Song : Shakespears Sister -Dancing Barefoot ( Patti Smith Cover )

The next few days I found myself the receiver of the gratitude of the mother of the young female wolf as well as the majority of the females of the pack that I was used to seeing in the main house. The mother informed me that the girl had gone very early into her heat, months before it was supposed to happen and the pack doctor gave her some medication to slow it down so it could appear again at the proper time which was sometime this coming winter. It wasn't unheard of but it was quite rare thus that is why no one noticed, especially her mother. The news had been spread around in the pack and the females were looking at me with a different eye. I mean they were welcoming from the start but something had changed, my wolf had sensed that too and it made her even more comfortable among them.

I enjoyed their warm embraces and sincere smiles but I couldn't help but feel that I was being praised for something very simple. It was simple in my mind at least, I saw a situation and I reacted, both my wolf and me. Ian explained that it's unusual for a wolf that doesn't belong in the pack to stand up for one of its members. They lack the sense of duty that comes from the unity our blood bonds have ingrained into us. They stay out of it and leave others to deal with.

Did that mean that I was starting to consider the Ravens my pack? I had only belonged, and still technically am, a member of the Riders. I had never associated this much with others outside my birth pack. My wolf didn't give me a clear answer, she just kind of shook her fur like it wasn't something that concerned her. I thanked her in a sarcastic manner and she flipped her tail at me. I would like to think that I would stand up for anyone that was in need, that it was part of my character. Maybe the truth laid somewhere in the middle.

Days passed and while I was having a lazy afternoon on the porch of the cabin with an ice tea on my hand and the glorious view of the mountain picks, I heard Ian's phone ringing from inside of the cabin. It only rung a couple of times, I guessed he must have picked it up. I could sense the excitement in his voice even though I couldn't hear what was being said.

Not less than five minutes later, he came outside and startled me with a doting kiss. I was pleasantly surprised but before I could get into to it, he pulled back. I could see his eyes sparkling, he was happy.

"How do you feel about a trip up the North Coast?"

"I would love a trip there! I always wanted to see the cliffs up North, I've heard they are a true wonder of nature." Just the idea of standing at those cliffs, gazing at the wild ocean while the wind threatened to blow you off the edge gave me a rush.

Ian smiled. "I'm sure we'll be able to find time to visit them on the way back but that's not the reason why we are going. We will be visiting the Wolverine pack."

"Why? And why do you want me to go with you if it's for pack business?" I wasn't expecting to tag along at any meetings.

"Because it's not for pack business, it's a family visit. Kara had the baby, a male pup." You could feel the love pouring out of his words.

"Congratulations!" I hugged him tight, rejoicing with this happy event." Is she alright? Is the pup alright?". She had trouble with her pregancy, that was one of the reasons their mother had gone up there to help.

"Yes they are both fine, I just talked with my mother on the phone, everything went well. I'm going to let Kenneth go up this weekend and we can go when he returns. Unfortunately we can't all go together, one of us needs to be here. And he is her twin, he should go first."

That was kind of sad, how they couldn't all be together to welcome the little one as a family. He was right though, one of them should always be here unless it was beyond their control. Kara could probably visit as well in due time and they would have a chance at a proper family reunion, with all members present. This begged the question if it was appropriate of me to go with him.

"Do you think I should go with you? It's a family moment and..." I didn't get a chance to complete my sentence because his fingers pressed at my lips.

"I want you to go with me and that's all that matters so don't trouble your mind too much." He looked at me like he knew what I was feeling before I even did. "It will give you a chance to meet Kara and my mother when they are at their best on the same time zone, that's a rare moment." He teased me a little bit with that last one but I think that there was some truth in that.

"Alright, so when do we leave?"

"Probably Monday morning, I'll figure the details and tell you".

A thought passed through my mind, I had the little beasts waiting for me every day at summer school.

"What about my class? It's not very nice to leave just like that, the other teacher is barely hanging on as it is." It was true, she was getting heavier by the day.

"They stop next week for the whole of August and they come back at the start of September so that won't be a problem. I have another teacher coming in, he was at his mate's pack for the summer but they should be here on time."

Right, I had forgotten about the brake.

Ian picked me up and sat on my chair with me on his lap. He nuzzled my neck, giving his mark light kisses. I loved when he did that, it made me feel wanted and desired.

