The Werewolf Order (Erotica)

As she is pulling on a fresh shift, Coral catches a glimpse of her naked body in the mirror. She frowns disapprovingly, running her hand up her soft rear, across her hip to her plush belly. She catches Quell’s reflection looking upon her adoringly.

“What is wrong, my love?” His hands creep across her hips, pulling her naked body to his as her shift falls to the ground.

She sighs, “I’m not used to this sedentary life style, Quell. I’m afraid I’m getting plump.”

He laughs, bending over to kiss her, “Nonsense, Coral. You are just as beautiful as the day I met you.”

She smiles at him, knowing that he would love her no matter how much weight she gained, “Still, I feel that the lack of vigor in my day has increased my indolence. Perhaps I will take a walk to Severton today-I am in need of more mint for the elixir, I’ve barely been able to keep up with demand. Would you like to come?”

He caresses her cheek, picking up her shift and dressing her, “I would love to but father wants Wistan and I to listen to matters of complaint today.”

“Hmm,” she ponders, “perhaps I will ask Lynette. She always appreciates a good walk.”

“Ha,” he chuckles, leaving her side to get dressed as well, “if you wish her to come you will have to invite Vadim-she hasn’t left his side for more than an hour since they mated. It is to be expected, though a little arduous lately. He and I were supposed to practice combat training yesterday but Vadim had a hard time focusing since she tagged along.”

Coral draws in a deep breath-she has been avoiding Vadim since he claimed his mate several weeks ago and for good reason; she finds that it is difficult to be around him without the ache of sadness hitting her. She knows it is unwarranted, as she is happy in her life with Quell and happy for him and Lynette, but deep down, locked away, she still cares for him. Having to suffer the afternoon in Severton with Lynette fawning over Vadim would no doubt dredge up painful memories of her first trip there. Though she has spent time with Lynette and enjoyed her company when harvesting plants in the woods near town, it occurs to her that they are never gone from the castle for more than a couple of hours before Lynette finds an excuse to return.

“Perhaps I will ask Margaret. I do not think that she has anything to do today and it would be nice to have some human company for a while.”

Quell nods, “Yes, that sounds like a good idea though I worry about two women walking alone. With the disappearances in Centurion it makes me uneasy for you to leave town unaccompanied. Why don’t I have Junta go with you?”

Coral remembers the way that Tomir looked at Margaret, “Actually, if you don’t think Tomir is busy today…”

He raises a brow at her while she puts on a dress, “Do you not like Junta?”

She laughs, “No, Junta is a fine centaur, even if he is a bit grumpy. Margaret still hasn’t warmed up to centaurs yet and Tomir is much friendlier. I am hoping that his easy going attitude will change her opinion.”

“All right my love. I believe Tomir is on guard duty until midmorning though.”

“That is fine, I have some things to take care of at the apothecary, so have him meet me there.”

Breakfast is brief; Coral ignores much of the usual banter, instead trying to come up with a way to change Margaret’s mind about centaurs. When she takes a bite of an apple, she is surprised to discover that it tastes appalling-it makes her nauseous. She must have made a disgusted face because Vadim’s voice breaks into her thoughts.

“Whatever is the matter, sister?” He smiles up at her, his eyes appraising her.

She shakes her head, “I am not sure, my apple tastes a bit odd.” She quickly turns her gaze away from him.

Curious, he leans across the table and plucks a slice from her plate; popping it into his mouth, he chews carefully, “I think it tastes fine Coral. Maybe what you ate before it changed the flavor?”

“Yes,” she says, placing her half eaten slice down to grab her water glass, “perhaps that is it.”

…

Not long after she enters the apothecary with a box of dried herbs, Margaret comes down the stairs, “Good morning Coral.”

“Good morning Margaret-are you busy today? I am going to go to Severton to harvest some herbs if you’d like to come along?”NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.

She thinks on it for a moment before nodding, “Yes, that sounds like a grand idea. I’ve heard much about Severton-it is an all human town, is it not?”

