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lewmagoo · 8 months

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the killing moon | rhett abbott

part four of the wolf series ; must read previous parts before reading this one

listen to the playlist here

description: in which a wolf receives the greatest honor, but pays the ultimate price

characters: werewolf rhett abbott x werewolf f!reader, reader and rhett's children, my own ocs as members of the abbott pack

warnings: 18+ ONLY, smut, breeding kink, outdoor sex, mentions of pregnancy, mentions of death and murder, civil unrest, angst, violence, blood, bodily injury

It had been seven years.

Seven years since that fateful day when your very life was put in grave danger, all because of the actions of one man. Seven years since you were stolen from your mate and brought to harm at the hands of ruthless werewolf hunters.

It was all behind you now. The trauma still remained, but it had been soothed over the years, its pain lessening to a dull ache in your heart whenever you thought about it. Smoothed over by the loving hands of your husband. And by four tiny sets of hands that were a product of your love for each other.

Things had changed in those seven years. Since that incident, the Supreme Court had cracked down on werewolf protection laws, at the prompting of the National Werewolf League. The penalty for werewolf hunting grew heavier. Zero-tolerance policies for the ‘sport’ were passed in every state.

The Tillerson family was put entirely out of business. Following the death of Patricia during the harrowing moment of your rescue, Luke and Billy, the only remaining members of the family, were sentenced hefty to life in prison for their participation in your abduction.

The NWL made a public example of them, using it as a way to send a message that told the nation that hunting was punishable to the highest degree of the law. No exceptions

It started a revolution of sorts. Others came forward, with stories of how they had also been targeted by hunters. Gone were the days of being afraid to speak out. Wolves everywhere were empowered to stand up to those who’d inflicted harm upon them.

And slowly but surely, hunting was eradicated.

You and your pack never had to worry about hunters encroaching on your land again. The past agreement that Royal Abbott and Wayne Tillerson had come to over which plot of land wolves were allowed to live on was now null and void. You were free to take up residence wherever you pleased.

Your pack, a mix of your own family, and the remaining members of Rhett’s, had banded together on the day you and Rhett had gotten married. The joining of two mates during a sacred ceremony, where you became one blood and one soul.

Since then, you had lost a few members of the pack. Namely, you’d lost Rhett’s father, and his brother. Their involvement in the murder of Trevor Tillerson, with Perry committing the crime and Royal aiding him in covering it up, had brought the law down on them.

Perry was sentenced to life in prison. Royal received a lesser sentence, but still had several more years to fulfill before he was reintegrated into society again.

As for Perry’s daughter, Amy, she was already eighteen years old. After her father’s sentencing, you and Rhett had made the decision to take her in. His mother, Cecelia, took the aftermath hard. Losing her son and husband all at once was a lot for her. She fully admitted that she was not equipped to care for her granddaughter, so she turned her over to your and Rhett’s custody.

You welcomed that little girl into your life, treating her as if she were your own. The two of you were closely bonded, even more so after what you had been through. Amy was more than happy to come live in your and Rhett’s home. Especially because that meant she would be there when you welcomed your first little pup into the world.

A few months after your traumatic experience with the hunters, you gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She was the perfect mix of you and Rhett. She had his button nose. She had your eyes. She was beautiful. You named her Arya.

Amy was overjoyed to have a tiny cousin to look after. She would hold and entertain the little one while you were occupied with other things. She never wanted to be away from the baby. You tried to encourage her to play with other children in the pack that were her age, but she didn’t seem to want to. She hadn’t bonded with them in the way that she’d bonded with you and Rhett.

After spending a good portion of her young life with a physically absent mother and an emotionally absent father, she was holding on to the last two stable adult relationships she had left. The two of you gave her a sense of security that she’d never had before. She felt safe and cared for, for the first time in a long time. If she needed you to be surrogate parents to help her overcome the past trauma she had experienced, you were more than happy to be that for her.

Along with Amy and Arya, your family began to grow in the next few years. Soon, you had a son, who you named Maximillian. Max for short. Following her, you had another daughter named Leia. And finally, you had your youngest, Zoella. All good, strong names that had once belonged to ancestors of your pack.

There was something so special about raising your children in a pack. It wasn’t just family. You were all connected by blood and by spirit. A bond that withstood the test of time. You wanted your pups to grow up knowing their elders. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, those who had lived through times in history when wolves did not have the liberty to live freely within society. Times when they were mistreated and abused, simply for being who they were.

Things had changed since then. Your community now had freedoms and protections that it had once been deprived of. Your children were growing up in a world where they were free to live where they wanted, be who they wanted, without hiding their true selves.

But you never wanted them to forget all their ancestors and elders had endured to get to this point.

It was important to you and Rhett that you gave them a strong foundation. Growing up, he didn’t have the kind of pack that you did. His family was dysfunctional at best.

In the werewolf world, there was strength in numbers. His pack, if one could even call it that, had been small. Royal was the alpha. There was Cecilia, his mate. And Perry and Rhett, his boys. The only person to join the pack had been Rebecca, Perry’s wife. He had convinced himself and everyone around him that they were mates, when they were in fact, not.

Even so, the product of their marriage was Amy. These six members made up the Abbott pack. Their small size made them vulnerable. That was why, when your pack came passing through, looking for sanctuary, they allowed you to have it.

It was through that, that you met Rhett. From the very moment you came into one another’s presence, you knew you were mates. This led to your packs joining together as one. And Royal willingly surrendered his alpha status to Malakai, your uncle, and the alpha of your own pack.

And for the first time in his life, Rhett felt like he was part of something. There was so much love within your pack. Everyone respected each other. Wolf customs were observed and held especially sacred. He’d never had that with his own family. Yes, he knew of his heritage, and he knew that being a werewolf was special. But that was as far as it went.

He found a sense of belonging within your pack. And he knew in his heart that he never wanted his children to grow up the way he did, in a dysfunctional, broken pack. No, they would only ever know love, security, and safety. They would know where they came from and what their purpose was in the world.

He made good on those promises.

In your eyes, he was made to be a father. He embraced the role with ease, determined to do better than his own father had done with him. Where he had been told to “suck it up and be a man,” he told young Max, “it’s okay to cry. Sometimes ya just need to let it out.” Where he had been yelled at, he never raised his voice at his children. And if there were times when he lost his cool in front of them, he always made it a point to apologize in the end and make it right.

He wasn’t perfect, but he worked hard every day of his life to be the father his pups needed him to be. And for that, you admired and respected him.

Your love for him already burned like an unkempt flame, but seeing him raise your children? It grew tenfold. And as the years past, that love that you shared never wavered. It was undying. Eternal.

You had watched him flourish over the last seven years. Without his family to hold him back, he had come into his own. He was an integral part of your pack, and did all he could to protect its sanctity.

His deep loyalty had caught the attention of the pack elders. Especially your Uncle Malakai. He was getting up in years, and knew that he needed to hand off his responsibilities as alpha to someone who was younger and full of life. He had his sights set on Rhett, unbeknownst to you.

Malakai consulted the pack elders, presenting who he wanted to choose to replace him. They were all in agreement that Rhett was the best choice for the job.

And so, one evening in late October, you received a knock at your door. You had just finished dinner, and the kids were beginning their bedtime routine.

Their favorite part of the evening was getting to curl up on the couch in the living room while their daddy read them a story. That time together as a family was sacred to you and Rhett. To bond with your little ones, to have a moment of peace as he read to them from a book of their choosing. You cherished every moment.

But that night, that moment was interrupted by a guest.

“I’ll get it,” Amy announced, already heading for the door.

Rhett was just getting the kids settled on the couch, with you coming to join them all. You paused, however, when you heard your uncle’s voice.

“Uncle Malakai’s here,” Amy called over her shoulder, moving aside to let the man in.

“Evenin’, Abbotts,” he greeted you all, smiling warmly.

Your oldest three children jumped up in excitement, immediately rushing over to hug their uncle. You smiled at their enthusiasm. They loved him so much.

“Hey, we just finished dinner. Want a plate to take home with you?” You asked him.

He shook his head as he lifted your youngest, Zoella, onto his hip, cooing at her. “No thanks sweetheart. I actually came to speak with you and Rhett.”

Behind you, Rhett rose to his feet. “Everythin’ alright?” He asked.

Malakai held his gaze. “Yeah, everything’s fine. But it is important.”

“Okay, gimme one minute.” Rhett turned to address the kids. “Alright pups, Mama and Daddy have to go talk to Uncle Malakai for a few minutes. You be good for Amy, alright?”

“Okay Daddy!” They all echoed, and Amy took over tending to them, grabbing Zoella from Malakai to free his hands up before he turned to lead you both outside.

Once on the porch, blanketed by cool night air, shoes thudding against solid wood, Rhett pulled the door shut behind the three of you.

“What’s goin’ on?” Rhett questioned. You moved to stand beside him, your shoulder brushing against his.

“I’ve got news. Bittersweet news. But I wanted to personally deliver it to you myself.” Malakai leaned against the porch railing, folding his arms over his chest. “If ya couldn’t tell, I’m gettin’ old. I’m not the wolf I used to be. My senses are dull, and I don’t think I can lead this pack effectively anymore. So I’m lookin’ for someone to replace me.”

His eyes never left Rhett’s. There was an intensity behind them, a conviction. Beside your husband, your breath caught in your throat. You knew what was coming next. So did Rhett.

“Rhett, I’ve thought long and hard about it, and I want you to take my place.” He went quiet for a moment, allowing the news to sink in.

Rhett let out an incredulous breath, shaking his head as he brought his hand up to run his fingers absently over his jaw. He knew what an honor this was, and he was floored.

“Wh…why? There are plenty’a other pack members who are probably a lot more qualified than I am.” His disbelief was palpable.

Malakai shook his head. “I took it to the elders. We’re all in agreement. We firmly believe you are the best wolf to lead this pack. Will you accept this honor?”

How could he deny it? Rhett had great respect and admiration for Malakai. He felt that declining this offer would be a slap to the face. And even more so, he had a duty to fulfill. To his pack. To his mate. To his children.

“Yes. I’ll accept it,” Rhett finally replied.

Malakai’s face broke into a grin. He stepped forward, reaching out to shake Rhett’s hand. “My boy. I’m so glad you said that.”

Rhett smiled back, though there was trepidation in his eyes. “So what happens next? I’ve never been part of an alpha ceremony.”

Malakai nodded. “Don’t worry, you’ll meet with the elders soon and they’ll discuss everything. The ceremony will happen on the next full moon. Which, coincidentally, is next Friday.”

Rhett’s eyes widened. He only had a week to prepare for this? It seemed like it was happening so fast. His chest tightened with anxiety. Had he really just agreed to this? The highest, most sacred honor in the wolf community?

“A-alright,” was all he could say.

You could sense his uncertainty. You placed a steady hand between his shoulder blades, and he relaxed a little under your touch.

“I’ll get the elders together, and we’ll meet tomorrow morning at sun up, at my place. How does that sound?”

“Yeah…yeah, I’ll be there.”

Malakai bid you farewell before he walked off into the night, leaving you and Rhett alone on your porch. You stood there in silence for a beat, both of you processing what you had just been told.

Slowly, you turned toward your husband, and as realization set in, your eyes filled with tears. “Rhett…” you whispered, your voice breaking.

His eyes, blue and impossibly deep, met yours. “I know,” he whispered back.

Without warning, you lurched forward, throwing your arms around his neck. His own arms instinctively came up to wind around your waist. You held each other, standing on your porch in the cool night air.

“I can’t believe it,” he whispered when you parted, his voice thick with emotion.

You smiled, lifting your hand to brush a lock of hair away from his forehead. “I can. You deserve this, my love. I can’t think of a better man to take on this responsibility.”

He let out a breath, a plume of condensation puffing out into the air, his head shaking as he did so. “I don’t know about that.”

You touched his face, bringing his chin up so he’d look at you. “Don’t you dare sell yourself short, Rhett. You’ve earned this. And you’ll be the alpha this pack needs, I just know it.” You leaned in to tenderly kiss him, and he reciprocated, mouth moving against yours with ease, familiar and soft.

“I love you, little wolf,” he murmured against your mouth when you parted.

“I love you too. And I’m so proud of you.” You nuzzled your nose against his before you reluctantly pulled away. “Guess we should go back inside and wrangle the pups.”

