Inevitable #1 Hunter for Liberty

Markus

Everybody relatively toned their voices down once I stood by the chair on the right side next to mine, where my mate's rightful place is. This has been how it was ever since we mated. I stand by her chair waiting to pull it from the table to slide it back in for her after she places her dish on the table so she could slip in her seat easily.

The seating arrangement has been like this ever since my father and his father's father and many other father's of a father before him. The Alpha's place should always be on one of the two short edges of the center large rectangular table, symbolizing the head of the table and the place of command with the space on the other side, opposite him empty. Beside him is the Alpha female's place, the Alpha's chair always bigger than hers and any other pack members for he is the Alpha. 

Although his Luna's chair is smaller than his like any other pack member's, her place is beside him. Always to his right not behind but by his side as she is the Luna. Though his Alpha wolf is much stronger and more dominant, still they are equal and one in the eyes of the moon Goddess. Hence, they should lead side by side not one behind nor ahead of the other. 

It wasn't easy at first but he learned during the course of time that there is a fine line between the man called Alpha Markus and the man that is forevermore Catherine's mate. Respecting your female when you are supposed to doesn't make you a lesser male than someone who just silences their women without any accounts of their arguments to feed the masculine ego.

The Table is long, made out of the finest wood, and is rectangular in shape. There are three identical long tables set-up in the common dining hall, the one in the middle is for those of high ranks. The table to their right is where mated wolves and the elders sat while the other to their left is for the teens and pups.

Taking my seat at the head of the table after I had assisted my mate to sit in hers, I regarded my Beta. Charles and his female, Heart, is beside him and both bowed showing respect. Their place always on Catherine and I's right while the Third in command, Lucas and his female, Barbara, are seated side by side both to our left and like the first couple they bowed too when they felt my stare in their direction. Following Catherine's chair is one of the two Elders, Juliet and her twin Juana sat beside Barbara. 

Juana was talking to Gary, the pack Doctor beside her while three strongest representatives from the pack's Tracker and Fighters remained seated firm and straight looking at their Alpha. Watching not in weariness but respect and they all bowed too when I regarded them one by one in their respective place on my table. Eyes focused and demanding attention, straightly meeting theirs but not challenging. There is no need to challenge for I know they love me, Heart and Chaste as I do theirs for as Winter Warrior wolves we are one and a family.

Nobody ate despite the abundance of food at the table in-front of them, not even the pups dared to touch any. They acknowledge that the Alpha is their leader, he will always be the first and they will follow his lead this is always naturally inculcated in every wolf the caitiffs refuse to accept. That's the first truth and rule all wolves were taught growing up. The Alpha is first to eat for he is their protector, sits front-row for he directs them and he is first to run into a battle to defend them for he is for and by the pack, and is always ready to die for his Luna, their pup and for all of their people.

I took a bite of meat married with the creamy and delicate mashed potato with a drizzle of gravy. I served Catherine a bite from my plate, once the spoon I thrusted into her mouth was emptied I grabbed the tray closest to me to serve a piece of French toast from Heart's kitchen and everyone begun serving their females then their own as I served my mate's plate.

"So, our visitors from the far north left a bit too early huh?" Catherine asked, her attempt at striking a conversation.

"Yes, Luna." Charles answered even though we all know it was a question not needing answers for we would have been eating with the visitors if they haven't left already, the ever polite man that his beta is. 

"What made the far northerners grace us their presence from down here?" asked Barbara who handed Charles the plate of scrambled eggs after serving her mate in return.

"They were looking for Randal's mate who fled the mating ceremony like any other sane female who where dragged up there by stupid cavemen." Heart said with a tone of annoyance and distaste ever present every time we talk about the Bloodmoon pack.

"You must really hate northerners." Lucas declared in a playful tone in an attempt to put humor on heart's usually serene face now slightly contorted in disbelief.

"Oh Lucas, I am sure I don't hate my mate." Heart croaked looking around the table then at Charles. "Or you." she added looking back at Lucas. "Or Juliet or Juana or any another wolf here." she finished sounding slightly defensive.

"And we believe you Heart..." Barbara said softly raising an eyebrow at Lucas. "Don't mind Lucas, he always had dry sense of humor. He knows but he still tries and know that he does not mean any offense every time he tries." Barbara shaking her head towards her mate as she smiles in amusement.

"Off course Barbara, and no offense taken." Heart said "What I mean is that I don't hate Northerners because I have been one for quite a long time now..." she elaborated looking at Lucas with an unsure smile as if looking for some sort of agreement that she is indeed now a child of the north like everyone of them are.

