POV
Stone
"Pull Stone, even though it hurts, remember you are an Alpha. You're the strongest type of wolf. Now pull!" I yelled.
Little Stone and I were training, my kid, his work ethic is plain ridiculous, he wanted to train for the upcoming fights, even though the other kids were enjoying the Gathering.
"And stop," I said. We dropped the ropes that were over our shoulders, together we'd pulled my truck about four miles away from the packhouse.
It was mostly me, but for a six-year-old, Stone was incredibly strong.
"We're done, I want you to go shower, then relax, get something to eat and go play with the other pups," I said, and he sighed.
"What's the matter pup?" I asked, squatting so we were eye level. "I-- Soren and I... Ever since he came back from the wild woods, he hasn't been the same." He said sadly.
"What's changed?" I asked. "He doesn't look at me the same, he barely leaves his house. It feels like he doesn't like me anymore."
I listened to him vent, and I wanted to just hug him and tell him everything would be alright, but I couldn't; he needed to be strong.
"Listen to me pup, Soren is going through a lot, he's a kid with an adult wolf, that hasn't ever happened before, so it's new. Then his wolf is mateless, that's gotta be painful, instead of worrying about his behaviors, just be there for him." I said.
"A-about his mate, aren't there second chance mates, sometimes?" He asked.
"Yes, but that rarely happens, especially when your mate isn't dead. You know just because you really like Soren, it doesn't mean you two will be mates, your mate could be a girl, or two girls, hell two boys." I explained
"No, Soren was mine, I know it, I could feel it, well at least I did before he came back from the woods." He said. "Well then son, we'll pray you were wrong," I responded.
I hoped he was wrong, I would pray he was; because if he wasn't, when he turned nineteen and his wolf discovered his mate dead, he'd discover the hallow.
The hallow is worse than rejection, it's numbness, I've only ever read about it. Those who've experienced it writes of a feeling of being completely empty, walking around basically dead on the inside, no emotional spark.
"What if I find Soren's wolf's mate, Miro. What if I accept him as my wolf?" He asked.
"No!... That wolf isn't yours, and from what the Elders told me after speaking with Soren's wolf, Miro isn't a good wolf. He's killed multiple pups over the last two hundred years. Promise me you won't go looking for that beast when it's your turn to find your wolf." I demanded.
"I-- I'm gonna go find Caleb and Zeke." He said, turning and running off.
I thought about chasing him, making him promise me, but what good would that do. I'd only be putting him in the position to break his promise.
This was a decision he'd have to make, I couldn't go with him into the woods. And Mya was no longer there to stop her mate from killing unclaimed pups.
He and Soren did have a connection, it was something we all saw, but because they were children we brushed it off.
and I know it's wrong, but what could any of us do. We aren't Luna, we don't have the power to fool around with Fate, so I put it in Fates' hand.
# # #
Thirty minutes after I ended training with my son, I was back outside in the warm southern sun.
Showered and dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, the food was just getting done and the second feast was about to begin.
I looked around, from my vantage point on the high hill in the backyard, I watched all four packs, sitting to eat together, the children playing together.
It was beautiful, but like a moth to the flame, my eyes panned through the crowd, landing on Lucas. He was seated with my mom, his, Luna Sarah, and Luna Mitchell from the Golden Wolves pack.
He was laughing about something I couldn't hear, but his smile was everything. It seared into my soul, causing a smile to erupt on my face.
I decided to leave him alone, let him have some space. I went and sat with the Alphas.
Christian, Carson, and Marcus. Our fathers were also present, and sitting down with them I fell easily into the conversation.
"Is Mitchell happy with the pregnancy?" My dad asked Marcus. Marcus is the Alpha of the Golden Wolves. Their pack is only twenty years old.
Marcus's father was my father's old war advisor, an Alpha who moved his family to Arkansas and built a pack called the Golden Wolves.
"Mitchell is a little too excited... Is it wrong of me to be so nervous?" Marcus asked, and I looked down.
I didn't have an answer, I wasn't around when my mate was pregnant, because I was too stupid to know how much I'd need him, crave him.
"It's not wrong, Omega' are made to bear pups, but it isn't always safe, especially if they don't shift into their wolf on time," Christian said.
"Oh Chris, I meant to ask if you found a new Beta?" Marcus asked. Christian needed a new Beta, because of a recent attack on his pack.
His Beta Kasey, the Beta's mate, and another handful of people were killed by hunters. The Beta left Christian raising his son, the poor kid has left as an orphan.
"Yeah, Sam was chosen. Kasey's son
Shawn is still recovering, poor pup lost his mother and father on the same day. Alice says we just gotta be there for him, but I don't know what to say or do most of the time." Christian said.
"Well, at least tell us you hunted down the hunter's who attacked your pack?" Carson asked, staring intensely through his graying bushy brows.
"Tracked them back to Oklahoma, they're Garrison's," Christian answered. We all made sounds of disgust.
The Garrison's are not just werewolf hunters, they are the werewolf hunters. The oldest hunting party in America.
Their family history dates back to the beginning of this country, supposedly the first hunter in their party came over on the Mayflower.
"Did you attack them?" I asked, "No. We lost this one, attacking such an old party, what would that accomplish, their reach is too far, the risk was too great." Christian answered.
"You did the right thing, the great council has received numerous complaints. The council's shit and they're the only ones capable of reaching the King's." My dad said.
The great council is twenty-six high ranking or special werewolves, wolves who are Earthborn, yet live in the other world.
They are the only ones who can reach the three Alpha Kings, Alpha's who would be more than capable of handling the Garrisons.
