by Toby Aden
Will stared up into Gregory’s eyes, still pouting. “No fair.”
“It’s so easy to tease you.” The smile on Gregory’s face faded ever so slowly until he was staring intently at Will. They lay like that for a while, neither saying a word as the space between them soon became charged. “I think I might be falling in love with you.”
Will sucked in a deep breath, shock written all over his face. “W-what?”
“I think I might be in love with you,” Gregory repeated.
“Greg…” Will whimpered, his bottom lips quivering as he blinked repeatedly at Gregory.
“I know you might not yet be ready to hear it, and I’m not saying I do right now. I just think it’s something I might come to feel and soon,” Gregory rambled, blushing.
“Greg…”
“I know. I know you’re not ready right now, and as I promised earlier tonight, whenever you are, I’m here to listen to whatever you have to tell me. Until then, just know that, no matter what, my feelings won’t change.” Gregory shrugged. “Except maybe deepen more.”
Will shook his head, tears hovering on his lids. “I–I don’t know what to say.”
Gregory pressed his forefinger against Will’s lips, silencing the man. “You don’t have to say anything yet. I just had to tell you. That’s all.” He smiled, gazing tenderly at the man fate had gifted to him for a mate. He pulled Will into his arms and got comfortable with the other man nestled against his chest before reaching out and turning the lamp off, casting the room into darkness softened by the glow of the half-moon in the sky.
“Greg?” Will called, his voice uncertain.
“Go to sleep, Will. It will all work out,” Gregory said, dropping a kiss on Will’s head before closing his eyes.
* * * *
Will sighed, but his mind was going a mile a minute. He felt something for Gregory. At first, just the knowledge that fate had given him his mate had made elation sing through his veins. The elation was still zapping through him, but he’d had momentary doubts and insecurities and fear for how his past could possibly change the course of their lives and if Gregory would still look at him the way he looked at him now when he found out all there was about him and his brothers.
He never wanted this feeling to go away, to see his mate stare at him with disappointment or pity, but he also could not keep it a secret from Gregory forever. He could not keep putting it off. He knew that, at some point, he would have to come clean while he still had the choice and their past hadn’t caught up with him and his brothers.
“I can hear you thinking from here, Will. Go to sleep,” Gregory murmured.
Will sniffed. “Can’t help it. You just told me you might be in love with me. How did you expect me to be able to sleep after that?”
Gregory let loose a low chuckle. “Peacefully of course.”
Will shook his head. “You’re a hoot, Greg. Really.”
* * * *
When they both fell silent once more, Gregory sighed, knowing full well that his mate was still bothered. “I didn’t tell you to get you all worked up about it, Will.”
Will rubbed a soothing hand over Gregory’s stomach. “I know. That’s not all though,” Will said, whispering the last words softly.
Gregory did not say anything else as he waited to see if Will would tell him what was bothering him. He didn’t want to push the other man into what he was not ready for. For a single moment, he wondered if he should not yet have told Will of his growing feelings for him. At the very least, he should have waited till he was ready to say he really was in love with his mate before saying anything.
“I’m scared,” Will said.
Gregory ran his fingers absently over Will’s soft skin. “You don’t have to be. You can trust me.”
Will nodded. “I’m trying.”
“And that’s all I can ask for. Get some rest, Will. Tomorrow’s a big day for us,” Gregory said and dropped a kiss on Will’s forehead before resting his cheek against the shorter man’s silky soft hair.
“Night…mate,” Will whispered, snuggling back into Gregory’s, his eyes to closing.
Chapter Nine
“I called this meeting to present to you your new Alpha,” Alpha Steven said, his voice ringing in the air.
Every single pack member from the town was gathered at the backyard of the Alpha’s compound. With the Alpha compound situated right in the middle of the town and the backyard opening up to the large forest that belonged to pack, every member of the pack arrived and gathered there for their weekly run as a pack to solidify and secure their bond as pack.
However, Alpha Steven had called for an impromptu pack meeting, and everyone had turned up, an inkling of what was to happen already guessed. The announcement, though, one that had been a long time coming and expected, still took their breath away. Alpha Steven had been a good leader, leading them through the war and helping to sustain their community as the largest pack in the U.S.
A lot of people were sad to see this day come, but there was no choice for it. Alpha Steven was already an old man at the ripe age of two hundred years, though he did not at all look his age. Instead, he appeared as though in his late forties, but the weariness and tolls of losing his mate were entirely visible in the lines on his face and the twinges of sadness that could be found in his eyes at times.
It was evidently clear that, all these years, it had not been at all easy for him living. However, he’d pushed through for his family and his pack. The man was damned strong to have survived all these years, not to mention the strength with which he had held on to his sanity and his will to live for the sake of his pack and his children after the death of his beloved mate.
Still, the pack needed a young and strong Alpha to lead them forward, and it was time to appoint their new Alpha. With the place choked with shifters, Alpha Steven stood with his son, Gregory, and Will, Gregory’s mate, beside him as he addressed the large crowd with the waning sun just overhead and nighttime rapidly approaching.
