Six

At first Thalia thought she had misheard her master, then she thought perhaps she was imagining it. Thalia couldn't remember the last time she was allowed to go outside or shift. Lars either didn't like or didn't care to let Thalia out. Thalia had heard that the less a wolf shifted, the weaker they became but Thalia wasn't sure if that was true. She had endured years of torture and still healed quickly which sadly meant she was subjected to another beating. 

"A run?" Thalia's voice was shy and hesitant, her eyes flicking up to gage Dante's mood only to find him observing her calmly. 

“Yes.” Dante nodded with a smile. “Doctor McKinley did mention it in his notes and that it has been sometime since you were last able to let your wolf out. I can only imagine how torturous that must be for you so I would like to rectify it starting tonight.” 

Thalia was speechless, her eyes wide in shock and mouth agape. The rush of emotions was certainly overwhelming, and she felt the prickling sting in the corners of her eyes as tears threatened to flood her eyes. It was enough to stir Maeve’s spirit deep inside of her and she felt the beasts longing for freedom mix in with her own excitement and desire.  She wasn’t about to question this precious gift twice and shut her mouth, giving a quick nod as she let the prospect of stretching her legs take root. 

A toothy grin split Dante’s handsome face at Thalia’s acceptance, blue eyes glimmering with satisfaction in the intimate light around them. “Excellent. Well, if you are finished here, let me show you outside.” 

It was the first decent meal Thalia had consumed in months and yet she found herself too excited to feel the fresh air on her skin to eat anymore. It was undeniably delicious, and the richness of the stew had warmed her belly wonderfully. How long had it been since she had felt something more than hunger pains inside her? 

Dante’s towering figure led the way from the small dining table and out through the sliding French doors behind where Thalia had sat. the feeling of the early spring night air sent a small shiver up the young wolf’s spine and she dragged in a deep breath of the air, smelling wet earth, new spring growth and just the faintest hint of burning wood in the humid air. Beyond the French doors was a veranda made of stone and wood and bathed in soft yellow light from sconces on the stone exterior of the house. Most of the veranda had a stone wall save for a gap about six feet wide where steps led down onto an open grassy paddock lined by a thick wall of trees. All around them was nothing but silence. There appeared to be no other hints of life. 

“Take as much time as you need.” Dante spoke up, looking down at the petite she-wolf with an encouraging smile. “I will be right here when you are tired and are ready to go back in.” 

Thalia nodded, rendered speechless by the feeling of open space around her and the wilderness within touching distance. The terrain was certainly different from what she was used to. She had grown up under the heat of the Mediterranean sun where sand-coloured rocks met the azure blue waters. Her pack territory had felt like living in paradise and she had relished the feeling of the hot sea-salted air against her skin and the refreshing coolness of the Aegean Sea.

She couldn’t be picky though and, in all honesty, there was something intriguing about this new land with its cooler climate and thicker forestry. 

Taking a deep breath, Thalia waited until she could no longer sense her new owner around her before removing her clothing, folding the dress neatly and settling it on a seat by the door. She could already feel Maeve pressing forward, begging to be freed like a puppy waiting to be taken for a walk. Thalia certainly wasn’t going to deny her and after a few moments of letting the cool wet hair brush against her naked form, she closed her eyes and opened the door within her mind to release her wolven spirit. 

There was a sharp pain as she transformed, and Maeve took over. Thalia assumed it was because it had been some time and even then, the feeling wasn’t dreadful. Within moments, her human form had given way to her wolf form and Maeve shook out her black and gold coat before tossing her head back to let out a joyous howl. Eyes the colour of sunflowers took in the wilderness around them before the lithe she-wolf dashed into the undergrowth. 

Much like their human form, their wolven form was undernourished but that held little impact on Maeve’s speed as she crashed through the forest with grace and speed. The scents of the forest drove her on, jumping felled trees and navigating gullies and mounds with ease. The sweet smells of the terrain tickled her nose as Maeve frolicked and pranced about like a juvenile. 

Thalia wasn’t sure how long Maeve dashed about, following different scents. They stumbled across a badger whose grumpiness quickly sent Maeve on her way. Maeve even found a frog in a small stream to entertain her, her eyes forward and eyes wide as the slippery amphibian hopped about in the water. Eventually though, Maeve began to tire and turned back to find her way to the house once more. The wolf walked up the steps onto the veranda, pausing at the sight of Dante, sat on a wooden love seat with a book, one ankle balancing on his opposite knee. 

“Hello Maeve,” Dante smiled as he closed his book and set it beside him. “Did you enjoy your run?” 

The sound that came out of Maeve was a mixture of a growl and a purr, her tail wagging in excitement as she voiced her appreciation. 

“Good. There are some warm clothes on the chair for you.” Dante motioned to the same seat Thalia had left her dress on earlier. 

Maeve was silent as she carefully gathered the clothing in her maw, slipping back down the steps to use the stone wall for privacy. Thalia almost felt bad for coaxing Maeve back into her mind and letting Thalia take control, but Maeve did seem content and her happiness thrummed through Thalia’s soul like the vibrations of music. The black leggings and thick woollen jumper in a soft grey were welcome now that a chill danced over Thalia’s skin. She pulled the clothing on before heading back onto the Veranda, blushing as Dante stood from his seat to hand her a pair of thick woollen socks. 

“We don’t want you to freeze, now do we?” Dante smiled in amusement. 

“Thank you.” Thalia said softly as she took the socks. “The forest is beautiful.” 

“I’m glad you like it. You can explore it as much as you like.” Dante nodded, leading them back inside once Thalia had put her socks on. “As the weather warms up, it’ll be much more beautiful. That is of course, if we are still here for that.” 

“What do you mean?” Thalia asked, frowning in confusion. 

Dante didn’t reply immediately but instead led the young she-wolf to the couches sitting in front of the giant marble fireplace. Even the couch felt heavenly as Thalia sank her tired body onto the silver grey upholstery. Dante certainly had taste and the means in which to furnish his home with it. 

“Well, I travel for my work, and I don’t like to leave those in my care behind.” Dante explained. “So, I usually move everyone with me. It’s no issue really but I do like to show my girls my appreciation and sometimes, taking them on vacation is a nice way to do it.”

Thalia knew she should be in awe of this but the feeling building in her gut was anything but. Why was Dante so kind to the girls he had bought? He gave them nice clothes and good meals and he was literally not asking for anything. Taking them on vacation was too much! Thalia was used to working to the bone. She was used to being belittled or punished for minor infractions and used like a possession. None of this was putting her at ease and it showed. 

“Thalia,” Dante broke the silence first, his large hand resting on Thalia’s reassuringly. “This is not a trap. I want to make sure you and the other girls get back to your families after what you have been through. I know it comes at a cost but for now, I don’t want you to worry about that. After everything you have been through, don’t you think you deserve to be taken care of?” 

Thalia felt her cheeks flame, feeling like she had been caught red handed in her thoughts. Thoughts and questions still crept in like whispers, but she forced them down. She didn’t want to seem ungrateful, especially as she had only been here a day. 

“Okay.” Thalia’s voice was tiny, her brown eyes meeting Dante’s blue ones which sparkled in satisfaction at her answer. 

“Brilliant. Now,” He stood, holding onto Thalia’s hand still as he gently helped her to her feet. “It’s getting late, so I think it’s time for bed.”