The shipping container’s barely familiar tal walls greeted in the dark. Shifting back to human form, I retrieved my phone and power bank from the backpack. I apparently woke up to pre-dawn, according to the clock, with a restless amount of energy.
The device’s battery had drained significantly, so I connected it to charge while laying back down and opening the hunter’s forum app. The blanket I’d lain on all night retained so warmth from my wolf’s body heat, at least.
But the air inside felt stale and confined despite being quite cool. I navigated to the [Equipnt Reviews]. Seeing what I could find about the frequency emitters. The information I found was reassuring and also concerning at the sa ti.
Multiple posts confird that werewolves, at least Ogas, could safely wear the devices if they understood how to activate them properly. So of our kind without wolves apparently... ’moonlighted’.
The emitters had a directional setting and worn correctly, they could create a ’cone’ of the disorienting pitch extending outward. Several hunters praised them as [ga changers] for controlling aggressive werewolves without risking permanent harm.
One post also suggested that gradual exposure... starting with low volu frequencies and building tolerance over ti was possible, so they advised not to trust effectiveness in all cases. I’m sure the council mbers and Alphas make use of that, if it’s true.
"I can torture myself to grow immune. That sounds like fun. Like the courses of poison ingestion so varieties of shifters were said to do with their royals."
Vrika whined at my words, wondering why anyone would eat anything like that knowingly. The answer is obvious of course. They didn’t want to die, so they accepted the necessity of it to avoid assassinations.
> I’ve done lots of interesting things to avoid those too. Maybe I’ll tell you about them soti. <
My stomach chose that mont to rebel, sending a wave of nausea through that had nothing to do with what I was thinking about, surely. I realized with annoyance that this must be morning sickness.
Another delightful aspect of pregnancy. The feeling passed quickly, but it left thinking about my nutrition. From a shelf, I retrieved the bottle of werewolf prenatal vitamins Dr. Lang had prescribed - and one of the water bottles I’d collected from the hideout.
I’d stuck the specially formulated pills with the rest of the food supplies. They were larger than I expected, and I probably should have been taking them already... but I still washed the first one ever down easily enough.
"One responsible decision for the day. Do you want to bet how many reckless ones I make?"
My wolf simply ignored my attempt to be silly with it. Or perhaps it just wanted nothing to do with egging on with challenges or warnings. What a spoilsport.
The feeling fortunately left without actually throwing up, this ti. But my appetite did seem lower than it should be considering the last ti I ate. I’d been surviving on mostly whatever pre-cooked food I could find in the city.
Fresh killed at like the deer I’d hunted days ago seed like a delicious, distant mory.
> Maybe on the way to the next cache, we can find sothing to hunt. Fresh protein would be good for both and the baby. <
Vrika perked up at the suggestion, sending impressions of rabbits and other small ga we might encounter. Reminding of that one that got away on the way to the city because I wasn’t used to being so large as a beast.
"Oh, we’ll catch one this ti. If we can scent one out."
With daybreak still an hour away and my phone plenty charged enough to function, I decided to combat my restlessness with sothing entirely... frivolous. I retrieved the selfie stick I’d bought at the electronics store - an impulse purchase.
"Might as well put it to use."
I kicked the blanket away from the largest open area and brought the massive red jasper out of my Stash where I’d left it. Even in the container’s spacious interior, the veritable boulder of unpolished rock dominated the space.
It was easily large enough for to sit on or recline against - a giant chunk of stone that would have taken multiple people to move by conventional ans. I know because I’ve seen rchant houses moving so just like it on rolling platforms.
"And all I needed to do was extend my hand to move it this far. This power has so strong potential use as a furniture mover, I suppose."
Setting up the selfie stick took so experintation, but soon I had it positioned to capture both myself and the magnificent stone in the fra. The container’s dim lighting ant I’d need to use the cara’s flash setting, which proved as problematic as it sounds in hindsight.
The first few shots were terrible. Sudden bright light left blinking and squinting with reactions I couldn’t help, creating unflattering expressions that I sincerely hope I don’t make when lightning strikes.
> This is harder than it looks. <
I continued on until they beca less obvious, acclimating and reacting less. Experinting with different poses against the boulder. Sitting regally on top of it like it was my throne. Leaning casually with my back against its side.
Even stretching out along its length and seeing how the stone’s warm red hues underneath the whitening flash made my skin tone seem even more appealing in the photos. Dusting off my bare skin and brushing out my hair as I examined all the pictures so far, I bound black strands up in my usual twintails.
"It would have been interesting to have this capability in my old world. Both for tempting new lovers and for having blackmail material over them..."
As I grew more comfortable with the process, my poses beca more... adventurous. I found myself channeling so of those rchant daughters’ sultry confidence they’d use in front of . One particular shot caught my attention as I reviewed them.
Arching my back, I hugged against the jasper’s rough surface with my hair piled over my shoulders. Head tilted back with my eyes half-closed and so much just almost visible. Sothing about the pose - intimate, vulnerable, sensual - made my breath catch.
"I look really good in this, Vrika."
The image, and the wolf, reminded suddenly of being pressed against Kyrie in the storm shelter. The way I’d lted into her provided warmth and stability despite my protests. Heat flooded my cheeks as I stared at the photo and wet my lips.
> What would she think if she saw sothing like this? <
I could almost imagine her reaction. The way her eyes might darken as the control she’d maintained was tested in this new way. After all, I had clothes on back then...
The thought of her seeing without even thin protection from ’sha’ made my pulse quicken in ways that had nothing to do with embarrassnt. But sending it was impossible. How would I even explain the setting?
"Here I am having a photo shoot with a sowhat stolen boulder inside a shipping container in the middle of the forest. How do I look?"
I scoff and sneer at the ceiling. The very premise was absurd. Even before I think about the deeper reasons not to do such a thing. What sending such a photo might an between us. What I might be hoping for in her response.
It felt too dangerous to acknowledge... quite yet. I quickly scrolled past the image to safer shots. But they were all too ’sexy’! How had I not noticed this before now? Just because that stupid Alpha has my heart thumping, I can’t even look at myself objectively...
Vrika sent impressions of amusent. My wolf spirit clearly didn’t understand the appeal of photographing myself. Even if it kind of understood the idea of appealing to a mate. And its teasing made get up and get dressed.
> Yes, I’m probably going to disrobe to travel in a bit, but I really need to be clothed now. Leave alone! <
⧖ ☾ ❄ ☽ ⧖
Outside, the first grey light of dawn was finally beginning to filter through the quiet forest canopy. I consulted the system map for Cache #3’s location as I pulled the whole shipping container into the... | Single Parent Stash |.
The journal ntioned this was a ravine. He’d described burying supplies [beneath the twisted oak that grows sideways from the slope] and also ntioned so unstable-looking terrain. The sketch made it seem like it had very steep sides.
My stomach growled as I shifted into the hybrid form and slung the backpack on my shoulder. If we encountered hints of any suitable prey on the way to the ravine, I’d take the opportunity to hunt.
With any luck, I’d have fresh at for breakfast and retrieve every cache before the day grew warm. Then I could finally return to the city and figure out whatever that BoundaryKeeper wanted with that ssage.
And what I was going to do about the complications of my choice to live in Vossden. Simplifying it as much as possible by getting my own money and giving back this card is step one. Not owing anyone anything will help navigate the treacherous waters of werewolf politics there.
And allow to reassess... whether all she sees is a Fated Mate bond.
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