GRANDMA LUNA'S ROSE GARDEN

I met Grandma in the receiving room. She was drinking her herbal tea and speaking to a few pack members.

From their dark outfits, it looked like they had come to to pay their last respects to my Grandpa Alpha.

"How have you been, Luna?" One of the ladies asked.

"I'm fine." Grandma Luna answered serenely, "Silas is resting in peace now."

The guests nodded solemnly. It was silent in the room when I knocked and entered.

Flynn who was on duty in the room immediately announced, "Alpha Sam is here."

"Oh!" The lady exclaimed.

"My granddaughter, from my eldest son." Grandma Luna explained.

"Oh!" Said the lady again.

I think they were trying to get over my hair and eye colour. In the late afternoon sunlight, the receiving room would turn a pale gold. I supposed it only made my coloring look more unreal.

Another woman, who looked older remarked, "She looks like the exact copy of you, when you were young, Luna."

"Her hair and eyes, mother!" The younger lady pointed out.

"Don't be rude, Sarah." Her father reprimanded her.

"So blue! Like the moon goddess herself!" The older woman quickly said, "Luna, it's common knowledge that your granddaughters are all blessed with your great beauty, but this one looks like the goddess incarnate!"

"I'm just a normal wolf." I said.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" The older woman apologized quickly. Night Forest wolves were always jumpy in front of the alpha family like that. It's like they think we were petty

"Please, my mate meant no offense." The man added.

"None taken." I said. This must have been the weirdest conversation I've ever had.

"Grandma Luna, are you ready to accompany me for a walk?" I asked. I actually meant to say, "Grandma Luna, are you ready for our date!" But in the face of these three guests, I chickened out.

"Since you came all the way personally to accompany me..." Grandma Luna stood up from her chair, Mindy immediately swooping forward to help her up.

"Then we shall make a move too, Luna." The man said, "We are glad to see you well."

"All her sons rushed from afar to be by her side, of course Luna will be well." His mate said, "Our Luna is truly blessed."

They curtsied as Grandma Luna placed her hand on my arm to leave. I took is as my cue to go.

And then, because I'd been well trained by my Luna Mum, I turned back and called out to the guests with a big smile, "Thanks for visiting!"

Because it's important to value everyone's efforts and make every member who comes to us feel accepted and appreciated.

Grandma hurumphed.

"See you around, Flynn!" I said as I passed.

Flynn bowed, "See you, Alpha."

Even though Flynn was being overly formal, I honestly felt better to see a safe face from my home pack. I know I'm with my extended family and all, but you know... There's no place like home.

This wasn't my home. It was my Grandpa Alpha and Grandma Luna's home. It was a different pack, with a different way, a very different way. Although I was beginning to suspect that it was my pack that was different from the others.

I was getting homesick.

We stepped into the garden when I realised belatedly, "There are no roses today."

"Of course not. It's the middle of winter, pup." Grandma Luna kept walking on my arm so I followed her.

"Are you still acting like a pup even now?" Grandma Luna asked, "How old are you now?"

"I'm 14." I said, "I'll be turning 15 in Spring."

"When I was 16, I mated with your Grandfather." Grandma Luna said, "Yet here you are, still running around like a puppy. Calling out to common wolves like they are your friends. It's time you grow up, pup."

Grandma Luna sighed, "I was young once too. I wanted to play the piano, but the war came and my father told me to settle down quickly. So I mated Silas, the Alpha's son from the neighbouring pack. Like yours, it was a good match. Two Alpha families, and it made our combined pack able to withstand the destruction of war."

"Times were dangerous then, to secure our family bloodline, I had to bear pups as soon a possible. By 17, I was already a new mother. Before I reached 21, I had all four alpha male pups. Silas and I suffered so much to rebuild the pack after the war. It was so hard. Your grandfather worked three jobs on top of being the Alpha just to feed us all."

"Now I am just an old woman who has learned the bitter truth. You cannot trust anyone. Everyone is selfish. Even your children will turn against you one day."

