Chapter 19

A few things happened when Kieran and I stepped outside the mansion to meet the rest of the pack. One, There was a lot of growling coming for one specific person who was dangerously close to shifting. Two, everyone looked like they were about to attack him with teeth bared and in wolf form. And three, that same specific wolf stood tall, dark, and possessive with my best friend wrapped in his arms. It only took me seconds to realize what was happening. I’d seen this same scene before...with mates.

Kieran stood silently by me with an intense expression on his face. He seemed to be communicating a message to the pack to back off because it was only seconds later they all stood down without hesitation. Felix really provoked them.

Jennifer finally managed to smile at her mate after the surprise wore off that it was Felix who was holding her. With the pack calmed down, he looked at her with so much love the entire pack was able to feel it. And in that moment everyone and everything was at peace. Smiles started forming and spread to those around the loving mates. It was beautiful.

Their love was infinite. And I was happy for them.

My free spirited friend was positively consumed by the presence of Felix no one dared interrupt them. They were inside their own little world for the next few minutes and finally they rejoined us in the real world again, Felix never releasing her once.

“You need to confirm,” Kieran said.

Felix gazed at my mate before he gave him a quick nod and spoke. “Jennifer Burns is my mate and I will claim her by the full moon tomorrow night.”

Every wolf in the pack bowed their heads in respect at their pack member. All mates and matings were widely accepted and respected by all. By bowing their heads it showed Felix exactly that.

When everyone’s heads rose back up, Kieran give his next order. “Shift and prepare to leave. We’re due at Night Shadow pack territory by sundown.”

Everyone knew it didn’t look good for an Alpha to be late to a meeting or gathering of any kind. It showed a weakness and therefore loss of respect among the pack and its wolves. It was something that no good Alpha would ever allow to happen.

As the pack quickly scattered and disappeared into the woods to change back into their human forms Kieran led me to the vehicle prepared for us. Kieran climbed in after me. When the new mates lingered behind staying rooted in their spots it puzzled me. Weren’t they coming with is? Felix is one of the best fighters in the pack.

Felix turned Jennifer around and walked her toward the house, soon disappearing inside.

“You discharged Felix?”

Kieran nodded. “I think it was necessary given the circumstances. He plans to mark and possibly mate your best friend by the next full moon and we won’t be back by then. Seeing as the marking can be incredibly painful for some wolves I thought it would be better if they stayed here.”

“But who will replace him?”

“I linked Chance and Dorian and recruited them when Felix and Jennifer were confirmed mates. They, along with Leland, will be with us the whole time we’re at Night Shadow. Everyone else will scope out their territory and keep an eye on things for us.”

I didn’t miss how curt he was being with me.

“You can talk to me, you know,” I reminded him. “If there’s something’s wrong-”

“Why would something be wrong?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. You just seem different.”

I wanted to ask him if something had changed, but I already knew the answer to that without asking. I wondered if that was what was bothering him. Felix is a good friend and fighter to Kieran. Maybe he felt like we were at a disadvantage now.

“I don’t like when things change,” he said. “When I make plans I intend them to be followed through with.”

So I was right. He was worried. I could feel it in his words when he spoke. My tough Alpha mate was actually troubled for once.

“It takes two of my best fighters just to replace Felix. He’s indispensable.”

“But won’t you feel better he’s here looking out for the pack while we’re gone? He’s still an advantage even if he’s not with us.”

He seemed to consider my words before visibly relaxing a little. His tough exterior began to soften again.

“He is,” he agreed. He wrapped his harm around my back and pulled me into him. I rested my head on his shoulder. “And you’re right. That’s why you make such a great Luna. You always see the good in every situation.”

Well, most of them. Some of them were absent of anything good. Some that I will not mention.

His face dropped down and his lips met mine. They were warm and soft then became something more. Something that could only be finished when we were alone.

When the wolves returned from the woods they poured into the vehicles. All of them were at maximum capacity. Kieran wasn’t taking any chances that something might go wrong. Though I believed his methods for our protection were a bit extreme, he was a good alpha.

We disagreed when it came to my old pack. Even though I believed they wouldn’t attack us, he wouldn’t rule out any possibility. Ultimately it was his decision that mattered and I trusted it completely.

Our SUV rolled into Blue Water Motel. It was the only place in my small town that an outside traveler could stay when passing through town. It wasn’t very new and somewhat run down, but it was a roof over our heads. Though, most of the pack would probably prefer to sleep in their wolf forms on the cold, hard ground. Any place nicer than Blue Water Motel to stay was in the next town over.

Redwood had a couple of nice hotels and even some cabins down by the lake. I had only stayed there once with Jennifer for our high school graduation party. I don’t remember most of it though. It was the first and only time I ever drank alcohol.

Dorian went inside the motel office to get us our rooms and returned with ten keys for the ten rooms they had. Our pack was filling their vacancy for the night and I’m sure they were appreciative of the business. I blushed when he handed Kieran and I the key to the honeymoon suite. It was embarrassing knowing that Dorian assumed we’d want it. Maybe he it was because it was the nicest room in the place.

