Chapter 45
Chapter 45 The Hunt
“My beautiful, strong, loving, perfect daughter,” Thea’s father said. He embraced her. “I’m so proud of
you. You will make an excellent Luna. You’ve already made the pack stronger.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Thea said. “Shouldn’t you go join the hunt?”
“In amoment. I want to spend time with my daughter. We’ll be flying back out tomorrow. We’re not done
investigating out there. Tell me. Is there any doubt in your mind you’re meant to be Luna of this pack?”
“No. I love this pack.”
“But you’re sad,” her mother said.
“Of all the things that have happened and that I’ve learned in the past months, the things I’ve been
preparing for,” Thea said. “I didn’t see thising. I never considered the possibility that I would be
human. I’m grieving the loss of something I never even had. I’ve been looking forward to the day I
would shift ever since I can remember. This should be a happy day, and I feel like I’m dying inside.” |
Her mother and father sandwiched her in a hug as several wolves whimpered—Delta team members.
They could feel her pain through the oath bond.
“Remember to have faith that the moon goddess has a n for you. You’ve always put others’ needs
before your own. She’ll reward that,” her father said.
“Takefort in your mates,” her mother said.
“Remember, you’re not just human. You still have Alpha blood in you,” her father said.
Thea nodded. They released her.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.
“This mark is extraordinary,” Thea’s father said. “The color, the size, the intricate detail, and patterns.
I’ve never heard of a mark like this.”
“I can’t see it,” Thea said.
“There are three distinct sections,” her mother said. “ But they merge to make one. I think ric’s mark
is an iridescent white, Conri’s is silver, and Kai’s is gold. They ovep and mingle. It’s gorgeous.”
After a few more minutes, her father and mother shifted and joined the pack in the woods. The only
people left were Delta team and the unshifted.
Lizzy came running up to her.
“Back so quick?” Thea said.
“Oh, like I was going to take down a deer. I did my social duty. Now I’m here for you. Thea, that was
amazing. I can’t even describe what I felt-what we all felt. If that’s even a little of what the matebond
feels like, I can’t wait to find my mate. I felt connected to the whole pack. I could feel each person
individually. When we hugged, their touch wasforting and rxing, like being hugged by your
mother. Each pack member feels like true family. I care about them more, and! feel like they care about
me more.”
Thea smiled.
“Good. That’s what the mating ceremony is supposed to do. Unite the pack.”
“I can’t believe most Lunas don’t know how to make that happen. Or don’t care enough to. How sad is
it for all the packs out there with selfish leaders? We are so lucky. Goddess, I’m on such a high right
now. It’s like I love everyone. Everyone’s been saying it forever, but you make the pack stronger.”
“I’m d I can do something,” Thea said.
“What’s wrong?” Lizzy said.
“I feel like I can’t do much for the pack without a wolf.”
“You do so much. You always have. What’s really bothering you?”
“I’m sad I don’t have a wolf. I’m sad I can’t join with everyone in that way. 1 can’t mind link. I can’t mark
my mates.”
Lizzy hugged her. “I’m so sorry. It sucks that you didn’t shift. This sucks.”
“It’s okay. I’m going to move past it. It’s just fresh right now. Watch, I’m putting alock and key on it. Not
going to dwell on it, not going to mention it again.”
“It’s okay to hurt.”
“Not right now,” Thea said.
“I know I’m lucky. I have so much. I’m going to try to focus on that. Ihave amazing mates who will make
up for any shorings I have. Wonderful friends who love me regardless. I had a train run on me in
front of everyone, and the pack loves me for it.”
Lizzy’s eyes went wide.
“Iam truly blessed,” Thea said, trying to suppress a smile.
They burst outughing together.
“Really,” Thea said.
“I realized during the mating ceremony that I canbe happy and fulfilled by taking care of my mates. I
know they can handle taking care of the pack. My job is to take care of them. I had it in my head for so
long that I was going to be Beta. I needed a wolf for that. I don’t as Luna. As everyone loves pointing
out, 1 wouldn’t have been able to shift while pregnant anyway.”
Lizzy put her hand on Thea’s stomach. “Just think, you could be growing a pup in there right now.”
Thea smiled and blushed. “Stop,” she said. “Don’t make me think about it. 1 want their pups, but
pregnant while I’m still in high school? I’ve heard enough gossip about myself for one lifetime.”
“I don’t think anyone would even notice with how gorgeous your marks are,” Lizzy said. “They look
familiar, somehow.” |
“I can’t see. I need a mirror.”
“You were a knockout hottie before, but this I can’t stop looking at them,” Lizzy said.
Eventually, pack members starteding back. Everyone was naked. Some people put their clothes
back on, and others stayed naked so they could shift freely. Servers brought out food and wine from
the kitchens. Someone cleaned up the table on the dais and set it up as an altar. People brought
offerings and gifts to honor the future Luna.
