Just after graduation from school my parents and I went on our annual camping trip for one last time before I entered college.
Little did we know that our excursion into the blue ridge mountains would be met with the remnants of a hurricane.
We had a wonderful day. Mom, Dad, my 2 older brothers and myself had just finished 3 days of running as invited guests of my Mom's ex pack lands.
Mom had left her pack 75 years ago to marry a Beta from my uncles pack The Stewart Pack. Mom was the daughter of the Mc Lain pack.
On our last day we knew the weather was changing into something bad and Dad made the decision to head out back home.
We made it over the mountains heading northwest towards our lands in Wyoming when we found out too late that the mountains had been provided a wind break against the storm.
We actually saw the car coming our way as it missed the curve and went over the edge.
Without any discussion we all including mom got out and started attaching ropes and harnesses to the winches on the front of our truck. As us guys repelled down to the car mom set out the flares and called 911.
We only got an adult male and probably his little girl out of the jeep before the tree it was resting on gave way and the mom and big brother who were thankfully unconscious or were already dead fell the rest of the 100+ foot drop down the ravine. into the river.
For some reason I smell berries, I must be crazy or something.
As we got the survivors up the EMT's made it to our location. the rangers with them had commented that they had thankfully decided not to wait for emergency calls and had in fact decided to go on patrol of the roads just in case.
We made it down the mountain and 2 more days home with no other incidents. aside from all of us getting serious colds.
I finished college and went in the Marines and OCS then through green beret training. with nearly 2 tours in Afghanistan cut short by an IED. I medicaled out as an honorably discharged as Major Joshua Stewart with 3 purple hearts and a meritorious service medical with clusters and a right knee and ankle with enough pins to supply an old ladies knitting circle and enough scars on my back to make Freddy Kruger jealous.
So with my last paycheck and all of my accumulated leave time I decided to dust of my old Harley Davison and spend some time clearing my head before heading back home to Jackson Hole and fill my spot in charge of operational security services for the pack.
I definitely don't want to be the hero Beta that has to possibly be downgraded to an Omega because of my injuries.
I need to clear my head of my future embarrassment because of someone else's inattention.
So here I am gassing up across the street from an inviting Hole in the wall for some Hopefully good food and possibly fresh strong coffee. "Somewhere Else" is an interesting name and Ibalmost fell over when I caught sight of a 5'8" Auburn haired lady with the most beautiful emerald green eyes. I smell berries, must be from the kitchen, wolf calm the hell down. oops.
Jasmine was working the family restaurant "Somewhere Else" Suddenly I smell fresh cut oaks, she looked up to see some generic biker dude come literally stumbling through the door. Damn bikers, drunk as usual and it's barely past lunch.
Since it's only her and her dad running the restaurant with her moms sister they actually have to hire other pack members to help and they won't be working for another few hours. Well let's get this over with.
"Welcome party of 1 today? we have several cold brews on tap."
"Yes 1 please, Sorry but do you have some fresh coffee ma'am and I'll just take whatever special you have if it's convenient."
"Coffee and our lunch special is Country fried steak with mushroom gravy and half a baked potato and a mixed berry pie for dessert."
"Do you have a booth available please."
I see him lifting his pants leg to show a medical brace.
"Well drinking and biking will.."
He hold up a hand in a stop motion.
"IED Afghanistan 4 months ago actually."
and flipping the collar of his jacket shows the Majors gold leaf and his jacket sleeve slips to show his Semper Fi tattoo on his fore arm.
"I am so sorry sir, Glad you made it back."
"I don't drink and drive ever and the private that did missed the IED or rather didn't." Joshua rubbed his right leg at that.
"Let's start over shall we, Joshua Stewart and you actually seem familiar, but I've never been this way so I must be mistaken."
"Jasmine Taylor and that Is the worst pick up line I've ever heard but one of the most polite I'll give you half credit for."
"Unless it worked it wasn't a pick up line."
"Hey Jaz if you're not going to take the mans order there's cleaning to be done," a male voice booms from the kitchen.
"Fresh Coffee and 1 special dad, please."
"Well Jasmine or Jaz as the man said I better let you get back to work of I'll probably find something bad in my food."
I couldn't help but smile at the man with his quick down to business wit, there's something about him I just can't place and it's like a distant memory but like dad said I've got work to do.
"The meal was wonderful Jaz and the coffee fresh!" he says as he leaves a double tip on the table and heads out.
"Well that was fast" I said as he comes back in a few minutes later. "Dinner is still a few hours away."
"Sorry broken fuel line, do you have someone local that can do a quick job."
"Dad, Is one of the boys in the garage in town able to come help the Major here?"
"Major?"
"Yeah the Vet who just finished eating blew his fuel line and needs a quick line job!"
"Ok Jaz I'll call Carl and see if he can hit us up real quick."
