New Beginnings

CHAPTER 6

“What happened to them?”

“They were put down,” I answered honestly. “They were tortured… nothing compared to what she went through, but tortured, nonetheless. Then they were euthanized.”

Tristan let out a sigh. He wasn’t fully satisfied with their demise, but he was relieved they were gone and could do no harm to anyone again, especially his mate.

“Why? Who in their right mind does something like that, especially to a child?”

“Someone who is sick in the head and has no remorse.”

Eden began stirring in the bed, and I pressed the call button closest to me, without having to reach close to her so as not to spook her if she woke up enough.

Dr. Fields came in again just as Eden began looking around the room, her eyes finding Tristan first before landing on me. Her lip curled back in a growl. I quickly held up my hands.

“Eden, my name is Avon. I mean you no harm. You are in my pack’s hospital. This is Dr. Fields. She’s one of our best doctors here. You’re safe now. We won’t let harm like that come to you ever again. You’re safe,” I repeated as I helped her relax with my power as Dr. Fields checked her over carefully.

Her heart rate decreased significantly at my words and returned to normal once I used my power of emotional control.

“Mate?” she asked, looking at Tristan. She didn’t know his name yet.

“I’m Tristan Hoffman. Your mate.”

“I always hoped my mate would save me… bring an end to my hell. Did you?” her voice was thick from the drugs and she was still drowsy.

“Not in the way you were probably hoping. You see… the… the man who kidnapped you, he was also turning innocent humans into werewolves. When I found out, I reported him to the Elders… they found you unconscious in the dungeon when they made a surprise visit, and you were rushed to Doc’s. You’ve been sedated for almost 4 days because you were panicking and uncontrollable, lashing out, trying to hurt yourself…

“You turned 15 two days ago and gained your wolf. I found out you were my mate today when we reached Blue Moon’s territory and Doc and Dr. Fields brought you out of the ambulance and past me. I’ve been here ever since but… but I have a mandatory induction ceremony I have to go to in 45 minutes…”

Eden’s eyes darted to mine. “I want to go, too.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Eden. You’re in the largest werewolf territory. We have over 2700 pack members now. I don’t want you to panic, I don’t want to do more harm than good.”

“Tristan will be with me, right? And you can control emotions, right?”

I nodded. “How did you…” I began.

“I wasn’t fully asleep. I was in and out of consciousness, but alert when I was awake. I heard some of what you were talking about.”

“I can control emotions, yes. But I don’t want you to go through anything else yet. I don’t know that you and your wolf are ready for it yet.”

Eden turned to Dr. Fields. “The medicine you gave me… how long will it last? I don’t feel drowsy anymore. I feel ready to be the wolf I wanna be.”

“We don’t… we don’t know what your um… tormentors looked like. What if any of the pack members resembles them?” Dr. Fields asked.

“I feel stronger now than I ever have. I feel ready to conquer my fears and face my new life as part of this pack with my mate. I feel like I can do this. Please,” she begged.

“I’ll have to ask Alpha Bill first.”

She nodded and Dr. Fields eyes glazed over as she mind-linked Alpha Bill. Then her eyes returned to their normal green color and she nodded.

“Alpha Bill has a plan to keep you safe so you can go. Are you ready to become a member of this pack?”

“I’m ready for my new life,” she said with confidence.

“You stay close to me. Do not leave my side. I am your anxiety medicine. I will calm you down if you start panicking. If that happens, we’re leaving, whether the ceremony is over or not,” I said with authority.

Her eyes widened as she bowed her head at my command. “Are you the Luna?” she asked curiously, confused by my authority.

“Future. In a weeks’ time I will be. But I’m a Primordial, the most powerful type of werewolf in existence. That’s why you already bow to my command.”

“Primordial?”

“That’s a story for another time. Tristan, you, too, stay by her side. Do not leave her. Even though you are obviously not mated fully, the mate bond will still help her immensely.”

He bowed slightly as well and nodded.

“Let me take you to one of the guest rooms so you both can get ready. Eden, you’re about Scarlett’s size, Alpha Bill’s daughter, so I will get some clothes for you from her.”

They nodded and Dr. Fields made quick work of unhooking Eden from the machines after checking that her vitals were normal and stable.

I couldn’t help but shake my head. I had a bad feeling about this. I led the pair up to the 3rd floor guest bedroom that was once technically mine, but had since been cleared out of my belongings, which had been moved to Jake and my apartment.

As they entered the bedroom, I went upstairs and entered the apartment to find Jake sitting on the couch.

“Your dad is letting her go to the ceremony tonight,” I growled, worry settling in.

