Nia took a bite, and Rem popped more chunks of meat into her mouth with her free hand.
Nia shrugged a shoulder then grinned. "I'm good, I guess. Fortunate that I have so many Elders tending to me," she said through chews.
"Well, don’t worry. We’ll get you taken care of. You look pathetic.”
They shared a laugh.
Rem added, “I really owe you for everything. You didn’t have to do this for me. But it might have been much worse if you didn’t.”
"It’s okay, Rem. It’s what we do. It’s who weare.” Nia’s earnest eyes bore into Rem until a semblance of play returned, the she-wolf looking out the window, speaking whimsically in a swift change of demeanor. “Plus, it might notallbe that bad.”
Rem furrowed her brows, chewing feverishly on the tender flesh. "But your bones."
"Oh, they're shattered," Nia said, her smile completely unaltered.
Rem chuckled. "Why are you smiling?"
Nia leaned over to take another bite of muffin, then raised her brows as she chewed, and said, "I think I almost kissed Halvar."
"What!" Rem’s jaw dropped. “Oh, you have to tell me everything.”
"We were alone, in here, and he gave me that look, you know? And I, I don't know. I think I gave it back. I told him thank you for helping me, and then he went to fluff up the pillows, and then you know, we were close and stuff, and then we looked at each other... But then an Elder came in, and he had to go. Haven't seen him since," she recanted, looking down with a slight defeat. "I could have read that all wrong, too, though... I've been woozy from the medicine."
"No! I am sure you're right. He's probably really busy, especially with Enzo and everything. I mean, I don't know forcertain, but I don't see why he wouldn't be interested,” Rem said, elated for Nia.
Nia sighed with a soft crook of her lips. "I'm trying not to get too excited about it… his scent is different than others.” She inhaled and looked up at Rem, changing the subject. "Either way, it's clearly not whatyoudid, though."
Rem nearly choked on her meat. "You can still smell it?"
"Lasts for up to a week if you don't thoroughly clean—oh, don’t worry. Our bodies can self-clean in ways humans can’t, but it’s the scent that matters. Gets hectic when you can smell more than one male at a time."
Rem's eyes gently widened, laughing like she heard a naughty secret. "Oh, that's a thing?"
"Ohyeah," Nia replied, and they shared the same laugh as they ate more food. "Causes a lot of trouble,” she continued, her tone darkening. “It's actually how Ronan knew Jemma had been with Marcus. Could you imagine struggling to get home, after watching your father die in an epic battle, then you smell someone like Marcus mixed among your lover's scent?"
Ugly thoughts pierced Rem’s heart at imagining Ronan losing his father in such a way and coming back to a betrayal like that.He did say he hated betrayals.An immense sadness swelled for Ronan, accompanied with a confusing desire to wear Ronan's scent whenever meeting Jemma. It was so strong, in fact, that she felt the need to bed him every single night, just for that result alone.
Those thoughts and cravings continued to fascinate her, occurring from no clear source, and yet, they werepersuasive.
Rem asked, "Okay, I have to ask… Do you people form commitments prior to mating? Or is it a free for all until then? Also, how do you deal with these instincts? I keep getting all these ideas of what I want to do regarding Ronan. They are ridiculous once I think them through, and I don’t even know where they’re coming from."
"One, you'reourpeople now. Two, yes, we often have informal commitments before mating since it’s such a strong bond. Before that, there's not much judgement for sleeping around. Only jealousy. And three, you’ll get used to the instincts, which is probably what you’re feeling. Everyone else is aware of them, so it’s not really a big deal. We have a lot of patience for it.”
Rem nodded as she continued to eat, her stomach like a bottomless hole. "I feel competitive. Like,reallycompetitive. I've always had a little streak of that in me, but I want to roll around in his scent and make sure Jemma smells it.”
She blushed at such an admittance, but luckily, it only made Nia laugh from the gut.
Nia sighed, still shaking her head with a chuckle. "Oh, goddess, we are in for a real mess, aren’t we… And that's just your inner moon. We are competitive, protective, and often possessive,” Nia said, raising her brows. “You’re going to be a handful, I think. All the Silvers are. Your instincts will be as strong as the Alpha’s were when they were younglings and experiencing their changes. Instincts are always stronger in those that are powerful.”
A silence fell over them, and Nia finally said, "Thank you for coming for me when they were pulling me away."
Rem furrowed her brows. "It was never a question."
"I hope he picks you as Luna."
Rem stared at Nia for a long time, wanting to hug the only friend she truly had here. For the first time, being considered their Luna felt… Important, like she would truly consider it as a future for herself.
"Can you teach me at all on how to be a Luna? I mean, more so in what is expected of me? And help me get there?”
