Lyall's Story

Lucy

“What do you mean they’re family?!” I practically growl at my dad when I asked… that’s something I didn’t expect to do.

“Let’s shift back to our human selves and go back to the house so we can explain this to everybody.” I angrily walk back to the tree where my clothes were and shifted back to myself. We all went back inside to get out of the cold and get some answers.

“Now, can somebody tell me what’s going on here!?” I practically shout at them. Dad had just told us he didn’t know if his brother was still alive. Now he’s telling us I have a cousin!?

“Why don’t we go to my office.” Dad leads the way to his upstairs office to talk more privately away from the rest of the pack.

“I see that you’ve made yourself a new pack, uncle. Glad you have a new home.” The mysterious cousin talks to my dad.

“It’s not my pack it’s hers.” Pointing to Lyna behind me.

“Hers??” Yeah, we get this a lot… from all the stories I’ve heard from Lyna everyone is always shocked when somebody new talks to her.

“Well, officially it’s my husband, and I’s pack, but it was mine for six years after my parents were murdered, but that’s another story for another time. Welcome to Wild Forest Pack territory. Once Lucy became our beta female, she became family to us so her home and family are protected by us.” Lyna extends her hand to my mysterious cousin, and they peacefully shake hands.

“Oliver Artaud, Alpha of the River Moon pack. This is my luna Aurora. Normally we’re in Northern California, but I had promised Aurora to see snow and have a snowball fight. Plus, after everything I had put her through… she deserves this” He looks at her sympathetically and I’m still more confused.

“Still doesn’t explain how mysterious family just randomly shows up.” I cross my arms trying not to lash out at my new family.

“When we were all last in France, I was seventeen, and sent there as punishment from my father… he didn’t like my choice in gamma and also rejecting the young lady that they had picked for luna to put it nicely.” Aurora puts her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

“Yeah, that sounds like my brother…” dad comments sadly as he looks at mom. I remember the story dad had told me when I first found out… apparently the family blessing wasn’t given to mom…

“Still didn’t make me change my mind, and despite not being allowed to see family while I was in France, I got some good training from my mother pack, Lune de Minuit in Paris. My dad had put me in a boarding school for the year and after classes, I’d report to Lune de Minuit for training. That was life for that year was just school and training. No family, no vacation… pretty boring way to spend seventeen. So that’s why we’re just meeting now otherwise I would’ve loved to visit Lune Noire… until the attack that I heard about… I’m sorry uncle that I couldn’t help you…” Sounds like Oliver didn’t get along with his dad.

“It’s ok Oliver, I understand… Lune Noire has been taken over by Lune de chasseur and my former pack is gone, and have probably made new allegiances to other packs but by sheer coincidence our former pack doctor, Doctor Bader made his way to America and is Wild Forest’s pack doctor now.”

“He’s here!? I’ve heard many good things about him.”

“Now to formally introduce you to your aunt and cousins. My mate Quila and your cousins Lupe and his mate Ulva, Lucy and her mate Lyall and Louna.” He slightly pushes us closer to him to make him feel at home.

“It’s nice to finally meet you after so long. I would’ve brought more of my pack if I had known we would see you here. My beta and gamma are back home with their mates.” I had the urge to bow to his mate, but I have no idea why… but I do anyway to respect my cousin. The entire family does, but just us kids are confused.

“I’m not sure why I did that, and it felt weird, but I’m still new to being a werewolf thing. I just found out a few days ago…”

“It’s ok, Lucy. Aurora is an ivory twin.” My parents look at him like he had a third eye.

“I had heard of it but only as legend and rumors.” My dad looks at Oliver in confusion.

“What? I don’t understand…” Aurora giggles at my confusion.

“I don’t expect everyone to know my and my sister’s story, but in short where I’m from when a gold wolf mates with a silver wolf they are blessed with ivory twins once every 150 years. My full name is Aurora Salome Altamirano-Reyes Artaud. Yes, it is a mouth full. My parents were the Alpha King and Luna of the Sol de Oro kingdom in Mexico. Sadly, they died protecting my sister and me during a war, and my dad never got to meet us mother only had us a few days before she gave us away… I was raised by my uncle, aunt, and cousins but sadly he died too trying to protect me from rogues…” Oliver put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. “When I found Oliver, it wasn’t exactly happily ever after either… but despite it taking a while we finally accepted each other, and we’ve been through a lot together. When I found my sister, Celina he promised me a trip to see snow, and despite that promise taking a while to fulfill here we are.”

