Finding Selene

Chapter 12: Four Years After The Adoption

Apollo

“No! There’s no point. I will not disrespect the Goddess, nor will I betray Selene like that!” Try as he might, Apollo couldn’t keep a level tone. It had been ingrained that good Alphas stay calm through every situation, but his parents pushed him again to go to this years Mating Ball. She wouldn’t be there; Selene was somewhere with the humans. She is his mate, and Apollo had declared it at 4 years old when she was born. Finding your mate is in every bedtime story, it’s the goal of every wolf, and it’s the reason all the packs get together for the Mating Ball every year. Having turned 16 this year, Apollo was expected to attend the ball, but he felt like it was an affront to his missing mate; something he exclaimed loudly and often.

Selene had been missing for seven years, not dead they new because the pack link hadn’t been severed. Four more years and they could use it to track her, find her and bring her home. That was Apollo’s mission; bring his future Luna home. Regardless of his parents, of the elders, he knew he would wait. He wasn’t supposed to be with anyone else. He would wait for her, no matter how long it took for him to find her.

Apollo stormed out of the pack house where his family lived in the top floor, passing many pack members on his way. His anger was boiling, and he knew he was going to lose control. His wolf was no help in control, his anger being just as volatile as Apollo’s. Making it to the forest tree line Apollo shifted and starts running the pack lands perimeter. Most wolves took 10 hours to run the extensive perimeter of their large lands; being an angry alpha it would take him 6 hours with water breaks.

We should go after her. Find mate, find beautiful Selene. Adonis declared, huffing in frustration, mind to mind.

We can’t, and you’re well aware of that. We tried to find her when she first went missing. She got lost in the human system for those without families.

She has family.

We know that, hopefully she knows that. But she was so young, humans probably wouldn’t have listened anyways.

Adonis huffs and lets out a frustrated howl at the sky. The amount of pain and frustration in that howl cause the other shifted pack members to respond with supportive howls. No one had to ask the cause of the alpha heirs’ pain and discontentment. Everyone missed the beta family; they were as beloved as the Alpha family. Replacing them has been impossible, and the pack hasn’t argued with being beta-less for the last few years.

Just four more years, Adonis. Apollo tried to comfort his wolf, but the statement just came out sounding resigned.

Only four more years. Adonis agreed, but instead of resigned he sounded determined.

Selene

“Mom! Guess what!” Selene bounced on her toes at Sierra’s window in excitement, Riley and Mason coming up behind her, the former smiling almost as big as Selene and the later scowling.

Sierra chuckled, “What’s going on with my triplets?” Everyone knew Selene, Mason, and Riley weren’t triplets but being the same age in the same grade and always being with each other provoked the nickname and then it stuck.

“Damien asked me out! He asked me to go to the skating rink with him and his family!” Selene’s voice went higher the more excited she got and she started bouncing faster, her curls bouncing half in front of her face. She fidgeted with one of the two necklaces she never took off, the little gold heart third that said ‘lil sis’. The other was her birth mothers necklace that she was wearing when she died.

“That’s so nice, baby!” Sierra smiled broadly, “Get in, lets go get your sister from work and then we can go shopping! We’ll get a new outfit for your date and grab dinner while we’re at the mall.”

“Shopping!” Riley and Selene faced each other excitedly.

“Not the mall! PUH-LEASE!” Mason threw his head back and groaned, knowing he was outnumbered and defeated.

The three climbed into the van, leaving the front seat up open for Bethany knowing she would need the extra leg room. While she loved working as a waitress in town, she often over worked herself and needed to stretch her legs out or she would succumb to horrible leg cramps. Sierra often tried to get her to relax and enjoy being a newly 20 adult but Bethany was set on being able to not only support herself but help the family as well, not that they were struggling as Sierra often pointed out to Bethany.

When Bethany climbed into the van, she handed each of the kids a small plastic plater with chicken wings and sweet potato fries. She, then, handed a bag to Sierra with a big smile. Sierra looked inside and her whole face lit up when she saw the chicken wings, loaded baked potato, and key lime pie. Everyone gave their thanks and Bethany burst out her exciting news, then everyone headed to the mall.

“Okay, lets huddle up, chick-a-dees. We need to get a plan in place before I let Mason wander on his own. First, does everyone have their life360 active?” When everyone nodded Sierra continued, “Mason, here is $50, I don’t think an outfit should be more than that. Make sure you check in every hour and keep your volume on. When we meet up, we’ll do it at the food court or if you’re ready first then text me or follow the life360 to us. Sound good?”

Mason nodded enthusiastically, “Thanks mom! I’m going to the arcade and probably Game Stop, oh! Maybe, Hot Topic too!”

Sierra chuckled, “Just stay out of Spencer’s. Girls, we are going to Macy’s first, then we’ll go from there.”

After hours of laughter, and many outfits being modeled, Selene found an active skort with a loose ruffled black skirt and a green off the shoulder top. It was cute and loose enough to be functional while skating. She was so excited, she thought she might spontaneously combust before the weekend. That night she showed her new outfit to Michael, Mason, and Marcus who all ooo’d and ahhh’d appropriately. She went to sleep that night with a smile on her lips, her stuffed wolf Apollo hugged to her side.