When Diwa and Aaron finally went out and joined the rest of the pack, Di was surprised to see her closest friend and co-worker Siel standing with the Alpha. The babies were around her, happily playing with Lena's kids. All this in the midst of loud music, greetings, chatting, and other fun noises.
"Oh, wow… Look who's here!" Diwa exclaimed, truly delighted but struggling to make herself heard above the din.
"Auntie!" happily screamed James.
"Auntie Di!" Rosie followed, and they ran towards her.
"Di!" excitedly shouted Siel as she let go of her mate's arm and met her dearest friend with open arms.
Meanwhile, the Alpha and his Beta greeted each other with their own brotherly hugs and slaps on the back. They then turned to their ladies, now chattering cheerily with each other, complete with wide, heartwarming smiles on their faces.
"I was wondering where you were. Now it makes sense," teased V, while chuckling at his Beta's slight blushing.
"Shut up, dude!" Aaron answered, laughing and getting even redder.
"Wow, the charmer is blushing over a woman? I have never thought it possible, but here it is, a Christmas miracle, indeed!"
"V, come on, knock it off! You know she's special to me, ok?"
"Well, you're not the only one with a Christmas miracle, so yes, don't expect me to stop talking with you about it."
"Talk, not tease, that's two different things altogether."
"Yes, very different. But the word 'tease' seems to fit your reputation, Beta," an unexpected but familiar voice said.
Both Alpha and Beta suddenly turned their attention to the Gamma, who had managed to walk up to them unnoticed. To this day, how M could do this trick to werewolves still remained a mystery to many of the pack members, even to his best friend, V, and Aaron, his "bro".
"Well, hello, M," V smirked at his very dependable but stony-hearted Gamma. "Isn't it too early to be tipsy, man?"
"I agree with the Alpha, Ma'Heron. And what's THAT supposed to mean?"
The Alpha did notice that Ma'Heron had become more open to emotional outbursts after finding his mate around two years ago. However, he seemed to be reverting to his soulless self after he got to know about Di and Aaron.
I need to have a talk with him about this soon. I can't have a repeat of the fight between my Beta and Gamma days before Christmas, It shouldn't be happening again this New Year…
"What? About you being a tease?" drawled M, his smirk deepening and his eyes narrowing. "Well, aren't you, BRO?"
Aaron's eyes were about as narrow as Ma'Heron's by this time, "I WAS, bro! You know that I've stopped doing that when I finally found my mate. Our last mission was proof of that. Besides, it's not my fault that my mate happens to be your sister, M!"
"Yes, but that's just part of the evidence against you. The bigger case is IF you will be a good mate to her!"
"Evidence against… What? YOU ARE drunk!"
"Isn't this supposed to be a party where being drunk is partly a requirement? Meanwhile, what have you done for your mate since you've met her? Drill her continually? You haven't even asked me for that talk between us, Aaron!"
"Wait, I thought you were gonna tell me when we can have that chat!"
"See, not even responsible enough to ask me about why she left the pack even if I already gave you a chance… Pathetic!" "What the… I was planning to ask HER!"
"Planning, so you still haven't asked her?"
Looks like THAT TALK will have to be done now…
"Alright, you two! ENOUGH!" V snapped authoritatively at both men, suddenly aware that a few pack members were already curiously looking their way.
"Yes, Alpha, I agree. Enough of this, M!"
All three looked at the source of the angry statement…
"Diwa… love… it's ok…"
"No, it's not ok, A!" she said in a livid but low tone while suddenly holding on to her mate's strong, sinewy arm. "I believe, my brother owes you an apology."
"Why should I say sorry to him? I'm not the one who's being indifferent to your situation, Di! If he really knew you, then he wouldn't bring you here without him knowing the truth!" Ma'Heron hissed.
"It's my choice not to say anything about that! And I mean it, brother! I will leave and go back inside his apartment if you don't say you're sorry!" Diwa hissed back.
"Di, calm down. Really, I'm ok with him not apologizing to me…"
"Don't act like some chivalrous prince just to make yourself look good, Beta. I'm fine with being the bad guy here. So, stay, sister. I'll be the one to leave…"
"Ma'Heron, please don't do this…" "M, no…" V seconded Aaron.
"Sorry, Alpha. Until I see the Beta act like a true mate, I'm not considering him family," M snarled, whirled on his heels, then walked swiftly away from the group.
"Shit, Gamma! Wait…" Aaron called.
Di's grip hardened on his arm. "Don't bother with him, A. I'll be introducing you to my parents now. At least they would understand what a TRUE MATE really is. Come on, mate."
Siel and V looked at the two as they walked away from them. One had an astonished look while the other had a small smirk which she flaunted proudly.
"Close your mouth, love. Flies might go in," said an amused female voice.
"Is she really like that?" V replied after a long pause.
"Always… and that's why we're best friends."
"Is that a warning or a threat?"
Siel flashed her man a naughty smile, "Both…"
* * *
Ma'Heron walked down the pathway towards one of the side entrances of the Packhouse, when he felt a presence in the dark…
And it was fast approaching his position, intending to attack him!
