-Chapter Nineteen-
Were-Relations

We were laying in each others arms, my lower half was a little sore, and legs were throbbing from stretching in ways I haven't done so before.

"What's on your mind?" I asked softly...I didn't want to speak too loudly in fear it would somehow shatter our perfect calm."

He turned just a little so we were now eye to eye in bed. I smiled as I knew his feet were probably hanging off the bed now.

"Thinking about you, and how lucky I am."

I blushed and he kissed my nose.

"What about you?" He asked.

"I'm also thinking about us...but more so in the context of, I want every one to have what we have."

"Every mate has something similar to what we have Harper, of course every coupling is different...but there's something else on your mind."

I sighed I mean it was hardly the time to talk about anything other than us and yet as weird as it was, my mind was racing with other things. "Honestly, I want to tell Val about us."

"She already knows we're together." He sounded as he drew his brows together in curiosity. "Or you want to tell her we had sex."

"No!" I laughed "that's private...although I'm sure the people of thenpack will figure it out once they see my mark." I said reaching up and gently touching the fresh mark he'd left.

He smiled, "and a lovely mark it is my Gorgeous Mate." He said too damn seductively before he ever so lightly placed a kiss atop the mark.

My body flamed with want and he chuckled as he knew it was turning me on.

"A-Anyways...no, not 'us' in the sense of you and I... us as in the pack."

He shook his head, his eyes took on a sadness to them, "I wish I could allow you to let your sister know about the pack and I, but it's against the rules."

"It really isn't." I voiced. "Trust me, no one knows the books and rules better than I do at this point, I mean I have poured over those books constantly, studying them profusely for almost a week straight now...The only thing I've found is a section stating that when speaking about Weres and Were-culture to speak with discretion."

"But what about non-Weres in the pack house?" He asked confused now, "I'm almost certain that's in there."

I shook my head, this time sitting up, bringing the blanket with me to keep myself covered up "Nothing...however it does state that Pack houses be reserved for Pack members only unless invited as a guest of the Alpha and Luna, to lessen any underhanded activity from neighboring packs."

He just looked at me.

"There's something else I found." I was excited about this one and had been wanting to tell him for a few days now. "In one of the Were-books I picked up...I came across a book on Genetics... apparently there is no such thing as a non-Were mate (thinking back I probably should've mentioned this earlier when he told me about his aunt)."

"What do you mean?"

I smiled. "According to the entry, every mated couple is between two individuals with Were lineage meaning they all carry the same Were gene...you are what the book refers to as an 'Active' Were because you shifted more so, you have the ability to shift at will...but for me...from what I read, I am what they call a 'Dormant' Were, meaning I must have had a Were-relation somewhere down the line, so in layman's terms; I have wolf blood."

I was excited and continued, "Now I'm not sure how much or how little but, again I have a dormant wolf and while a majority of the time Wolves lying dormant remain that way; but much like Elise and Vance's situation, they may become present under very very extreme circumstances... but it's said to be much more painful than normal phases."

"Due to lack of conditioning." He said now sitting up, "This is amazing... in theory though, shouldn't you have shifted with the heat then?"

I shook my head now, "I thought so too, but like you had mentioned when we first discussed the heat, it's all a mental thing, and internal...not that it exactly gives specifics, but I'm thinking when they state extreme circumstances, they're referring to true physical alteration, strain, or pain...almost like a defense mechanism...because from what Ellie and Vance had both told us of the car crash, they should have died...I mean Elise flew out of a car's windshield and Vance broke ribs that definitely should have punctured something."

"A defense mechanism..." he echoed in thought now, "...so there's a chance you could in theory shift?"

"I'm assuming so, if I found myself in a life or death situation perhaps." I nodded. "Which brings me back to my sister...if this is all true, then she has a right to know, especially since she more than likely has a mate somewhere out there or I hate to say it, but what if something extreme we're to happen and she shifts out of the blue?"

__________

{Braxton's POV}

I knew Harper was excited about all of this information regarding the Dormant wolves...but I could also tell she was exhausted.

So I calmed her down by getting her to lay back down with me and combed my fingers through her hair until she finally drifted off, but now I am here wide awake as my gorgeous little mate sleeps peacefully and my mind is filled with all of this new information presented to me, from my brilliant mate no less.

If she was right (and I had no doubt that she was) this could change quiet a lot. While I'm sure most Weres would still choose to be selective in who they inform about Weres, this option is now open to them.

And more so, Harper was right in wanting her sister Valerie to know about Weres, especially since the two are sisters, they would both have Were blood in them, no matter how small it's still there and she very well may have a mate just like Harper thinks, and the same holds true for Mariah and her brother as well...I'd have to let Mariah know she should tell him at some point, essentially withdrawing my order to keep our secret...which she's actually done very well.

I knew I had to fill Uncle Richard in first thing in the morning. With a content sort of sigh I finally got more comfortable and then pulled Harper even closer to me, I took in her scent as I kissed her hair and closed my eyes.

The next morning Harper made us an amazing breakfast...well I ate an amazing breakfast of eggs, pancakes, bacon, and sausage. She made herself oatmeal and ate a few strips of bacon.

"I had a favor to ask of you Gorgeous."

She looked up at me and smiled, "Anything."

I couldn't help but smile at how truly happy this single person made me.

"I was wondering if you'd accompany me to the pack house, I was thinking of calling my Uncle over, I wanted to report on your findings you told me about last night...plus the pack house has all of the same books my grandmother showed you so if you could find them for us that would be extremely helpful...and I'm sorry for the imposition."

She nodded, "No imposition, I actually left my bag by the office last night when I got here, but I took down some notes so I'm sure I have the sections and page numbers written down in one of my notebooks."

I smiled, "You're the best."

"I'm glad you think so...I wanted to ask a favor of you too."

"Oh?" I asked.

"It's about the Val topic." She admitted.

I nodded,"I thought about it last night and I think you are right, she has every right to know...however you want to approach this I will agree with one hundred percent."

She nodded, "thank you...is it weird that I'm excited for her to know?"

"Of course not." I smiled, "She's your sister and you love and care for her so of course you'd want to include her...plus it can't have been easy to keep this from her in the first place."

She shook her head, "it hasn't...but honestly her not knowing also had its perks too."

I wanted to ask how but I watched as she got up to grab her bag so I knew it was something she must not want to divulge.