“Guess we should.” He slipped his arm around you, and you sauntered back into the comforting warmth of your home.

That night, after the littles were all tucked in their beds, safe and warm, Rhett lay awake, staring at the ceiling, replaying the conversation with Malakai. This was a life-altering moment. Things would never be the same again after this. It was the most important role he would ever fulfill, aside from his role as your mate and as a father to his children.

Was he cut out for this? Could he lead an entire pack of werewolves? This was no longer limited to just his family depending on him. This was an entire community. He would be the figurehead of the Northeast Wyoming Pack, representing a growing population of wolves, the largest in the entire state, in fact. The thought of being their leader scared the hell out of him.

But he would be a fool to turn down an opportunity like this. Not to mention, it would be seen as disrespectful to Malakai to decline this honor. So, the very next morning, he rose before the sun, ready to face the elders and formally tell them that he accepted this position.

You stirred when you heard him moving about the room, and you turned onto your side, squinting in the light that streamed in from the bathroom. When he saw that you were awake, he stopped at your side of the bed, leaning down to kiss your forehead.

“Gonna go meet the elders now,” he whispered.

“Mm,” you hummed, reaching out to squeeze his hand. “Good luck.”

“Thank y’ darlin’,” came his reply. He returned your hand squeeze before he finally slipped away, pausing to shut off the bathroom light before he made his way down the steps. He was quiet on his feet so as not to wake the rest of the house, stopping at the door to grab his boots before he stepped out onto the porch, taking a seat on the bench near the door to put them on.

He let out a soft sigh, steeling himself before he stood and began the trek across the property toward Malakai’s place, where the elders regularly met. The entire walk, his mind was spinning, trying to process the fact that he was going to stand before these revered wolves and begin the journey of receiving alpha status. Never in a million years would he have dreamed this would be happening.

But it was, and soon, he was on Malakai’s doorstep, lifting a hand to knock on the door, and taking a deep breath to steady himself. Moments later, the door came open, and there was Malakai’s wife, Larissa, standing in the doorway.

She smiled warmly at Rhett. “Good mornin’, honey!” She greeted. “Come on in, I just put on a fresh pot of coffee. Everyone else is on the back deck.”

He thanked her, leaning in to give her a quick hug before he headed into the house, right to the sliding doors that led out onto the deck. There, the five pack elders awaited him, each of them seated at the large rectangle table in the middle of the deck.

When Malakai saw him, he stood. “There’s the man of the hour,” he said with a smile, as Rhett stepped outside to join the group.

“Mornin’,” Rhett replied, reaching out to shake Malakai’s hand. He looked around the table, bidding good morning to each elder.

Gwenevere, Leo, Nora, Matthias, and Sebastian. All the oldest members of the pack. The purpose of their counsel was to ensure everything was done decently and in order. They were advisors to the alpha.

“Have a seat,” Malakai urged Rhett, and he did so, thanking him for his graciousness. Rhett tried to hide his nerves, clearing his throat and squaring his shoulders as he took a seat across them at the table. His heart quickened in his chest. He knew that all of them could hear it. They could already sense his unease.

Gwenevere leaned forward, her hands folded on the tabletop. Her eyes, stormy gray, remained fixed on Rhett’s face, regarding him with an unreadable expression. “Malakai tells us you are willing to accept his position as alpha of this pack.”

“Yes ma’am,” came Rhett’s response.

“This is the highest honor you will ever be given. Are you prepared to put the needs of this pack for your own?” Sebastian spoke up.

“I am.”

“And are you willing to protect them, no matter the cost?”

Rhett looked directly into Sebastian’s eyes. “Yes. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect this family.”

“Young wolf,” Nora interjected, pointing her finger at him. “Do you understand how sacred this job is? Do you realize what is at stake here?”

He did not waver beneath her hard gaze. His mind went to you and his children. There was nothing he would not to do keep you safe. And he knew that he would be just as diligent in safeguarding all the other wolves that would soon be under his care.

“I do. And I have t’ say…before you all showed up here all those years ago, I never knew what it was like to be part of a pack. Not really. My family was all I had, and when my brother did what he did…after what happened to m’ wife…you didn’t turn your backs on me. You showed me what it means to be part of somethin’. And I’m honored that you’d let me take charge of this. I promise to do everythin’ I can to be the alpha these wolves need me to be.”

His words hung in the air, and he awaited a response with bated breath.

Matthias was the one who spoke next. “Rhett, when Malakai brought your name up as a potential candidate to replace him, all of us were in agreement that you were the best fit for the job. I know that you won’t disappoint us.”

Rhett shook his head. “I won’t let you down. I swear to you.”

The alpha and the five elders regarded him silently, before Gwenevere finally broke that quiet moment.

“Then it’s settled. By the light of the next full moon, you will be named alpha over this pack.”

And just like that, the meeting was adjourned.

Rhett went home that morning, his mind still spinning just as it had been when he woke up. Reality was beginning to set in. This wasn’t a fantasy, this wasn’t a dream. This was real, he was going to become an alpha in just a few short days.

He knew that there was someone who deserved to know the news. So, he detoured on his walk home, and instead headed for the house that he had grown up in.

His boots crunched against the gravel as he sauntered up the drive. He knew Cecilia would be awake. She’d always been an early riser. And sure enough, when he made it up to the porch, he could hear her singing softly to herself as she worked in the kitchen, making breakfast.

Rhett knocked on the door before he called out, “It’s Rhett, Ma!”

Moments later, she was at the door, pleasantly surprised to see him. “What a nice surprise!” She exclaimed as she reached out to hug him. He reciprocated, hugging her extra tight.

“Just thought I’d stop by for a few minutes. Been a while since we talked,” he mused.

Cece smiled warmly. “Well come on in!” She motioned for him to step inside, and he did so, following her as she strolled back into the kitchen. “I was just startin’ on breakfast. I can fix ya somethin’, if you want. Could pan scramble you an egg, just like you used to eat.”

Rhett gently declined. “No, I better not. Gonna head back and eat breakfast with the babies in a few,” he explained.

Cece’s face fell slightly. “Oh, yes. I guess you wouldn’t want to miss breakfast with them. Lord knows your father regretted not spending more time with you and your brother.”

Rhett didn’t acknowledge the comment. He didn’t want to get into a discussion about Royal and Perry. Instead, he kept the mood lighthearted. “I came because I have somethin’ to tell ya’, Ma.”

Her curiosity was piqued. “What is it?” And then, “it’s not a new pup, is it?! That would be wonderful!”

But he shook his head. “No, it’s not a pup. But…well, I’ve been asked to be the alpha of our pack.”

A beat passed. Then another. Her eyes filled with tears. “Rhett, that’s…that’s wonderful,” she whispered in disbelief. She pulled him in for another hug. “Oh, my boy, my boy. I’m so proud of you!”

When they parted, they were both smiling from ear to ear. “I wanted you to know before they announced it to everyone.”

She lovingly touched his cheek. “Thank you. I really appreciate you tellin’ me.” Her eyes still glimmered with unshed tears. “I really am so proud. Your daddy is going to be too. I’ll have to call him up and let him know. Unless…you want to do it?” She looked up at him hopefully.

Rhett hesitated. His relationship with Royal was complicated. He had not spoken to him in a long time. Although seven years had passed since your abduction, and finding out that Royal had been involved in covering up Perry’s crime, it had still left a mark.

Rhett had been able to move on for the most part, but there was still a disconnect there between him and his father. It was the fact that he had chosen to protect his oldest son, over his youngest. He had betrayed the trust Rhett had in him, and it severed any bond they might have had.

“You can just let ‘im know,” Rhett answered his mother.

She tried to hide her disappointment. “Alright, I will.”

He sighed softly before he finally decided to bid her goodbye. “Well, that’s all I wanted to tell ya. Ceremony will be on the full moon.”

“I’ll be there,” she assured him. Then she hugged him again. “Look at you. One of my sons, an alpha.”

He mustered a smile. “Who woulda thought, huh?”

She patted his cheek. “I would have. You’re a good man, Rhett. And it ain’t because of anythin’ me or your father did. You chose to do the right thing because that’s just who you are. And because of that, I know you’ll be the best alpha this pack ever had.”

He felt tears well in his eyes. Praise was hard to come by from his parents. Royal especially. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d heard his father tell him he was proud of him. And even now, he doubted the man would say those words, despite the high honor that had just been bestowed upon him.

“Thanks, Ma,” he whispered.

“I meant every word.” She parted from him, stepping back and motioning to the door. “Now go on, get. Enjoy your breakfast with your family.”

After sparing her a final glance, he stepped back outside into the brisk October air, pausing to take a deep breath. He hadn’t expected speaking to his mother to bring up so many memories and emotions. He tried to keep in touch with her regularly, especially because she lived right down the way from him, and he had no excuse not to speak to her.

But sometimes, it was hard. Going back to that house was a reminder of a childhood filled with unrest. Back then, he hadn’t noticed how unhealthy it was. It wasn’t until after you walked into his life, and you started a family of your own, that he realized what a stable, wholesome family unit was like.

He mourned for that little boy who had not experienced gentleness from his father. The way Rhett was with his own children was not the way Royal had been with him. His father had been dismissive of his emotions. Men don’t cry. And certainly not men who are part wolf.

It was something that Rhett still struggled with to this day. You had helped him considerably in learning to express his emotions, but he supposed he would always have that small voice within him, telling him he was weak for allowing emotion to bubble to the surface.

But he tried his best to put those days of his childhood behind him. He had four little ones that he had the opportunity to show love and patience to. He could give them things he hadn’t had when he was a child. He could be a good father.

Just like he would be a good alpha.

Your words from the night before rang in his head as he walked back to your house. Don’t you dare sell yourself short, Rhett. You’ve earned this.

It was time he trusted in his own abilities.

In the following days leading up to the ceremony, Rhett was thrumming with nerves. The children noticed something was off.

You had explained to them that their father was going to be taking leadership of the pack, but you weren’t sure how well their little minds could fully process the magnitude of the situation.

But they would soon witness it for themselves. As small as they were, with your oldest being seven, and your youngest being only one, you still wanted them to witness this monumental moment in their father’s life.

Your heart was warmed when, the night before the ceremony, you heard your son Max talking to Rhett as he got the boy ready for bed.

“I want to be an alpha just like you when I grow up, Daddy,” he said.

Rhett hummed, ruffling his son’s hair. “And I bet you will, buddy. Couldn’t think of a better wolf to take my place.”

The five-year-old looked up at his dad. “Are you scared to be an alpha?” He could not enunciate his L’s yet, so the word came out as “owpha.”

You watched from the doorway, eyeing Rhett as he knelt down so that he was eye level with Max. He hesitated for only a moment. His instinct was to deny fear, but what good would that do to his son? He needed to own up to his feelings. He needed to be transparent, because he owed that much to his children. “Yeah, I am. And y’know what? It’s okay to be scared.”

Max nodded, his little face serious. “Mama says that all the time.”

“And she’s right. Sometimes we gotta do things that scare us, because in the end, somethin’ good will happen.”

You could see Max’s mind working behind his eyes. “Daddy?”

“Yeah?”

“I think you’re really brave.”

Rhett didn’t bother to hide his tears. He hugged his boy to his chest, his large hand coming up to rest at the back of his head, cradling him there. “Thank you, bud.”

You were touched, and tears reached your own eyes. Max had such a tender heart. Even at such a young age, he was sensitive to the feelings of those around him. You hoped he would never lose that sweet spirit.

After their conversation, Rhett gently coaxed him into bed, making sure the blankets were tucked in around him, before you finally made your presence known. You reached out, placing a steady hand against Rhett’s back as you leaned down to kiss your son on the forehead.

“Goodnight, sweet boy,” you whispered.

“‘Night, Mama.”

After he was settled, the two of you quietly left the room, and Rhett shut the door behind him. And just like that, all four of your children were tucked safely in their beds, leaving you with a moment of peace.

“He loves you so much, Rhett,” you whispered to your husband as you walked toward the steps that led up to your bedroom.

He nodded, slipping his arm around your waist. “He’s a good boy. Reminds me a lot of me when I was a kid…just, different.”

You paused, turning to cup his cheek. “Different because he has a daddy who’s patient and loving.”

