Winter Rose

Chapter 12: The Red Moon

I awoke howling in agony, and Theo was immediately on top of me. 

“Get out.” I panted. 

“What? Don’t be stupid. What happened? Was it a nightmare?” He asked. 

“No. Get out.” I said between gasps of pain as I doubled over in bed before getting up and sprinting to the bathroom. I prayed I wasn’t too late as I slammed the door closed behind me. Locking it. s**t. s**t. s**t. Where are they? I thought to myself as I tore apart the cabinets. I heard the room to my bedroom slam open as Em came in. 

“Go home Theo.” She growled.

“No I’m not going anywhere until someone tells me what the f**k is going on.” I heard him say stubborn as always. 

Just f*****g tell him. I snapped in her mind. 

“She’s starting her heat cycle. You need to go.” I heard him gasp and then I heard the other footsteps pounding up the steps. “Go home. Now. Before they get to you.” I heard Em say before she closed the bedroom door. Finally, I found a pad and went to the bathroom. Breathing a sigh of relief. I hadn’t started bleeding yet. I managed to get my pad in my underwear, peed, and washed my hands as I listened for the tell tale signs of Theo sneaking out my window. When I heard the window slide shut I opened my bathroom door and saw Em barely holding back the males in the house. 

“All good.” I said. “Look he’s gone.” 

“Em do a check.” Papaw said tensely. “Damien and Brad take the first patrol around the property. Adam and Drew you’re next. Keep rotating. I want the territory guarded every minute for the next month.” 

“All clear.” Em said. 

“Good. Now you can calm down.” Mimi said entering my room. “Diana and Clara are patrolling around the house, Brittany and Crystal are next. Lydia and I will take our shift after them.” 

“After the competition this stops right?” I asked Mimi as Papaw and the rest made their way back to their rooms. 

“After he marks you it will stop. So yes, as long as he marks you by your next heat cycle this won’t happen.” 

“I need to find a mate quickly then.” Em snorted. 

“Well the good thing is all of you who can procreate are currently synced in your heat cycles so it’s only once a month they go into intensive guard duty.” Mimi said, “I know it sucks to have your every move monitored for an entire month, but it’s to protect the pack’s integrity. As your hormones increase so does the testosterone of the males in the pack so an unmated female won’t get pregnant.” 

“I know Mimi” I whined, “It’s just so annoying.” 

“I know honey.” She said stroking my hair. 

“And I am already irritable and in pain, the last thing I need is more frustration.” I growled. 

“Em go get the orange juice and chocolate.” Mimi whispered. “It’s going to be okay Alex. You’ll get through this like you have for the last five years.” 

“I feel like my uterus is being shredded inside of me.” I cried rolling onto my side.

“Hey at least you only have to deal with it for four weeks out of the year and not twelve.” Mimi said. I snarled in pain and annoyance. “Oh thank the Goddess. Here’s Em. Now sit up and drink your juice. Here take your pain killers, and nibble some chocolate. Good. Good. Now Em is going to be in heat too so you both have to watch out for each other at school.” 

“We know Mimi.” Em said. 

“And I think it would be best if Em stayed in here with you until the cycle is complete.” Mimi added. 

“I know I know. We can’t be too careful making sure my wolf doesn’t run off to breed and he doesn’t sneak in.” 

“Avoiding him at school should be fun.” Em said dully. 

“I’ll call him and explain that I will be dropping you guys off at school this month.” Mimi said, “Now just get some rest. Thankfully, you have the weekend to get readjusted to your cycle before school on Monday.” She kissed our foreheads and left the room. 

“Good thing Theo is a shitty fighter.” I groaned as I lay down. 

“Yeah, Papaw and them won’t have to hurt him super bad to get him to back off.” Em agreed. She let out a groan doubling over. 

“Pads are on the counter in the bathroom.” I said. She nodded and got up. I continued to lay in pain doubled over in the fetal position as the cramps continued to wash over me. I barely registered the feeling of the mattress sinking as she laid on the other side of my bed. My wolf whined and bayed to be set loose fighting against her shackles in my mind, adding a splitting headache to my growing list of discomforts. 