Axel, Caleb, and Damon came back dragging a massive bull elk. They dropped it at Thea’s feet. No
one had ever taken down an elk like that so fast. The triplets weren’t inpetition with each other.
They wanted to get back to Thea as fast as possible, so they worked together to bring itdown.
People started butchering the elk for the pack to eat in celebration. They kept the hide, skull, and
antlers to mount in the pack house tomemorate this night. Other people started operating grills to
cook. It was tradition, symbolic of the future Alphas being able to provide for the pack and Luna. Feed
her when pregnant to ensure the survival of the pack.
“This is an impressive catch, my mates,” Thea said. She pet each wolf. They rubbed themselves
against her, getting their scents on her.
“Guys, I smell like you. Trust me,” she said. “You’re leaking out of me for heaven’s sake,” she thought.
Caleb took the tie of her robe in his teeth and pulled. “What are you doing?” Thea said.
He pulled it open and got inside her robe, rubbing himself against her skin.
Damon and Axel shifted back to Kai and ric. They found their robes, put them on, and then came
over to Thea. Kai draped his arm around her shoulders. ric wrapped his hand around her hips.
Caleb was still trying to get his scent on Thea’s skin.
“Guys, what’s up with Caleb?” Thea said.
“He’s scenting you properly,” Kai said.
“As in, if anyone touches me, it’s a direct challenge, and he’ll kill them?” Thea said. She grabbed
Caleb’s snout and made him look at her. If anyone else did that, Conri and Caleb would tear them to
pieces, but they were just happy Thea was touching them. “You’re such an Alpha wolf. You don’t think.
You don’t ask. You just do whatever you want. Can I tie my robe, please?”
Caleb did onest round of scenting her, then shifted back to Conri.
“Are you in on the scenting business?” Thea said, tying her robe back in ce.
“I support Caleb’s need to stake his im,” Conri said, standing there like he wasn’t naked.
“Axel and Damon didn’t feel the need to scent me,” Thea said.
“Not true,” ric said. “One scenting at a time is sufficient, though. Axel will scent you next round.”
“Goddess, help me.” She pulled ric in for a kiss.
“Damon knows it’s unnecessary,” Kai said. “It’s already implied that we’d kill anyone that touched you.”
“Yes. You certainly have established the reputation that no one takes what’s yours,” Thea said.
“Doesn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy scenting you,” Kai said. He rubbed his face against her neck and
kissed his mark. Thea turned and kissed him.
Conri stood there, staring at her.
“I know you don’t even notice that you’re naked, you wild animal, but put on your robe or shorts, Con. I
don’t want anyone seeing what’s mine,” Thea said.
Conri’s eyes went a shade darker. He stepped toward her, untied her robe, slid his hands in, and
hugged his body to hers. Kai’s arm slid down to her waist.
“Better?” Conri said. He put his teeth against his mark, and Thea melted.
“I’ll take it,” she said. She grabbed the sides of her robe and wrapped them around Conri in a hug. “I
don’t know if that’s fair. I’m powerless when you use the mark.”
“You said I’d get you for the rest of the night if I went on the hunt,” Conri said.
“I did,” Thea said.
“I think that means! get to use the mark.”
“Mmm. So it’s a reward? Payment?”
“It’s mine.”
“I can’t argue that,” Thea said.
“I missed you,” Conri said.
“I missed you too.”
The triplets felt her sadness before she tried to shut it down. She didn’t want to make them feel bad.
“It’s okay to be sad,” Kai said. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “] don’t want you to hide from us.”
Thea bit her lip. Conri held her tighter.
“Let us in,” ric whispered in her other ear. “We want to know how you feel. We want tofort you.”
“I’m sad that I couldn’t go on the hunt with you,” she thought. “I’m sad that I’ll never be able to join in
those pack activities.”
“I know if you had your wolf, you would’ve taken down the elk before us,” ric said.
“Oh,e on. It’s ceremonial. I would’ve let you guys take it down,” she whispered, trying to lighten the
mood. “Who knows, maybe my wolf would’ve been clumsy. Or vegetarian. Maybe she was vegan, and
that’s why she didn’t show up. She was too ashamed,” she joked.
The triplets kissed her, smiling.
Someone brought them the first elk steaks off the grill. Conri wouldn’t let go of Thea, and she wouldn’t
stop holding her robe to shield him. Kai and ric fed her since her hands were upied.
“Did you guys see the gift table? Or, our sex table turned into a gift table? Are we supposed to go
through those now?”
“We’ll have them taken into the pack house,” ric said. “We can go through it all tomorrow.”
The pack celebratedte into the night. Conri held onto Thea until ric and Kai demanded a turn.
Thea insisted Conri put some clothes on. If he wasn’t holding her, he didn’t mind putting on his robe.
Delta team surrounded Thea the whole night, keeping an eye out for anything strange.