Two hours later, Turk, Mazelina, and the rest of the pack took turns going down the elevator, through the garage, and to the outside. As before, Mazelina was fascinated with the houses up high in the trees. Turk pointed at one in particular, farthest from the mountain in which the pack resided. "Do you see the one that looks like it is covered in moss?" Turk asked her.
She nodded, enthusiastically.
"That one is ours."
Mazelina gasped. "Can we go up?"
Turk laughed. "After this pack social, I'll take you up."
Mazelina turned to him with a smile so big, it nearly reached from ear to ear.
A throat cleared. They turned to see many pack members staring at them in amazement. Turk raised a brow in question. Rudi came forward and said, "Sorry, it's just that some of us have heard you laugh before, and the rest haven't heard it since childhood."
Turk furrowed his brows in confusion as Anju said to his mate, "Thank you for this. You have no idea how much you are needed here and how much you help."
Mazelina blushed and rested her head on Turk's chest. He said, "Enough of this emotional sentimentality. Let's get to the reason for why we're out here."
While the pack ran off in different directions, Mazelina whispered, "Is it true?"
Turk glanced at her. "Ever since the first Festival I participated in, I've been unable to have any enjoyment because I didn't want to do it alone."
She gave him a sympathetic smile. "You should have had a little fun. How did you lie without playing around with your pack?"
"I almost didn't," he said firmly. "I almost gave up."
Mazelina gasped in shock. "Turk!"
He cupped her face. "Mazelina, if not for finding you, this pack would be getting a new Alpha at this moment. I couldn't keep doing this alone. I couldn't have continued to search and always end up failing. Being Alpha is hard. Having a mate to see and hold, that is what gives every Alpha the strength necessary to fight. I didn't have that for so long, and I began to believe I never would."
"Now that you do, is it what you had hoped?" she asked softly.
"It's more!" Turk brushed the tears from her cheeks and smiled. "It's much more. Mazelina, this short time I've had with you is the best in my entire life."
"Alright!" Anju said loudly and pushed the couple apart. Turk scowled but allowed the female to do as she pleases. Mazelina had to take her eyes off her mate because Anju turned her around and held up a cloth. "You're going to shift and I'm going to wrap this around your eyes. The object of the game is to find your mate out of all the wolves around you."
Mazelina shrugged but didn't like being in the dark. Being blind would be worse. Anju was giving her a challenging look, so she agreed.
Shifting right there in her clothes, she became her brown-grey wolf, shaking out her fur. Anju wrapped the cloth around her eyes and ran off. ran off.
Mazelina sniffed the air, but it seemed like Turk was everywhere. She knew the other wolves had scented themselves so she would get confused, but little did they know that one was stronger than all the rest. She ran.
Turk grinned as he watched his mate run through the forest, following his trail almost exactly. He had weaved through trees, climbed them, washed in the river not far away, and rolled in dung to camouflage himself. So when Mazelina didn't falter once, he was pleasantly surprised.
It took her only fifteen minutes, being blindfolded and having others try to confuse her to finally reach him. She inhaled deeply, taking in what must have been a revolting scent, but her jaws opened to show teeth in a wolfish grin. He licked her nose, then rubbed his length along her, fur tingling. She stood still, letting him do as he wished.
When he was satisfied, he pulled the cloth off her and threw it away. She shook herself and turned her eyes to him. He expected fear, but there was only a shy smugness in her eyes. She circled him, eyeing him for any flaws, but he knew there were none.
Madeline saw other wolves around them, watching and waiting. She did not care. The only thing on her mind was the make before her; large, strong, dark, and handsome. Her fear of this beast was lost as he affectionately licked her here and there, rubbed himself over her, and gazed at her with silver eyes that had more emotion than she could define. It was in his eyes that she saw how she affected him, how her presence changed his life for good.
Now, after her deep inspection, she went before him and leaned forward until her backside was in the air and a challenge in her eyes.
