Belinda, Juan, Rodney, Roberto, Romero and Anne arrived in Cagayan de Oro safely. To their shock their luggage arrived with them. Miracle of miracles.
There were three jeeps there waiting for them. Roberto and Rodney got into one. Romero and Anne and all of Anne's luggage got into the second one. Juan and Belinda and her few pieces of luggage loaded into the third one.
Each jeep took off for points south.
Once Juan and Belinda arrived at Juan's pack they unloaded Belinda's things and settled into the pack house. Belinda had been quiet and Juan was a bit concerned. "Love, are you okay?" he asked.
"Oh...yes. I ... I wonder how Mother is coping, that's all." Belinda furrowed her brows and looked a bit lost.
"I am sure being re-united with her mother and father will be somewhat overwhelming but I am hoping it is positive." Juan was fairly sure all was well. Belinda shook her head in agreement with him yet she still wondered. She settled into their bed with out a shower or even changing her clothes. Juan gave a small.smile and followed her. He just held her. She fell asleep quickly. It had been a long few days.
MEANWHILE...
Rodney and Roberto arrived at their pack. Rodney was anxious to see his second chance mate. Roberto wanted to go to the office and check how things were going with his Beta.
"Dad, I will check at home first then be with you on about an hour. Is that okay?" Rodney inquired.
Roberto smiled,"Sure. No problem, son."
Rodney jogged towards his home. He opened the door and ... well...it wasn't the homecoming he was expecting or hoping for. He found his second chance mate sitting on the lap of another male.
Rodney scowled. "What is this?"
His "mate" looked up guiltily, "Ummm. Rodney this is Jack. Jack this is Rodney.
Jack is my fated mate, Rodney. He showed up quiet beaten up. He had been taken prisoner in the last war. He was released as part of the peace negotiations. He arrived here just 2 days ago. I didn't know. I am sorry."
"Rodney, I am sorry." Jack said as he bowed to Rodney.
"So, what do you two want to do?" Rodney now over the shock and mostly feeling sad (but not as sad as he thought he should be, oddly enough).
Jack gently put her behind him and spoke, "We want to be together like our Goddess chose." He squared his shoulders and prepared for anything at all. Would Rodney erupt with anger? Would he cry? Jack didn't know.
Rodney sighed. Looked at Jack and said, "Okay. Who am I to interfere in what the Moon Goddess fated." He turned and walked out of the house leaving his "second chance mate" and her fated mate alone.
Rodney walked to the office in the pack house and met his father. His father looked at his son and waited for him to speak. "Dad, I need to move back into the pack house."
"Okay. son." Roberto already knew. His Beta had explained it all to him. He knew his son would give the house to them and walk away. Rodney would not fight a real fated mate bond. Never. Rodney plopped into a chair and put his face in his hands. He sighed deeply. Roberto came around his desk. "You going to talk with Anne?"
Rodney looked up at his dad. "Not now.No. Maybe one day if things go a certain way. Maybe."
AT ROMERO'S PACK
Romero and Anne made their way slowly up the mountain. It had rained so the road was muddy and the going was slow. "Daddy, will Mama be glad to see me? Will I be accepted back? I so blew everything!" Anne was near tears- tears she should have shed years ago. Romero looked over at his daughter, reached out and stroked her face softly. "Daughter, Mama will be overjoyed as will the pack. You will see." He smiled gently.
It seemed to Anne to take forever to get up the mountain. But she was also feeling very anxious so it probably just felt long. Then they hit the top and she looked down into the pack center: home. She caught sight of the pack house and saw a figure bending over the flowers in the back. Was that her mama?
Anne guessed it was. Her mama loved flowers and gardening. "Daddy? Is that Mama?" Romero smiled broadly, "You bet it is! Let's go! Let's surprise her and let the driver take your luggage down. Ready to shift and surprise her?"
"Really? OK! Let me tie my clothes to my leg and let's go!" Anne went behind a tree. undresses, toed her clothes loosely to her leg and shifted. Her large black wolf was not as large as her father's but not small by any means. Romero stood tall and stately waiting. His wolf had some grey in it now but he was an imposing wolf even now. Anne walked up to her father and nuzzled under his chin. Romero nuzzled back.They turned towards the overlook and bolted together down the mountainside towards the pack center and the pack house. Romero howled. His wife looked up and saw not one imposing black wolf but two charging down the mountainside coming right towards her. She shifted immediately into her black wolf (she was an Alpha as well by birth and mating). She was unsure for a moment if these wolves were friend or foe. She would defend the pack in her husband's absence. Seconds later she realized it was her beloved with another wolf. She darted over the flower garden and raced to meet him. She sniffed the air...a female? What the heck? She kept running. sniffing the air. She stopped abruptly and stood motionless waiting for her mate and ...wait?...what? ...that scent?? No!? Yes?! She dropped down on the ground with her head on her paws. She feared she might faint otherwise. The two approached her. Romero nuzzled her and assured her. Anne stood off a ways bowed in submission... waiting. Romero pushed gently his mate's backside to coax her to stand and go forward. She did so. She sniffed at Anne then shifted immediately and embraced Anne's wolf crying. Anne shifted and hugged her mama back. Both were buck naked and crying. Romero shifted and ran into the pack house for shorts and two blankets to wrap his mate and daughter in. Being naked was normal but somehow it just felt a bit too much right now.
"Mama!"
"Annie! My Annie! You are home!"
Both females kept hugging and repeating the same thing. Tears streaming down their faces. Romero was crying as well. He walked over to the two, threw the blankets around them as he enveloped them both in a huge hug. The three stood there lost in the moment.