Chapter 52: In Heat
****
Rosaline sat on the chair with her hands folded to her chest and her gaze waspletely stationed on
the sac which was swelling as the time passed by. She asionally bit her lips and tapped her feet.
She was distracted by a deep voice “You seem nervous.”
Rosaline looked at a concerned Can and nodded “When the alpha knew about my ancestors I
thought he would reprimand me. He didn’t say anything!”
“The alpha is not unkind. He understands your predicament and would surelye up with a solution.”
He turned his back and picked up a random shirt to fill in his sac “So..” He turned again to look at the
“A few times. When my pack was plundered I turned to him for help. He was ready to give me shelter
only if I practiced witchery.”
“That seems unfair.”
Rosaline smiled “They live in a cult where no outsiders are allowed. It is a prerequisite that needs to be
adhered to if you want shelter.”
Can nodded in understanding and looked at Rosaline apologetically. How alone and afraid the poor
woman might’ve been when her pack was brutally attacked and she was left with no choice but to
wander from ce to ce for her survival. Can felt lucky that though the pack didn’t like him he had
a ce to live which could provide him protection.
“Will you be alright on your own?”
“I can manage myself. Moreover it is just a matter of a few days.”
“Why aren’t youing with us?”
“I wasn’t called.”
Can scowled “I didn’t get you.”
Rosaline stood from her ce and helped Can pack his things “Everyone seeks knowledge for their
own benefit but the seers chose who they disseminate that knowledge to. You have to write a letter
addressing them and burn it in fire. If the same letter returns to you in any which way than you are
lucky.”
Can looked puzzled at the information “How did the alpha receive the invitation?”
“The letters which were bombarded to the alpha after Einar’s attack on the pack had one of them
written by the seer.”
“This is strange.”
“It addressed the Knight family and surprisingly the Ashton family with each individual names.”
“This also means that you should be with us, after all.. ” Can pursed his lips “You are a knight as
well.” He spoke lowly with a withering smile.
“My name wasn’t on the list. Perhaps I seek no knowledge from them.”
“It goes the same for me as well. I don’t want to know anything.”
“This surprises me too. I can understand alpha Ragnar’s concern but what is your father worried
about?”
Can was curious too. He wasn’t sure why his parents were dragged to this expedition. Besides what
did they want to know and about whom? The previous encounter with a seer didn’t bear any fruit for
that was the time since the rumours about him started. His parents’ secretive nature was getting on his
nerves while his frustration was growing.
He sighed deeply as he knotted the opening of his sac “I wish I knew.”
****
Can watched his feet take steps across the patchy uneven surface. Though he bnced his stance
perfectly to move ahead he was vignt throughout. On asions he swiped his neck all around to
look if anyone was following him. He was walking in a hurry with no clear destination in his mind.
Soon he came across an open surface somewhere between the wide gap trees of the dense forest of
the mountains. He circled his fingers and the dried leaves covering the in ground danced in the wind
before eloping to the sky. Can again looked all around him and slowly retracted a crushed paper from
his pocket. He opened another pocket to retract an envelope and spread the fine dust over the in
ground only to form a human face. One particr face.
The figure thus formed slowly opened her eyes and smiled at Can “I was desperately waiting for any
message. Now I feel relieved.”
“I am happy to see you too Aurora.”
“How is it going on with you?”
Can sighed in a mock frustration and with uninterest he said “We have been travelling for the past
four days and are yet to reach the destination. I am not sure whether the alpha knows where we are
heading.”
Aurora looked concerned. “Thend of the seers is a hidden ce whose whereabouts are known to
no one. The map your father has will constantly change its position and show only the path which is
necessary to reach till the sunlight diminishes.” She took a pregnant pause before asking “How are you
coping up with Einar?”
“He has been distant throughout the whole journey. He only talks when he wants to know something.”
The distinct sound of the rustling of bushes caught Can’s attention and he moved his head in a jiffy.