This action made the pack burst into howls of appreciation and acceptance. It startled Mazelina for a moment until she understood, then she turned to her mate.
Who was not there…
She glanced around frantically and saw him bounding off into the forest. She growled at him but took off.
Turk was excited by this new game his mate suggested. He liked her challenging eyes and outraged expression when he left without her. It was one special moment of many to come.
This represented her strength, determination, her willingness to be a part of the pack and to be his mate. It was her true self coming out as it had never done before in his presence. With the games and involvement of the pack, it was her signal that she would lead.
Turk got trampled and fell. Rolling, he snarled at the female and snapped his teeth at her. She responded in kind, going for his throat, but Turk brought his paws up and pushed her off. She only landed a few feet away, but it gave him time to stand and prepare for his next move. Mazelina watched him through narrowed eyes, but he was not afraid of her. He stood tall, tail high, ears erect. Alpha was what Turk was, and alpha he would stay. He showed this in his confident stance and tried to convey that he would not accept anything less from his mate.
Mazelina responded beautifully. She now straightened and put her head above her shoulders instead of in front. While her tail was down, her ears were pointed forward and her nose in the air. Turk understood what she was saying. "I will be your mate, but I look to you as any other packmate. I will provide you with an alpha female's duties, help guide and protect, but I do not challenge for superiority."
Turk was okay with her position, but he would, in time, change it until she was just like him: an alpha female who deserves as much superiority as he did and as much respect from their pack. She would stand beside him, never behind. He would teach her. He would give her everything she needed to become what she was meant to be.
After playing with the pack for most of the night and having Turk tease her relentlessly by nipping and licking, Mazelina was ready to drop into something soft and closed her eyes. Of course, this meant her mate had to beef her to play a little longer, but she couldn't. It was more play in one night than she could remember.
She collapsed against a tree and huffed. Turk came over and stared at her, but then laid beside her. He gave her a lick on the ear then rated his head between both for paws to close his eyes. She did the same. Breathing deeply, she scooted closer and relaxed.
It felt like seconds later when Mazelina woke with a jolt. Around her, her pack was now in human form and dressed, talking hurriedly to each other. Turk was nowhere to be seen and she couldn't make it the words a group closest to her were saying.
"I don't care what his excuses are!" she heard an unfamiliar voice snap. She turned to see Rudi and another, rather old male walking briskly through the pack. "I don't deserve this kind of treatment! My family does not deserve this treatment! I want revenge this instant!"
All talking halted at her menacing growl. The old male scowled at her. Rudi said gently, "Your mate is changing, Mazelina. If you wish to see him, he's in the garage."
She gestured to the male beside him with a questioning look.
Rudi was not happy with the male because he sighed and said in exasperation, "This is just what your mate and I like to call a hindrance. Whenever something goes wrong, he believes the culprit is the alpha of the pack and won't have it any other way. He won't listen when evidence proves our pack is not involved in any way, shape, or form."
Mazelina growled louder.
"Unfortunately, we cannot do anything about it because he's human."
She gave an imperceptible shake off her head, letting him know she doesn't care a bit about who or what this male was because he was threatening her mate and she wouldn't allow it.
"Calm down, Lina."
She turned her head enough to see Turk but kept the hindrance in her sights. Her mate came and knelt beside her, putting a gentle hand on her back. Rudi bowed and reported, "It's the usual, Alpha."
The male looked aghast at this and sputtered. "The usual? My son has disappeared! Likely dead! I want him back!" He glared at Turk. "Give my son back you insufferable beast!"
Mazelina roared at the male, taking a step towards him. Turk put a hand out in front of her and said, "He's not worth your wrath, Lina. He's weak and confused. It's cruel to attack a male who is unable to defend himself."
Mazelina gave him a look that would make lesser men wet himself, but only achieved to make Turk smirk. Rudi interrupted. "Turk, there is one other reason this male is here."
"What's that?"
"Marth is in the area."