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Since Lupa disapproved of how pale her look had become, she gave her the instruction to never use that skill again in a way that was clear and concise and did not leave any room for interpretation. Even his wolf was displeased with the predicament that had been created for them. "Stop behaving like such an idiot all the time. At this point in time, making use of it is something that comes really naturally to me. If I did not have access to this talent, my performance as a healer would be much worse. The physician said that you "had the appearance of a lifeless corpse" in your examination.

"No worries on my end. I guarantee that after twenty minutes of sleep on that hideous sofa, I will feel as bouncy as ever." Lupa wouldn't have needed the nap in the first place if she hadn't had so many scratches and wounds. "A little snooze and I'll be ready to leave in no time!" After five minutes, Lupa glanced over and laughed at the sight of her curled up in the fetal position on the oversized sofa. Although she did seem to be somewhat smaller than average, she gave no indication that she was sickly or feeble. She just didn't have the right amount of gentleness for the part. Leto just called, and Tala informed him about it. They have already left. Lupa nodded, then watched in shock as the other of his pack members came up and surrounded her. On her right were Lydia, Onai, and Cam, while on her left were Ziva, Grace, and Rhett. Following that, Trick, Saga, and Tala sat cross-legged on the ground with the backs of their heads resting on Tala's knees. It was a gesture of love, care, and protection for her as she slept, showing that they understood and accepted her. Even in her little time with us, she had already earned the esteem of everyone here. An odd and disturbing aching in his chest crept up on him. I think it's time I freshened up a little. After a little break, I'll be right back." They acknowledged each other, but their gaze remained fixated on the suddenly absent Louve. The fact that he and his wolf could stay with her while Lupa removed the stains of blood and the lingering scent of the dead wolf gave them both a sense of peace. The wolf's death removed a potential threat to his mate and their capacity to reproduce. Lupa was thinking about how helpless he felt as a spectator as Louve tentatively tried to get his wolf's attention while he was in the shower. Lupa was only a bystander throughout this event. All at once, the anger, frustration, and anxiety bubbled to the surface. Something more had been included into that emotional stew. Fear. True dread had been experienced by Lupa. It wasn't that he'd never experienced anything like that before; just the reverse was true. He had done so naturally. His lack of a developed moral compass and explosive temper did not make him invulnerable. The fact that he had worried so much about Louve, that he thought she would be seriously harmed, and that he thought she would be taken from him in an instant - and by his own hands - was what hurt the most right now. That may have been his wolf's fear, but he had no way of knowing. His wolf was going through his own crap at the same time. False, it was all Lupa's idea and execution. Unavoidably, it resulted from the irrational possessiveness and overzealous protectiveness that always preceded sexual activity. Instincts that had been dormant for eons suddenly erupted and took over. Lupa knew that the mating was just temporary, yet his need to protect his partner would always win out. Obviously. Just as his desire to dominate and control his partner had triumphed over his true apathy about marking and submitting to him, so too had his desire to mark and subjugate his mate. You nailed it; it was the one and only description that fit. Obviously. His mood did not improve because of that since something else was bothering him. It came as a surprise when Louve was able to settle his wolf down. Feral wolf shifters acted like crazy animals when they were in their wild form. They attacked irrationally, with no regard for human life, having lost all capacity for empathy and logic. His wolf could make out her scent in the mist and hear her voice. Lupa had witnessed firsthand the instantaneous shift in her mate's wolf's attitude toward her, from one of wanting to kill her to one of wanting to protect her. His wolf was hesitant to leave the body because he still wasn't mentally capable of processing the fact that the sandy wolf was no longer a threat to Louve now that he was dead. This was the only factor keeping his wolf near the body. If he's already this bonded to Louve, what would his wolf be like in three months? What time would she leave, if ever, and what would happen if she did? Lupa's wolf barked his disagreement, even though they hadn't imprinted each other, confirming Lupa's suspicion that his future separation from her may be more difficult and unpleasant than he had imagined. Imprinted mates may experience less intimacy than biological partners over time. It was difficult for an imprinted couple to simply part ways when one of them was unhappy because of the metaphysical bond they shared. There was not just physical pain associated with this separation, but also mental anguish. This meant that most wolves would experience chronic headaches, a pervasive sense of emptiness, and cyclical bouts of depression for at least a few years, and probably much longer. Some of the wolves even became completely humanized, to the point where they couldn't function without their mate. Any wolf that is separated from its mate runs the risk of going rogue, which means it retains its wolf form and becomes completely wild, attacking anyone it comes into contact with (just like his mother did). His father's decision to expel him from the pack caused his mother, a normally submissive wolf, to rebel against his authority for the first time in her life. After he refused to reconsider his exile, she joined Lupa and the others there. Lupa and the others had faith in her ability to handle the separation because she had formed her bond with his father through imprinting rather than being true mates. However, the separation had been too difficult for her, probably because she had been a submissive wolf. She turned corrupt after a year, and it was up to Lupa to put an end to her bad behavior. There was no way he could ever be prepared for something like that to happen again. But it was obvious that his wolf was already beginning to develop feelings of attachment to her. As long as he and Louve did not imprint on each other, there was no danger of either of them experiencing any of those repercussions when they parted ways. And Lupa was frightened to death by it. He was concerned about Louve, but instead of going to see her right away, he stayed in his office.