Magnolia Moon

Macy It was the summer of 2004. My friend Eden and I join other teens at the pack house. The pack was hosting a special meeting to honor our troops that would soon ship out for the war in Plainville. I was 17 years old and soon to be a senior in high school. Eden and I have been friends since birth. I was the Alpha’s daughter and Eden was our Beta’s daughter. Eden was beautiful with her long auburn hair, fair skin and emerald green eyes. She was the person who was destined for greatness and will be voted most likely to succeed. We had just taken our seats in the rec-room when her father took the stage. He was going to introduce us to some soldiers that were not in our pack as well as the ones that were, that would leave over the next few months for service. The goal of this meeting was to offer support to the families that their departure would impact. Some of us would volunteer to be pen pals and others would volunteer to collect goods to send overseas monthly. Beta Paul thought it would be a good idea to meet the soldiers and know who we are writing to or sending boxes to each month. I chose to be a pen pal. Eden, in true Eden fashion, was going to do both and more. Eden and I were sitting in the back row talking to each other when Beta Paul started talking; I had yet to lift my eyes to the stage. When I did finally look up, my breath caught in my throat. Looking back at me were the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. The soldier stood at ease in is Marine dress uniform, his dark brown, almost black hair cut in a normal GI crew cut, tan skin the color of gingerbread from working in the sun and those eyes. Mesmerizing crystal blue so clear they look like you can see through them, staring directly at my hazel-brown one. I never believed in love at first sight, even though we had been taught about the mating bond since birth. But there was something between us, between our stares. I was just 17, so I had not gotten my wolf yet, but the more I looked up at the stage, the more I wanted to get to know that soldier. I could not explain why I thought he was so handsome. Something in the back of my mind was pulling towards him. He did not look away. It was like all he saw in the room was me. Good luck with that, you know Alpha’s daughter and all. The whole time the Beta spoke, I did not know what he was saying. I could not look away. After what felt like a lifetime, Eden popped me on the leg to bring me back to attention, then leaned in an said “Wow, if he keeps looking at you like, you might go into heat.” I just gave her a look like I did not know what she was talking about. I was always very shy, and it was out of the ordinary for me to make eye contact that long, so when I looked back up and saw he looking away, I was a little embarrassed to think someone as attractive as him could ever be really looking at someone like me. Beta Paul finished talking and introduced the soldiers one by one. When he came to him, he introduced him as Sgt. Jace Brown. He gave a brief bio of each soldier and Sgt. Brown was studying to be in the JAG unit and one day hoped to be a partner in his father’s law firm. He was 24 years old and this would be his first tour of duty. He moved here from Texas and was studying at a local university, where he played football as well. He joined the Marines after the attack from Plainville that took many peoples lifes. He was the youngest son of three, born to a prominent attorney south of Houston. Both of his older brothers worked for the family law firm and owned a cattle ranch in the area. He loved his family and their ranch very much, but feels the need to fight for the right of our country and freedom from terrorism. After Beta Paul finished reading his bio, I think I fell more in whatever with him than I was to begin with. These were all new feelings for me; I was what some would call an innocent. I had never even been kissed. Most boys around here were too afraid to even talk to me, for fear my six older brothers might kill them. Here in our small town I was known as untouchable. If you weren’t scared of my dad, you had run from my 6 very tall, very well-built warrior brother. All of them were over 6’3 and over 260 pounds of solid farm labor muscle. I was the baby, the last one born and the only girl. My mom died shortly after giving birth to me, so Eden and her mom were my only female role models. I wasn’t attractive by model standards; and tiny for a she-wolf. I was the pretty girl next door. I was 5’0” and weighed 90pounds, soaking wet. My best attribute is most of the 90pounds landed in all the right places. Eden used to say I was stacked, and that’s why my brothers were so protective of me. Eden just didn’t understand, since she was an only child and the daughter of Beta Paul. She would never have to worry about being over protective brothers who would just as soon punch someone for looking my way. In fact, if any of them were there and saw Jace, I was not sure even his military training would save him. I wondered if he knew he was in the middle of a wolf pack? Our territory