Rhett let out an unsteady breath. “I really try, y’know?”

“I know you do, and it shows. There’s no doubt in that boy’s mind that you love him. There’s no doubt in any of our pups’ minds about that.” You leaned in to kiss him tenderly, and he hummed against your mouth, his large hands coming up to rest at your hips.

“I love you,” he confessed.

“I love you too,” came your reply as your fingers stroked at the scruffy edge of his jaw. Another kiss, and you spoke again, “Now c’mon, let’s get to bed. Got a big day ahead of you tomorrow. Need all the rest you can get.”

You kissed him again, your body lingering against his for a moment, relishing in the closeness. These past few days had been all out of sorts for you both. Rhett was so wrapped up in preparing for the alpha ceremony that he hadn’t taken a moment to just be with you. To hold you in his arms, to sit in the stillness.

He realized that this was what he needed. You were what he needed, you were the healing balm. So, that night, he let you be that for him. Let you snuggle against his chest, and whisper reassuring words as you rested your head on his chest. And for the first night that entire week, he found rest.

The next morning, he woke to the first rays of morning sun peeking in through the window. He was safe and warm in his bed, with his mate in his arms, and for those first few moments of consciousness, nothing else mattered.

When you stirred, you found him gazing down at you. You smiled sleepily, cuddling up against him. “Mornin’, my love.” And then, your eyes met his. “It’s ceremony day.”

He let out a hum. “Mm. I’m so fuckin’ nervous.”

“I’ll be right there with you, baby. I promise.”

And he knew you would be.

When you finally forced yourselves out of bed, you took the time to prepare him his favorite breakfast. You wanted to make him feel special, and you succeeded. He sat at the table with his two littles, Leia and Zoella, in his lap, while Arya and Max had pulled their chairs on either side of him to huddle in close. It was as if they could sense his trepidation and wanted to comfort him. Surrounded by his wife and babies, Rhett felt all the love and support in the world. He had everything he could ever ask for.

In fact, throughout that entire day, all four children stayed glued to their father, and he let them. Their presence brought him comfort. In anticipation of this very day, you had kept Arya and Max home from school, because you knew they would be out of sorts with the upcoming ceremony. They needed to be here, with their pack.

Not to mention, Rhett needed them.

As each hour passed, bringing sunset closer and closer, Rhett grew more restless. The anticipation of the full moon always made wolves antsy, but that, paired with the knowledge that in a few short hours, he would become an alpha, increased that restlessness tenfold.

While the children were occupied with an art project at the kitchen table, thanks to Amy, who had offered to set it up for them, Rhett kissed you and informed you that he was going on a run to clear his head.

“Want me to come with you?” You offered, snuggling into his side. The two of you loved going on runs together. It was where you’d slip into wolf form and dash through the woods, running just to run. It was such a freeing sensation.

Rhett smiled softly, shaking his head. “Nah, I think…I think I need to do this alone. Gotta get out of my head go back to my roots.” Roots, meaning his wolf nature.

You nodded in understanding. “Okay.” You stole another kiss before you stepped back. “I love you. Go.”

He stepped outside, and you watched through the window as he quickly rid himself of his clothing, sprinting right off the porch and shifting midair, landing on four paws before he took off toward the tree line. You couldn’t help but smile fondly. Oh, how you loved him.

He was so anxious about what was to come, but you weren’t, because had no doubt that he was made for this.

While Rhett was on his run, and Amy had the kids occupied, you set to work preparing for that night. You set out an outfit for your husband. A royal blue shirt that brought out his eyes, and a pair of his nicest jeans. You would be given special ceremonial robes to wear during the event itself, so you weren’t too concerned with what would be worn beneath them, but you still wanted the both of you to look your best.

As the sun began to sink lower in the sky, you could feel an electricity in the air. Of course, this was brought on by the approaching full moon, but it was something more than that. Rhett felt it too, and when he returned from his run, he was wired and filled with new energy.

By that time, you and Amy had set about getting the kids ready for that night. Arya had gotten ready all by herself, which she proudly announced to Rhett when he walked in the door.

“You look beautiful, little gal,” he said with a smile, lovingly running his knuckle against her soft cheek.

“I wanted to dress up like Mama,” she told him, smoothing her hands over her dress, one that closely matched the one you were wearing.

“You look just like her, too,” he mused. His sweet, beautiful little girl. The girl who made him a father.

“She does, doesn’t she? Resemblance is uncanny,” Amy spoke up.

She, too, had dressed up for the occasion, and had threaded her long blonde waves into a thick plait that ran down her back. She was teeming with excitement for the opportunity her uncle had been given. He had been with her through her most transformative years of life, stepping in when her father couldn’t, and she’d developed a deep bond with him. Now that she was grown, she still appreciated all that you and Rhett had done to give her a good life. She believed he deserved this honor and then some.

And she told him as such. As Arya ran to see if her three younger siblings were ready, Amy caught Rhett at the foot of the steps leading up to your bedroom.

“I’m proud of you, Uncle Rhett.”

Rhett smiled softly. “Thanks, Amygirl. Means a lot to me.”

She returned his smile and gave him a hug, which he gratefully received. When they parted, she said, “Thanks for everything you’ve done for me.”

“And I’d do it all over again if I had to.”

She nodded, her gaze soft. “I know you would.”

They shared a silent understand before Rhett finally headed upstairs, his heart warm from the interaction. He found you on the bed, getting your youngest into her little outfit.

“Hey, ZoZo,” he greeted the tiny one, and she giggled in delight at the sight of her father, immediately reaching her little arms up.

“Dada!” She exclaimed. Her vocabulary had just started to broaden, but she hadn’t yet graduated from calling him dada. And Rhett loved it. When his children called for him, whether it was ‘daddy’ or ‘dada’, it invoked deep emotion within him. Becoming a father was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

“Mama’s got you lookin’ so pretty!” He hummed as he leaned down to take her into his arms.

“Pretty!” She echoed in delight, clapping her chubby hands.

As he snuggled his youngest against his chest, his gaze shifted to you. His mouth curled into a reverent smile, his deep blue eyes taking in your form. “Y’ look beautiful, Mama.”

Even after all these years, you still grew bashful when he complimented you. You rode from the bed, offering a loving peck to his lips. “Thank you, m’love.” And then, “I set out your clothes for you. Thought you’d look handsome in blue.”

He caught you, deepening what had been a light kiss. “Thank you.”

“Mhm,” you articulated. Then, you eased Zoella from his arms. “Better take this little one down to give her a little snack and let you get ready.”

“Okay. Be ready in a few,” he echoed as he handed off your daughter to you. He left a kiss on her head before he let you head back downstairs.

It was time to finally ready himself for the ceremony.

He hopped in the shower and scrubbed his skin clean, making sure to wash behind his ears like his mother had drilled into his head when he was a young boy.

After a quick scrub down, he was hasty to dry off, and throw on his clothes. After his hair was combed down, cologne spritzed on his skin, and socks on his feet, he finally made his way back downstairs, where you and Amy were rounding the littles up to head out the door.

“Okay! I need a picture of Daddy and the babies!” You exclaimed. “C’mon, gather round!”

As Amy herded the children around him, you ran to grab your camera, and moments later, you’d snapped several pictures of this monumental moment, with intentions of placing it in a frame and displaying it in your home for years to come.

“Can we go now?!” Arya asked impatiently.

“We’re goin’!” Rhett replied. “C’mon tiny wolves, let’s get a move on.” He gathered Zoella in his arms, and then led all of you outside.

Max and Leia held your hands, while Arya walked up ahead alongside Amy and her father. The place where the ceremony would be held was not a far walk. It was at a clearing in the woods, where the moonlight shined just so.

Everything had been set up, and as you neared the clearing, you could see how whimsical it looked, and yet, it had an almost pagan feel to it. Fairy lights had been strung from the trees. Deer antlers, masks, and various items that had been passed down from ancestors.

There was a bonfire going in the middle of the clearing. Adjacent, beneath an ancient weeping willow tree, was a pedestal with a pair of velvet robes placed upon it, and a wooden bowl filled with something you could not see, but would later find out was red paint, made from crushed rose petals and beetroot.

Members of your pack had already begun to gather. The elders, along with Malakai were taking their places beneath the willow tree.

As you neared the site, you shared a look with Rhett.

“You ready?” You asked.

He let out an unsteady sigh. “As I’ll ever be,” he murmured.

You squeezed his hand. It was time.

Amy retrieved Zoella from Rhett’s arms, and she guided the rest of your children over to a little area where other pups were already congregating. Knowing they were in good hands, you were able to move your focus to your husband, who was trying to steady his breathing. He looked like he was seconds away from spiraling.

“Hey,” you said. You reached up, cupping his cheek, turning his face to you. Your fingers stroked his jaw. You placed your other hand on his chest, over his heart. “Breathe.”

He breathed in deep, his chest rising beneath your touch. Then he exhaled. Upon his second inhale, he focused in on the one and only scent that could ground him - you. That sweet, intoxicating scent that he loved. So familiar and comforting.

The world seemed to fade out around him. It was just the two of you, sharing an intimate moment.

“You’re okay.”

He was, wasn’t he? He’d be just fine.

“I’m okay,” he repeated.

You kissed him tenderly. It gave him clarity, and he parted from you feeling considerably calmer. He felt ready to take on the responsibility that lay ahead of him.

He squared his shoulders and glanced around, taking in the sight of his pack members gathering ‘round in support of him. He saw his mother, standing proud, and he nodded at her, silently thanking her for being there for him. She placed her hand over her heart and mouthed I love you.

And then, it was time.

Malakai raised his hand. “Gather round, wolves!” He called out.

Immediately, the group went silent, and everyone began to move toward the tree, but they left a center walkway clear for you and Rhett to walk down.

A hush fell over the crowd. You grasped Rhett’s hand.

“Tonight is a very special night. As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, I am surrendering my alpha status. This hasn’t been a decision I’ve taken lightly. I especially wanted to choose someone who was worthy of this position. Someone who will lead you valiantly. Someone who will love you. For me, it simply made sense to choose Rhett Abbott.”

A round of applause rippled through the group. Rhett felt his throat tighten as emotion washed over him. This amount of support was overwhelming for him.

Malakai met his gaze. “Come forward.”

Hand in hand, the two of you walked toward the weeping willow, your heads held high. When you reached Malakai, he leaned in to kiss your cheeks, and then Rhett’s.

Of the elders, Gwenevere and Matthias stepped forward, holding the ruby-red robes in their hands. Gwenevere placed yours upon your shoulders, while Matthias placed Rhett’s on his. That was the moment that it really began to set in for you. This was real. This was happening.

Rhett couldn’t suppress the shiver that trailed down his spine as the velvet robe cascaded down his body. His heart quickened in his chest. His skin felt like it was alive with electricity, crackling and sparkling in a brilliant display.

The feeling was akin to the way he’d felt when he met you for the first time and realized you were his mate. Overwhelming, all-consuming, intense enough to drive him to his knees. But he remained standing tall, despite himself.

“Rhett Abbott,” Malakai addressed him.

“Yes sir?”

“Do you pledge your undying loyalty to The Northeastern Wyoming Wolf Pack?”

Without hesitation, he answered. “I do.”

“Do you pledge to lead them benevolently?”

“I do.”

“And do you pledge to honor, protect, and defend them?”

“I do.”

Malakai nodded, satisfied with the answers he’d been given. He stepped toward the pedestal that stood nearby, his boots crunching against earth and dry leaves as he moved. Reaching out, he took the wooden bowl that had been placed there before the ceremony.

“Kneel,” he commanded.

Rhett sank to his knees, humble before his pack.

Malakai dipped his fingers into the bowl, gathering the homemade paint before he lifted his hand. With his pointer and middle fingers, he left deliberate trails of paint down Rhett’s cheeks. The red pigment symbolized the color of an alpha’s eyes.

After the paint applied to Rhett’s ruddy cheeks, Malakai handed the bowl off to Nora, another elder. Then, he gazed upon Rhett, moving to lift his chin so he was looking up at him.

“You are the only wolf I trust to lead this pack in my stead. I am confident that you won’t let me down.”

“I won’t, sir,” Rhett assured him, his voice hoarse, emotion evident within its octaves.