"On a different subject, whose doing the sacrifice tonight?" Carson asked. "Mitchell and I, we brought something rare to sacrifice." Marcus bragged.
The Golden Wolves always brought an animal sacred to the moon, as is custom, but their sacrifice could never just be a common thing, it had to be rare or special.
Rumor is, that's the reason they've never been attacked, never so much as had more than three stray rogues. Could also because they're in the backwoods of Arkansas.
Either way, their sacrifice was bound to be something amazing. "Stone, your mate is sick," Christian said, and we all turned to look across the crowded field.
Lucas was behind a tree, and he was clearly throwing up. "Ewww," Marcus said, shoving away his plate of rabbit legs. I got up, excusing myself.
I was making my way over to him, when he stood up, using his hand to wipe his mouth. I picked up speed as I saw him sway, I caught him just as his legs gave out.
"I-I'm okay." He whimpered, as I helped him find his footing. "What happened?" I asked, "Nothing I think I ate too much, and then I stood up too fast." He said.
"Where have you been?" He asked, walking away, he went to one of six dozen tub like coolers and grabbed a water.
"I was training with our son, he's a little stressed, worried about Soren," I explained.
"He thinks they were mates, but because Soren lost his wolf... Do you think he's right?" Lucas asked, worry in his eyes, as he rinsed out his mouth.
"I don't know, I really hope he's wrong. I've never met a hallowed wolf, but I'd rather that then what I think he has planned." I said.
"Wh-What do mean?" He asked. "He asked me, whoa... Hey." I called out, as he turned and threw up the entire bottle of water.
"Let's go," I said, not letting him decide, I simply picked him up bridal style and carried him off towards the infirmary.
"Where are you taking me?" He asked, seemingly to drained to fight. "To see Doc," I said, and he shook his head, but didn't really fight me.
"Finish what you were saying about little Stone." He demanded.
"I think he's gonna go looking for that wolf... Miro. It's Soren's wolf's mate." His eyes bulged slightly.
"I told him not to, and I'll tell him again, but what can we do?" I asked. "I can tell him not to, and you can bet when I tell him I..."
"Calm down, you're already sick." I said, "I'm not." He argued. "We'll talk to him together tonight after the sacrifice," I said.
# # #
We were sitting in the infirmary, and Doctor Mason was coming in. He's my favorite doctor out of the team of five, he's the oldest and a totally hilarious curmudgeon.
He came into the room, washing his hands, before having a seat. "What's going on, what's so important that I had to stop eating my gator?" He asked.
"Believe me Doc, I didn't want to be here, but your Alpha is being all dramatic, cause I threw up," Lucas said.
"He also was a little bit lightheaded," I added. "Well let's check you out," Doc said, before falling right into the routine.
He checked his temperature, a hundred and six, which is a point higher than normal. His breathing was fine, he wasn't in any pain and his heart and blood pressure were good.
"I'm gonna take a blood sample, and run it through a basic diagnostic test." He said, before opening a drawer and pulling out a syringe and vial.
"This is your fault." Lucas hissed when the needle pinched his skin. "You're all done," I said, loving how he was letting me comfort him.
That stopped when Doc came back in, a folded sheet in his hand.
"So, you're about four weeks pregnant, but being a werewolf, you're more like six weeks. I'll schedule an appointment for next week. Oh and no fights for you." Doc said, before walking out.
I got up and walked over to the chair that faced Lucas, I sat down counting back in my head. The flower moon.
"Are you gonna kill it?" I asked, afraid he would, afraid he'd hate it because of me. "No!" He shouted, "Why would you even ask me something like that?" He snapped.
"I don't know, I just thought you wouldn't want the baby because of how much you hate me," I said.
"Yeah well, I kept our son didn't I?" He asked. "I'm sorry... Are you mad at me?" I asked.
"It isn't your fault, damn it!" He shouted, getting up. "C-can I hug you?" I asked. "No, we are just gonna keep this between us until I decide I'm ready to tell people. Do you understand?" He asked.
"Okay, but you know you lost the bet right?" I asked. "No fuckin way, we didn't fight, you can't just call it a loss."
"Angel it's a forfeit, you can't fight... So I win the bet." I said, and he rolled his eyes, grumbling but accepting it.
"So when are you going to collect your reward?" He asked, "Probably sometime after the Gathering ends." I answered.
"What's happening? Why is Luna doing this to me?" He asked. "Don't blame her, she's helping me. I-I really need you." I said, and he just stood there, staring at me.
There was something that flashed in his eyes, a look I couldn't quite understand, and it left as quick as it came.
"Let's go, we've gotta go see the sacrifice and then talk to our son." He said. He offered me his hand and I took it without hesitation.
# # #
"We are children of the moon! Our goddess is faithful and just! At this alter, we sacrifice this creature, for the future of the Golden Wolves pack and it's descendants!" Mitchell and his mate Marcus stood before the crowd.
Marcus held this giant crab in his hands, as Mitchell gave the prayer. The crabs' claws were as this as my forearm.
But with the prayer finished, Mitchell drove the sacrificial dagger into the shell of the crab. Then he pulled it out and Marcus placed the twitching crab over the fire.
The fire burnt normally for a few seconds, then like the first sacrifice the crab went up in a bright fire, a fire whose flames turned white.
A howl signaled the end of the second sacrifice, and most of the assembly broke off for a late-night run.
Lucas and I went to talk to our son. The excitement was still welled up inside me, I wanted to shout and dance around, I was gonna have another kid.
But I held it inside, thanking Luna, thanking her for bringing me and my mate another step closer.
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