Chapter Four (Marcus)

I had come to council at the worst possible time. They had summoned me while I was in the process of arguing off most of my pack. A lot of the older members were starting to get worried that I hadn't found my mate. I was twenty five going on twenty six so it wasn't like my life was over but their concern lay in the fact of me producing an heir. They had also refused to send me alone. There were three women in my pack that had lost mates both before and after meeting them. The elders felt that I should take one as my Luna sooner rather than later then the call came through from the council. They decided to send along one woman as 'company' for the trip. Shame they chose the one with bigger ambitions and that I had little interest in. However coming to council did open an opportunity I had not for seen. I found my mate.

Although she was a beautiful creature she was also one of the reasons we were summoned to council. I needed to know more about what was going on before making any moves or decisions. I wasn't prepared for the fact that she had never shifted before either. Forcing her to finish shifting on her first time would normally not be something I would do. Although I had a rough reputation with other packs I was in fact a reasonable man. I treated all my members fairly but firmly. They didn't fear like most other packs believed. I had personally attended every new shift since taking control of the pack. I would help them through the transition and be there for their first run. After that they trained. Every member of my pack could fight. Lethally. Even the women were trained to fight, but my mate was going to be an interesting case if she had only just shifted.

Between the attack on the way to council and finding my mate who I had to force to finish shifting, I was on edge. So when the call came through of rogues on council land I was more than ready to rip something apart. When we had almost reached them we ran straight past my mate and Keith's daughter coming at us full pelt. I was impressed by her speed given the size of her wolf. But I kept my mind on the job and had clashed into the rogues like they were nothing. We had outnumbered them two to one so everything was done in seconds. It must have been a scouting party for it to be that small of a group. When we got back to the council house men were standing around my mate naked. Blake had at least the sense to wrap himself up with his mate. My men however would get a chewing about it later. Blake thankfully explained why my mate hadn't shifted back yet on top of not knowing how. Keith's wife led her inside to rest while I grumbled a warning at my men. Not only were they naked in front of their future Luna but also two other Alpha's mates.

We walked inside and shifted back into our human forms. I pulled on a pair of shorts that Steven handed me. Steven was the oldest son of Alpha Keith and had been sent to my pack just over a year ago to do some intense fighting training with our pack. Many future Alphas spent some period of time with us as the fighting skills and training sessions of our pack were legendary. They had been passed down many generations and a lot of my pack was now born with heightened instincts for battle. "Thanks Steven." He nodded at me. "Welcome." I finished pulling the shorts up. "I need to have a chat with your dad, feel like joining me?" He smiled. "Yeah why not. Did you want Brandon to join us?" I shook my head. "Nah, he's just met his mate so leave him for now." I smirked. Seems my Beta had picked up an Alpha's daughter as a mate. Thankfully she had a brother which meant that I wouldn't lose my beta. I looked around to see where Keith was and spotted him with Alpha Noah. I nodded in their direction and Steven looked over.

I approached Keith and Noah quietly. They were talking about the rogues. "It was one of the issues I wanted to bring to the attention of the council." Noah nodded. "I think it should definitely be discussed. Alpha Marcus." Noah adds nodding at me. "Gentlemen. Are we discussing the rogue attack?" Keith sighed. "Yes. The rogue that's been after Stephanie for some time now seems to have managed to get a large number of the rogues to work together." I sighed in understanding. "Do you think they will pose a large threat to your pack or all the packs?" Keith dropped his head. "To be honest Marcus I don't know. At the moment their focus seems to be Stephanie but if they aren't able to get at her I fear they may find some new targets especially with their numbers growing." Steven looked at his dad. "Do you need me to come home?" Keith shook his head. "No now more than ever we need you to finish your training." I cleared my throat. "What if after council I return to your pack with Steven and a couple of other warriors and we help prepare all your pack. That may give them a better chance than holding hope on one member." Keith nodded. "That would be greatly appreciated Marcus. Thank you." I nodded. "I feel that you didn't come all the way over here though just to talk rogues with us Marcus."Noah drew my attention. "No I didn't. I actually came to discuss the young girl from earlier." Noah's eyes locked on mine. "You mean my granddaughter?" Steven almost choked and I looked at Noah for any deception.

This bit of news surprised me. "Your granddaughter?" He nodded. "Yes. Stephanie met her in town during an attack by the rogues when another pack turned up. They have been chasing Serenity for four years after her mother passed away. So council was called when Keith was contacted and threatened with war if he did not hand her over. Now it would seem they wish to go to war with the council as well." Realisation dawned on me. The missing pack must be the ones that have been chasing my mate. The self named Savage moon pack. They had changed their name and slowly became more defiant of the council after their Alpha passed away. It was rumoured that he died after his mate had died. His mate must have been Serenity's mother and that would mean that she was the true heir to savage moon pack not the whelp sitting their letting his mother rule.

A growl escaped my chest as I got angry at the thought of them even trying to kill my mate. Noah looked at me intently for a moment. "You're her mate." It was more a statement then a question. "That's why as soon as she cried out to stop it you couldn't help but force her to shift." My head flew up and looked him in the eyes ready for a fight. He simply laughed. Keith and I both looked at him confused. "The strongest most feared Alpha brought to his knees by my granddaughter. Well the goddess certainly does work in strange ways." He continued to laugh as we tried to understand what was so funny. "She's half witch my boy. That means your bond with her will be doubled after mating." All of a sudden Keith seemed to pick up what he was referring to while I didn't. Keith laughed heartily with Noah as I got more frustrated.

