Lycan's unexpected mate

Gift from Midnight Pack

Carson

I walk out of my room unsteadily, my mind still lost in the phone conversation with Atalanta. I even addressed her as Tali and not Atalanta multiple times. Goddess, I shouldn't be calling her so intimately when we speak together!

'But it's the first name she gave you,' Zeus argues with me. 'She must have wanted you to know it and call her that.'

I sigh exasperatedly. Sometimes, I can't understand my wolf even though I can hear every word he says clearly.

Atalanta and I have agreed to meet in a fortnight because this week Atalanta has to stay present for the rest of the Alpha meeting. Moreover, I wouldn't be able to prepare anything next week because Amanda goes baby shopping and I have promised to look after her restaurant once more.

Anyway, I will have to pick Tali up together with Daniel so that we can teleport here, and she doesn't know where we reside. Despite my trust in her, I have to think of our community first. She offered to bring a gift as a visitor but I refused it. I can't possibly take anything from her because of what I am hiding. Damn it, I get cold feet whenever I even think about it.

I don't know where I am going so when I turn around the corner, I collide with a person rushing in the opposite direction. We steady each other and apologise at the same time.

"David?" I say in surprise just after that.

"Carson!" he exclaims and looks me over. "I was on my way to check on you. Daniel told me you have woken up." He raises a brow at me. "But I can see that you're not being yourself. What's happened?"

I lick my lips and sigh. My mind is a mess and just thinking about meeting Atalanta makes my head feel hazy. David waits patiently, studying me again. I can read concern in his eyes. I lean my back on the wooden wall and close my eyes.

"I've spoken to Alpha Summons," I say finally.

David frowns at me deeply, then it clicks for him and he grins at me. "So you've finally contacted her? Took you long enough. I thought you wouldn't last for a day."

I don't have the energy to fight back his cheekiness because I keep thinking about all the things that have to be ready before she arrives. My unfocused downcast stare elicits a deep exhale from David. "What is it?" he asks finally.

I look up and admit quietly: "I fainted because of her. She felt threatened in a meeting with Alpha King. The mate bond is so damn strong!" I cover my face. "And the worst part? She's coming in two weeks to meet our pack and Daniel doesn't know if he can make the scent-covering potion strong enough."

There is a sharp intake of breath and then a hand pats my shoulder. David then walks closer to me and says: "Do you think it's wise to . . ."

"There is no other way, really," I jump into his possible advice. "She told me they even discussed . . ." I look around and listen for a second so that no-one else overhears me, ". . . putting down all werewolf rogues."

David's eyes widen. "You mean . . .?"

I cross my neck with my index finger and nod once. His initial surprise immediately turns to anger. He takes a few calming breaths to suppress Zephyr while leaning on the wall beside me.

"Does she agree with them?" David wonders silently but carefully.

I turn my head to see his distraught expression. I rub my forehead and say: "No, I don't think so. But she's way different league. I can't imagine receiving so much responsibility when currently I'm only running our pack to have all necessary supplies."

David coughs. "Yeah, that's what I also wanted to talk about." After my surprised look, he immediately explains: "We've received a package from Midnight Pack."

"Midnight Pack, Midnight Pack," I wonder aloud. "Wait, you mean Adrianna's and Evans's pack?" I ask just after.

David nods and informs me: "It's quite a big package. I think we are finally receiving something extra for all the potions we're selling them." He chuckles and adds: "I haven't opened it, yet, but it'll be good, I'm sure."

I smile, too. I haven't been expecting anything so I'm also intrigued by the mysterious package. "Where is it?" I demand.

"We've brought it to the community area already," he answers immediately and I really want to know how big it is when they had to bring it in in two people.

"We?" A careful prod shouldn't hurt.

"Well, Martha helped because Daniel was with you," David answers nonchalantly. "We wanted to wait for you to open it."

"Right, but I should better get dressed," I say, adding a silent, " . . . better." I mean, I walked out of my room only in my pyjamas and my reputation would be ruined if anyone saw me like this.

David gives me a thorough look and nods in agreement. So, I walk back to my room with David in tow. I don't want to talk but he doesn't let me stay silent.

"Carson, what more has Atalanta told you? I mean, yes, meeting the Alpha King is huge but . . ." David lets the sentence hang in the air and gestures uncertainly with his hands.