Malakai then glanced at each elder. Gwenevere, Matthias, Leo, Nora, Sebastian. “It’s time,” he spoke to them.

They all gave him a nod of approval.

Above the pack, the sun had finally sunk beneath the horizon, and the full moon was rising in the sky, its silvery light seeming to surround Rhett on purpose. You stared at him in awe, your eyes widening as you saw its pale beams glimmer against his hair, acting as a sort of halo.

It was breathtaking.

But the time to marvel was done, because Malakai stepped into the light, his shadow cast over Rhett’s kneeling form. The older wolf’s hands twitched at his sides, and his claws elongated from his fingertips.

Slowly, he raised his right hand. You watched as he placed that same hand against Rhett’s neck. He aligned his claws at the base, pressing them only slightly against his skin, preparing the younger wolf for what was about to happen.

Rhett locked eyes with Malakai. “I’m ready.”

All at once, the alpha sank his claws into the nape of Rhett’s neck. You flinched as he let out an agonized growl, his body going as tense as a taut rope while the pain blossomed within.

“Don’t fight it, young wolf,” Malakai commanded.

Rhett resisted the urge to pull away, but the pain was great and all-consuming, a burn that radiated throughout his neck and upper back. He groaned, huffing in labored breaths, as he realized his body was trying to shift. His jaw twitched as he tried to keep his fangs from lengthening from his gums. But it was no use.

And then, seconds later, the pain he felt began to melt away. He never tore his gaze from Malakai’s. He watched as the alpha’s eyes glowed red as fiery embers, but then, he realized that red was fading away, slowly draining from his irises, replaced by a brilliant yellow.

You watched in amazement as the same ruby-red began to come to life in your mate’s eyes, dull at first, but growing ever brighter by the second. Your heart pounded in your chest, because you could feel it. That was the thing with mates, they could feel the other’s pain or distress. And you could feel it, but this was different.

This was…thrilling. It felt like you had just been struck by a bolt of lightning and splashed with a shock of cold water all at the same time. You gasped sharply, as did Rhett, and suddenly you felt more alive than you ever had in your life. So did he.

“It is done!” Gwenevere called out.

Seconds later, Malakai released Rhett, withdrawing his claws from the base of his neck. Rhett suddenly fell forward, catching himself as he put his hands out in front of him. The entire pack waited in dead silence, anticipation thrumming in the air like a magic spell.

And then, the alpha rose.

Slowly, Rhett moved, pushing himself up from the earth, and standing to his full height. Then he turned to face his pack, his eyes still gleaming red. A soft gasp went through the small crowd, followed by hushed murmurs.

And then, “Rhett Thomas Abbott, you are now the alpha of the Northeastern Wyoming Wolf Pack.”

Rhett let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, and all at once, everything felt right. He felt whole, as if he had just fulfilled his very purpose in life. This was it. This was what he was meant for.

And then, a display of reverence followed.

Starting with Malakai, each and every member of the pack lowered themselves to their knees. Overwhelmed, you moved closer to Rhett, reaching for his hand, interlacing your fingers. The two of you stood there as your wolves knelt out of respect for their new alpha. The sight brought tears to your eyes.

Your gaze shifted to Rhett, and you realized his eyes were glimmering with emotion, too.

But the time for tears was over. So he threw his head back and let out a clear howl into the air. Everyone else followed, a chorus of wolf howls filling the woods, reverberating around you. It was an indescribable moment that you knew you would not soon forget.

After that very special moment, a time of music and dancing followed. Old mountain melodies were sung, and you were inundated with pack members coming up to congratulate Rhett on his status, and pledge their loyalty to him as their alpha.

And most important of all, your children came bounding up to their father, with little Leia launching herself into his arms, and Arya and Max laughing in delight as they secured themselves at his waist.

Amy held a bouncing Zoella on her hip, who Rhett promptly reached for. Even as the littlest of the family, she seemed to know this was a time of celebration and joy, and she squealed when her daddy took her into his arms.

And there he stood, an alpha, his wife and children surrounding him, and he felt as if he was on top of the world. He’d never dreamed that this would be his life, yet here he was, and he could hardly contain his wonder.

“I did it,” he whispered to you, as you nuzzled close to him, joining him and the huddle of babies surrounding him.

“You did it,” you echoed, unable to hide the joyous smile spread across your face.

You were so proud, you could hardly contain yourself.

That night, the celebration went on. You feasted and you danced and you sang and you laughed. You watched Rhett throughout the evening, and the only way you could describe him was radiant. He appeared to be glowing, just as he had when the moon touched its silvery fingers to his head when he stood beneath the weeping willow. Alpha status looked good on him.

And then, came the best part of the night. For you and Rhett, at least.

As the hours grew later, the pups needed to be rounded up and put to bed. Graciously, Amy assured you she would take care of them.

“Keep on havin’ a good time,” she said. “I’ll get these kids settled at the house.”

“You sure?” You asked, fully prepared to do it yourself.

“Course I’m sure! It’s nothing I can’t handle. Besides, you and Uncle Rhett deserve to celebrate some more. Wouldn’t want to take that away from you.”

“Alrighty then. Let me just kiss them all goodnight.”

Together, you and Rhett bid each of your children goodnight and sent them off with Amy. Other pups were being taken home as well, leaving just the adults left over. It was time for a full moon run, and because pups under ten years of age did not yet possess the ability to turn, they did not participate.

As for the rest of you, you would shift into your wolves and run beneath the light of the moon, the night air rippling through your fur, free as a bird. It was exhilarating.

And so, when the moon rose to its highest peak, another set of howls rippled through the group, and one by one, the transformation from human to wolf began.

Rhett turned to you, his eyes bright with anticipation. “Ready?” He asked.

You nodded. “Let’s go.”

You rid yourselves of your robes, followed by your clothing, and moments later, you were shifting. You into your wolf with its snow-white pelt, and Rhett into his wolf with its midnight black one.

A rush of pure excitement rippled through you as you nuzzled your face against your mate’s fur. At Rhett’s signal, you took off into the woods, side by side.

You ran like the wind, following your lover. You had mastered the art of communicating silently and through your senses. Every whine, every yip, every shift of the ears. You knew what the other was saying in an instant.

And now, you knew that Rhett was leading you far away from the pack. In your heart, you knew why. You could feel it. It buzzed through your bloodstream like a crackling, surging current. A deep desire, an animalistic need. Your alpha was the only one that could fulfill it.

And then, he stopped. And you did too.

He turned to you, staring into your face for a moment before his eyes flashed red again. It struck you into a moment of submission, and you whined, lowering yourself to the ground and bowing your head.

Then, Rhett shifted back into human, and you watched, still bowing at his feet, as he stood tall above you, naked as the day he was born.

“Shift,” he simply said.

Seconds later, you had returned to your human form, remaining on your knees as he looked down at you. Your breathing was labored from your run, and it swirled in puffs of condensation around your head. Your heart was pounding in your chest.

Rhett stepped forward, bare feet against cold earth. His expression was unreadable, yet he exuded power. Then, he reached his hand out, lovingly stroking your cold cheek before he brought his thumb up to trace the outline of your lips. You parted them and allowed the digit to press against your tongue.

Something primal was ignited between you both that night. You could see it in Rhett’s eyes and feel it deep within your core.

“What an obedient little wolf,” he murmured as you suckled on his thumb, moaning softly around it. “Been thinkin’ about you ever since the ceremony. Wonderin’ what it’d be like to fuck you as your alpha.”

Your moan turned into a whimper, and you pulled away from his finger to speak. “Want it,” you sighed. “Want you to fuck me.”

“Yeah?” His large hand closed around your jaw, holding your face in place. “I ain’t gon’ be gentle. Wanna mount you and take you hard.”

His words sent a thrum of arousal through you, to the point where it was almost painful. “Please.”

Your eyes flickered down. God, his cock was already growing hard. It elicited a needy sound from you, a cross between a growl and a whine, wolfish and unbridled.

Then he knelt in front of you, both hands holding your face. His eyes searched your own, just before he leaned in, lips crashing against yours. The kiss was deep, as if you were trying to commit the other to memory. Your hands came up to grasp at his shoulders, fingers digging into the skin.

When you parted, you were breathless. Against your parted lips, Rhett’s tongue laved, delving into your mouth, letting you taste him. He was intoxicating. Not only did his scent overwhelm you, it consumed the air around you. During a rutting session, the scent of each mate would grow that much stronger to the other, creating a dizzying concoction that would send their hormones into overdrive.

And that was what was happening at that very moment. You were growing high off of each other, as if you were one another’s own personal drug.

Rhett moved to trail his nose down your jaw, nuzzling against your pulse point before he breathed in deep, inhaling your scent. Then, you felt his fangs, sharp against your soft skin. He growled low in his chest, and when he lifted his head, his eyes were glowing red again.

“I’m goin’ to devour you, little wolf.”

You pressed your bare chest against his. “Do it.”

With a snarl, he threw his weight against yours, sending you tumbling to the forest floor as he pounced on top of you. However, his hand reflexively came up to the back of your head, so you wouldn’t hit it when you went down.

You had squeezed your eyes shut in anticipation of the impact, and when you opened them, you found him hovering over you, gaze intense. He was looking at you like you were a little rabbit that he’d just caught in his greedy paws.

He grabbed your wrists and pinned your hands above your head. “Stay,” he said. Obediently, you kept your arms where they were when he moved his hand. Then he leaned back to rest on his haunches, and you watched him, taking in the sight.

He bit his lip, his eyes narrowing as he drank in your gorgeous form, spread out just for him. “S’pretty,” he hummed. “All for me.”

His hand flattened against your sternum before traveling downward. Down, down, down, until his palm was pressed over your mound, just above your cunt. But he didn’t dip his fingers inside. No, he instead shoved your legs apart and got down between them. You lifted your head to gaze down at him, only to find him nuzzling his face against your wetness, inhaling you.

He nipped at your inner thigh, soothing the welt that was sure to follow with his tongue. “Smell good enough to eat.” His nose nudged at your clit, and you whimpered as he left a kiss there. “So good. So sweet.”

He trailed his tongue through your folds to tease you, but he found that you were already soaking wet. You had been from the moment you saw him assume alpha status in front of the pack.

You didn’t want him to tease you. You wanted him to breed you.

“Rhett,” you sighed.

“I know,” he murmured. He left one more kiss to your needy pussy before he finally moved so that his face was hovering over yours again. He kissed you languidly, allowing you to taste yourself.

When you parted, you reached down, with intentions of wrapping your hand around his cock, which was now fully hard and heavy with arousal. But he caught you.

“Uh-uh, what’d I say?”

“To stay,” you whispered.

“Be patient, I’ll give it all to ya,” he assured you, lifting your hand to place it back over your head. He kept his own hand enclosed around your wrists as he brought his left hand down to align himself with you.

He slid his cock through your slick, pulling a breathless moan. You could feel your cunt pulse with need, so desperate to have him inside you. Your hips lifted of their own volition, trying to get him to slip past your entrance.

Without warning, he gave a light cautionary slap to your pussy, and you yelped, jolting beneath him. “Fuckin’ impatient, girl,” he snapped. “I have half a mind to turn you over and fuck your ass instead, since your cunt’s so fuckin’ greedy.”

At that, you let out a frustrated mewl. “No! Stop teasin’ me.” Then, you gave him your best doe eyes. “I just want my alpha to fuck me.”

You saw it then. The shift in his eyes. There was a feral rumble that came from deep within his chest, and all at once, he let out a cross between a bark and a howl, his grip releasing from your wrists as he placed his hands at either side of your head.

Without warning, and in one fluid motion, he thrust his hips forward, and all at once, your body was stretching to accommodate him, and you were crying out into the night air.

He grabbed your face. “That what you wanted?”

“Mhm!”

“What was that?” He punctuated his words with a sharp snap of his hips into yours.

“YES!” You wailed.

Again, he grabbed your face, mouth against yours, and he snarled. There was no warmup. He started off rough, and continued as such, driving into you with such force your body began to move away from his.

“Fuckin’ stay.” Large hands grasped your hips, holding you in place.

The pleasure was blinding, as if you’d been struck by a white-hot bolt of lightning. His command to keep your hands where they were be damned, you couldn’t help but let your arms come down to your sides, where you clawed at the earth, back arching off the ground.

