Howling Night

Mira's Pov

"Father, why are you hosting them?," my brother growled from his seat at the table, "We don't need their help."

"The mark of a good alpha is knowing when your pack does," father said calmly, "Raphael, our pack needs protection."

"The devil's shadow," he spat. His mate tried to calm him, reaching for his arm, but my brother couldn't be consoled, "I can't believe you invited him here. I can't believe you invited all of those packs here...are our she-wolfs nothing but a bartering chip. "

"Calm yourself Raphael, " father warned. He looked to me, "Miracle take Jeremy to the pack daycare with you today...there is business we have to take care of."

"No, she needs to hear this," my brother sneered as I went to stand. He reached his hand out to me, "father has reached out to half a dozen packs who's alphas do not have mates. If they find one in our she-wolfs father is willing to give them up for a protection treaty."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, unable to keep myself from feeling anxious.

"Yes, why are you telling her this?" father mused.

"It is her pack too," Raphael growled at my father. His power was waning, and while he hadn't given Raphael the reigns yet, his alpha aura couldn't contain my older brothers, "Mira has alpha blood, same as I. If anything happens she deserves to know. You aren't protecting her by hiding this from her."

"I'm not hiding anything."

"Then why didn't you tell me before just now?"

I didnt realize it'd come out of my mouth until my hand reached up to cover my mouth. Father looked just as surprised.

"I didn't want you to worry."

"I think I should collect Jeremy and go to the daycare," I sighed softly, not wanting to start an argument, "my shift starts soon."

"Miracle, " my father called as I left the dining hall to collect my nephew.

Achilles Pov

I looked at my Beta once more as we pulled up to the Howling Wolf territories pack house.

"We don't have to do this Alpha," he began, "you don't have to have a Luna. We stand behind you no matter what Atlas does."

I smiled at my best friend and clapped his shoulder. While I knew my warriors would stand behind me it was a matter of tradition. If an unmated Alpha made it to 25 without a mate or making someone it was customary that another would take his place. An incomplete pack was viewed as a weakness...one that many greedy wolves would pounce on.

One of those being my own brother.

My father has raised us to follow the old ways. You run your pack, you mark a she-wolf to complete your pack, and you make pups so that the next generation was covered.

Atlas, my younger brother, took his lessons to heart. At 21, he'd lied to himself and said that our strongest female warrior was his mate. Magdalena was definitely not his mate, but she was a strong choice. She would bear him pups and follow his commands. And if given the chance she would be a fine Luna.

But not over my pack.

I had no issue with what my brother was doing, until he made it clear to my father that he planned on challenging me if I didn't mark someone by my 25th birthday.

Normally, I wouldn't have paid him any mind, but about four months ago, when I had turned 24, I noticed something, off. My wolf was weaker. Less enthusiastic about my responsibilities.

'Your wolf needs a mate,' my kooky grandmother smiled, pinching my cheek when I'd told her, 'we are pack creatures Achilles. Shadow, your wolf, is alone.'

'So you're saying you think my wolf is depressed,' I scoffed, 'okay grandma.'

'Why do you think wolves challenge unmated alphas after 25 sweetie,' she asked. Without a response she smiled wickedly, 'unmated alphas don't produce heirs. Unmated alphas are essentially telling their pack they don't care about a completed pack. Your pack is like a group of pups. Depriving them of a Luna is like taking away their mom. How did you feel when your mother died, Achilles?'

'It'snot the same.'

'Sure it is. Your mother raise you and Atlas wellenough to know what missing her means. That'show your pack feels.'

'Yeah,' I sighed thinking about what my grandmother said. She was right, 'My pack needs a Luna.'

"Alright, but you say the word and we'll leave, " he smiled breaking me from my thoughts.

I chuckled at my best friend as we got out of the SUV. The older alpha was waiting for us with a look of sadness, "Alpha Achilles, glad you could come."

"Thank you for having us, " I smiled, groaning inwardly, "it's kind of you to host us."

And then it hit me. The smell of vanilla and jasmine. My wolf howled excitedly.

'Mate' he all but screamed. He began running circles in my head. 'mate. MATE. She's here. '

"Is everything alright," Alpha Cas asked.

I nodded, trying to be as subtle as possible as he led us into the pack house.

'Are you alright Achilles,' my Beta asked via mind link.

'Sam, she's here.'

'What? Who?'

A little boy came running up and his behind the alpha, stopping us in our tracks.

"Grandpa help," the boy pleaded, "Aunt Mir-"

"Jeremy," a soft voice called.

Shadow swooned as the most beautiful woman came into view. She was petite, coming up to my pecs. Her small frame looked delicate, but there was a power that radiated off of her. Her silver hair fell to her waist.

"I thought you were helping me babysit the pups today, " she giggled. Then her eyes caught sight of us and she she gasped and bowed slightly," my apologies alpha. Gentlemen."

"Miracle," Alpha Cas said slowly, gesturing to the boy, " Jeremy shouldn't be out here. "

"I'm sorry, " she replied as the alpha pushed him in front of himself, "come on, let's leave the adults alone. "

'How has she not acknowledged us,' my wolf screamed of anxiety, 'Achilles did you make our mate angry?'

'I didn't even talk to her, ' I growled back.

She looked up at me and smiled, apologizing to everyone, before promising to carry the child if he went back with her. He happily took her up on it and without incident she carried him away.

I was left in the hall with the men, half feeling rejected, half feeling angry that she didn't acknowledge me as he mate as well.

"Who was that?" I asked, passing it off as nothing, "an omega who works in the pack house?"

"That was my daughter, " he said, disgusted at the fact I would think she was an omega, "Miracle was a gift from the moon goddess herself to my wife and i, almost 18 years ago. "

'Bingo,' Shadow said, 'she doesn't know us as her mate because she's not 18.'

'Ugh,' i growled 'Stop saying that word.'

My wolf whimpered as we started towards the other end of the pack house and her scent drifted further away.

'Mate,' Shadow whimpered, pawing on my skull, as if giving a pitiful reminder that he wanted to go find her wherever she'd ran off to.