looked more like a small town than an actual pack. We were set up so no one really noticed that we were not human. Our small town was about fifty miles outside of the big city of Atlanta, and with a population of 1500, you would not know we were not just your normal farm country. To the outside, people thought dad was a Sheriff and Bata Paul was his deputy. Beta Paul finished up talking and dismissed everyone for refreshments. During the meet and greet of the soldiers, Eden pulled me to the front of the rec-room to where her dad was standing in the middle of all of them. He was shaking hands and about to introduce us when a hand landed on my shoulder. I looked up and there stood my youngest brother. ‘How did I miss him in the crowd, it’s not like it’s a packed house.’ “Micha” I jumped and shouted in surprise. Just then Jace walked up beside Micha and stuck out his hand. Micha pulled him into a man hug and introduced me to Jace, his college roommate. How on earth did I not see that one coming? Micha and Jace play football at the university and I never put two and two together. My eyes dropped to the floor. I was so embarrassed and knew no matter what I felt, nothing could ever happen with Jace and I, my brother, would kill him. Jace I was running late getting to this youth function that my roommate had told me about. They were looking for soldiers that were getting ready to ship out and wanted to keep a little contact back home. Micha had told me to sign up so I would not get lonely when I was overseas and, hopefully, have something to look forward to each month. Getting a letter or a care package didn’t sound like such a bad thing to most people, but I knew from boot camp how lonely it could be. If I had something to look forward to, then maybe I could make it for the year I would be away. It was hard knowing I was about to put everything on hold for a year. I had just finished my undergrad and started the graduates’ program at the university. I still had two years left to become an attorney. Micha, my roommate, rode with me to his family’s home and was talking nonstop about how his little sister's best friend. Her father was the deputy of the little town he lives in. That is how Micha got me in to be a part of the program. If I did not know any better, I would think he had a thing for the sister’s friend. “I never knew you had a sister.” I looked over at Micha. “Yeah, she is the baby, 17, a senior in high school and there is a reason you never met her!” “Micha, I have met all of your family, they come to all the home games. I have been to your house and partied with all 5 of your brothers. Never once did I see or hear a sister. You have never even talked about her.” “We always make sure she is away from the house before we invite friends over, and have you never thought it was strange not all 5 of my brothers met you at the football game?” I just looked at Micha with a blank expression on my face, how he could not trust me enough to introduce me to his sister. We pulled in front of his house and Micha walked me in. I wondered why we were having a meeting for the community at his house, but they had a very large house in the middle of farm land. It was a little more like a hotel that boasted a rec-room, indoor/outdoor pool, an huge ball room/dining room and staff that took care of everything. I often thought it was strange for a sheriff to live like this, but Micha just explained that this house and farm had been in his family for generations. Deputy Paul James was leading the meeting and wanted to meet with all of us first and get our bio information sheet before we all walked out together to the rec-room. Just as we walked in, Micha’s phone went off so he stepped outside to answer. Mr. James ushered us into the main area and we stood in front of everyone while he tried to get their attention. I was scanning the room for Micha when I saw her; I saw an angle. She was the most outstanding beautiful girl I have ever seen. She was laughing and talking to a girl with red hair sitting beside her. Just then, Mr. James spoke, and she looked up, our eyes locked. I could not take my eyes off of her. There was something about her that pulled me to her. She was breathtaking. Her long golden blond hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, brown eyes the color of chocolate milk, tan skin, but not too tan just right and a face like an angle. I could not take my eyes off of her. There was something familiar about her, but at the moment I could not put my finger on it. Just then, her friend popped her on the leg and we broke eye contact. When she looked back up, she would not look in my eyes again. I could not wait for Paul to finish talking so I could introduce myself to her. When he finally finished, I went to walk off the stage to the back row, but she was not there by the time I made it through the crowd. I looked up towards the front saw Micha talking to my angel. I walk up and put my hand out to shake hers when Micha pulls me into a bro hug, then he does it. He ends my universe with just 4 words, “Jace, meet my sister.”