He waited a couple of seconds before immediately crouching down. His attacker dived toward him just then and missed him by a fraction of an inch.
The long-haired adversary smoothly landed on her hands, and then her legs twirled, her heels aimed at his face. Her first hit connected solidly with his chin.
He got a hold of her other leg as it approached his nose and pulled her down to the hard brick-layered path. He heard her gasp of pain upon her landing. Ma'Heron now dived on top of her…
But she rolled away in time, and he painfully landed on the pavement as well.
She took this chance to run into the darkness…
But he flipped upright, was on his feet in one swift movement, and was soon sprinting after her. Because of his speed, he overtook her easily, then the Gamma barreled into his escaping assailant. He brought her down and pinned her with his hard, muscled body against the soft, grass-covered lawn, within the unlighted parts of the Packhouse gardens.
"Do you surrender, wife?"
"I never surrender easily, husband…"
"True, so expect me to be relentless and ruthless, beloved."
The darkness was the perfect place to hide the 'torturous' punishment Ma'Heron gave Alexia. It would be daybreak when they finally retired to their apartment, finally sated and with added clarity of what they need to do next.
* * *
As promised, Di and Aaron were soon back from a successful talk with the she-wolf's parents. Just in time for the storytelling session, too.
There was a lot to eat and drink. The wolves had a very high tolerance for alcohol and Di, along with the others, happily drank wolf wine and wolf beer. Siel, on the other hand, since she was a human, was already almost asleep after a few sips from V's wine glass.
"Would you please help me with the kids, guys? I'm gonna take her to the apartment now. If she sobers up, we'll come back later. If not, I'll let her sleep."
Siel protested, "No, just give me coffee… please… I don't want to miss the storytelling time."
"I agree, V. Myron and R will start telling stories soon and Siel might miss it," Di piped up as she continued drinking wolf wine.
"Wait… Myron your Personal Assistant and R are here? So, they're wolves too? Are they mates?!" mumbled Siel, already half-asleep.
"Yes, they are, Elena," chuckled V, handing her a cup of strong coffee, with her preferred amount of sugar and cream. "Now drink up…"
"How is it that I don't notice these things?" Siel said, sipping from the large, steaming mug.
The kids came and hugged V. They seemed to be tired, but right then, a familiar voice suddenly called out…
"Hello, everyone! Welcome to our bonfire's storytelling time!", Myron announced in a louder and much more animated tone than his usual CEO's Personal Assistant voice. "We have chosen ten stories from all of those that were submitted this Christmas, and we will be performing the selected ones in two parts. My beautiful wifey, Raquel, will help me with the voices and sound effects."
Everybody started cheering! Even the children of both Siel and Lena started clapping.
"Wanna hear the story, James?" Lucas, Lena's preschooler asked in his cute and soft baby voice.
James looked at him, rubbing his eyes as if forcing himself to wakefulness. He reached out towards Lucas, and they held hands.
"Rosie," James said, looking back then he took his little sister's hand.
Darien, Lucas's twin, joined them, too. They all slowly walked to where Myron and Raquel were, closely followed by Lena and Serg. Soon they were all listening intently to the stories…
"It was the most amazing demonstration of love. They completed their mating ritual, and not long after, he felt himself changing. His eyes went wide as he felt that his worst fears would become a reality. He managed to tell his mate to run, but as brave and stubborn as she was, she refused…" Myron went on, telling one of the most famous tales of the pack, The Legend of the Moon.
Diwa looked around her, taking in the picture-perfect scene of the annual bonfire, an event she had missed for more than ten years. Before the incident that changed her life when she was fifteen, she never found any reason to miss these Packhouse celebrations. And now, she was back, and everyone was happy to see her return, especially her parents.
Ma'Heron was truly happy for her coming back to the pack, that she's definitely sure of, despite his supposed aversion to Aaron. However, his recent conversation with her and Aaron was quite uncalled for.
That was unfair of M. After all, even I never even imagined my mate would be Aaron…
Even now, as she felt the comforting and warm, masculine hand tenderly holding her own feminine fingers, her heart seemed to pulse with a different kind of glow. Her mind was more at ease now that she's within the company of those she considered her first family.
I think it's really because of my mate that I've finally found a truly genuine reason for me to face my fears, even the same one that almost destroyed my life before. But should I tell him what happened? What if he asks if I'm ready to return to the Packhouse? What then?
Just then, she looked at her mate since she felt his eyes on her. And, she realized, it was alright, as she drowned in Aaron's soft and caring stare.
I'll cross the bridge when I get there. For now, I'll just enjoy the moment.
* * *
From the Packhouse, two pairs of eyes viewed their target from their bedroom window. One sighed as the other softly rubbed the other's chest. They had just finished another "torture" session and were now looking at two people in the distance.
These two meant a lot to both of them.
"You HAD to be so dramatic with him."
"I know him more than most, beloved. My aim is not to discourage him, but to fight for the one he truly wants. The SINGULAR WOMAN that he loves with all his heart. There is more than just the mate call for people like him. And he needs to learn that if he really wants her to be with him."
"Yes, you would know, right? It was the same with you, two years ago…"
"True," he answered. "No regrets. I just hope the outcome would be the same with him."