The Great Mate Escape

Oh Hell To The No

Why do we have to go to this damn school? It smells of humans and wolves. Humans. Gross. Such vile, dirty creatures. They can’t even shift, they are weak, they cry to mommy and daddy for everything and if they cry and whine enough, they get it. Entitled brats. f**k! Why did the King send us here? And who is that woman that he keeps bringing over?

“Zane, dude. You need to chill the f**k out. You’re projecting your thoughts and aura pretty harsh, man.”

“So what, Zander. Have you looked around us? We are in a f*****g sweat box full of stinky humans.”

“Ya, and the way you are acting right now is no different from them. Shut the f**k up and quite acting like a f*****g baby, Zane. You’re starting to piss me off.”

“Fine. You know I can’t stand humans though, Zack. I mean, how could I with what happened to mom?”

“Dude, I get it. Really I do, but these people didn’t do it. They most likely have no clue about weres or even who your mom was. Calm down, or you will completely give us away.”

I huff and scoff, but I know they are right. I am acting like a spoiled, entitled human. This generation is filled with them. Now my mom’s generation of humans, I liked them, minus the one who killed my mom. He, I hated with all my being. I was only 9 years, still a pup, when I lost my mom to this asshole human. He found out my mom was a were and turns out he was a hunter. One night, she was out for a run, dad was busy doing things, meaning the pack w***e. This asshole had been hunting mom for weeks, he had information, pictures of her human side and her wolf side, even had slides of her shifting. Well, one night he laid out a trap while she was in her wolf form, knowing where she kept her clothes. When she came back and was just about to grab her clothes, a net sprung up and trapped her in it. The hunter then injected her with wolf’s bane, taking her power to shift and her strength away. You see, wolf’s bane is a plant that can be cooked down to make a liquid that, if used in large doses or even smaller doses over time, can kill our wolves but it before that, it makes them weak and we usually can’t talk to them until the effects wear off, if they do.

So this j******f, injected her with enough wolf’s bane to retreat her wolf and even knock her out. When she didn’t come home, I called my dad and when he came home, it was the first time I could smell the pack w***e on him as he always came back after I had gone to bed, so I never knew why he was out so late. Now I knew. I instantly hated him for it. He went and had a shower and got a few men together. He told me to stay home but I was so mad at him, I decided to go look for mom myself after I waited for 20 minutes after they left so they wouldn’t smell me. I could smell their scent and went the opposite way. I went to the tree where she usually keeps her clothes and they were still there, but the dirt was disturbed. I could smell both my mom’ scent and that of a human. I followed the scent and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Blood, lots of blood. My mom’s blood. I ran hard following the smell and stopped when something so horrifying was in front of me.

A human, a man, was covered in my mom’s blood. He was laughing with a bunch of other men and when I looked at what was in the middle of the circle, it was my mom. She was n***d but you could barely tell. Her body was covered in bright red blood and she was barely breathing. My heart was threatening to pound out of my chest as I stared at her.

She suddenly opened her eyes and looked right at me then mouthed the words, “I’m sorry, I love you so much. Run away. I love you.” I couldn’t move, my feet planted me to the spot. Then her chest stopped moving and I heard a deafening howl. My mother just died right in front of me and my dad felt her leave since the mate bond snapped.

I was in such a daze, I didn’t hear the thundering paws as they approached, or the growls and snarls as my dad and the other wolves suddenly burst through the trees. The snapping of bones, tearing of flesh, screams of pain, fear and death reached my ears when I saw my dad approach my mom. He slowly bent down, shifting back to his human form, his legs shaking and gave out as he collapsed onto his knees beside my mom’s body. As I walked up, I heard it, saw it, felt it. My dad was sobbing, his body was vibrating, my heart broke what pieces were left. He picked my mom up so gently and cried into her neck. He was sniffing her scent to calm both him and his wolf.

I stepped forward and a branch snapped under my feet. My dads head snapped up and when he saw it was me, his face scrunched up and his tears fell even more. “My boy, y..you shouldn’t be here, y..you shouldn’t see t..this. Y..your mom..your mom..she’s with the M..Moon Goddess now. Come..come here son. S..Say g..g..good bye.”

