A Luna for Alpha Kieran-Chapter 119: Outside

Autumn stared at the items handed to her.

A long dark cloak made of thick hide with patches of fur still attached, and a wolf skull...a real one, though it was thus polished that it shined like ivory.

She held them up, unsure what to do with them...turning them awkwardly in her hands. "Uhm..."

The red haired warrior clapped his hands once, delighted. "Wear them, pup! You are royalty. That’s how royals dress before stepping out!"

Autumn blinked at him. "Wear them? "

" Yeah! That’s a mask," He pointed at the skull, "And that one goes around your shoulder! " He pointed at the trailing cloak.

She was trying to figure out which way the skull went, trying it on like a helmet,when a huffing voice muttered, "Oh, for Moon’s sake you old mutts." An old woman pushed her way through the warriors, elbowing the redhead in the ribs.

Surprisingly that actually made him grunt.

Autumn could tell she was a shaman from her aura and the tattoos all over her wrinkled face. She looked ancient...had wiry grey hair knotted into braids, and teeth that alternated between gold caps and actual bones.

"Boys, you always forget the ’how’ of things...ahh, I terribly miss having little girls around.These men have forgotten everything I taught...little girls are eager to learn in the least," she spat, snatching the cloak from Autumn and swinging it around her shoulders like she was dressing a doll. "There. Now hood up and tilt the skull! Let me tie it up for you! We don’t want it rattling like a loose tooth."

Autumn swallowed as the wolf skull was gently fastened to the back of her head with a leather strap.

The shaman leaned close, eyes glinting, and tapped Autumn’s belly twice with her gnarled knuckles. "The babies are kicking today," she said with a wide grin." Who’s excited for a little walk, sweet peas! " She wiggled her fingers in front of Autumn’s stomach as if talking to the babies.

Autumn’s breathed out. Indeed they were moving around a lot already. She didn’t know if it was excitement or if it was stress.

The woman reached into the folds of her robe and pulled out a pale blue gemstone, small as a pebble but glowing faintly like it held moonlight inside. She pressed it into Autumn’s palm.

"Just in case," she whispered, winking one yellowed eye.

Autumn had no idea what to say. "Thanks, I guess! But you really don’t need to do this. What will I even do with it?"

The woman cackled and vanished back into the smoke waving at Autumn.

" Now you look absolutely ready for this little trip, little one! You look stunning actually!" The red haired one stepped forward and offered her a dagger. Autumn tried to refuse but he pressed it into her hand.

Some more warriors gathered around her.They too were dressed in furs and bone jewelries.It looked like they took their outings very seriously.

One of them bowed. " This way,princess!"

Now Autumn was really feeling a little uncomfortable with all that pampering going on.They escorted her through the fortress towards what looked like a gigantic stone wall. It looked impassable... until a rumble echoed and a massive boulder slid aside with a groan, revealing a narrow, torch lit passage beyond.

Autumn’s eyes widened. It looked like a cave.

But it was actually a gate.

A gate meant to hide this place from the outside world.

"After you, little one," the redhead gestured gallantly.

She stepped through, only to be surrounded by guards ,flanking her on all sides, walking in perfect rhythm with her steps. She glanced around...no one walked too fast or slow.Or urged her to hurry up. They were moving with her pace.

Every time she slowed, they slowed. Every time she paused, so did the entire procession.

She wasn’t sure if she should be flattered or absolutely terrified.

They reached what looked like a canal,but much bigger, stretching out like a black mirror. A long boat waited at the dock. It matched the pack’s aesthetics perfectly,ornamented with hide drapes, bones strung like wind chimes, and a carved prow shaped like a snarling wolf.

She stepped onto the boat and it glided forward, rowed by hooded figures who didn’t say a word.

Damn it felt like a ride to the netherworld!

The journey took longer than she expected. An hour. Maybe more. Time passed strangely here...Or maybe it was her head and her senses that were still messed up!

She barely said a word the whole time.Neither did her escorts speak.

Then the boat finally slowed, approaching the dock...but stopped before reaching.There was a gap. A rather large one.

Autumn leaned forward, about to climb down carefully ( she lifted her dress above her knees as well) , when suddenly, all the warriors stood up and turned in one synchronized motion.

Then...they bowed.Very low. Exactly at ninety degrees.

They lined up side by side, from the boat to the dock...forming a bridge with their backs.

"What are they doing?" Autumn recoiled. "I... I can just go around?Please! You don’t have to do this! "

The redhead looked mildly offended. "It’s tradition, pup. Step over. If you don’t, they will think you reject their service. That they are unworthy."

Another added solemnly, "And they will punish themselves for it...they will take it as an insult. And Skarthheim warriors don’t take insults well."

"What will they do?"

"In your case, they will flay their own skin off in apology," said the warrior beside her, as casually as discussing the weather.

Autumn’s stomach lurched.She looked at the man closest to her feet. Her heart dropped.

"Oh for fuck’s sake...ok fine," she muttered, then straightened. "I mean... Thank you, brave warriors. I... accept your service"

She stepped gingerly across their backs. "I am so sorry.."She muttered, gritting through her teeth.

The moment she stepped off, the warriors stood up as one and cheered like she had just scored a goal and they were her cheering squad!

" Ahh! Damn! How much weirder is this going to get?! " Autumn turned around and started walking.

It was a few minutes walk from the dock till they reached the actual market place.

And...the bazaar was madness.

Autumn’s eyes opened wide as she stared at the skins that hung like banners.So many stalls. Some vendors were selling some shiny stuff. Others had live lizards wrapped around their necks...probably fashion.

Autumn kept walking.She didn’t stop. But as she walked... people stopped and bowed at her.

Huge people. Much taller and bulkier than her... all stood there lined up, heads bent at her level as she passed.

"She walks like her father, eh?" someone whispered.

Autumn kept her chin high, barely looking around not because she was trying to be in character but because it was getting too absurd, until one of the warriors chirped beside her, "See anything you like, pup?"

"I am just... looking," she said quickly.

They passed a butcher stall. Autumn nearly gagged...the meat was still twitching.

Up ahead she saw a fire dancer spin knives behind a cage where a crowd of leashed creatures ( she didn’t know most of their names) howled, matching the same rhythm.

One of them turned around and looked at her, with strangely human looking eyes!

She averted her gaze.

Then they passed a row of shops. Bigger, with bigger cages. They had in them,not animals.Humans.Elves.Some horned creatures too.

Some trembled. Some were staring...blank.

The redhead followed her gaze. "Like any toy, little one?"

Autumn’s throat clenched. "No. No thank you."

She walked faster, heads down, like her tail was on fire.

"Princess,did you see the way that one shook?" one of the warriors laughed out loud, calling Autumn back. "Could use her to mix drinks!What do you say? "

"Oi, hush now," the redhead waved him off. "The girl’s got good taste. She will pick something when she is ready.Don’t overwhelm her. The New world did her bad.Poor girl needs time to adjust."

Autumn wanted to scream. Or throw up. Or punch someone. But instead, she just kept walking..

Then something shifted.She felt a flutter in her chest.

The babies started kicking repeatedly.

She stopped, held her belly and her chest...Right in front of a stall full of actual trinkets...necklaces, shells, feathers, stones.

Her fingers grazed a string of beads when it hit her again.

Thud...Thud thud...

She gasped.

Impossible... but she could feel it... too clear.

The bond.Their mate bond. Her knees weakened.

"He’s here." Autumn gasped not knowing if she was laughing or crying out loud. "Kieran in here?!"

She could feel him.Close.Too close.

This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