Page 68 of Meeting Her Mate
The self-appointed chefs delegated to that area served us grilled meats, roasted pork, and sides of fresh vegetables. Alexis and I took our plates to our seats and watched the party unfold as we feasted ravenously, consuming copious amounts of mead to quench the spice.
“I am stuffed!” Alexis proclaimed after finishing her plate for a second time.
“I’m tapping out, too,” I said, groaning loudly as I struggled to put the empty plate back on the table. “Do you want to go for a walk, maybe?”
“A walk sounds lovely. Let’s go far from the madding crowd,” Alexis said, slowly getting to her feet. “I need to stretch my legs if I’m going to digest all this food.”
“I concur,” I said, feeling a little lightheaded after all the eating and drinking.
While the party went on in full force, Alexis and I snuck out the back, leaving the loudness and the lights, and the laughter behind.
“Did werewolves throw parties such as these back in the old days?” Alexis asked as we walked along the forest path.
“The Grimms trace their lineage back to the Vikings. They were the original Germanic people. Shapeshifting was a religious component of the Norse Pagan religion. Loki, Odin, Freya, and Frigg, all of them gods of the Norse pantheon, could shapeshift. Becoming a werewolf was never a matter of curse for us. It was a gift. Shapeshifting was our honor as given to us by the gods. There aren’t any written accounts of all of this, but this knowledge has been passed down the generations for more than a thousand years. Some of the greatest characters in Norse mythology were wolves. Fenrir, the wolf who would cause Ragnarök, was a wolf. Geri and Frekki, Odin’s loyal animals, were both wolves,” I said, feeling it fit to share some of the old wisdom with her. This was a good time as any. I wanted to impart this knowledge to her. If her parents had been alive, it would have been their role to tell her these things. But as her mate, it fell on my shoulders to teach her our customs and history.
“So the werewolves came from Vikings,” Alexis surmised.
“The Vikings were just one category of the Norse people. The warriors, the raiders, and the men in charge of the battle, government, and diplomacy. Those who weren’t Vikings were delegated other roles. But yes, in general, back in the day, werewolves originated from the Vikings. It’s where the term ‘going berserk’ comes from. Some of the werewolf Vikings could shapeshift in the middle of a battle and go berserk on their enemies,” I said. “There were many Viking customs that we still adhere to. You asked if the werewolves used to throw parties like this in the old days. The answer is yes. They did. We keep the customs of our ancestors alive to honor them. In that way, this party is in honor of them as much as it is in honor of our matehood,” I said, wrapping my arm around Alexis as we walked back to the commune.
“I want to acknowledge something,” Alexis said. “I know you’re struggling with your mental health. Your rage issues, to be specific. I know this the same way you know so many things about me. It’s our bond. It has strengthened these past few days, allowing me to sense you more strongly, to perceive you more deeply. I just want to acknowledge that you’re doing a brave job. I am so proud of you. You’ve come a long way, Will.”
Such words of compassion served to kindle my emotions. I hugged Alexis while we were still far from the commune. This was an intimate moment I wanted to spend just with her.
“Thank you,” I said, hugging her tightly. “I want to acknowledge that you have been very kind and compassionate towards me. I truly appreciate this.”
“Aww, come, give me a kiss, then,” Alexis said, pulling me closer by my collar. I obliged happily, kissing her warm cheeks, her flushed face, and her rosy lips in the faint light of the moon.
Our kiss was broken short by louder sounds erupting from the commune. Unmistakably, they were howls. Alexis and I ran to the commune, uncertain as to what had happened, and it was only when we turned the corner and saw the strange proceedings did we understand that it was not a matter of emergency but that of continued celebration.
The training grounds were lit up, probably for the first time in the night since I’d been here. On the grounds, dozens of people were surrounding a pair of wolves engaged in a friendly battle. The crowd cheered them on as the wolves fought each other.
“What the hell?” Alexis exclaimed.
“Ah, yet another one of our old customs. At the end of such celebrations, the werewolves customarily engage in a friendly battle with one another to commemorate the festivities in their way.” It appeared that my imparting of wisdom hadn’t stopped for the night. Though, now, after so much, I wished it would.
“Are we expected to celebrate with them?” Alexis asked worriedly.
“Not at all. They can keep on with the festivities for as long as they please. But if you wish, and if you think that’s okay, I would like for us to sleep in the same bed together,” I said. I was a little cautious as to what she would say.
Alexis blushed and averted her gaze. She fiddled with some loose hair and tucked them behind her hair, smiling as she looked away. “I would love to,” she said in a whisper.
“Then let us be part of this party no longer and part ways,” I said in a spontaneous burst of verbosity.
“Someone’s a little tipsier than they’re letting on,” Alexis chuckled.
I snuck Alexis into my home, eager to fall asleep with her in my arms. This would be the first time we’d share a bed on land. We would only sleep, I wagered, given how knackered we were to do anything else.
We retired into the bedroom and wrapped up in each other’s embrace, and we fell asleep within a moment’s notice, our tired bodies yearning for the rest that slumber offered.
***
Red.
Madness.
Rage.
Bloodlust.