Clarisa stepped up and wrapped her arms around Keith. "Now men don't be teasing Alpha Marcus." She looked at me. "What they are failing to explain to you my dear is that the more time you spend around Serenity before you are mated the more you will feel like you are. After you are mated the bond doesn't just tie you together as soul mates but it will actually bind your souls. Everything she feels, you will feel, everything she needs, you will provide or be for her. You will become one." I looked at Noah. "Yes my boy. If she dies before or after you are mated it will destroy you. When she goes if you are still alive yourself, a part of you will go too." He said sadly. "What would happen if I tried to reject her as a mate...Not that I am going to, she is mine." Noah looked even sadder. "You wouldn't be able to. That was how I lost my daughter and ended up with a granddaughter on the run." Everyone looked at him confused as he smiled sadly.

"After my mate passed away Isabella's brother sent her here to help offer me comfort. Normally it is forbidden to have any family other than your mate as you know. But Isabella's gifts that she got from her mother were able to help draw me back out of the trance I had fallen into so the council agreed to give her permanent rooms here as long as she did not interfere with council business. Isabella's mother was a full witch which meant Isabella was half. She had the gift of healing which she used well during her time here. Every time a member was sent to us for healing it was Isabella that did it. She also helped a few members on the council. It was during one of these times that she met her mate. An Alpha had been seriously wounded during a battle with rogues and the pack doctor was unable to help any further so he escorted the Alpha here. The Alpha arrived alone with the pack doctor and his beta. During the few days they spent here Isabella and the Alpha grew very close despite the warning that he was already married with a young son. His Luna had lost her mate before they met and as he had grown older the pack pushed him to marry in order to produce an heir for the sake of the pack. So he did, but when he met Isabella he was unable to reject her because of the mate bond working differently to a normal mate bond. When the Alpha left he convinced her to leave with him. It was after that I lost contact with my daughter. Now I have been united with her daughter who is being pursued by the same pack that took my daughter and I will not let them take my granddaughter from me."He looked up strongly and you could see the fire in his eyes that would have once been there when he was Alpha of his pack. The fire that made him the Alpha of Alphas.

I smiled at the old man. He would not stand alone this fight. I looked at Keith as well. "I will train your pack and ask for no compensation under one condition..." Keith nodded before I could finish. "Done. We will stand behind you and any that don't can leave the pack." Clarisa looked at her husband proudly. "They will all stand. They love their Alpha and they respect you." Keith looked at her lovingly. I couldn't wait to share moments like that with my mate. Steven cleared his throat. "Umm not meaning to be the buzz kill in all this, but shouldn't someone at least inform Serenity? And possibly discuss this with Blake?" Blake stepped up next to Steven with Stephanie on his arm. "No need mate, we heard it all and every other Alpha in the place." We looked around and noticed others looking at us. Every Alpha present nodded in turn. "We will stand." They said. A lot of them were doing it for Noah but there were also a few that had been personally healed by his daughter so they felt they owed it to her to protect her daughter. "Keith, I think we should deal with your rogue problem first. We don't need to be worried about two fronts if we can avoid it." He nodded. "I agree, but how exactly?" I smiled at him evilly.

An argument ensued after I laid my plan out for them. Stephanie and others were all a go for the plan while Blake, her mother and father were completely against it. In saying that I also understood where Blake was coming from. If someone suggested offering my mate up as bait for rogues I'd probably rip his damn throat out with my bare hands. "What if I'm with her?" everyone stopped. I closed my eyes. It couldn't be. We all turned and saw Serenity standing a few feet away from us. She looked stunning but dishevelled. "We can't sweet heart. No one is going to put you or Stephanie in danger. It's too risky." She stepped over closer and I could smell her sweet scent. "I know it's dangerous but it is the best shot any of you will have. All we would have to do is what we have already done. Draw them out and right to you all. If we are already in wolf form and make it look like we just headed out for a run they will try and take advantage of what they think is a vulnerable moment. Then Stephanie and I can run. We lead them straight back here where everyone will be out of sight until we draw them in close enough to stop them from being able to tuck tail and run. It makes the most sense and the least amount of risk." I watched her talk with pride. My little mate was a fighter. She wasn't even a wolf for a day and here she was trying to convince war hardened men that their best chance was two girls.

Stephanie walked up next to her and hooked her arm through hers. "She's right dad and you know it. Blake I know you're worried but we can do this, we need to do this, I need to do this." Blake looked at Stephanie and sighed. "Alright." He caved. Keith looked at his daughter as she stared at him. Closing his eyes he rubbed his hand down his face. Clarisa placed her hand on his chest. "We have to let her do this. It's time, she can't keep hiding from him." He looked at his wife then his daughter. "Ok." The two girls then looked at Noah. He looked sad for just a moment but then pride came across his face before he looked at me. "If she dies I will hold you responsible Marcus. Ok." I nodded. He wouldn't need to, I would hold myself responsible. "Alright, then I think we need some time to prepare." Everyone nodded.

I watched the girls step away with Clarisa and cursed myself inwardly. If I hadn't suggested it then she wouldn't be putting her life on the line with Stephanie. "It's hard known that your mate's life is on the line isn't it?" Blake stood next to me looking at them as well. "Yes, but I also know nothing is going to happen. I will tear anyone apart that even tries to harm her." Blake smiled sideways at me. "Good. I'm counting on that to help me keep my own mate alive." He walked away as I watched him surprised. He may be young but the boy was no fool. He would rather fight with me than against me. Tomorrow night I would show why our pack was called the Blood moon pack and I knew my men would step up beside me and up hold our honour as well.