I walked up to him as the other wolves surrounded us, heads bowed, sniffles and tears from them as well. My dad cradled her in his arms with such love and care that I couldn’t believe it was the same man who would sleep with every woman that even looked at him. My anger and resentment towards him started to fester in my heart. I could feel it turning from the innocent, kind, happy, loving child’s heart to one of anger, hatred, loathing. Not just to my father, but to all humans. I small growl left my throat as looked at his hands on my mother. A woman who did nothing wrong except follow the Goddess guiding her to my womanizing father.

I suddenly found myself with a strength no wolf pup should have and pushed him away from her, and held her in my own arms. My father looked at me with such surprise that turned into regret. “You don’t get to hold her, never again!! You should have been there to protect her, but where were you instead? Huh? Don’t think because I’m just a pup that I don’t know you were with the pack w***e! I hate you!! I hate you! Mom is gone because of you! You call yourself an Alpha? You’re no Alpha! Alpha’s love their mate and their pack, not allow hunters to kill them. I hate you!”

I cried holding my mom’s body and knew I shouldn’t have said such words to my father as I knew he loved my mom and from how he reacted to her leaving us, he was broken already, but at that time, I didn’t care.

I felt someone grab my shoulder in a kind gesture and then tell me they had to take my mom. They wanted me to let her go. I couldn’t. I couldn’t find it in me to move away from her, to stop holding her, to stop waiting for her to take a breath. Please Moon Goddess, do not take her for yourself. I need her, I need my mom.

I was suddenly lifted up and my mom was covered in a blanket and her body was gently lifted up by a warrior. I was fighting the Beta, who was currently carrying me. I was kicking, punching and screaming while tears fell freely down my cheeks.

One we got back to the pack house, I ran up to my bedroom and stayed there until the day of my mom’s funeral. My father, the Beta and other pack members, including some of my closest friends kept coming to my door but I refused to see anyone. Plates of food were left untouched outside my door and gifts and even some flowers were outside my room. I ignored all of it.

The day finally came to say good bye to my mom and I knew I had to go, I would not disrespect my mom that way. I had a shower and picked out my suit I found hanging on the door. It was black and the shirt was white. My mom’s favourite colour was yellow, the colour of sunshine and hope she would say, so I replaced the white shirt with a yellow one I had. When I came out of my room, everyone gasped. They recognized the colour I was wearing but also the bags under my eyes and my scowl. I stomped down the stairs and went outside to retrieve one of my mom’s favourite flowers, the rose, but in yellow. I came back in and found one of the maids, who immediately knew what to do and pinned it to my lapel. She then hugged me, said her apologies and told me that my mom would be proud I wore her favourite colour.

Everyone loved my mom, the Luna, as she was kind and loving and no one was looked down upon. The Omegas and maids were paid for their work and received a day or two off every week to do what they wanted. We would fend for ourselves those days, but we didn’t mind. Mom would be found singing and dancing in the kitchen baking or cooking something delicious for everyone. I used to think those days off weren’t just for the Omegas or maids to enjoy, but for my mom to enjoy her favourite past time, cooking and baking.

My father came up behind me as the maid let me go and I thanked her smiling. He put his hand on my shoulder and instant anger ran through me. I tried to shrug his hand away, but I felt him squeeze my shoulder. Then he bent down to my ear, “I know you blame me, son, I blame myself too. But can we please just show your mom some respect and hold back the anger for her, just for today? Please, son?” I looked up and saw his sad, pleaded eyes that were still red from his crying. Maybe he really did love mom? Then why screw around on her? I surrendered my hostility and nodded my head giving him a small smile that in now way was genuine, but I will give my mom a drama free good-bye.