He didn’t chastise you. He was far too occupied with the feeling of your cunt tightening around him like a vice, inviting him deeper inside, where he was meant to be.

He was quick to remove his hands from your hips, moving only to rest his forearms against the earth at either side of your head, bracing himself above you. You were surrounded by him. His warmth, his scent. It was all-encompassing.

You wrapped your legs around his waist to pull him even closer, needing more. He kissed you, open-mouthed and breathless, swallowing your moans and sighs as he began rutting into you.

He was so deep inside you already. You could feel every inch of him, thick and pulsing, balls heavy and aching and full against you. You couldn’t wait for him to fill you to the brim with his seed.

He quickened his pace. Hard, heavy, deep thrusts that punched the very breath from your lungs. At some point your hands flew up to grasp at his shoulders, trailing down his back. As your body began to tremble with pleasure, you found it harder to control the animal within you, and your claws lengthened from your fingers, scratching at his flesh.

His body jerked, and he grunted, snapping his fangs at you. But it wasn’t out of anger. The sharp sting of pain sent a delicious shiver down his spine.

“Gon’ be the death of me, little wolf,” he groaned.

But you couldn’t reply. You were already practically nonverbal, save for the uncontrolled squeaks and whimpers leaving your mouth. How was it possible to feel this good? There were tears welling in your eyes, sliding down the sides of your face as he repeatedly drove that thick cock into you.

But Rhett wanted more. He wanted a position that fulfilled his primal needs. So he pulled out of you for a moment, shushing your cry of protest.

“I’m givin’ it to ya’, puppy. Hold on.” He shoved your knees toward your chest, arranging you as if you were merely a doll he was posing.

Then he straddled you, and you realized what he was doing. He’d put you into a mating press position, keen on finding a different angle to make both of you feel the most pleasure possible.

You yelped as he slipped inside you again, bottoming out. At this angle he filled you all the more, if that was possible. It rendered you breathless as the tip of his cock kissed at the deepest part of you.

“Rhett!”

He didn’t waste time with the buildup. No, you were already drenched, so much so that there was an audible wet sound when he entered you. With your legs pressed up high, all you could do was lay there and take it.

“So good f’me. Made to take my cock,” he grunted, bringing his hips down hard. He built a steady rhythm, faster and faster until he was all but pounding into you and you were nearly sobbing against the forest floor, consumed by him.

It was rough and venereal and intense. You swore you were outside of your own body, experiencing this moment through your every sense. He was all you knew. Nothing else mattered. Not the cool earth beneath you. Not the full moon above you. No, he was the only thing that existed. Your mate. The keeper of your heart and soul.

You didn’t bother to hide your ecstasy as he rutted into you. How could you? The sounds were escaping your throat involuntarily, pulled from its depths with each calculated movement.

“S-so f—ah!—full!” You wailed. You swore you could feel him deeper than before, and that’s when you realized what was happening.

Your eyes went wide as you felt the stretch. The expansion of his cock inside your walls. He was growing even bigger, and your body was taking it with ease, because that was what it was made to do.

As mates, your anatomy was naturally created to fit together. It was never a struggle to take every last inch of him, even when his cock grew within you. But oh, how overwhelming it was.

You threw your head back, crying out, grasping for purchase at anything you could, which ended up being his strong forearms. Above you, his face was set in determination. Brow furrowed, jaw tense, brunette locks falling against his forehead.

He was so big and strong and virile above you. With each growl and snarl he let out, the more your body trembled. The effect he had on you was unmatched. Dizzying, electrifying.

The heat of molten desire began to crackle to life at the base of your spine. When he pressed his hips against you and nestled them deep, his pubic bone left just the right amount of pressure against your swollen button of thrumming nerves.

And with each push and pull, your body became more responsive. Your cunt grew more slick around him, and you could feel the way your desire quite literally spurted around his cock.

“Makin’ such a mess,” he breathlessly spoke. “Sweet lil pussy’s just squirtin’ all over me, honey, and I ain’t even made you come yet.”

“C-can’t help it!” You cried out.

He leaned in closer, hot and open mouth resting against yours, tongue smoothing against your kiss-swollen lower lip. “No, you can’t, can ya? The thought of your alpha fuckin’ you gets you so drippy, don’t it?”

Something white-hot flashed within you. An explosion of pleasure that turned you speechless. Your eyes filled with tears and your mouth fell open as you nodded dumbly up at him.

He grinned, wolffish and wicked. “S’what I thought. Can’t even speak, it feels too good.” Another rough thrust of his hips sent you sobbing into the night air.

He didn’t stop. He kept a hard, fast, steady rhythm, grunting and growling and snarling as he did. He mouthed at your throat, his fangs sharp, but never sinking into the skin, because even in moments like this, he still had incredible restraint with you. He’d be damned if he ever let himself lose control and hurt you.

Just as he was going into a partial shift, with his eyes glowing and his fangs and claws elongated, so were you. You couldn’t contain it if you tried. You were wolves, mating in the most primal way, just as nature intended.

Then he wrapped his hand around your throat. Squeezing just enough to make you lightheaded as he repeatedly drove his cock inside you.

That’s when it hit you.

You didn’t even realize how close you were. You were so preoccupied with the intensity of it all that it sneaked up on you. But when it did, it swallowed you whole.

It felt as if you were free falling, suspended in air made of raw energy. Or maybe magic was the best word to describe it. It sparkled and crackled and washed over you from head to toe.

You didn’t realize you were sobbing. You couldn’t hear yourself over the rush of blood in your ears. But hot tears had begun to flow down your face again, all while your body trembled fiercely beneath him.

He hissed in surprise as your cunt began to clench around him, pulsing wildly as your orgasm tore through you. His forearms shook as he fought to hold himself upright, his breath growing labored.

The sensation was so strong that you blacked out for a moment, and when you came to, you were staring into a hungry, ruby-red gaze.

He’d stopped moving at some point, hips flush against yours, cock still nestled deep inside. He was exercising great restraint, allowing you a moment to come back to yourself. But you were still fluttering around him and he was moments away from losing his sanity, it felt like.

In your hazy state, he suddenly seemed so much bigger above you. Imposing, in a way. But you weren’t frightened. Far from it. You’d never felt more protected.

“I-I—” you tried to speak, but the words died in your throat, replaced by an involuntary sob.

He softened. That furrowed brow relaxed. His eyes shifted back to a very human blue. “Shh,” he soothed. “I’ve got ya, little wolf.”

“N-no, I…” Why couldn’t you form sentences? Your brain felt like it had gone blank, filled with television static.

His face contorted in concern. “Are y’ alright?” He nuzzled his nose against yours.

“Yes,” you managed to say.

“Then what, hm?” He was patient. He wouldn’t rush you into speaking if you weren’t ready.

But you only had three words to say. “I lo…love you.”

“Oh, baby.” He kissed you again, so tender in contrast to how he’d been fucking you moments before. “I love you too. So much.”

Something shifted then. What had once been carnal and hedonic now melted into a moment of tenderness. Ever so carefully, he leaned back, and when you realized he was switching positions, you whimpered in pitiful protest.

He soothed you by slipping his pointer and middle finger into your mouth, providing something to occupy your mouth so you wouldn’t spiral. “Hey, I’ve got’ya.”

Gently, he parted your thighs again, slotting himself between them. His arms encircled your upper body, and in one fluid movement, he lifted you, pressing you to his chest as he moved to rest on his haunches. You were straddling his lap then, chest pressed flush against his. His mouth hovering over your own, swallowing the yip you let out as he eased himself back inside you.

“R-Rhett…”

“I’m here.” One steady thrust upward. Then another. And another.

A dreamy haze settled over you as your bodies began to move of one accord. You keened high in your throat, your arms coming up to wrap around Rhett’s broad shoulders, clutching him tightly, needing him close, needing every inch of his body against yours.

He held you lovingly as he eased in and out of your dripping core, bringing you quickly toward yet another release. All you could do was let him take you, his strong arms moving you up and down to meet each push of his hips.

Your head lolled back, your body undulating against his. You were floating, drifting through time and space, on an entirely different plane of existence. There it was again, building, building, building. It wasn’t fiery or explosive. No, it felt like bubbles. Like your bloodstream had suddenly turned to fizzy champagne.

It surged through you, flowing like the building tide, and this time, you knew it was coming. “I-I’m…!” You gasped into his open mouth, but you couldn’t speak.

“I know,” his voice was strained. “Me too. Let go.”

With a soft cry, you came apart again, head thrown back as your body was overcome. You didn’t remember crying out his name, but it echoed through the trees nonetheless. He kept moving even as you fell to pieces in his arms. He would put you back together again soon enough.

You went boneless in his grasp. With your face buried against his neck, you whimpered and sobbed quietly as he quickened his pace, chasing his own end. He murmured words of reassurance to you, but you couldn’t hear them over the white noise in your ears.

His grip tightened on you, and his cock swelled within you again, all while he growled, squeezing his eyes shut as he neared that peak.

“Gonna—ah!—gonna breed you again. Fill you up with another one of m’ pups.”

Please, you tried to utter, but you couldn’t form the word. You wanted it. Oh, how badly you wanted it. But he already knew.

And then, it finally began to wash over him. Divine ecstasy that sizzled at the base of his spine. You felt it. The heat. The pulsing, the thrumming, filling you with spurt after spurt of his seed. And you took it all like his good little wolf.

As he came down, you remained still in his arms, your chest heaving against his, your body exhausted but oh so satiated. You felt his hand at the back of your head, lovingly cradling you against his chest. The sound of his heart beginning to slow back down to its normal best calmed you.

“Y’ still with me?” Came his gravelly question.

“Mhm,” you sighed.

He tipped your face up so you were looking at him, and he kissed you tenderly. “Did so good for me. Always take me so well.” Another kiss.

“Love you,” you murmured.

He nuzzled his nose against yours. “Love you too, little wolf.”

“C’n we stay here for a few more minutes?”

He smiled. “Yes we can.”

And you did. He remained there on the forest floor with you cuddled in his arms, just enjoying the closeness and the quiet intimacy. The afterglow was a time of bonding for the two of you, and you didn’t sacrifice one minute of that time.

He lovingly caressed your skin, soothing you, anchoring you. It brought you back to yourself and replenished the energy you had expended during your tryst.

Eventually, the spell was broken. “Think we should head back?” He asked.

You sighed. “I suppose so.”

He kissed you again. “C’mon, I’ll carry ya.” The perks of having supernatural strength.

You let him lift you into his arms, with your head tucked into the side of his neck. He carried you all the way home, and you felt so safe and at ease that you fell asleep in his arms along the way.

When you woke, you were safe and warm in your bed, with your mate curled protectively around you, and you smiled to yourself. The events of the night before felt like a dream, but they were very much real. Your husband was an alpha now. And you had spent the night mating with him beneath the light of the full moon. How was your life even real?

Beside you, he stirred, a low, sleepy hum sounding from his chest. A faint smile tugged at his mouth as he pulled you to him. “G’mornin’.”

You hummed, snuggling in close. “Morning.”

He buried his face against your neck, inhaling your sweet scent. But he noticed something as he breathed in.

A large hand came down to rest over your belly.

“It took,” he whispered.

Your eyes widened. “What?”

His gaze locked with yours. “I told you I’d give you another pup, didn’t I? I can tell it took. Smell the same way you did after I put each of our babies inside ya.”

Your face broke into a grin, and you couldn’t help but laugh, placing your own hand over his. “Guess you really were serious about breeding me.”

His eyes narrowed. “Serious as a heart attack, honey. It’s my job to keep you full of pups, after all.”

“And you’ve done your job exceptionally well,” you teased as you kissed him.

“Don’t I know it,” he replied goodnaturedly, bumping his nose against yours.

You cherished that fleeting moment of bliss, basking in the joy that came from learning you would soon be inviting a new addition to your family.

This same blissful, dreamlike feeling carried on into the days following Rhett’s achievement of alpha status. They were wonderful days. They were happy days. He assumed his role dutifully and made sure that his pack members knew that he was going to take care of them.

They had no doubt he would, because Rhett Abbott always made good on his word.

Four Months Later

Life had been good for you. Rhett was beginning to really settle into his position as leader of the Northeast Wyoming Pack, establishing his authority and benevolence. The wolves revered him.

