Into the Woods: The Wolves of Redwood Pack

Chapter 20

"I knew it. Anya WAS hoping she would mate with Daniel," Gemma murmured near Samantha's left side.

"Good Goddess, you're right! That's why she reacted badly, what with Daniel announcing earlier that he mated with Sam," Asena added. "Wow, and now that Samuel had mated with Anya.. I bet the dinners would be very awkward over the Evanson's."

Geri coughed loudly upon hearing that. Due to the hushed silence in the crowd, Gemma and Asena's voices carried over the square, especially since the wolves had very enhanced hearing. The two girls reddened, abashed upon realizing this.

"Oh, so that's what it was?" Samantha mumbled softly, while Daniel helped her up, keeping his hands around her waist. "I thought she reacted on Benedict's decision to help us with the vampire issue."

"I have to agree with Gemma and Asena," Geri interrupted. "It's plausible that Anya just reacted on your mating. She has never left the infirmary for a while, and I'm sure no one told her of your mating until now. Hilda has been.. Ignoring everyone after your healing gift was revealed."

"Benedict did say that the vampire attack was in retaliation to a wolf killing a pure vampire's son. Anya just morphed for the first time tonight, she couldn't have managed to kill a vampire and caused the attacks." Francis added.

"Hmm. I don't think Anya was involved in the attacks. Besides, young wolves who haven't morphed don't smell any different from humans. Even if she did kill a pure vampire weeks ago, no one would have suspected her to be a wolf," Marius mused. "In fact, the sudden change of smell from a newly morphed wolf would stop them from their tracks, I believe."

"That's enough speculation for now," Daniel's deep tone interrupted the discussions. "I believe we have established that Anya's outburst was not due to her involvement in the vampire attacks, if there were any."

"Well, your son just found his mate, man!" Geri slapped Marius shoulders to congratulate him.

The crowd suddenly burst into whispers, speculations still running amok. But Anya wasn't under suspicion for the vampire attack anymore.

Samantha reluctantly agreed. She may not have liked Anya, but she really couldn't imagine the girl managing to kill a pure vampire on her own.

As Daniel's arms stayed protectively around her waist for the rest of the pack meeting, Samantha couldn't help but agree with Asena's statement earlier. Things were bound to get interesting during family dinners, with Anya, and even Hilda joining them.

___

The next day, Samantha was busy making breakfast before dawn. She had been up all night, waiting for Samuel's return.

Samantha had wanted badly to morph so she could look for Samuel, but Daniel forbade her. He told her that it would be best to allow Samuel and Anya to deal with their mating on their own. He also ordered the rest of the warriors on duty to ignore Samuel and Anya in their mental connection.

The sun had already risen by the time Samuel came back. Samantha took in his haggard appearance, and the rumpled shirt and pants that he must have snagged from the clothesline. He had torn his clothes when he morphed last night.

"Sammy," Samantha smiled ruefully and met her brother halfway to the door.

Samuel engulfed her in his arms, inhaling her clean scent. Samantha felt her brother's tiredness in his embrace, and she immediately had him sit at the dining area to eat.

Samuel wolfed down his breakfast, a bit of scrambled egg hanging from his lower lip. Samantha silently watched him eat, almost bursting at the seams for her questions, but she saw Daniel entering the room, and he shook his head at her.