The Pack

Nikko carried her over to the makeshift bed deeper into the cave. They remained motionless, spooning until the sun rose again. Nikko tenderly kissed Sage's shoulder, not wanting to let her go. He took her into his arms, holding her close as their breathing synced and the bond between them grew stronger.

  "Nikko, wake up." Sage's voice pulled Nikko from his sleep. He opened his eyes to find Sage looking down at him with a smile on her face.

"Morning," he replied as he stretched. "How are you?"

"I feel great," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the lips before pulling back to look at him again.

"What time is it?" he asked groggily.

"Almost noon." She kissed his nose, then his lips. "I missed you."

He smiled and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her tightly. He breathed in her scent, feeling completely content lying with her in their cave as the sun peeked through the opening of the cave. He closed his eyes and listened to Sage's heart beating underneath him while they remained nestled together in their home away from home. Nikko didn't want to move from where he was; instead, he just wanted to stay there forever. But, he knew he couldn't He was Alpha of the Lycan pack, and duty called to him beyond the forest.

Sage's eyes dulled a shade, knowing what was about to happen. "Before you go, I just wanted to tell you how much fun it was spending time with you," she said before leaning in close to kiss him tenderly on the lips.

Nikko returned her affection. "I had a great time, too," he said before pulling away from her. Sage looked at him with sad eyes; she didn't want him to leave either. Nikko took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. "I have to go now," he said, knowing it was time to say goodbye.

Sage nodded in understanding but a tear trickled down her eye. Nikko leaned down and kissed her again, this time longer than before. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss until they were both breathless.

When he pulled away again, he smiled at her and gently caressed her cheek. "I'll be back," he said before turning around and walking out the mouth of the cave. Sage watched him go with tears streaming down her face. If only things could have been different…

The pack was in an uproar when Nikko finally returned to their den. They questioned him endlessly about his whereabouts, stating an Alpha doesn't go missing without telling the pack where he was going, and he was starting to wonder who was actually in charge here. The pack or him?

Finally, he had enough and snapped at them. "I was with my mate," he growled out. The pack went silent as if they didn't know what to say.

They looked around at each other in confusion before finally, someone spoke up. "You have a mate?"

"Yes, I have a mate," Nikko growled out. "But there is nothing to worry about because she's not coming here."

"Why not?"

Nikko's eyes narrowed at the question. "Because she's not like us and you accept her because of the old pack rules."

The pack grew silent once again. "You know, Nikko," one of them started to say. "We have been talking about this for a while now, and we think that maybe it's time for the pack to change its ways." Nikko stared at him in shock as he continued on. "We have all noticed that there are fewer and fewer shifters in the world every day, so we feel like it's time to open our minds up to other species." Nikko couldn't believe what he was hearing as another member of the pack spoke up. "It doesn't matter if she is different from us. She's still a girl and she needs protection just like any other female."

Nikko was dizzy as he sat down on his stump; the pack had been surprisingly understanding, catching him off guard. Would they truly accept Sage, a hybrid, as one of them? Could this future he have envisioned for him and Sage be a possible reality?

"I think it's a good idea," Nikko said. "We need to protect our females no matter what species they are."

The oldest female came forward, her sightless eyes framed by dark wrinkles. Her voice was full of ancient wisdom as she spoke."There is another reason Sage needs protection. One of the elders has foreseen a great danger looming over us all. The pack will be tested in ways we have never been tested before."

Nikko's wolf growled at the thought of anything threatening his mate or their future together. "What kind of danger?"

The female's expression was grim. "I do not know, but it will be a challenge unlike any we have ever faced."

The thought of this impending danger made Nikko want to run back into the woods and get Sage and bring her to their den as soon as possible. Especially since he had no idea what he and his pack will be up against. "We will be ready," Nikko said, standing up; his voice as determined as he felt.

The elder female smiled at him and nodded. "I know you will." She reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Be careful, Nikko. There is more at stake here than just your own life."

Nikko nodded. "Thank you for your wisdom, Elder."

The meeting came to an end, and the pack was instructed to prepare for Sage's welcoming ceremony. Nikko walked back through the woods with a bounce in his step as he went to get her. It was nightfall and the moon was full. Nikko's wolf was excited to meet his mate, but he knew that he had a lot of work ahead of him if this union was going to be successful. He would have to win her over and prove himself worthy of her love in front of the pack. It would be the ultimate test of their willingness to support their union.

