Soulmates Ch. 11

The young wolf just stared at the man she had called father for all of her life. Why would he tell her such a story like that. When she looked around at the older wolves in the pack, she could see the looks in their eyes and could just see the ounce of truth of what he was telling her. Darting her gaze back to her father as tears ran down her cheeks. "Then why, if you knew she was pregnant, then why did you go through with it!"

The Alpha looked down at his mate before looking around to his pack then settled his gaze on Carrie. "To protect the pack of course. Your mothers pack was a dieing pack. They were to set in the old ways and never travelled to find their mates. Your grandfather knew the old ways were killing his wolves so he came to me. The only way a merger could work and be accepted was if he mated his daughter off. And his pack was forced into new ways because with the mating of your mother, he would retire and join the packs together. If I didn't hear the love in his voice as he spoke of his pack, I would never of done it that way. My pack was stronger and twice the numbers to his. So I could of taken over his pack and land through war. He knew that coming to me with the idea of merging the packs could of lead to war but he had to try. He had to save his pack and by doing that, I accepted the arranged mating."

Sitting there in silence. One thing after another started to be placed in her mind. Looking back on memories of when her father was ill, her mother didn't once go to see if he was alright. Memories that were long forgotten flooded into her mind. The way she watched how her parents interacted with the pack. Her mother always treated the pack like crap while her father treated them with kindness. She just thought at the time it was because her mother was the alpha bitch and having to prove herself as being strong. That was why she acted like that as well. She looked around at the pack before drooping her head into her hands and began to weep as she saw the errors of her ways.

Thad let out a soft growl rumble in his chest as he saw the way his daughter was acting. He had seen it happen so many times before from her mother and still had that defensiveness when it came to how females of that bloodline acted when they thought they could weaken him to lower them.

Ulisi looked at the girl before placing her hand on Thad's chest. "Maybe there is also a third option."

Her mate along with the pack looked at her when she spoke. Then Thad motioned for her to continue.

She gave him a soft smile and nuzzeled his neck before moving back so everyone could heard her. "As children, we're all influenced by the adults around us, especially our parents. She would of seen her mother act tough around the pack, and as a child, she might have thought that is how a female leader needed to act. She had no other alpha female to be influenced by at the time."

Thad arched a brow at his mate. "What are you trying to say, woman?" Not liking where this was leading, but would play along with it for now.

Ulisi gave him the smile that was only ment for him. "I am saying. Demote her. Remove all status. Let her see how a true leader is ment to be. Even though she will never be an alpha, maybe never a beta, she is still a strong warrior and can teach the children and future children how to defend themselves well. I say, give her one last chance to see the true meaning of being a leader. If she messes up this last chance of life, then do as you want to her."

Thad stared at his mate hard. "Why are you defending her while all she's done to you is show disrespect to you?"

She couldn't help but smile. But gave a small shrug. "Because all children show disrespect at one time or another if they are bought up in a hard life. With what I have heard so far, her mother was a total bitch and not in the good sence. Her mother was out for power so treated people like crap. With me being around humans and with that situation. I've heard humans speak up against bullies but the bullies finding out who told on them. The ones who told on them were treated even worse than before. My wolf side though, you have an alpha mated to a witch. You love the alpha male and don't want to cause disrespect to him by speaking up about his chosen mate. Because nothing was done to her mother at the time, Carrie only saw being an alpha female, she should treat the pack like crap like her mother did."

Thad stared hard at his mate as she spoke. He knew where she was coming from and understood her reasonings of how she saw the situtation. Nodding a little. "Then I will leave it up to the pack to decide what to do with her." Looking over to his second. "House arrest until the decision is made. Put her in the guest house."

* * * * *

Epilogue

Three months later...

The pack decided to give Carrie a second and last chance due to being tricked by Andre. They removed her title of being Thad's daughter and placed her as an omega so she could learn how to properly treat pack members. Dallas who was a beta and in charge of teaching the young shifting, hunting and tracking took Carrie under his wing to teach her as he would any other child or new pack member.

Maria and Eric decided to enroll Jessie to join the teachings they gave children in the pack as well. Over those few months, they could see how much more comfortable he became as both child and bear and had many new friends to play with.

* * * * *

Thad, Eric and Richard began to train the warriors of the pack. During one day training Ulisi told Thad that she needed to speak to him then went back to their home to wait for him.

It wasn't until later that evening when Thad returned home. As soon as he saw her, he couldn't help but smile as she read her book. He began to remove his clothing which made her arch a brow at him. "You aren't in my good books so you can go elsewhere if you want to get lucky." she said.

He just grinned. "Come for a run with me, love."

Looking back down at her book with a shake of her head. "Can't."

"Why can't you?" he asked.

"Because."

"Because why?"

This went on for a long time with one or two worded replies. He began to get a little annoyed with her. "I can always order you to come with me." Smirking at her.

Marking the page in her book and laid it down on her lap. "If you did order me to shift, then you better hope Brother Wolf is on your side to protect you from my anger."

Narrowing his eyes at her. "What is wrong with you, woman? You never usually have a problem with going for a run with me."

She just lent back in the chair and tried to keep a straight face. Crossing her legs and lacing her fingers together across her lap. "I have a question for you. What is the main reason when a female wolf says no to shifting?" Arching a brow at him for his answer.

