Forest Pack Community Book One (COMPLETED)

16

Nadia shook her head. “Goldie can tell me your name once she comes back. But you are very beautiful.” At that Nadia wagged her tail. Nadia looked back at the mirror so Goldie could see the shift back. They shifted back, bones realigning to human form almost effortlessly.

Goldie then stood there grinning like a cat who just caught a mouse. “Her name is Nadia and she’s beautiful.” ‘Are you ok Nadia?’ ‘Yeah just a little worn out is all.’ ‘Could you do it later for mom and dad?’ ‘Yeah, just let me rest a little. I’m going to take a nap.’ ‘Ok, I think you are a sandy colored beauty Nadia.’ To which she got a wolfy grin. She looked at Juniper. I DID IT! It was easier than I thought. Oo sorry Nadia. She’s napping. We’re going to do it for my parents later. I don’t know why I was so scared.” Juniper noticed Goldie didn’t even care that she was standing naked in front of her. She handed her a piece of fabric that would be better for drying off and cleaning up.

“Here clean yourself up. The messiness only happens the first time, again much like s*x. It’s very messy the first time. Not so messy the others. Goldie cleaned and dried and they both got dressed. Smiling as they went back to their machines. Continuing to sew, Goldie with a huge smile. She mind linked her parents. ‘I have a surprise for you. Can you wait at home?’

‘Yes dear we can.’ her mom said.

‘Thanks, Juniper, I’m sure will let me off early. It’s a special surprise.’

Her dad came through, ‘you’re not pregnant are you?’

‘Daad.’ Goldie said with an eye roll. He just chuckled because he knew better.

“Hey, Juniper, can I get off early enough to show my parents and still make it to dinner on time?”

“Of course, dear!” I’m coming to dinner too cause it’s a graduation party too. Hey do we have anything to give Felicia for a grad gift?”

“Are the scrubs finished?”

“Almost I think all that’s left are pockets on the shirts. I finished the pants. I’ll cut and pin the pockets while you finish the shirts.” With teamwork they finished the shirts. “I’ll wrap them and put our names on them, you go home and show off to your parents remember to take your clothes off first. Otherwise, you’ll be spending money on a lot of clothes.”

“I remember, thanks Juniper. What you did for me today meant a lot to me.” Juniper waved her hand like ah it was nothing. Goldie ran out and went all the way home which thankfully wasn’t too far. But she had been using the distance as her running time. But she didn’t want to tire herself out. Once home her parents were in the living room relaxing. “I’ll be right back I’m going to go get my robe on and take my clothes off.”

This statement confused her parents. “What?” her mom and dad said in unison.

All they heard was, “You’ll see.” A few minutes later Goldie came back down in just her robe. ‘Nadia are you ready?’ ‘Yup. Let’s show them.’ “Mom, Dad, I shifted today. Let me show you. Her name is Nadia.” She took her robe off and laid it on the chair next to her, stepped to the side and let the control go to Nadia. Who then took over shifting into her sandy colored beauty with chocolate-colored eyes. Her parents gasped.

Goldie’s mom said, “Nadia you are beautiful! I just love the contrast of your eyes and fur. Can we pet you?” Nadia came over to them and sat down. They scratched her ears, neck…to which she stretched to give them better access. “Ahh you like your neck scratched I see.”

“You, better go get ready for dinner.” Nadia grabbed the robe and ran off. A few minutes later Goldie came back in a knee length skirt and top. As she came back, she said, Tonight is a graduation party being put on by the kitchen staff. Felicia got a hundred percent on her GED. Juniper and I made a gift for her. She’s going for multiple medical degrees. She wants to reopen the hospital and treat werewolves in body, mind, and soul. So, it sounds like she’s going for an MD and a psychological degree as well. The soul she says is more of a natural thing for her.”

“Well, we can give her a check I bet that will help with costs for school.”

“Good idea mom.”

Her dad wrote a blank check handed it to her mom and said you fill in what you feel is right.” So, she did. Her mom found a blank card, wrote in it signed their names and put it in the envelope and wrote Felicia’s name on it.

When they got there, the Alpha and Luna were greeting everyone. Everyone who knew Felicia brought gifts. Others started asking for envelopes. So, Luna sent someone for a box of them. So, they started handing out envelopes to people who asked. When the Blooms got there. Goldie excitedly said, “I shifted for the first time today! My wolf is sandy colored with chocolate-brown eyes. Her name is Nadia.”

“Congratulations. Do you mind if we announce it tonight when we announce Felicia’s achievement?”

“I don’t mind. But please do her’s first. I know what she got, she of course came and told me.” Goldie laughed, “she ran into the shop, and we screamed and jumped. Then Juniper and I made a gift for her. She’s bringing the gift.”

