Mythical Mates

Four

Isla bought herself some warmer clothes with the money she got from the politician. Wanting to stretch the money, she bought only what had been used. She also purchased some fruits and vegetables to eat. During the night, when she was sure her father was asleep, she snuck back into their home and placed food next to his bed. Hopefully he’ll eat when he gets up. He stirred in his sleep and she gently placed a hand on his forehead. His fever had gone up and he was sweating. Her heart broke for him, he looked so frail and pale. For several hours she ran back and forth from the sink, placing a cold rag on his head. He would flinch and tense before settling back to sleep. As the sun began to peek above the horizon, she quickly made a cup of hot tea for him, kissed him quickly and left the house before he woke up. Finally, the day of the hunt arrived. Men of all shapes and sizes gathered in the town square, guns in tow, as they lined up to check in. Isla had arrived just in time as the politicians were wrapping up the submissions.

“Aren’t you a bit young to be signing up? Where’s your father?” The man asked.

“I am of age to participate, sir. My father could not join me because he is ill. I’ll be hunting alone.” She lowered the pitch of her voice the best she could in hopes she sounded like an adolescent boy. He eyed her suspiciously.

“And who is your father?”

Isla swallowed the lump in her throat. “I-I am not a native here. I travelled from Martrey village in hopes of attending your hunt.”

“Hmm, be that as it may. Are you aware of the tax associated with the hunt? You will only be permitted to take home half of what you bring in, native or not.” Isla nodded.

“Yes, I understand.” Despite the cold, sweat trickled down the side of her face.

“And what weapon will you be using?”

Isla pulled out the blade she stole and an old rifle she purchased on sale. She told him it was her father's. The man huffed at her before handing her the paper to sign. She glanced over to see the politician man she’d assaulted the other night. He was smiling as his two sons, one older, the other an old classmate of hers. They were dressed in thick coats and hats. Their boots were brand new and their faces clean and full. Isla’s heart ached. So this was what a healthy family looked like. Surely neither boy has ever had to go to bed hungry. Surely they never had to wrap themselves in dirty rags to stay warm. She thought back to when her father was healthy, when her mother was still alive. They were never rich, but they were happy. Her father smiled more and called her sweet names. He’d bring home fresh groceries every week and her mother would fix a hot meal for all of them. There were even leftovers that stretched for days. She longed for those days again. Back when her father cared for her, back when he loved her. A tear dropped from her eye, but she quickly brushed it away. Her father did love her, he was just sick. People don’t behave properly when they’re sick. She needed to focus on the hunt. If she could just get him some good quality meat, she was sure he’d get better. Once he did, he'd call her sweet names and she'd get to be the child again. She needed to be strong for both of them right now. As the final ray of sun vanished, the torches were lit. The men were led to the edge of town overlooking the woods that surrounded it.

“Alright, men! You all have until dawn to catch and submit game. You will see a red flare when the event is over. Anyone caught hunting after will be fined and your game will be confiscated and sold, so keep your ears and eyes open. We will have men on horseback scattered around the area to act as overseers in case any of you need medical assistance or want to withdraw from the event. Weapons are to be used on animals ONLY! Any questions?” The man waited, surveying the audience for hands. Nobody spoke up. “Alright then..” he pulled out a small gun and raised it to the sky. “GO!” He shouted as he shot a bright green flare into the sky.

“Brie?”

Brielle looked up from the book as her mother entered the library. “Hi, mama.” She greeted her.

“Aren’t you joining us for dinner? Everyone’s waiting for you.” Sylvia waltzed over and sat next to her daughter. “Are you alright? You’ve been spending a lot of time here lately.”

“I’m alright mama, I just like how quiet it is in here. Not too many people come to the library these days, so it’s a good place to hide out and get some homework done. Exams are coming up after all.” Sylvia looked down at the book she was holding.

“That’s what you’re studying?”

“Oh, this? No, I was just taking a break. This is just something I found the other day.” Sylvia took the book and looked at the cover.