Your family was thriving. You had been slightly worried that Rhett taking on this responsibility would send things into upheaval for your children and their routine, but they had adapted beautifully.

You had no doubt in your mind that this was always what Rhett had been meant to do. It was rooted in who he was as a wolf, an intrinsic ability to lead.

And for those first four months, everything progressed as it should.

But it wasn’t long before the sanctity of your pack, and everything Rhett had worked so hard for, was threatened.

A story that had made national news. A group of rogue wolves had targeted The Montana Wolf Pack, killing several innocent members. According to local authorities, this group of wolves had tried to take control of the pack, and when their target had put up a fight, they killed several of its members in cold blood.

The news of these killings hit close to home. This wasn’t an attack staged by hunters. This atrocity had been committed by wolves, members of your own kind. The ultimate betrayal. The National Werewolf League called for a day of mourning out of respect for the families affected by the unspeakable tragedy.

Many wondered if this incident was an isolated one, or if other wolves would soon be targeted. Were more lives in danger? Would there be other uprisings across the states? Rogue groups bent on killing their own kind?

That remained to be seen. But it certainly put fear into the hearts of wolfpacks across the US. Yours especially, because Montana was just north of you. However, in the weeks following the attack on the Montana Pack, things remained quiet and uneventful. Life went on as normal.

Until one day, a visitor showed up on your property.

It was a cold February day, and it had just snowed considerably the night before. School was canceled, so your children were outside playing in the snow with their cousins, having the time of their lives. Inside your cozy home, you were baking cookies while Amy had busied herself with making hot chocolate for the children to drink when they came inside.

Zoella and Leia, who were still too little to play outside with their older siblings and cousins, were playing contentedly on the floor with little cloth dolls that Cecilia had made for them. The scent of baked goods, the crackling of the fire in the fireplace, and the sound of your little ones giggling on the floor, sent a comforting warmth through your chest.

Rhett was upstairs, showering after he had spent the better half of the morning shoveling snow. It all felt so domestic. So human. Your happy, growing family, enjoying a snow day. But that joyous warmth would soon give way to sickly cold dread.

As you were lifting a tray of cookies out of the oven to cool, Amy noticed something. Her attention shifted to the window that overlooked your property, where the children were playing. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of a man approaching the children.

“Hey, come here,” she spoke up, waving you over.

You left the tray of cookies on the counter and quickly stepped over toward where she was pointing. Sure enough, a tall man dressed in tattered clothes, had halted the children’s play to speak with them. Alarm bells went off in your head, and you immediately rushed to the door, prepared to run outside.

At that very moment, Rhett was coming down the stairs, and the first thing he picked up on was your scent. Not the sweet, nutty scent of cookies in the air. Not even your naturally occurring scent. He smelled the sharp sting of anxiety.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, already making his way toward you.

“There’s a man talking to the kids,” you explained.

His eyes widened, and in seconds, he was stooping to grab his boots and shove his feet into them before he threw open the front door. He jumped off the front porch, his gaze zeroed in on this stranger as Rhett quickly approached the children.

“Hey!” He called out, and the other man’s head snapped up. He was a wolf too, Rhett could tell by his scent. “Can I help you?” His tone wasn’t friendly. There was a warning edge to it.

“Daddy, he was asking if we had any food to eat!” Arya informed him, her innocence palpable. She still had that childish gullibility.

But Rhett wasn’t gullible. His hackles were immediately raised because he could tell that something just wasn’t quite right. “Young’ns, go play,” he commanded in a tone that left no room for arguing. The children scattered, and then he turned to the man. “Any particular reason you’re botherin’ my kids?”

The stranger’s hands lifted in surrender. “Hey now, I wasn’t trying to cause any trouble. My name’s Kane Masters I’m just passin’ through. My truck broke down out on the main road. I can’t get it started, and I’ve got a mate and a baby to take care of. Could you help us, please?”

Rhett stared at him, his eyes narrowed. There was an unsettled feeling in his gut. This fucker was lying. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”

“What?”

“You heard me. I don’t know what you’re tryin’ to pull, but it ain’t gonna work with me.”

Kane’s jaw tensed, and his eyes darkened. “Did you not hear what I said? I have a wife and baby! You can’t at least offer them shelter while I figure out how to get the truck fixed? They’re gonna freeze!”

Rhett’s eyes flashed red, asserting his dominance. “And I have a pack to protect. I ain’t lettin’ perfect strangers into my home. You’ll have to find someone else to help you.”

Kane growled, low in his throat. “You’ll regret this, wolf,” he snarled.

Rhett stepped forward, standing eye level with Kane. His sudden outburst of hostility raised a warning flag for Rhett. “Are you threatenin’ me?”

“Maybe I am. Are you condemning my wife and child to freeze to death?”

The alpha rolled his eyes at the dramatics. “Get the fuck off my property before I drag you off it.”

Kane stared Rhett down, his chest heaving. But Rhett didn’t budge. He had a gut feeling that something was amiss, and he felt that he was putting his pack at risk if he allowed this wolf refuge in his home.

After one last threatening gnarl, Kane finally turned and stalked off, snow crunching beneath his feet. Rhett stood there and watched him go, remaining there until he was out of sight.

Once he was sure that the other wolf had gone, he finally turned back toward the house, where he found you standing in the doorway, looking on in concern.

“What did he want?” You asked as Rhett climbed the porch steps.

“He said his truck stalled on the main road, and he was lookin’ for a place his mate and baby could stay while he got it fixed.” There was a hard look in his eyes. One you couldn’t read.

“What is it, Rhett? Why did you turn him away?” You questioned.

His gaze shifted to yours. “Somethin’ just wasn’t right. Can’t put my finger on it. But if you see him comin’ around here again, you come get me. Okay?”

You nodded, not keen to argue with him. If he sensed danger, then you would trust his instinct. “Okay.”

He leaned in then, large hand resting over your belly, where your unborn pup rested safe and warm, protected from the dangers of the outside world.

Rhett’s lips lingered against your temple before he pulled back. “I’m gon’ round the pups up and bring ‘em inside. Guy kinda gave me the spooks.” It wasn’t that Rhett was scared of him. He was simply wary.

He brought the kids inside, where they all gathered in the kitchen for hot chocolate and cookies, completely oblivious.

Rhett kept an eye out the rest of the day, and warned a few pack members to be on the lookout for Kane, should he return. He knew better than to ignore his gut feeling.

But after that specific incident, things were quiet. For the next week, at least. In that time, the weather had improved, and the roads were clear, which gave you the opportunity to take your family into town. The kids were excited to stop by Ruby’s Diner, a favorite local spot in Wabang.

All was well. You enjoyed a wholesome day with your mate and your children, seemingly without a care in the world. Until, suddenly, a dark cloud began to loom over you.

No, it wasn’t a cloud. It was a shadow. A wolf.

Rhett had slipped away for a few minutes, with intentions of taking Arya, Max, and Leia into the local toy shop to get them a little something.

Zoella had fallen asleep in her stroller, and after Rhett assured you he would choose a little trinket for her, too, while he was with the older children in the shop, you had opted to walk to the truck and get her situated for the ride home.

Just as you’d gotten her buckled in, you felt a presence behind you. “Excuse me, miss?” A voice filled the air.

You tensed, slowly turning around to face the stranger. Sandy blonde hair and unsettling, stormy eyes. They appeared to be both blue and gray at the same time. Something about his stare made you shiver. “Yes?” You cautiously answered, making sure that Zoella was hidden safely behind you as you squared your shoulders.

“I’m looking for a place to stay. I couldn’t help but pick up on the fact that you’re a werewolf like I am. I’ve been a lone wolf for some time now and I need to find a pack. Would you be willing to welcome me into yours?”

You stared at him in confusion. Demanding to join an established pack was simply not done. The only way another wolf would join a pack that was not his own was if the alpha invited him into the fold.

Something wasn’t right.

“I-I’m sorry, we aren’t looking to bring in any new pack members,” you told the stranger.

His gaze darkened, and anxiety crept into your bones.

Rhett sensed it, too. You were his mate, after all. Mates had the unique ability to sense when the other was in danger, with an intense emotional connection that ran deeper than any human connection ever could.

In the middle of that toy store, he froze. A nauseating shock of dread washed over him. Something was dead wrong. Without hesitation, he swooped in and grabbed Max and Leia, lifting them into his arms. They giggled, because they thought it was a game. But it was not.

Then, “Arya, we need to go.”

The seven-year-old turned, her brow furrowed in confusion. “But Daddy—”

“Now, baby.” His tone left no room for argument, and she closed her mouth, a sad look washing over her face. But she followed her father nonetheless, because she could sense his urgency, and thought it best to obey him in that moment.

Quickly, he made a beeline out of that store, into the balmy February afternoon. Just ahead, he could see you standing beside the truck, nervously speaking to someone. Alarm bells went off in his head as he moved quickly, still holding his children, with Arya clutching at the fabric of his shirt to keep up with him.

“Excuse me!” Rhett called out, trying to keep his tone steady, so as not to frighten his little ones. The stranger’s head snapped up, and his eyes narrowed at Rhett’s presence.

At your husband’s arrival, you began to visibly relax, though you still remained on edge. When Rhett got to you, he was quick to hand Leia to your waiting arms, while he set Max down at your side.

“Do you need somethin’?” He asked as he stepped in front of you, effectively shielding you and his children from the other wolf.

“It’s all the same with you wolfpacks, isn’t it? Selfish fuckin’ pricks, turning away people in need.”

Rhett spoke over his shoulder at you. “Get in the truck,” came his command, and you immediately moved to coax the kids into the vehicle, soothing Arya when she expressed concern over what was about to happen. She was very observant, and she could sense that her father was preparing for a potential altercation.

As he turned back toward the stranger, Rhett’s eyes narrowed. “You’re with Kane, aren’t you?”

“And what if I am?”

That’s when Rhett growled low in his throat, eyes flashing crimson. “I don’t know what you’re tryin’ to pull, but you need to stay the fuck away from my family, and from my pack. I catch you botherin’ my wife and pups again? I’ll fuckin’ kill you.”

Rhett Abbott did not make empty threats. And he did not resort to killing without cause. But if someone threatened the sanctity of his family, he would not hesitate to put them down. It was his duty to protect you and his pack. He did not take that duty lightly.

His threat seemed to be enough to scare this stranger off, and he stalked away. Rhett stood there, watching until he disappeared. He was on edge. An odd feeling in his gut told him that this wouldn’t be the last time he saw Kane, and those associated with him.

The ambush against The Montana Pack had happened only a few short weeks prior. Authorities still hadn’t caught those responsible for it. Rhett had a sinking feeling that his own pack was going to be the target of the next attack.

As soon as he was sure the danger had passed for the time being, he spun around on his heel and rushed to climb into the diver’s side, where he promptly turned the ignition over. You eyed him, reading his features. His jaw was hard-set, and his eyes had narrowed in that cat-like way they always did.

“Rhett?” You spoke his name cautiously.

“Daddy, who was that man?” Max asked from the backseat.

Rhett caught your eye for a moment before he focused on the road before him again. He was quiet for a moment, considering his response. “He’s someone who wants to hurt our pack,” he replied. “But I’m not gonna let him. Daddy’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

At his words, your heart sank. Rhett reached over the center console and placed his hand over your belly. You shook your head, because you knew what he was insinuating. “It’s them, isn’t it?” You whispered.

“We’ll talk about it at home,” he simply said. He didn’t want to upset the children.

The ride home was quiet. Rhett’s mind was going a mile a minute, the cogs turning as he came up with a plan of action. If an attack was going to be staged, the pack needed to be prepared. He would call a meeting to warn everyone.

And that was just what he did.

As soon as your children were deposited safely at home, with Amy keeping a watchful eye on them, Rhett arranged the meeting in the small conference building that had been built on the property a few months prior. It was nothing special, but it served its purpose as a designated meeting spot.

One member representing each family showed up for the meeting, all curious as to what their alpha had summoned them there for. The elders were also present, as they were required to be for such meetings.

You stood by Rhett’s side, your hand intertwined with his, trying to mask the fear you felt. But it was written all over your face.

“I brought all of you here because there’s somethin’ you need to know. ‘Course, we all remember the massacre that happened to The Montana Pack last month.”

