As it turned out all of my grandparents have the same opinion and all four of my grandmothers are now bombarding Andie with questions. Questions about her favorite colors,what kind of flowers she likes and what her favorite foods are. It would be the perfect opportunity for me to learn all this stuff about my girl but I don't have time to listen. Shaman Hugo has already completed Skyler's Beta ceremony with his father and now I need to officially accept Skyler as my Beta.
I walk towards the edge of the stage still wet and sticky from the champagne my father sprayed on me after my ceremony. Meeting Skyler at the bottom of the steps who stifled his laughter over my appearance.We climb the three steps together and faced Shaman Hugo like we had done with our fathers.
This time there was no howling involved,not yet anyway. Shaman Hugo just threw some herbs into the ancient stone bowl looked at me and ask.
"Alpha Zachary Matthew Randolph do you accept Skyler Thomas Johnson as your sword and shield your cofidant and as your Beta of the Starlight Pack?"
" I do" I murmured,trying hard not to grin and I could see from the corner of my eye Skyler was doing his best to keep a straight face also. We trained for this very moment all my life and now it was happening.We couldn't be any happier then we are right now. This is truly a night we will both remember for the rest of our lives.
Shaman Hugo threw more herbs into the ancient stone bowl creating a heavy cloud of smoke that swirl around Skyler.He threw his hands up into the air chanted in some ancient language I couldn't understand then brought them back to his side.Gazed at Skyler way more intently than he had at me asking him to make his vows.
"Skyler Thomas Johnson do you vow to be Alpha Zachary Matthew Randolphs sword and shield and his confidant as Beta of the Starlight Pack."
" I do" Skyler murmured, Shaman Hugo threw more herbs into the ancient stone bowl chanting another prayer with his hands in the air. This time the smoke circled both Skyler and me.
Then without warning my head tilted back on it's own again with another massive howl. And just like before the whole pack joined in rattling the windows and shaking the ground the wind picked up sending leaves and small sticks flying through the air.
"AWOOOOO"
After all the howling stopped and the wind died down Skyler and I glanced at each other in disbelief. It truly happened,Skyler and I are now bound to each other through an ancient protection bond. I could feel his joy and the way his mouth hung open I could tell he was thinking the same thing I was. Fuck! It really worked.
The protection bond is exactly what it sounds like. With this bond I'm able to feel any animosity Skyler might have towards me preventing him from betraying me. And on the other side,Skyler is able to feel my anxiety and fear letting him know his Alpha is in danger. We had both been told this was going to happen. But the fact that we could feel each other's joy was a shocker .Nobody ever mentioned that part. I guess an Alpha and his Beta also needs to share their joy and celebrate together.
I brought an unsuspecting Skyler in for a bro hug as his dad passed me a bottle of champagne behind his back. I jumped back shook the champagne popped the cork spraying Skyler down good. Then laughed my ass off because I knew he wanted to curse me and he will,but never in public.
Skyler will call me a sack full of moutherfuckers and anything else that flies out of his mouth in private but not in public. Never has ,and never will. Skyler is the perfect Beta and my best friend.He's honest to the point of being brutal in private. But he always has my back and I will always have his too.
But right now the evil smile on his face tells me he's cooking up a plan to get me back for soaking him down. We jumped off the stage together and Skyler glanced over his shoulder with a wicked grin plastered on his face.He then stalked off towards the pack house without out looking back.
I'm sure he's going to go take a shower and execute what ever evil plan he's cooked up in his head to get me back. I'll need to watch my back for a little while there's no telling what he's dreamed up.
When it comes to playing dirty tricks Skyler's a master .I just hope he's not planning to put Easter egg dye in my shower head again like he has done in the past. It turned me a lovely shade of purple before fading nicely into a goulash gray that seemed to linger on my face no matter how much I scrubbed. Or perhaps he's planning to take my deodorant out of its container again and replacing it with cream cheese.Fuck! I'll be sniffing everything I'm going to use for a week.
Brushing away the nasty thought of how it felt to have cream cheese mashed into my pit. I sauntered over to the table where Andie is and pull a chair up beside her.
By now my mom, sister, and Andie's mom have joined in on the conversation. Giving their opinion on things like what designer to use for Andie's dress and what makeup artist should paint her face.
I thought all this talk about a Luna ceremony would make my girl a bit skittish. But to my surprise she's relaxed and responding to everyone's questions like a girl twice her age. She even used my phone to google images of exactly how she wants the center pieces done in the banquet hall.
With everyone volunteering to help it shouldn't take very long to get things ordered. However just like my Alpha ceremony a Luna ceremony needs to be done on a night when the moon is full. Perhaps I should ask Andie if she would like to have her actual ceremony outside with the whole pack surrounding her the same way I did.