“Who?”

“Eden!”

Jake jumped up. “Why?” I relayed everything that had happened in the hospital during my visit.

Jake grabbed my hand and pulled me down to the 2nd floor to the Alpha’s office. He beat on the door twice, upset.

“Come in Jake and Avon,” came Alpha Bill’s voice.

Jake opened the door, and we strode in the room, bowing quickly but not sitting down.

“Why are you letting her go?” I demanded.

“Dad, do you realize how much you could hurt her mentally if she goes? Just like what the doctor said, what if she sees someone there that resembles her abusers? What if the crowd is too much and she starts having a panic attack?”

“Jake, 15 years ago I took in a group of three wolves who came from the same pack. Their pack had been challenged and lost; the rest of the members did not survive. Two were a mated pair, the other a lone young female who lost her mate in the challenge.

“They had been helped by a neighboring pack due to their extensive injuries. They were being nursed back to health, but they knew the pack wasn’t going to let them take refuge there, so once they were almost healed, they said their thanks and left.

“They then contacted the Elders and asked about packs that take in refugees. Of course, they were informed of their choices, and they made the decision to come from the west coast to the east coast to join Blue Moon. They traveled as wolves here, with no clothes, nothing to their names.

“They have never told us what pack they came from, and we never asked. They have not talked about their past, but they are some outstanding pack members. The mated pair became Omegas, while the lone female is Gamma Jackie.”

I put my hand over my mouth, shocked. “You’re not saying –”

Alpha Bill looked at me and nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

“But how? Even Alpha Maxwell told us she was killed in the war.”

“I don’t know how; I only have my theories. Her playing dead, being one.”

“I… I…” I was at a loss for words.

“What’s going on?” Jake asked, confused.

“Gamma Jackie… is Eden’s mother. Gamma Jasper was her second chance mate. You even told me the story of how it took her a while to accept him as her mate, because she had just lost her first mate.”

Jake gasped. “Does Gamma Jackie know that’s her daughter? Does she know what Eden went through?”

“She does. When I found out her name from the Elders, I went straight to her. She doesn’t want to rush Eden and force herself on her, though she’s dying to hold her baby girl. But tonight is the union of the Silver Moon pack members and newborns with our pack, and Eden and her mother’s reunion. A union and reunion all in one night.

“Dr. Fields told me how remarkably determined and courageous Eden had been in the hospital. If I didn’t think she could handle it, I wouldn’t let her come. But I know her mate and you will be by her side.

“I do need your help introducing the two together. Eden had literally just been born that day, so she’s not going to have any recollection of Jackie. I think this will be a good thing for you to do.”

“You’re testing me,” I accused, and Alpha Bill chuckled and nodded.

“Yes, I am. I want to see how you handle rare and unique situations other than with your own mom. How you help them seek comfort in one another, if Eden is ready, or once Eden is ready.”

I sighed and nodded. “That’s a good idea. I agree with your decision. Eden seems to have latched onto me just as quickly as she trusted Tristan, even though Tristan is her mate. She trusted me so absolutely… I think she’s imprinted on me, in a way,” I admitted.

“I believe she has. That’s another reason I feel you are best suited for this.”

“Come on, Jake, let’s go get dressed and ready. We only have 20 minutes.”

Jake and I bowed before leaving, racing back up to our apartment to get ready. We took turns showering quickly.

He put on a standard black tuxedo and a red tie to match my red knee-length dress and matching red flats I had picked out. I threw on some white gold jewelry and pulled up my still damp hair into a high ponytail, and we were ready to go. We left the apartment and reached the stairs just as other ranked members were descending the stairs. They let us take the lead as their future Alpha and Luna.

Among them were Tristan and Eden, and Gamma Jasper and Gamma Jackie, who kept stealing glances at Eden. Eden caught her eyes for a moment and paused before she regained her step and continued on.

There were several large tables added right in front of the stage, since we have so many new members joining.

As the soon-to-be Blue Moon pack members took their seats right in front of the stage, Alpha Bill mind-linked me.

Introduce them now, away from the crowd. She has to know her last name to be able to join the pack.

Yes, Alpha, I responded.

Jake and I stood up, and he went to the head table to get Gamma Jackie, while I went to the newborn table where Eden and Tristan sat. “Eden, Tristan, I need you two to come with me,” I stated though it was more of a command. They both stood up and followed me out to the trail opening that led around the lake. Jake followed behind us with Gamma Jackie.

I could feel Eden’s anxiety increasing, so I reached over and touched her arm gently as I sent out calming vibes.

