Wolf's Pet Ch. 33

The Council had even come. They arrived together with Alistair and Rhys. Karen wondered to herself if they had explained what Guillame was doing here, what his relationship was to them, and what was going to happen tomorrow night.

Karen spotted Trina standing near her patients, but no Logan. She walked away from the males to speak with her friend. "Trina, where's Logan?" Karen figured since they'd mated last night they wouldn't be separated for a moment.

Trina's bite was proudly displayed wearing her tank top. "He talked Jeff into letting him watch Sheila so he could attend the celebration. He told him it was important to say goodbye to friends. Now that we've mated Jeff's wolf has calmed down around him and allowed it." She had a happy smile on her face. It was obvious to everyone even without seeing the bite. She radiated that serene happiness that only came with being mated. "A few of the unattached human females stayed at the hospital as well to help so as many of the staff as possible could attend. Since the other packs all took their injured when they left it's definitely cut back on the patient load." Trina was relieved about that. Things had gotten a little stressful for the staff with so many hospitalized patients and a Doctor who was preoccupied with his own mate.

Karen turned around but Cole and the visitors had wandered off towards Carr and Lee. Jeff was standing close to Carr. She could tell he was still worried about the Alpha. She made her way to join them, moving silently up behind Cole and wrapped her arms around his waist. His hands took hers and pulled them around his stomach. She found herself hugging his warm back. If they weren't here for a funeral she would have suggested finding someplace to be alone.

"You promise you won't shift tonight OR tomorrow night? If so, then I'll leave you alone." Jeff had a determined look on his face. It was his job to keep the Alpha from interfering with his healing progress.

"Yes Doctor, I promise." He smiled politely at Jeff. His hands were behind his back, fingers crossed.

Lee leaned back and caught his sneaky attempt to get out of his promise. "I see that." She raised an eyebrow at him as he unclasped his hands and put them in his pockets.

"Yes Ma'am. I promise both of you I will not shift for the next two days. Satisfied?" He glared at both of them. His wolf wanted so much to lead the pack tomorrow night. Their head was feeling much better. They didn't get that dizzy, not for long anyway.

"Good, thank you Alpha." With that patient in order he turned his attention to Lee. "Now as for you Madam, carrying triplets can be tricky and you should not be shifting either, until you've delivered."

"What? But Jeff, my mother shifted anytime she wanted through all of her pregnancies. She didn't have any problems." Lee thought Jeff was being paranoid. She understood why Carr shouldn't shift but really, lots of pregnant females shifted.

"Your mother never had triplets. We're always more careful with multiples. Please Lee, its for the safety of your cubs." Jeff was not going to back down on this issue. If she wouldn't listen to him maybe she would listen to Logan. She wouldn't be able to say he was overprotective.

"Alright, you win." She pouted as she looked at the Doctor who had a satisfied grin on his face. She felt Carr's arm circling her waist and leaned into him. Her wolf was fine with staying under wraps while the cubs were growing. They were the most important thing. She could give up being in control until they were born. Carr's hand was resting on her belly, and she rested hers lightly on top.

The gesture was not lost on the pack. All eyes were on the Alphas. Smiles were exchanged at the loving touches between the pair. Most thought they were lucky to have them as Alphas and now to have cubs on the way, the prevailing feeling among the pack was they were charmed to have little ones so quickly since being mated. This was good luck for the pack.

The area around the pyre slowly filled with people, mates hand in hand, friends chatting, cubs running around and trying to find playmates until called by their parents. It was dusk, the sun had set and the moon was just visible over the horizon, almost full. A single owl flew silently across the sky to his perch in the trees. He landed and shook his feathers until he had settled himself.

Carr had seen the owl and smiled. Some American Indian tribes considered the owl to be a spirit helper that allowed humans to contact the dead. He felt it was a good omen the owl had come here when he did. He looked at the feather tufts that the gave the Great Horned Owl it's name. He sent his thoughts to the owl. "Thank you my friend for joining us."

The Alpha turned his attention to the gathering. "Welcome all. Thank you for being here with us as a family. First I would like to welcome our guests, Guillame Bertrand, the Chief Archivist for the European Council, and his assistant, Jószef Kardos." Carr turned to the visitors and smiled warmly. He really did like both of them. His pack greeted them as honored guests. This was the first time most of the pack had seen them and it came as a bit of a surprise, but the last month had been full of surprises, so what was one more?

"We come here to remember our friends and family we lost in the battle with the rogues. They died defending our pack, our families. They fought bravely and died with honor. They brought new members to our pack and we welcome them with open arms." He looked at his pack with approval as he saw many seeking out the human women to greet them.