“Huh, I remember this. My mother read this to me and my sister when we were young. It’s not a very uplifting story.” Brielle covered her ears.

“Lalala, no spoilers.” Her mother laughed. She stood and held her hand out to Brie.

“You already skipped dinner last night. Come join us, it’ll be nice to have you.”

Brie hesitated, not really in the mood to force conversation with the other packhouse residences. She wanted to ask if someone could just bring her a plate, but she knew she’d refuse. She’d insist it would come off rude to the other members. Without any other choice, Brie packed up her things and followed her mother out of the library.

In the dining hall, the omegas scurried around, prepping the table. The table was set to feed 20 people, as only those in close relation to the Alpha dined together outside of social events. When Brie entered, she immediately spotted Angela and Charley. Charley was chatting it up with one of the omega girls as she poured him water. She looked uncomfortable. Angela was scrolling aimlessly through her phone.

“There are my girls.” Izaak chimed as he kissed his wife and ran a hand through Brie’s hair. He pretended to have his hand stuck in her curls. She shook his hand away. “Almost got lost in there. You sure you don’t want me to get someone to tame that for you?”

“A tamed wolf is a domesticated dog and I, for one, will not be collared.” Her dad smiled.

“Well said, Brie. Come, sit.” He pulled out the chair for his wife and Brie took the seat next to her. Izaak took his place at the head of the table, his Beta to the right of him.

“Good evening, Brie,” Noah said.

“Evening, uncle Noah.” He wasn’t really her uncle, but he’d been around for so much of her life he might as well be. Plus, it was a way for her to show respect without all the formalities. Brie glanced back at Angela to see her glaring at her. She just smiled, which seemed to piss her off even more. The omegas exited the kitchen carrying trays of food and placed them down in the center. Before they could eat, Izaak asked that they all join hands to thank the moon goddess for the day. When they were done, they started piling food onto their plates. Brie ate in silence, listening to the randomized chatter.

“Alpha, I have word from the Moon Mountain Pack.” Delta Lea offered, a strong, agile female wolf tasked with being one of the messengers of the pack.

“Ah, yes. Did you bring to their attention the rogue footprints leading back to their territory?” Izaak asked.

“I did, their Alpha didn’t seem to be aware of this news. They conducted an investigation on their side of the forest, yet the tracks seemed to have vanished.”

“It hasn’t rained in the last few days, so whoever left them must have gone back to cover their tracks.”

“Why would they cover them unless they feared someone finding them?” Noah asked. “We scouted the area, surely no one was around to see us sniffing around. Even if they did, why would a rogue care about us investigating Moon Mountain? Seems like it’d be the perfect way to throw us off.”

“Well, there’s the possibility that they weren’t rogues,” Charley chimed in. “It was strange that they seemed to be working together.”

“Their Alpha informed me that they’ll be doing a thorough investigation among their members.” Lea added. “Do you think we can trust them?”

“Why wouldn’t we?” Sylvia protested. “They’ve been useful allies of this pack for centuries. We’ve visited their packhouse many times. They’re lovely people. Surely they wouldn’t be trying to initiate a war.” The members chatted nervously.

“Calm down, everyone.” Izaak ordered. “There’s no evidence saying that whoever was in the forest simply didn’t cut through their territory. Plenty of other packs tour this area and use MM as a bridge way. Let’s not jump the gun and bring about weightless rumors. Until the matter is settled, we’ll refrain from sending new recruits out on patrol and limit free roaming of the forest.”

“You can’t do that!” Angela argued. The table went quiet and Charley glared at her. She shrunk back down in her seat. “Forgive me for speaking out of turn, Alpha, but what about the new recruits who are supposed to be graduating soon? What about the young wolves coming of age? Running through the forest is a key element in helping first-time-shifters to bond with their wolf. Are you really going to restrict the vast majority of your members from free running for lack of control of a few rogues?” Charley swiftly gripped the base of her hair and yanked her head back. She hissed in pain.

