Casey's Wolf

Chapter 8

                 It took the rest of the afternoon for Alyza to finish making the changes to her dress. Then her mother started doing her hair and make-up.

                “Have you been told what to expect tonight? At the shift moon ceremony?” her mother asked as she was doing Casey’s hair.

                “What do you mean? Other than the part about shifting into a giant wolf for the first time?” Casey asked confused.

                “Yes, other than that,” Alyza said.

                “No, that’s all we have really talked about. The shifting and we went over the other packs that would be attending with their new wolves. Oh, and he explained that after my first shift, I would be able to talk to my wolf whenever I wanted to. In my head of course,” Casey said, going over the things that herself and Isaiah had talked about in the last few days.

                “So, he never told you about mates or anything like that?” Alyza asked curiously.

                “Mates? Like friends? Or like soulmates?” Casey asked.

                “Soulmates. We wolves have a very strong connection with the ones that we fall in love with. And a lot of times, we find that soulmate on the night of the shift moon because our wolves recognize them before we do. I just wanted to make sure that you weren’t startled if your wolf looked at someone tonight and said, or cried in my wolf’s case, Mate,” Alyza said as she finished curling Casey’s hair.

                “If my mate was someone from a different pack, would I have to leave you guys? Like for good?” Casey asked, concern filling her voice.

                “Possibly, if they weren’t willing to come to this pack. Or couldn’t because of rank. Alphas and Betas cannot leave their packs, their mates would have to leave theirs,” Alyza said, pulling a brush through the curls to loosen them up a little.

                “Can mates be rejected?” Casey asked, quietly.

                “Yes they can but it never ends well. Why do you ask?” Alyza asked, watching Casey’s face in the mirror.

                “What if my mate doesn’t want me? I am mainly just curious because I want to be as prepared as I can be for tonight. I don’t want to be completely caught off guard. Will my wolf be able to talk to me when she is awake? Or will I be asleep?” asked Casey.

                “Your mate would be stupid not to want you. And yes, you can talk with your wolf after you shift. You can also choose to sleep while she is out as well, though that is not advised in the first year or so. That way you can teach your wolf your mindset and the way you think. What you think is okay and what you don’t think is okay. That sort of thing,” Alyza said as she started pulling things out of her make up bag.

                “Do you think Sebastian and his pack members will show up tonight and crash the ceremony for Isaiah kicking them out earlier?” Casey asked as her mother started on her make up.

                “I don’t think Sebastian is dumb enough to try to crash such a big event as the shift moon ceremony. There are still 12 other Alphas and Betas coming with their new wolves as well as our entire pack being there. Don’t worry about that. Now sit still and don’t talk or I will mess up and get make up in your mouth,” Alyza said, giggling about the last part.

                Casey sat there quietly, thinking about the conversation her and her mother had just had about mates and what that would possibly mean for her future with not only her but her family too. Will I have to leave? What if my mate thinks that I am too ugly or plain to be theirs? What happens then? Why didn’t Isaiah tell me about mates? Casey’s mind raced over these questions for about a minute before they were interrupted.

                You don’t have to worry about leaving. You are the Beta’s daughter and his only child. You are our pack’s next Beta. So your mate would have to stay with our pack. And whoever your mate is, he would be the luckiest wolf around. You are very beautiful, Casey. You are the farthest thing from plain so please don’t think that. My father left that to your mother to explain because he probably thought that you would be too embarrassed to discuss your future love life with him. Shane sent, almost causing Casey to jump.

                Shane, geez you scared me. You really have to warn me that you are reading my mind like this. And I am plain. I mean come on, before last Friday you had never given me the time of day. Your are my only friend now as it is. I mean, besides Lexi and Lane. I must be super plain or just ugly. And your dad would have been right. I never could have talked to him about that stuff, so that makes sense now. I thought your father said that only males could be Alphas and Betas? Casey sent back.

                There have been female Alphas and Betas in the past but it wasn’t easy getting the rest of the pack to accept the females being in charge. And sometimes wolves would leave the pack if a female became the ruling Alpha. In other cases, the females mate has been given the Beta position. Its not because our kind thinks that females can’t lead, but more of the fact that any females in any pack are extremely important to the pack. Females are to be protected at all costs.

                So women are sort of worshipped in the wolf community. In a manner of speaking. Is that what you are trying to say.

                Kind of. Females carry our young. Without females, our kind wouldn’t exist. I know it sounds kind of sexist but that’s how all male wolves are raised. There was a time not to long ago where there would be four male wolves to one female wolf in ratio in many packs in this area because of the werewolf hunters. They were killing off the females faster than they could find the hunters. Pregnant or not. They killed my father’s oldest sister while she was in labor in the hospital. Her sons lived but she couldn’t be saved. Neither could the hunters of course. That’s why my father is kind of strict on the fact that we keep our secret just that, a secret.

                That’s horrible. Did you know your Aunt? Casey asked, trying not to cry while her mother was finishing up her make up.

                No, that happened before I was adopted. Shane sent. Are you almost ready? We are getting ready to head back down to the lake.

                Almost. Is it really that time already? Are all the other packs here?

                They will meet us down there. They have already came here and shook father’s hand. There are a couple that are still here, but the majority have gone. Do you want me to escort you down?

                I think my mom and dad are escorting me. Sorry. We should be ready in five minutes or so.

                Okay, see you in a little while then, I guess. I am going to head on down. Father wants me to check on things. Make sure everyone is getting along, that sort of thing.

                I will see you down there then.

                Shane ended the connection just as his wolf started to stir inside his head again. But this time he didn’t say anything, he just started growling. He was sensing something near by that he didn’t like.

                Shane ignored the growling but he made sure to keep his eyes and ears open as he walked out of the house, headed for the trail in the woods that lead to the lake. The farther he got away from the pack house the louder the growl got.

                He began to sense what his wolf was picking up on. There were wolves in the trees that weren’t supposed to be there. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed his father’s number.

He picked up on the second ring, “What is it, Shane?”

“I think either there is a small pack of rogue wolves in the woods or Sebastian is back. But either way there is definitely something out here. I just can’t pinpoint where. They are staying very still,” Shane said into the phone.

“Okay. The rest of us will come down in a group. Head on down to the lake and warn the others that there may be trouble afoot tonight,” Isaiah said as he rubbed his temples.

“Of course, father,” Shane said as he hung up and continued on his way down to the lake.

Who could be out here in these woods on tonight of all nights? With all these packs around? Shane asked himself as he stepped into the clearing with the other wolves.