The Black Forest's Beta

Chapter 19

........Raphael........

Seeing Emmaline shift was one of the most painful things I had ever witnessed. She was in so much pain, her entire body shook as her wolf emerged for the first time in years. When she was done shifting she just layed on the ground with her head in my lap. That was when I took a good look at her new shape. Silvio wanted to claim her that second, she was the most entrancing wolf we had ever seen. 

Her pelt was mostly white with silver-ish furs mixed in making her shine brightly, like some type of diamond. Her paws were a light grey and only one of her legs was a darker grey fur, it was the same dark tone as Silvio. When her eyes opened I again had to restrain my wolf and the beast, her silver colored orbs matched her fur, standing out against most wolves. 

Even Wrath wanted to steak his claim on her, he had never been much of anything but a violent monster, however he wanted to mate with the perfect little wolf before us. When she stood I could finally see she was a mid-sized female, smaller than Gisela's wolf, but definitely more alluring in my own opinion. 

I stood up with a smile on my face when my Emmaline yipped at me, I had to control my wolf so he wouldn't mark her before she was ready. 

(Your mate has a gorgeous wolf.) Gunter commented through mind-link.

(MINE) Silvio snarled back at him. My little mate looked at Alpha Gunter and Gisela as they padded into her view, while she was facing away I took off my shorts and shifted into my wolf shape. Silvio growled lowly wanting her attention focused on him. She faced us and rubbed her body against ours, which made Silvio purr like a kitten. All of our heads snapped up when we heard Ozzy call for his sister. She took off in his direction, Alpha Gunter, Luna Gisela and myself were hot on her heels. We all reached Ozzy within a few seconds, her ears were perched as her silver eyes scanned the area for danger. 

Ozzy made a small happy squeak as he took in her wolf shape. Then he wrapped his arms around her fluffy neck, I watched her tail swing back and forth as he pulled back. "Hi Cassie." She licked his face before yipping and looking back at me. I walked over to her and nipped her ear gently, she purred lightly before looking at Gunter. She radiated pure energy as she shoved Ozzy into me and pawed the ground. We all fed off of her need to run and Gunter sounded the start. 

Ozzy laughed on my back as we ran through the forest, joined by most of the pack. Emmaline easily kept pace with us which surprised, and pleased me. I could feel our bond strengthening as did Silvio and Cassie's, Wrath even began forming his own bond with our mate. Not only was our bond growing, but her link to the pack began forming as she and Cassie galloped through the woods. 

When the run was over it took some time for me to coax Emmaline to shift back to her human form. Everyone could sense her hesitation and her need to run even longer than we had. The black forest however, was not safe at night, even for a fully grown werewolf. Gunter, Elias and I had learned that the hard way. After a few minutes she finally took the top I offered and sauntered into the trees. I followed her receding form and only went to her once I heard the fabric of the shirt had slid over her skin. 

Crouching beside my mate I pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Lets's get some food eh?" She beamed at me before flinging herself into my chest, wrapping her arms around my neck. I felt my body tremble slightly as she took deep breaths in the nape of my neck, inhaling my scent.

"You smell really good." She cooed from her place in my arms. To please her further I released my scent fully, letting it encase us. Emmaline pulled back after her stomach made a rumbling noise which caused my heart to flutter. 

"Did I not before?" I asked her with a teasing pout, her cheeks turned pink before she replied. I stood as she began to speak.

"You did....but it's stronger now." She said with a light blush, I smiled and placed my lips to her small nose before setting her back on the ground. 

"How are you feeling miele?" I asked her, her smile brightened as she took my hand. 

"Blissful." We began walking back to the others, all had shifted back and were wearing tiny amounts of clothing. Emmaline and I joined Gunter's group and Luis introduced himself to my mate. She leaned into my side, so I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and squeezed her lightly. 

"I wasn't feeling well so we left." Her soft spoken voice was like music in my ears, I had missed the sound of her while she was healing. 

"Ahh that makes sense, Raphael is usually the life of the party." I felt her eyes on me and I shrugged before squeezing her shoulder again.

"I still am, but now I have more important things to tend to than my reputation." I made sure my voice was confident, Emmaline had to see she was more important to me than anything else. Her body vibrated with her soft chuckle and I looked down in time to see her roll her eyes playfully. Seeing her confidence shine through for the first time was enough to make my knees weak. Had we not been in front of former Alpha Luis, I may have fallen over. 

I watched her smile grow in pure happiness before she faced Ozzy who was walking up behind us, he was still a few paces away. His smile mirrored hers as he completed his walk and pulled her into his arms. I let my own arm fall to my side as they embraced. "I missed seeing that smile." He whispered, I kept my ears tuned into them instead of listening to the chatter of Alpha Gunter and everyone else.

