Friday arrived and Xael was excited for her brothers to get here. All the guys would be getting off work early and planned to meet at the diner around two in the afternoon.
Xael's brothers got to the diner right at 1 o'clock. Ms. Emma fixed them some lunch along with dessert and sat to talk to them while Xael finished cleaning the kitchen. Coming up to the front, Xael saw them and gave them both huge hugs. They were the only ones in the dinner as Ms. Vicki and Ester left a little bit ago since it was so slow. Ms. Emma shut off the open sign and the four sat and enjoyed a good conversation. They told Emma of their time in the service and how the entire group became like a family. The two guys also let Ms. Emma know they had been raised in the city so they were never really exposed to the ceremonies and rarely went to any of the pow wows.
The Sheriff and Shado came by when they noticed the open sign was off. Emma let them know they had closed a little early since there were no customers. They all sat and talked while waiting for the others to arrive. Beau wasn't going to make as he and Vivi had made plans to spend the weekend together. Xael had taken him a container of food earlier.
Eli and Chris had purchased plenty of tobacco for not only the pipe ceremony but lodge as well. They also brought a bunch of veggies and strawberries.
Shado let Skylar know that 2 more guys from his old squad were coming also. They were humans and non Native, so he shouldn't be surprised if they asked a ton of questions.
A little after 2, the other's arrived. Xael gave Chief Houser a hug and shook the hands of the others as she didn't really know them. Plus she liked the older Alpha, he was very sweet and kind. Everyone greeted each other and loaded back up in the cars and headed out. Xael and Shado in the lead car with Skylar and Grams bringing up the rear. Once they reached the cabin's driveway, Xael hopped out of the jeep and directed them where to park.
Everyone was amazed at the beautiful area they were staying in. Xael had the guys all wait outside, she needed to introduce her pups to those they didn't know so there would be no issues. Chris and Eli were fine as they were part of the 'pack' already. She went inside and leashed them, then brought them out.
The others were amazed at their size, a few even thought they were wolves but Xael let them know they were hybrids and also her service dogs. After the pups met everyone, Ms. Emma and Skylar warned the guys not to wander in the woods as there were wild wolves in the area and they would possibly attack. The 2 humans were a little nervous but Xael assured them they would be fine. Chief Houser, Max, Parker were all Alphas. Ted and James were the two humans from Shado's old squad that wanted to take part in the ceremonies.
Rules for the land out of the way, Ms. Emma had them wait so she could smudge them before they entered her home. She told them she would explain the significance and answer any questions they had. Xael offered to help her smudge the guys as Skylar and Shado took the food inside. Before smudging, Xael unleashed her pups to let them run so they wouldn't be so on guard with the newcomers and would get somewhere and rest later on during the pipe ceremony. The guys from Shado's unit were amazed that she would let them run so freely if wild wolves were in the area. Xael explained they were mostly wolf and got along well with the wild ones. The men asked if they would see any of the wild ones while they were there and she let them know it was a possibility. If they did, they were to avoid them and not approach under any circumstance.
Food inside and men smudged, everyone gathered in the living room. The couch was for the Sheriff and Chief Houser as they were Elders, the rest could sit on the floor or chairs that they got from the kitchen. Shado placed his things in Xael's room and shut the door. Xael and her Grandmother headed to the kitchen to start on dinner, luckily they had left the leaves in the table and there was enough space for everyone.
Chief Houser brought some venison he had hunted previously. Xael decided on venison stew with some of the veggies Chris and Eli brought and mashed potatoes. It was an easy meal to feed so many. While Xael worked on that, Ms. Emma baked some pies from scratch with the strawberries and bread rolls for the meal.
Skylar was explaining to the men about the Pipe Ceremony and the significance of everything, along with why and when they would do it. There were a lot of questions which Skylar welcomed. It was good that the men had questions and were willing to learn and experience it. He always felt it dispelled stereotypes and was a way to bring other cultures together. All the men there were serious about what they were learning and so thankful to the Sheriff for teaching them.
As the women cooked away, the delicious aromas wafted into the living room. Now the men were just chatting. Xael came from the kitchen to see what they wanted to drink. Most wanted coffee and few just wanted water. After a few minutes, drinks were served as they continued to talk. Skylar decided to move the talk outside to the back porch and led the men through the kitchen and to the back deck, he started a fire as the guys found chairs and formed a circle around the firepit.