He gestured the sand face to stay calm while he bravely marched ahead to the source of the sound. He
carefully looked all around but found nothing.
“What is it?” The grimes on Auroras concerned face were constantly rearranging themselves.
“I felt as if someone was watching me..” Can scowled and looked all over again. He was sure that he
heard a certain noise and that his mind was not ying tricks with him. However he rebuffed the
thought of an intrusion and believed that the wind or an animal must have waved the long thick bushes
“Anyways.. I wanted to talk to you about something important.”
“Are you alright?”
“Not exactly.” Can sighed deeply and wet his lips “Since the day I have started this journey my body
feels heated.”
“Heated as in?”
“I cant really exin but I am warm all of a sudden as if I am having a fever and then its nothing.”
“Its strange. Let me see what information I cane up with and during..”
Their talk was interrupted once again when Can heard another sounding from the tree leaves
above. It was strange but the handsome man was alert at once. He knew that this wasn’t his
imagination besides he was far away from his peers. He cleared his throat and almost whispered “I
think I am being watched. I need to leave.”
Aurora agreed with her friend “Take care of yourself.”
Can nodded once again as the sand figure closed her eyes and slowly dispersed, scattering its fine
grimes all over thend while the handsome man looked all around in suspicion and walked away as
fast as he could.
****
A bignd mass of thick wild grass, cold under the chilly winds of the mountainsy ahead as Can
walked out of the dense forest. This ce seemed strange to him. There was radiating heat on one
side while deadly chilly winds breezed a major portion of the mountain. However the nts of the
habitat were grooming themselves with the environment despite the harsh weather.
The handsome man walked further to the open ground. He saw twodies sitting besides a big log of
wood while two men were standing at a distance from them busy in their own conversation. However
their attention was diverted when luna Zelda all of a sudden spoke “Where have you been? We thought
you were lost.”
“Just wandering around, looking for any way out of here.” Can spoke uninterestingly. Frustration was
clear on his face. Justus and Ragnar soon appeared right besides him.
“Cally we have talked about this.”
“I don’t understand mother.” The handsome man raised his angry voice “Why have I been dragged to
this and who are we even meeting?”
Justus was upset by the way Can spoke to his mother “I know you are frustrated from the strenuous
journey Can but this is not the tone in which you talk to your mother.”
Can knew that his father was right on this matter. Besides it wasn’t the journey but the changes
within him which were making him temperamental. Whatever may be the reason Can knew that
pouring out his anger on his loved ones was wrong. He lowered his dejected eyes and apologised to
his mother “I am sorry.”
“Don’t be son.” Zelda put her loving hand on the back of the man and caressed him while Mary smiled
at him and nodded her head “We all are impatient and not knowing anything is not helping at all.” Zelda
looked at all the three men “Come, have something to eat.”
Can agreed and joined the other men. They all followed thedies and took their ces besides the
wooden log. Can was bemused for a second when he saw what was to consume for lunch. His face
twisted in revulsion but he kept his mum and sat besides the alpha. When Mary started serving the
meat she looked at her son apologetically. Being a human was certainly not easy. The wolves had a
strong system which could macerate the raw flesh within them easily but for Can he had to rely on a
heated cooking so that his body could adjust to the meat and assimte properly.
Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.
A nicely cooked meal looked impossible at this time for the chilly winds were making it difficult for the
wood to hold anyrge fire. Can thought about using his powers but felt uneasy about it. Moreover
the sudden congration could garner unnecessary attention and alpha Ragnar could get suspicious.
Can smiled at his mother and happily took the te. He looked at the oozing blood from the cuts of
the meat loaf. It seemed as if the bison was hunted right in his te. He picked up the part hesitatingly
and brought it near his mouth when he heard some approaching footsteps. Can saw his mate
running towards them with a sac in his hands.
Einar stood besides his mother and smiled at her worried face. Zelda asked with concern “Where were
you?”
“I.. uhm.. I-I went for a walk. I-I mean to hunt.” he stole nces at the handsome man and to his father
sitting right besides him “I couldn’t find anything so I brought these.”