A few murmurs passed through the crowd. Hums of sadness in remembrance of what had happened.

“They still haven’t found the wolves responsible for it, which means they’re still out there. I wish I could tell you that we’re all safe, but the truth is, we aren’t. I believe they’re gonna target us next.”

“How do you know this, Rhett?” Gwenevere spoke up.

He took a breath. You squeezed his hand. “Because I met them.”

This time, the murmur that went through the group was one of confusion and fear. The next to speak up was Malakai. “You spoke to them? And they told you they were coming after us?”

Rhett shook his head. “Last week, one of ‘em showed up in my yard, botherin’ my kids. Said his name was Kane. Some of you already know because I warned you that he was around your young’ns, too, because they were at my house that day. As soon as I talked to him I knew somethin’ was off. He gave me some bullshit story about his truck breakin’ down, and he wanted me to let his wife and pup stay at our house while he fixed it. I got the sense that he was lyin’ right through his teeth. I told him no. That pissed him off.”

He paused for a moment before he continued.

“Then, today, we were in town, and a different guy showed up, claimin’ he was a lone wolf, lookin’ for a pack to be part of. And we all know no self-respectin’ wolf is just gonna come in demanding to be accepted into a pack. That ain’t how it works. Come to find out, he’s with Kane. I believe that they’ve been staking us out and they’re planning to come after us. I don’t know how many of them there are, but we need to be ready.”

“If they attack…this could mean war,” Matthias remarked.

“I know,” Rhett grimly replied. “I don’t want to call it that, but for them to attack two packs in just a few short weeks…it means they won’t stop there. They’re just gon’ keep killing.”

“Alright, what’s the strategy we’re going to follow if they do attack us?” Malakai inquired.

Rhett’s face was serious, his mouth etched into a frown. “First, we get all the pups to safety. If you can get ‘em here to this building without putting them at risk, do that. If you can’t, hide them in your basements, or whatever spot in your house is safest. Those of us strong enough to fight will be ready to intercept these wolves. I want a handful of you stationed in the woods, keeping an eye out. I’m not lettin’ them destroy our way of life. We won’t go down without a fight.”

Everyone was in agreement that they were not going to let these wolves take what was rightfully theirs. They would band together and defend their home and their loved ones.

After that meeting was adjourned, everyone was on high alert, prepared for the worst. Ready to fight for their lives if need be.

You were frightened. Not for yourself, but for your children. This was a real threat, and the mama wolf in you was prepared to do anything to protect your pups. But the thing was, Rhett didn’t want you involved in the battle.

“If they come, I want you to stay with the pups,” he said, as you walked home that afternoon after the meeting. “Don’t want you out there fightin’.”

“But I have just as much a right to be out there defending our pack as anyone else,” you replied. “I don’t want to stand on the sidelines.”

Rhett stopped, turning to face you. “Listen to me. I know you’re capable of holdin’ your own in a fight. I don’t doubt it. But I can’t lose you.” His hand came to rest protectively over your abdomen. “I can’t lose either of you. I almost lost you and Arya seven years ago. I’m not goin’ through again, you hear me?”

You went quiet, nodding at his words. Those memories were vivid. The day the Tillersons had abducted you. You’d pleaded with them to let you go. You’d tried to reason with them by informing them you were pregnant, hoping Patricia would ease up on her cruelty. But she’d accused you of lying, claiming you were just trying to make her feel sorry for you.

Reminders of that moment in time we’re difficult to process. But now, it helped you better understand why Rhett didn’t want you involved in the conflict.

“Okay,” you whispered. “I’ll stay with the pups. But Rhett…you watch yourself out there, alright? As much as you can’t lose me, I can’t lose you, either.”

He reached a big gentle hand up to cup your cheek. “You won’t lose me.”

Don’t make promises you can’t keep.

His lips found yours in a gentle but impassioned kiss, and then he led you back to the house, where Amy was occupied with entertaining the children. You were so thankful for her and her willingness to help with the littles. She was your saving grace in time of crisis.

You were much too exhausted to prepare a balanced dinner that night, and you didn’t want to put any more responsibility on Amy, so chicken nuggets and stovetop mac and cheese were the meal.

Wanting to keep some semblance of normal, so as not to alarm the children, you ate together as a family. Rhett held your hand beneath the table, his thumb rubbing comforting circles on your wrist. It did little to quell the anxiety bubbling within you.

That night, you put the kids to bed early. Rhett kissed them all goodnight, and once they were tucked in, he left you with a lingering kiss and informed you he was going out to check on the wolves stationed on watch that night.

You curled up on the couch beneath a blanket because you didn’t want to sleep in your big, empty bed without your mate, and because you wanted to be ready if things should go haywire.

But that night was quiet. Nothing out of the ordinary took place, and early in the morning, just before sunrise, Rhett returned home.

His presence jolted you awake, and as you sat up, you noticed that there was snow in his hair, and on his coat. When you sleepily glanced out the window, you realized it was snowing heavily again. It looked like another storm was rolling in.

“What happened?” You quietly asked as he shrugged out of his coat.

He shook his head. “Nothin’. It was quiet out there all night. No sign of anyone.”

“Do you think maybe they’ll just leave us alone?” You continued, as you sauntered toward him, where he was unlacing his boots.

He sighed, and when he looked at you, his brow was furrowed in a frown. “I don’t think so. I just have a gut feelin’ that they’re gonna come for us.”

It was your turn to sigh, and you stepped forward, reaching up to wrap your arms around his neck. “Well, let’s get you warmed up in the meantime. And put some food in ya. You aren’t going to be any good in a fight if you’re starving and half-frozen.”

You then took his hand and led him to the kitchen, where you had him sit at the table while you set about preparing a pot of coffee, and making him some oatmeal, something that would stick to his ribs and warm him up.

Ten minutes later he was tucking into his breakfast and sipping on a cup of black coffee, while you sat beside him at the table. You moved so that your legs were resting in his lap. He placed his free hand lovingly over your knee.

“Want you to know I’ll do everythin’ I can to protect you and the pups. I pledged myself to this pack, but you come first. Always.”

“I know,” you whispered as you leaned in to kiss his cheek, which was flushed from the cold. He turned his head to catch your lips with his own.

“I love you, little wolf.”

“I love you too.”

Little did either of you know that that morning would be your last morning of peace for a long time.

As your children woke up one by one, they happily clambered into the kitchen to greet the two of you. Leia climbed into Rhett’s lap, her favorite blanket clutched in her little hand as she snuggled into his chest. Arya took her opportunity to occupy his knee, crowding his lap and giggling as he teased her that she was going to squish her little sister.

You went to wake little Zoella from her slumber, and soon, the kitchen was filled with the chatters of children and the smell of breakfast cooking and extra coffee brewing. And for a short time, everything felt normal.

Until a frantic knocking on the front door sucked the joyful spirit out of the air. Immediately, Rhett’s eyes locked with yours, and you were struck with fear. Quickly, he stood from his seat, carefully depositing Leia into the chair before he made his way to the door.

He hurriedly shoved his feet into his boots before he wrenched the door open, revealing a frantic Gideon standing on the doorstep. He was another member of your pack, one of the younger ones.

“They caught someone trespassing in the woods!”

Rhett tensed, and glanced over Gideon’s shoulder, where he could see Malakai, and a few others, dragging none other than Kane Masters through the snow. In an instant, Rhett turned to you. “Take the pups up to our room and hide them in the bathroom,” he simply said. Then he kissed you, and left you standing there in the entryway as he dashed outside to meet the group.

You stood there, frozen, watching him go. And then, as if something had struck you into action, you whirled around to hurry back to the kitchen. “What’s going on?” Amy asked, where she stood in the middle of the kitchen, a stack of breakfast plates in hand, ready to be washed.

“We need to get the kids upstairs. Now. We’re in danger.”

Her large blue eyes widened all the more, and she set the plates down on the counter without a moment of hesitation, already moving to grab Zoella from her highchair. “Come on, we’re going up to Mama and Daddy’s room!” You announced, trying your best to keep your voice calm.

“What’s wrong, Mama?” Arya asked.

“We just need to get upstairs, I’ll explain up there.” You guided her, Max, and Leia toward the steps, urging them to go quickie. Leia began to cry. So did Zoella. They knew something was wrong. Especially when you herded them into the bathroom.

“Mama! Mama! Why are we hiding?!” Max cried, his little face full of fear.

“Listen to me, babies,” you spoke in your best calm voice. “Daddy wants us to stay in here for a little bit, alright? We can pretend it’s a game of hide and seek. But this time, we’re hiding from some other wolves who want to hurt us. But I won’t let that happen, alright? You’re safe in here, with me and Amy.”

As you got the children settled, you finally looked at your aforementioned niece. “Stay in here with them, and lock the door. I’m going to go get some blankets and things to keep them occupied.”

“Okay,” she replied, her face etched with fright. She was nearly nineteen years old, but in that moment, she looked as if she was nine again, nothing more than a scared little girl.

You reached out, wrapping her up in a hug. “We’re gonna be okay, Ames.”

Then, you slipped out of the room to gather the supplies you would need. Blankets, coloring books, snacks, your laptop so that you could put on a movie for them to act as a distraction.

But out of the corner of your eye, you could see movement out the front window of the house. Your attention shifted to what was taking place outside, as the snow drifted about and the wind began to howl.

You could see Rhett standing not far from the front of the house, speaking to the same man who’d shown up on your property days before. It gave you pause, and you inched closer to the window, tuning in to your supernatural hearing abilities to figure out what they were saying.

Out in the cold, Rhett was unwavering. He’d instructed the wolves holding Kane to release him, so that they could talk face to face. Everyone around them remained on edge. But Rhett didn’t not go on the defensive quite yet.

“What are you tryin’ to do here, Kane? Tryin’ to take my pack from me? Because that ain’t gonna happen.”

Kane scoffed. “You really think you’re so untouchable? Alphas are always so fuckin’ sure of themselves. We’re here to prove that they’re no better than the rest of us. That they’re not as indestructible as they think they are.”

“Who’s ‘we’?” Rhett asked, his glance shifting to the tree line. He could sense something in the air, even as snow and wind swirled around him.

“You know that pack in Montana?”

He knew where this was going. “I do. That was you, wasn’t it?”

Kane had the audacity to smile. “I wish I could take all the credit. I had help. Lots of help. And they’re gonna help me take down your pack one by one.”

“Like hell y’ are!” Rhett snarled, eyes flashing red.

“You don’t scare me, alpha!” Kane’s own eyes flashed, but in a surprising revelation, they were not yellow, or even red. They were ice blue.

Blue eyes in a wolf meant they had taken an innocent life.

At the sight of them, the group surrounding Kane was immediately on high alert. “You think you’re starting a fuckin’ revolution? You’re dead wrong. You can’t build it on the innocent lives you took!” Rhett exclaimed, his chest heaving.

“Oh yeah? Watch me. My revolution’s already started. So what if there are a few casualties along the way? As long as we eradicate the alpha order, that’s all that matters.”

“How the fuck do you plan to do that?”

“Like this.”

Kane lifted his head and howled. Seconds later, a line of wolves appeared along the tree line. This diversion distracted the pack members surrounding Rhett and Kane.

“Go,” Rhett commanded his wolves, and they took off toward the tree line. But the second they ran toward the danger, Kane was lunging.

It happened so fast. Quick as lightning. A dagger was unsheathed from its hiding place beneath his coat. Rhett saw it, enhanced reflexes kicking in as he dodged the blade. But it sliced into his flannel and grazed his ribs. Nothing serious. It would heal within a moment.

Meanwhile, as you stood watching from the window, you gasped, and out of instinct you lurched forward, yanking open the door and launching yourself down the porch steps. As soon as your slippered feet hit the snowy ground, you broke into a run, legs moving of their own volition. Somehow, you knew what was coming. It was a gut feeling, so strong it nearly brought you to your knees.

Time slowed. You couldn’t reach him fast enough.

Rhett was fine. Until, suddenly, an odd feeling began to wash over him. A sensation that sent a wave of sizzling warmth through his body. He tried to sidestep Kane’s next swing, but he grew unsteady on his feet, his senses suddenly dulled.

lt was too late. Kane drove that dagger forward and plunged it straight into Rhett’s abdomen.