As we are walking to the service were we will say our last good-byes to my mom, their Luna, my dad’s mate, I hear my dad’s name being called by a screechy voice. My dad stops and turns around and so do I. The pack w***e is dressed up in a skin tight dress that barely covers her a*s and her make up is so thick and heavy with bright red lips and spiked heels. Her bleached hair in a high pony tail and she looks like she is going out for the night rather than showing respect to her Luna. She runs up to my dad and wraps her hand around his arm, “darling, I haven’t seen you in a few days. I miss you”. She pouts. I growl not so small this time. I hear another growl and realize it’s from my father, to her. “Are you stupid? My wife, YOUR LUNA, was murdered!” He then steps back and throws her hand off his arm and looks her up and down and his face is filled with disgust. “Is this how you are dressing to show your Luna respect and say good-bye?” He moves his hand up and down to emphasize his displeasure of her attire. “But baby, you like when I dress like this for you. Besides, she dead. I’m your Luna now.” She gets a smug look on her face and looks over at me, “And your new mommy.”

I can’t take anymore and lunge at this b***h. I don’t believe in hurting girls, but this was no girl, she was evil. I knock her down and start scratching her wherever I could. She was screaming and yelling at my father to “get this feral child off me!!” I was lifted off her by my father and put on the ground. “It’s ok son. She is never going to be a Luna nor your mother, you will only ever have one and we are saying good-bye to her today.” He then turns to look at the scantily dressed woman who was slowly getting to her feet and was full of dirt, dust and blood from where I broke skin. A smile of satisfaction appeared on my face at that. “Guards, take this piece of trash to the dungeons, I will deal with her after.” With that, she was dragged away kicking and screaming.

The funeral went without any drama after that. We all said good-bye and there were members from all surrounding packs including the Royal pack. I heard some people talking about a little girl losing her father not so long before this and they found him in the same state, n***d and b****y. I wondered if it was the same hunters. Poor girl.

We set the pile of wood and dried moss on fire after my mom was wrapped in multiple layers of burlap and herbs and spices were inserted with her body. This was done when a werewolf passed away to not only prevent rogues from digging up the bodies but it was to set the wolf and soul free so they would to the Moon Goddess and wait for their next life. The body was nothing my a mere capsule while we were alive, the soul and the wolf are what gave us life.

I cried during her service but found that I was smiling during her departure, which is what we called the burning of the body, as she was no longer in pain when father would cheat on her, once mated we would go through immense pain when our mate slept with someone else, and her eyes would no longer hold sadness for a couple days afterwards. Her heart would no longer be broken due to his infidelity. “I love you mom.” I saw my dad looking up and then heard him, “I am so sorry, my love. I love you so much. I will be with you soon and I will love you for all eternity.” I didn’t know what he meant by that but my anger was again ignited thinking he was doing this for sympathy and he was release his w***e after this was done. I made my mind up that if he made her his Luna, I was running away. I would never accept her.

After everyone left, it was just my father and I left and the fire had developed into embers. Tomorrow, they would bury was what left, including her ashes and we would have a feast to celebrate her life and tell stories to remember her and share memories and pictures. I hear a clearing of a throat and look up to see my father crying. As if sensing me looking at him, he looked down at me and gave me a feeble attempt at a smile. “Son, I am going to take of something. Will you be ok? I’ll get Beta Richards to stay with you until I’m back.” “You’re going to see your w***e aren’t you? You just can’t be respectful to mom, can you? That whole bit about being sorry and loving her so much was just to get sympathy, wasn’t it? You’re no longer my dad, you disgust me.”

I turn to walk away, “You can come with me.” I hear his voice and can’t believe he would even suggest such a thing. I turn to face him, “What is wrong with you? Why would I do something like that? Trust me, I already know about the birds and the bees, i don’t need a live show. Gross.” I shiver. “No son, that’s not what I mean. She disrespected your mom, my mate and the pack’s Luna. It’s a crime punishable by death.” My eyes grew wide. I can’t believe I heard right. He was going to kill his mistress for mom? His chivalry is a few days late, but I won’t believe it unless I see her cold, dead body. He would otherwise probably hide her somewhere. I walked up to him and nodded my head. We then turned and headed to the dungeons together, to kill the woman that ruined my life.

“I knew you wouldn’t leave me in here, baby. But bringing the kid is a bit much, don’t you think?” She strutted up to the bars while my father told the guard to open the cell. As soon as the door was open she tried to come out but my father pushed her back in so hard she landed with an oof against the back wall, twisting her ankle in the process. Guess she shouldn’t be wearing those hooker heels. “Baby, why did you do that? My ankle, I think it’s sprained.” She hisses as she rubs it. “SHUT UP WENCH! You will address me as Alpha for the last few minutes of your life!” My father bellows.

