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“Oh, which children?” Zahira came to stand beside her.
Shaking her head, Vivienne felt a twinge of anger at Zahira’s question but she hastily pushed it away. It wasn’t Zahira’s fault she was acting like a pre-menstrual freak! She wasn’t even prone to PMS. This had to be a first in twenty-three years of regular and painless periods.
“I must have closed my eyes for a while,” Vivienne managed tersely, stepping away from the window. She pasted on a smile for Zahira, who along with Verity, who was currently in the kitchen, had been doing everything over the past days to make her life easier. They were her staunch supporters outside of Conall, his nephew, and his betas, and very appreciated in times like these.
Brennus, Samia’s father, had taken his request for a blood rite to the pack, and it had been approved. If Vivienne thought she’d been treated as an outcast before, she’d obviously been wrong. The pack now went to extreme lengths to avoid her. Before, they would remain where they were, and act as if she weren’t there, but now they left whenever she approached. No one had spoken offensively to her, but they didn’t have to. Zahira had explained that the pack was torn between respecting their alpha and his chosen mate, and offending Brennus and Samia. As such, they avoided all parties involved. It gave Vivienne a little pleasure to know Samia was being treated similarly, but today that pleasure was forgone in place of anger.
That was the emotion that pulsed through her, and only seemed to pulse stronger with the passing hours. It was joined by sadness, frustration….
“You’re bleeding,” Zahira said, as if they were talking of chocolate and candy, and not something so personal. “Oh, save your shock for your human friends, Vivienne. Werewolves have no couth, and certainly no shame, especially in these matters.”
“That’s really none of your business—”
“You’re sad, depressed, and most of all, angry,” Zahira continued, as if Vivienne had not spoken. “It’s been so long I did not recognize it at first.” She gave Vivienne a little smile, which only prompted the already angry druid to scowl.
Zahira chuckled before walking back over to a brown sofa. “I now see why my pack sisters found it amusing to watch as I went through this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Have a seat, Vivienne. You’ve been standing by the window for almost an hour.”
She lifted her brows as she looked to the grandfather clock above Zahira’s fireplace. It was after six. The werewolf was right. “I’m sorry, Zahira. I haven’t been myself. I’m tired. I should leave now.”
“Vivienne, what you are experiencing is very normal.” Her brows furrowed and she added curiously, “Well, it is normal for a were female who has recently been mated. Although you are not were, and the ceremony has not been completed, it seems you are experiencing it as well.”
“What am I experiencing but a bad day?” Vivienne snapped, running a hand over her eyes. She really needed to leave before she went off on Zahira. That would be unforgivable.
“You’re sad, depressed, and angry because with your bleeding comes the recognition that you have not conceived for your mate…yet.”
Vivienne scoffed, even as that truth settled in her heart. When she’d first seen her period, she’d been ecstatic for the span of thirty seconds. Of late, she’d begun to recognize that the amount of sex she indulged in with Conall could definitely result in the possibility of a baby. Or two. Her period had symbolized that despite her stupidity for foregoing protection, she was being given a second chance. And then had come the wave of sadness. Why wasn’t she pregnant? That had led to indiscriminate anger at everyone and everything around her.
“I’m going home,” she announced, heading for the coat rack where her fleece was. “Please tell Verity I’ll come back soon.”
She’d just shrugged into the garment and had turned to say her goodbye to Zahira when the Elder touched her wrist. An encouraging smile graced her lips.
“It’s fine, Vivienne, to feel as you do. It’s quite normal, in fact, and likely that Conall understands.”
Nodding, Vivienne turned and pulled open the door.
“I’ll walk with you,” Zahira announced.
“Thank you, Zahira, for everything, but I really just want to be alone.”
The Elder seemed torn, but Vivienne added, “It’s a ten minute walk, and there are still people outside.”
That didn’t seem to reassure Zahira any. In fact, worry lines edged into her usually smooth forehead. Vivienne guessed Zahira, the older woman, was afraid someone would attack her. Someone meaning Samia. Never one to condone violence, Vivienne decided if Samia really wanted to mess with a pissed-off, half-depressed druid on this night of all nights, she was welcome to it.
