown. The wind in her face rushing through her hair. Her fingers curled into Archer’s fur, her arms around his neck. She wrapped her legs around his middle, trying to be gentle but still keep herself on his back. After about 5 minutes of running, Seph rested her head on Archers and closed her eyes. It took Archer about 10 minutes to run to the waterfall; Dextra and Remi had beaten him. Seph was sure that Archer was deliberately slow to have her on his back for longer.

The waterfall is an amazing place deep in the woods. Not even all the pack knew where it was. It was full of natural beauty; the water was a fresh sparkling, crystal clear blue. There wasn’t even any moss on the stones; Seph didn’t understand how but it was something else. Rocks surrounded most of the pool; some initials were carved into them. When Theo first brought Seph out here in the summer, they had jumped from the top of the waterfall, and Seph had practised her control over the water here. They brought Kayla next time. Both twins would bring Seph together and individually when they wanted some time with her or when she was getting too stressed out with schoolwork.

Once everyone was assembled, Seph called Dextra back; she returned to Seph’s shoulder and wrapped her now salamander-shaped body around Seph’s neck. Seph pulled out and separated the twin’s clothes, throwing them off in separate directions to huffs of thanks; she then turned her back; there wasn’t much tree cover here.

Theo started to pull out food while Kayla laid out the picnic blanket. Seph wrapped herself in another blanket and sat down, leaning on Theo for now. She nibbled at the food he had pulled together for them, holding the large paper cup of hot chocolate close to her body.
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