“Indeed,” she replies, sitting on a stool behind the counter. Margaret helps her sort through the packages of herbs, transferring the contents to refill the large jars around the shop. They work in tandem silently, having found that neither of them is bothered by the lack of conversation. When they are almost finished, Margaret surprises Coral.

“I have heard some of the women speak of your elixir-is it true that there is no pain?”

She glances up at the woman, “Yes. It makes the entire experience rather pleasurable in fact.”

Margaret frowns, “I just don’t think I could ever… I mean, they’re half beast. It is just wrong.”

Coral lets the silence hang for a moment. She has been trying her best to be patient with Margaret since their arrival, but it has been a bit daunting of a task to get the maiden to shed her hatred of the centaurs. She knows that she must try-if she cannot convince one woman to change her mind, there is no way she will be able to convince several during the next Atonement. “It isn’t like one is mating a horse, Margaret. I know it is hard to look at them in any other way than as half a beast, but if you allowed yourself to get to know them, to see them beyond their physical appearance-”

She shakes her head, “You surprise me, Coral. Your father was killed by a centaur during the Battle-they came into our town and took us against our wishes. Whatever they want, they take.”

“Honestly, Margaret, it wasn’t against my wishes. If I had stayed, I would have been forced to marry Tobias and that is not something I wanted-that would have been against my wishes. How quickly you forget-just like everyone else-that the humans started the Battle. We tried to wipe them out. It was well within their power to exterminate people from existence yet they accepted our surrender. They take during the Atonement because it is exactly that-reparations for the atrocity that our fathers brought onto themselves. In fact, the entire reason why the Battle happened in the first place is because people, much like you, are incapable of seeing beyond someone’s physical appearance to who they are on the inside-it is a very unbecoming quality.” As soon as she lashes out at the woman, she regrets her actions. She is frustrated, not only with Margaret but also with herself-by chastising her, it could very well make their conversation into an argument.

Instead of snapping back, Margaret sits in silence, chewing over Coral’s words. Before they can speak any further on it, the door opens.

“Good morning, Lady Coral,” Tomir’s cheery voice interrupts them; when his eyes fall on Margaret, he straightens up a little, “Good morning maiden.”

Margaret glances at him uneasily before looking at Coral.

“Tomir is accompanying us on our journey to Severton-to ensure that we remain safe,” she says, barely looking st the woman as she grabs her bag, “That is, if you would still like to go.”

Margaret pauses in her movements, hesitating. Coral heads to the door and is surprised but relieved that Margaret follows her.

Tomir walks beside them but after they leave town on the road to Severton it is clear that he feels he is an imposition to their conversation so he drops behind them several yards. When the wind shifts against their backs and they know he can no longer hear them, Margaret feels comfortable enough to strike up conversation again.

“How come we are not riding to Severton?”

Coral sighs, “I’ve put on some weight now that I’m basically sitting around doing nothing. A walk will do me some good.”

“Oh,” she says nodding slowly, “I don’t mind the exercise either. I do feel that life has been a little sluggish now that I’m not chasing my brothers and sisters around.”

With the argument between them forgotten, Margaret shares what news of gossip she has heard around town. Coral listens earnestly, interested in the on goings that she is no longer privy to as a distraction from her growing stomachache. When Margaret sees her rubbing the side of her belly, she gives Coral an odd look.

Shaking her head, she says, “I think I need to lay off of the mead. I haven’t been feeling right all week. I have half been wondering if I’ve started coming down with something-I threw up yesterday and this morning my food tasted off.”

Eyeing her for a moment, she turns her gaze forward. She is silent until the breeze picks up again, brisk against their backs, “Every time my mother was pregnant, she would rub her belly like that when it ached. She always got the morning sickness rather early on, about a month after she conceived.”

Coral stops dead in her tracks. Margaret loops her hand under her companion’s arm, keeping her walking so that their guardian doesn’t suspect anything.

“No, but-it can’t-” she manages to stammer out.

“It has been a little over a month since we’ve arrived, Coral. It was only a few days after that, that you took your mate,” her voice is quiet. “How long since you’ve bled?”