Nighttime had finally arrived!
The bonfire was now lit.
Most of the pack members were already milling among their friends and family as they enjoyed free food and drink, care of the pack’s kitchen staff. Siel and V stood together in a special spot reserved for the Alpha, with the babies in their arms. The Alpha greeted the people as they made their way to him and his newly found mate.
Siel found it a little overwhelming as pack member after pack member was introduced to her by her proud and beaming mate. However, the warmth of each individual who approached her created an odd sensation within her…
A sense of familiarity, even a sense of belonging…
“Oh, my Goddess! Elena, I’M SO GLAD YOU’RE HERE!” said a squealing feminine voice behind her.
Siel whipped around to find herself face to face with V’s sister flanked by her family, “Lena? Oh, my gosh! Hello kids! Sergei, how are you!? I’m so happy to see you all again!”
“Actually, all of us are,” chuckled V as he watched James trying to climb down from his arms just to greet one of Lena’s two small boys.
Lena couldn’t stop gushing, “How long will you be staying? Don’t go home at once, ok? Now I can take you to the pool… and the gardens with the children’s playground… they will love it! Oh, have you toured the Packhouse? My goodness, I can’t wait for you to come live with us!” “Live with us? Like here?” Siel thought, momentarily freezing with Rosie still in her arms.
Lena felt Siel’s uncomfortable pause. “Don’t tell me my brother hasn’t asked you to come and live with the pack?”
“He has… Well, not directly… It’s just…”
“It’s too soon, Lena…” V interjected. “I’m letting her take her time. After all, it’s not that easy to leave everything you know and exchange it suddenly for something you never even believed existed before.”
“No, it’s fine, V. And it’s ok, Lena. The place is huge, and it’s beautiful. The kids are loving it as soon as they got out of the car. I just… well…”
“Oh no, no, don’t worry, you don’t have to say anything. Let’s just enjoy tonight, then we can have the kids enjoy the day with us, alright?” Lena smiled, in an effort to ease Siel’s discomfort.
Siel nodded, but the awkward feeling wouldn’t go away. She just wished she could talk to someone here who would understand her better…
Di, I’m missing you badly. V said you would be here. Please, I hope you really are nearby… * * * “Hey, Di…” Aaron soothingly whispered to his mate, who had fallen asleep in his arms.
The woman, still wrapped like a cocoon in a silvery-whitish blanket, slowly opened her green eyes. She found a pair of light brown eyes gazing worriedly at her.
“Love, would you like to go with me? I need to just be seen since I am the Beta, and then I can come back to you. Unless you wanna come with, that is…”
Can you manage, Diwa? If you can’t, you better stay here, Opal suggested.
No, I want to be near him… all the time while I’m here… I can’t feel safe without him. Di answered her wolf.
“You know, I’ve been thinking that it would be nice, since I’m here, to say hi to my parents. I think I’ll go with you,” she replied with a brave smile.
Aaron smiled widely. He felt relieved that his mate was better now. And her even suggesting to join him after that weird incident and her unexplained panic attack…
That’s good. But I still need to find the time to ask her why she reacted the way she did. I would ask Ma’Heron but he still hasn’t made himself available for his promised “man-to-man” talk with me…
“Then, let’s go get ready. Wanna shower with me?” he joked flirtatiously.
Her small smile was a treasure to see. “If we do that, we’re not going anywhere.”
“You’re right,” he chuckled, kissing her. “Then I’ll be back in five minutes.”
“OK, A. I’ll get dressed while waiting for you.”
Aaron suddenly turned around. “What did you just call me?”
“A, since I am called Di, your Alpha, V, and the Gamma, M. I think it fits that you should have that nickname, too.”
Her mate, with his tousled light brown hair and neat, light beard, along with his naughty smirk making him look more roguishly handsome, looked at her with amusement. She watched him heave a sigh, expanding his brawny chest even more, and she felt herself melt and go warm… And he noticed.
“Don’t get dressed yet, Di,” Aaron growled, the amused look now replaced with an intense stare. “I don’t think I need to shower either.”
“Just as long as we can still go to the bonfire, A, then that’s fine with me,” she replied in a husky, longing voice.
It took them about 15 minutes to stave off their own fires so they could finally get to the pack’s bonfire with clearer heads and wider smiles.
+++
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, okay?”
“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 okay 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…”