“Ok. Enjoy yourself and the party.”

Niomi and her parents arrived next. She had a box in her hand and a smile on her face. They bowed to Ben and Lissa, who said to please stand. Started to tell them and Niomi cut them off and said, “Felicia saw me at her old house, her and Joe were picking out things for the new house.”

Luna said, “Enjoy yourselves tonight. It’s going to be a night of celebration! How is the set up going for the new business?”

“Between, my parents, Danny, Felicia and Joe when he can, we’ve been taking apart somethings so the room can be used. For instance, her parents’ room will be good for my work room with the space I can have multiple tables with stones at various stages. A bathroom and fireplace to use during winter. The plan is coming together. I’ve been talking to the stone smith and he’s willing to be my supplier if I let him sell some of my creations in his store. It’ll be good for both our businesses. I think once I finish high school, I’ll get a business degree. I’ll go part time or something while getting my degree and carve on my days off while doing homework. I’m not sure yet. We’ll see what happens. I’ve got time.”

“Sure, does sound like you have a plan to me” Ben said with a smile. With that they went inside.

Once the place was full. There was room to place a second table next to the normal head table, so there was enough room for all eight couples to sit. More tables had been added, and the main room had been rearranged for a buffet table to be set up. Marley had told the kitchen staff that they would have the night off. She would make sure the food stayed full. Her head maid who was also like her right-hand woman said she would help her, so that between the two of them they could both enjoy the night. Marley was grateful.

When Felicia, Mick and Joy showed up they were escorted to the head table. Where Placards were placed. Luna and Alpha were to the right of the middle Joy and Mick to the left. Middle two seats were Joe and Felicia. The Quinn’s were next to Joy and Mick. When Goldie saw Felicia she ran up to her and whispered in her ear “I shifted today for the first time! Then again for my parents! Not twice in a row like you. Nadia had time for a nap in between. I haven’t had a chance to tell Chris yet. I don’t sense him yet. But I’m sure he’ll find me or me him. We seem to always pick each other out in a crowd. Besides our families started to sit together ever since that night.”

“Oh my gosh, you must be so excited! Was as painful as you thought? Hopefully it was easier than mine was.”

“Juniper walked me through it. Showed me and then had me do it. Alpha is going to announce it after he announces your accomplishment. He’s just going to say that I shifted for the first time and what my wolf looks like. I guess he does that for everyone so that all are aware what I look like if they see me running around. We should go for a run sometime.”

Most definitely. My run card is starting to get full. My parents want to run with me. Joe too. Now you. Which is totally fine, I just got to find the time. I’ve been so busy getting the new house ready. Kind of overseeing the hospital add-ons but not really Luna’s been doing that as she knows what I want to do, she’s taken some of that of my plate. My mom’s been helping me fill the new house. They have some extra furniture. Plus my dad’s desk will go into my new office in the hospital. There is a nice big office off to the left side where my desk will go. They said that they were going to take out a window to get it in, so I took that moment to see if they could enlarge it, so more light could come in.”

“Good idea. Hey, I better go sit. Looks like things will start soon.” Goldie said as she hugged her best friend and ran off.

Niomi and her parents had also started sitting with Danny’s parents. The adults knowing. Niomi not having a clue yet. Her birthday wasn’t that far away. The party itself was in five days. The girls were all excited even though it seemed like they were all grown up they all had different levels of schooling to finish. Goldie decided to get that business degree, but what she had worked out with Juniper was that she would go to school in the morning and after work and do the apprenticeship in the afternoon. The college she had chosen was agreeable too. She had a choice to take the GED or finish school. She hadn’t decided what she was going to do. But she hadn’t been going to the high school, so she was thinking about going the GED route like Felicia did.

Once everyone was seated and the only ones running around were Marley and her assistant. Ben stood up and started his speech. “I’m sure you can all tell this evening is very special. There are alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages. We have brought in a bartender as the kitchen staff have the night off. Everyone has the morning off and can sleep in if they want tomorrow.” Cheers went up and when it died down again, he continued, “The reason tonight is special, and we have an extra-long head table is because this morning Felicia has yet again surprised us all. It seems she is just full of them. But this morning she came to my office to take the practice test on the GED. She got eighty-five percent on the practice. She studied the ones she got wrong. Said she wanted to take the real test. I warned her that if she didn’t pass today she’d have to wait till tomorrow to retake it. She still wanted to take it. To take the real test you are given two hours to take it. She finished in an hour and a half. When I checked the results I could barely contain my joy. I had to dead pan tell her to go get her parents. The Luna came running into my office angry that I hadn’t told Felicia her score until I told her. She could also barely contain her joy but had to until the three came back. Beta Mick came in mad that I had not told his daughter her score. I looked at him and asked him not to punch me yet. I could understand his anger, we’ve been friends for a very long time. Anyway, I told them, and the noise was so loud that Marley heard it in the kitchen. She came running to see what all the noise was about. When Felicia told her, she too got excited. So, I know I have not said the results yet. Marley you said you’d give the certificate back. Do you still have it?”

