Little Red's Riding

Once a Luna

Dahlia breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped out into the fresh air after answering questions for an hour inside the small schoolhouse. The children had been incredibly curious, especially about the fact that she was half human and since the news was so new to Dahlia herself, she hadn't been exactly sure how to answer their questions. Oliver had been a little help, and whenever she looked even the tiniest bit uncomfortable he had been quick to step in and save her.

Class had run late because the questions had gone on for so long, questions about her life turning into questions about life as a human in the human village in general and when Oliver had finally told the children that he would bring their Luna back on another day, because their parents would be expecting them home soon, there had been groans of disappointment. Dahlia was quite certain they would have kept her there until long after dinner if they'd been given the chance.

"I was starting to wonder if we were all going to miss dinner." Dahlia breathed the words as soon as they were away from the group of children who had begun to disperse as they got away from the school house.

"Oh Olive, can we have dinner with them tonight? Please? It would be just like old times!" Lottie had walked outside with them and was heading in the same direction that they were, back towards the Main Street of town.

"Charlotte." He breathed her name and Dahlia saw that his jaw was clenched again, and that his hands were in fists at his sides. So, there was a history here of some sort. That much was definitely clear.

"You most definitely must come to dinner at our home tonight." Dahlia said quickly, linking her arm through Lottie's. "Although I have no idea what we're having. Silas said someone would bring something?"

"Oh, because you're in heat? I'd heard that. But I can't even smell it on you." Lottie breathed deeply and shook her head. "That's so odd. Usually you can tell from twenty feet away when a She-Wolf is in heat, or even nearly in heat."

"Must be my human half?"

"Or something." Oliver was sulking, and Dahlia wondered if it was Lottie's mere presence or the fact that she'd invited them to dinner. But there was something about Lottie that she instantly liked, which wasn't something she'd seen much of lately. And she was the only female wolf she'd come across so far who was really a likely possible friend. Not that she'd had many opportunities to make friends yet. Not when she'd hardly left Silas' bed.

But Oliver's question made her wonder. What did the magical suppressing drugs her mother had given her do? Maybe they were part of why her heat was so wonky and strange.

"You know you should come to dinner too, Oliver. I'm sure Silas would love to have you there so he's not outnumbered."

"Alpha could never feel outnumbered, even if he were facing an army. And thank you for the invitation, Luna, but I probably won't be able to make it with the current situation, because when Silas comes home to you I'll have to be on duty again."

Dahlia nodded, her eyes on Lottie whose smile faltered slightly at Oliver's response.

"Let's go see if dinner's already at your house. And I'm sure Celia keeps the cupboards full, because she's usually the one who cooks for your mate. If nothing else we can make dessert together and get to know each other a little bit better before Silas gets back from wherever he is." Lottie had linked her arm through Dahlia's and the two began walking side by side down the sidewalk with Oliver a few steps behind. Turning her head Dahlia was about to tell him she was certain that they could find their way on their own when she saw a flash of sadness in his eyes.

Frowning she turned forward, rethinking what she had been about to say. "Even if you don't make it to dinner tonight Olly, I'll make sure that we save you a bit of whatever dessert we make. I know you've been picking up all the slack since Silas has been spending all his time at home with me, and you at least should get to taste the dessert Lottie and I will be whipping up."