“Wow… that’s quite a story.”

“Yeah, I suppose it is, but what about you guys?”

“We grew up human trying to hide from I guess from the hunter pack that ruined our home. A witch gave my siblings and me new memories, hid our wolves and house so we could live a peaceful life. Then I met Lyall at my bridal shop when Lyna was looking for her wedding dress last month and life hasn’t been the same ever since. For a while, they had hidden that they were werewolves from me, but when I stumbled in on their important ceremony, it felt like they were speaking a unique language. When I confronted them about it and at first, I was angry and hurt that they hid it from me, but I suppose I understand why. Right, when you walked up was our first run as a family…”

“Well, we can play catch up another night when we’re all fresh, but I know if I’m getting hungry, I know the others are too. You two can stay here for dinner if you’d like.”

“Oh, aunt Quila we don’t want to impose.” Oliver tried to stop her, but she puts her hand up to stop him.

“You may be alpha Oliver, but in my house, I’m still luna I insist, but as your aunt, I’ve missed you.”

“Thank you, aunt Quila. That’s very kind of you.”

“I’m not going to put family in a hotel when I can host them myself! It’s been a while since I’ve cooked a good French dinner, and I know a good ratatouille or a Mexican chicken and rice recipe.”

“Maybe I can help, aunt Quila.” Aurora tries to get up, but mom stops her.

“Oh Aurora, you must be tired from your trip. Why don’t you relax with the family, and the rest of Wild Forest pack and get to know them, but thank you for the offering.”

“I don’t exactly have a lot of mother figures in my life. My real mom passed when I was a baby, my aunt hated me for losing her mate to rouges and blamed me for his death, my mother-in-law also hates me since I wasn’t the mate that they picked out for Oliver. I hope we can have a good relationship; it’d be nice to have a mother figure in my life.” She hugs her and I can’t help but feel bad for her. As we all left the office to get more comfortable in the living room. Oliver pulls Aurora onto her lap and I see her turn beet red with embarrassment as she squeals on his lap. I’m sure this wasn’t how they wanted to introduce themselves in front of a new family and pack.

“Oliver! That is not how we act at someone else’s packhouse!” Aurora trying to make a good impression while Oliver is more relaxed than she is.

“Oh, come on Aurora they’re family. We can relax, this isn’t an alpha meeting. You’d loosen up if Evan was here.” Oliver laughs a little and tries to relieve the tension between them. I’m presuming Evan is their gamma or beta.

“Dinner’s ready! I hope everyone’s hungry!” I hear mom from the kitchen and I get excited. I smell spices I haven’t smelled in a while. Thyme, rosemary, and garlic from the ratatouille and lamb and chipotle, cumin, and oregano from the chicken. All smelled delicious.

“Wow, mom this looks delicious!” Lou and I have our jaws dropped at how wonderful the food looks and smells.

“Oh, aunt Quila, this reminds me of home… thank you so much.” Aurora from what I could tell I think had a little tear in her eye. I don’t think mom has ever gone out of the way like this. Don’t get me wrong mom is an excellent cook, and she somehow just whips something together when company shows up, but nothing so precise like this. I think it made mom smile when Aurora called her aunt despite just meeting an hour ago. It was like we had known each other our whole lives… Oliver must’ve snuck off to get their suitcases from whatever hotel they were staying at to bring them here. After dinner, most of the pack went back home on their territory, but Lyna, Conall, Lyall, myself, and Ulva stayed with my family.

“So, Luna Lyna, how did you become alpha?” Oliver had the look of curiosity on his face, and I know I’ve heard this story multiple times, but it still makes me sad…

“Oh, it’s not a happy one…” She explains her parent’s death, the challenge between her and the other alpha, and how she became a leader almost overnight. “We can talk about an alliance with Lune Noire and River Moon another day. Right now, it’s alpha Conall’s turn and I’m more than happy to be luna. You guys are more than welcome to come to visit us anytime.” Lyna smiled at all of us. She seemed like a natural leader, but I guess that comes with years of being alpha. We talk and have a good time until we realize how late it was. We said our goodnights and went to bed.