The Characters of Clayton, Rya, Kennedy, Dallas, and the Valentines belong to Rachelle. The character of Cora is expanded on with Permission from Rachelle, and is written for the pleasure of the International Wildflower Pack, the WhiskeyQueenn fandom. #WildflowersUnited #iwp

:: A great big thank you  for the inspiration and use of her characters::

Elders

Grandmama Coraline pov

I watch my granddaughter sleeping and I shake my head, before sipping from my glass, ice tinks against the side as I finish the amber liquid. Cora is bruised from head to toe, she has broken arm, and more. Doc says she'll be fine, that her wolf is one of the strongest he's ever seen. Charlie told me what happened, and that daughter of mine is going to get a talking to. She'll be lucky if I don't drive up there and put down that good for nothing mate of hers. But first, my girl needs me. I am proud of my grandchildren, they make up for their mother. I honestly don't know where I went wrong with her. A she-wolf's first duty is to protect her pups, not her reputation. Then I remember I named her after Hyram's mother and they turned out just alike. I laugh a little, maybe Becky shouldn't have named her daughter after me for the same reason.

I take my second whiskey and sit on my porch swing, thinking about what I am going to say to Becky tomorrow as I light another cigarette. Stupid things aren't working fast enough, but this weekend, I am glad they haven't worked, that I haven't joined my beloved Hyram yet... Cora and Charlie need me. Goddess, I miss him, I miss him the way a drowning person misses air, the way a blinded person misses light, the way a lover misses those nights...

My life started the moment I looked into his eyes deep blue eyes and stopped when they closed that last time. He left his pack for me, and because of me, he left this life. Becky, that fool girl, got herself pregnant again when Charlie was only 4 months old. She was trying to nurse him and grow the baby. It was killing her. I got the mothers here to give me one feeding of their milk per week, none in her mate's pack would do it. But the four packs allied to Alpha Forrest did and we feed my daughter's son, so her daughter could be born. My Hyram was driving back from delivering Charlie's milk, he fell asleep. He wanted to be home by morning, he hadn't missed serving me breakfast in bed on my birthday for 54 years. They had gotten him out of the car and back to the pack clinic but it was too late. Old wolves don't fair well when their car rolls over at 80 MPH. He apologized for leaving me on my birthday with his last whispered breath. The only thing that kept me breathing was the Goddess herself, that and Gretchen's note telling me she didn't know if Becky and the baby would survive. She said I needed to come with the next delivery of milk and stay to help Carl, who was falling apart.

Somewhere I found strength to act. A week and a half later, Cora came early. Bernadette had driven me and the milk up to the Adams pack. Becky almost died in labor. While Gretchen and Doc Peters fought to save her, I washed up my girl. She had cried only for a minute or so, then looked around like she wanted to know and see everything through those giant sapphire eyes, so dark they looked like the night sky. She was perfect  and I knew, I knew I had to live for her. I had to let the need to be with my Hyram go. She was going to be just like me and Becky wouldn't be able to handle her. 

And I was right. I blew out a smoke ring into the moonlight, looking up at her barely lidded eye.

"I'm sorry, Hy. It's gonna be a while longer. I love you."

I felt his touch in the moonlight caress my cheek, he understood, he always did.

~

Becky hasn't answered my calls for almost a week. Gretchen had been telling me more of what is going on. I knew they held some screwed up principles, but to deny the Moon Goddess' gift of a true mate for a choice mate, was unbelievable. Inconceivable! Ridiculous! So here I am at our weekly brunch, drinking mimosas and telling the mamas about it all. None of them could believe it, side eyes of shock turned to open gawking as I went on about what my Cora and that poor girl Rya were going through. We may not all have all our teeth, but our claws and our wits are still sharper than any silver blade. Shunning a girl because of who she is mated to is the stupidest thing any of us have ever heard. Bernadette wanted to sneak up there and rescue that girl, but Luna Millie pointed out that stealing an Alpha's mate, even a rejected one, could cause a war. We decided we don't care, our sons and grandsons and great-grandsons are strong, our daughters and granddaughters will fight beside them, our allies will come. We serve the Goddess, not some petty ridiculous notion of elitism. If Charlie calls Cora and tells her they have started abusing that girl, we're going to steal her. We're going to help her if we can. Gretchen is keeping an eye on her, so we'll leave her with her family for now, but if she gets hurt or abused, we are going to fall on that pack like the Moon's vengeance. All of us agreed, with a shot of bourbon, if that horrible Alpha Adams and his wretched Beta ever come south, the Mama Wolf Brigade will be waiting.