“Thanks,” I muttered as I accepted the key and quickly headed towards the motel. I didn’t linger. The moment was awkward enough as it was. Though, as always, Dorian showed no emotion. He was one closed book. I still didn’t know how Kieran exacted us to be friends. It seemed very unlikely.

When I opened the door to our room Kieran joined me inside. He did a quick assessment of our environment and remained silent. No doubt he was used to staying in much nicer places. He just looked so out of place here.

My eyes began to wonder around the room studying all that it held. It included a king sized bed with a red comforter and matching pillows, One dresser and mirror, one picture on the pale yellow walls, a table with two chairs and a phone, one box T.V with a rabbit ear antenna, and a bathroom.

No. He definitely did not belong.  

I picked up the remote turned on T.V. Some missing persons report was on the news, but neither of us paid much attention to it as we settled into the room. After we finished Kieran went over the plan for tomorrow and asked me to phone the Alpha of Night Shadow. There had to be some terms set before we stepped foot on the territory tomorrow.

When Kieran took the phone from me to speak to him I grabbed the ice bucket from the dresser and went to find the ice machine.

Most everyone seemed to already be inside their rooms besides the wolves that were assigned to keep a watch over the night. No one noticed me leave my room until I reached the machine at the end of the corridor. Dorian stood guard.

“Luna,” he greeted.

“Dorian.”

He remained quiet as I began filling the ice bucket with frozen chips. When the machine stopped before it was full, I cursed it and gave it a swift kick.

After I returned to the room with the bucket half full, Kieran was out of the bathroom and sitting in one of the wooden chairs by the window watching T.V.

I sat the bucket down in the dresser and grabbed one of the plastic wrapped cups beside it and emptied some ice into my cup. I sat next to Kieran and began crunching on it. He slowly turned from the T.V and a grin began to form on his face. It was the first time he had smiled since leaving our territory.

“Keely loves ice chips too,” he said.

“You must miss her.”

“I worry. I don’t know if my aunt and uncle can handle her while we’re gone. They’d let her get away with murder.”

I giggled and it felt nice. “Let’s hope it don’t come to that.”

He reached across the table and ran his hand through my hair, his eyes mirroring what I felt…love. He was really happy and I did that, just like he did the same for me. I was just waiting for the right time to tell him.

“How are things with the pack? Did you call Wyatt?” I asked him.

He yawned, removed his hand from my hair and nodded. “He has things under control. He’s been questioning the she wolf again.”

Worry for my friend rose within me. If she was going to attack Kieran, an alpha, she wouldn’t think twice about attacking Wyatt.

“Is that really safe?”

“It’s his job. Someone has to do it.”

I suppose he was right, but that didn’t make me feel any better about it. As far as I was concerned, she was still dangerous.

“I hope he’s careful.”

“He’s delta with the violent types before. He knows what he’s doing.”

Hm. I hope he is right.

Kieran and I soon went to bed.  Then, before we knew it, we were waking up and were on our way to Night Shadow.

When we passed by the café I used to work at, what used to be my life, I realized how much I missed it. Not the work so much, but the customers and my co workers. Everything was just so different now than it was then. That was another life. I same feelings arose when we later passed my old college campus. I had a lot of memories there too.

We finally arrived at my parent’s house where Alpha Robert was waiting to greet us a little after ten A.M. My mom and dad, along with other important wolves from the pack, were there to greet us as well.

Both the Alpha’s bowed their heads at each other in mutual respect as did the packs. There was a short silence between them until my mom smiled and said my name. She ran from the house and enclosed me into a tight hug. It felt like I hadn’t seen her in ages. I missed her.

From the house my dad smiled and waved to us. I could tell he missed me to, but he was trying to remain cool and reserved in front of his alpha.

When mom released me and bowed her head to Kieran. “It’s good to see you again, Kieran.”

“You too, Mrs. Warren.”

“Call me, Patricia,” she said.

 My eyes drifted over everyone gathered in front of my house as my mom strolled me past them with her arm around me and entered into the house. Once everyone was inside I noticed that of all the people there Daniel was not one among them. Strangely that didn’t seem to bother me. The mating had done its job.

Alpha Robert had a sad expression on his face as did the other wolves.

My mom patted my shoulder softly giving us the floor. Chance, Dorian, and Leland kept a close distance to me and Kieran, being no further than arms length. They took their security detail very seriously.

“Thank you for coming.” The silence inside the room broke as Alpha Robert began to speak. “You’ll have to forgive me if I’m not in the best of spirits. There have been some things happen in the pack recently and we’re all a little worried.” 

We remain silent as he continued to explain.

“As you already know Jasmine and Daniel are expecting their first pup in the fall,” he reminded me.

I nodded.

“Jasmine nearly lost the baby early yesterday morning. She’s been put on bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy. They don’t know if the pup will survive.”

I let out a breath of surprise. “I’m so sorry.”

I looked to Kieran in sadness and guilt. We both knew the reason Jasmine almost lost her baby. It was us. We caused it. We completed the mating process. They must have felt everything.

