“He has been doing well, my omega,” she says. “It is a sign of your good care.”

I bow my head, pleased. Am I allowed to feel this way?

His soul is not pure white, but not polluted by shadows, either. Somewhere in the middle, like a gray fog on a winter day.

I feel the energy in the forest shift to something more aggressive and predatory. They bare their teeth in their smiles, their fur prickling, ready to spring.

Mother raises her head, her body loose and tail waving. Inviting them to me. “It is time, then. Begin the chase, my clan.”

Just before they leap, I imagine myself protecting him.

- - - - -

It was not as rough as I expected. Or rather, I barely felt the remains of the chase this time.

I sit by the river, my hair and tail drying from the quick wash. Although I couldn’t feel the coldness of the water like Master could, I still didn’t like the thought of getting wet when autumn was approaching again.

He would be in the village now, tutoring. My ears flick with amusement. Although he had always spoken about it, he never seemed like the type to help children with reading and writing. Especially with how he described his disguise as a tutor.

But never a disguise with me.

I smile when I think of the classroom and those afternoon days. Sitting there, clumsily holding the pencil, reading and stumbling through the reader. Words, then sentences, then whole paragraphs. The way his eyes glowed, his smile genuine.

And when I think more of the past, I could not truly understand who Master was.

The fearful, abusive child, surrounded by children who wanted to hurt him? The master who wanted to hurt me? Or the boy whose touch and voice grew tender when we were together now?

The night we went into this forest. Did it change him, somehow? Did the threat of death frighten him into becoming kinder? Or was it the day when he realized that I could feel the pain he gave me?

I head back to our house to complete my tasks – harvesting the vegetables, arranging the shelves and tables, sweeping the floors. After they are complete, I say good-bye to Mother and Father and leave for the village.

I pass by the baker’s – the same one I stole from all those years ago. I should accept his offer to learn to bake bread and clean the bakery and serve his guests. I believe he forgave me after a few seasons when he noticed Master’s change. And there’s the bookshop that I never realize existed until Master showed me – hiding so plainly among the row of shops. It had been empty for years, he said. All those lonely books. Who would keep them company when the door was always locked?

I nod to several villagers that Master befriended through tutoring and simply saying hello. At what point did they begin to respect each other?

“Excuse me, love. Coming through.”

I step back when I see an older boy carrying a large box in front of me.

“Careful, there,” he says. There is a rip, and the contents fall through the box and land in the dust. He sighs and curses quietly.

I immediately begin stacking the books and the pieces of art in place. “I will fix the box for you, sir.”

He shakes his head. “I’ll get it. Thank you for the offer, love.”

I blush at the name, and I look up to see his face. I’ve never seen him before – not at the school, the market, or in this village. Nowhere in our neighborhood. But every bit of hair on my body stands up, like I’ve just leapt out of bed. I bow to him. “It is my pleasure, sir.”

He looks surprised, but smiles and bows back. He holds out his hand. “I am Jacob.”

That name! The way Master said it with such excitement. “I am Kyrov. I am honored to meet you, Jacob.”

“I am honored to meet you, too, Kyrov.”

When he takes my hand, he holds it for longer than usual. His skin is warm, so warm.

When I look up at him again, I stare at the dark freckles on his face, his lively green eyes, his smile. I blush again, and I’m about to say something… but what? “I…”

He laughs, a full laugh that I’ve only ever heard from Father. He releases my hand, and the world shifts nearly back to normal. I feel like I’m glowing from our simple handshake. “I’ve never seen a wolf in this village before,” he says. “You’re new here, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Jacob. That is true. May I ask how you know?” I feel like I am behind the rest of the world by a few minutes.

He’s putting the things back in the box like nothing odd happened. “I actually grew up here. I left for university but came back to see my family and teach the children.” Was Master a part of his family? We make eye contact, my eyes just below his. “But you’re an omega, aren’t you? Your collar.” His gaze drops to my neck, and it’s like I’m suddenly naked in front of him. My stomach flutters, skin tickling. “Do you work for someone who lives here, Kyrov?”

His voice is so smooth – it plays around my ears, like his lips are right against them. “That is true, Jacob.” I keep my own voice level, feeling so self-conscious. But why? “I serve a family who lives here.”

“Oh? I wonder who?” He touches his fingers to his cheek, like he’s thinking. “Do you have a master? Or do you serve the whole family?”

“Forgive me, Jacob, but we do not need to discuss these details.” Was it so important for him to know?

“Hmm? You’re secretive, I guess.” He smiles, and it reaches his eyes again. “But don’t worry, Kyrov. I think I could learn a lot from you.”

I keep my face and voice neutral. “I believe the same about you, Jacob.”

He looks at me for another moment before his eyes widen. “Oh, that’s right. I’m sending these to the bookshop. Would you like to come along, Kyrov?”

The bookshop! Was he the owner? Did Master know?

It is then that I remember my purpose for coming here. “Jacob, I must leave to find my master. I do not want him waiting for me,” I say, bowing.

“Oh, dear.” Jacob picks up the box. “Forgive me for keeping you, Kyrov. I hope we see each other soon.”

I feel him before I hear him. “…Jacob?”

Jacob stops, his lips open. We turn to them, and his whole expression changes. “…Alair?” Quieter, “Merle?”