We could start a new tradition well actually it would be an old tradition revived. Maybe I should look into other ancient rituals that werewolves have abandoned.The pack might enjoy participating in some of those too. I could even look into things werewolves done just for fun back before everyone got lost in technology.
Instead of setting at home watching Netflix every Saturday night. I could ask my grandparents what they used to do before television, cellphones and computer games. Hell they might even get out of the house more often and join the fun.
" Zack," I heard my grandma Clara call my name and I twirling my head in her direction. she and everyone else were standing up already. I guess maybe I wasn't paying attention to the debate over silk vs lace.
"Yes ma'am." I answered
" We're going home now but we will all be at the parade tomorrow." She replied. I stood up beside Andie who was already standing. Boy I must have really been spacing out.
"Let us walk you to the car "I said grabbing Andie's hand taking note that she had took her shoes off and was carrying them in her other hand." Do they hurt your feet " I ask pointing at her shoes.
" No, I just didn't want them to get stuck in the ground again. Especially if you weren't around to pull them out." My girl responded, and I tried not to grin as I leaned closer whispering in her ear.
"If you want to wear them, I can carry you to the sidewalk."
"No!" she squealed, causing my grandparents to snap their heads around and glare at us suspiciously.
"Zack what did you do?" Grandma Clara didn't hesitate to ask what everyone else was wondering.
" Nothing Grandma" I said innocently, bringing my hands up with my palms open towards her.
" I apologize for being loud, Zack just ask if I wanted him to carry my shoes." My girl lied to protect me.
" Don't be silly child let him carry them, it's his duty to take care of you." Grandma Clara chided ,spinning her head back around without missing a step.
Taking Andie's shoes from her hand like a dutiful husband we walked my grandparents to the limousine waiting for them at the entrance of the pack house. After bidding them a goodnight we strolled on inside the pack house.
On high alert I kept swinging my head left and right looking for booby traps that Skyler might have set up. We made it to the stairs leading up to our bedrooms and there it was, what I had been looking for.
Maple syrup on the hand rails barely visible on the dark wood, but I could still see it glistening in the dim light of the lamp in entrance hall. I grinned triumphantly climbing on up the stairs with my girl safety tucked between me and the wall the gooey mess totally avoided.
Halting my steps at Andie's bedroom door I pushed the door open kissed the top of her scalp and wished her a goodnight. And with a spring in my step I sauntered back on down the hallway to my bedroom.
Pushing the door open I cursed " You fucking dirty bastard." I kicked and pushed the damn balloons that had pushed themselves out the doorway like a swarm of bees back inside my bedroom and closed the door.
Glancing down at my phone to check the time I cursed again " Fuck!" It's two am and the pack house is full of guests,Alpha werewolves with supernatural hearing. Popping all those damn balloons that are invading every inch of space inside my room would wake everyone up.
"You motherfucker" I grumbled to myself turned on my heels and do the only thing I can right now. I stalked into the laundry room spotting a stack of clothes folded neatly on top of the dryer. I raffled through them and find a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt but no such luck on finding clean underwear.
Oh well commando it is, and thank the Moon Goddess for the bath room down the hall. Showering quickly I grabbed the little crocheted blanket my grandma Kate made from the back of my moms recliner . I lay down on the cold leather couch and drifted off to sleep.
Only to be woken up at dawn by the loud wailing cries of a woman pounding on the front door of the pack house.
Scrambling off the couch I fly down the stairs to see Connie a lady that works in the kitchen hugging a sobbing young woman in front of the doorway.
I immediately recognized the young woman as an omega that has twin Cubs. She only works here part time because of her busy schedule.Besides the twins she also has two other children one about three years old and another around five.
" Penny " I called," What's wrong?" At the sound of my voice Connie released sobbing Penny so she could answer me.
When Connie stepped to the side I could see Penny's little there year old girl clinging to her chest like a spider monkey. Sobbing just as hard as her mother.
" Is she hurt" I ask wondering if she needed to see a doctor.
" No Alpha a man tried to grab her when we got out of the car here at the pack house."Penny wailed,Catching me totally off guard and making my mind stutter for a moment as I Processed her words in my head, Alpha Fuck! That's me.
Thankfully I gathered myself,before I actually looked behind me for my dad.I immediately
mind linked security and trackers to get them over here.Turning my attention back to the sobbing Penny.
" Penny come to my office and tell me what happened." I said in my official Alpha tone. remembering a second afterwards that I probably look like hell. Now I know why my dad always wore those fancy silk pajamas to bed perhaps I should get me some.