Mates Conquer Everything, Right?

One thing for which I have much respect, is the dedication of the Pack member. Every one of them is here, or has a family member to represent them. We move to the grass field with literally a white line in the middle. A little bit too real and crude for my taste. They are only moving a couple of miles away. There are tables set up on each side in the middle of the field. Alpha Tharros helps Yolanda to sit down and we sit down at our own table.

The Pack stands in front of us. Waiting to make their choice.

‘Omega’s you may stand on the white line and wait for your turn to pick your new Alpha.’ Tharros booms over the field.

Igétas turns to me, ‘Don’t be discoursed, Omega’s wolves are very loyal to the Alpha. Most of them will pick what they know. Their wolfs won’t be easy to break an Alpha’s connection.’

I nod at him, understanding his statement. First is a woman who is someone I recognize as Dillan’s mother. Her mate, Dillan, and a baby standing behind her. She cleans the Pack house and her husband is a mechanic.

‘Alpha’s,’ she spoke, ‘We are happy with the choice we make, it will be the right one. Because we would be pleased with in both your packs.’ She looks behind at her husband holding her little child. ’Violet, you helped us months ago. We didn’t forget. Please, let me call you my Luna. Alpha Igétas I would be honored to be the first family to join your new Pack. ’The three of them kneel before us and bare their necks.

Tears spring in my eyes. Goddess, this is only the first family and I am crying.

‘Thank you, that means a lot to me.’ I say with a smile.

‘And that’s why my mate does the talking.’ Her mate says and everyone chuckles at it.

‘You are welcome in our Pack. Thank you for your trust in us.’ Igétas says more professionally. They take a stand behind us on the field.

The next eight families pick Tharros as their leader. Those are big families and we still have four people when Tharros has forty. I grip Igétas hand for comfort and he gives me a squeeze. Or mating band is strong even without the official mating. He is my rock.

Becky’s parents stand before us. With Becky and her brother standing behind them. The father speaks to us. ‘It was a hard choice to make. We know that there need to be some changes and we are glad to be given a choice. My mate and I were divided, so our children helped us out. Alpha Igétas and Luna Violet, will you have us?’ He asks and I let my breath go without knowing I was holding it.

‘Of course, you are welcome.’ I tell them.

‘Welcome to our Pack. We will be happy to have you.’ Igétas gestures behind them after they bared their neck, they stand behind us as well.

All the Omega’s families have chosen. Only ten families came to our Pack. It isn’t that I am disappointed. I had no idea what we could have expected. It is just a little unsettling when I look over at the smock smile on Tharros his face.

The next ‘’line-up’’ are the pack members who are a little higher in rank. The doctors, business owners and have important jobs within the Pack. The first families are an even split between Tharros and Igétas. Tharros had done some damage control after the whole canteen ‘’situation’’ and it looks like it paid off. Then Maya stands before us.

‘I have cared for you, before you met me,’ she tells me. I think back to the first rogue attack and the fact that she patched me up when I wasn’t conscious. ‘I would like to stay in my home that I shared with my mate and I would like it more under the care of you, Alpha Igétas.’ She kneels and bares her neck.

‘We are happy with your choice and accept your membership. We also offer you your position as head Pack doctor.’ Igétas tells her.

‘You are like a mother to me, of course you are welcome.’ I smile at her and hug her before she takes a stand behind us.

Then it is time for the warriors and the trainees to make their discussion. Thank the Goddess that the ‘’human-haters’’ chose Tharros. Yes, they must respect me as an ally, but I am not pleased with the idea of them protecting me. They were against me from the start.

We still haven’t had a warrior choose us. And I begin to feel a little bit nervous. What if they all choose Tharros? We can’t have only a hand full of warriors walking around. That is dangerous.

The young warrior I spoke with in the hall stands in front of us. ‘I had trouble making my decision and a wise person told me to choose at the moment.’ He looks to Tharros and then to Igétas.

‘I can’t have my family unprotected. I know that the warriors will be shared in the first years, but I know that when there is a threat, everyone needs to be quick and you can’t be that if you are a couple of miles away. I would pledge my service to you, Alpha Igétas and Luna Violet.’

He bares his neck and Igétas tells him he is welcome. Almost all the warriors made their decision. Igétas worked always with a group of warriors and they all choose him. Which means that we are still low, but not in a critical stage. There are only a handful of wolves over who need to choose.

First it is Ela and Welton. She is pushing him in his wheelchair. ‘Alpha’s,’ he starts, ‘I am very grateful that I will be able to make my choice, even when it is in my wheelchair. Thank you, Luna Violet, without you I would be dead. Maya was on time to save me. Seconds to spare.’ He tells me with his eyes tearing up.

‘It is okay, no need to thank me.’ He nods and continues, ‘I have trouble choosing. Most of my man stands with Alpha Tharros and they need me. You, you saved my life.’ He looks at me his face torn because of the choice he needs to make.

My heart goes out to him. I stand up and go to them. ‘You make your choice, only you can. Don’t make it because you think you owe it to someone.’ I place my hand on his shoulder. ‘You know what you need to do, right?’ I ask and he nods.

‘Alpha Tharros, I would like a place in your Pack. I will be able to work for both Alpha’s that way and continue to train the new recruits.’

‘Welcome to the Red Wood Forest Pack. I would like you to become my Beta when you are back on your feed. Do you accept?’ Tharros ask him power rolling of him.

‘That would be an honor.’ He accepts and Ela pushes him to Tharros. She comes back to the line and looks to Welton and back to me. ‘Make your own choise,’ Welton tells her. ‘I still will be training you.’

She nods, turns and kneels to Igétas and me.

‘I would love a place within your Pack and hopefully, one day be a strong warrior and protect you. Can I have a place within your Pack?’ She asks and Igétas nods to me to speak.

‘My dear friend, of course you are welcome. Who else is going to train to be my personal protector?’

She looks up her eyes big and teary. ‘Do you mean that?’ She asks and I smirk at her. ‘Are you questioning my judgment before you are officially accepted?’

She opens her mouth, her face in shock and Igétas takes over. ‘Stop torturing the new Pack member Vi, I don’t think she knows that you are joking.’

‘Welcome Ela, please move behind us.’ She does and it is Oliver’s turn.

‘My father worked for your father as a Beta. I would be pleased to work with you in the future, Tharros…’ I gasp, is he taking his side? Is he going to leave after everything? ‘… But as an allay, not a Pack member. Igétas, I would like to try out for your Beta position. Stand in my father’s footsteps and make him proud.’ He lowers his head and bares his neck.

‘Oliver, my friend. You don’t need to try out. The position is yours if you want it. Welcome.’ Oliver walks past me with a smirk on his face. He got me to believe that he was going with Tharros. Goddess, I did believe it.

There is only one person left. She wasn’t even on the field in the beginning, but is walking up to the spot.

I look up to Igétas. He kisses my forehead. Like he wants to say that everything will be all right.

Amanda doesn’t look nervous anymore. She looks determent.

Goddess, let my friend stay with me.