What Am I?!

Edward

Dad's Stress

'Congratulations! Our pup has found his mate.' Cain snarled in Edward's head. 'Unfortunately, she's only 15, and human.' Edward Canis, Alpha of the Adhara Hill pack, argued with his wolf. They lost their mate 18 years ago with the birth of their son, Leo. The Adhara Hill pack is one of the oldest werewolf packs established in the United States.

It all started when the second son of a Mediterranean Alpha, from a 10th generation lycan family, found his way to the United States. For many years the fay would use portholes into the human world so they could observe without being seen. These portholes were scattered around the globe. Some of these portholes have since been closed. One which had stood the test of time is the one at the Adhara Hill pack. The second son, unwilling to stay in his pack of origin, sought out his future when his brother became the Alpha in Greece in the 1700s. Traveling into the wilderness west of the British colonies, he followed his instinct to a mountain, crossed into the magical plane, coming to rest under the stars.

Adhara, as a star, is the second brightest star in the constellation of Canis Major. the second son was a talented astrologer and the star, Adhara was called the second son's mistress. When Andreas looked up at the sky, Adhara showed brightly overhead. The moon was in partial eclipse, so the stars shined as brightly as they would with a new moon. It was then that Andreas Canis knew that he was where he was destined to be. "My mistress is here, and here I will make my home," he said to the lonely mountain sky.

When the moon came out of eclipse, Andreas shifted to his wolf and howled his gratitude to the Goddess for guiding him here. He found his fated mate, rescued her from an arranged marriage, and the small pack was recognized in 1788, when Andreas's son became Alpha.

Captain William Thurmond moved to the area in 1844 and received 73 acres for a surveying job done in 1873. Thurmond was a member of the Confederate army and came to establish a new home for his family. As a Baptist Thurmond did not drink alcohol and banned alcohol from the town, especially from the hotel he had built near the train station. Unfortunately, another businessman Thomas McKell, built another hotel just outside the town line, across the river, and the town of Thurmond became known for gambling, drinking, carousing and dying. Both hotels were built in 1901 and both hotels burned to the ground within months of each other in 1930.

When a werewolf businessman stayed at the Dun Glen hotel, he happened upon a beautiful flower of a girl while visiting downtown Thurmond. Geoffrey knew that the bond of a true mate was not to be ignored. Little did he know that the young woman was a daughter of William Thurmond himself.

Geoffrey Canis was investigating the Dun Glen hotel, as there were reports of werewolf hunting and selling fay women into slavery. Keeping humans and magical beings separate was difficult near a portal, but many encounters were explained away as stories from too much alcohol. When the Dun Glen burned, Geoffrey was able to extract the fay, collect his mate and colleagues and disappear into the smoke.

The Adhara Hill pack had since become known as a protector of the magical community. It was a safe place to air grievances and celebrate accomplishments and life changes. Weddings for the alpha were blessed by the fay and any number of other magical beings. Stories that most humans will never know graced the archives of the pack. Now, a human was again fated to be with the pack's Alpha.

In the short week that they had been dating, Leo had told Natalie everything, even introduced her to his wolf. She had already committed to this relationship and this lifestyle. 'Thank the Goddess she is a fast learner. Here's hoping her open mind is infectious to the pack,' Edward's thoughts surrounded him. Some pack members have had bad encounters with humans in the past. Natalie had been lovely, however, and had been making friends with many members of the pack, including girls her own age. Her level of maturity was remarkable. Her level of adaptivity was astounding. Edward can only imagine she got that from her mother.

Natalie wanted her mother to know the whole, magical truth. Edward would have to meet the woman in order to determine how much she could handle. That meant Edward would have to tell the Council. There were restrictions on interactions between species, and limitations on information leaking to the human world was one of them. Today when technology was so prevalent and people were encroaching on the wilderness, they needed to be more careful with humans who may have difficulty with the reality of magic and all the beings that come with it.

Edward would still have to contact the Council. His son's mate is human. He had not had any contact with the Council of Magical Beings of the Eastern United States since the hearing after the death of his beloved mate, Leona, and the birth of their son, Leonard. Yes, he had named him Leonard after his mate, to help him focus and keep his sanity. Edward felt the need to remind himself that he needed to be strong for Leo. Usually, a werewolf who lost his mate lost his mind or turned dark over time. Edward had to stay focused for his son, the future Alpha, Goddess willing.

Leo had grown up with the pack. Thankfully, Edward's Beta had a son born 6 months after Leo. Keith and Claudia had become a positive, solid influence in Leo's life. Their son, Kevin, was Leo's best friend, and future Beta. Edward was thankful for the support that Leo received from the entire pack. Edward himself still had a hole in his heart but needed Leo to not feel the deficit. To see Leo truly happy was all Edward ever wanted. He knew, however, that life doesn't always go according to plan. Without sadness there can be no joy.

'Nothing like a human in the mix to screw things up,' Edwards wolf, Cain, spat out, as if evoking a curse.

Edward ignored Cain, being accustomed to his moodiness. He still ached for Leona and her white wolf, Gerda. She was strong and understanding, and the heart of the pack. She was friends with Gamma Blaire, and listened while Blaire's mate, the archivist Andrew, talked about history for hours. She laughed at the outrageous fishtails told by Keith and delighted in the outfits made by Claudia. Without her, everything around Edward seemed less bright, less happy. Everyone felt it, but the pack carried on, knowing that she would want it that way.

Edward had gotten into the habit of talking to his mate when he was alone in his quarters. He did not expect a response, but it helped him to wind down at night to talk to her spirit as if she were listening. It helped him cope with the pain of her loss and to mull over the day's events and tasks yet to be done. He would recommend it to a friend, if it didn't sound so crazy. The need to talk to her had ebbed over the years, as if she were willing him to let her go to enjoy her afterlife.

Still, preparing for Natalie's mother, Edward thought it best to have the pack hunt and go for their runs tonight so that Natalie's mother doesn't get an eyeful of wolf mid-shift. 'She can see you anytime,' chimed in Cain. 'Maybe she'll run away, screaming in terror. The farther the better!' Cain had been exceedingly grumpy since Leo had found his mate. 'You remember how happy we were with our mate. We want that for our pup,' Edward countered. 'The mother smells like trouble!' Cain raged on. Edward admitted defeat. He would never stand between Leo and his happiness. He hoped Cain was wrong.

"The hunt is ready," Edward's Beta, Keith, entered the office with the cursory knock. "Leo's excited for tomorrow."

"He should be!" Edward forced a smile. "He has a wonderful, talented, beautiful mate, even if she is young."

"And human," Keith voiced Edwards concern and Cain growled in his head.

"Let Leo lead the hunt. He's earned it." Edward ignored the hopefully unnecessary concern with a frown. His wolf huffed and slunk to the back of his mind. Leo had taken to the business of the pack, training reports, farm production and business meetings. He deserved the freedom that the hunt gave his wolf.

"And what about you?" Only Keith could talk to Edward this way, in private. They were lifelong friends and grew up together.

Leona was Edwards grade school crush. They would get lost with Keith on the packlands for hours, hunting and fishing and finding wildflowers. Edward knew that Keith McLeod loved him like a brother. when Keith found his mate, Claudia, Leona welcomed her like a sister.

"I will get a run in before bed," Edward lied.

Keith chastised his best friend, "You're about to wear out the carpet, pacing." He paused. "He worries about you. So do i.

Edward sighed. "I know you do. Thank you. I'll behave." Again, Edward forced a smile.

"Get some rest," Keith got the last word in. "Claudia would kill me if you don't."

"Goddess help us all, Edward said to an empty room.