I grit my teeth and will myself to calm down. "Well, she's really looking forward to seeing us and our people. And surprisingly, she doesn't mind not sleeping on a proper bed," I inform David.

He hums thoughtfully. "Well, she's in the front line of attacks. Being our princess's lady-in-waiting doesn't erase her warrior side." David chuckles. "She will be a badass Luna."

"Not funny," I counter but my lips turn up in a tiny smile. I'm so glad my Mate can fight for herself and she isn't a spoilt daddy's girl. However, despite her being younger than me, I fear her skills and abilities because she has to be among the top warriors to be sent outside the pack. Then I recall Daniel's reaction when he learnt about Atalanta's origin. I still don't know what astonished him more - the fact that she's a ranked werewolf or the fact that she's from Silent Heights.

I decide to ask David for his opinion but I have to be smart about it. "Oh, and I've told Daniel," I say.

"About Atalanta?" David wonders.

"Yeah. Scared the hell out of him," I feint making fun of it.

David frowns. "Why? There's nothing special about her and her pack."

I shrug but it catches me off guard. Daniel claimed that David presented the origin of Silent Heights Pack to us already. Was he lying? I scratch my shoulder and explain a little: "He told me that Atalanta's ancestors were the Lycans. Would you believe that?" I force out a chuckle. "A children's fairy tale."

We reach my room just now and I open the door for us but David stays rooted in the spot. "Do come in," I invite him but he doesn't respond. I turn at him and pull him inside.

That's when he responds because he trips and almost falls at me. He balances his step and apologises: "Sorry, I was talking to Zephyr." He looks around and shakes his head. "Anyway, there is some truth to it but Daniel got it wrong. The Lycans were real, yes, but their werewolf descendants are the Royal Pack, not the Silent Heights Pack."

It's my turn to frown at him as I collapse on my bed. Something doesn't add up. Daniel's emotions were real and raw; he didn't pretend anything. But David here claims that he was mislead . . .

My head begins to hurt again and Zeus is too exhausted to help me, so I try to leave these thoughts be. I realise that it's better to forget those troubling details for now before I can learn some more from different sources. I sit up straight and look around. I notice my morning clothes on the only chair in the room, therefore I strip and get dressed quickly, mind blank. As I try to smooth down the creases, David chuckles. "That won't help, you know?"

I shrug. "It was worth a try." I rub my eyes and walk up to him. "Anyway, you can tell me more about the Lycans after we unpack the box from Evans, can't you?"

David nods and we set off downstairs. Once we reach the common area on the ground floor, I gasp in surprise. The box is huge. And when I say huge, I really mean enormous. It isn't very wide or high, mind you, but it's long. It's roughly 1.5 times 1 times 4 metres and I wonder how they have managed to bring it inside this room without damaging anything.

"Wow," I admit silently because I notice some people around.

David laughs a little and motions for me to go closer. I walk around the box and try to guess what is inside. It could be anything because it doesn't have a specific shape nor do I know if there are more things inside.

David pats me on the shoulder and hands me scissors. "Don't leave us in suspense. Open it," he suggests.

I accept the scissors and open it. I lean over one side of the box and use one blade to cut through the tape holding it closed. It takes a lot of cutting to get through the central part but I manage it skillfully and fast. I check that all parts are loose and set the scissors aside. I look at David and notice that quite a crowd has gathered around us, watching the box and me in anticipation. I exhale slowly and put on my best smile.

"Alright, I know you all are dying to see what's inside," I address everyone and receive a few chuckles and grins from the onlookers, "but, please, wait for me to unpack it before coming to check it out."

The whole crowd erupts as one person with: "Yes, Alpha." or "Yes, Master."

I smile. I know the vampires hardly ever meet with the rest of us during the day but they are always up-to-date thanks to other members. Then I turn to the box and inhale deeply. I'm completely sure this box contains something great, however, I can't decide if that is good great or bad great. I tentatively open the left upper side, fold it and keep it down with my shin. I can see a lot of bubble wraps inside which means that the contents may be fragile or packed in glass. I wet my lips and push the other side of the box away, too. Then I remove the first layer of bubble wrap and gasp in astonishment. I can see vials with clear liquids and pills, sterile needles for surgical sutures along with threads, syringes and clean bandages of different sizes. I move along the box and find a few medical scrubs, caps, masks and other cloths important for medical care both for the doctor and the patient. Right next to it, there are tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes for children because they can't clean their teeth by changing into werewolves, and also some for adults. There are sanitary pads, formula, soaps and, in the very back, there are some toys and clothes in vacuumed bags so I presume they are for the winter.

