Fated or Mated

Agony

“Where am I?” I call out into the darkness.  Is this a dream?  Was my party a dream? Why was I screaming?

“Hey kid”, Kira’s voice calls out to me.

“Kira? Please tell me what’s going on.  Why did you block me out all day?  Are we dead?” My voice is pleading.

“Anna Christina, daughter of the Vega line.  You have so many questions, as I knew you would.  Listen to me carefully.  Your fated mate has rejected you before knowing you.” Kira begins to explain.  “I felt it a full twenty four hours before you did for some unexplained reason.  Maybe it’s my animal instinct or some weird cosmic warning system.”

“Okay, you started this off sounding, well, not like you.  So I appreciate that last line about the weird cosmic thing.”  Surrounded in darkness I can feel my eyes bulging at her in shock as I respond.

“Seriously, I started with the formalities to let you feel the gravity of our situation.  Anyway, your parents are freaking out and your bestie crew has taken charge of the pack.  The party wasn’t a dream, you are currently bent over in a lump on the floor screaming your head off.  I pulled your consciousness deep within the recesses of our mind to spare you the pain.”  Kira continues to explain.

“Oh crap, am I dying? Why?” I ask. “Wait, what?  Bonks, Sean and Matt have stepped up?”  The mental picture of my friends taking charge and using their training warms my heart.

“Crazy right?  Those good for nothings are actually good for something.  Okay, so here’s what I know” Kira starts, not withholding her sarcasm. “When an Alpha male rejects his fated Luna by fully mating and marking another, his fated dies.  That is, if she is of age to sense her mate.  However, we are more than just a Luna.  We are a full blooded Alpha from an ancient pure Alpha bloodline… so I have no idea what’s going to happen.”

“Oh Goddess Kira, would we go rogue?  You realize how dangerous we would be as an uninhibited wolf right?”

“I know, and while admittedly that doesn’t sound all bad to me, it’s not right.  Which is another reason why I brought us here.  You are being taken to the pack hospital to be sedated.” I interrupt Kira when I’m struck with a realization.

“Kira!  You are bearing this pain for me.  That’s you screaming.  How else would you know what’s going on around me?” I’m beginning to panic.  My wolf may be a complete psycho and we have our differences but… we’re one.  Neither of us was meant to handle anything alone.

“It’s almost over, but before the sedative sends us off to dream land we need to agree on something.” Kira states.

“Okay” I say anxiously.

“No matter what happens next, do not let go of our humanity.  No matter how intense the pain, no matter how hot the fire of our fury burns.., hold on.  The pain and fire has been brought to us for a reason.”

Before I can respond to Kira I feel myself drift off.  Not like a peaceful slow falling asleep kind of feeling,  This is more like falling off a cliff.  The next thing I remember is hearing the beeping of an IV machine and a sweet masculine voice whispering to me.  Goddess, who’s the owner of that voice?

Bianca’s POV

As soon as the clock struck midnight Chris fell to the ground screaming in pain.  Her parent’s knelt by her side in complete shock and worry.  Sean, Matt and I immediately open a mind link to each other.  Each of us calls out a single word assignment description to coordinate our efforts.  Chris needs us to keep calm and remember our training.

Sean calls through the mind link, “Hospital”.

Matt calls out, “Elders” and I call out “Parents”.

Sean and Matt take off to handle their assignments while I run to my Alphas.

“Alpha Anna Julia, Alpha Julio, please, we must put out extra patrols, send the other wolves home and get Chris to the hospital.”  I say while bowing deeply.

Alpha Julio is the first to acknowledge me.  “Of course Bianca, please organize my leaders, your father will help you.”

“Come Julio, let’s get her to the hospital.”  Alpha Anna Julia says while standing gracefully.  It’s obvious she is struggling to keep calm while her precious daughter wails in agony.

Ripping myself from them I mindlink my father.  “Dad! Respond”

“Go”, my father replies.