"What you got son?"
Just an 20 year old Harley I rebuilt in high school before I went off to university and the Marines.
Dad comes from the kitchen and stops dead in his tracks.
"This isn't your pack lands son."
" Just passing through before I have to get back home and work for my uncle Andros Stewart.
"Let me introduce myself 1st Beta Joshua Stewart.
"1st Beta (retired) Jacob Taylor and this is my daughter Jasmine Taylor.
"We don't get many other packs coming our way son."
"Like I said sir I was just passing through and didn't expect to have a breakdown in your lands but since I have please convey my regards and my thanks for a wonderful meal to your Alpha."
"Since I smell your an unmated male would you care to make an official visit to our Alpha?"
"I really haven't made any plans on seeking a mate at this time from any pack, sir. I just needed to clear my head from the PTSD of war I love driving my bike almost as much as I do a good run."
"Sounds like a true Beta to me, would you accompany me to meet my Alpha and have a good run with us tomorrow night. It is supposed to be a good and clear full moon."
"In clear conscious I cannot refuse such a good offer, if it would not be any trouble I would love to join your pack in a run."
An hour later I was ushered into a huge farm style home smells of someone cooking a nice beef dinner and mixed fruit hit me like a hammer from the kitchen.
I get met by 4 Betas 3 males and 1 female Jaz.
A man as large as my 6ft greets me along witha drop dead gorgeous black haired woman.
"I am Alpha Shamus Taylor and this is my wife Makenzie Taylor."
"Beta Joshua Stewart and I must say this is a wonderful home you have here and your pack have been gracious and kind even before It was known what I am."
"Any other time and circumstance I would say you would be flattering needlessly but I have been informed of how casually you and our pack met. So I will take it as a true compliment."
"My uncle said you are still unmated and are in no rush to find one either."
"I'm sure your uncle mentioned my basic circumstances?"
I am also a Marine veteran, Joshua and I served in both World Wars In Europe, Where I met my most fantastic wife and 6 children later she can still run me down on Lunas night.
"I will run both of you into the ground tomorrow night." Makenzie stated as a matter of fact.
"As a gift, My lady Alpha has the ability to heal on Lunas night if you desire. It's not good for any Wolf to not be able to enjoy the run on Lunas night."
"I didn't know it was possible." I almost lost my ability to stand when Alpha Taylor said that. "I hadn't had a full moon to shift on since my injury and thought I would be a crippled in my packs eyes whenever I decided to go back."
I actually almost cried with joy from the statement from Alpha Taylor.
I don't think I could handle being downgraded to an Omega because of my injuries.
"I don't know how I could repay your kindness to myself being not from your pack."
"If you find someone from our unmated females to create a connection with the Stewart Pack I would consider all accounts squared, but we will not force the issue if you don't find anyone."
as a Beta I was required to come to dinner and wasn't expecting to see biker dude clean and dressed. Did he actually have black slacks and a white dress shirt with a tapered cut freshly pressed in his backpack. His black dress shoes I could probably see my reflection in they are so shined.
Short cut dark brown hair, freshly shaved the most piercing Topaz eyes and a body made for sin. I bet I could hurt my fist hitting those abs.
"After dinner if you would like, Jaz can take you to "Somewhere Else" so you can meet some of our pack before tomorrow." my Alpha comments.
I don't know why but for some reason I smell a scent of Oak freshly cut that has my Wolf going crazy, we're normally so in sync now I can't get her to calm down.
After a most delicious home cooked meal. "Alpha if the meals here are normally this good You may have to chase me out of your lands."
"Since I'm sure you haven't spent much time at home since your return, having decent food is probably a long forgotten memory by now and from what you've told me, almost 3 tours that's longer than each of the wars I was in, And I was a Colonel under General Patton for the WWII."
"I actually Started out as a corporal in WWI and made lieutenant between wars."
"Now let's get you some down time when Jaz finishes getting ready she'll take you to "Somewhere Else" and introduce you to some of the pack you'll hopefully be running with tomorrow."
The song "Waiting on a woman" kept going through my head as I was helping my bike get fixed when I started smelling berries again my Wolf started jumping around in my head and Jasmine came around the corner. I think my jaw nearly hit the floor. Knee length black dress with red roses actually embroidered into. Long slightly wavy Auburn hair, Emerald green eyes, lips that just begged to be kissed and a body Hollywood plastic surgeons can't even make any better I think to myself.
"I'll take that as a compliment" as she walked past and tapped the bottom of my jaw to close my mouth.
"Well let's go Daddy and Alpha has my cousins covering my shift for tonight. Understand, I'm your escort for your meeting the pack, not for anything else."
"If my Wolf is any indication I think I've found my mate, but why if she is I'm not getting any indication from her" I'm so confused at the moment just thinking about it.