“You know my dad used to say that mates like to knock each other down a lot.” She chuckled as she came up for air. I laughed as I pulled her down again and tried to flip us over, but she stopped me and stayed balanced on top of me. “Nope. I got you pinned.” She leaned down and started to kiss me again. After a minute she dropped her mouth closer to my ear and whispered softly. “Now how are you going to get out of it? I got you pinned to the floor.” She started to pepper my neck with kisses. I smirked. “Who says I want to get unpinned? I like it here.” I grazed my fingers up her sides underneath her shirt. She stiffened slightly, and I took the chance to try to flip her again. It didn’t work though and she readjusted; pinning me again. She giggled and started on the other side of my neck. “I got you pinned! I got you pinned!” She teased lightly in my ear. I brought my hand around her and tried to get some leverage, but she wasn’t moving. “So, is this training?” I gasped as she started licking a spot on my neck, giving it extra attention. I brought both of my hands up and slipped them under her bra this time. I smirked as she stiffened again and in one motion, I slipped her bra out of my way. She slowed down on my neck slightly, wondering what my next move would be. I growled playfully in her ear and I felt her heart speed up under my hand. Taking my chance, I twisted my hips and finally flipped her under me. She looked up at me blushing and breathing heavy. “Alpha, you got distracted.” I chuckled in her ear before I nibbled it gently. I felt her chest arch slightly and I smiled...knowing only I have this effect on her. “Only you.” She repeated before she propped up on her elbows and kissed me again. I slipped one hand under her back to help support her and continued to massage her breast with the other. She growled again softly and started to pull away. I could feel her excitement, but also her shyness and I smiled into her neck and nuzzled it lovingly. I licked her marking spot tenderly before readjusting her bra and laying down beside her; moving my arm under her neck as she snuggled up to me. “I’m sorry.” She sighed. “I’m not...better.” She looked at me with big green eyes. I shook my head and gazed into her eyes lovingly, “Not at all Love. And I’m not going to go any faster than you are comfortable.” I kissed her again tenderly as she wrapped her arm around me. I brushed her hair from her face lovingly, studying her face. She started to blush slightly. “I’m not used to...this kind of attention.” She admitted. “Well, I take it back...you’re the first to show me this attention that I didn’t disfigure later.” She chuckled. “And you’re definitely the only one I let get this close.” We lay there for a little while just enjoying each other’s company before we moved to the couch. Eventually I noticed we missed dinner and sighed. Looking over at my mate I sighed again, I was worried about her; after my talk with Greg, I was feeling extremely protective of her. She glanced over at me and smiled sadly before cuddling into my shoulder. “I’m trying not to read your mind...but I can feel your worry through our bond.” “I can’t help but worry, Love. That’s my job.” We both looked up as someone knocked on the door. I sighed, one of us would have to answer it-we never unlocked it. I untangled my legs from under my mate and stood; readjusting my pants as I walked. Violet was standing there, she had brought us a leftover pizza. “I noticed neither of you were at dinner.” She handed it to me along with a soda. She looked at me solemnly. She warned. I nodded, Violet smiled. She handed me both hers and mine which I had left there in my frantic search for Samantha. I looked at her wide eyed and curious. My mouth dropped open, and I desperately tried to keep my emotions and thoughts to myself. I glanced over and Samantha was powering up Disney+. Behind Violet Nick and Penny came barreling in and sat on the floor with a giant bowl of popcorn. I could feel my eyes start to burn. She nodded in agreement. She turned and walked down the hall, and I could start to smell her tears before I shut the door. After a moment I plastered on my mask and smiled at the group. “Looks like movie night!” I cuddled in as Penny was telling Nick all about her shifting party that was going to be thrown this Saturday. Samantha gives me the side eye, but I smile at her, trying to remember my own shifting party. My parents had rented the normal party things; bouncy houses, and giant slides. They really surprised me though with a giant climbing wall. I kissed her forehead lovingly and wished she could have been there too. She cuddled into me after we finished eating as the pups watched some old movie I wasn’t paying attention to. I silently wished our life could stay like this forever, but fate has different motives in mind and eventually all this will have to end. Nick will go back to his pack... and we will be devastated. Samantha leaned up and kissed my neck lovingly. “Everything will be okay.” I nodded and listened to the sounds of my mate and the TV and slowly drifted off to sleep. ~~~~~~~ I woke up later, the pups were both gone, and Samantha was nudging me awake. She was fresh out of the shower and changed into her nightclothes. “I got both of the pups into their beds, now it's time for you.” She smiled. “I got your change of clothes ready for your shower.” Nodding, I started to stand. “Okay, I’ll be right back.” I hugged her, and once in the privacy of the bathroom I finally started to mull over my own thoughts. I mean, I knew that Nick would