“Chris, hospital inexplicable pain, extra patrol, shelter in place.” I feel my father’s tension through the link.  He’s worried but holds himself together.  Chris is more than just his future Alpha, she’s like a daughter to him.  I’m sure his wolf wants to tear something apart too.

“Good, consider it done Gamma.”  My father confirms.  I’m not a pack Gamma yet but it’s his way of saying good work and I’m proud of you. Immediately following his reply, my father’s booming voice comes through the pack link giving out my orders.  I help the pack leaders clear the ballroom and pack house.  We usher our pups and elderly home while assuring everyone there’s nothing to fear, all is well in hand.  While getting the last pack members home I hear Sean link Matt and I.

“She’s sedated and stable.  What the hell you guys?”

“Meet me at the library.” Matt instructs.

I link back, “After I see her.”

Thanks to my incredible speed I’m at the hospital in moments.  Taking a deep breath I enter Chris’s room.  Seeing her hooked up to an IV with all sorts of wires and tubes sticking out of her is too much.  A sob escapes my lips and I curse myself when I see her parents turn their heads to me.  Their gaze breaks my resolve and I fall apart.  Before my knees can hit the ground my Alpha’s catch me in an embrace and begin to sooth me with caresses and hushed words of comfort.  My intention was to provide emotional support not receive it. Damn!

“My Alpha’s I am so..” My apology is interrupted by Alpha Julio.

“No love, there’s nothing you need to apologize for.” He gives me a weak smile.

“On the contrary”. Alpha Anna Julia adds, “you have proven yourself a capable Gamma tonight… and love, in this room, in this moment, we are not your Alphas but your family.  No need for titles here.”

“As you wish, but please know I make no distinction between the two because that’s how you’ve taught us all.”  I pull them both back into a tight embrace.  “I’m meeting Matt in the library, he has something that will help us figure out what’s happening to Chris.” I explain as I take my leave.

Alpha Julio calls after me, “Wait, I’m coming.  While I am pretty sure I know what this is, together we can figure out the who and what next.”

In the pack library we find Sean sitting criss-crossed on top of one of the large tables in the center of the history section with his head buried in his hands. He fell in love with Chris when they were just kids. It’s crazy that he thinks he’s kept it a secret from Matt and I.  We know him better than anyone else, including Chris.  Alpha Julio pulls Sean into a hug and Sean grips onto him like he’s holding on for dear life. Sean begins sobbing uncontrollably into Julio’s chest like a child.

Alpha Julio kisses Seans head and says, “I’ve said this to Bianca already.  You should know how proud we are of your actions tonight.  Despite your feelings or fear the three of you sprung into action to take care of my daughter and our pack.”

Sean pulls away feeling a bit embarrassed as he uses his sleeves to wipe his face and nose.  Matt is motionless as he stares into a large open book on the table next to Sean. 

“Sir, she could die,” Matt says in barely a whisper.

“No, she won’t kids.  I know what you are reading but you must remember.  Chris is a pure blood Alpha descended from an ancient line.”  We all look at Alpha Julio confused because he knows this is not news to us.  I look over Matt’s shoulder and gasp.

Alpha Julio turns the book slightly towards himself and continues, “This clearly reads the rejected Luna is condemned to death.  Chris is no Luna, she is an Alpha.  She won’t die but she could go feral.  A feral Alpha capable of organizing a rogue army is dangerous alone, but a female pureblood alpha gone feral could end us all.”

The four of us spend the entire morning in the library discussing our plan and delegating tasks. Alpha Julio is on his cell phone inquiring of any Alpha’s who’ve recently taken a chosen mate.  It doesn’t take long to discover that our first stop is a neighboring pack called the Ice Moon Pack.  Their Alpha took over almost a decade ago when his parents passed away unexpectedly in a plane crash. I scrunch up my nose at the thought of our Chris being fated to Xavier Cordova.  He’s a creepy weirdo that we all suspect killed his mate secretly.  It was impossible for an Alpha to go for so long without finding his fated.  