"Have I told you how much I cherish your caring nature? You are not oblivious to other's people problems and feelings, I think it's one of your most attractive qualities", he continued to lay kisses on my neck, leaving me feeling boneless. I really liked when he did that. Apparently he knew.

"Oh do tell, Alpha Barker, what other qualities do you find attractive", my playful side always rose when he was being sweet to me.

Ian growled and got up on his feet with me in his arms.

"How about I tell you while we are having another lesson?" He didn't wait for my answer as he started walking to the inside of the cabin.

"I was always an eager student" I said with laughter in my voice.

"I know", Ian closed the door with his foot "and I'm very glad you are one". We didn't talk much after that.

My days were busy and before I knew it, I was packing a bag, not forgetting about my camera this time and boarding a plane with Ian to get to the Wolverine pack. It was much more convenient this way, there was a small airfield just an hour away from the pack and the Alpha there promised to leave a car waiting for us so that we could drive up to their main location.

The Wolverine pack was one of the smaller packs in the North, besides the three leading ones and they had a long standing alliance with the Ravens. Ian's mother came originally from that pack and that is how Kara met her mate from a very young age, just after she sifted. He was a year older than her and they travelled back and forth until they finally decided to seal the bond.

On one of my calls to my father, I asked him to tell me details about them when I mentioned that we were going to be visiting. Allegedly the Wolverines were defined by their stocky and muscular build, exceptional sense of smell and resilient fur, more than the common wolf in order to repel frost and humidity since they lived near the water and their economy lied heavily on the sea.

I sighed when I heard about their physique. Great, more people that I would feel smaller compared to them. I was beginning to realize that the Moon designed everything with great care, the further up North, the heavier the wolves, blessed with gifts that would make their survival easier. Nothing was done without a purpose to the grander scheme of life.

Father asked if I was close to making a decision. I told him that I still had time and that all was going well. He didn't press the matter any further and I was grateful for that.

The car was where it was supposed to be and soon enough we were on the road to the main pack house to meet with the Alpha in a form of respect before driving to Kara's home. It helped that he was his mother's cousin so it wouldn't take long, just a formality. The sky was full of heavy clouds, not too dark but a summer rain was about to brake at any moment.

Since they were a small pack they lived near a rather large village with humans, kind of separate but close enough. They didn't have the luxury of having two pack houses, one hidden and one for visitors but things were peaceful and they co existed quite well with humans, at least that was what Ian told me.

The Alpha came out to greet us once we were out of the car and he was everything my father told me they were. A mountain of a man with dirty blonde hair and clear blue eyes. He hugged Ian and congratulated him and Ian introduced me to him with my name and the title of a potential match. The Alpha looked at my neck but said nothing. He let us go, knowing that Ian wanted to see his sister.

I didn't like it. Being called a match. My wolf didn't appreciate it either, she whined a little bit. We had gotten use to being called his mate.

But we weren't his mate now were we? Not yet.

More whines.

I tried not to let it show that it bothered me, not wanting to spoil the good mood Ian was in, this visit was about his family and he deserved to savor it.

Kara's and Conroy's house, her mate, was just at the outskirts of the main pack and it stood out because you could see that it was newly build, compared to the other's. It was a large cottage really, painted a deep red with white windows and a spacious porch with wind chimes that would occasionally spread their music through the air, forced to dance by the summer breeze from the coast that could be seen in the background. It was lovely.

Ian grabbed our bags and we headed to the house just as the door opened and a woman in her late forties from what I could tell came out to greet us.

" Mother, it's good to see you," Ian left the bags on the stairs and hugged her.

She returned his embrace, putting an arm around his neck, making him bend and she kissed his head, taking in his smell and closing her eyes to delight in the moment.

"My boy, I missed you. You and your brother, it was so nice that you could both come. Even if you couldn't come together."

"I'm sure that Kara has kept you busy mother, no one can get bored around her", Ian's tone was teasing.

His mother laughed and agreed with a shake of her head.

"Your sister is more like her father than any of our pups but now that she is a mother, she appreciates me a little more I think," she smiled and her attention turned to me.

Ian took a step out of her embrace and put his hand around my shoulders.

