Forest Pack Community Book One (COMPLETED)

chapter 13

Felicia started to carry in the chair, and Joe ran out and said, “Here, let me carry that.”

“Well thank you Joe. You’re being so sweet.” Felicia smiled at him. Juniper just grinned.

While Joe was carrying in the chair Juniper walked up to her and asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I wanted to tell you thanks for the cape it is beautiful. I also wanted to see what you did to the shop.” Felicia said.

“I have a strange question for you.” Juniper said mischievously. “On the way over did you smell anything?”

Felicia gave her a look and asked, “smell?”

“Yeah like any scents and I don’t mean pickup truck smell.”

“Well, I did smell fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.” I just figured it was in someone’s lunch.”

Juniper pulled her to a stop. “Do you have anything else in the truck to get? You said something about art supplies.”

“OH, yeah!” and she went running back to the tuck with Juniper on her heels.

As she was grabbing the bag, Juniper asks, “Do you still smell the cookies?”

“Huh? Not really…they were much stronger before. I was starting to crave them they were so strong.”

“Reeaally. Has Azella said anything?”

“Um…I haven’t been really listening.”

“See if she’s awake.”

‘Hey, Azella, you awake?’ ‘Sort of. But I am now. Why?’ ‘Juniper wanted to know.’

“Yeah she’s a wake now.”

“Well let’s go take those art supplies in.” Juniper said smiling as she walked ahead of Felicia. Calling out, “Hey Joe, you got that chair set up? Put one next to the desk too. Felicia has some art supplies to add to it.”

When they got inside Azella started saying I smell mate I smell mate! ‘What the heck?’ Once they were inside and face to face with Joe himself, Azella growled “MATE!!”

Joe’s wolf Aiden also growled, “MATE!!”

Everyone backed up. Juniper calmly, mind linked Alpha Ben and said, “You should probably have Felicia’s and Joe’s parents come. Or you just come but they have just growled mate at each other.”

Ben said, “THEY WHAT? Ok I’m coming with Lissa, Felicia’s only sixteen. Mick’s going to kill me! Plus, I just gave her house away to Niomi. Then again I bet she didn’t realize she was going to meet her mate today either. Goddess take me.”

“OH, Alpha you don’t mean that.” Juniper said.

“Lissa,” Ben exclaimed as he almost ran past her office door. “We need to uh…um…”

“Ben just spit it out.”

“Felicia growled mate. Then received the same growl.”

“Oh dear. This is good and potentially bad. Who is it?”

“Joe.”

“Joe Quinn?”

“Yes. That’s not too bad of a match. I’ll min link the Quinn’s. Where are they?”

“Junipers’.”

“Oh. Ok. Um You get Mick and Joy. I’ll meet you there if we must split up.”

“Ok.” Ben continued to Mick’s office and knocked. He heard the invitation to come in. Which he may be kicked out on his ass depending on how Mick reacted. “Uh, hi Mick. What you doing?”

“What’s up Ben, I know you. Spit it out.”

“Weird Lissa said the same thing. Um Felicia is at Juniper’s I guess she was taking some stuff over there for Goldie.”

“Yeah, Juniper mind linked me asking for help. I sent Joe, Chris, and a couple other guys to help her rearrange her shop. Why? What’s the big deal.”

“It seems that Azella and Felicia growled mate and then received the same growl in return.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying? That MY little girl has found her mate?” Mick thundered.

“Yes.” Ben said trying to be as small as possible which was tough because he was a big guy. Mick came at him and pushed him out of his office and right on his ass. Ben mind linked Joy and had no qualms squeaking help he just pushed me on my ass. Joy’s response was a typical oh dear what did you do now.

But she came running anyway. When she found them Mick was almost beat red. Joy ran up no fear at all and said, “Mick, babe, look at me.” When he did, he calmed down a tad. “Mick what happened?” she asked, totally ignoring Ben on the floor.