“Considering the delicate and potentially explosive nature of this visit I will go alone.” Alpha Julio commands.

“You mean we will go alone.”  My father’s voice comes from behind us.

“Of course Joshua”  Alpha Julio concedes with a smile.  My father and Alpha Julio grew up together.  Their parents were best friends so their friendship began in the womb.  Alpha Julio is exactly one month older than my father.  A fact he likes to point out whenever rank is irrelevant, like it is now.  

“We will have to keep Alpha Anna Julia as far away from this as we can.” My dad adds.

We all nod in agreement. Alpha Julia is a powerful werewolf with a short fuse.  History teaches us that a she-wolf defending her cub can summon strength well beyond her capability.  The thought of our Anna Julia having any more power than she already does sends a chill down all  our spines.  The woman is dangerous on the best of days.  Right now she a ticking nuclear bomb.

“Fortunately she’s content with her wolf communicating with Kira.  It seems our daughter’s psycho wolf is as clever as we’d suspected.  Thankfully Kira is aware of the danger and is working with my wife to prepare us for every worse case scenario.  Much to our surprise, going feral is not on Kira’s bucket list.” Alpha Julio explains.

Sean, Matt and I breathe a sigh of relief. Kira really is something else, always surprising us. “She’s the best kind of best friend”, my wolf Heidi says in my head.  I smile internally as a wave of confidence washes over me.  We will get through this.

While our parents make preparations for the Alpha and Gamma to travel to Ice Moon, we three youngsters get some much needed sleep.  By the time we wake up our Alpha and Gamma will have returned with news.

Alpha Julio’s POV

“Taking a car is so inefficient Josh.  We could run there in forty five minutes.  My nerves can’t handle a two hour drive.”  I say exacerbated.

“Given the situation Julio, two powerful werewolves running in wolf form onto another pack’s territory with less than an hour’s notice looks aggressive.” My Gamma replies.

“I’m feeling aggressive Josh”, I saw through gritted teeth as my canines and claws extend.

“Exactly, let’s use this time to cool down while Xavier uses the time to prepare for our arrival. He’s still just a pup compared to us.”

“I was careful not to reveal our intentions during my investigation and gave no reason to Xavier’s secretary for our visit.  Hopefully he remains in the dark.”  I say out loud more to myself than to my Gamma Josh.

Xavier’s POV

“Can someone track down Christopher?” I command through my pack link.  Since fully mating with Pearla last month my Beta has made himself suspiciously scarce.  Something is off and I have been too distracted by my mate to pin it down.  Now, a very powerful Alpha and his Gamma are on their way here under the pretense of pack relations.  I need to figure out what’s going on before they get here. I link my security team to investigate recent news from the Onyx River Pack.  I know there was a birthday celebration for their daughter last night.  Was there an attack?

A familiar scent hits my nose just as I hear a light knock on my office door.  “Come in Pearla”, I command.

“Amor, what’s the urgent need to speak with Christopher?” She questions concerned.

I take a deep breath noticing there’s something off with her scent.  Simultaneously she takes several steps backwards.  Instinctively I rise from my desk and rapidly close the distance between us.  It’s him, I smell Christopher on my mate.  What the frick?

“Why do you smell like him?” I ask through a menacing growl.  My wolf Onyx is furious.  He’s never been fond of Pearla and hasn’t really surfaced much since we mated.  His anger fuels my own as more questions begin to swirl around my mind.

“Answer me Pearla!” I yell.  She shrinks backwards in fear and her eyes are beginning to tear.  Just as she’s about to explain, my Beta casually walks into my office.

“You rang Alpha?” he smirks.  I don't know what's up but I don’t have time for this now.

“Get out Pearla, we will deal with this later.  Sit down Christopher, we have a situation.”