I look at the contents incredulously. Evans has somehow managed to supply our people with things we can barely afford or which we reuse as much as we can. It must have cost a fortune. I am well aware of the prices and I am currently looking at items worth roughly 1500 dollars or more!

David pulls me out of my thoughts, which would be usually done by Zeus who's resting now. "So, will you tell us what the gift is all about?"

I clear my throat and say loudly enough for everyone to hear: "I need Sue or Lewis or someone from the medics."

People start to whisper excitedly and also fearfully about what can be inside because they are keeping a respectful distance from me and David. David frowns and puts effort into contacting our hospital. It's more difficult to maintain mindlink because we are rogues but we can still manage if we try hard enough. But, come to think of it, we shouldn't be able to do so because werewolves can only mindlink others within their pack.

I stuff this thought in the back of my mind again because David's eyes clear up and he informs us: "Lewis is on his way."

I nod tightly and decide to ease the tense atmosphere. I pull out the vacuumed bag with toys and turn to my people with a smile. "Whose child is missing a toy to play with?" I ask and put the package on display. Everyone lets out breaths of relief when suddenly a small voice says: "Gimme, me."

I look through the crowd and notice a father chid his small daughter: "Monica, that's not polite at all. This is our Alpha you want the toy from. What have we taught you?"

"Petty please?" she says thoughtfully, mispronouncing the word 'pretty'. My eyes light up as she turns to me again and demands confidently: "Gimme a toy, petty please, Alpha?"

Her father is horror-stricken at her boldness, probably also worried that I won't grant the toy with such attitude. I realise they are quite new here, probably joining within the last five months. I squat to the girl's eye level and wonder: "Such a nice girl you are. Do you want the squirrel, the rabbit or the . . ."

"Teddy!" she squeals and I know without further ado what toys I should give her. I carefully open the bag and it inflates. Then I hand over the teddy and she immediately cuddles it to her face.

Her father gently nudges her: "What do you say?"

"Thankyou," she mumbles with her face buried in the toy.

I pat her head as her father supplies: "Thank you, Alpha." In a lower voice, he adds: "I know how rare these items are and that you usually don't save enough to buy many of them. It really is a great boost for morale to distribute some sooner than at Christmas."

I smile shyly despite the bile rising in my throat. If only he knew I wasn't the one preparing this package and I certainly didn't pay for it! I will have to return the favour to Evans somehow.

Suddenly, I hear a distressed voice ask: "What's going on here?"

As soon as he starts speaking, I know it's Lewis. I get up and pat the girl's head once more but she's completely oblivious. I turn to Lewis and notice that he's worried. I don't know what David told him but he's jittery and restless. "Anyone's hurt?" he breathes out.

I walk over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Nothing is wrong, Lewis," I tell him kindly and direct him to the box. "I actually have something for you. And I want you to tell me if it's as good as I believe it is."

He looks at me incomprehensibly and I have to force him to look down. His cry of joy reassures me that I was right. "Is . . . Is . . . Is this . . ." Lewis stammers.

"Yes, it is," I laugh at his expression.

He immediately dives into the box and, in a few seconds, there are vials everywhere around us as he happily and merrily uncovers all the contents of the box from Evans. He yips and cries in ecstasy as I carefully move out of his reach to give him enough room for exploring. "These are all the things we've been missing in the hospital," he praises me loudly. "And you even thought of thermo-blankets. Thank you for giving us the Christmas presents earlier, Alpha."

I feel redness creeping up my cheeks as I attempt to accept the praise that doesn't belong to me. I realise that I should better find another means of income to afford more things like these. Suddenly, a thought comes to my mind. Maybe I could ask Atalanta if they need people to take care of something around her pack or other. Something easy, where the pack members won't suspect why a human is working there.

Meanwhile, I accept pleasantries and pats from my people on my auto-pilot mode, smiling, nodding, and thanking them back for being patient when waiting for these things. I know there is a great deal to discuss with my second-in-commands, and I know this is just the start. Furthermore, my people mustn't lose faith in me and our pack. My expression doesn't reveal my thoughts but, as soon as my eyes find David's, I know that he knows about my inner turmoil.