Jae woke a little before dawn, first light making shapes visible.  In the dream, she had been running and running and couldn’t get away from whatever was chasing her.  It was an old dream, as familiar to her now as her own skin.  It seemed like a hundred years ago.  To wake up here in this house after the dream made her feel like that child all over again.  Her father carried her here after the wolf bit her.  Simon doctored her bites and kept watch over her until the first full moon brought about her change.

Her family had hoped he could help her.  They had believed in him.  They were wrong.

She shook the last of the dream confusion out of her mind and opened her eyes.  Simon was asleep in the rocking chair near the fire.  He looked older in his sleep, face slack, mouth slightly open. A wisp of white hair had worked loose from the long braid and his skin was more translucent than she remembered.  Jae frowned, trying to remember how old he had been when she left.

She stretched and put her hand on Aedan’s chest.  His heartbeat was strong.  His eyes opened and he looked at her, whining softly.  She put her hand on his face and laid her head against him.

“Hungry?” she said quietly? “Just a minute.”

Jae went and got some of the pieces of meat and brought it to him, feeding him slowly, a piece at a time.  She got a pan of water and brought it to him.  He drank a little and closed his eyes.  “Sleep, Aedan.  Rest and get better,” She crooned.

Simon opened his eyes and turned his head toward them.  A look passed between them and she crawled up on the bed and gently curled up next to Aedan, careful not to jostle him.  The dream never came twice a night.  She would sleep now, giving her peace and warmth to her mate.


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