Looking at her as if she spoke in another language. "Why won't a female wolf shift? Either she's afraid of going rouge, or if she's young and still learning the balance between human and wolf. Then there's..." Stopping mid sentence and blinked hard at her. "You... Your... We're..." he shuddered and she just nodded slowly. "When?"

Standing up, she began to walk slowly towards him. "I found out today and that is why I wanted to speak to you when I returned to the compound. But alas the pack was more important than my news."

He walked quickly towards and wrapped his arms around her. "If I knew I would have been home sooner." Sinking down onto his knees and softly kissed her stomach. "From now on I'll always stop what I'm doing and not get distracted again when you come to me."

Combing her fingers through his hair. "It's fine." she softly said. "But I can tell you, I will make your life hard when the cravings begin."

He looked up to her with watery eyes and quickly slipped up onto his feet, kissing her deeply before pulling back and howling, letting their pack know the happiness they were feeling right now.

* * * * *

Five years later...

A small wolf cub and a bear cub were playing in Eric and Maria's apartment. There was a knock at the door and the bear cub charged over to it. Sniffing at the base of the door before shifting into his human form and called out. "Mama, Unkle Wolf is here!" Slipping into a pair of shorts that was always at the door for when he was playing with his cousin and he opened the door with a bright smile on his lips. "Hi ya Unkle Wolf."

Brother Wolf chuckled at the boy. "And how are you today Jessie?" Ruffling the boys hair as he walked inside.

Maria came from the kitchen and smiled. "Hello Brother." She had her painting clothing on with fresh colors added over the old stains.

Jessie closed the door after Wolf entered. "I'm great. Beth is having a sleep over tonight!" Quickly pulling his shorts back off and shifting back to his bear and ran back over to the wolf cub and both children ran into his room to play.

Wolf chuckled at the children as they ran down the hall then looked over to Maria. "Hello Sister. Would your Mate be around?" His expression changing to something more serious.

Nodding a little. "Yes of course he's here." Motioning for him to follow, she lead him into the office where Richard and Dee were with Eric working and talking about their current business deals that were outside the country.

The chatting went silent when Wolf entered the office after Maria. Eric stood up and smiled. Holding his hand out to Wolf. "Brother, it is good to see you again."

Wolf looked at Eric then down at his hand. His eyes changed slightly which had Eric raise a brow at him as Wolf grabbed his forearm to shake it in a traditional manner.

Eric's eyes went wide and stubble backwards a step. His breathing became harder and sweat beaded across his forehead. Eric's eyes changed to more wolf like but as soon as Wolf released his hold on Eric. Eric stumbled backwards and lent against the desk, panting with his eyes closed. "What happened to Samuel?" He managed to get out between deep breaths.

"His mate." Was Wolf's answer.

Eric just nodded a little. Richard looked between his brother then back to Wolf. "What is going on?"

Maria and Dee were stunned with what happened and stood to the side of the room to stay out of it.

Eric opened his eyes slowly to show his gray eyes had flecks of gold through them now. "Sam was the Alpha of our kind, the oldest. But our wolves don't create packs like the others. The Alpha of our kind only has a one way connection to the others, he knows where they are, but they don't know who he is until they meet him. And he's just there if something major is going on with them and they need help." He looked over to Wolf. "Why me? I'm not the oldest."

Wolf just smiled. "Because you can mix in with the humans and have friends everywhere. You listen to what needs to be heard and do what is needed to be done. You aren't after power and that is what I want in a Alpha of our kind."

Looking over to Maria, Eric held his hand out to her. She walked quickly over to him and slipped her arms around his waist. He then looked back to Wolf. "Is there anything that is needed to be done? I know you wouldn't have come all this way just to give me this position with our people."

Chuckling. Wolf nodded. "You know me to well Brother. There is another reason that I wanted to see you which was the other reason I chose you. We have a little problem. It started fifteen years ago. A couple had a baby, they were killed in a car accident. Or so I thought all three of them died. Over the past few days, I've felt the child's link to me and now the link to you coming forth once more. I'm not allowed to see the child until the trails because they weren't bought up in our world. Your wolf will know how to track them down."

Eric rested his cheek against the top of Maria's head and nodded a little. Taking in her scent so he could find his balance more quickly. "So the kid will be close to the age trails so we need to get to them soon." Leaning back a little and pulling Maria back so he could look into her eyes. "Ready to go for a run?"

Maria smiled. "With you and to help another of our kind. I'm always ready to go for a run with you." Looking over to Richard and Dee. "If it's alright with you two. We'll ask Ulisi to look after Jessie. I know you two don't enjoy his early mornings."

Dee nodded. "We wouldn't have it any other way. He'll love spending a few days out at the compound and driving Thad up the wall."

The five of them chuckled. Eric looked back to Wolf. "Then we'll leave first thing tomorrow."

Wolf nodded. "Thank you Brother. I hope you both have a successful hunt. I will be waiting for your call and I'll tell Bear where to find his nephew." With that he disappeared to let them prepare for the hunt.

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And that was the last chapter of Soulmates. I hope you enjoyed this series. And yes. Sometime in the future there will be other stories connected to this series, I'm currently writing them up but I will be writing the full story first before posting anything of it.

I wish to thank each editor that helped me along the way as well as the comments from the readers. Those that have commented and sent emails to me, each of you gave me inspiration to continue, so I thank you.

Take care til next time!

Shyee.