Chapter 64- Strange Encounter

^^This is what I wrote this chapter to. I think it goes quite well with this chapter^^

"It is often said that life is strange. But compared to what?"

~Steve Forbert

Chapter 64

Strange Encounter

Alastair's POV

The darkened shadow of a passing cloud moved past my face as I peered down at the empty sheets beside me. My fingers brushed lightly against the cold silk as images of River circulated my mind. The expression of true excitement he'd get in the morning time when he'd wake to a cup of Chai on his bedstand. No matter what time of the day, River, without a doubt was in the mood for Chai. And he had such an obsession with roses. He could never seem to pull himself from the garden. Whenever I'd return from a meeting I wouldn't even bother stopping by our bedroom, I'd just head straight for the garden. There I'd always find him within the roses and dandelions, blending in like the true flower he was.

He was not for early rising but I didn't mind. Rather, I enjoyed awakening to him still deep asleep. To awake to his face pressed against my bare chest, breathing softly against my skin. His lashes would always briefly flutter when I'd lift myself from the bed to dress but to no avail, he'd never awaken. I'd leave the room to my love still sleeping and return to him basking in a garden of roses. It was a habit, routine. That is until it was compromised.

My eyes locked on a form I had grown far too familiar with. My heart clenched tightly, my breath lodging in my throat as the images faded away and reality filtered back in. His body was River's. Yet he still managed to wear his skin so differently. From his facial expressions to how he held himself, it was quite obvious to those close to River that it was not him. While River always had a gentle smile on his face, Luna was far more sullen, eyes always widened to that of a frightened child. Though perhaps not entirely his fault. His shoulders always dropped forward and legs spread apart as if waiting for when he'd have to sprint or fight. Always on edge like a feral dog.

River had an air of serenity to him. Perhaps it was the way he spoke. How he was always soft and careful with his choice of words. Or perhaps it was his appearance, his light blond hair and blue eyes that painted the picture of the purest angel. He was both innocent and pure. A perfect depiction of beauty at its finest.

This new form, Luna. Wore River's eyes, his hair, his body yet he was not River. His eyes were clouded, unclear as if he was always somewhere else. His voice wasn't as gentle as River's. Instead of River's soft voice, Luna's was far more ancient. His voice was almost musical even as if he sung his words as he spoke. His vowels were more pronounced, voice louder and more melodically ancient.

The small bundle of blond locks shook, arms moving to wrap tighter around his form. My chest grew tight and before I could stop myself my body lifted itself from my bed and approached the shaking blond. To the sound of my steps, his eyes blinked open, lashes sweeping slightly below his eyes. I stopped in front of him and bent down to my knees. Bright blue eyes rose to my face as his teeth chattered and arms wrapped tighter around himself.

My eyes wandered down his frail, shivering form. Skin began to peel across his hands and arms and clear lines of nail markings ran across the planes of his legs. A rough growl vibrated through my mind, shaking my very core as I gripped at my head. I chose to ignore it, knowing very well what it was. Instead, I reached forward, wrapping my arms around Luna's shaking form and lifting him into my arms.

He tensed in my arms, nails digging into my chest as his eyes locked and widened on mine. I carried him to my bed and gently placed him on the bed, lifting the layers of blankets and furs to wrap around his shivering form. Throughout the ordeal he remained silently, never once taking his eyes off me. He merely watched me.

Once done, I climbed into the bed beside him and lifted the blankets to slip beneath. His body tensed and legs moved to create a distance between us, nearly tipping off the bed as he crawled as far as the bed would allow him. Finally situating him on the edge of the bed and cradling into himself, facing his back to me.

A puffed breath escaped my mouth as I watched him.

"There is no need to fear me, Luna."

He was silent, his only response being a slow intake of breath.

My fingers tightened and loosened against the sheets as I fought for words. Finally, once unsure what to say, I reached my hand over, placing it in on his shoulder. A shocked breath escaped his mouth and his body flinched, nearly plunging off the bed if not for my quick hand that swiftly wrapped itself around his waist before he could fall.

"Careful," I breathed out.

His hands wrapped around mine as a shaky breath escaped his mouth. His head turned, peering up at me with a widened gaze. No words were uttered yet much was exchanged through our eyes. His fear, my relief.