"We honor their memories, remember their lives, and look forward to their return. We will send them on their way to their next lives, wherever it may be and hope that someday they will find their way back to us." Carr watched the nods from his extended family.

Carr and Lee walked slowly to a group of families that stood together. They had each lost a loved one in the battle. They stopped to speak with each family individually, making sure to touch each family member. This was an important part of Werewolf grieving. The families had to know they were still an important part of the pack.

One couple had lost their only son. Carr approached them and embraced the father, whispering in his ear as his mate sobbed in Lee's arms. Their daughters gathered around them, but there was no consolation for the brokenhearted parents.

Cole held Karen tightly as they watched Carr and Lee console the families. Karen saw how the entire pack was affected, she heard the quiet whispers, saw the tears on the faces of family and friends alike. The mood was somber. But she could swear everyone had called this a celebration. She was going to ask Cole but when she saw his cheeks streaked with tears she just held him tighter and leaned her head into his chest.

Carr was speaking with the devastated mate of one of Cole's friends who had been killed. Andrea was inconsolable and had fallen to the ground at Carr's feet. He lowered himself to his knees and gently held her as Lee stood behind her stroking her hair. Carr was able to get her to her feet and they walked slowly to the pyre. There were lit torches waiting for the families of the dead. The other families followed slowly behind Carr and Lee.

Carr assisted Andrea in lifting the torch as each family had one member who took the torch with the name of the fallen etched into the wood. He kept his hand tight around hers as they brought the torch to the straw that had been piled around each body. Together they lit the fire to her mate's body. She collapsed in Carr's arms after he threw the torch onto the pyre. Each family replayed the procedure for their own dead.

Soon the pyre was brightly lit by flames. There wasn't a sound from the gathered crowd. The only sound was the crackling and occasional pop of the burning wood.

Carr had carried the distraught female to Jeff and his staff who took her to the hospital, her family in tow. They'd had no cubs to divert her attention from her loss, it was only the empty chasm in her heart. The pack would do their best to fill the void, but they knew it would be up to her to heal, or not.

Rhys crushed Katy to him when he saw Andrea collapse. That was him so many years before. He'd had no hope he could find another mate. It happened so rarely. He felt her pain. His lips found the top of Katy's head and he kissed it, just to reassure himself she was still there.

"I'm not going anywhere Rhys. I'll be with you always." She whispered it to him. Bond or no bond, she always knew what he was thinking.

The flames flew higher into the air, brightening the darkening sky. The faces of the pack were lit eerily by the changing colors of the flames.

Karen was surprised when Cole squeezed her hand and through their bond told her to watch Carr for the cue. "What cue?" She whispered in his ear. She looked at the Alpha and felt as he talked softly to her wolf through the Alpha bond. All she heard was "Now." She was startled when all around her the pack removed their clothes and shifted quickly, standing at attention waiting for all to be ready. She shed her clothing and shifted, her wolf standing so close to Cole their fur was touching.

The bewildered human females present were shocked to suddenly be surrounded by a pack of wolves. Katy suddenly realized that they were probably thinking back to their time with the rogues and hurried to calm them. She was immediately joined by Jenna. The two women gathered the former captives and reminded them they were among friends.

Once all of the wolves had turned, they moved into a tight ring around the burning pyre. There was no rank apparent among them. Council members, Betas and Omegas intermixed. Carr and Lee stood inside the ring, closest to the pyre, so close it was almost too hot, but they would not move. Once more Carr spoke to his pack through their bond, and as one, the wolves began to howl.

At first the women were frightened when they heard the howls, thinking back to their previous few months in the caves. Jenna spoke softly to them all. "The wolves howl to say goodbye to their family. They're telling the moon to watch out for them, keep them safe on their journey to a new life. Once you are all part of the pack you'll understand. This is our heritage. This is what we were meant to be." The women were slow to agree, but finally, one at a time, they nodded their agreement.

The white wolf watched his mate with pride as she explained to her cousins.

The wolves continued to howl until the flames had died down and the last embers were burned out. Carr took Lee's hand, sent his thanks to his pack, and then left with the bereaved families to talk further. As they walked away the owl took flight, calling to his mate in a low-pitched but loud ho-ho-hoo hoo hoo. Carr looked up and smiled at the ghostly apparition as he winged his way across the sky. A good omen.

Most of the pack decided to remain in their wolf form for now and were moving towards the compound.

Guillame and Jószef trotted back towards the main house. Suddenly the younger wolf stopped, his nose high in the air. His ears were pricked forward and he didn't move a muscle.

Guillame watched him closely. What was going on? He saw Jószef cock his head to the left and watch a group of females crossing the open compound. Guillame was ecstatic. She was here. But which one was she?