"I'm sorry." Lucas said. "You are one of us Heart. There is no question in that." He pointed out sincerely. 

"Perhaps I chose the wrong word." He said sheepishly shaking his head slowly leaning into Barbara's direction and I think it's safe to say that everyone finds it amusing that the ever uptight-silent Lucas is showing such a childish character by gouging his eyes bigger with both eyebrows raised and lips arched in a light smile as him and Barbara got closer to each other. Forehead meeting the other on the side, regarding each other in a subtle happiness only couple has.

As if Barbara is a teacher who caught him, being a student sneaking a bite of cookie during class hours and he's trying to discreetly act like hadn't done so. Juana chuckled slightly and as if on cue Lucas straightened in his seat cleared his throat and sipped on his orange juice.

"Rephrase it then, Lucas" Catherine commented eyes sparkling in sheer amusement.

Everyone erupted in quiet laughter and there was silence. A comfortable silence as we ate with smiles on our faces.

"It's not a secret that they truly are quite the far off kinds of beings, men or wild beast." Catherine voiced out after a short while. Every women on the table nodded in agreement.

"It's easy not to like them." Barbara remarked.

"For them, they are wise to preserve the tradition and remain to the raw nature of our being in their own belief child." Juliet said in a calm voice. "We should not crucify them for the difference they have over the new norm we now follow." she added with what seems to be age old understanding as she speak.

"And we don't but you can't surely expect us to like and appreciate how they treat women in that caveman lair." Heart reasoned voice calm but eyes alight with fire most women of the west possess and I saw Juana's nonchalant face pride and amusement playfully dancing in her eyes.

"As you should, I did not say I approve either." Juliet said like a mother trying to console her child. 

"At least we don't follow such tradition anymore..." Catherine said quietly taking a bite of her French toast. She regarded me with the look both proud and thankful for there was a time when I could have done her what the far north did with their women if she wasn't as strong, brave and well spoken as she was those days.

"That's all thanks to you Luna Catherine..." Barbara said not hiding the adoration and pride in her bright emerald eyes. My wolf stood straight prideful of our own mate for awakening a part of us that is not only teeth and claws.

"Goddess forbid any of our women be mated to them for as long as they treat them like trophy and breeding instrument." Heart said probably thinking of her daughters. I looked at the table that holds my daughter and her only cousins who are also both females. Had I still been my old youthful self this fact would have been a big problem. Alphas find shame in not having a male as its first born but how could I feel shame over my very sunshine? 

My daughter like me sits front-row, Unconsciously marking her place with the others, pups or teens, after her. She does not lead with brute strength but grace and humility, she is like her mother brave and wise commanding respect and adoration. My wolf puffing his chest in proud agreement.

Today is Monday, the beginning of a good week. On Sunday, at the end of this week my Sunshine will turn 8. To most wolves, turning 8 is just a usual happening in life but to someone who came of Alpha blood and is a first born, it could be the day they acquire their wolves and shift for the first time. If Chaste is dreading the day out of fear she doesn't show it, neither does she brag about the possibility of changing earlier than her friends and playmates. 

*Alpha, A tracker of Midnight moon brought a letter marked by their symbol*. Lucas informed me shortly through the mind link seeing as the meal is near to its end. I turned towards my mate kissed her on her temple and then stood up signaling Lucas to follow me in my study.

I heard a few seats scraping by the floor after we turned to leave. My best fighters and trackers has already finished eating earlier that me, but like the beginning of the meal me leaving the table signals the end of it. All the Fighters and Trackers present must leave and go back to their tasks so they could send the men stationed around pack premises to have their meal. All regular pack members has a choice of their own to remain in the dining pavilion for more chatter or go back to their house and continue their daily routine.

"I ordered the fighter who accepted the letter from Hugo's son" Lucas said as we entered the study.

"Already he sends his son to tasks like this." I commented. Not that I have a say in it after all it's his son. "The lad seems too young to venture a different territory quite far from them." I added voicing out my thoughts.

"The lad is 12 Markus and I doubt Hugo sends him alone on his own." Lucas commented nonchalantly.

"Alpha?" a firm voice said outside after its owner politely knocked three times. One of my trackers walked in head slightly bowed down holding a letter with the blood-moon mark. when he reached a foot away behind Lucas' chair before my table he looked up. 

"Gama" he greeted Lucas first then turned to face me and bowed mouthing "Alpha" in a firm and leveled tone.

"Jason, just leave it on my table and you may go take your meal." I said acknowledging him as my lips arched a little in an attempt to smile subtly to thank him for his effort. He did as told and left to join his team in the dining pavilion.