I opened my mouth and closed it again.

Grandma Luna spoke again, her tone suddenly conversational, "I heard Andre challenged your mate? Who won?"

"Mate did, Grandma." I answered. How did she know?

Grandma nodded, "I know a great many things, but that in itself is a double edged sword. For example, I know that even now my children plot against me. The moment their father dies, they plan to remove me, to take me far away from Night Forest to a foreign land."

Impossible! There's no way they would do something like that.

"But you don't have to concern yourself, I'm old and useless now. I can only go wherever they would send me." Grandma Luna said.

"Wait! But Grandpa's will said Uncle Louis had to care for all the estates and you." I pointed out, "He can't send you away."

"He will send me away. As soon as tomorrow, I will be on the ship to the next continent." Grandma Luna told me.

"Do not worry, I will be well taken care of. They would not dare risk a second chance of receiving no inheritance."

I didn't quite understand what Grandma Luna was saying anymore.

"Your Grandfather was the Alpha, yes. His pack had strong warriors. But the wealth and treasures of the pack is mine. If your father and uncles want to see a single cent of it, they would do well to take care of me." Grandma Luna explained.

But it only confused me more. Who was Grandma Luna talking about? Even if my uncles were evil, Dad would never allow it, right?

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked. I didn't want to hear things like this about my own family.

"Do not be upset. Anguish and distraught is for the weak. The strong will emerge stronger. You need to grow up and stop trusting anyone but yourself. Because I had done this, my sons dare not mistreat me in my old age today. One day, you will grow old too. We are wolves, there is a hierarchy, and to stay at the very top, we need to be the strongest one."

Grandma took off a blue sapphire ring, it was surrounded by diamonds and glittered under the setting sun, "This ring was from the colored mountains. Should you ever return to the mountains with it, it would grant you access to a vault of treasures, including its matching necklace and earrings. It was passed down from mother to daughter. My mother gave it to me, but I had no daughters of my own. I want you to have it, do not tell anyone about it. Safeguard it for your daughter."

Grandma Luna put it into my hands. I shook my head, "No, Grandma. You keep it. I won't let them take your away!"

Grandma shook her head, "Still just a pup. Be quiet and do as I say."

And at that moment, I realised that Grandma had an Alpha wolf too.

"For a female to possess an Alpha Wolf - haven't you noticed it's uncanny?" Grandma Luna mused.

"Do as I say, Pup. I will go with your

uncles. Perhaps I would meet my other grandchildren before I join your grandfather." Grandma Luna said.

I didn't understand, did she want to go or not?

"You remind me of a me from long ago, the me who dreamed about playing the piano, who still believed in soul mates and love... But you need to grow out of the childish fantasies." She took my hand and pushed the sapphire ring into it, "Be strong, pup. Climb up to the top. And always keep a firm rein on those around you."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked again.

"Why? I don't know. Perhaps because I wished someone told me sooner, then I would not have wasted all those years, dreaming of being rescued by someone who never came." Grandma sighed, "Come, I am tired. Keep the ring a secret, pup. There are wolves who would kill their own bloodkin for it."

I put it in my pocket just as Grandma Luna pulled me up the path back to the house. She gripped my arm tightly, the way Maria would, and half dragged me along. So much for being a frail old woman who was tired.

As we stepped onto the porch I saw Harvey waiting with Beta Gerald. They must be waiting to greet another Alpha guest.

So many wolves had come to pay their last respects to Grandpa Alpha.

Harvey and Beta Gerald both bowed at our approach. I wanted to scream, "Help me! Make it stop! I don't want it to be like this!"

But I just smiled, and nodded.

And right at that moment, Harvey stepped out of line. The good beta who always erred at the side of caution, who knew every unspoken etiquette, who knew just as well as anyone that this pack was 'deeply hierachical in nature'.

He stepped up, I could sense his hesitation, but he had for the first time since I've met him, decided to follow his instinct over the general expectation.

