Second Chances (mxm, poly, mpreg)

Friendly Advice

Bunny held his hand as his voice deepened.

He looked up with shimmery blue-green eyes. "Everything's so messed up. Rico and Uni are gone. Erion and Sloan are separated. You and Snow are dealing with Emri. We're back to square one. All the packs are hurting."

Bunny rubbed his back. "It's okay, Raven. You have three mates to help you get through this. Blackhawk can be rebuilt. We did it once. This time we know what works what doesn't so there'll be less time wasted. Plus, we have the greatest allies in the world. It'll be back up and running before you know it. We'll get Rico and Uni back. Cisero and Natelly are worse than Rottweilers. Once they latch on, they don't let go."

Raven laughed softly. He pulled Bunny close with one arm and leaned his head on Bunny's.  "Thank you." He looked down warmly at snoring Emri. "I came here to comfort you and got comforted instead."

"It's fine. It's what families do." He took Emri from him and put the sleeping pup in his bassinet.

"How are you and Snow?" Raven asked after a while.

Bunny sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We're...okay. He's hurting as much as I am. He's trying to be strong for all of us. I'm worried, though."

"Worried?"

Bunny rubbed his arms. Snow had been present physically but quiet and distant emotionally.  "He's not saying much. That can't be healthy. I know he's dealing with a lot. Despite our supernatural healing, he's been permanently scarred on one side, we have a weakness in our defenses with the mountain leveled, the loss of our beta, our son..." Bunny took a deep breath and rubbed the tears off his cheeks. "Snow's hurting but he's not saying anything to me."

Raven shrugged.  It wasn't unusual for an alpha not to express their feelings.  It was a pride thing.  "Maybe he'll talk to Sloan."

"But I'm his mate!"  Bunny couldn't stop the helplessness and despair he felt from leaking through his voice.

Raven held his hands up in surrender.  "I know. I know. But you know Snowden.  He doesn't want to add anymore burden to you. That's all. He's trying to be strong for you."

Bunny sighed and rose to his feet.  He rubbed his hands together as he paced.  "Probably right. I just...I feel left out. Like he's babying me because he thinks I can't handle it. Like I'm too weak."  His voice dropped to a whisper and his eyes teared up.  "Or maybe he blames me for all of this."

Raven grabbed his hand.  "You're anything but weak. And you know that last part's not true."

"It's how I feel."  Bunny clutched the front of his shirt.  "I couldn't protect them. It was my only job."

Raven pulled him down to sit on the sofa beside him.  "You're an alpha that was pregnant with twins. Everyone knows alphas are weakest when pregnant. You were attacked by cowards that took advantage of that. Even still," he gripped Bunny's chin and turned his face back to him.  Blue eyes met violet.  "You fought off three powerful opponents." He took Bunny's hand in his and stroked his cheek. "You were not weak. Not in the slightest. No one could have done better."

***********************

The cargo vans pulled into the transportation bay at Dark Moon Central. A sigh escaped the Whitebeard alpha as the van came to a full stop and everyone got out. The mission had been semi-successful and he was tired. But he wasn't prepared to return home.

He saw a familiar head of white hair pass by on the other side. Sloan quickly grabbed his gear and headed over to his Frost Moon friend. He rubbed the back of his neck as he cleared his throat getting Snow's attention.

"Excuse me, alpha."

Snow smiled at him. "Don't be so formal. We're the same age."

Sloan dug at the dirt with the toe of his boot.  "I was wondering if I could...um." He rubbed his hand on his thigh. It wasn't often an alpha left his pack and asked to hide in another under another pack alpha.

Snow seemed to pick up on his feelings and patted his back. "Come see the twins before you go home."

Relief flooded the alpha as he ran a nervous hand through his hair.  "A-are you sure?"

"Babies have a soothing effect on us."  Snow patted him on the back and urged him towards the waiting vehicles.  "You seem like you could use it."

Sloan smiled and nodded. "Thanks." 

 They loaded into armored suvs with others that were being dropped off on the way. They discussed the mission to capture three genetically modified werewolf. One of which they believed to be responsible for the attack on a human scientist the night of the eclipse. Two of the three had been captured after an intense fight leaving ten of their team mates injured. The genetically enhanced werewolves seemed to have the strength, speed, and endurance of multiple supernatural species. The third escaped into vampire territory and Lord Hakon assured them the vampires would find the were and return him once he was spotted.

Sloan and Snow were the last to head home. They rode from Oak Moon back to Frost Moon mostly in silence. Snow could feel the mixture of emotions radiating off his friend and fellow pack alpha. The young alpha wanted to patch things up with his mate but felt he wasn't worthy of the younger wolf. Sloan allowed his mate's father to die brutally in front of him when he could have stopped it.

After a while, the Frost Moon alpha broke the silence.  "You have a tough situation indeed, Sloan. I have no words of solace for you."

Sloan chuckled beside him.  "Thanks."

"I will say this,"

Sloan turned to look at him.  Snow looked as tired and defeated as he did.

Snow kept his tone light and positive so as not to sound preachy.  "Don't give up. It may take time but you can make it work."

"I don't even know where to start."  Sloan slumped in his seat, tired all of a sudden.  He felt lost.  "I feel unworthy. Of Erion and my position as co-alpha of Whitebeard Pack.  I let their beloved former alpha, a direct descendant of Clan Whitebeard that started the pack, be killed.  What kind of alpha am I?"

Snow sighed.  He had no answers.  He was dealing with betrayal of his own.  "Speak to one of the elders in our pack. Many of them knew Alphas Whitebeard and Greystone personally. See what they say."

"You think they could help?" Sloan asked the hope in his voice coming through.

Snow smiled and patted his friend's shoulder. "At this point, it's been almost a month.  You're slowly deteriorating.  There's no harm in trying."

---What advice would you give Raven and Sloan on how to patch things up with their mates?

*Bunny and Snow's twins  - Eira (Eye-rah) meaning snow, Emri (Em-ree) is a mashup of Emir and Emre meaning prince/commander/loving friend.

**Dukh-spirit   Vovk- wolf = wolf spirit.  I'm not sure if Russian puts the adjective before the noun or if 'wolf spirit' is another word alltogether.  Like Latin, I'm chopping it to my needs for this story.  No disrespect.