Marley came forward, “Yes Alpha.” She handed him a framed certificate. Then she also held up a finger, and she and her assistant came out with an enlarged version to sit on a stand in the corner which no one had really noticed. When they stepped back Marley pulled a cord and a sign dropped, that said congratulations! Other signs were dropped that said Graduation on them.

Ben continued, “Felicia scored a hundred percent on the actual GED. Which is unprecedented.” He waited while cheers went up all over the pack. Once they had died down he continued, “Now all she must do is pick the college she wants to go to. Her plan is to open the pack hospital and turn it into a full healing center. Mind, Body, and Soul. So she has a couple degrees she needs to get. The house next to the hospital will become a type of spa that will help the soul. There will be a meditation room, and other rooms as well. When she has that ready she will explain what the different rooms are for. Right now, it is still being renovated.” Most of the faces were a mixture of awe and admiration.

Ben breathed and asked, “Would Goldie Bloom please come up here.” When she had made her way up to the front, He said, “Goldie has shifted for the first time today. Her wolf is a beautiful sandy color with brown chocolate eyes. I am told Nadia is very beautiful. Congratulations to you as well Goldie. You may return to your seat. Now the order of food. Is Felicia first and those at the head table. Then from right to left starting with table number one. There is plenty of food so don’t worry. We all know Marley knows what she’s doing. She feeds the pack daily, so let’s eat!”

At that the feeding started, everyone was waiting their turn, Marley and her assistant brought out food to replace empty containers. Marely thanked her assistant for her help saying she appreciated her as she didn’t realize all the food that was going back and forth. Finally, everyone had food and was happily eating. There was a table under the enlarged certificate with gifts for Felicia. When the head table was done eating, The Luna stood up and said, “While the rest of you are eating your fill and before you all go. I want to thank Marley and her amazing kitchen staff for making and putting on this feast. I think going forward as a pack we will celebrate each graduating class with a graduation party. Gifts will be welcome, but each grad will get a drop box type thing that people can drop cards or envelopes into. Anyway. I stood up to say while you are all eating and before whatever desert Marley has planned. We’ll have Felicia open her gifts or envelopes. Felicia I only ask that you thank the person and not mention their monetary amount that is going to help you reopen the pack hospital and get your degrees.”

“Yes, Luna.” Felicia stood up and said, “I want to thank you all for your gifts and I want to thank Marley for putting this together for me. You all have been so wonderful to me. I came back to you an orphan and I feel anything but. Thank you to all four of my parents the ones who made me and the ones who raised me. I would be nothing without either one of them.” With that she sat down. As she looked out at her pack, there were a lot of teary eyes. Alpha Ben brought her the first gift himself and continued there, after. When she opened the gift from Juniper and Goldie, it was a pair of scrubs. “Thank you Goldie and Juniper. These will be perfect.” Next came a box from Niomi. When she opened it, her eyes lit up and when she pulled it out. She started to tear up. What it was, was her own rock carving. A wolf sitting howling up at a moon. The wolf was pure white sitting on a precipice. The moon had rays going down to the ground which was the moon’s support. It was beautiful. It had a note with it. With which she read to herself, then set the wolf aside and stood up. Once standing she showed off her friend’s creation. “I want to talk about this gift a minute because this is very special. My other best friend Niomi made this. She’s a very talented rock carver. She just knows how to work with the stone instinctively. I once asked her to borrow a representation of the Moon Goddess. She brought me this small wolf carved out of moonstone. I had to give it back because she had made it for her mother and I was just borrowing it anyway. But she made me this beautiful creation. I’ll describe it to you. It’s a wolf sitting on a precipice howling at the moon. Then the moon you see looks as if it’s hanging on its own. But it’s got moon rays shining down on the wolf. Showing the Moon Goddess who looks down and blesses us all. The rays are its supports, but each piece seems as if it’s a different stone. She’ll be opening her own business soon. But her note said, and I apologize to my friend, but I only pointed out what the Moon Goddess gave you naturally. It says, ‘Felicia, here is your own representation. The wolf is as white as you my friend. Thank you, for without you I wouldn’t be doing this. Love, Niomi.’ Niomi I just want you to know this means the world to me.” With that she sat back down and continued to open things as they came to her.