His fingers lightly tugged my fingers from around him and resumed to his former position. My fingers combed through my hair as I sighed.

"I am sorry."

His body turned to face me.

"For what?" His words melodically flowed through the air as he spoke.

"For treating you as I did. I realize now that it wasn't quite...fair. I suppose," my fingers combed through the back of my hair.

"You suppose?" his brows knitted together.

"No. Not suppose. That's not the correct word," my fingers dug into my scalp. "I know. I know what I did was unfair. I wrongfully judged you. From past knowledge, I believed as true."

He nestled his head against his hands as he peered up at me, "and now?"

"Now," I took a breath, "I'm not quite sure what to think in all honestly." His eyes watched me, ungrudgingly, merely listening as I explained my teachings to him.

His brows furrowed, "you took me for a monster?"

"I did, yes. But I see that I was incorrect. You may not be human but a monster, you are not."

He nodded slowly. His head dipped, peering down at the sheets for a few moments before lifting to gaze back up at me, "how do you see me...then?"

My brows pulled as my eyes wandered across the room. I gave myself a few minutes to think before responding. Just as I had my thoughts collected I spoke.

"I view you as a being, an entity that resided within River for some time but now you've taken from outside his body, appearing before me as you are now." My eyes wandered from across the room back to Luna. My breath hitched in my throat as tears began to fall down the planes of his face, landing against the sheets in a silent beat.

"That's it?" He choked.

My brows pulled.

Why is he crying?

"What else is there?" I asked.

Luna's POV

His words were cruel. Too cruel. And he wasn't even aware of it. His brows pinched, words flew out quizzically, stabbing at my heart with each vowel, mercilessly.

My words shouted mutedly. Demanding for more, to matter more. But there was no way to force it upon him. He would think of me as he would and there was nothing I could do. He viewed me as River's wolf and that was that. He would never view me as anything more.

And it was that reality that I had to come to terms with.

I was not his mate, not in his eyes. It was true that I was a mate to his wolf but his wolf is he and he is his wolf. There is no exclusion. Not in my eyes, there wasn't. Perhaps it was my connection to his wolf that caused me to grow so quickly emotionally attached to him. For that, I wouldn't know. However, what I did know was that I was increasingly growing more attached to him. To a human. And he did not feel the same.

"And if he did?" River's voice startled me.

I took a breath, hand pressing against my chest as I slowly relaxed my anxious nerves.

I don't know. Would you be upset?

River grew silent.

"I don't know," he repeated my words.

I took a breath.

What did I expect? What did I expect from a relationship with him? A human mating with a wolf. Was that even possible?

"If it were in my form..." River trailed off.

I shook my head.

Then it wouldn't be me.

My eyes fell to the sheets as my mind wandered. Alastair let out an exasperated sigh, taking back to the blankets and falling back asleep. Soon my eyes began to droop, mind wandering to insignificant images. And not before long, all I saw was black.

The bed creaked. My eyes fluttered open and my eyes immediately fell on Alastair's form beside the bed, in just a pair of pants as his hands skimmed through the clothing in his armoire. The cords in his back pulled and tugged along with his movements, his muscles more prominent against the morning light streaming in through the open window.

Did he always open the window in the morning time? Is that why it's always so cold?

He reached in, tugging out a shirt and lifting it over his head. He turned around, facing me and nearly jumping out of his skin as his eyes laid on mine.

"You're up," he gasped out.

I turned to my side, leaning my chin against my palm.

"You sound very surprised," I observed.

"If so, that's because I am," he let out a short laugh. "I'm not used to being awake at the same time as-" he cleared his throat, cutting himself short and turning back to his armoire to busy himself.

My brows pinched and I sat up on the bed, placing a pillow in my lap.

He buttoned the last button on his shirt and he peered past the bed to the clock.

"Where are you going?" I asked as he eyed the hands on the clock.

"To a meeting," he briefly responded as he reached for his coat.

"Again?" Didn't he to one yesterday as well?

"Correct," he cleared his throat and pulled the coat over his shoulders, "I go to one nearly every morning."

"Alone?"

He stopped in his tracks.

His fingers reached up to comb through his hair, a habit I've grown quite aware of. He did it quite a lot when situations troubled him.

Was I troubling him?

My head tilted to the side.

