Lycan's unexpected mate

New Alpha

Thaumas

I am still waiting for Atalanta when I hear an excited yelp from somewhere on the right. I know exactly who that was because the only person who could be elated in this situation is my little Tali. And it also means that she has somehow persuaded her parents to let the baby cross out borders. Well, if her mother Rhea agreed, there wasn't much Triton could change on the decision.

I smile to myself and mindlink her. "Atalanta, are you coming?"

"Yes, just a minute more."

"Good, I'm waiting with the Alpha near the huge weeping willow."

She cuts the mindlink then and I wonder what her next plan is. I sit down next to the Alpha's body and think of when I will see my little sister again. Pomonna has just enrolled at a university for the second time. She is passionate about natural sciences, something I don't understand at all. But I support her wholeheartedly and I try my best to help her with her studies. Come to think of it, I can't imagine her finding her mate and starting a family. True, I found my mate Ceres before last year when she became an officially mature lycan. However, we still have to wait for at least 20 years before we can think of our own children because she is still underaged in terms of family life.

I and Mars hum possessively when we imagine Ceres bearing our pups. We have talked about it already and we have agreed to have two or three children. She wants to get pregnant only twice and I will never force her otherwise. But we still can't agree on the age difference of our future progeny. Thinking of Johann and how Atalanta has immediately bonded with the child, I am worried about how women react to their own offspring. I know they can get protective and vary towards others, just like Queen Rhea, but what else? I don't even know how the women react to the idea that they are with a child. And Lycan pregnancies last only four and a half months, half of the time of werewolf or any other species' pregnancies, so it has to take a toll on the females' bodies as well . . .

I shake my head and find a better position for my back. I shouldn't be thinking along these lines now. My blood little sister is discovering the world and, although she's of age, she wouldn't mate anyone without informing me and my parents first. Tali is a different case because she's still in the Lycan community and surely her mate will be there and I will know him.

Anyway, true to her word, Atalanta arrives within five minutes, holding Johann in her arms. He looks fast asleep and she's smiling.

"Good news, then?" I ask her and she nods her head vigorously. I chuckle at her antics and peel myself off the tree. Her smile is contagious and it looks as if her face were to split in half.

"My mother sent me to find some formula and clean clothes for Johann for when we travel. So, we could set off in the early morning," Atalanta informs me and I only nod because I don't decide our schedule. She does as she's the Alpha's daughter.

"How did they take it?" I wonder while bending to the Alpha's corpse.

"Well, I have to send him to another pack soon," she admits and helps me adjust the body on my left shoulder. She supports the weight with her right arm so that it doesn't look too awkward because werewolves aren't as strong as lycans.

"And how are you taking it?" I prod her calmly.

She bites her lower lip and looks at her feet. "It's hard. But at least I can ensure his safety and well-being. I hope his parents would agree with me."

"Certainly. They certainly would."

Tali grants me a sad smile and we start walking to the packhouse. We don't speak and I think her mind is wandering around the world map and finding a suitable foster family for the boy. I don't talk to her because I know that sometimes silence is better than words. And I try to think of a suitable place where we could camp for the night.

As soon as we reach the clearing, the pack members surround us, recognising Alpha White's corpse. Some of them give howls of despair and torment. They commemorate their Alpha the best way they can before giving way to Emily and her daughters. I can't see Emily's mate and I hope he isn't dead.

"My dear nephew!" she cries out. It seems that she didn't believe Atalanta when she told her earlier.

I blink at Emily and realise that I was completely right that she was close to the Alpha. I keep my eyes closed in sympathy when I feel her hand on my right shoulder.

"Thank you," she whispers looking at both me and Atalanta. "Thank you for bringing him back. Let me take the burden now. You've done enough for all of us."

Emily turns to two women behind her and motions for them to relieve me of the weight. I turn my head in denial and offer: "I can take him wherever you say. One of you can exchange with Atalanta but I'm still stronger and can help."

The women share an uncertain glance and shrug in the end. The stronger one of the duo comes to Tali's position and barely manages to support the dead weight. I feel sorry for her but, at the same time, I am impressed that she doesn't complain. I look at Emily and she leads us towards the packhouse. And here I thought that the morgue would be in the hospital . . .

Atalanta

I watch Thaumas leave with the woman who is barely keeping up. I mindlink him: "Thaumas, slow down, she's not me."

At that, he really slows down and I nod to myself. I can feel that the woman is thankful that he is so considerate. I look at the other woman and she averts her eyes. But I need to ask. "Can you take me to the clinic, please?"

"Yes, Alpha. Follow me." She bows her head and leads me to the building right next to the packhouse.

When we enter, I am assaulted with different smells and noises. It feels like the battlefield to me, although here people seek to save lives and not take them. The woman stands next to me and doesn't move anywhere. I feel her unease, therefore I let her go with a motion of my head and she bolts away.

I take a deep breath and regret it a second later. I smell death. I smell blood. I smell urine. I smell despair. I smell anguish. Looking around, I notice the only female doctor injecting a male patient something, presumably epinephrine.