“Jacob?” he calls again, taking a step towards us, still holding Merle’s hand.

“Oh, my god,” says Jacob. His smile is so wide that I do the same.

Master runs to us, throwing his arms around Jacob. They are laughing, saying that they hadn’t seen each other in so long! I watch Merle. She follows slowly with a slight frown on her face, then stands away from us, her arms crossed. When Master and Jacob pull away, they are still laughing and breathing hard.

“Where’ve you been, huh?” Master asks, elbowing Jacob lightly. “Just left everyone here to travel the world?”

“Oh, not quite,” he says, wiping sweat from his face. “Just studied abroad for a little bit. Or for as long as possible.” He winks at Master.

“You met Kai?” says Master.

“Kai?”

“Yeah, my wolf. My servant.”

Something in Jacob’s face changes for just a second, and when I blink, it’s gone.

“Ah,” he says, his voice soft. “Kyrov is yours, Alair?”

“Yeah. We’ve been together for a few years already.”

“So you’ve become quite close to him, hm?”

Master sighs and rolls his eyes. “What are you saying, Jake?”

“Nothing,” he says, chuckling. “I’m teasing.”

Merle steps in. “You probably don’t know, Jake, but Alli and I have also been together for a while.”

His eyebrows raise. “Oh? My little sister has made a step towards adulthood. Good for you.” He grins, but not kindly.

Master huffs again. “Come on, Jake, it’s not like we would ever want to be with anyone else around here.”

He rolls his eyes, grinning. “Oh. You’re right. You’re both the only ones despicable enough for each other. Why would I be so surprised?”

Master laughs, then kisses Merle with more passion than I’m used to. I look away, offering them what little privacy they have here in the open, and Jacob watches. It reminds me of the very first time I saw Mother and Father kiss, and Master was the one who looked away. I watch the villagers go by on their daily tasks, giggling at the couple, then going back to their routine.

Jacob sighs.

I look at Jacob, and he looks back at me. His expression is the same as when a wolf mother sees her pups for the first time – one of protection and affection. It confused me, that look. Who was it for?

Master and Merle finish kissing. They smile at each other, then look at us.

“Done, yet?” Jacob’s voice and expression are almost demanding. Master and Merle look at each other, their fingers wrapped in each other’s.

“We could go on with our lives, I guess.” Master throws his hands up in the air. “But how could I just leave Merle, huh?”

“We could just leave you both in the past forever,” says Jacob. He folds his arms. “But since we’ve become a little too comfortable with each other, I’ll be heading back to work. You’ve been keeping me with these little acts of romance.”

“No one said you had to watch, Jake.” Merle swings Master around to face away from us. “We have to go back and teach the kids. It’s a little more important than talking to you.”

“Why is it that my own sister hates me more than someone who isn’t actually related to me?”

“Hey, we’re basically brothers, right, Jake?” Master looks back at Jacob. “It doesn’t matter if we’re not related.”

Jacob laughs again – that full, warm laugh. My ears, once again, flick up towards the sound. “If you and me are brothers, then what about you and Kyrov?”

Master looks uncertain. Maybe slightly disgusted. “Uh, I wouldn’t say Kai and me are brothers, Jake.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah… it doesn’t fit.” Master gives me a kind of questioning look before turning around again with Merle. Before Jacob can ask anything more, Master walks with Merle back to the tutors’ house. “Bye, Jake. Bye, Kai. Don’t forget dinner.”

I watch him and Merle walk side-by-side, swinging their joined hands. Master whispers something to Merle, who laughs. I look away. Years ago, they despised each other. But now? Simple happiness. Why couldn’t I watch them, seeing them together like that?

“They’re so in love, aren’t they?”

My ears twitch at his voice. I thought he had already gone back to work, but there he was, still standing next to me, arms folded, watching them, never blinking. “I suppose they are,” I say. I watch them enter the tutoring house and see their content faces as they pull apart the curtains to let the light in. Merle waves to me, then gestures towards Jacob rudely.

“I remember they used to hate each other. Unless my memory is lying to me.”

“It isn’t,” I say. We stand there, watching the villagers walk by, feeling the sunset’s warmth.

“Well, that’s sweet.” His voice is soft. He picks up the box for the bookstore. “You’re going home now, aren’t you, Little Wolf?”

Did he just give me a nickname? I resist curling my lip in disgust.

His eyes widen as he catches himself. “Forgive me, Kyrov. Sometimes I let my words slip. I am sorry for making you uncomfortable.”

I bow. “Do not worry yourself, Jacob. Mistakes will happen. I only ask that you allow only my master to call me names other than Kyrov or Kai.”

He nods in return. “I understand, Kyrov. I thank you for your forgiveness. And now, I will leave.” He turns and smiles. “I will keep my nicknames for you, to myself.” And walks away. Into the bookshop.

I just stand there. His nicknames for me?

His smile. His eyes. How they seemed so coy, playful. His movements and words. Despite his last taunt, he understood the language of the omega, its formalness. As I stare at the bookshop’s walls, I felt a string tying him and me together, despite only meeting each other today. I turn and try to walk out of the village as calmly as possible, try to ignore my burning face and my fluttering heart.