~

~Two weeks later

Cora made cauliflower and white cheddar perogies with braised rabbit, drizzled in a white wine sauce for dinner. It was amazing, and Forrest and Millie loved it. Millie told Cora, it was better than the 5-star restaurant they ate at in New York. My old wolf even raised her head, savoring the taste we hadn't had in so long. Cora was supposed to be taking culinary class this summer, but instead we would be traveling. She went to bed early, because we have a big day tomorrow. I'm getting too old for this...

Becky finally called earlier today, livid about the non-refundable fees and tuition of the culinary class Cora wasn't home to take. Cora 'volunteered' to come straight home, crossing her fingers to me. But Becky refused, explaining she had told the college that Cora had left for a family emergency and she would take the class next summer. Disappointment clouded my granddaughter's eyes, she had counted on the high cost of the college course being the reason they brought her home. I frowned as Becky announced that Cora was not allowed to return for the upcoming school year either, saying Cora needed to spend time with the Elders so she could learn the proper respect for higher wolves. Cora retorted that she respected the Elders and higher wolves, but she would not respect leaders that would purposely hurt an innocent young wolf in defiance of the Moon Goddess' Will. If Becky had been standing in front of me, I would have slapped her for what she said next. My daughter then told my granddaughter that she had deserved her punishments. Cora lost it and started screaming at her mother about hypocrisy and heresy, AND that's when I took the phone.

"Cora – trails," I ordered firmly, she stripped and was shifted before she stepped off the veranda. I watched her wolf running towards the woods. "Becky, that was cruel and unfair. She is an emotional teenage girl who was beaten by four trained warriors to entertain your Beta. And all the while your useless mate, HER FATHER, who stood by and let it happen."

"Mother, you don't know what it is like here, you don't know how things are done in this pack. Cora was punished for her belligerent behavior and defying our traditions," Becky argued back.

"How is having a 16 year old female attacked by four warriors justified? How is having a 16 year old girl whipped with silver just because she wants to be with her mate justified?" I hear Becky's gasp.

"She told you! She's not supposed to tell anyone!" She half-whispered angrily like she was afraid someone would hear.

"She didn't, she physically can't tell us. But we've been hearing rumors of what happened for the last six months. Don't forget Cora was forced by your Alpha to remain silent, hurt by your Alpha to keep his son's shameful secret. What kind of an Alpha hurts the children of his pack members, Becky? What kind of a pack allows that to happen? What kind of pack denies its future Luna as chosen by the Moon, for some impostor?" I angrily growled.

"That girl was not worthy to be our Luna."

"You are not qualified to tell the Goddess whom she should pick as Luna."

"Mother, I married to the first Gamma. I have responsibilities to this pack," Becky huffed.

"You mean you chose to kiss your pompous Alpha's ass to save your own precious reputation, rather than respect the Goddess' choice for Luna and care for your daughter. You are a she-wolf, Becky. Your first responsibility is to protect and love your children, then your mate, then your Elders and Alpha, THEN your pack. I was ashamed to call you my daughter when I saw what you and your mate let them do to Cora. You didn't even visit her afterwards. When would you have gone to see her, when they buried her? Doc said she should have died, only her wolf saved her." I heard my daughter gasp.

"He...he said it was minor." She still defended him.

I could only shake my head. I scoffed, "Minor? A broken arm, fractured hands and feet, missing tooth, broken ribs, injured jaw, and bruising on most of her 16 year old body is minor? Perhaps you should get your mate a dictionary. Oh, they have this wonderful new thing called Google, it's even on cell phones. Or maybe he just wanted to watch his only daughter beaten half to death because he is a sadistic sack of..."

"Don't talk about him like that!" Becky screamed into the phone. "I didn't know."

Good, I got through to her. I thought.

I listen to her sobbing, finally she said, "You don't know what is was like for someone like him to have to be mated to someone like me."

Maybe not. I seethe."What does that mean? Someone like you?" I asked hotly.

"Carl is a Gamma, his family has always been Gammas and Deltas and I am nothing, our family is nothing compared to his," she whined.

There it is. Even my old wolf growls.

