14 - Unexpected news

As we were waiting for my pack to arrive, the villagers kept reporting several strange things happening in our area; withering plants, headaches, and nausea.

My fingertips caressed the leaves as I searched for the berries I needed to treat those affected, but all I could find was empty stalks. One of the animals living here had already eaten the ones I was searching for.

I needed to finish up quickly. The forest was not a safe place. I had spotted dead birds in the surrounding area, too many to have died of natural causes and the memories of Bjarke's magic made my stomach churn.

I felt stronger now, though. Some rest had done me good. But my lover had still insisted I shouldn't go alone. I kept arguing, who could protect me? And I wasn't alone. Tyr's amulett pulsated around my neck, the feeling of having a part of him with me calmed me, and I hoped it would calm him as well.

I leaned down and studied the roots underneath my feet. They could be used in a similar way even though they were not as effective as the berries but, since I was in a hurry,  I decided it was better than nothing. I squatted down and used a branch to dig them up. I was reaching for my knife to cut a piece of the exposed root when I suddenly felt like someone was watching me. The notion made my palms sweat and the world around me started to spin. What if it was him? What if it was Bjarke? I wasn't strong enough to meet him again. Not alone, not now.

My body was shaking and I bit my lip to focus on something else. But when the pain didn't help, I sent a quick prayer to my ancestors and continued to work as if nothing had happened, waiting for the stranger to make their first move.

"Should you really be out here alone, Maður?" A baritone voice rumbled towards me and made my body freeze.

He was here—my pack had arrived! I turned to meet Vidar's smiling face. "I am not alone. You're here," I whispered and couldn't believe what I was seeing. It had been over a year since I last saw him and suddenly I felt a great need to run towards him and throw myself in his arms. But I didn't. I just stood there and let my eyes wander over his body, taking in every inch of it.

The wolf's colours were just as dark as mine, but his hair was long, falling freely down to his waist. Vidar was tall, taller than Tyr and most men in the village, broad shouldered and strong like all wolves. Except me, I thought and snickered. My strength was not in my body, but in my head.

He kept standing there, watching me with a smile on his lips, as I let my eyes wander over his body—until my amber orbs met his sapphire ones. "I've missed you," I whispered and took a step forward, leaving my tools and the herbs on the ground.

He reached out his arms towards me and I took the opportunity to do what I had longed for. I threw my arms around his neck and held him close, relaxing in his strong aura that enveloped me.

"I've missed you too," he mumbled and kissed my temple, pressing me hard against his chest. "It's been too long, Freke."

"I know," I whispered and felt a wave of guilt wash over me. "But you are here now."

"Yes," he said with a hint of a sigh in his voice as he pulled away from me and studied my face. "And why exactly are we here?"

"It's a long story. I'm sure you can wait to hear it from Tyr while he tells the others."

He let me go and pulled his fingers along his scalp and through his long hair and peered up at the trees, an exasperated sigh leaving his lips. He was still struggling with jealousy towards Tyr. I saw it in his eyes. "What if I want to hear it from you?"

I nodded once and went to pick up my things from the ground. "I'll tell you on our way home, then." I could feel his intense eyes on me and as soon as I had my things I looked up at him with a questioning expression. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"Something is different about you," he stated, and he didn't look happy about it.

"It's been a year," I said with a shrug, "everyone changes in twelve-months time.

"Yes," he said, but I knew he wouldn't accept my answer. As I had suspected, he walked up to me and instantly moved the fur coat I wore to expose the pendant. I watched him as he examined it closely, a thoughtful wrinkle formed between his dark eyebrows. "Is the threat really that strong?"

"It is," I whispered and bit my lower lip. "I almost lost myself, and the amulet keeps me grounded."

"Tyr was always your anchor," he muttered, "that is why the spirits guided your mother to bring you to him." He let go of the silver rune hanging around my neck and grabbed my jaw with his big hand and forced me to look into his eyes. "But he was always more than just a tool for you, does this mean that he is your friðr now?"

My eyes softened as I realised how much this hurt him. Vidar was next in line to be the alpha of our pack. He was the chosen one and here I was, making big decisions without him.

"I know I'm not the maður you wanted, Vidar," I told him gently as I moved my fingertips along his jawline, "but the Spirit-Wolf guided me here. This is the path our ancestors chose for me."

He nodded and reached for my hand and urged me to start walking towards the village, "I know, Freke. I just never imagined that your friendship with the human would evolve to something this strong. I am jealous, and I am scared for your future, I don't want you to die because of him," he admitted.

"I know you don't believe in the human gods, but the Nourn's weaved our fate together a long time ago. There's not much we can do about it now."

He chuckled at that, and instantly I realised how much I had missed that laugh and I squeezed his hand a little tighter.

"You're somewhat right, my love, I accept their existence but I would never care to pray to them or acknowledge their powers. I feel like they're quite selfish gods."

"I've missed you," I told him again and gazed up at him with a smile on my lips. Lips that were soon engulfed by him in a long and heated kiss.

I could feel his magic asking for consent, and I instantly let it flow through me, just as mine started to flow through him.

It didn't take long before I felt stronger than I had in months. He was no healer, but the energies he carried boosted my own abilities. That is why we had been chosen for one another.

"Come," I mumbled as our lips parted, "let's go and meet the others. I'm sure mother is waiting for us."

I could see his chiselled face suddenly turn pale, "You haven't heard?" he whispered and pulled me close to his chest once again.

I could feel how all the lifeforce left within me and I would have fallen to the ground if I were not held upright by his protective arms.  "Heard what?" I whispered against his neck, even though I knew the answer.

"Your mother died two months ago."