“Bite your tongue!” He growled. “How dare you raise your voice! I didn’t raise you to speak so distastefully to your Alpha. You apologize right this instant.” He waited. Angela’s face contorted as he pulled harder. She looked at Brie, almost signaling a cry for help. Brie met her gaze, but remained silent. What could she really do? She wasn’t about to aid someone who openly disrespected her father, especially not Angela.

“With all due respect, Father,” Angela said through gritted teeth. “I don’t agree with the decision to be locked behind these walls like some rabid mutt. Wolves were meant to be free and I will stand by what I believe.” Brielle’s eyes widened. She was actually impressed with Angela’s determination. Never once had she seen her disobey her father. Charley wasn’t as enlightened. He sneered and raised his hand to strike her.

“Charles,” Izaak called. Charley’s hand stopped midair. “That’s enough. This table is a place for all pack members to come together, violence is not welcomed.”

“But Alpha, she’s-“

“Similar to you in more ways than one.” Izaak smiled and met Angela's eyes. “Thank you, for voicing your concern. I understand this solution may bring problems among our people, but do understand that this will only be temporary. As Alpha, it is my job to do what is best for the pack. Still, I will not force my people to endure the immense pain of rejection from their wolf counterparts. I’m open to suggestions on how we can make this transition more comfortable, but it must be made in an appropriate setting. Though we are wolves, we are human first.” Angela looked away and Charley released her.

“Go to your quarters and stay there.” Charley ordered her, snapping his fingers for one of the omegas to clear her place. Anger boiled in her, but she didn’t argue. She rose from her seat, but Charley grabbed her arm. “What do you say?” Angela turned toward Izaak and bowed her head.

“My apologies, Alpha, for speaking out of turn. It won’t happen again.”

“Goodnight, Angela.” Izaak said with a comforting smile. She didn’t smile back, just turned and left.

Brie heard her mother sigh beside her. Brie leaned in close to whisper to her.

“You know, I’m actually glad you made me join. I would not have wanted to miss this.” Sylvia raised a brow as Brie smiled and took another bite of her food.

As the Omega’s cleared the table, Sylvia stopped Brie on her way out. “I think you should go check on Angela, see if she’s alright.”

“Why me?” Brie asked.

“Because you two have known each other for so long, I’m sure she could use a friend right now.”

“Have you seen her i********:? That girl has plenty of friends. Just shoot one of them a DM. I’m sure they’d jump at a personal invite from the Luna.”

“Brie, don’t be like that. I thought the two of you were friends.”

Brie huffed and looked down. “Maybe in another universe. She’s had it out for me from day one.” Sylvia laughed.

“Maybe it’s just sibling rivalry. I fought all the time with my sister. You guys have been around each other for so long you might as well be.” Brie cringed. “Are you sure you’re not just misunderstanding her?”

“Of course, I’m sure I misunderstood her knocking out my tooth for a kiss and a scratch under the chin.” Sylvia gave her a stern look. “Alright, I’ll go see how she’s doing. But more than likely I’ll be talking through a door.” Sylvia kissed her daughter on the cheek.

“At least you can say you tried. That’s all I ask.” She followed several members out the dining hall. “And don’t stay up too late studying, hun.”

As Brie made her way to Angela’s room, she rehearsed every possible outcome. “Do you really think she’ll try to break your fingers simply for checking on her?” Cora said in Brie’s mind.

“Hey, it’s not that far fetched. She busted both of my kneecaps during a soccer game in middle school. They still pop when I squat.” Brie argued. “She’s unpredictable and nasty. I’m sure the last person she wants to talk to after getting chewed out is the Alpha’s daughter.”

“Don’t pretend you aren’t equally nasty to her.”

“Yeah, but she started it. I tried to be her friend and got nothing but a doe-eyed brat who thinks she’s better than everyone else.”