“My son, Gregory, will lead us into a prosperous future. I expect that you will show him the same courtesy you showed me and look to him as your new leader. I will be stepping down as of this moment, and it has been my greatest pleasure to lead a wonderful pack like you. We’ve been through the worse and the best together, and I will continue to cherish you all till my dying moment,” Alpha Steven said before stepping down the stairs, which made him stand a bit higher than the other shifters in attendance.
Loud cheering went up as Alpha Steven left the place for Gregory to fill in, joining the rest of the crowd and allowing Gregory to begin his leadership.
“I am honored to stand before you, my fellow pack members, today. I only hope to be half the man my father was. During this moment, as is our tradition, any who wish to break from the pack should step forward and make it known. Permission will be granted to leave the pack while the others are initiated under my rule,” Gregory said, standing tall and firm as he eyed his pack. “We will begin the initiation. Please, step forward to show your continued alliance to the Santiago pack.”
One by one, people stepped forward, lowering on one knee and tilting their head, and Gregory stepped forward to bite down on their shoulder, marking each person who stepped forward as a member of his pack and continuing the bond between pack Alpha and pack members.
This continued for a long time with everyone showing their deference, and Gregory accepted them into his pack with the bite slamming the Alpha bond into place, and connecting him on a basic level with his pack members. With the large number of shifters in the Santiago pack, it took four hours till every one of the pack, male and female, were initiated in and accepted under Gregory’s new guidance.
The cubs, though, and the youth who were not yet past their teen years, were not bitten to initiate them into the pack. Instead, when their parents moved the children forward, Gregory placed his hand against where their shoulder met their neck, using the force of his will to bind them to his pack.<
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When the last member was marked, Gregory stood upright and once more addressed his pack. “And now, anyone willing to join into our pack, please step forward.”
With that, Will moved from where he’d been standing behind Gregory and lowered himself on one knee in front of his mate, tilting his head to the side. Gregory came forward, leaned in, and bit down on Will’s neck, slamming the pack bond into place. Then Will’s brothers stepped forward and the process repeated itself.
Gregory nodded at his pack. “I thank you all for your trust in me. I will do my best to be a great Alpha. Now, if you please, let’s run.”
Loud cheers went up once more, and the members began shifting into their wolf form, bones breaking and cracking and reforming. Once everyone was in their wolf form, they looked to Gregory for guidance, and with a powerful leap, he began the race that would unite them all under one moon, howling and feeling a sense of satisfaction when his pack howled along with him, giving him their full support.
They ran through the forest, their wolves relishing the taste of freedom and the feel of the breeze whizzing past them and following their new leader, trusting in his judgment and backing him up. They ran for a long time, howling their joy into the moon until Gregory spoke to them through the new pack bond, letting them know they were going on a hunt.
The excitement that followed his announcement was readily felt through the pack bonds and through the howls that filled the air as they separated into groups and began hunting prey. Hunting was rarely done, but it was both a sport and a way of food for the shifters. A cub wobbled on his feet a short distance from where Will was, and taking pity on the young, Will broke away from Gregory’s side and sprinted to the cub, picking him up by his teeth and returning to join his mate in the hunt.
Gregory immediately felt the loss of his mate by his side, and when he glanced around, he spotted the gray form of the man who was coming to mean so much to him in such a short time. When he saw what Will had done, pride filled his heart and reflected back at the man from his sharp wolf’s eyes. He approached his mate, rubbing his head against Will’s and moving it over Will’s back until they finally separated.
With a nod of his massive head, Gregory sprinted off once more, joining the other wolves in their run at a neck-breaking speed and leaving Will behind to fend for the young. Like the predators they were, they stalked their prey and eyed it carefully, moving soundlessly until they attacked the herd of deer grazing.
As though sensing the danger, the herd of deer all lifted their heads, their ears cocked back to listen carefully before they broke off into a run and the shifters determinedly dogging their steps. The prey was fast, but the predators were faster, the thrill of the chase egging them on. It wasn’t long before they’d taken down a number of their prey to feast on and were quick returning to the Alpha’s compound with their catch for the day, shifting back into their human form.
It wasn’t long before the grill was then carried out and a few of the she-wolves all banded together to get cooking indoors while the men arranged the equipment for the outdoor grill and began skinning the carcasses from their hunt to grill for the cookout celebration.
When the food was ready, it was all carried outside, and the pack had their first meal together. The shrieking laughter of children carried over, and the cacophony of the adults’ voices in deep conversation floated into the sky. It was a big picnic, late at night, edging toward midnight, when the pack celebrated a successful hand-over and the beginning of a new leadership.
Gregory stood, drawing everyone’s attention to himself before pulling Will up to stand by his side. “If I may have all of your attentions please.”
Soon, the place went eerily silent as they all stared at their new Alpha and waited for what he would say next.
“I would like to introduce you all to my true mate, Will. I expect that you will all treat him as you would me,” Gregory said, pulling back Will’s collar to show off the mating bite on Will’s shoulder.