“BEN, just told me that our daughter has found her mate and her mate has recognized her.”

“What?” she asked rounding on Ben. “Is what he’s saying true Benjermin?”

She rarely used his full first name. “Yes. I can take you to them.”

“Who is it?” Joy asked.

“Joe Quinn” Ben said ready to run for his life.

“Anne’s boy? Oh, he’s a good kid. Mick dear, calm down. She’s still our little girl and always will be. That will never change. But we knew this day would come. Plus, she’s not going to stop calling us mom and dad just because she found her mate. Let’s go meet the boy and his parents. I assume that’s where Lissa is?”

“Yes ma’am” Ben said not wanting Mick to kick his ass again. At this moment he was very afraid of his friend.

“Then let’s go. Take us to them.” Joy said taking Mick’s arm and holding it tightly. In a mind link she said, ‘Ben you should have got me FIRST. Felicia’s his little girl. Where are we going?’

‘Ben answered, Juniper’s place. I know I should have. Sorry. Help me bring up the mating ceremony?’

‘NOT till after the birthday party that’s only a week and a half away.’

After that they walked on in silence. Mick calming down as he walked because of his mate’s touch on his arm. Once they got there Lissa and The Quinn’s were also just arriving. She looked at Ben who she could tell was scared out of his wits. In their private link she said Mick pushed you on your ass and you didn’t get Joy first didn’t you. His reply was you shouldn’t know me so well.

Inside the shop, the only people inside were Juniper, Felicia, Joe, Chris cause well his mate was Goldie he just didn’t realize it yet. The other hot footed it out and had run away leaving the truck. Juniper had sat them in different chairs but near each other. She knew how this worked. This was kind of her fault. But she wasn’t sorry. When the parents arrived, she told Chris to go and that she’d see him tomorrow for his consult.”

Ben just looked at her knowing she was going to do it again to him but this time with Goldie and Chris. ‘He said to her, what time.’ ‘10am’ ‘We’ll be here at 10:30. I better not get knocked on my ass again. I’m not going to Goldie’s parents. I’ll go to Chris’s. But THAT’s tomorrow’s problem. Why do I have a feeling we’ll have a triple mating ceremony.’ Juniper just said, ‘OH that’ll be fun.’ Ben just shot her a look of don’t even say it.

Getting back to the issue at hand. Lissa took over. Now, I hear you two have found your mates.

“Yes.” They said in unison.

“Have you held hands at all or touched before saying mate?”

“At my old house. It’s now Niomi’s shop. But I get to go through again and get anything else I want. We touched when I picked up the chair for Goldie’s drawing table.”

“Did you feel anything?” By now all the parents had walked into the shop and were all standing anywhere they could. Not really choosing sides. As there were no sides to choose. Juniper had moved towards the back to give all parties involved space.

This time Joe spoke up, “I felt a tingly electric type of shock where we touched.”

Felicia agreed as well. Then she said something that confirmed it to everyone. I also couldn’t stop smelling freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.”

Joe also spoke and said, “I couldn’t stop smelling jasmine and strawberries.”

All the adults in the room just looked at each other.

Lissa announced, “Well, it’s official, Congratulations you two are officially mates. We will have to figure out when the mating ceremony will be.”

‘Lissa dear, we must come back here at 1030. With Goldie’s and Chris’s parents. It’s going to happen again’

‘She looked at him and said ‘WHAT?’

‘Juniper accidentally found two of the three girls’ mates. It just so happened that Felicia met up with Her’s. Tomorrow Chis is coming in at 10.”

‘We’ll talk about this later. Let’s finish this so everyone can go home or eat or whatever.’

It’s about dinner time. I have a suggestion why don’t the 6 of you sit down together and get to know each other. Sound good?”

Felicia who was extremely happy stood up and said, “I really like that idea. Don’t you Joe?”

