A Werewolf's Unexpected Mate-Chapter 114: A New Form

[Ovelia’s POV]

The world snapped back into focus with a jolt as Ray’s voice cut through the tense air, and the wagon lurched to a sudden halt. For a second, my mind went blank, unable to process anything but the solid form holding me. I looked up.

I was met with a pair of stormy gray eyes, set in a face with sharp, elegant features and framed by hair as white as fresh snow. His ears were distinctly pointed, and from his back, folded a pair of magnificent, translucent wings that shimmered with a faint, prismatic light even in the shade of the wagon.

"Gale?!" I gasped, my voice a stunned whisper.

"Yes, it’s me," he said, his tone gruff and impatient, though a faint blush high on his cheekbones betrayed his embarrassment. "So please stop crying, you idiot. Your sniffling is giving me a headache."

I quickly wiped the remaining tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand. Before I could form another word, two strong, familiar hands settled firmly on my waist. I let out a small, surprised yelp as I was pulled backward, my body sliding effortlessly from Gale’s human-sized lap.

"Don’t touch my wife," Ace’s voice rumbled from behind me, low and thick with a possessiveness that sent a shiver down my spine. I realized I was now settled securely in his lap, my back pressed against the solid wall of his chest. The warmth of him seeped through my dress, and I could feel the frantic, rabbit-quick beat of my own heart.

Then, he lowered his head and deliberately sniffed my hair, right near my neck.

"Ace?" I asked, my voice trembling. I could feel the heat of a furious blush spreading across my face and neck.

"Now his scent is all over you," he muttered, his arms wrapping around me in a tight, almost desperate embrace. He rested his chin on my shoulder, his silver eyes fixed on Gale in a silent, challenging glare. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

I looked at Gale, my face burning. His expression was an unreadable, carefully constructed mask of neutrality, which only made me blush more intensely.

"Ace, stop doing that. You’re making her blush harder," Gale stated flatly, though one of his hands came up to clutch at the fabric over his own heart. A flicker of discomfort crossed his face. "And I really don’t like this... fluttery, warm feeling. It’s irritating."

Oh, right. The realization dawned on me. Gale and I can feel each other’s emotions. He was feeling my acute embarrassment and the confusing, pleasant warmth of being held by Ace.

"Ahem." Ray’s deliberate cough made all of us turn toward the front of the wagon.

He was standing on the driver’s seat, one hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. Ann sat beside him, and unlike Ray’s watchfulness, she was looking directly at me, a soft, knowing smile gracing her lips.

Feeling self-conscious, I gently pried myself from Ace’s embrace and settled beside him, putting a few inches of respectful distance between us.

"I thought something terrible had happened when I saw that flash of light," Ray explained, his gaze shifting from me to Gale.

"Sorry," Gale said, his voice quieter now. He looked away from Ray, focusing on the wooden floorboards. "It was my fault. It was an... impulse."

"So, you can transform into the size of a human," Ray observed, not as a question, but as a statement of fact. He settled back onto the seat and took up the reins, clicking his tongue to set the horses in motion once more.

"Yes," Gale confirmed.

"So, in a twisted way, that traveler’s experiment was ultimately successful," Ann commented, her voice thoughtful and devoid of its earlier sharpness.

"Yes," Gale replied, a bitter edge returning to his tone. He looked down at his own human-like hands, flexing his fingers as if seeing them for the first time. "But maintaining this form consumes a massive amount of mana. My larger body can store more mana, but the act of transformation itself, both into this and back to my normal size, requires a huge expenditure. It’s a costly paradox."

"Can you transform back to your normal size right now?" Ace asked, his arms crossed, his scrutiny of Gale’s new form unwavering.

"I can’t," Gale admitted with a frustrated sigh. "I don’t have enough mana reserves left to do that. And don’t worry," he added, a sly, sarcastic smile twisting his lips as he looked at Ace, "I’m not planning to drain your mate’s aura to replenish myself." He paused for effect, his gray eyes glinting. "I mean, your wife. You haven’t officially marked her yet, after all."

A low, warning growl rumbled deep in Ace’s chest. I placed a calming hand on his arm. Gale is just trying to get a rise out of you, and he’s technically right, I thought, hoping he would understand my touch.

[Gale’s POV]

As the wagon continued its journey and passed through the Apple Forest, a contemplative silence fell over us. Ace was leaning back against the wagon wall, his eyes closed, though I knew he wasn’t sleeping. Ovelia had drawn her knees up to her chest, resting her forehead on them, and looked small and lost in thought.

"Everyone, look at the sunset," Ray announced, his voice gentle, breaking the quiet.

