Night and Neera: A Rejected Mate Story

Chapter 5: I Was Worried

There are many things in life I had trouble believing.

For instance, I found it incomprehensible that anyone could prefer milk chocolate to dark chocolate. That just wasn't right.

I also couldn't believe that, at one time in history, mullets, leg warmers, plaid bellbottoms and beehive hairdos were actually a thing.

But mostly, I couldn't believe that my car was currently headed back to Aibek pack lands. The two weeks that Raevyn had worked with me had gone quickly.

She'd given me some potions, she'd cast some spells and then she'd wait a day or two to see how my pain was before trying something new since nothing seemed to be helping.

On the plus side, the pain didn't seem to be any worse than it was those first few days. My sleep was still interrupted by bad dreams, but they weren't as vivid, nor were they as terrifying. In my latest dreams, Night was hunting me, both as wolf and as man, but I always woke up just as he found me. So, in that sense, the sleeping remedies Raevyn was giving me were working. I wasn't waking up terrified, shaking and sweating from the horrific images plaguing my dreams. Now, I would just come awake with a gasp, calling Night's name.

Raevyn would search my eyes in the morning and frown at what she read there.

"These always worked before," she'd mutter as she considered her herbs and tried different combinations. "It must be the Alpha and Howl combination -- stronger than anything I've ever seen."

Owena, Echo and I explored her acres, full of rolling hills and trees, both as humans and as our fur girls. One memorable day, we even hunted with Blaisall's wolf, a timid, white-furred creature who seemed uneasy to be roaming, always casting about for new scents, ears up and alert for any unnatural noise. She seemed glad to shift back into Blaisall, and I felt terrible that her wolf didn't rejoice in the freedom of running and playing in the woods as our three wolves did.

"She's just old," Blaisall explained. "And I think having Raevyn inside of her makes her skittish. That's a lot of magic trapped inside of one little wolf. Honestly, I don't think Raevyn likes it, either, because when my wolf is out, her magic doesn't work, so I think Raevyn's discomfort makes my girl uneasy."

For most of our two weeks, we saw Raevyn, and only rarely did Blaisall move her aside. "I know you need her," she'd told us. "I don't want you to think I don't want to be with you, but Raevyn needs to be out so she can try to help you."

But at the end of two weeks, Raevyn had to admit defeat. "I'm only barely managing your pain as it it, Neera. Right now, I'm holding it at bay, but pushing back the pain of an Alpha rejection is like trying to hold back a tsunami with a cardboard wall. It's only temporary. It won't last. I can give you the sleeping herbal potion and show you what you need to make it, but I'm afraid that's the best I can do. I've used all of my strongest spells that should have helped, but the pain is getting around them, especially in the day time."

I tried to mask my dismay and pressed my hand to hers. "You tried your hardest. I appreciate everything you've done."

"I'm so sorry, child," she said sadly. "I thought I could help you more."

"Raevyn, honestly, I don't want you to feel bad. I've never seen anyone try harder to help a complete stranger. I can't even express how much I appreciate it."

She gave me a small smile and patted my hand. "If I didn't know better, I'd say there was some magie maléfique involved."

"What's that?" Echo asked.

"A magic that no longer exists," she said with a shudder. "And be thankful for that. It was pure evil."

"It's that much stronger than...any other magic?" I asked.