"Mother, I'd like you to meet Vivian" you could detect the warmth that radiated from him as he introduced me to his mother. It soothed our bitterness to his previous introduction.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Luna Maureen and congratulations on the gift that the Moon has given your family. A healthy pup is a blessing", I nodded my head respectfully and gave a little tilt to the side. She was still the leading female of a large and prestigious pack, respect was owed. Power emitted from her, even if I didn't know who she was, I could still feel her position.

She looked at me with her dark green eyes, clearly pleased with my greeting and kissed me on my cheek. I could smell the stormy sea and the cold of a winter day. Ian had taken her scent.

"A healthy pup is indeed a blessing, thank you Vivian. Come, let's get you inside, Kara woke up not long ago, she'll be glad to see you. Conroy will be back in a while, he had to run some errands".

We walked into the house and Ian took my hand as we followed his mother upstairs to where Kara and the baby were. His mother went in first, making sure she wasn't feeding him and she called us in. Ian went in a slow pace as to not disturb his sister, a new mother wolf can be quite protective. That was one of the reasons I stayed at the door, she didn't know me and the last thing I wanted was to upset her. My wolf toned down her presence as well, not wanting to alarm the new mother. I adored her thoughtfulness.

"How is my little sister doing?" Ian caressed his sister's face who was holding her pup.

She leaned into his touch and Ian kissed her forehead, taking in her smell.

"Happy, tired, anxious and then happy again. That is pretty much the range of my emotions since he came into our lives".

Ian chuckled. "That's not a big change from what you were feeling before when we spoke on the phone. I remember that hungry was also a word that popped up often."

She laughed and the baby made a little cute sound. Ian's attention was drawn to the pup.

"What did you name him?" his fingers touched cautiously the little bundle.

"Neil, Conroy won the little bet we had. He said that he was going to be born by the end of July and I said early August. I don't mind, I like the name and it makes him feel good to win once in a while. It keeps my mate happy."

Her head turned to the door and her eyes took me in. She had the same light brown hair as Kenneth but the dark green gaze that her mother had. She looked a lot like her twin in a more subdued feminine way. She was pretty and while I could see that the last days had taken a toll on her, her face radiated her happiness.

"You must be Vivian. Please, come in, I won't bite. My wolf is behaving a lot better when we have a male we trust close to us. I promise. We both had a terrible tantrum two days ago when the Alpha came for the pup's bonding with the pack. Kenneth enjoyed it very much, he threatened that he wouldn't come to see me again if I didn't get my act together." She huffed, clearly dismissing his words." Having my mate and him close finally did the trick in the end".

I imagine making a mother to allow her new born pup to be blood bonded with the pack isn't an easy task. It's a small cut but I can sympathize.

I approached the bed in the same slow manner that Ian had and stood close to him. I smiled to her and I looked at the pup. He was still sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms, wrapped up in a light yellow summer blanket, uncaring of what was going on around him. He was warm, he was safe, he was fed and he was loved.

'He is beautiful Kara. The Moon has truly blessed you. May he always be strong and have a happy and full life". I looked into her eyes so she could see that I meant every word that I said.

"Thank you for your wishes Vivian" she beamed at me.

"You did well little sister, he will be a strong male like his father." Ian put his hand on his sister's shoulder and with the other he drew me closer.

"I'm sure you'll be wanting to freshen up after your journey. Come on Ian, let me show where you'll be sleeping. Neil will be up in a little while anyway." Maureen's words were gentle but firm.

"You're right mother. Will you be coming downstairs for dinner with us Kara?" Ian's attention was on baby Neil the whole time, wondering like me if she can part with him or not.

"Yes, I am. I'll just have Neil in his bassinet, it's portable so he'll be fine".

I took the chance to ask her what was on my mind when I brought my camera with me.

"If you'd like, I can take some pictures of you and the baby. I have my camera with me and I know a little bit about photography, I had a course of it at college."

Kara got excited just as the words left my mouth.

"That's very nice of you, thank you. We only have pictures from our cell phones. Now I must find something nice to wear, I want to look good for our photo suit." She looked at her pup, glowing.

"Vivian is actually very good, I saw her work at her college's final gala and she took some very interesting portraits of the town's people back home." Ian's words surprised me. I didn't know that he had seen my work for that project that evening.

That was two months ago. Had it only been two months since I met him? It felt longer.