"Oh Goddess, is that what you think? Because you don't have the same precious pedigree as the Shills that you're worthless, that you have to let your children be abused?" I groaned, disgusted. "I have always told you that you are his equal or more."

"Mother, don't start with your 'a wolf's worth is in their heart' nonsense." She used the same tone she had as a teen, she always wanted respect, prestige, popularity without having to work for it. Eighteen years later she hasn't changed, her youngest brother is the same way. Thank the Goddess the rest of them have some sense.

"A wolf's worth is in their heart. Omegas can take down an alpha if it is in their heart. And since it is so important to you, I think it is time I told you about my mother's family. My grandfather was an arrogant, blood thirsty dog, he and his brother got our whole family killed when my mother was only 5. They believed the same as your Alpha, birth equals worth but mark my words, it is a fool's prejudice that leads only to destruction. My grandfather's name was Beta Michael Alexandrov, youngest brother of Alpha Nicolas Vtoroy. My father was killed while my mother was pregnant with me, she barely escaped but she died when I was born, still running for her life for the sins of my grandfather and her ancestors. I was fortunate to be saved and brought to the Noble pack by Gretchen. My mother left me a diary detailing the horrors that were the reason our family was hunted for decades until none were left. Even after the powerful Czar pack fell, newer packs still fall prey to this 'birth equals worth' nonsense again and again. I raised you to know better, Becky, and now you know why. Elitism only leads to oppression and death. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you?"

My daughter didn't answer, I could hear her breathing so knew she hadn't hung up.

"Becky?" Waiting, I finished my cigarette and lit another. "Daughter?"

"We're Betas, Alexandrov Betas " she whispered.

Oh good goddess! She wasn't listening..."NO! Not anymore, we are just wolves," I yelled at her.

"We're Alexandrov Betas!" She sounded giddy.

I rubbed my forehead so hard I thought the skin would peel off. Why did I tell her?

"Becky, I have something else to tell you, pay attention."

"Yes mother, it is all so amazing. I can't believe it." She said breathless in excitement.

"Good, don't believe it. It isn't true, I read it in a book somewhere. I just wanted to you to hear that Elitism leads to destruction, but you obviously weren't listening." I lied in a flat tone, pouring my whiskey early. I didn't like to drink in front of Cora, but her mother was enough to drive anyone to the bottle.

"WHHAAATTT!?!?!" she screamed.

"Yep, just wanted to get my point across, but you just didn't hear it. Good night, Daughter dearest." And I hung up on her stream of profanities.

Afterward, I was siting on the porch swing with my cigarette and whiskey when Cora came back. Her wolf collapses at my feet, panting. She had dropped 3 rabbits on the porch. I eyed them as I rub her ears. She's a beautiful she-wolf, bigger than most, so dark brown like a good espresso. Like all the wolves of our bloodline. 

"Those for dinner?" I asked.

She had tipped her head and yipped happily. So I opened the door and carried her catch inside, "Fine, I'll clean them but you're cooking them. Go shower, you smell like a sweaty dog."

She shifted back quickly and her stinky self hugged me, laughing, "I love you grandmama. The Alphas are in for a treat."

~

Dinner had been amazing, and while Cora did dishes, Forrest, Millie and I discussed the phone call and Cora spending the winter with Noble pack. Millie got that shrewd gleam that always meant trouble, as she shared a thought with Forrest. He sat contemplative for a moment then blinked, back with us.

"It's decided, since your delightful granddaughter can't go to her culinary class, we will bring the class to her so to speak. Tomorrow, you and Cora will leave with my grandson and his mate on their tour of the European packs. We will see that she gets to visit or learn from the best chefs during the trip. She has a gift, a spirit we cannot let be hindered. Let us encourage it." He said strongly. Millie nodded in agreement. My elders have spoken. I just hrumphed and sipped my whiskey, I hadn't been across the pond since the last great war. I was too old for this but it should be interesting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9.2018 - CLAYTON is published!!!

Clayton (The Wildflower Series) by Rachelle Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/164034487X/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_S8sbDbB084P46 via @amazon

2.2019- DALLAS is published!!!

Dallas (The Wildflower Series Book 2) by Rachelle Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXRVB7M/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_o9sbDbPFY61NH via @amazon
Find them on Amazon

::Thank you to Rachelle for allowing this CLAYTON Fanfiction to be published.:: 

If you are reading this on a site that is not Wattpad, it has been taken

and published without my permission.