The muscr man emptied the sac right in front of his mother. As soon as he inverted the bag some
fleshy products of varying colors rolled their way to the avable ces. Mary picked one of the fruits
and a relieved, happy smile formed on her face “Cally look! These are all your favourite fruits.”
“It was just a coincidence Mary. I picked up all the fruits which were avable on my way.”
A bright smile formed on Can’s face. He had surveyed the area before hand and so he knew that
these fruits were not avable here. Hence he concluded that Einar must have travelled a long way to
get them. However Can was happy to know that Einar knew what pleased his mate. He brought the
exact same fruits which were Can’s favourite. He looked at the standing man in amusement and said
with a low voice “Yes. What a coincidence!”
****
The minimal afternoon heat was slowly being reced by the strong chilly winds blowing haphazard.
Ragnar decided that their convoy should take a break as moving ahead could prove risky. Besides he
was worried for Can as his human form would not be able to withstand the harsh punishment of the
nature.
Ragnar ordered Justus and Mary to arrange for food while Zelda was in charge of creating light if at all
possible. Can on the other hand kept gawking at Einar who was busy handling therge fabrics.
Can watched as the muscr arms of Einar swiftly gripped therge iron rods and prated the
earth below. He affixed therge fabric firmly across the four rods.
He gave a quick look of bewilderment for he knew Can was watching him. Einar hurriedly made his
way to his father and gave a swift nod “I am done.”
“Are the sleeping arrangements ready.?
“Yes father.” He gestured his hands towards the three tents on one side and one lone shelter fitted
between the tworge trees stationed at some distance from the other shelters “I have set up tent for
the Ashtons as well.”
Can wasn’t afar and he could hear what the wolves were talking about. He was content for the work
done by Einar but he wasn’t happy with the arrangements. He was well aware of the fact that the lone
standing shelter was meant for him. Though seclusion was not what Einar wanted for his mate, it was
the idea of a strongly built tent surrounded by a cover so as to keep Can warmer and safer
On the other hand Can watched the three tents lying besides each other in close proximity . The
middle one being smaller than the one at the ends. It was obvious that the middle tent was for a single
person; Einar.
Can smiled devilishly when a mischievous idea stormed his mind. He curled the fingers of both of his
hands and rotated his right wrist while the left one was affixed aiming at the tent of his choice. The
once steady environment be tensed for strong winds blew out of nowhere. Einar and his father
looked at each other skeptically and even before they could discern the strange behaviour of nature,
the winds caught speed and thrashed the middle tent. The fixed knots could not face the brunt of the
strong breeze and the fabric left the iron rod.
Ragnar looked in horror “How is this possible! Your shelter is being blown by the strong winds son.”
Einar looked worried as well. He decided to save his little house and was about to make a dash when
his father held his hands firmly “You cannot win the forces of nature.”
“But I don’t have any more cloth left.” Just as he said those words the once built tent was swiped far
away to the sky by the strong winds. Einar and the alpha were amazed for the tent was built in such a
way that the cloth would be able to survive the rough beating of the winds but it failed in its purpose.
However the most astonishing fact was that the tents on both the sides were intact and stood the
ground firmly affixed.
Einar was diverted from his thoughts when he smelled a faint sweet aroma. His heart beat spiked when
he saw the handsome man standing right besides him with a happy face “You can share space with
me. My tent is big enough for the two of us and besides I am sleeping alone.”
“No!” Einar shouted. His flustered face confused the alpha while Can pursed his lips in an
unavoidable smirk “I-I mean no. I don’t want to bother anyone. I will manage somehow.”
“Don’t be stubborn son. Trying to make another tent would consume your precious time and effort.
Weather will be extreme from here on. Our bodies wont be able to survive the strong chilly winds for
long.”
Can stood right in front of Einar “We can share the tent. I don’t bite.”
“Shut up Ashton!” Einar muttered through his teeth. He was about to refuse the offer once more when
his father spoke all of a sudden.