A loud cheer went up to show their support of their Alpha finding his mate. Will blushed at the attention he received, but his shyness fell away when Gregory leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss, playing with his lips before deepening it into a passionate I-want-to-tear-your-clothes-and-fuck-you-right-here kiss. Loud whispers pierced the air, but also the fog that the couple had fallen into, and they reluctantly pulled apart.
“Alpha, if I may be so bold. What do you intend to do for heirs?” one of the female shifter asked.
Will and Gregory exchanged a look before glancing around them at the expectant looks on the faces of all the shifters present.
Mate?
Gregory glanced back toward Will, taking in the worried look on his mate’s face, and pulled him into his arms. He’d felt the worry rushing through his mate and he responded by trying to soothe his mate even as he communicated with Will using their mated bond to keep their conversation private.
We can use surrogates, Will. There’s nothing to worry about.
But what if the female wants to keep the children with her, or if you decide you no longer want me?
That could never happen! I would never pick a surrogate for our children that you do not feel comfortable with or don’t trust or don’t even like. It’s your choice, Will. Everything would come down to you and whom you prefer.
Will gazed searchingly at his mate, trying to see if the man meant his word or if they were just that, words. He must have found the reassurance that he needed because, after a while, he nodded his acceptance and leaned up on his tiptoes to place a kiss on Gregory’s lips before settling back onto his feet and giving Gregory’s arms a squeeze.
“My mate and I would have to discuss the details further, but we will be on the lookout for surrogates willing to carry our cubs for us,” Gregory said, glancing back at the anxious crowd.
His announcement was met with silence until the voices suddenly rose in whispers then into thoughts being voiced out loud and, finally, a cacophony of sound indistinguishable with words.
Gregory glanced over at his father, who stood silently on one side of the crowd, and the slight nod and look of pride and approval he saw there was enough to bolster his courage. He took in a deep breath then raised a hand for all of them to quiet down, patiently waiting until the place was quiet once more.
“I hope you will all accept my mate into your hearts and treat him as befitting his role,” Gregory said, his voice hard and serious.
“But of course, Alpha.”
“Yes!”
“The fates never lie.”
“One doesn’t reject a mate from the fates.”
“A mate is evermore a blessing.”
The voices of the pack members lifted, all in acceptance of their Alpha’s mate. Obviously, it had never crossed their minds to reject their Alpha’s mate, regardless of gender. After all, a mate was a valued thing and a blessing from the fates. Something they could not turn their back on.
Gregory grinned at the crowd unrepentantly, happy that his people had readily accepted his mate, despite the fact that they were both males. Will, on the other hand, was a bit shy, burying his face into Gregory’s chest, listening to the rumble of Gregory’s laughter. When they all calmed down, Gregory placed a kiss against Will’s head then let his mate settle back into his seat on the grass.
“As you all know, my father was a great Alpha and leader for our pack until his retirement. Under his guidance, we now are no longer at war with the vampires. In fact, trade has opened between our two species and a peace treaty signed. However, just because leadership has changed, it does not mean the treaty will still not hold. Anyone found violating the terms of the treaty will be dealt with harshly and swiftly. I will not tolerate anything that will endanger our species and the treaty in place.” Gregory paused to eye several of the pack members, his face and tone serious enough to let them know he meant every word of what he was saying. “Good. Now that that has been understood, I will move forward with appointing
my betas and enforcers. It is time to bring in new blood to ensure that we continue to make progress. As a result, the betas and enforces who served my father have done an excellent job of carrying out their duties and they will also be the mark to which the new body of betas and enforcers are held against,” Gregory said then looked toward his father.
He saw the man nod with pride gleaming in his eyes before once more facing his pack and continuing. “I have been watching the pack to see who are most suitable for these posts, and so it’s with pride I call out these men to serve the pack to the best of their abilities in maintaining law and order. Please step forward as I call your names.”
Everyone was seated at attention, their backs ramrod straight, breaths held as they waited to hear who would be their new betas and enforces.
“Beta Beckley Ashford.”
There was a stunned silence when Gregory called for the man, and slowly, gracefully, the tall six-foot muscled beta stood up and stepped toward his Alpha, his head tilted and his neck exposed as he showed his submission and acceptance of his new role.
“Beta Henry McKay.”
The stockier, five-foot-nine man stood from where he sat with his family and walked over to his Alpha, tilting his head and showing his neck for Gregory to touch before moving to stand beside Beckley.
“Beta Adam McCulley.”
A big bear of a man stood up from where he was sitting alone, moving with light feet as he approached his Alpha, surprise clear on his face at the unexpected turn of things. Even though stunned to be called, he tilted his head, showing his Alpha his neck and waiting for it to be touched. Once done, he moved on to stand beside the other Betas.
“And, finally, Beta Eric Heller.”
A tall muscular man stood from where he sat surrounded by his family then moved to the front, tilting his head and showing his neck to his Alpha