"I finally shifted again! I can do so much that I haven't been able to do in so long." The words she spoke oozed elation, her aura was more radiant than it had ever been. Seeing my mate glow like that had me compairing her to the full moon. 

Comparing her to the sun would be cruel, for the sun can blind ones eyes. However when the moon is full eyes from all over are drawn to it's beauty. Emmaline was my full moon, she was calling to the beasts inside of me without being aware of it. Wrath and Silvio were howling in my mind, growling at me to stake my claim and mark her in front of everyone so that all knew she was ours. 

She turned back toward the rest of us with Ozzy at her side, standing between her and Gisela. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her gently into my side once again. "We should probably go eat." Gunter said looking at my mate from the corner of his eye. Silvio wanted to snarl and bark ant him to keep his eyes from whats mine, Wrath wanted to claw his eyes out. 

"I agree." I said not giving into their desires, probably sounding too enthusiastic. We all sauntered into the pack house and sat at the dinner table. Only a few pack members were lounging about, yet all bowed their heads when we walked in. Some omegas brought in our dinner, which looked and smelled delicious. Gunter and Gisela took the first bite before the rest of us began eating. I had noticed the portion of food my mate had been given was large enough a full grown Alpha male. I figured she would give what she couldn't eat to me, I was across from Keifer who was looking at Emmaline with large eyes. I wiped my face before looking at her plate finding it empty, I felt my own eyes widen as I took in her content state. Her grey eyes were relaxed and warm, like they were when she woke up snuggled against my chest. 

"It was really good." She said simply slightly licking her lips. 

"Ja, it was." I replied taking her hand. She sighed contently before leaning onto my shoulder, she was silent for a few minutes before she turned her head to look at her brother. 

"Ozzy." She called to him, he smiled and tilted his head at her in a questioning manner. "I think you're going to have to roll me home." I felt myself chuckle as she placed her free hand on her full belly. 

"You're too thin to roll." Nonna commented fluidly. "Perhaps in a few months you'll be round for another reason." She winked at Emmaline and I felt myself become embarrassed, not because I didn't want her to bear my pups, but because I feared everybody thought I lacked self control. 

"Nonna!" I groaned, instead of growling like I wanted to. 

"I want to see my great-great grand babies before I die Raphy." She pointed at me while narrowing her eyes into slits. "I'm getting old so get on it."

"Nonna." This time I used a bit of my beta power, she had to know I was serious. Emmaline wasn't ready for that kind of intimacy yet. She probably couldn't carry a pup safely with how light and thin she was anyway. I felt my mate's hand grow tense in mine. When I looked down at her I noticed her eyes were unclear, Silvio whimpered in my mind. 

(Something is wrong, mate is crying out.) He meant Cassie was crying out to Silvio because she couldn't reach Emmaline. 

A tear ran down her frozen face and that was enough for me to lift her from the table and carry her back home. (Gunter please keep Ozzy with you until I find out what is wrong with Emmaline.) I said into the mind link, hoping they weren't already tailing me. 

(I will, though he is ready to sprint after you.) Gunter replied easily. She stayed still the entire time, tears ran down her face silently as Silvio, and Wrath, whimpered and paced in my mind. I set her on the bed so she was sitting on the edge. She swayed ever so slightly before her eyes began clearing, her broken and forlorn expression twisted and nearly shredded my own heart. 

"Emmaline." I whimpered softly as I used my hand to caress her cheek. I was kneeling before her, pondering what had happened. Her eyes reached mine, but they were expressionless, something I was not used to. From the moment I had first seen her grey orbs they always held her emotions, now they were empty. "What's wrong." Her eyes just kept burning holes into my heart. "Please, tell me." 

There was no response from my Emmaline, she just sat there looking.....alive, yet dead at the same time. Her enchanting smile was long gone, as was the vibrancy her aura had glowed just a mere hour ago. My beasts were too silent, none of us knew what to do about her being in her state. The thought of her wanting to leave pounded into my skull, constricting the lungs I breathed with. My bleeding heart constricted and my eyes started to sting, my vision became blurry, and when I blinked tears escaped, and rolled down my cheeks. 

"Please don't leave me." She finally moved and I thought I saw her scooting away, my vision blurred again, only this time when I blinked nothing happened. The fear of her rejecting our bond was too much for me to handle, especially with how perfect the day had been. Before everything went dark I felt my lips give off one last plea. "Please Emmaline, I love you."