“It is decided Einar. You will share the space with Can.”
“But..”
“No more arguments! You should appreciate Can’s gesture and his willingness to help.” Ragnar
smiled at the handsome man in appreciation “Thank you son.”
“Oh! Its nothing alpha. I am d I could help Einar.”
The alpha smiled at Can one more time while he looked sternly at his son, warning him to not defy
his orders. Einar shook his head in defeat and watched his father leave thepany of the two men.
Can on the other hand felt victorious. He grinned from ear to ear and took two steps ahead towards
the man “So are youing?”
“Do I have a choice.” Einar huffed.
Can negated in reply and smirked again. Einar on the other side feltpromised. His tactics to
create a distance from Can were failing while he felt helpless to design any more ideas to stay away
from his mate. Most importantly he was worried about what the night could bring for the two of them.
He wasn’t sure if he could control himself in the closed space besides Can.
His palpitations increased and he gulped before uttering “I have to go for a run.”
****
A silver beam of moonlight entered through the open spaces between the upper leaves of the tree. The
stars above glittered in abundance while the icy chills were beginning to catch momentum.
Einary on the end of forest watching the tent from far way. It was his ultimate destination. A ce he
could no longer avoid. Yet he wanted to take his own sweet time to be prepared. The environment
outside was punishing the stealth body of the muscr man and he for once knew that he could not
stay outside any longer.
Einar braved his heart and took heavy steps one after the other towards the shelter. Each of his steps
was burdening his resolve to turn back and leave. However the moment he entered the tent, he was
weed by the beautiful and serene face of his mate. Einar’s fa?ade dissipated at that moment when
he watched the shiny ck hair covering his mate’s forehead and the glow of his skin perhaps
brightening the entire room.
Can’s entire body was covered by a thick nket while his head rested on his left hand which he
used as a pillow. He looked more peaceful in his sleep. His steady heart beat and his steady breaths
brought in the confidence in Einar to move ahead.
“Are you awake?” Einar spoke lowly. When he didn’t get any response he slowly sat besides the
sleeping body of Can “I guess you are not.”
Einar couldn’t help but feel pulled towards his mate. Can oozed an effortless charm. Even when he
was sleeping he was making Einar all nervous. “Do you know how far I had to run just to keep my
senses calm for when I see you? It was frustrating!” he huffed.
“I have watched you sleep a number of times, in fact I used to slip in through your windows just to have
a nce at your beautiful face.” Einar felt nostalgic as he remembered his younger days before his
training when he used to slip in through Can’s windows just to have a nce at him.
“I was mad back then.” he mentally smacked himself andughed a little “Whatever difficulties and
struggles I face throughout the day are all evaporated when I see you smile.”
He snickered and sighed a long breath “How ironic isn’t it. I want to see you happy but all I do is hurt
you time and again.”
His heart pained at what he said and a treacherous bead left his eye “And I know you have hateful
feelings for me as well but I guess I deserve what ising my way. I see the hate; the disrespect and
the struggle you face to stand me and honestly it hurts to watch you do it. It really does!”
He snivelled “But it is necessary.”
The wild winds from outside rumbled the fabric a little but the muscr man remained unfazed. He
lovingly gawked at the sleeping beauty and admired his handsomeness. “For some sick twisted fate
and a reason only known to the luna we have been paired as the alpha mates. We belong to each
other! Can you believe that!” heughed in sarcasm.
“You have all the qualities to be the perfect luna and maybe more. You are selfless, caring and have
abundant love in your heart. You know how to bind people together and spread positivity. You have the
ability to protect yourself and your loved ones. You don’t make abrupt decisions like I do. You are not
impulsive as I am. When other people think from their brains you think from your heart. There is sense
of pride in me when you walk with your head held high even after suffering through so much!”
Einar’s dreamy smile faded “But there is just one problem. You are a male.” He scowled and bit his lips
trying to control the onught of his emotions.