I was led by his mother to a bedroom on the ground floor while Ian went to pick our bags. She put us in one room, it was nice that she wasn't a prude or that she didn't make a comment. Maybe Ian had told her ahead of time what our sleeping arrangements were going to be. Anyway, I was glad it didn't have to be discussed.

After a quick shower and a change of clothes, I went in search of the kitchen to see if his mother needed any help with dinner. She accepted the offer and I followed her lead. We made small talk over the preparations of what appeared to be a luscious meal, mostly her asking questions about my family, my studies and things like that. She gave me a caring gaze when she learned that my mother had died when I was six but she didn't pry any further. I was thankful for that. Otherwise she was polite and one could say passive towards me.

Ian had apparently disappeared somewhere with Conroy who I had yet to meet. Maureen went to see if Kara needed any help while I got busy setting the table. Once I was done I brought the camera and it's tripod in the dining room and checked the measurements for the lighting. I didn't want to use a flash, it would annoy the pup and I could always work on them later.

Everyone made their appearance simultaneously. A large man with blonde hair, obviously Conroy, came down the stairs, holding a bassinet while Kara was standing close to him. She was dressed in a comfortable light green summer dress that complimented her very well and I saw that Conroy was also dressed nicely. I guess she really wanted those pictures to look good. Ian stepped out of the hall while their mother followed after the mated couple.

I suggested we take some additional photos outside and since the pup was awake, it would be better to do it now rather than after dinner . Everyone agreed and I got to work. The view from their porch was engaging and the summer rain that had broken while we were in the house had cleared the atmosphere. After many clicks and different poses, we went inside were we took more of the whole family. Ian asked me to put the timer on the camera so that I could be in the pictures as well. Kara agreed excitedly. So I followed their wishes.

I was moved by his suggestion but our earlier meeting with the Alpha still lingered in my mind. He took me with him to a very important family affair but he called me a match to a stranger. His pack knew about our agreement but he always treated me as a mate. I was once again bothered by this however irrational my logical mind told me it was.

Dinner time was very pleasant. The food was delicious, his mother could cook and Conroy turned out to be a fabulous dinner companion. Ian and Kara joked about their childhood and since Kenneth was absent, Kara grasped the opportunity to share some things about him, especially about his dealings with the opposite sex. She was on a roll until Maureen put a stop to it. I swear that Kara rolled her eyes and mumbled "mama's favourite" which made me suppress a giggle.

"Ian, some of the boys from the pack asked me if you'd like to join them down at the village for a few drinks. It's been a long time since they've seen you", Conroy looked at Ian while his hand was around his mate's shoulder.

"I don't know.." Ian hesitated while he looked at me.

"Go, I'm sure they'll be happy to see you." I wanted for him to have a chance to relax. It wasn't like he had a lot of time to do that at his pack.

"I'll keep Vivian company, don't worry Ian" his mother assured him.

"Are you coming?" Ian asked Conroy.

He laughed and his eyes lighted up." No way, my wolf is constantly growling at me to be home. He has a fit even if I take much time doing the shopping. I swear he is even worse than Kara's wolf, it will be a battle of wills when I have to go back to work."

Soon after, Kara went upstairs to feed a hungry Neil with Conroy on her tail while Ian took the car to go see his friends. Maureen and me cleared out the table and tied up the kitchen.

"Would you like to join me for a drink of our own on the porch, Vivian?" her invitation seemed like a good idea.

"I'd love that."

"Bring a jacket, the evenings are quite cool here. I'll get the drinks."

By the time I got there, she had already poured me a drink which turned out to be brandy. It was served in a snifter glass and it's natural golden brown colour made it seem delectable. The bottle was on the table. I wasn't a big drinker but I could have one, the taste was more familiar to me due to the sips I stole from my father's glass.

We settled to our seats and we both gazed at the horizon. Nightfall was upon us and everything was peaceful. Only the light tingling from the wind chimes could be heard and you could make out the night lamps from the village ahead.

"I never thought that I would leave this place." Her steady voice broke the silence among us. "Things were a lot different thirty years ago. Females in this pack got the basic education and then they learned how to be good mates and help the pack. Life was hard, everyone needed to lend a hand. The day I saw Arthur, everything changed. He came with his father to negotiate a new treaty and we knew. We were true mates."

I was stunned. True mates were almost a myth these days and I had a woman in front of me that proved that the legends were real.