"Not always," Alastair sighed, "it all depends on River's mood. He doesn't like to go to morning meetings but he'll occasionally go to evening ones with me. He quite enjoys voicing his opinions on matters of the country."

"That I do," River agreed, "why if I don't. Who will? The councilmen are nothing but greedy pigs. They care nothing for our country."

Nothing at all? And that's who Alastair is going to all alone?

Somehow that didn't sit very well with me.

"Can I go with you?"

"You want to come to a council meeting?" He spoke uncertainly as if he may have misheard my words.

I nodded.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair again.

He's troubled.

"Not that I necessarily have anything against it," he began, "however, if anyone were to speak to you...Isaiah especially, he'd be able to immediately pick up that you're not River."

"Oh."

I hugged the pillow to my chest and bit my bottom lip.

"Well," Alastair cleared his throat as he reached for the doorknob, "I should be back in a few hours."

"Wait," I rushed out as he turned the knob. He peered quizzically at me. "Michael isn't going to be watching me?"

"No, I trust you to be alone," Alastair gave a small smile.

My heart jumped in my chest. My head quickly dropped, hair falling forward to block his view of my heating face. The door closed with a resounding thump. By the time I lifted my head, the door was closed and Alastair was gone. I fell back against the sheets with an exasperated sigh.

Goddess.

I rolled to my side, still tightly hugging the pillow to my chest as I peered at the wall, deep in thought. He didn't seem to hate me anymore. I couldn't say he actually liked me but it definitely wasn't fury-based anymore. With that last thought, exhaustion blackened my vision.

I awoke again to a light set of knocks. My body shot up from the bed, peering at the door quizzically.

"Michael?" I called, hopefully.

"It's your servant Hannah, Your Majesty," a feminine voice muffled from behind the door.

"Hannah," River repeated.

I wasn't sure was to do. My mind raced, debating on possible actions as my fingers dug into the sheets.

"I've brought breakfast, Your Majesty," the woman's voice muffled once again.

To that, my stomach growled. My hand reached down to cup my stomach. Well, I was certainly hungry. My eyes raked the door before an exasperated breath pulled from my throat.

"Come in," I called.

The door creaked open and a blond maidservant swept into the room. A bright smile lit her face as she walked towards the bed, silver tray in hand.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," she smiled as she placed the tray on the nightstand beside me and lifted the covering. The sweet scent of chai and baked goods wafted past my nose and to my stomach which grumbled with excitement.

My hand immediately lifted, grabbing the nearest pastry on the tray and stuffing it into my mouth. A blissful groan rumbled from my mouth as I swallowed down the sugary good. As I reached for another, a resounding gasp resounded, stopping me in my tracks. I peered up, eyes locking with what seemed to be a horrified maid. Her hand cupped her mouth, eyes widening as my fingers bent around a pastry on the tray.

My eyes immediately followed her gaze to my hand, fearful that my claws may have come out yet there was nothing that seemed out of place. My hands were normal, human even.

"Your Majesty," she gasped.

My brows pinched.

"Luna, manners," River chided.

My head tilted, more confused than previously.

Manners? I peered down. I believed I was sitting quite mannerly. I even took to wrapping myself in a blanket.

"Royals don't eat with their hands," River said, "just act embarrassed. Say you were tired and didn't realize your manners."

I nodded, to which Hannah's brow rose.

"My apologies. I was tired and didn't realize my manners," I stated.

To this, Hannah's eyes widened.

"That's quite alright," she said slowly, brows knitting together.

She handed me a plate and fork and I took to eating the rest of the pastries with a strange metal stick.

Humans are quite strange. They're born with hands yet barely use them for their purpose. Very strange.

When I was done, I placed the plate and fork onto the nightstand and rubbed my stomach.

"Thank you, Hannah," I smiled.

She nodded, yet her face was pulled tight.

"Your Majesty?"

I nodded.

"No chai this morning?" She asked slowly, eyeing me.

"No?" My brows creased.

Chai?

She nodded and lifted the tray.

"Have a good morning, Your Majesty," she sent me a tight smile before opening the door and leaving.

I sat there quietly for a few moments before falling back onto the bed.

River had grown strangely quiet since the maid had left and I was increasingly growing more confused by the minute.

Did I do something wrong?