so long as you're ok im ok

cannot help self *brief cameo*

Harlyn had heard the call, though it had taken her longer to respond.  The storm had come and gone with little turmoil to the Cinderloch or to the Plateau in general, though its intensity was enough to bring worry to her heart for those away from the pack's borders.  Eagerly, she had abandoned her task when Luke's voice rose upon the wind, and as quick as she could, she had stolen towards the borders only to halt upon the sight of him, conversing with a wolf she did not recognize.

Propriety told her that it was wrong to linger in secret as she did, to spy upon them without their knowledge that she was present.  And yet, the moment she'd spotted them, she'd sensed a heat between them, and the touches given to her friend's ivory frame had frozen her in place.  Something gripped her heart tightly then, and unbidden her hackles raised as her gaze slipped towards the other wolf - a dark wolf whose name she did not know, but whose scent told her he was one of the Plateau.  He spoke then, of a daughter, a niece to his mate... His mate.  And suddenly her memory clicked - Lasher, the pack's beta.  He had announced that day that he and the healer were officially mated, in the presence of all the pack and the children they'd born together.

Harlyn had been upset that day at the announcement.  Upset that the youths had gone so long with their parents little more than close friends.  Later when she had calmed down, her disgust at their lackadaisiacal relationship had subsided.  The children were no doubt loved and happy, a fact that she could not deny having met two of them.  But now suddenly, their father was officially a mate to their mother, and yet he was there, caressing another with such familiarity and affection.

Luke.

Quickly and silently, Harlyn stole away from them both.  She did not trust her thoughts on the subject in that moment, knowing well that her emotions could so easily get the better of her.  And more than that, there grew the dull, stinging suspicion that maybe it wasn't the fact that the beta was being untrue to his mate and children that irked her so... Maybe it was the fact that his tryst was with Luke - Her Luke - that so bothered her.

In any event, like a serpent, the druid slipped away and was gone, her mind spinning with this new information.  Eventually she would calm down, talk herself into assuming that she was being silly and what she'd sensed between them was merely friendship, thus banishing the worry in her heart that Luke was not truly one of hers.  The time was coming soon enough that she and Mordecai would sweep him away with them to the Hollow they'd fallen in love with together, and all thoughts of Lasher and whatever sad, empty role Luke might play in the beta's life would be gone from her dear friend's mind.