Her eyes bulge and she quickly recovers and starts to giggle. “Oh big bad Alpha going to choke me to death with his big bad c**k? Ok Alpha.” She emphasizes the last word and tries to take a sultry step forward but is soon reminded of her injured ankle and stumbles and hisses. “Baby, you’re going to have to come over to me, I’m having some trouble walking right now.” She pouts and then looks at me, “Plus, send the kid out, this isn’t something he needs to see.” The first smart thing she’s said.

“I SAID CALL ME ALPHA!” She cowards to the corner and is shaking, the entire ground shook when my dad and his wolf roared. “Angie Hussard, by the power vested in me by the Werewolf council and the Royal pack, I, Alpha Jameson of Crimson River pack sentence you to death for the false assumption as Luna and for the utter disrespect of your Luna. Sentence to take place immediately. Guards bring her to the meeting circle.”

We turned to leave and could hear Angie, but I still prefer to call her w***e as that is all I ever knew her by, screaming at my father that he can’t do this and that she loved him and blah blah blah. Then in a desperate attempt, she screamed, “I’m pregnant and it’s yours!” I scoffed but my fathers shoulders tensed and he turned around and walked back to her. I thought for sure he was going to change his mind, but instead he grabbed her throat and lifted her off her feet. She was gasped for air as her feet dangled. “You’re pregnant? And it’s mine? You must think me a fool. You stupid woman. After my son was born my mate and I were trying for another pup, but I was injured in battle and that caused me to become sterile. I cannot have anymore pups you lying w***e. Now we can add lying to your Alpha about a child to become Luna.” He then dropped her and I heard a c***k. Her ankle had completed broke and the fibula bone was poking out of her skin. This caused her to scream in pain but the guards simply grabbed her under arms and dragged her upstairs.

In the meeting circle, the pack members were already there, someone must have mind linked them. The w***e was tied to a pole with a wood pile under her. Beta Richards made the announcement of the charges against Angie Hussard, including the lying to her Alpha. There was a collective gasp and murmurs shared between pack members and even some of the guard raised their brows, unbelieving how someone can be so callous.

“Let this punishment be an example to you all that, even though my mate is with the Moon Goddess, she is NOT to be disrespected in ANY manner. Do I make my clear?” “YES ALPHA”. My father turned to the warrior that held the blow torch to light the wood on fire and thus, burn Angie alive, and nodded his head. Angie started screaming immediately and tried to apologize, but my father turned a deaf ear to her pleas. “May the Moon Goddess open her kingdom to your wolf and your soul, Angie Hussard and may you make better life choices in your next visit.”

It didn’t take long for the screams to stop and then there was nothing but ashes left. My mom was given a Royal farewell and then one of the reasons for my mom’s death was given a criminal’s farewell. Omegas were throwing herbs and spices on the flames, embers and ashes to not attract wild animals and rogues to the smell of burning flesh and it was a quite an unpleasant aroma.

My father and I went home and we both were exhausted, so we went to our rooms. I had a shower, got into some PJ’s and crawled into bed holding my mom’s framed picture. A knock on my door caused me to open my heavy eye lids and my door opened. I instantly knew the smell, my father. “Son, can I come in?” “Sure dad”. I reached over and turned on my side table lamp. My dad’s hair was wet and there was hint of Irish Spring meaning he showered as well. He came over and sat on the edge of my bed. When he looked at me, I could see the tears in his eyes threatening to spill over. It caused my own to take note and then next thing I knew, I was up and hugging my dad, both of us crying.

