Alpha, Beta, Omega

Chapter Nineteen

Kali didn't see or hear from either of her mates for a week and, before she knew it, it was time for the full moon gathering. She was nervous and jittery and though Samson and Carter, and Carter's mate, Lydia, tried to give her as much comfort as they could it didn't really help. But she sucked it up, reminding herself of everything she'd already survived, and went with Samson to the spot in the forest where the pack was gathering.

It wasn't much different than the spot where the Henson Pack met.

It was a meeting circle, much like the one she'd grown up going to, just situated nearer the falls and slightly smaller.

Samson walked along beside her, ever the loyal friend and protective Gamma. People glanced at her as she passed, which was no different than her birth pack had been, but now they didn't look at her with scorn or disgust. Now she only saw respect. Because these wolves knew who she was. She was an Omega and an Alpha Mate. And even if she hadn't been an Alpha Mate her status as an Omega, with the Lawton Pack at least, afforded her the respect of her pack.

Normally, as an Alpha Mate, she would have gone to stand next to Thornton and Kay, who were already at the head of the group, but given everything that had happened between them, all her hurt and anger, she stayed with Samson and wasn't surprised when Carter and Lydia joined them. She saw Kay look at her, saw the longing in his gaze, but when Thornton looked at her she wouldn't meet his gaze, would barely look at him. When her Alpha mate realized she wasn't going to be joining him and Kay he slowly made his way to the center of circle.

And, despite everything, Kali politely bowed her head in respect of Thornton's position just as the rest of the pack did.

"Welcome, my friends," Thornton's voice boomed through the air and Kali pretended she didn't shiver in response to it. "Another full moon, another night to run as a pack, we are truly blessed." People nodded and murmured their agreements even as Thornton smiled. "Tonight I wish you safety, I wish you peace and I wish you fun." There was laughter and Thornton's smile widened. "Now, let's run."

People howled and cheered and Kali almost laughed at the big, dopey grin on Carter's face. Lydia rolled her eyes at her mate's expression before giving Kali a look that clearly said what can you do before they all walked off into the trees. Kali was aware, keenly aware, of Kay and Thornton watching her but she ignored them.

Once a short distance away from the circle Kali stepped behind a large tree and stripped. She still wasn't comfortable with changing forms in front of others and, thankfully, her friends understood and accepted that. She left her clothes tucked beneath some undergrowth before stepping back. Gooseflesh broke out over her skin but she ignored that as she focused on the change. On her wolf. She felt the change overtake her, felt her human form slip away and soon she stood as a wolf.

She shook herself, getting rid of the lingering tingles of the change, before stepping back around the tree to rejoin her friends who were also in their wolf forms.

Carter's wolf was massive, not nearly as big as Thornton but pretty close, and his fur was a dark rusty color. Next to him Lydia looked even tinier. Her silvery grey fur stood out vividly against Carter's darkness. But what truly surprised her was Samson.

Where once his wolf had been lean and lanky, looking malnourished and his fur matted and dirty now he looked healthier, though perhaps not as bulky as he should be, and his fur was well groomed and a beautiful glossy grey-black. It was how the Gamma had looked before the loss of his mate and child. And Kali didn't need to even think about why Samson looked so much better.

Samson had needed a purpose in his life, had needed something to drive him back into the land of the living, and he had found it in her. And maybe, now that the pack was starting to see him, truly see him, maybe he would find it in the people he had known and cared about for years.

With a soft yip Kali took off like a shot into the forest, hearing Samson howl and Carter and Lydia bark as they gave chase.

Kali had never experienced anything like running with other wolves.

Her entire life she'd had to run alone, out of fear, but now she was free to run with her friends, her pack. She leapt over a fallen log and had just rounded a tree when a howl caught her attention and she skidded to a stop, nearly being run over by Carter in process. The big Beta immediately licked at her ears in apology and she bumped his shoulder before she looked around them, listening intently until, distantly, she heard that howl again.

Thornton.

Her mate was calling to her.

She shifted about for a moment, torn about what to do, but then she shook her head and turned in the opposite direction. Her friends followed her loyally. They reached the rocky terrain that led up to the top of Cherokee Falls. They took time to drink, to rest, though Carter kept jumping at Samson, trying to coax the smaller male into playing.

Kali huffed as she laid in the long grass, Lydia next to her, both she-wolves watching as Carter finally seemed to convince Samson to tussle with him.

Lydia let out a soft chuffing sound, laughing at her mate and friend, while Kali alternated between watching the two play and keeping an ear and nose out for trouble. While they were still on Lawton Pack land they were still close to the boundary line and, though nothing had happened between the two packs yet, she would never put it passed the younger wolves, her sister included, to try something just to show off or prove they weren't cowards.

Wolves, no matter their rank, could be stupid creatures like that sometimes.

Minutes ticked away and Kali had just started to relax, had started to think that perhaps nothing was going to happen, that she'd been worried for nothing, when a twig snapped and her head turned immediately. Her fur bristled and low warning growl bubbled up from her chest as she caught sight of the slender grey she-wolf approaching with a small group fanned out around her.

Even without scenting the air Kali knew that wolf.

She'd been tormented by it her entire life.

Chloe.

And nothing in her sister's posture suggested she was there to be friendly.