Eighteen years ago, Pack House
Deidre
“You have a wife!”
He put his head in his hands, then raised it again, “I know. And we married with the understanding that we would never find our true mates.”
“A WIFE!” I practically hissed.
Kyle’s shoulders slumped. We were in his office. And also in an impossible situation.
“You should have said something yesterday.”
Kyle looked at me from behind his desk, lean
Eighteen years ago, Pack House, Beta SuiteKyleShe stared at me from across the room, unblinking. At first I didn’t think she had heard me.“Mistra?” I tried to make my voice as calm as possible.She continued to stare, a haunting look. She wasn’t really seeing me, but her face grew pale. Her dark hair hung loose around her shoulders.“Mistra?” I said louder.“You… mated….?” It wasn’t really a question, but I nodded.A look of incredulity washed over her.
Eighteen years ago, Pack House, Beta SuiteKyle“Absolutely not.” Missy’s glare radiated with rage.“I’m not going to refuse her!”We rarely ever argued, but my voice was at a roar. “The Goddess gave her to me. What would you do?”“I’d refuse her! You made a VOW!” Her face was flushed with anger.“I KNOW I MADE A VOW!” I gripped my head in frustration, trying not to rip my hair out. “THAT’S WHY I CAME TO YOU!”“Oh, so you’re supposed to get brownie points for telling me
Eighteen years ago, Beta Apartment, Pack houseKyle“Pregnant?”“I know.” My body was trembling. With excitement, with love, with sadness…“Pregnant.” Mistra repeated.“Yes.”“And she’s keeping it?”“Yes.”“This is not what we planned on.” She rose from the couch, her anger rising with her body.“We didn’t see this coming, Missy. You have to know that.”“Don’t call me that anymore!”
Present Day, Alpha Jason’s OfficeMark“Then what do you mean?” I asked Deidre. She had been staring out into the window, but not really seeing. Her mind was elsewhere. Was she trying to think of an answer?To be honest, I wasn’t sure what Kyle would have wanted. I thought I had known him, but after he had died, I realized that I never really known him at all…**Eleven years ago, Pack House, Top floor, New Beta Suite“What a day.” I slumped onto the new couch. It was stiff, delivered this afternoon, complements of Alpha Jason.“You could say that again. Care for a drink?”
Eleven years ago, Deidre’s apartmentDeidreThe next morning, I barely had the energy to open my door for the paper. Mistra’s visit had left me confused. I thought that perhaps I had finally gotten through to her; she had acknowledged that her children were the products of true mates. She couldn’t get rid of me entirely. I thought vaguely of the death threat she had screamed at me before leaving. I’d have to think about that later. I was still drained physically and emotionally from grief.I didn’t feel like having coffee. Maybe something stronger? No. Alcohol and grief did not mix. I knew better than that.I started the coffee pot, then, impatient for it to brew, opened my door and picked up the paper. I threw it on the table, poured myself a cup,
Eleven years ago, Pack House Mark My month as Beta hadn’t gone as smoothly as I had hoped. I spent half my time training Janas to take my place, the other half of the time taking cues from everybody else. Somewhere in the last few years, Jason had lost the ‘love’ part of tough love. I wasn’t necessarily messing up, per se. There was always going to be room for growth. But I knew that I was missing the unspoken understanding that Jason and Kyle had had with each other. As Gamma I had known about it, but had always been one step out of the loop. Becoming part of that inner circle now--and with both of us grieving Kyle at the same time--it was complicated. I had forgotten to remind Janas to do something, and had found myself running--rather unlike a dignified Beta-- up the stairs to Jason’s office, late for another meeting. Than
Eleven Years ago, Several hours later, Beta suite Mark “How was work, hun?” My wife was washing dishes in the sink, the soft sound of porcelain clinking in soapy water filling the kitchen. “Fine. I have patrol in an hour.” “No problem. Can I make you a snack?” She set a few dishes on the drying rack. “Nah, not really hungry. I’ve got a lot of maps to review.” “Maps?” Salindra walked over to me and peered over my shoulder. “Yea, I’m running a new training group tonight. Not actually on patrol, just doing some physical training to get some of the younger guys in shape.” “Ok.”
Present Day, My officeAlpha JasonDeidre hadn’t answered Mark’s question, and we all had resumed a pensive silence in the wake of his question. What would Kyle have wanted?I had wrestled with this question every day since he had walked into my office and told me about Deidre.I had once had my own true mate. Sienna was the love of my life. I was fortunate to have mated shortly after we both turned eighteen. I could never have imagined my life without her.But I had lived without her for several years. But back then--when Kyle had found Deidre--I had been so genuinely happy for him because I knew the fulfillment that the bond could br