Ovelia’s head snapped up instantly, her eyes searching the horizon. "Wow," she breathed, her voice filled with genuine awe. "I can see it so clearly from here." She said it with the reverence of someone witnessing a miracle for the very first time.

"It’s so beautiful," Ann agreed, her usual sharpness softened by the view.

Ray slowed the wagon to a near crawl, allowing the magnificent display of fiery oranges, deep purples, and brilliant golds to wash over us without the distraction of rapid movement.

I could feel it then—a pure, unadulterated joy radiating from Ovelia. It was a bright, warm sensation in my chest, so different from the corrosive emotions we had just shared. Watching her face, so open and innocent in its wonder, I felt an unfamiliar, small smile tug at the corners of my own mouth.

We rode in a comfortable quiet for a while, the only sound the soft crunch of the wheels and the distant calls of evening birds, all of us soaking in the sunset’s peaceful finale.

"Gale." Ace’s voice cut through the tranquility, and I turned to look at him. His eyes were open now, sharp and analytical. "Can you always feel Ovelia’s emotions?"

"Yes," I answered honestly. "But it’s not constant. It’s like a radio signal that only comes through when the broadcast is strong—when her emotions are particularly intense." I then looked at Ovelia. "And you can feel mine, correct?"

Ovelia nodded, her expression earnest. "Yes, I think it’s a direct result of our pact," she said. "But... I don’t hate it. In a way, it’s reassuring. At least this way, I can know if you’re truly feeling okay." She offered me a small, tentative smile.

Being concerned about me, huh? I thought, a familiar defensive wall starting to rise. I don’t need her worry.

"I don’t particularly like this emotional connection," I said aloud, my tone deliberately neutral. "But I don’t despise it either." My gaze drifted back to Ace. I remembered his perceptive comment earlier, how he seemed to understand what Ovelia was feeling without her saying a word.

"Ace?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. "Can you actually smell emotions?"

"It depends," he said, shifting slightly. "Like your connection, it’s strongest when the emotion is powerful. I get a faint scent, an undertone to a person’s natural smell. It’s not a clear picture, more of a... general impression."

"Do all werewolves have that ability?" Ovelia asked, her scientific curiosity piqued.

"No," Ace explained. "Every werewolf has different innate skills, things we are naturally better or worse at. Take Ray, for example. No matter how perfectly someone controls their face, he can detect the subtle scent-shift that accompanies a lie."

Learning this, a strange sense of relief washed over me. I was glad, then, that I had never told them a single untruth.

"I can’t smell emotions or detect lies," Ann added, casually spinning a dagger around her fingers with practiced ease. "But I can smell killing intent. A person can hide their presence, they can mask their expression with a smile, but they can never fully conceal the unique, metallic scent of intent to kill."

"Everyone, I can see Meadowlark Village!" Ray called out, his voice buoyant with anticipation.

I squinted down the road, but my human-form eyes could only make out a blur of shapes in the far distance. Werewolf eyesight is ridiculously convenient.

"I can’t see it yet," Ovelia said, scrunching up her eyes in a futile attempt to see further. "But I’m so excited for the music festival!" The joy I felt from her spiked again, bright and infectious.

"Right, Lady Ovelia," Ann said, her smile returning. "I’m also looking forward to trying all the different festival foods."

"Hmm, hmm!" Ovelia agreed, nodding enthusiastically, her earlier melancholy completely forgotten.

I glanced at Ace and saw him watching her, a rare, unguarded, and tender smile briefly touching his lips before it vanished.

I concentrated, willing my prismatic wings to fade from sight, rendering them invisible. Then, I focused on my ears, feeling the slight, strange sensation as the pointed tips rounded out to appear completely human.

"Gale," Ovelia said, her eyes wide with surprise. "You really look just like a human now."

"I can’t transform back to my smaller form yet because I’m still low on mana," I explained with a shrug. "But I suppose I can still enjoy the festival, even stuck like this."

"But I can still sense the mana radiating from you," Ace cautioned, his brow furrowed. "You don’t carry the specific scent of a witch, but a skilled magic-user might still notice. You’ll need to be on your guard."

"I know that," I retorted, crossing my arms defensively. "I don’t need you to remind me." I paused, then grudgingly added, "But... I suppose I appreciate the concern. A little."

My attention shifted to Ray. He had grown quiet, his head constantly on a swivel, his body language that of a knight surveying a battlefield. His easy-going demeanor was gone, replaced by a focused vigilance. Right, I thought, following his gaze to the increasing number of travelers on the road in different directions. Because of the festival, Meadowlark Village would be teeming with people from all walks of life. And where there are large crowds and wealth, bandits are never far behind.