“Yeah I do.” With that they walked off hand in hand. The parents were trying to keep up with them or at least trying to keep them with in eyesight.

Ben and Lissa turned on Juniper. “What are you doing?”

“I technically didn’t do anything. The guys started ribbing Chris about his crush on Goldie. Then he mentioned what she smelled like. So, I asked if anybody else smelled that. They said no. That’s when I figured it out. As far as Felicia goes, I did not know she was coming back with Joe. Then she started flirting and well I asked if she smelled anything on the way over. She told me that she thought it was in someone’s lunch box. I asked her about the supplies, and we went back. She said the smell was gone. I wanted to see if Azella was a wake. Turned out she was…then mate. That was after I had arranged the Goldie meet up. Guess I better make a lilac tie for Joe.”

Lissa said, “Ben, I can handle this. I’ll just mind-link both families and ask them to come down. Once Juniper tells me that they have growled, mate.”

“Ok then, I’ll leave you to it. I don’t enjoy being knocked on my ass. It’s not a good look. I can take my friend doing it. But a random pack member? I don’t want to have to use my aura to get them to back down. That’s not how I like to operate normally.”

“I know dear. That’s one of the reasons I love you. Now let’s go have dinner.” Leaving Juniper to do as she pleased. She decided she’d eat at home after tidying up the shop one last time. She then locked the door and went home.

Dinner between the Quinns and the Winters was interesting at best. The fathers were unsure because of their age. The mothers were laughing and looking forward to the public part of the mating ceremony. Joe and Felicia were holding each other’s one hand and eating with the other. Sometimes feeding each other. Mick had trouble not growling. He was trying to hold back his wolf Mako.

But as Joy said the kids were only a year apart. Sixteen was not a strange age to find one’s mate especially after shifting. The mothers knew the men would calm down after a while. They also agreed that the mating ceremony should be After the party. As well as AFTER Niomi’s actual birthday on the fourteenth. Should we pick the date or ask the kids? Wondered Joy.

Anne said, “if we ask the kids They are going to say the sooner the better. Or at the party and I don’t think that’s a good idea.” What about a month from now? Which would make it August twentieth?”

“Sounds good the date is set. I hope they don’t decide to do a three-way mating ceremony. It would make it easy and a nightmare all at the same time.” Joy pointed out, “Because their mating ceremony should be about them not the three musketeers.”

“Very true.” Anne agreed. “You and I need to get together. There’s a lot of different emotions at this table and I feel you and I are the only sane ones right now.”

Joy laughed, “I agree. Mick shoved Ben right on his ass. Ben knows that he must get me when he’s got to tell Mick something of this caliber. Like the night his sister died, and niece was missing. That was another time Ben ended up on his ass.” The women laughed so hard.

Once dinner was done. Lissa and Ben forgot that the unmet mates were going to meet tonight. Ben stood up, If I could get everyone’s attention, Goldie’s sixteenth birthday is today, so we’re going to have chocolate ice cream and strawberries.”

Lissa softly said, “uh oh” Ben quickly glanced at her then realized what was about to happen. But he couldn’t stop now.

“Goldie If you could come up here please so that we may sing to you.” Unknowingly she came up walking right past Chris, who once again smelled vanilla and strawberries.

Goldie however smelled fresh summer rain. Her wolf said “I smell mate. Where’s mate?” Goldie said “Nadia I don’t know what you’re talking about? It must be raining.” And continued up to where Ben was standing. She said to them softly, “Nadia is saying she’s smelling our mate. I don’t know what she’s talking about. I only smell the summer rain. Is it raining?”

“No dear, it isn’t.” Lissa said.

Goldie stopped. Turned around and looked at Lissa, do you know whom it is by chance?”

“I do, but I can’t tell you. You two must find each other. Trust me, I am sure his wolf is saying the same to him. Now turn around.”

So, Goldie did. While Goldie was having her conversation with Lissa, Chris’s wolf Odem was chanting ‘I see mate I see mate!’ Then when Goldie turned around Chris stood up.

