Soren loved French toast. She had decided it was heart favourite food so far. Having only eaten pasta the day before however, James claimed she had tons more things to try. While they were eating, he had pulled out a pad of paper and a pen and began writing a list of things for her to eat.
“What about yoghurt?”
“No.”
“A burger.”
“No.”
“PB and J?” He sounded exasperated.
“No.”
He had given up then, choosing to jot down every new food that came to his mind, knowing that if it wasn’t meat or the occasional berry, she hadn’t tried it or didn’t remember what it tasted like.
Soren had also begun to answer him with words. His speech had hit her hard, she knew he was trying his best to make her comfortable, and she also knew that her silence had made him uneasy, she had felt it deep within her bones. Now that she was speaking, no matter how little, she could feel his joy as clearly as if it was her own, and she loved knowing that she was the source of his happiness.
After eating, James announced that they were going to have a visitor,
“Margot’s gonna pop by with some clothes for you. I know you said you like mine but maybe if we go out, you’d prefer something that actually fits.
Soren didn’t know how she felt about meeting another person. Already James and Matt felt like a lot to handle, and she had never talked to a female that wasn’t her mother, were they nice? James sensed her discomfort and placed his hand gently on her cheek,
“You’ll love her, and she’ll love you, I’m sure. I would never put you in a situation I didn’t think you could handle and if it’s too much, just tell me and she can leave.”
Soren managed a small smile, she didn’t doubt any of what he had just said,
“Okay.”
“She should actually be here pretty soon, she was really excited when I asked her to come.”
True to his word, James had been smiling as much as he could, and now was no exception. Soren loved when he smiled, it made her feel warm inside. Running upstairs she put her hair up into what James had called a bun, tying it in a large knot with no thoughts as to how she was going to take it out. Hearing the door open downstairs and the low murmuring of voices she knew Margot had arrived.
When she went back down the first thing she saw was the back of James’ head, descending the stairs she tucked herself close to his side. Talking to James was Matt, and next to him stood a tall brunette woman with a large bag at her side.
“Hi, I’m Margot, nice to meet you.” The woman, Margot, stepped out from her place beside Matt and held out her hand to Soren expectantly. Soren just stared at it, what was she expected to do? Uncertainty filled her and her breathing shallowed out. Margot quickly realized she wasn’t going to get what she had been wanting and dropped her hand. James was looking down at her with concern, and despite the fact that Margot’s face was filled with understanding, Soren was getting agitated. James tucked her in close, but unlike James, Matt was unhappy, a low growl came out from between his clenched lips and Soren had to bite her lip to stop herself from whimpering in fear, this was not her home, there was no escape for her here.
Margot elbowed Matt in the side roughly before placing her hand on his bicep,
“She didn’t mean any disrespect Matt, you know that. She just doesn’t know yet. You have to calm down.”
Her hand ran up and down his arm, she rested her forehead against it and Soren watched in fascination as Matt’s anger diminished almost instantaneously. Tucking Margot against himself, just like James had to her, he faced Margot with a sheepish smile before turning to acknowledge Soren with only a nod of the head. She returned the gesture and just like that, all was forgotten.
“How about you show me upstairs and I can show you some of the things I brought?” Margot smiled warmly at Soren and she felt her heart rate start to normalize. Margot didn’t look like a threat, and even if she did attack, Soren felt like she could put up a decent fight until James reached her. Nodding she felt James hand tighten reassuringly before letting her go to lead Margot away from the two men.
Soren was sure Margot knew her way around, thought she followed as if it was her first time there. She knew though that Margot had probably been over numerous times, and for some reason it hurt a little to know that this stranger knew more about James and his home than she did. Reaching the room Soren walked in and remained standing while Margot sat comfortably on the bed, opening the duffle bag she had brought with her.
“So, first off, I brought you a hair brush and toothbrush, you know, the essentials. Of course, I also grabbed some deodorant and toothpaste even though I’m sure James has those lying around. I just figured you might want things to really call you own. We can go to the mall soon to get you some clothes, but for now I brought you some of my old stuff. Don’t worry about returning any of it, Matt spoils me, I swear that man doesn’t know when to stop buying me things, as if I need a thousand pairs of pants.”
Margot shook her head and tsked, but Soren could see the amusement in her eyes. Soren could tell Margot secretly loved the attention and love he received from Matt and that her complaints were half-hearted. Soren’s face showed a hint of a smile as she thought of James and how much attention he gave her. She was sure what they had wasn’t love, they hadn’t known each other for long and he was half-man half-wolf, but she knew they shared a bond, a mutual affection.
Margot laid out shirts and pants on the bed, showing Soren all the different options, she had brought,
“How about you go try these on, Soren? I think they’ll look great on!”
Soren took the bundle into the bathroom and slowly removed the comfortable clothes that she had been wearing her past two days at the house. Sliding the black stretchy pants on, Soren could not bring herself to put on the shirt that Margot had so graciously brought her. The shirt smelled like some sort of flower that made Soren’s nose itch, she wanted to be engulfed by James’ scent, it gave her comfort and she associated it with a possible misplaced sense of home.
Leaving the bathroom, Margot didn’t comment about the grey hoodie she still wore, instead motioned Soren to sit next to her on the bed,
“From what Matt has told me about you, which granted, hasn’t been much, I figure maybe we could be friends. I know what it feels like to feel like an outsider here. Matt and I only met two years ago and trust me the transition into the pack felt surreal, it took me a long time to work up the courage to talk to everyone let alone try and lead them and I just want you to know that I’m going to be here for you know matter what. We’re going to be practically sisters and I don’t know about you but having a protective older brother has made me always want one. Soren smiled outright and Margot was slightly taken aback by the radiance of her smile. Margot knew she was Colorado pack’s Luna and Alpha Female, but she couldn’t help but in that moment be partially in awe of the wild girl in front of her, who light up the room when she smiled, her steel blue eyes almost glowing with silver glee.
“I would like that,” Soren said, “I was an only child, not that it matters much. I am a child of the forest and to have a sister would be nice, really nice.”
Margot did not quite know what to make of Soren’s statement, a child of the forest? Margot knew she could not mean she had literally been born of the forest, but having heard how she was found, she didn’t want to press into the issue any further,
“How ‘bout I do something about that hair of yours, hmm, whadda ya say?”
Soren smiled a softer smile, still slightly shy to the girl who claimed sisterhood, but never the less turned and allowed her access to the mess of tangles atop her head.
Margot did her best to untie the knot of hair that Soren had somehow managed to create but had no luck. Grabbing scissors, she was forced to cut the hair tie out from within her locks, before running a brush through it painstakingly slowly, trying not to hurt the poor girl. Once it was all brushed through and laid like silk down her back, Margot began to run her hands through it. Soren’s eyes close inadvertently as she felt Margot begin to weave her fingers through her clean hair, every once and awhile pulling at strands, freeing her face of their presence.
“There, that’s much better.”
Soren’s hair now laid in an intricate braid down her back, woven expertly by Margot’s nimble fingers.
“Thank you, Margot.” Soren said humbly,
“You don’t ever have to thank me, and if we’re going to be sisters, you had better start calling me Mar, or Go, or Mare, none of this stupid Margot business, okay?”
“Okay,” Soren conceded, “but you must call me Ren.”
Sitting on the bed, talking about their lives and childhoods, the two women fast started to bond, further strengthening their talks of sisterhood as the moon rose up into the sky, watching as they spoke.