“Oh you poor things. We brought some reinforcements.” Britt said. 

“But you have to get up for a bit.” Crystal said, following Britt into the room. Em and I only groaned in protest. 

“I figured they’d be a pain.” Britt growled as she set something down. “Come on Crys, you grab Em, I got Alex.” I growled in return as Britt started lifting me. I tried to flop back onto the bed, but she held on tighter. Placing me in my vanity chair. “Here, have some cake.” she said pushing an entire german chocolate cake towards me as Crystal pushed my computer chair next to me with a groaning Emily placed in it. We each picked up a fork and began shoveling cake into our mouths. While Britt and Emily changed the sheets on the bed. 

“Alright. Back in bed.” Crystal commanded. “That cake has to last you two the weekend.” Em and I got up and made our way towards the bed. The flannel sheets were exceptionally warm as Britt and Crystal had put the mattress warming topper on the bed under the sheets. After we crawled under the sheets they put a heated blanket over us, followed by my regular comforter, and topped with my weighted blanket. “Sleep well. We will see you in the morning.” Crystal said, giving us each a kiss on the forehead. It was so warm and comfortable in the nest they had made my pain ebbed away and I fell asleep almost instantly. 

“Come on guys, time for breakfast.” Mimi’s voice chimed from the doorway. I groaned in response. “I’ll have none of that. Come on now up up.” She came to my side of the bed and started removing the layers of my nest until I lay in only my pajamas. I reached to pull my protective layers back over myself but my hand was effortlessly smacked away by my grandmother. “Get up. You still have to eat and train. Em you get up too.” 

“Five more minutes.” Em whimpered. 

“No. You get up now.” Mimi answered swatting at our rumps. 

“Let me die in peace you evil woman.” I growled.

“Alexandria Mae Rose get your spoiled ass out of bed this instant.” Mimi growled using her alpha voice. My wolf begrudgingly shook off her depression and I started to follow the commands. “Honestly, how the hell do you plan on being Alpha when you become a huge crybaby like this every year?” She muttered to herself as she slammed my bedroom door.

“She has a point.” Em answered glumly. 

“You’re one to talk.” I growled back. 

“Hey, I’m not expected to lead a pack so I can afford to become a crybaby once a year.” She stuck her tongue out at me. 

“As my future Beta I forbid it. If I must be tough and plaster on a smile through this you have to as well.” I groaned while getting up and moving to the bathroom to get ready. Em followed me groaning the entire time. 

“You better feed me chocolate cake, if you expect me to perform even in my heat cycle.” She said as we left my bedroom. 

“How are you, uh, feeling?” Papaw asked. 

“Fine.” I grumbled as aunt Diana placed a plate of her famous chocolate chip waffles in front of me topping them with whipped cream and strawberries. A glass of fresh orange juice was put next to it. 

“Eat up hon. We won’t be going easy on you just ‘cause it’s that time of year.” Diana said with a smile and I obeyed. Each bite was the perfect balance of fluff with a crispy outer layer, the whipped cream and berries balanced out the sweetness of the chocolate chips. I moaned out in happiness as I ate my breakfast and drank my juice. 

“Here’s the pain meds.” Mimi said, handing me my pills. “Remember you should take them every four hours.” 

“I know. I know.” I grumbled, passing the bottle to Em. 

“God. I do not miss those days.” Britt muttered. 

“Me neither.” Crystal nodded her head in agreement.

“So glad I got fixed.” Lydia agreed. 

“You guys are so lucky you had the option to do so, back in my day we had to just deal with them until we aged out of having them.” Clara sighed. “It’s amazing you wound up an only child Crys.” 

“We only managed it by locking you three in isolation while we ran off to go hunting.” Brad nodded.

“Dark times for all.” Damien nodded solemnly. 

“It wasn’t that bad.” Papaw flushed red at the sharp look Mimi gave him. “But it is nice only having four of you dealing with it instead of seven.” 