“A sickeningly beautiful male. A non shifter to make matters worse. Had it been otherwise I would have
screamed through the top of my lungs that you are mine. We would have held hands and walked
around the pack with pride. I would’ve unted you to the entire world, tell everyone what a beautiful
mate I have been blessed with.”
He cleaned his wet cheeks “I guess I have to bury these desires deep within the depths of my heart for
we cannot be together. Not in this lifetime.”
Einar tilted his head a little and unknowingly yed with the strands on the forehead of Can. It was
as if he was in a trance, in a world of his own.
“I am trying. I really am trying.. but you are making it hard for me. Your constant presence is putting my
motives in jeopardy and at the same time I cant bear to keep you out of my sight. It takes the life out of
me. I be mad when your sweet smile is not directed at me. I want to kill all the bastards who
fantasize about you. I maybe one of the strongest wolf but when I see you in pain I feel as if I am going
to die!”
Can’s even breaths brought a sense of calm in Einar. He considered himself lucky that he was
conversing with his mate the way he wanted and not adhering to the constant deceptive outward
appearance he used to keep to force Can to hate him. “If not today I am sure you are going to make
me crazy one day.”
Einar kept gazing at Can for the longest of the time. He was happy but he was scared too. There was
so much joy and pain in his heart at the same time. His mate was unique not because of his physical
features but because Einar’s eyes would look for no one else if it wasn’t Can. He existed to be the
alpha but he lived for his mate. His every heart beat was celebrated by the grace of the handsome
man. The moment he was with Can, he felt like rejoicing his life.
Einar tried to defile his mind, tried to defile his body so that his urges for the beautiful man would
subside but he couldn’t will his conscience. His heart beat spiked and an unknown anxiety fluttered
through his stomach. It was as if he had decided something in the spur of the moment “I know you are
sleeping and I know my confession would mean nothing for you wont remember anything when you
wake up tomorrow..”
He looked at the sleeping man with determination “But I want you to know something.”
He slowly leaned forward and brushed aside the silky hair which covered Can’s forehead. He
caressed his cheeks with his thumb and genuinely smiled with teary eyes “I may lie to the entire world
but I cannot lie to myself. I have fallen deeply in love with you! My heart has no control over it. I wish to
wrap you in my arms and never let go. I want kiss your beautiful lips.”
Einar moved his thumb from Can’s cheeks lightly to his beautiful lips. A myriad of emotions were
running through the brain of the stronger man. At this point of time his resolve had been broken
beautiful man. It felt nice; it felt light.
A blow from the wind moved the shelter a little while the groggy dust changed its position making a light
sweeping sound. Einar deeply sighed as he retracted his thumb from Can’s lips. He cleaned his
cheeks and looked all around him trying to gather himself. He cleared his throat lightly and spoke lowly
“I guess some wishes can nevere true.” His voice vibrated while his eyes were refusing to hold
any more water.
The dejection in his eyes was evident. It was a never ending suffering for him. The man he loved was
right in front of him. He was destined to be his and yet he couldn’t be with him. Einar had made a
difficult choice for his pack and for his family. A choice which had to be made to keep his mate safe. He
wasn’t proud of himself but he was relieved that Can would be protected throughout his life. He
would make sure of it.
“Sometimes I wish for a life where we could be together. Without any rules, without any conditions.
Without a care about the world. Just you and me. We grow old together and start a family of our own..”
Heughed at his thoughts while his lips shivered with his fluctuating emotions. He gathered his
strength when he realised that all his desires were futile. He painfully willed his mind and body to move
away for he knew he wont be able to control himself shall he stay any longer with his mate.
Einar slowly leaned ahead and kissed Can’s forehead “Sleep well my heart.” he looked at Can
lovingly for onest time before forcing his body up and making his way out of the shelter.
Just when the shutters of the shelter were closed, big fat water drops flew through the constricted
eyelids of the beautiful man. Can’s eyes were wet but his smile was wide and his heart was full of
happiness.
********