“I’m so sorry son. I’m so so sorry. It’s all my fault.” I sat back down and crossed my legs, we both wiped our tears and he took a deep breath. “When I met your mom and found out she was my mate, I was the happiest man on earth. Your mom never changed, she was always energetic, smiling, sexy, and beautiful, the most beautiful woman I had ever saw and I was instantly addicted to her. We mated and marked a couple months later as your mom wanted to wait. It drove me and my wolf crazy but I wanted everything she wanted, no matter what. A couple months after we mated and marked each other, we found out you were coming into our lives. I was so happy, but we didn’t know you were a boy yet, but as long as you were healthy, I was good with it. You came into our lives 2 weeks early but you were so strong and healthy, those two weeks weren’t needed. On your first birthday, we decided we wanted to try for another, hoping it was a girl. We knew you would be the best big brother, so we had no fear in having another. But a few days after that, I was on border patrol and we came across some hunters. We took them out but not until one shot me with a silver bullet. It was down by the family jewels and being silver, my wolf couldn’t heal me and we were so far out, by the time we mind linked the warriors and doc and got back, the damage was done. I was now sterile. We hoped your mom was pregnant already, but that wasn’t in our favour either. After that, I didn’t feel like a man anymore. I was depressed and was out at the bar one night when Angie approached me. I was so disgusted with myself, I hadn’t slept with your mom since that day I was diagnosed. She didn’t seem interested anymore so I felt like a failure to her and that she didn’t love me. Well, Angie made me feel things I hadn’t felt in a long time. I slept with her that night, then I just kept sleeping with her her and other woman too. I felt horrible when I would come home and see your mom looking so sad and hurt, but I couldn’t understand why since she didn’t love me anymore. Then I stopped when your mom and I had a romantic night and I felt that she still loved me. I apologized and promised her I would never do that again. She went to her old pack and took you to see your grandparents and family. I was in the office working late and felt this incredible pain in my heart and my stomach. Your mom slept with another man. When she came back, she admitted to it all saying it was so we could have another pup. I didn’t know what to do, so I just went with it. After the babies were born, the father, an Alpha from a different pack as your mom’s, came and declared the twins his. He offered to take your mom too, but she stayed and tried to fight for the babies, but since he had a wife who was baron, he was granted the pups since the Moon Goddess granted you to us and your mom tricked the Alpha into getting her pregnant. So I was so depressed and your mom went back to shutting me out, so I went back to Angie and any woman that would allow me release. But a couple weeks ago, your mom and I reconnected. Our love was even more alive and our wolves were so happy. The night she was taken from us, I was with Angie, yes, but not how you think, son. I was breaking things off with her. She kept hugging me and I didn’t realize why she was doing that until I came home and saw the look on your face when you smelled the air. I couldn’t focus on that though, I had a horrible feeling and needed to find your mom. I was already experiencing the feeling before you linked me but once you did, my heart dropped. And when I felt the bond snap, my heart was crushed. I am so sorry son. But I loved your mom so much, I really did. And I love you. I am so proud of how you have honoured your mom today, she would be proud too, and I loved that you went with yellow. I knew you would.”

I jumped into my dad’s arms, I was so wrong about mom and dad. They both did wrong but were doing what they had to. I apologized to my dad and told him I loved him. Then it dawned on me, “wait..I have siblings?” My dad chuckled, “Well, step, but yes, you have brothers.”

I went to sleep feeling better, no darkness in my heart any longer and with the eagerness to find my step-brothers, who I found out were fraternal twins not identical.

I woke up the next morning after having a very peaceful sleep. I stretched and had my shower, got dressed and skipped down the steps ready to start my life with my dad, even though mom was gone and it still stung, I have a new relationship with my dad.

I rounded the corner only to find warriors surrounding the table and Beta Richards saw me and come over to me, hugging me. The warriors looked sad as well. “What’s going on? Where’s my dad?”

Beta Richards instantly looks sadder, “Son, your dad was killed last night. The hunter that got away the night your mom was killed, came back with recruits and killed the patrol and guards and the Alpha, your father. I’m sorry son.”

“Did you catch any of them?” I wanted blood.

One of the warriors came forward, “We kept one alive, but he had a weapon hidden on him and killed himself in the dungeon. We killed all the others as they were trying to flee. We were too late. I’m so sorry.” The warrior lowered his head, but I could see the sadness, heartbreak and regret in their eyes.

“It’s not your fault. You did good in killing them. My father would be proud.”

Beta Richards patted the warrior on his shoulder and nodded at the others to which they nodded back.

I fell back into a chair as it suddenly dawned on me. I just became an orphan in two days, but knew what I had to do. I had to find my step brothers.