The day passed by quickly. Frode kept me busy with making and delivering salves. There had been an outbreak of some sort of rash. Once that was done he began to walk me through his stores of herbs and other medicines. They were extensive and well organized. I was impressed, though I expected no less of someone as learned as he.

I had just returned from checking on the pup’s arm as Alva was setting out our evening meal. She turned out to be a fine cook. I tucked into the meat and vegetables with much appreciation. Frode and Alva were entertaining to listen to, the way they talked and teased was comfortable and well oiled with the centuries of their life together. Alva had been a skilled hunter, Frode told me.

“But now I’d just as soon leave it to the younger ones. Give them a bit of a chance.” She smiled.

“A chance indeed,” Frode responded, “This woman can take down a bear by herself. I’ve never seen anything like it. She’s done it many times as if it were no large thing. An entire angry, roaring bear, the first time she told me to leave her to it I nearly died of fright.”

I could listen to them tell stories for hours, and I knew I would have the opportunity over the time we would be spending together. Yet I noticed dusk beginning to fall. I stood up from the table.

“Please excuse me, I like to walk and take a bit of air before I retire for the evening.”

“Very sound, lad. Good for your constitution, that.” Frode said.

“We will be off to bed before long, but I will leave the fire lit. Please bank it, dear,” added Alva.

“Of course, thank you for the wonderful meal.”

I didn’t feel right about lying and decided to talk it over with Sage. I didn’t want to divulge her business without her permission. Yet, honesty had always been my standard. I fetched a blanket from my loft and set off towards the clearing. The summer breeze rustled my hair and the nearly full moon shone down, lighting my way. It was easy to be swept away in the adoration of my mate, all I knew of her was truly perfection. However, as our future Alpha, she was important to our clan. What did it mean to be by her side? I had never held any notions of myself being some sort of provider while my mate waited at home with my pups. Everyone in our clan contributed in their way, but what does it mean to be mated to an Alpha?

I was broken from my reverie as a hand slipped into mine. We were almost to the tree line and she pulled me past it, turning to put her hands on my shoulders. I scooped her up, carrying her down the pathway. She yelped, surprised, and I planted gentle kisses on her forehead, her nose, her mouth.

“You are a terrible tease, my love,” I said, pulling away.

“You are easy to tease.” She laughed, “Did you miss me?”

“Every moment.” I kissed her again, then set her down as we reached the clearing. I paused, considering, and pushed forward, “I want to shout to the world that you are mine and I am yours and never leave your side.”

“You ought to tell my mother first, then.” Her voice was joking but her expression was soft, her gaze steady.

“Say the word and I will.” I have no idea what possessed me to say something so bold. The thought of having that conversation with my Alpha and her mate was absolutely terrifying. I’m not sure why it was unlikely they would object. It was more a matter of telling an Alpha anything. When she smiled though, my resolve was fortified.

“I will think on it.” She put her head on my chest and for a moment I just held her, enjoying the rush of heat that filled me whenever I got near her.

“Come, I want to try something.” I unfurled the blanket on the forest floor and took her hand and led her to it. We sat across from one another with our legs crossed and knees touching.

“What’s this?” She asked.

“So, you know that in healer’s education we master working with the hugr, the energetic spirit of an individual?” She nodded, so I continued, “well, we learn how to manipulate it. To give and to take as needed, it helps us to amend and heal the hugr of others. It doesn’t always have to be done in an emergency, though.”

“So when else would you do it?”

“Right now, if you’d like.” I took her hand in mine, drawing her knuckles to my lips. I leaned forward to kiss them and looked up at her.

“What does it feel like?”

“I always end up feeling relaxed. My mind is clear and my body feels warm. Sometimes, if it is very intense I sort of,” I paused, thinking, “vibrate, I suppose.”

“Vibrate?”

“Like buzzing?”

“Show me.” She said, taking my other hand.

“Ok, just breathe with me and relax. I’ll do the rest.”

We took a deep breath together and I allowed the oxygen to flow through me. Relaxing, I began to lower my mental barriers, to open up to her. As I inhaled I gathered hugr in my core. I had always pictured it as yellow, but this time it appeared green in my minds’ eye. Exhaling, I released it. I allowed it to flow down my arms and into my palms. I pushed it out into our joined hands, opening a pathway.

“Breathe deeply with me.” I was feeling resistance, common for those who have not experienced this before. We inhaled together and as we exhaled I began to feel her hugr meet mine, flowing over one another like the tributaries of a river joining. I could feel her spirit flowing back to me now. We continued to breathe together and I began to feel her unwind as the stress of her day flowed through us both. It slid away as her hugr uncoiled and stretched, she was expansive. Our hands warmed and I felt the warmth spreading up into my arms, like sliding into a bath.

I began to feel tension, like the gathering of hugr I had started with but this was much stronger. The pulling reached down into my toes and prickled where my hair met my scalp. As I felt it begin to gather I opened my eyes to find that we were surrounded by an aura of forest green light. I had only heard of this happening, I had never experienced or even seen it. I inhaled, steadying myself. I then exhaled and released the hugr into our connection. I watched as Sage’s head tilted back. You could see the aura shudder.

“Exhale, love, release it,” I said. As she breathed out the aura that surrounded her expanded, coming out of her like a strong wind, the fog surrounding us dissipating. I felt my hair blow back and watched in disbelief as leaves and other debris were swept away. She opened her eyes and squeezed my hands tightly.