Nikko had never been so nervous in his life. He was pacing back and forth in front of Sage's cave when she emerged from the opening Her eyes were wide with surprise as she took him in, "I didn't expect to see you back here soon."

Nikko picked her up and spun her around before kissing her on the cheek and setting her down. "I missed you so much," he said, pulling her into his arms. "I don't think I've ever been this happy in my life."

Sage smiled up at him and Nikko felt as though his heart would burst from his chest. She was so beautiful, so precious to him that this moment felt like a dream come true. "I missed you too," Sage said, smiling at him. "But what are you doing here? I thought we'd agreed that it was too dangerous for you."

"No, it's too dangerous for you out here. The pack is opening to accepting you to our den."

Sage looked up at him with wide eyes and Nikko held his breath. "Really?" she asked, her voice full of excitement.

Nikko nodded, unable to speak from the excitement that filled him as well. Sage let out a squeal and jumped into his arms again, wrapping her arms around his neck so tightly he almost couldn't breathe. "I'm so happy," she whispered into his ear as she pulled back to look at him.

"Me too," he said, smiling down at her.

Sage lifted herself up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips. Nikko wrapped one arm around her waist and deepened the kiss, feeling like he was finally home after being gone for so long. Sage let out another squeal, but this time she pulled back and gave him a playful push. "Come on," she said, laughing as she grabbed his hand and started to pull him along behind her.

Nikko let out a laugh as well, following her in the direction of the pack's den. Sage led him through the woods, weaving around trees and bushes until she came to a small clearing. In the middle was a large tree stump that almost looked like an island in the middle of the forest. "This is where we live," Nikko said as they approached it.

She stopped and turned around so that she faced Nikko again, her blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "Where is everyone?"

Suddenly, from the woods surrounding them, a pack of Lycans bursts out howling and playing with their wooden flutes. "Suprise."

Sage pulled her hand over her heart, her mouth agape.

Nikko took her hands and led her to the tree stump, where he sat down. "Welcome home, Sage," he said as she sat beside him.

Sage looked around at the Lycans, all of them wearing masks. She smiled and looked back at Nikko. " This is incredible, thank you."

Nikko squeezed her hand and kissed her on the cheek. "You're welcome," he said before standing up again. He raised his arms above his head and the music stopped. Everyone turned towards him, waiting for him to speak. Nikko cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "I would like to thank you all for coming here tonight," he started, looking at Sage with all the Lycan could possess. "This is my mate, Sage." He pointed to her as she stood up beside him. "She means everything to me, and I want her to know how special she is." Nikko turned to Sage and took her face in between his hands. He leaned down and kissed her on the lips, gently at first but then with more force. His tongue slipped into her mouth as he pulled her closer to him, pressing their bodies together. Sage wrapped one arm around Nikko's neck and ran the other hand up his back.

The Lycans howled in celebration of the affection that their display had provoked. The two parted, and Sage looked around at their cheering guests. There were many different faces and sizes, but they all had the same eyes; they were all Lycans. They stared at her with admiration in their gaze as she continued to hold Nikko's hand while he spoke again. "She is also carrying my Lycan pup," Nikko said. The crowd erupted with excitement, and Sage felt Nikko's hand tighten around hers. He looked down at her with a smile as he squeezed her fingers, and she smiled back. Sage couldn't believe how well this was going; it seemed like everything that had happened for the past few months was finally coming together in one big happy moment. She had never felt more accepted or wanted than when she was standing there with Nikko, holding his hand while his pack celebrated their union.

Throughout the night, members of the pack made love with their mates around the campfire and chanted to celebrate their union. Nikko took Sage by the hand and led her away from the crowd, down a path that seemed to stretch endlessly into the forest. Sage followed behind him with a smile on her face as she watched his muscular back move under his shirt, admiring his strong build and confident stride. Finally, they came upon a large cabin clearing where Nikko stopped and turned around to look at Sage. “Are you ready?” he asked. Sage nodded and Nikko smiled. Then, he took Sage into his arms and kissed her passionately. They stood there for what seemed like forever with their lips locked together as Sage felt her body melt in Nikko’s arms. When they finally broke apart, Nikko reached down and scooped Sage up into his arms like she was weightless.

He carried her into the cabin and set her down on a large four-poster bed in the middle of the room. Sage looked around and saw that there were no windows in this room, only candles lit everywhere casting a warm glow that made Sage feel like she was somewhere magical.