eventually have to go back to his home pack, but I didn’t realize how attached to the kid I got. Watching him run around with Penny just seemed...right. Watching him and my mate together seemed...perfect. This is going to crush her. F*ck its crushing me! I sighed as I rubbed the towel in my hair drying it. Leaving the bathroom, I am slowly taken aback by the small light that is still on. My mate is sitting on the couch. She sees me and puts a finger to her mouth, sleeping beside her is Nick, his head on her lap. I sighed, I went to the closet and grabbed an extra blanket and pillow for him. Samantha seemed a little surprised. I smirked as she started to blush. Turning the light in the bathroom back on in case he needs it I watched as Samantha tucked him in on the couch. She teased before she got in bed. She chuckled in my mind. I smirked and got in with her, kissing her gently as she cuddled into me. Soon her breathing slowed, and I wrapped my hand under her shirt as I pulled her close to me; relaxing fully I closed my eyes, the sounds of my family calming me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Alpha Samantha!” I heard a voice from behind me. It still sounds so wrong. I miss being called ‘Young Alpha.’ I sighed and turned, my father’s beta standing there. “Yes, Beta Alan?” I whispered, as I took off the long black trench coat from around me and opened the door to my dad’s.... I mean my office. There is still so much to do, I have to pack up my dad’s things and get moved into my new room soon. The desk is filled with all of his old papers that he never bothered to file away....so much to do. Alan sighed and sat in the chair across from me. My dad’s chair seemed to swallow me up, as his lingering scent was all around me. Taunting me to realize he would never again sit here. More tears started to well up in my eyes. “I just wanted to say that it was a lovely funeral.” I nodded. It all happened so fast though that we had to recall Violet from her travels, she barely got back in time. “What are the preparations on Daren’s Delta ceremony?” Alan nodded. “He is ready and will be sworn in on Saturday as planned.” “And Violet?” “Unfortunately, she doesn’t feel she is ready. She has one more semester until her degree.” I nodded. “It was always her dream to have a degree in finance.” I sighed. “Will you be okay retaining the beta position until she graduates?” He smiled sadly and nodded. “Of course, Alpha.” He sighed. “What about your ceremony?” “I don’t need one. Everyone knows already, it would just feel like we are celebrating my father’s death.” Tears streamed down my face, an old picture of me and my dad was sitting on the desk. She was in the picture too, we were all smiling...this was before.... I sighed. She was nowhere to be found, not that I cared. But he cared, even though what she did to me was horrible he still loved her. He never talked about her though; when she left she renounced her title and left the burden of this pack solely to him. “Yes Alpha.” He stood. “Gamma Greg will be up soon to help you move into the Alpha suite.” He paused and looked at me as I started to sob again. I don’t want to move, I don’t want anything to change. Why does things have to be different? I felt a strong pair of arms pull me close into a hug, I flinched but soon I relaxed; Alan was now one of the only people that would even try to hold me. Why didn’t I just take the title sooner? Now I’m forced to do this alone. Slowly I calmed down and went to pull a tissue from the top drawer of the desk. I stopped as inside is a small box with my name on it. Shaking I pull the box out and look at it. Alan smiled. “He put that in there when you turned 18, he knew that one day you would sit here and open that drawer as Alpha.” Slowly I unwrapped the dark green box, I could feel my heart racing slightly. Inside was a note and a small bag. My dearest Samantha- Congratulations! Today is the first day of your reign as Alpha! Words cannot express to you how happy I am. You have grown into a strong young woman, and I am so lucky to have watched you grow. I know right now you are probably scared and nervous just like I was on my first day, but you will do just fine. Remember all the lessons I have taught you over the years: commands made in anger are the hardest to break, do not let anyone walk over you, always listen to those under your command, sometimes rest is more important than making a deadline, and most importantly: trust the Moon Goddess. Her plan is larger than any of us know. Listen to your heart, let the moon guide you, and always remember: wolves make many mistakes, but it is all in the hands of the Goddess. Now go, my little ‘Demon’ I will be watching you always...cheering from the sidelines. Love-Your Daddy I glanced quickly at the picture he enclosed, it was from my shifting party, and I was pressing my paw on the Unity rock near my dad’s print as my dad was looking on smiling. My eyes started to water again as I stared at the picture, in the background looking on was a boy with messy brown hair holding a toy. Why did he look so familiar? My head was starting to hurt from all the crying, so I put the photo back in the box with the note. Taking out the bag I opened it and a long green ribbon slid out. Green was always my dad’s favorite color. He said the color reminded him of my eyes. For the first time in a long time, I smiled; taking my long hair in my hands I pulled it back and tied the ribbon around it. Standing with a renewed feeling of determination I looked to Beta Alan. “Let’s get to work.”

Chapter 70