We stopped at the lake’s edge, listening to the water lapping gently against the edge. Jake and Gamma Jackie stayed further back, waiting.

“Avon, what…?” Tristan began.

“Eden, there’s something you need to know. And I really have no clue how to tell you this but…” I interrupted Tristan, but Eden interrupted me.

“I had a flashback as soon as I saw her. I remember her face as if it were yesterday,” she flinched, and Tristan began rubbing circles on the back of her hand to soothe her.

“So, you know Gamma Jackie is your mom?”

“All these years, I hoped and prayed to the Moon Goddess that my mom was still alive. I remember the war so vividly now after the flashback. Your Alpha Maxwell attacking her… she begged for my life…

“Then she shifted into her magnificent silver-grey wolf… but she was no match for him. She submitted to him, showing him her neck… and that’s when he went in for the kill. After he was satisfied she was dead… he shifted to his human form and took me, but not before I caught a glimpse of her eyes… those eyes that still held life in them…

“I had this dream over and over of the war… that’s why he moved me to the dungeon. I kept having the nightmares… of the last look my mom gave me. I’d wake in the middle of the night screaming. He kept me separated from everyone, including his own son. I was kept locked in a separate apartment.

“When I saw her… Not only did I feel like I was looking at a mirror image of myself, but the flashback came on full force. But how did she… how did she survive?”

“Jake?” I called out, and he approached with Gamma Jackie.

“My Eden… my baby girl,” Gamma Jackie sobbed. “You’re alive after all. And after all you went through… I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I wasn’t strong enough… I thought he killed you…”

“Mom,” Eden sobbed, gripping her tightly in a hug. “I never thought I’d see you again. I never thought… How did you survive?”

“Silver Moon left quickly after kidnapping you. A mated pair and I were able to escape and stumbled into another territory that helped heal us but would not allow us to stay. So, we came here for refuge, a new home, a new beginning.

“I met Gamma Jasper a week after your father was killed. He was my second-chance mate. I couldn’t accept him at first, not fully. I was still mourning the loss of your father. It took over a year for me to accept him as my mate. But I never wanted more children, and he respected that.”

“Not to cut your reunion short, but the induction ceremony is starting. Eden needs to know her last name in order to become a member of this pack.”

“Deguzman. Eden Deguzman is your birth name.”

“Mom, stay with me please. And Avon and Tristan. Please. Don’t leave me.”

“We won’t,” I told her as we began the walk back to the courtyard where everyone was gathered. Eden and Gamma Jackie walked side by side, leaning into each other as they walked. Tristan walked on her other side, holding her hand, and Jake and I walked in front.

Jake went to sit at the head table and Tristan, Eden and I headed to the Beta table, taking the empty seats next to Beta Jasper who had a knowing smile on his lips.

I could feel eyes on me, curious as to why I wasn’t sitting at the Alpha table, but I just shrugged it off.

Alpha Bill cleared his throat from the stage, and everyone turned to look at him as he began his speech.

“Tonight, we are gathered to welcome many new members into our pack. Because there are over 200 joining, I am going to state the oath, have each of you come up on stage state your name and that you accept your oath, slice your left palm, and let a droplet of blood fall into the chalice.

“Do you swear to uphold your duty as a pack member of Blue Moon, to protect your fellow pack members, and respect your Alpha and Luna?”

Alpha Bill motioned for each person to come onto the stage. They stated their names, said “I swear,” and sliced their palms as a droplet of their blood spilled into the chalice. And then, it was Eden and Tristan’s turn.

“Tristan Taylor, I swear,” he said as he sliced his left palm and a drop of his blood fell into the chalice. He handed the golden dagger to Eden.

“Eden Deguzman, I swear,” she sliced her palm and let a drop of blood fall into the chalice. Then they filed off stage back to their table.

Alpha Bill took the dagger off the table, sliced his left palm, and let the final drop of blood fall. The chalice began to glow, growing brighter and brighter until the light vanished.

There were gasps and whimpers of pain all around as the new members gained their pack mark and their minds connected to the rest of the pack.

“I hereby pronounce you all Blue Moon pack members!!!” Alpha Bill exclaimed, and cheers erupted, but it was short-lived because the alarm signaling a rogue attack sounded.

“s**t!” I exclaimed, my body already quivering. Mothers of young pups ran for the bunker, and I shoved Tristan and Eden in their direction, telling them to go.

North border, north border, came the warriors voices in our heads. We all stripped and ran, shifting mid run. We ran quickly, catching the rogue scents as we got closer to the northern border of the territory.