She took a sip of her brandy and smiled knowingly to me.

"I know what you must be thinking. I only have heard of two other pairs of true mates in my lifetime. The Moon had blessed us. They are very rare and the pull is as strong as it supposed to be. We were a prime example of that, in the spam of one week, I was marked and mated. My father was not pleased." a small laughter escaped her with that memory.

"He took me back to his pack and I tried to fit in. I came from a small pack and the number of wolves alone overwhelmed me. I was eighteen, with no proper education and I was supposed to be ready to lead them in the near future. My mate tried to help me but we were basically strangers who didn't know the first thing about each other. I was provoked to a fight from a potential mate of Arthur's. I couldn't blame her really, she thought they would end up together and here I was, marked and mated. My wolf had other ideas on the subject and we put her in her place."

It sounded strangely familiar. Without the actual physical fight.

"In time, everything kind of fell into place. Running a pack is not an easy task and I had to learn that the hard way. It is a fact that you should consider as well when you and my son come to a decision. Being true mates with Arthur didn't help in any way with that. It was a comfort to think that it was what the Moon intended for us but in reality it did very little. Any mated couple will always be there for each other, I have seen this and that's why I made it a point to teach my pups to not dwell in the existence of true mates. The bond is strong once it's forged. I just wanted them to be as prepared for the future as they could be and use their gifts to the maximum. That was a constant struggle with Kara, I wasn't so inclined of her mating, her leaving everything behind to come and live here. But in the end, it didn't matter what I thought and she has turned out to be a good wolf that is happy with her life. That's all a parent can ask for."

I didn't realize that my glass had emptied. The brandy had raised my body temperature and I let my jacket fall back on my seat.

Maureen looked at me knowingly.

"Brandy has a way to warm the blood. I always enjoyed it, up here North the weather makes it possible to drink it all year long. Do you want another?"

"Maybe just a little, it's really good." I could drink a little more.

She served me just a finger and she put a little extra on her glass as well.

"The reason I'm telling you all this is because I want you to fully realize what you'll be signing up for. You will not only be taking Ian as a mate and the father of your pups but the whole pack as well. It was good of Ian that he brought you up North with him, you get to have a taste but the real thing will be far more challenging. The pack will constantly seek you out and you will have to have answers for the smallest problem to the biggest dispute. The Luna is more accessible to her pack, they respect the Alpha but they turn to the Luna because they know that she has their Alpha's ear."

She turned to me and she studied my face.

"I am not to trying to deter you or encourage you either way. I know that you are well equipped to handle your own, I get the news even from afar. I want to see my first born pup happy in his mated life, he has given so much to our pack and he will continue to do so and I want him to have a worthy companion by his side while he is doing it. I will not assume anything about the way you feel for one another but it is quite obvious that you both have feelings. Of what nature and how strong they are, that is for you and you only to decide. I just wanted you to have a wider picture of what you were getting yourself into."

She emptied her glass and put it on the table.

"I think I will turn in now, if you don't mind. Kara, for all her independence enjoys my pampering. Not that she would admit to it, of course."

She came to me and gave me a kiss to my cheek.

"I hope that you won't think ill of me for speaking to you tonight. The decision is yours and Ian's alone, I've learnt my lesson from interfering into the mating of my pups. You seem like a good wolf with a gentle heart. I'm sure that it will come to you in the end."

"Thank you Luna for trusting me with your past. I appreciate it and I assure you that I will take everything you said into consideration." It wasn't that I hadn't thought about the duty that would fall on my shoulders but it had kind of gone into the background lately.

"I will see you in the morning". With that she left me alone on the porch to ponder over her words.

I reached for my wolf to see what she had to say about all this. She had been very quiet during Maureen's disclosure. She sent me her assurance that we were capable to handle anything that the future might bring. She was up for the challenge if I was willing. Always more confident than me, I drew from her strength all my life.

I valued emotions first and foremost. I would not be intimidated by the burden of my possible position if I was emotionally secure. If my wolf thought we could do it then we could. Maureen's words helped me to also realize that I could but only under those conditions.

The only person that could validate my commitment was Ian. I think it was time to take this mating to the next level.

I wanted to write more. Then I thought about splitting this chapter. Then I decided to let the other things for the next one. As you can see, I was conflicted so there you go, a really long chapter!

Thank you for reading!