“I know I have no right to ask this of you, but I was hoping you could talk to him. He’s not been the same since it happened.”

I felt Kieran tense at his request and his wolf was dangerously close to surfacing. I reached out and touched his hand to calm him down and it worked. He instantly calmed.

“I’m not sure what I can do, but I’ll try.” The words slipped from my lips hesitantly. It wasn’t that I owed Daniel anything anymore, but if consoling him after the near loss of his child was what was asked of me, I could do that. I wasn’t heartless regardless of what he had done to me in the past. I was a better person than that.

“Thank you,” he said. “I expect now you’d like to get down to business considering your journey.” 

Kieran nodded, his voice was hard when he spoke. “We would.”

Alpha Robert understood Kieran’s stiff reply and didn’t dwell on it. Not that anyone facing Kieran would. He was an intimidating Alpha when he wanted to be.

“We’ve been having some trouble with another pack. They’ve been making some threats for a few months now and-.”

I frowned. I had been here months ago. No one ever mentioned a threat. “Since when?”

Alpha Robert didn’t seem to appreciate my disrespect, and the beta growled at me. Before he could have punished me for talking out of line, but now I was not longer part of his pack and he couldn’t do anything without causing a fight between packs. I had a feeling they wouldn’t be able to handle that on top of the threats from another pack.

“It was Memorial Day,” he answered. “We haven’t told the pack yet. We don’t want them to worry.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Don’t you feel like they deserve to know? To keep their children safe?”

“We’re keeping them safe,” he stated. “We have wolves on patrol twenty four hours a day.”

“And what if that doesn’t work?” I asked. “What if they’re stronger and bigger than Night Pack and you can’t protect everyone? They’ll be furious to know you kept them in the dark.”

“I run this pack as I see fit.” His voice rose a bit with his words. Kieran and our pack growled at his tone which caused Night Pack to growl in return. 

“You will not take that tone with my mate and the Luna of this pack! If you want help from our pack that is not the way to do it. We demand respect.”

Robert immediately bowed his head out of respect and fear of my mate. It surprised me to see him so weak. “Of course. I’m sorry.”

I was proud of Kieran for taking control and standing up for me. He’s exactly what a mate should be and I was lucky to have him. I squeezed his hand in mine.

When Robert raised his head again I felt confident to continue.

 “Do you know why our pack is so strong? It’s because we don’t keep secrets from each other. They make us weak. We believe in total disclosure. You’re not truly a pack until you come together as one and work toward the same goal. If your pack finds out what you’ve done you’ll lose respect among them and I assume that’s not something you can afford. You need unity.”

His lips formed a thin line. “I’m aware of my mistakes. If I had known the threats would have progressed this far I would have done things differently. They’re coming for us.”

“What pack is making the threats?” Kieran asked.

“The Underground pack. Are you familiar with it?”

Kieran tensed again. Anger radiated off of him so much he could barely speak. I thought he might shift.

His voice came out low and dark. “I know them. They attacked us a few years ago.”

“Then you know they should be taken seriously,” Robert said. “A few months ago they tried to get us to join them in their plan to take over other packs. When we refused that’s when the threats started. If we don’t give them our loyalty they will attack in less than a month. 

“That’s a shame. If you had come to us sooner we have been able to do something. Now it may be too late.”

“If word got around that your pack was protecting us now they may leave us alone.” Robert sounded desperate.

“No. Our pack alone won’t scare them. It would take many of us. More packs. More alliances.”

Kieran knew them well and know how to deal with them sine they crossed his radar so many years ago. He knew what to expect from them.

Robert shook his head. He would not accept defeat.“Surely you must have some connections with other packs.”

“I do,” Kieran said. “But I still have to go through the proper procedures to get their help. I don’t know if there is enough time to get the help that’s required. If it’s one thing I know about The Underground Pack is that they are planning something big. Axel won’t make the mistake of being unprepared this time.”

Robert was speechless and, even though he’d never admit it, shaken. He now knew what they were capable of. Kieran saw his fear.

“I’ll see what I can do, but I will make no promises. I’ll be in touch.”

I knew Kieran would come through for them. Even though he had little respect for my former Alpha, he knew that I still had people here that meant something to me and wouldn’t let them fail.

Robert seemed visibly at ease the second the words left my mates mouth. Again he bowed in respect. “Thank you.”

It couldn’t have been easy for Alpha Robert to admit he needed help and I had to admit it felt nice to see him grovel a little. His days of holding himself high above everyone else had finally came to an end.

Kieran went into action as soon as the Alpha left my parent’s house and called a meeting to the pack that traveled with us. We met in the woods were I once got lost a few months ago when I ran from Daniel.

He gave out orders to the wolves he needed to do something and explained his plan for helping Night Pack. When he was finished he called Wyatt and arranged for him to call the packs we had alliances with and set up times for us to meet with them as soon as we returned home. Kieran wanted to leave as soon as possible so we agreed to leave out early tomorrow morning. We had a lot of stuff to do.

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A/N

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