Grandma Luna paused. Her grey eyes darkened to black. She took offense at the Beta blocking our way.

"Are you alright, princess?" Harvey asked anyway. His usual calm wry smile gave me a sense of normalcy.

I realised my friends in school was right, Harvey was the prince charming, knight in shining armour type of wolf.

I nodded, "I will be. I wish to meet my betas tonight."

"Will after dinner be alright?" Harvey asked.

I nodded.

"Is there anything else I might assist you with?" Harvey asked.

I shook my head, and then I smiled, "Thanks for asking."

Harvey bowed and stepped back. I continued walking with Grandma Luna on my arm.

Just before we entered the banquet hall, I said, "Grandma Luna, I will remember your words, but I want to try it my way. I will protect the happiness of my pack."

And I wasn't sure how yet, but I would protect my Grandmother's happiness too. Whatever there was left of it anyway.

And why did I call a meeting with my Betas? I tightened my fist over the ring in my pocket. It's not like I could show it to them. And how would I be able to keep it from Ki? Why was it even with me? Grrr... Knowing me, I'd probably lose it.

"Luna and Alpha Sam are here." Beta Larson announced at our entry. Oh, looks like I was getting billing as Alpha now. Haha.

I handed Grandma Luna back to Mindy who helped her into her seat. Mostly, I was just relieved that it was over and really drained.

I sank into my chair next to Savy who rubbed my back so I felt a little better.

The servants served our food. Savy and my plates had everything deboned and cut into neat squares.

"Where is your fight dog Luna?" Uncle Andre asked his right arm was still in a sling, "He's strong. I want to fight him again."

"Its because you are like this that you are the most useless of your brothers." Grandma Luna scolded, "Picking up this kind of hideous fighting technique!"

"We're fighting wolves, of course we need to master fighting techniques." Uncle Andre said "Did you know I'm the fastest shifter in all of the next continent?"

"He only shifts quickly one way though." Uncle Pierre said.

"Shifting back is hard. My wolf needs to calm down first." Uncle Andre answered back cheerfully.

"That's dangerous Andre." Dad said seriously, "I told you, you need to work on your control techniques into the merging ones."

"Well, I am, I am..." Uncle Andre lied.

"You should listen to Brother, if you know what's good for you." Uncle Louis said.

"Oh yeah, why do you say that?" Uncle Andre challenged.

"Because he is the creator of this technique. If you don't do it right, you're going to get someone killed." Uncle Louis answered.

"He's more likely to get himself killed." Uncle Pierre said.

Uncle Andre just laughed, "There is no one who can defeat me!"

"The Lorent boy didn't look hard pressed at all." Uncle Pierre pointed out.

"He was a fight dog! The number one fight dog on the continent. Of course he would be my most formidable opponent." Uncle Andre all but shouted, then he turned his attention to me, "So where is lover boy? Is he still recuperating from the wound I gave him?"

He's getting ready for his fight later? Actually, isnt the fact that he was a fight dog supposed to be a secret? Bell didn't seem to be keeping it that way though.

"He's got something on tonight." I said.

"Tell him I want another round the next time I come over." Uncle Andre said.

"Not on my land." Uncle Louis said, "This isn't a fight cage."

Uncle Andre laughed loudly at that, "This old wolf still has it, eh?"

"What you still have is your poor mate who is waiting for you at home." Uncle Pierre said.

"Why do you have to keep bringing her up?" Uncle Andre slammed the table.

"Because it works." Uncle Pierre smiled, "She's the only one that beast of yours will listen to."

"That's because she's the only one who knows how to f*** my beast right." Uncle Andre said.

Grandma slammed the table sharply. There was silence.

"Andre, leave." Her voice was cold.

"Yes, Mother." Uncle Andre hung his head and stood up like a school boy being sent out of the classroom.

"There will be no food sent to his room till morning." Grandma Luna ordered.

"Understood, Luna." Beta Larson answered.

No one else said anything. The table was quiet for the rest of the meal.