~Ch.17~ On a journey
Olivia and Sterling are getting ready to leave. They are making sure that they have everything that they need. Tabitha cautiously makes her way to them.
Sterling motions for her to go to her grandmother. She kisses his cheek and makes her way to the old woman. With tears filled in her eyes, Tabetha pulled Olivia in for a hug.
Whispering, “I know I don’t deserve it…” She pulls away and Olivia’s heart melts at the sight of her as she continues, “but I’d love the chance to get to know you…”
Olivia wipes away the tears from her grandma's cheeks. With a big smile, she reassures her, “I’d love that!”
Sterling comes up beside them. Pulling them into a group hug, “We’d both love that!”
Now Olivia has tears in her eyes, “Yes, we’d love that!”
Tabitha clears her throat and pulls away from the hug. She digs around inside her pocket. She seems to be looking for something. Sterling and Olivia glance at each other and then back at Tabitha.
“Oh, here it is!” She announces as she pulls a necklace from out of her pocket.
She holds it up for Olivia to look at. “It will glow when danger is near!” She nods and holds it up silently, asking for permission to put it around her neck.
Olivia turns around and bends down so that the tiny woman can reach and put it around her neck. “It's the least I can do.”
She turns to Sterling, “You are nothing like your grandfather. You’re not my grandchild, but I am very proud of you.”
She grabs his wrist and plays bracelet around it. “This Will keep any witch from casting harmful spells on you!”
His eyes meet hers, “I’m your grandchild now if you accept me?”
The old woman pulls him into a hug, “I hope it will protect you the same way that you protect her.”
Sterling pulls Olivia in, forming another side hug. He sees Drew out of the side of his eye and emotions for him to join. Drew wraps his arm around his grandmother and Olivia.
Olivia embraces him, “I’ve never had a family before..” she admits just above a whisper, “Now I have a grandmother, a cousin, and a mate!”
“I’m so lucky!” She cries out.
After a few moments, she shakes it off, “We must get going!”
Sterling looks at the sun and gasps, “Oh yes, if we have any chance of getting there before morning, we must get going!”
“Why before morning?” Drew asks.
Sterling nudes to Olivia, who is hugging her grandmother. His eyes meet Drew’s, “I would rather be safe than sorry. If for whatever reason, the rules have changed and it doesn’t work, I want to make sure that we have time to consider our other options.”
Drew knows what is at stake so he nods in agreement, “It’s best to make sure that she is safe before you make assumptions?”
Sterling nods, “Exactly!”
“When it comes to love you, you can never be too safe!” He pats Drew on the back and it makes its way to Olivia.
“It’s time to go!” he encourages, trying to sound like it’s a good thing.
Olivia nods and they make their way towards the exit. Waving at everybody and saying their last goodbyes. Olivia’s heart drops is they leave. She knows that she must go, but it’s the same time. She’s not ready for it.
They remain silent as they walk through the woods. Howls in the distance Make Olivia jump. She turns to Sterling and then giggles as she remembers that he is a wolf so she is safe.
“What’s so funny?” he asks.
“I heard the howling and I got scared, but then I remembered that you’re an alpha!” She laughs, “I’m with one of the strongest wolves in the world so why am I scared at a Howl?”
He smirks at her, “Yeah but we’re not in my territory…”
The fear returns to her eyes. Her voice is shaky, “Does that matter?”
He shrugs, “I abandoned my kingdom as alpha king for a human…” He can see that his words are wearing her so he tries to make it sound better, “I may or may not have a target on my back. That doesn’t really matter because I’m still the strongest and smartest alpha around. It’s not the kingdom territory that makes an amazing alpha.”
His chest, “It’s what’s in here…” he points his finger to his temple, “And in here. That makes an amazing alpha.”
He smiles at her and it’s contagious and she smiles too, and he continues, “Being an alpha is more than just a tail. It’s what’s in your heart, your mind, and your soul. Your spirit will guide you and your inner wolf will lead you to victory.”
He brushes his finger against her soft cheek, “Last but most definitely not least is the Luna.”
He plays both of his hands into hers, “The Luna is the heart and soul of the pack. When the alpha is too busy being a guy, Luna brings him down to earth and reminds him what is important.”
Olivia starts to feel anxious, but excited at the same time as she can see that he is describing her and his own words.
He continues, “You are going to be my eyes and ears and areas that I can’t be. You’re going to make me understand things that I can’t understand. You’re going to be the one that tells me when I’m being too tough.”
Their foreheads are touching now, “You will be the one that reminds me of my human side when my animals is trying to take over.”
He points to her heart, “You will never be alone again because not only will you always have me, but you will have your wolf…”
She stops him out of curiosity, “What do you mean I will have my wolf?”
They continue to walk because he speaks, “Once we are made you will turn into Wolf. That means that you will get your inner wolf.”
See the worry in her eyes he tries to calm her, “It might seem scary at first, but it’s more like having a best friend.”
Olivia smiles at this, “How so?”
“Your wolf will be able to detect when there’s danger. She will be able to detect when you’re sad or upset. She will comfort you when no one else can when something is happening and you can’t tell nobody she will be there to help a guide you.” He explains.
Olivia jokes, “Kinds I would like a second personality?”
He laughs, “You know it feels like that sometimes. They start talking and then you start talking. Next thing you know they’re talking in your head and you’re talking out loud and you look like a crazy person!”
They both lash and he continues to explain to her what it’ll feel like. The more he talks, the less scared she gets. A sudden scream comes from inside the woods. They both stare at each other not sure what to do.