Contemplating

Contemplating and kin bonds
Neem Quasar
I swat away a few more jittery butterflies hoping Raphic doesn't notice as he guides me to the passenger side of his car. I look around me hoping to catch the duel eyes of Sosier in hopes that he is still near. Raphic places his hand on the small of my back i jump at the feel of his touch as he leans in closely to say " you look absolutely stunning tonight Neem, Ms. Quasar, may I call you Neem? I know we haven't had much of an interaction, but I'm hopeful for our future" I look up at him and see him staring at the slit in my dress as I begin to sit in the passenger seat. I roll my eyes and wait for him to look me in my face. He clears his throat and gives me a sheepish smile. I reply with a straight face, "Ms quasar is fine for now, you'd have to actually know me to be given the privilege of calling me by my name." His smile grows into a genuine one and he says " I look forward to getting to know you , I should have expected such an answer from mr. Quasar's daughter" he replies, then closes the door and walks around to the driver's side whistling a tune that makes music notes float into the air. I know the display of magic is for my benefit and i fidget in my seat as and look out the window again searching for the dual eyes of Sodo and Sosier, the very eyes that have been plaguing my every thought. When I don't see him I open my phone and text Vengar who has aways been a soothing and meditative presence when i feel at a loss or out of sorts with myself.
Neem: hey, I haven't seen or heard from you, I could really use your insight, hope you're ok." when I don't get a reply I sigh and place my phone back into my bag. " It's a little odd for witches who aren't involved in young Fiir's wine company to be invited to their pack festivities, I'm excited to see what it's like. " Raphic says as he closes the door and does a quick spell so that the car can drive us to thw location. I nod my head and smile at his remark and stare out the window as the car drives us towards the Fiir pack lands. I get lost in thought as to what awaits me at the Fiir pack house, feeling more out of sorts and lost as to who i am becoming. Raphic takes note of my somber experssion and i can see his brain working to try and figure out whats going on in my head. I can tell he thinks this is a tactic of mine, that i do this to all suitors in hopes they will be discouraged in pursuing me. Usually this is one of the many behaviors i would employ, today my brain is too filled with the recent revelations ive had in less than a month. who would have thought that my life would take this turn, and everything is changing so quickly. A few weeks ago i was told i have ties to both the staghorn and the Fiir pack, me thinking they were just distant relations, now, i know better, i bite my bottom lip in nervousness as i think about what i will say to Balsa, or my uncle whom ive met briefly. i havent had much family around me, and thinking back to the boultrous group i met, i think of where my place will be, and if they feel the same pull of kinship that Balsa's father claims.

" We are here Neem." Raphic says as he gently brushes a tear away from my cheek. looking at me in concern. i jerk my body away from him and wipe my face. i had been so engrossed in my mental jargun i didnt realize we had approached. i look out to the lands around me and take in all the layers of earth filled with grape tree vines. there are also tall trees larger than all the structures around us, bigger than any ive ever seen, and thats saying a lot since there are tall trees in vampire lane sheilding out the sun for the vampire population. I feel Amara move within me, feeling the strength of our pack , feeling our lineage in every essence of this land. " i know you arent too comfortable around other beings, and being around wolves can be scary for a woman of your power, but i promis you, i will protect you, and i wont leave your side. " Raphic says in a low husky voice, i feel his breath on my neck and turn my head to say something about his proximity when my door opens and my heart drops, praying it isnt Sosier who has witnessed what could be mistaken as an intimate exchange. my breath cuts short as i lock eyes with my cousin Balsa, whose eyes are storming with his wolf Balt. i swallow hard and go to say something , only to notice him staring at Raphic and holding a hand out to me. i shakily take his hand and he gently pulls me out of the car. he looks at me briefly and his eyes shift quickly. warmth and happiness shines through when he looks at me and when he speaks my heart suffuses with love and admiration that ive only ever felt with the woman who used to care for me as a young child. " Raphic, how wonderful it is to have you as a guest tonight. " he says in a deep gruff vooice, sounding anything but welcoming, if anything he sounds bored and irritated. He places my hand on his arm and pats it gently. Raphic quickly gets out the car and comes around to try to reclaim me , however Balsa doesnt give him the chance to and places himself between us. Sosier and Sodo have been whinning in my ear since they got here. hes been wathcing for your arrival. i chose to come retrieve you before he did something irriparable. as entertaining as it is to see him in this state, i do not like Raphic Ounder, he doesnt smell right to us. if i could have ejected him from the invitations i would have, however i havent been given the role of your official gardian yet. I look to Balsa in confusion and he shrugs his shoulders and gives me a playful smile. i tentively reach out to him through our kin bond. Yea, i dont want him here anymore than you guys do, i wish i knew why my father was so insistant that he be considered as a possible mate bond for me. as for sosier, I hope he keeps his distance tonight, i dont think he will be able to control Sodo if he gets near me tonight, im especially nerous about the pack run later, ive only shifted with Chammomile in the safety of my homes, and im curious how did your family take the news? im still trying to wrap my head around it. he gives me a playful Toothy grin but doesnt respond. instead he turns to Raphic and says " please help yourself to food and refreshments mr Ounder, Neem has an obligation to the Alpha that will require much of her attention this evening. im sure there are many here you know and can entertain yourself with." He doesnt give Raphic the oppertunity to speak as he pulls me into the house , past the ballroom and into a large study that is in a state of astounding disarray.