The Wolf and the Druidess Read Online Free PDF Page B

the chief, their eyes all holding a glint of fear.
    “Chief Neithon, the wolf will not harm us. I say this as druidess of the Ordovices. No one need fear him, the gods revealed this to me,” Seren said in a soft, soothing tone.
    A wave of relief coursed through her. All the men and women who had shied away and glared at Gwydion’s beastly form now stepped forward.
    The chief walked up to Gwydion and stopped a breath span from him. He gazed into the beast’s glowing, yellow eyes. “What is this? You are not a wolf, you are immortal.” He bowed.
    “How did you know?” Seren asked.
    Meilyr stepped to the chief’s side. “Druidess, he bears the pink-tipped ears of the otherworld.”
    Seren shook her head. How had she forgotten? Any noble would know that.
    The bard spread out his arms and opened his mouth, framed by his thick red moustache. In a deep, reverberating tone he sang out, “Release the transformation, shift from the beast, reveal your true being, present your real shape.”
    The wolf howled as he stretched and twisted. Part of his body expanded as other features contracted and his thick, white fur shortened until shifting into bronze-tinted flesh.
    Seren’s heart raced and she gasped at the tall, nude man who stood before her. He waved his fingers in front of his chest and right before her eyes, suddenly, he was clothed. Her pulse still pounded. The firm muscles of his thick arms and chest filled out his blue tunic and gold curls spilled down to his shoulders. Seren let out a soft chuckle, as she noticed all the women who had gathered around, gazed upon the portion of his bare chest that peeked out from his white, gold-speckled robe.
    The chief glanced at him and then shifted his gaze back to Seren. “He is a god. He sparkles and shines.”
    “Yes, this is god Gwydion, Chief Neithon,” Seren replied.
    The warriors stood with their mouths agape. Seren had to hold back a giggle.
    “God of wisdom, welcome to our hill fort.” Neithon turned to Seren. “What a great Samhain. Well done, you brought the god for the mating ritual. We do not need a druid or warrior to stand in his place for the rite, we have the actual god. I take it you will perform it with him, in proxy for Goddess Agrona.”
    “Does he speak of the ritual coupling, Druidess?” Gwydion gazed at her and winked.
    Her mouth went dry. She shivered. She couldn’t give herself to him with the entire tribe watching. Seren had never dreamed of standing in proxy as goddess Agrona, to mate with Gwydion. The chief needed to be quiet. This was the worst idea he’d ever had.
    “No, Chief Neithon, I have chosen one of the nine warriors as well as one of the nine maidens for the rite. It is the will of the gods.”
    “I thought that was why you summoned him.” Neithon shifted his gaze from Seren to the god. “God of wisdom, I ask your forgiveness in that I mistook the reason for your presence. I know now that you did not come for the ritual.”
    “Not at all chief, I have not declined, it’s a great honor to celebrate Samhain and I am sure, the warrior chosen to stand in my place would gladly relinquish it to me.” With elbows bent, he held his hands out and grinned. “And if I am playing myself, the role of my goddess would be Agrona, but I know she is unable to come. The part should be played by the most powerful druidess of the tribe. Who would that be, Chief Neithon?”
    The big man grinned. “Why the very druidess you are standing with, Seren is most powerful, god Gwydion. You honor us by accepting our druidess as your paramour for the Samhain fertility rite.”
    “I think it is madness, but so be it,” Seren agreed, since she had no choice.
    He’d tricked her into the fertility rite. How could he consent to this? Do this to her? Seren didn’t want to play Agrona as she made love to Gwydion. It would remind him of his coupling with the goddess, and Seren wanted Gwydion and everyone else to know he might be the tribe’s god, but she