“Four?” I looked over to Steph and Fae. “First time?” I asked them. They nodded, “Don’t worry it won’t be too bad this time. Unfortunately, it gets worse with age.” 

“Why would you tell us that?” Fae asked. 

“So you’re prepared for the dark times ahead.” I sighed melodramatically. ‘I was woefully unprepared.” 

“Oh quit your fussing. Don’t listen to her girls. She’s just a drama queen with awful pain tolerance.” Aunt Clara dismissed me with a wave of her hand. 

“Do you even remember your last cycle?” I shot back. 

“I’m not that old.” Clara said. “That’s it. Outside now, we’re settling this like real women you little shit.” 

“Sure.” I grinned at her feeling my wolf ready to unleash her frustrations. 

“Clara! Watch your language around the children.” Mimi frowned in disapproval. 

“Sorry Alpha.” Clara growled looking at me with murderous intent. 

“Alex, respect your elders for Goddess sake.” 

“Yes, Mimi, sorry aunt Clara.” I muttered. 

“Hmph. We’re still starting your training now.” Clara said getting up and leaving the house. I followed and shifted as soon as I was outside. I was soon tackled and held down. 

“It’s just a precaution dear.” I hear Mimi say as I felt something yank on my tail. I squirmed to get away and realized I was pinned by Britt and Crystal. Finally they released me and I turned to find a hot pink doggie diaper around my waist. 

No. I thought to Mimi. Take it off. Now. I growled in her mind. 

“Not gonna happen.” She smiled at me vindictively as I chased my rump trying to get a hold of the velcro tab. I rolled on my back and tried tugging on the elastic band covering my crotch. While the rest of the pack laughed. “Alright, Em. Your turn.” Mimi said, turning on her. I barked out a laugh as she was pinned to the ground and trusted up in a teal diaper. “Can’t have you horny females running off and mating.” Mimi said with a devious smile. 

This is cruel and inhumane treatment. I muttered into her mind. She only laughed. 

Let’s go pup. Clara said to my mind, beginning to start her circling. Unless your diaper inhibits your ability to move. That was it I lunged for her throat and brought her down to the ground. She kicked and scratched my underside. Biting my foreleg she pulled it out from me causing me to tumble. She rolled on top and had me by the throat. I used my full force kicking my back legs into her stomach and flipped her off of me. I put my paw on her throat preventing her from being able to bite or scratch me until she forfeited the match. 

Incoming! Francis cried in our minds, we turned to see him running from the woods after a golden wolf with blazing green eyes. 

No. No. No. Stop! I screamed into Theo’s mind. He halted for a moment before turning his nose to the air and continuing on my scent. I panicked. He can not see me in a doggy diaper. He just can’t. Go home Theo! I yelled into his mind again. Once again he hesitated and it provided just enough time for Mimi to herd us back into the house as Francis and Adam tackled Theo to the ground. My wolf howled in frustration as she wanted to run to him. I had to shift back, but she was going wild with the need to see her mate. My heart ached as I chained her up and shifted back. 

“That was close.” I muttered as I watched the men muscle Theo into the truck and drive him back home. 

“Yeah. Imagine his reaction to your diaper.” Em laughed. 

“Yeah. Or him getting a picture to show to the guys at school of yours.” 

“He wouldn’t do that, plus they wouldn’t understand it was me.” 

“Yeah but they’d still laugh at pictures of a wolf in a diaper. Whether they knew it was you or not. You would know.” I laughed as she turned red. 

“You two aren’t leaving the house except for school.” Mimi said approaching us. “I don’t know how we are going to keep you and him separate at school, but I’m sure Em can find a way.” 

“Well we will just have to eat lunch in the library, but unfortunately they have a class together.” Emily mused. “But I’m sure they won’t do anything in class. Xander normally walks her to class, and back to her locker so they shouldn’t have alone time.” 

“Good. Good.” Mimi murmured. I growled, my wolf restless, and not liking this plan to keep her from our mate. 

“What about the other female?” I ground out. 

