August entered the market after hanging up with Graeme. She was relieved that he knew where she was. Somehow it felt like a betrayal to not have given him a heads-up to begin with.
The colors of the vendor tents and their goods were vibrant against the dull grey sky. This was so much better than being at home. There was an energy here with everyone walking around and visiting that gave the place a kind of glow that would exist in any weather. It was like visiting the heart of the pack—reliably beating, welcoming you in, bringing life to the inhabitants.
But as soon as August entered into the heart proper and began passing people, something unexpected happened. Every male, female and pup that she passed sent what felt like little bolts of lightening straight into her chest. She froze, eyes going wide as the sensations started lighting her up.
It was like her soul was composed of a peculiar form of static, attracting an acknowledgment or an affiliation with each soul that she passed. Soon she realized that the pack members seemed to be aware of this as well, as they each whirled around to face her in turn, eyes going wide in wonderment or fear or simply surprise.
Perhaps it was not wise to come here alone after all. She didn't imagine getting this kind of enhanced attention from every single one of them, and she didn't know how to soothe them or… or explain. It was not something she was consciously doing or could turn off.
She turned around in a slow circle, the green ruana she was wearing flowing into a circle at her ankles. Everyone was staring at her now. There was no more friendly visiting, no more movement in the heart. Instead, it was this static electrifying the space around her, connecting her to all of them.
And she felt them. She felt all of them. The pain of the pup who had just sprained his toe and was whimpering next to his mother who was irritated that he hadn't listened to her to begin with. The frenzy of excitement from a pack of young pups who had congregated with their new wooden trinkets. The fear that was scattered amongst some of the juveniles and adults when they realized the connection she was manifesting with them. The hatred from a few grown males and females, their faces scrunching in disgust as they backed away—wishing to separate themselves from whatever unexpected involuntary union was happening. And the joy welcoming her. The giddy, indescribable joy that was bubbling to the surface between them, bright and vivid and overwhelming.
Her bottom lip dropped open, blue eyes welling as the Veiled came to her eyes without any effort. There was a breathtaking galaxy of energy uniting them like nothing she had witnessed before, dancing and spinning around them in glistening perfection. This was her pack, her family. She wanted to embrace each one of them—they were all so beautiful, composed of light and energy, separate and yet connected, and somehow all connected to her at the center.
Just as the love and joy brimmed so high that she thought she might burst from the feeling of all of their souls connecting to hers, the male and female that she recognized all too well as the fighting mates from the woods cut through the crowd, slicing into the orbit and scattering its energy.
"What are you playing at witch?" the male snarled. "Leave us alone before you hurt someone else!"
"W-what? I'm s-so sorry, I…" she shook her head, wanting to explain to them. Wanting them to understand. "I never intended to hurt anyone."
"Luna!" a small voice called from behind the crowd that had gathered. "Luna!" it repeated, and slowly, the crowd started to part to make way for the one who it belonged to.
A panting Sage threw his green scarf back across his shoulder as he ran the rest of the way to her, jet black curls bouncing against his shoulders as he raised an arm above his head to present his plastic camera. "I found our cameras, Luna!" Her digital camera was hanging around his neck, swinging heavily against him as he ran.
She watched him approach, speechless. How did he know? How did this pup know to retrieve them and that she needed an ally at this very moment?
When he reached her, he took the digital camera off and handed it to her before turning to face the male who had confronted her. Small, soft pants came from him as he stared the male down with his wide, innocent eyes.
"You threw me against a tree. Luna was protecting me," his small voice said unwaveringly as he blocked the space between this male and August.
Even as a snarl curled his lip, the male visibly deflated just the tiniest bit in the face of this pup's truth.
"What's going on?" a deep commanding growl fractured the crowd a third time as Sam stalked forward.
The beautiful orbit of energy had fallen like spring petals from a tree, and everyone gathered stood awkwardly, wondering what all of this had been about in the first place.
The abusive male relaxed his aggressive stance as Sam advanced to stand in front of Sage, blocking both August and the pup from the venom that had been spilled, thick and poisonous in the air. August reached down and grabbed Sage's hand, squeezing it gently in thanks for his help at just the right moment. He truly was a guardian, wasn't he?
"Samuel," the male grunted and adjusted his shirt in front of him.
"Terach," Sam replied with threatening condescension. "Strike any more pups or females, including your mate, and you will wish you were dealing with our Luna next time. I can assure you of that."
Terach's jaw and fists clenched in unison as he watched Sam circle around to face August this time, raising an arm to lead the way for August and Sage out of the market.
"I apologize Luna," Sam said, bowing his head slightly as he waited to follow her out of the crowd. Over Sam's shoulder, August caught Terach's troubled, dark eyes. His female grabbed his shoulder in an attempt at comfort and he shrugged her off before stalking away.
******
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