The house now quiet and the sky growing dark, Xael called her pups in. With no freshly killed prey in sight, she cleaned paws and gave them pieces of deer meat she had sat aside for them as treats. She let them in her room to rest for the evening, the two laid on the floor this time in front of the door. They weren't about to let any of the strangers into their space.
With the men out back and food cooking away in the oven, the two women had some down time. Xael went to her room and grabbed a bag of bandages and gauze pads along with the tin of salve her Grams purchased for her from the apothecary and left over herbs.
"Grams, where's that small pot you use for non food stuff?"
"Ohh, I don't know hun, let me look."
Her Grandmother searched in the back supply room and found it after a few minutes. Xael spotted large zip lock bags and grabbed a couple of those also. Her Grams was curious as to what she was doing.
"What are you doing Xael?" Xael motioned for her Gram to come to the stove where she was melting down the contents of the tin with some of the herbs leftover from the medicine bundles.
"I need to make up some bandages for aftercare."
"Bandages?"
"Grams...Adam is a True Alpha."
"I see, so that's what Wes wanted to talk to him about."
"What?" Xael had no idea the two had talked.
"Yes, I think Wes talked to him about mating also."
"Good. I still don't think Adam gets it. I know how badly he can hurt me. It's just a part of mating. My mom left me notes in the book about it, what could happen when mating a True Alpha. So I'm making medicated bandages ahead of time. I'll tell him how to use them beforehand."
"Good Good, Xael your mom would be so proud of you."
"I hope so Grammy...Some days they are all I think about. But what do you do? You know."
Her Grandmother helped her get the bandages ready. She laid out two cooling racks on the table with wax paper under them to catch the excess liquid. With the salve melted down, Xael put on a pair of latex gloves as did her Grandma. Before she left her station house, she took her EMT bag with her, which was stocked full of supplies.
Xael dipped the gauze pads in the liquid one at time and rang out the excess, handing them to her Grams who spread them on the cooling racks to dry, afterwards they would cut them down and place them in the ziplock bag. Before they were done, Shado came in with empty coffee cups. Placing them in the sink, he walked over to his Mate and hugged Xael from behind.
"What on earth are you doing babe?"
"Making bandages."
"For?" Xael let out a sigh as she knew this was a sore subject for him.
"For after we mate Adam."
"Hey, Look at me Xael. I already told you I'm not planning on hurting you."
"Adam..." Xael looked at the door to make sure it was closed. "You're a True Alpha, I know what True Alphas can do to normal Omegas when mating. I'm not a normal Omega and you know this. Once my full scent hits you, your wolf is going to have one thought and one thought only and that is to rut. Your wolf, is going to go past the whole mating stage and into rut and I don't have to explain any of that to you as an Alpha."
"Fuck..Xael..." Her Grams cleared her throat. "Oh! Sorry Ms. Emma."
"She's right Adam. Look, you two talk about this tonight, we need to finish this before the salve cools and you need to get back out there with the guys."
Xael gave him a kiss and nudged him to the door. He left reluctantly, a bit upset. Her Grandma turned to her.
"Don't worry dear, he'll do what's needed."
"I know he will Grams. But he's gonna shit..pardon my french, when I tell him that I'll mark him."
"WHAT!?!"
"Exactly. My kind of Omega will mark its Mate."
"Xael, Xael, Xael...you two have a lot to talk about."
"Yes we do."
The two got all the bandages finished and the table cleaned up. Xael sat the pack of bandages on the dresser and returned the chairs from the living and made two large pitchers of tea, one sweet, one not. She set the table as her grams pulled the food out of the oven.
Xael went to the back door and called the guys in for dinner as she walked out to the tree stump with a small plate. Chief Houser asked her what she was doing.
"Walk with me." She handed him the plate to carry. She let him know that it was called a spirit plate. It was their way of giving thanks for the meal they were eating and for the deer that he had brought.
"Oh! You cooked it?"
"Yes Sir, I made a stew out of it!"
Xael had him set the plate down on the stump as she lit some sage and placed it in a burn container. With a quick prayer, she was done and walked back to the house.