Ben hurriedly said, “Lets sing happy birthday to Goldie!” Then him and Lissa started in and so did everyone else. Twenty seconds later everyone sat down and Chris Hawker was still standing.

It was deathly quiet as everyone was wondering what was going on except the four guys who were at the seamstress shop today helping, Chris and Odem growled, “Mate”. Then all eyes were on Goldie.

Goldie and Nadia then growled in return, as Nadia already had smelled him, “Mate.” Both set of parents stood up. Fathers reacted as fathers. The mothers reacted as mothers and mates. As they each grabbed their mates and tried to calm the two. Ben called out, “MARLEY, can we get that ice cream now?” in a mind link he said, ‘Chris and Goldie just growled mate at each other we need a distraction before all hell breaks loose. I don’t want to have to use my aura to calm a room full of people down. We’ve already had one mate pairing today, now we have got two.’

‘Oh my. On our way.’ Marley linked. She rushed everyone out with carts. That had been waiting in the freezer. They came out in droves. Goldie and Chris though made their way to each other and held each other’s hands and before anyone could stop them, they kissed. Joe and Felicia thought that was a great idea as they had not done that yet. So, they leaned towards each other and kissed too. Right in front of their parents. Mick was shocked. Joe’s dad was not so much. All the mothers said aww.

Ice cream came quickly and each cart had a shelf of chocolate and a shelf of vanilla. As they got to each table they asked which one they wanted. Which was the exact distraction Ben was looking for. As carts were emptied they were taken back refilled and sent off with another worker with an empty cart.

Felicia of course said chocolate and so did Joe. Goldie also said Chocolate but seeing as Chris kept smelling vanilla and strawberries that’s what he asked for. Goldie asked him why he picked that, he answered confidently, “love, when you’re around it’s all I smell.” Which melted her heart.

“Do you like chocolate?”

“Yes I do. I like both. Just this time, I wanted what I smelled when you are around.” Chris said. He looked at his friend and said, “Hey man do me a favor let my mate sit with me?”

“Sure, man not a problem.” When he went to find another seat with his ice cream and strawberries the only seat was next to, you guessed it Niomi and her family. That’s when he smelled cherry blossoms. Niomi didn’t smell anything yet because she hadn’t reached that age. But she did think he was attractive. He kept the smell to himself for now. He had a feeling seeing what was going on around him and Niomi was the only one at the table that was about the right age. He asked, “So, hi, my name is Daniel, but everyone calls me Danny or Dan.”

“Hello Daniel, I’m Niomi’s father George and my wife May. Why’d you leave your seat?”

“Chris wanted to sit next to Goldie.”

“Makes sense.” Shrugged May.

“I seemed to be drawn here. Not sure why.”

May smiled and since they were near open windows she said, “It’s a beautiful night I love the smell of Roses. What do you smell Danny?”

Danny who wasn’t exactly paying attention said, “Cherry Blossoms”

George and May looked at each other and nodded. George excused himself and found Danny’s parents. Who were not that far away but there were no seats at their table for Danny to sit at. Daniel’s dad Don and his mother June looked at George who was crouched between them. Don said, “Hi George, what’s going on?”

“My wife May did an innocent test. Because your son just came and sat with us after Chris asked him to give up his seat. May said, ‘It’s a nice night I just love the smell of Roses. What do you smell?’ And I don’t think he was thinking clearly but he said Cherry blossoms. Our daughter turns sixteen on the fifteenth. So, we’re not expecting any exclamations quite yet. But I’m pretty sure there will be.

“By George, sorry had to, couldn’t help myself. But I think you are right. What do we do? Well, the typical mating ceremony is a month after exclamations. I don’t know when Felicia’s is. I believe after my daughters. Which would be the same day. I think the six of us need to have a talk and get our mating ceremonies figured out. Agreed?”