Destiny of His Pack, Book 2

Marissa

Someone knocked on the door the following day, and as I pulled it open, I excitedly yelled, “Da, Ma, you’re here!”

“Marissa, my child, let me look at you,” Ma said after she hugged me.

“Ooh, lass, still as pretty as a picture,” Da said. “Come give yer ol’ da a hug.”

Hugging him tightly, I whispered in his ear. “Da, I need to talk to you about something in a bit.”

“Alright, lass, just show me where to put our luggage, then we will talk,” Da said.

Nodding, I led the way to the guest room and stopped in the doorway. “Wasn’t James supposed to come with you?”

“He’ll be here in the next few days. He decided ta make it a family vacation for the wife and kids. So, I think they took a more scenic route,” Da said as he sat their suitcases down next to the dresser.

“Okay,” I said. “Are you hungry? I made breakfast if you are.”

“We’re fine, Marissa. We stopped in town and received some of the strangest looks from the locals,” Ma mentioned.

I laughed. “Did everyone’s nose lift for a sniff at you?”

Ma nodded.

“Yeah, they did the same thing when I came to town,” I told them. “The Pack can smell the feline on us.”

“Might as well get used to it, me sweet, we’re right in the middle of a wolf pack now,” Da said, kissing Ma. “Now, lassie, how about that chat while yer ma takes a rest?”

Nodding, I led him to Rafferty’s office. Rafferty had left earlier to see his dad about some rogue sightings. Walking in, I closed the door, and we took a seat on the couch.

“What do ye need ta talk about, lass?”

“Well, um... I want to ask you about mating,” I began as I nervously ran my hands up and down my jean-clad thighs.

“Ye mean ye and the lad haven’t gotten ta that in six months? Maybe I should be talkin’ ta him,” Da said with an incredulous look on his face.

“No, Da, not that! I mean... ugh!” I took a deep breath to calm my thoughts. “I thought I would be pregnant by now, Da. Rafferty told me that wolves have what is called the mating moon, or full moon. That’s when a female is most fertile, and they always get pregnant during that time. So does it work that way for felines, or is it different?”

“It’s different,” Da said. “Just like a female wolf, the female feline has a cat spirit inside, though she doesn’t shift into one. Your cat spirit will decide when she is ready to produce her offspring.”

“Oh, well, that sounds the same as the wolf female so far,” I told him.

Da nodded. “Yes, lass, but a feline can breed at any time, not just during a full moon. Now, because your mate is a wolf shifter, and since you are destined a child of each, your cat may choose to wait until a full moon, but it isn’t needed.”

“So, what is needed?” I asked.

“When she decides she’s ready, she becomes very, um... frisky and more loving. She won’t wait for her mate to make advances on her but will make her own. This will go on for a few days because she enjoys him chasing after her almost as much as the act itself.”

“Oh,” I said, thinking about how I had been teasing Rafferty the last few days, how I would strip in front of him instead of going into the bathroom first when I planned to shower. Or I would walk by him and grab his bum or bite his ear, knowing he wasn’t where he could follow me.

“The more ready she is, the rougher she gets. In fact, she will start biting her mate.”

I felt my face flush as I whispered, “To the point of making him bleed?”

Da nodded. “Yes, lass. If you have bit Rafferty to that point, then yer cat is ready to be bred. At this point, a male cat would half-shift to take his female, and in doing that, he impregnates her.”

I cocked my head, puzzled. “Half-shifts? What is that?”

“It means he lets out his claws and fangs, his face will look more feline, and he will even bite the female, just as a wild cat would do his female. But lass, that is a cat. I don’t know what the male wolf does. If yer cat is biting though, she’s ready.”

“Thanks, Da. I’ll tell Rafferty,” I said with a smile. I was relieved to know the information I had been given.

“Where is the lad anyway?”

“They have been seeing rogues for a couple of days now. I understand that rogues aren’t something they see much of anymore, and everyone is puzzled by the sudden sightings. Rafferty wants to catch one and see what is going on, I guess,” I said, shrugging.

“Rogues, huh? Rogues sound interesting. Most Prides don’t have rogue problems since most felines are free spirits and tend to travel alone anyway. So, we think nothing of it when one passes through. Take me to yer Alpha and yer mate, lassie. I’d like to hear more about these rogues,” Da stated as he rose from his seat on the couch.

Nodding, I led the way to the packhouse and the Alpha’s office. Knocking on the door, I waited.

“Enter,” Alpha said.

Opening the door, I poked my head in to see two frowning faces. I smiled and walked in my da behind me as I said, “Good morning, fellas. I brought you some help.”

Rafferty stood and grinned. “William, it is so good to see you. I’m glad you made it here safely.” Then, turning to look at his father, who had stood up, he said, “Pops, this is Marissa’s father, William.”

“It is so verra nice ta meet the great Alpha Wildee in person. Me son Paul, who is the Pride leader, has told me much about ye, sir,” Da said, holding out his hand.

Shaking it, the Alpha spoke. “Please, call me Jeff in private. We’ll leave the formalities for when the pack is around.”

Da nodded. “So, I’m a bit curious about these rogues. I was telling me, lassie, that since felines are usually solitary animals, we as a Pride don’t have rogue problems.”

“Sit down then, William, and I’ll fill you in,” Alpha said, and he as Da sat down.

I leaned close to Rafferty, and giving him a kiss and a wink; I said, “I’ll take that as my queue to leave.”

Turning to walk out, I gave my hips a little extra sway because I knew Rafferty was watching. Then, closing the door behind me, I giggled as I walked home. My cat is such a flirt.

“Only with mate, love mate.”

I stopped in my tracks and gasp. Then I looked around and saw nothing, yet I’m sure I just heard a voice.

“Ye did hear a voice, mine. I am yer cat, and we have much ta discuss.”

I gulped, my cat can talk to me, and she sounds Irish. Does Da’s lion speak to him? Do James and Paul’s? If not, why is mine talking to me? If they do, why didn’t they tell me? Does Rafferty’s wolf speak with him?

I groaned because I was giving myself a headache, then started walking again.

“Finally, yer quiet. Yes, yer da’s lion can talk to him, yer brothers too. I can’t speak fer yer wolf-mate, though. After today we won’t have long conversations, but there are things ye need ta know that only a female cat can tell ye because female wolves are different than us.”

By this time, I had reached home. Quickly making my way to my room, I sat down. Now I was ready to have a conversation with my cat.