It was customary for every Alpha to welcome each new pup born in his or her pack and Alpha Andrew Alexander Silvis felt especially compelled to welcome the arrival of his late friend's daughter.
Dean Forrester had been a best friend of Andrew, and Beta Nolan since the diaper days. They had grown up together and had caused the previous Luna, Andrew's mother, much stress. At 20 he had met his lovely mate (something Andrew was quite jealous of) Fallon, and the couple was immediately expecting their first child. When Fallon was six months pregnant, Dean had driven to a nearby pack for training. On the way home his car had veered off the road and hit a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
We're here Alpha. The Beta had broken Andrew out of his trance. The doors to the hospital wing were so close, yet so far. He did not want to do this. He didn't know if he had it in him to see Fallon's dead eyes. Once your mate dies, you might as well be as good as dead. The only thing keeping Fallon alive was the piece of Dean that he left behind.
He walked up to the room that he was told Fallon was checked into. 128. He knocked three times and waited for a nurse to open the door.
"Alpha, Beta" The pack doctor, Dr. John Hammond, opened the door. The man was nearing 75 years old and looked very tired and worn out. It was a miracle that he had not retired yet, but the pack needed him.
Andrew looked into the room to see the bed made.
"Where's Fallon and the baby?" He was getting annoyed. How could anyone working under him be incompetent enough to provide him with false information. It was minor, but as an alpha, he required accurate information at all times.
"Did no one tell you?" No. "Fallon is currently in surgery. It seems that losing her mate drained the life out of her."
Damn it. Andrew tried to keep his cool. This would have been useful to know a while ago, yet he knew he couldn't make a scene here. Many alphas think that their outbursts make them more manly. Andrew, on the other hand, believed that true masculinity was shown through restraint. Only strong leaders could control their emotions. And their wolves.
"Thank you Doctor. I will make my way over there." He smiled politely. He had started to become antsy and wanted nothing more than to see Fallon and her baby girl.
~~~{ }~~~
Andrew had been sitting in the waiting room of the surgery wing for over three hours. The plain white walls and grey linoleum floors had begun to annoy him. He had a piles of paperwork stacked on his desk, but he felt that this was more important. Way more important.
"Alpha, you can go back to the pack house. We will mind link you when she's out." The receptionist looked annoyed with him. He couldn't blame her. For the past three hours he had done nothing other that pace back and forth, let out a few growls, and tap his heel constantly. He couldn't leave, not now.
"No no it's alright. I'm fine where I am, thank you." That came out harsher than expected. Just as he was about to get up to continue his pacing, the surgical doctor, Dr. Henry Anderson, emerged from the doors with a grim look on his face.
"Alpha I am so sorry. I did what I could, but she would not cooperate. Losing Dean had a harder toll on her than we thought." Henry bowed his head at his Alpha; it was a grim day in Silvis Pack. Fallon Forrester, mate to the late Dean Forrester, had died before she could even hold her child.
"What should we do with the child?" Andrew had been so consumed in his grief, he had not noticed that his beta had entered the room.
"Let me see her." The least Andrew could do was visit his friend's daughter before sending her away to an orphanage. Werewolf orphanages were notorious for being cruel and dark places. Werewolves were very weary of pups that weren't their own. Andrew would take her in if he could; however, he did not know how his wolf or his future mate would handle having a strange pup in their home. Maybe he could find a nice family for her?
Walking down a long hallway, they had made it to the nursery. There was only one crib full, as the pack was not very large (perhaps 500 wolves or so). Andrew entered the room and he realized why his wolf was so insistent on seeing Fallon. He now knew why his wolf was so antsy.
She was his mate.
Everything went black.
"Whoops sorry we've been having some electrical problems lately." Dr. Anderson apologized profusely. It was embarrassing for his alpha to see his hospital in such a state. "Wait just a few minutes and the lights should turn back on."
Andrew growled. He did not like the fact that he could not see his little mate.
It was rare for mates to have an age gap of more than two to three years. Once wolves shifted at 18, they were able to find their other half fairly easily. There weren't many werewolves left in the world anymore, and all of the packs resided in North America (with a handful in Europe and Russia). When mates had a considerably large age gap, the romantic feelings would not come until both were of age. All Andrew felt for the newborn was something akin to a paternal instinct.
Andrew knew his mate would be younger than him. After he had turned 20 and was still mateless, he decided to wait for his mate to come to him. He knew he had to have a mate. Everyone did. There was only one case of an extremely ruthless Alpha centuries ago who the moon goddess deemed unworthy of love. He was a danger to himself and others, but Andrew was not like that. He was a fair and just ruler, and he knew his good deeds would reward him.
"Earth to Andy. You've been zoning out a lot lately." Nolan flicked him in the forehead. Andrew growled at the disrespect. He hated being flicked in the forehead, and he absolutely despised the nickname given to him as a kid.
"She's my mate."
Nolan gave me a weird look. "You mean the literal baby right there." He pointed to her.
"Yes the literal baby right there you dumbass. Who else?"
"Dude they have a word for that."
"Don't you think I know how this looks." It looked bad.
"Are you sure?"
Andrew had rarely ever lost his temper, but Nolan was testing his patience. In less than a second Nolan was pinned up against the wall with his Alpha's hands around his neck.
"Yes I'm fucking sure."
Dr. Anderson had fled the room, not wanting to get in the middle of his alpha's anger. Angry Andrew was dangerous since it rarely ever happened.
"Let...me...g-go." Nolan's face was turning purple. After much internal debate, Andrew reluctantly let Nolan's limp body fall to the floor. He couldn't afford to lose another friend.
After 15 minutes of Nolan catching his breath, he finally spoke.
"So... what are you going to do?"
"What do you mean 'what am I going to do'? I'm taking her home with me."
"Are you sure bud, you had multiple dying plants in your house. I should know because I'm the one who threw them out." Nolan didn't believe that his friend was ready for such a responsibility. He knew that Andrew wouldn't hurt the child, but he also knew that this could be disastrous for their mate bond in the future.
"Am I just supposed to leave her in an orphanage and then come back for her in 18 years? What if a rogue attacks? What if someone hurts her? I'm the only one who can protect her." His wolf was itching to break free. He couldn't bear the thought of someone hurting his little mate.
"If this is what you think is best, then I support you."
Both men looked over into the crib. The little baby girl had begun to stir in her crib. She opened her eyes to reveal large brown pupils. Once she saw Andrew, she smiled.
"Do you think this will be a mistake?" Nolan was concerned for his friend. This was a huge responsibility that could damage his relationship with his mate for a long time.
"No. It is not."