But despite her efforts, the patient's vitals flatline. I watch everything as if in slow motion. She calls for a crash cart, a nurse lubricates the pads and the doctor shocks the patient, muttering to him: "Don't you dare die. Not you too. We've lost too many." She repeats the shock three times, but in vain. She takes another syringe, injects him a full dose and tries to shock him again. No response. Before she can continue, the nurse stops her hands. "Brenda, stop. He's gone. Please."

My legs involuntarily move me closer to the women. The doctor's eyes hide unshed tears as she embraces the nurse. I have never gone into hospitals or clinics after finishing fights. I have never realised that more battles are fought in that place. I have thought that it all ends on the battlefield thanks to the enhanced healing abilities of werewolves and lycans. How wrong I have been! The critical conditions still need to be treated by specialists and sometimes this doesn't work the way it should. And despite our efforts outside, these places have the final say in the number of casualties.

"May I interrupt?" I ask the pair.

The doctor quickly pushes away from the nurse, wipes the few tears on her cheeks and tries to smile at me. "Sure. How can I help you? You don't look injured."

"It's not me." I show her Johann. "Do you have any spare formula in here?"

The doctor frowns at Johann and me and then blinks in surprise. "Where are his parents?" she demands while swiftly walking away from me to a locked cupboard.

I follow her, surprised that she knows. "How did you know . . .?" I start to answer with a question of my own.

"That he isn't your child? You don't look like a woman who has already given birth. And I can smell that you're not from my pack, Alpha," she explains while unlocking the cupboard with the second key and I nod in understanding.

She bends down to the lowest shelf and pulls out two packages of formula. "Should be enough for now, Alpha."

She hands them over to me and I try to balance both Johann and the packages. She smiles brokenly. "His parents are dead, right?"

I can't seem to find my voice so I only nod. She exhales sadly and is prepared to ask something more when we hear another patient's heart monitor flatline. She closes her eyes in pain and rushes in that direction, leaving the cupboard open and me standing in shock. I feel like vomiting. This is too much! Without waiting for the outcome, I rush outside and dry-heave behind the building. This was too, too much for me. And here I thought that I was strong. Bullsh*t. I am a weakling. The real heroes are working in the hospitals, unseen by the outer world and I doubt they are given enough credit for working in these conditions. I wonder how the doctors and nurses can endure the stench of the place. I am shaken to the core.

After a moment, I gather enough strength to face my pack and the survivors. I am glad nobody saw me because it would be close to impossible to explain my state without failing in their eyes. Rule number two of the leadership: Never let them see you sweat. Being the leader, you are responsible for them and if they see that you aren't alright, it could undermine their determination to follow you.

I return to the main area to see a vote being held. I wait in the background and look around to find members of my pack. They are right behind the pedestal where an elderly woman is standing. "According to the vote," she says, "we have chosen to appoint a new Alpha family while the representatives of the Royal Pack, the people of Silent Heights Pack, are still here to witness it."

She looks behind herself in the direction of Thaumas and I mindlink him: "What's up?"

He finds me in the small crowd and motions for me to come to them. I do so despite me looking somewhat ridiculous with what I carry in my arms. The woman notices me as well and bows. "Alpha Summons, please, be the witness of our decision."

My eyes flash with astonishment for a second before I school my expression and try to play my part. I bow to her as well and say: "I accept my position of the witness."

I look to the side and Thaumas nods slightly at my action. I am thankful that I still remember some of the procedures. I haven't revised the steps since I first learnt them more than a century ago so I am a bit rusty. I recall that I will need both my hands so I hand Johann and the packages over to Thaumas.

The woman looks at the crowd and announces: "With the power bestowed on me and the number of votes, I hereby call Emily White and her family to us as the new Alpha family."

There is a surprised gasp and people part to let Emily and her daughters through. I smile at them encouragingly as they take cautious steps towards the pedestal. The elderly woman pulls them up and prepares the ceremonial dagger. "Your husband will join us as soon as he's released from the hospital. Now, Emily White, do you swear to fulfil the duties of our Luna, protect us, cherish us and lead us with our Alpha to the new era?"

"I wow to do so," Emily says, bowing her head.

The woman cuts Emily's hand and uses the blood to draw full moons on Emily's and her daughter's foreheads. "I proclaim you the Luna, dear," she says smiling. "May your daughters find their happiness and lead with wisdom."

I know that it's my turn to say something as the witness but this ceremony seems rushed so I'm unsure if it's my turn or not. Therefore, I stay silent and when the blood on Emily's forehead gets dark and is pulled into her skin, I know that the ceremony is completed. A strange feeling of calmness engulfs the pack as the link with their new Luna is established. And a minute later, there are howls of appreciation as the pack gets their Luna. I keep my smile on as I climb down the pedestal and inform my pack: "I've talked with my father. We are leaving in the morning."

Nobody protests and I take Johann back. I can't leave him alone and Diana doesn't want to, either. Together, the thirty of us leave the pack members to find a place for the night.