“Maybe she’s just misunderstood.” Brie rolled her eyes.

“You sound just like mama.” She stopped at Angela’s door. She took a deep breath and knocked. No answer. “Welp, I tried. It’s clear she doesn’t want to talk.”

“Check the doorknob. Maybe it’s unlocked.”

“No way. You want me to just walk in? What if she’s naked? Are you trying to hurt my feelings? I'd already seen how perfect her body is the last time we came back from patrol. It was not good for my self-esteem”. Cora took control of Brie’s hand and tried the knob. It was open. Slowly, she started to push the door open. “Hey, I’m coming in, not by choice. Please don’t be naked.” The lights were off. Brie stepped in further. “Angela?” She whispered. “I guess she’s sleeping, let’s not wake her.” As she turned to leave, she was startled by Angela standing behind her. She jumped back, bumping into a nightstand table and scurried to catch the lamp that was falling. “Goddess, why the f**k would you do that? Where’d you even come from?”

Angela closed her door. “I was hiding.”

“No s**t, Sherlock. Why?”

“I thought you were Charley. Figured he’d come here first after the s**t from dinner. He likes to get me when I’m not looking, so I figured I’d get the jump on him this time.”

“And that’s just a normal thing for you two?”

Angela grinned, only lit by the moonlight casting in from the balcony. “When he’s feeling extra frisky. Usually after a couple drinks. I just pin him down, tie him up and he forgets all about it when he wakes up.” Brie was silent, processing. “Why are you here, princess?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Peeping, of course.”

“Ha, not without the proper currency. They told you to check up on me?”

“Practically held a knife to my throat.”

“Aww, I bet you’d look cute with your throat cut open.” She jeered.

“You certainly were with your head bowed.” Brie smiled and stepped closer. “Just like a good…little….dog.” Angela took a quick lunge at her. Brie was faster and caught her arm, ducking under and using the momentum to pin Angela against the wall. Angela winced. “How’s your rib?”

“f**k you. How’s your tooth?” Brie leaned in and pulled her bottom lip down to expose her lower teeth.

“Already grew back.”

“I should have knocked all of them out.” They heard chatting in the hall. Both girls stayed quiet. When they were gone, Angela threw her head back, hitting Brie in the face. Brie stumbled back, checking her nose for blood. There wasn’t any. “Don’t ever touch me again.”

“Don’t come at me then.”

Angela huffed. “You’re just like your parents.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Egotistic and cocky. You think that your rank gives you the right to do whatever you want, command anyone you want.”

“That sounds like projecting to me. You were out of line. Just because papa put you in your place doesn’t mean you can take all your frustrations out on me.”

Angela bared her teeth. “Trust me, I’d put all of you in your place if I could.” Her breath caught. “But I’m just a gamma’s daughter. I’m not born special like you. I’m just fated to bow down, take orders and protect my charge.”

“If you’d stopped looking down on everyone and tried being a little nicer, maybe you’d rise to being a beta.” Brie said with less hostility.

“Beta to who? You? I’d rather perform tricks for treats.”

“If you’re so against being a part of this pack…why not leave?” They grew silent again. “Are you just doing it for Charley?”

“Shut up, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know that the way you’ve been treating me isn’t going to solve anything. You know I’m fated to rule this pack when my father steps down, so why are you so inclined to get on my bad side? I can simply replace you as my gamma, you know. Tell me, what’s the end goal here?” Angela didn’t answer, her arms were wrapped around her mid section, her face angry and sad. Brie stepped toward her, wanting to reach out to her. There was a knock and Charley stepped in.

“Oh, Brie, I didn’t know you were in here.” He looked at Angela as she turned her head away. “I’m sorry, but Angela isn’t allowed to have guests right now. It’s late, she has homework to do.” Brie started to speak, but was cut short when her phone started to vibrate. It was Hailey. She didn’t get the chance to say hello.

“Brie! Come to the Medical Ward! It’s Everett!”