Secretum Passionis

The Announcement

Gina and Dean lived in a cottage on the edges of the main territory. Mated couples were given private accommodation once their mate bond was complete. The housing however did take on the form of a small community, where couples raised their pups and lived in a wolfy suburbia.

Dean was still at the school and his supposedly handsome cousin was no where to be seen. Gina ushered me into the living room and sat me down on the couch while she went to the kitchen to make some tea. I leaned back into the puffy cushions and grinned to myself. The cottage was furnished in a typical Gina manner. Effortlessly elegant.

She returned with two steaming cups of chamomile tea and sat down on the coffee table opposite me. She grinned at me broadly. I was about to tease her when she squealed excitedly “Dean and I are expecting a pup!”.

We leapt up together and I flung my arms around her neck, gushing out my congratulations. It was excellent news and I was almost as excited as she was. It took us a while to calm down and then we just sat on the couch, staring into space, both smiling our broadest smiles.

Gina broke the silence. “I wanted to tell you in person. This is one of the announcements that will be made this evening.” She swallowed and her voice lowered. “And I’ll be leaving the warriors.”

That I did not expect. Gina and I grew up together, we played together as pups, we trained together when we were identified as warriors, except for her being mated to Dean and moving out of the barracks, we did virtually everything together. The thought of not fighting and training by her side hurt me deeply. “Oh.”

“It makes sense though, Cass.” She whispered. “Even though things are peaceful right now, being a warrior is dangerous. We both know this. And I don’t think I’ll be able to give my everything when I have a pup I need to protect.” She reached over and squeezed my hand.

I nodded and swallowed the lump in my throat. “Yeah, you’re right.” I gave her my bravest smile. “But you’re crazy if you think you and Dean are the only ones that will be dedicated to protecting this pup.”