Werewolves had the ability to heal from wounds. Depending on the severity of the injury, healing time could range from five minutes, to a few hours. It was common for werewolves to bounce back quickly from knife or even bullet wounds.

By all accounts, Rhett should have been fine. The dagger plunged into him should have had little effect on him.

But something was wrong.

In the diversion caused by Kane’s wolves surrounding the compound, he had been able to move swiftly. No one expected him to brandish a dagger, because wolves didn’t fight with weapons. Combat was fought in wolf form. Using weapons was simply playing dirty.

Malakai was the only one who remained close enough to hear Rhett’s pained growl. Immediately, he turned, acting on instinct as he broke into a run toward his alpha, ready to fulfill his duty to protect him, but it was too late.

In the split second that Kane was close to him, Rhett locked eyes with him, gasping sharply as his assailant drove the dagger even further into his body. “Let this be known as the fall of The Pack of Abbott.”

Rhett weakly reached up, trying to wrench Kane’s hand off of the dagger so that he could remove the weapon from his body, but he was shocked to find that his physical strength was beginning to fade. He looked down at his hand and saw that it was trembling. He couldn’t grasp anything.

As Rhett came to this terrible realization, Malakai snarled, and within seconds, he was lunging. Shifting into his wolf form, he leapt into the air, one-hundred-forty-five pounds of muscle and sinew and fur, and tackled Kane to the ground. It was as if Kane had been expecting this. He made no move to shift into his own wolf. No move to defend himself. It was like he wanted Malakai to kill him. Like he wanted to die for his cause, as his wolves wreaked havoc around him.

And then, a scream sliced through the air.

It came from you. Guttural and raw. A cry of your mate’s name. “Rhett!”

Something is wrong. Something is wrong. Something is wrong.

Gasping sharply, Rhett managed to wrap his weakened fingers around the handle of the dagger and ease the blade out of his abdomen, dropping the weapon to the frozen earth. It left a crimson stain in the pure white snow. Slowly, he turned to you. He was already beginning to sink to the ground.

“I-I told you to st-stay with the pups,” he gritted out, but you couldn’t hear him over the howl of the wind and the snarling of wolves all around you.

You reached him, holding your arms out to catch him before he fell. His hand was placed over his abdomen, where blood was beginning to seep through his fingers.

“Rhett! Hey, we need to get you inside!”

“I can’t…I can’t.”

“What are you talking about?! Yes you can, come on!”

But he was dead weight, and his knees hit the ground. “No!” You cried. Struggling, you managed to pull him upright. Your strength was enhanced because of your wolf abilities, but even so, he was heavy, and dragging him up to the house proved difficult.

And then, Malakai was by your side, back in his human form. He was drenched in blood. You were too preoccupied to glance just beyond him, where Kane lay dead in a pool of blood. In fact, you barely noticed the wolves fighting around you, barking and snarling, clawing and tearing.

All that mattered was Rhett.

“I’ve got him, let’s get him the house.” Malakai carried Rhett up to the house, with you trailing after him, hot on his heels. As soon as you were enclosed in the safety of your home, you pushed the door shut, locking it behind you.

“Where do you want me to take him?!” Malakai called over his shoulder.

“Up to our bedroom!” You replied.

You raced up the steps after him, and watched as he carefully laid Rhett on the bed. In just those few minutes it took to get him inside, he had gone white as a ghost. Your heart sank in your chest.

Something is wrong. Something is wrong. Something is wrong.

“I’m going to get Doctor Tenpenny,” Malakai spoke. “That blade must’ve been laced with something.”

“Be careful!” You called after him. You knew that a battle had begun.

Then, you rushed to Rhett’s side. “I’m here,” you assured him, lovingly squeezing his shoulder. “I’m right here, baby.”

His teeth were chattering, and his eyes were squeezed shut, a reaction from the pain he was in.

Your shaking hands moved to unbutton his torn flannel, carefully pulling the fabric aside so you could take a look at the damage. You gasped softly at the sight of the wound. It bled crimson, but there was a discoloration around it. That blade had definitely been laced.

His skin was cool to the touch, and it sent a pang of terror through you. Tuning your ears in to his heartbeat, you could hear that it had begun to slow.

“Oh, God,” you whimpered. “Don’t you dare die on me, Rhett! Hold on a little longer for the doctor to get here!”

At that moment, the bathroom door came open. Amy had heard the commotion, and she made sure the kids were settled before she moved to see what was happening.

“What’s going on?” She asked, as she closed the door behind her. She saw Rhett on the bed, and she gasped softly as she rushed to you. “What did they do to him?”

“Oh, Ames,” you cried, turning and immediately wrapping your arms around her as tears began to stream down your cheeks. “He stabbed him with a poisoned blade!”

Amy’s face paled. “Did you call for the doctor?”

“Malakai is getting her. But I…I don’t know if he can hold on that long.” You released her, moving to Rhett’s beside again. You reached for his hand, squeezing it tight.

He was so cold.

With your free hand, you reached up to brush his hair away from his forehead. His eyes fluttered open, only to fall shut again as he moaned softly in pain.

“Hurts,” he whispered, as if speaking any louder would cause him more physical pain.

“I know. I’m so sorry. Just hold on for me, okay?”

“What should I do with the kids?” Amy asked, uncertain.

“I don’t…I don’t know,” you replied. You didn’t want them to see him like this. But there was an ache in your chest, and an intense feeling of dread. He was slipping away, you could tell. Whatever poison had been on that dagger was going to kill him.

What if he was gone before the pack doctor arrived? What if the children didn’t get a chance to say goodbye? Your hand came up to cover your mouth as you muffled a broken sob. How quickly things had changed. One moment, your family was talking and laughing around the breakfast table, and the next, the love of your life was fighting to stay alive, as your children watched a movie in the bathroom, unaware that their father was in such dire straits.

“Just tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it,” Amy continued, reaching out to place her hand on your shoulder.

But you couldn’t. You bent forward, your face buried in your hands as you let out a wail of agony, fingers tugging at the roots of your hair. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be. Yet here you stood, in the middle of a cold, hard reality.

So you took a deep breath and squared your shoulders, hastily wiping your tears away. Your brief moment of emotional turmoil had passed, because you had no choice but to let it. You had little ones to be strong for. They needed you.

It was almost as if you shut off that scared, stricken part of yourself for that moment. Moving without hesitation, you grabbed the blaket that you kept at the end of the bed, pulling it over him, up to his shoulders, so that his wound wasn’t visible. Then, you turned on your heel, making a beeline for the bathroom, where you quietly opened the door and stepped inside.

There, you found your children huddled beneath a blanket, engrossed in the movie that was playing on your laptop. “Pups, I need you to listen to Mama for a minute,” you quietly spoke, reaching out to pause the movie.

Zoella, who’d been snuggled in Arya’s lap, immediately reached for you, whining softly. You soothed her, lifting the one-year-old into your arms before you knelt down in front of the remaining three, trying to choose your next words carefully. “Your daddy got hurt just now, and it’s made him very sick. I want all of you to see him, but you have to be very gentle, alright? We can’t jump on top of him on the bed, we can’t even climb into his lap. But I want you to come and see him for a minute.”

“Is it a big boo-boo or a little one?” Young Leia asked, her eyes wide with concern.

“It’s a big boo-boo,” you softly replied.

“Is the doctor gonna come and feel him better?” She continued to question.

Despite yourself, you managed to smile softly at her mixup of words, though your heart was breaking in two. “She’s going to try, baby,” you whispered. Then you rose to stand. “Now come on, I want you to follow me.”

You took a deep breath to steady yourself before you cautiously led your children out into the bedroom, where Amy had taken a seat on the edge of the bed. She was clutching Rhett’s hand.

You had the littles gather beside him. It was Arya who spoke first. “Daddy?” She whispered, her voice shaking.

Rhett’s head moved slightly toward her, and he managed to open his eyes. He tried to plaster a weak smile across his face, but he couldn’t. “Hey, little pup,” he murmured, though it took great labor to do so.

Arya began to cry, and she turned, burying her face against your belly. “Shh,” you soothed her.

Your eyes drifted to Rhett’s face, and you saw an anguish you’d never seen before. Seeing his family in pain, and inadvertently being the cause of that pain, was more than he could bear.

“Hey, let’s give Daddy a hug, alright?” You suggested, gently guiding Arya away from you and toward the bed.

She wrapped her arms around her father’s neck, resting her forehead against his. Her tears dripped down onto his face, but you could see that they weren’t all hers. They were mingling with his own tears.

“Are you going to be okay, Daddy?” Arya asked.

“I…I don’t know,” he honestly replied.

Immediately, she turned back to you, weeping all over again. Rhett squeezed his eyes shut, his bottom lip quivering. You noticed sweat on his brow. His skin had somehow grown paler.

But you wanted each child to get a chance to hug him, so you pushed your fear aside and encouraged Max to give him a hug, and then little Leia. Finally, you leaned down with Zoella in your arms and said “give Daddy a kiss, Zozo,” and she happily kissed him on the cheek, because she’d always loved giving kisses, even when she was a small baby.

There, in those fleeting moments, Rhett was surrounded by those he cherished most. And he knew, that if he was going to succumb to his injury, he would go peacefully, knowing that he was loved.

But that peace was soon interrupted by the sound of Malakai returning with Doctor Tenpenny. The tender moment was forgotten as the pair came rushing up the stairs in a hurry. The abruptness of it all sent the children into a bit of a frenzy. Zoella and Leia began to cry. Max and Arya huddled close to you, frightened.

In a split second, you had to decide what to do. Their panic was only going to worsen the situation, and possibly put Rhett into distress. Thinking fast, you quickly guided them to the stairs, waving Amy over as you did.

“Look at me,” you spoke to the young woman, and she lifted her fearful blue eyes to yours.

“Let’s get them downstairs, it’s better if they’re safely out of the way. Are you okay to stay with them in Arya’s room? Or do you think you want me to stay with you?” You could see how upset she was. You didn’t want to overwhelm her.

“No, I-I can handle it. I’ll keep them safe inside and I’ll put the dresser in front of the door, just in case anyone tries to come in.”

You reached out to squeeze her hand. “Okay. Let’s go.”

Together, you guided the children downstairs, where you led them safely to Arya’s room. As soon as you had them all settled on the bed, you knelt to speak to them. “I need you to be brave for me, okay? I know you’re scared. It’s okay to be scared. But right now, I need to go upstairs and be with Daddy. Stay with Amy, she’ll keep you safe. Alright?”

“Mama, don’t leave,” Arya whimpered.

You took her sweet face in your hands. “I’m not leaving. I’ll just be right upstairs. Be my brave girl, okay?”

“O-okay,” she whispered in reply.

You kissed the top of each of their heads before you finally slipped away, rushing to pull the door shut behind you before you dashed back upstairs.

There, you found Rose Tenpenny hovering over Rhett, carefully examining his wound. Malakai had left as quickly as he’d come, because he had to get back outside to defend the pack. That left just you and the doctor in the room.

Quietly, you moved to stand at Rose’s side, and she paused to glance up at you. Her expression was grim, and it made your heart sink like a stone in your chest. “He’s in a bad way,” she told you. “Just from the way the wound looks, I can tell that dagger was laced with wolfsbane.”

A gasp tore from your throat, and your hand came up to cover your mouth in shock. “Oh my god,” you whispered.

Wolfsbane was poison to wolves. Poison of the deadliest kind. Surviving its effects was unheard of.

“It’s already in his bloodstream. It doesn’t take long for it to set in,” she explained.

You held back a sob, the hand over your mouth lowering to rest against your belly, where your unborn pup lay. You had only one thought. “He’s going to die, isn’t he?”

The doctor’s mouth pressed into a thin line. Her eyes, deep brown and ever sympathetic, filled with tears. She could not sugarcoat her diagnosis.

“I can give him some ancient herbal medicines that will help slow its effects, and ease his pain. But I’m afraid that all I can do right now is make him comfortable. I’m sorry.”

Your tearful eyes flickered to Rhett’s sickly form. His eyes were closed. His breathing was shallow. He was getting worse by the minute, and your world was falling apart. Your shoulders shook as another set of sobs wracked your body, painful and deep.

You were losing him. And there was nothing you could do to stop it.

To be continued…

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