Chapter 33: What Am I

Carter I knew that I was being irrational right now, but I really couldn't care less. I knew that it was because of the fresh mark on my shoulder but I wasn't thinking about that all I could think about was how poorly I had been treating the other sides of my mate. They loved me and needed me just as much as Elinn did but I had been ignoring them. It was strange knowing that my mate was holding me in her arms. Usually, it was the other way around and I found myself holding Elinn tightly against me. The comfort that I found from being in her arms comforted my exhausted and stressed body and mind. I felt okay for the first time in weeks as if everything might actually turn out alright. "It's okay now Carter, we will take care of you." The voice wasn't quite Elinn's but it was one that I was coming to know more intimately. It was apparent that Demetre cared greatly for Elinn's well being as well there wolf Ari. I hadn't seen her in a while and hoped Demetre was taking just as good care of Ari as she was Elinn. "Carter, bro are you okay? This isn't like you at all." Nathan's words reminded me of exactly where I was right now and what I was doing. Before I could really do anything else a small body ran into me and grabbed me by the neck. "Uncle Carter! Demi made you all better! Did you see she has wings, she's an angel." My niece Vanda was clinging to me staring up at me with a toothy grin. I was only now noticing that Demetre was in fact in her true form. It was taller than Elinn with tails and a slight halo surrounding her head. I wasn't all the way sure what this other form was or why she was a part of Elinn but I did know that she was fiercely loyal to her human and wolf. Twisting around her slightly I examined this form. Demetre's muscles were toned and sleek obviously meant to help her with fighting. Her hair was darker and shorter, cut so that it wouldn't get in the way while engaged in combat. The halo above her head glowed a dull red, so pale I could almost convince myself it wasn't there at all. Then there were her wings. Demetre's wings were one of the most beautiful things that I had ever see. They were powerfully muscled showing the obvious strength that was inside them. The bones that made up the wings were thin making it easier for them to fly. Veins and tendons stretched taught throughout the black wings flecked with gold. The skin was so thin it was almost see-through and I didn't realize I had reached out to touch them until my hand was on her skin. She whipped around grabbing my hand before any more than my fingertips had touched her wings. She was breathing hard and looked as if she was about to attack me before her eyes softened and she let go of my hand. I went to say something but she cut me off before I could get a word out. "In my culture, it is rude to try to touch someone's wings without their permission. They are the most sensitive areas of our bodies and only those closest to us get to feel them. Touching them is equal to me grabbing your crotch only it would be five times worse for me. The nerve endings on my wings are highly sensitive, especially when it comes to out mate touching them." Demetre explained quietly glancing at Vanda trying to ensure she couldn't hear what we were saying. "I'm sorry, I had no idea that they were like that. I meant no disrespect I hope that you know that." I tried to explain but she brushed it off. "There was no way for you to know that it's okay in time I will teach you about my people's customs so that you may better understand." I sighed in relief knowing that my mate wasn't mad at me. "If you screw this up for us Carter, I am going to kill you!" Luca exclaimed inside my head eyeing our mate greedily. "Uncle Carter, Uncle Carter how do you know Demi?" Vanda asked confusion evident on her face. I turned so that I was sitting cross-legged in front of her and pulled her into my lap. She squealed happily before settling on my legs. "Well, I met Demetre a few months ago. You know how your Mommy, Daddy, and I all have wolves that live inside us to help us protect you right?" She nodded proudly, probably because she knew understood the concept of Werewolves better than most of the other kids her age in the pack. "Demetre is kinda like our wolves in a way, she lives inside my mate Elinn to help protect her and the pack. Demetre shares the space with Elinn's wolf Ari as well, they both help to keep us all safe isn't that pretty awesome?" I wondered how Vanda would react to this new information as well as Nate and Jenn. I glanced up at them and only found that they were studying Demetre with equal measures of curiosity and caution. After all, she didn't exactly look like the most friendly thing on the planet. "If she has a wolf and Demetre isn't a wolf than what is she? You never told me that anything else could live inside of us!" Vanda said accusation lacing her words. "In their defense Miss Vanda they didn't know that I existed until a little while ago. They don't even know what I am yet so they couldn't have told you about me because they know nothing about me." My mate told her while she rolled her head cracking a few of the vertebrae along the way. "So Mommy and Daddy don't know what you are? But they know everything, they tell me that all the time!" Vanda exclaimed crawling away from me and towards the creature sitting opposite us. "Well, they did know everything at least until I showed up. I get the feeling they are going to be learning a lot of things they didn't know in the next few weeks." Demetre chuckled finding this whole thing rather amusing. "Are you a mermaid? Or maybe you're a vampire or a fairy!" The little girl was giddy with the idea of figuring out what exactly my mate was. "How about we make a deal I tell you what I am but you can't tell anyone else. Can you do that for me Little Miss Vanda, could you keep a secret from your parents and Carter?" I studied Demetre trying to figure out if she was serious or not. As I did I realized that she meant it she would tell my niece what she truly was if she promised not to tell any of us. "Yes! I can do it! I keep secrets all the time I am really good at it." It was true, the girl had a gift for only telling you what she wanted you to know. She had never told me or Nathan anything that she had promised to keep secret even if it was dumb little things. Demetre pulled her gently into her lap tucking some of her hair behind her ear. Without any warning, her wings shot out and wrapped around the two allowing them some privacy. Nathan jerked towards them as if ready to tear his daughter away but Jennifer held him back giving him a meaningful look. Apparently, Jenn trusted Demetre and felt that her little girl would be safe with the creature none of us could identify. We all strained to hear what they were saying but I couldn't hear a thing, not even the sound of their breathing. It had to be one of the other uses of the wings, they keep sound in not letting anyone eavesdrop. After about five minutes the wings drew back showing us a giggling little girl and a smiling demon who had the girl floating in the air with nothing underneath her. We all stared at her in wonder as the little girl twisted and turned in midair as if by magic. Finally, they both turned to us and smiled. "I like Aunty Demi I vote we keep her!" Vanda cried out and I couldn't help but smile. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all