Black Mountain Mates

Etana

        Serena was a sweet woman. She told me all about Dire Wolves and their customs while she picked me out an outfit to wear from her closet. Their pack was call the Escuro Dire Pack, and it was one of seven Dire packs in the world. Come to find out one of them is visiting in two days. The Escuro pack is technically not ‘hidden’, but they do not have any contact to any other wolves besides other Dire packs. So, no communication with Wulfkin. Which explains the reason why our pack thought there were ‘rouges’ in The Miskas. And with them being Dire’s it explains why none of our pack ever survived.

        Apparently, Alpha Daejon and I share birthdays. I turned eighteen and he turned twenty-five. He’s also been waiting for his Mate for seven years, and it’s taken a toll on him. He’s become colder, harsher, meaner. Which happens to all Dire’s if they don’t find their Mate in eight years. Soon, he will become feral, and denounced as the Alpha. That will devastate the pack, leaving them with no true Alpha, like my pack. And for some reason, hearing about his struggles made me sad. It shouldn’t. I’m not his Mate, or I would have felt it. I’m a Wulfkin, and all Wulfkin can feel their mate at eighteen. I didn’t feel the pull with Daejon. We weren’t Mates, he was wrong.

        “So, what’s the point of keeping me here? I get it that Daejon thinks I’m his Mate, whatever, but what’s the point if I don’t feel the bond?” I asked from within the bathroom while I was getting dressed.

        Serena sighed. “I’m not sure that Alpha Daejon is thinking, but I’m hoping that soon you mature and feel the pull. You don’t get it. All of us can feel it, you are our Luna. Me and my patrol could feel you. The need to protect and watch out for you was there in us before we even realized.”

        I slipped the white tank top over my head and then slipped on the tight-fitting shorts. I braided my long hair and pulled it over my shoulder. “Even if it was true, Serena. He doesn’t want me. He said it right to my face that I was a Runt. No Alpha would willingly mate with a Runt. I would destroy his Alpha bloodline and none of our pups would be Alpha’s, ever.”

        Hearing her laughing caused me to bust open the door with a serious expression over my face. She saw me and quieted down a little.

        “You ‘Wulfkin’ are funny little creatures. A Dire wolf doesn’t have a specific bloodline. They are meant to breed with their Mate, and only their Mate. The pup isn’t effected by anything except that. A Dire’s blood is so strong that it develops the pups perfectly, no defects, no issues.” She said with a warm smile on her face.

        How are our two breeds so different? How do neither of us know about the other?

        I thought for a second before I asked my next question. “How can I mind link with you when in wolf form?”

        Serena shrugged. “I think you have to be accepted into the pack…by Alpha Daejon.”

        “Oh, so never. Cool.” I said rolling my eyes. “I don’t understand what I’m supposed to be doing here now.”

        “Do you want to go out and meet some of the pack?” She asked as she got to her feet.

        I shrugged. “Sure, I’m all yours for three days, but then I’m leaving.”

        Serena tried her best to keep from making a sad face, because inside she knew I was never getting away from her pack. I was here for good.

        We walked and talked, greeting other Dire’s as they came up to us. One thing that was getting on my nerves was the whispering. I could see them doing it everywhere I looked. I had to keep remembering that they weren’t used to seeing outsiders.

        After about three hours of this I was getting exhausted. While Serena was busy talking to two other she-wolves I got bored and wandered off a little. I moved down the dirt road smiling at those who did to me, or avoiding those who looked at me with black eyes.

        “Mama look! It’s Elsa!” A little female pup cried out to her mother.

        I smiled warmly and waved to her. I guess I did look like the icy queen. While I was still smiling from the girl, something else caught my attention. In the distance two boys were dragging a girl around the side of a building.

        Instantly knowing they were up to do good, I rushed over to peak around to see what they were doing.

        “Let me go, Koron!” The girl pleaded.

        The wolf with brown hair let out a low growl, causing her to flinch back. “Shut it, Runt. You remember what I told you? All you had to do was convince your brother to let me go on patrol last night! This time of year, they always get to go out and hunt a loner, but no. You disobeyed me, and now I’m going to show you what happens when Runt’s like you don’t listen.”

        The other guy with blonde hair kicked out the girls legs and slammed her knees into the dirt, and instantly something awakened in me again. I clutched my chest, feeling my shifting being forced on me.

        “Open your mouth, Deva!” The brown haired kid shouted as he undid the front of his pants.

        Within an flash I was my white wolf and charging for them. They noticed me coming far too late. I launched myself at him, taking him to the ground and ripping at his chest at the same time. His screamed echoed through the small space, before I turned to bite at the arms that held the girl. He was smart enough to let her go and run off. The girl they called Deva began to shake as she curled up with her legs against her chest.

        I let out a little whimper to get her attention, crawling nearly on my belly to show I didn’t meant to harm her. She let out a little cry as tears streamed down her face. I sat down in front of her while she held onto my neck and soaked my white fur in her tears.

        “Thank you white wolf…thank you…” She sobbed out.

        I nuzzled into her gently. Then I smelt more wolves coming, I turned my head to see three Dire’s in wolf form, and one very angry black wolf leading them. I stood up in front of the girl and let out the fiercest growl I could manage. Telling them to stay away from her.

        Behind me, Deva petted my fur. “It’s okay thats-“

        Daejon lowered his head baring his teeth and lunged for me. Knowing there was no way in hell I was going to be able to fight him with Deva right there I ran down the ally to a more open space before confronting him.

        The moment I turned his body slammed into mine, but I was small and swift. I recovered before hitting the ground and bit his leg as hard as I could. He reached down and clamped down on the back of my neck, swinging me off him and into the dirt. I climbed to my feet and darted away as he dove for me again, but not without getting nicked in the hind. I let out a yelp before I went after him this time. I went right under him sliding onto my back to bite and kick at his underbelly. I got him several good times before he reached down and locked into my shoulder, picking me up by it and tossing me again this time into a tree.

        I didn’t think I was going to be able to get up again. This was it. Exactly how I predicted it. Alpha Daejon was the one who was going to kill me.

        “Brother stop!”

        I glanced over to see the girl holding herself watching with tear filled eyes. He let out a growl/bark at her before focusing his attention back to me.

        She shook her head. “No! She saved me! Those boys were going to…No one even noticed but her! Instead, you punish her! You weren’t even there to save me this time! Where were you?!”

        Out of energy I felt myself shift back to my human form. I looked down to see I was littered with bite marks from Daejon and I’s fight. I rubbed my face and whimpered a little as I tried to get up. Deva ran over to me.

        “Let me help you to Dr. Grange.” She said gently.

        I nodded, glaring over to the black wolf. “If I am your Mate, I will never accept it.”

        Serena came up next to him and looked down. “Look at what you’ve done now…”

        I ignored them and let Deva take me to the doctor.