“She may try and challenge you since he won’t be able to stay away from you. But you have to remain diligent in not engaging her.” Mimi warned. “Especially at school.” 

“Wouldn’t it be easier to just say we had mono or something?” I pulled at my hair in frustration. 

“No, your education is important. You just have to work extra hard to control yourself and your instincts. You'll be fine.” Mimi waved a hand at my protests. 

“Fine, but I’m going to my room to eat cake and read.” I muttered heading up the stairs. “Em, come.” I commanded and she joined my side. Mimi laughed exasperated with us. 

“I’ll bring your lunch and dinner to you. Until then you’re isolated in your room.” Mimi called after us. 

“Are we going to be that annoying in a couple years?” Steph asked. 

“Goddess, I hope not.” Mimi answered. 

School was torture. Em and I tried hiding in the library to eat lunch, but Theo sniffed us out. Of course once finding us Tony and Xander joined him in interrupting our lunch. Jessica then used her heightened senses to sniff out Theo and nearly shifted in the middle of the school library when she caught my scent. My wolf immediately wanted to rip her throat out and mate with Theo in her blood. I made an excuse and ran to the ladies room with Em staying close on my heels. “Thank the Goddess Mimi has been drugging us with birth control mixed in with our pain meds.” She sighed as we locked the door. 

“What?!” I asked turning on her. 

“You haven’t noticed she gives us an extra pill at dinner time?” She c****d her head at me. 

“No, I just take my meds like I’m told.” 

“Well this whole controlling our instincts would be a lot harder without that.” She mused, “Imagine if our hormones were full force. I would have lost my virginity right in the library with everyone there.” She blushed. 

“Goddess this cycle needs to end.” I moaned. 

“Two bitches in heat.” Jessica said, as she broke down the door. “You two need to get your s**t under control, now.” She grimaced. “Here.” She extended her hand. Em and I recoiled from the vial she held. “Relax. Wolfsbane in small doses helps to take off the...edge. In heat anyways.” She said. “My family takes a drop of wolfsbane oil and dilutes it in five gallons of water. So the amount of wolfsbane in this vial is very minimal, and one drop a day should be enough to suppress your urges for school. This vial should last the both of you through this cycle and your next.” She removed the stopper and put a drop on her tongue. She grimaced. “Tastes like s**t. But it works.” She screwed the dropper back into the vial and placed it on the sink. She turned to leave. 

“Why are you helping us?” I asked her. 

“I don’t think you want to win by getting knocked up, and I’m not going to lose over something as stupid as a b***h being in heat.” She left then. Em went and picked up the vial. 

“It could be a trick.” She said, just water. But we both knew it wasn’t we could smell the wolfsbane coming from it. It was very faint and diluted like Jessica said, but still there. “I’ll try it first.” Em offered. I gave a brief nod. She took the vial and dropped a single drop on her tongue. She grimaced and turned on the faucet gulping down cold water. Finally she stopped and wiped her mouth. “Well she was right about one thing. It tastes like shit.” 

“How do you feel?” I asked. 

She hesitated a moment, “It worked, my wolf is a lot calmer.” She said handing me the vial. I took the dropper and hesitantly placed a drop on my tongue. It burned slightly like eating too hot pizza but then the sensation disappeared. And the aftertaste was like I just chewed on charcoal. I followed Em’s lead and flushed out my mouth with water from the sink. It took a minute but my wolf went from baying and howling to whining and curling up. I finally felt in control of myself. I tucked the vial into my purse, figuring the scent from the vial would also help Theo keep his distance. I was able to pay attention in my classes after lunch and walked happily to metal shop without a single indecent thought popping in my head. 

Theo scooted a little away from me in class. I see Jessica shared her little trick with you.  He smiled. Maybe I was wrong and you actually are rubbing off on her. 

You knew about this? I questioned him. 

Yeah but I wasn’t about to tell you to poison yourself. I think it’s reckless, but if it helps. He shrugged. We continued working on the handles for our hunting knives and I let my work engross me as I ignored him and his stubbornness.