Thorn Ch. 28-32

"I'm not keen on being known as either. I'm thinking being known and spoken of for 'thousands of years' is probably not a good thing. Think about it usually the world's biggest tragedies are remembered like that."

Gem interrupted, "Break out the bloody moonbeams we need to be positive. Besides you missed something. Nine, a council of nine. Me and Lucas. Lex, Tyrone and Jared. Kate and Aaron. That's seven. Who else is in the counsel?"

"At the moment the only other member is Rose."

"Rose is getting a mate, or another solo player is joining the council. Oh I hope Rose is getting a mate." Lex suggested.

"Or Rose steps down and another couple joins. Thorn seems to think she will help me learn to be alpha then ask to step down." Luna looked back at the book. "There are notes hand written and tucked into many of the pages in this book. The notes on this page have my name at the top. I think Harmony has made these ones."

"Luna, as you have probably figured you are Mother Luna. I cannot say why you get the name for certain but the rest of the prophecy will enlighten you to some of the possibilities. I can however confirm others knew of this prophecy and my guides, my gifts, have shown that the threat of what you would become is why you have suffered so long. Another pack was warned by a witch of your arrival, they wanted to pervert the course of events. One stole away your father hoping she would prevent your birth, she didn't realise you had already been conceived. She then allowed your father long enough to return to you so that she could attempt to kill you however fate stepped in. She then tortured your father and kept him prisoner as you now know. Your mother was a victim of evil too. Multiple attempts to destroy you both failed. Your mother turned to the life she did and here you are proof the prophecy was true."

"Well that doesn't make what your mother did okay with me Luna, but it is interesting and makes me wonder what else has been going on there."

"It has more on the other side, but I think the notes to me are more for me to digest so maybe I'll keep on with the book?" Luna looked at her friends, when they nodded she continued.

"Her council will grow from strength to strength. With the guidance of their alphas they will master all aspects of a successful pack. They will not divide until death parts them for their bond is strong. Her brother will become a vital member of the council, his much deserved mate at his side. The twin of her own mate will join a mate of her own to lead a pack in grave danger, they will become strong and good in their own right but will always be bonded to the pack of Mother Luna. Mother Luna will have seven children who will grow to be influential in all seven packs. From the time of her first breeding the rate of successful breedings in her pack, and every pack after will increase dramatically."

"Mother fucking Luna."

"I'm in no hurry to be a mother Luna. I get you and Thorn are all about the baby making but seriously don't spread any of that hoodoo voodoo stuff my way." Lex added, "Well not this year anyway."

"I need a break. Let's do some shopping and come back to this later."

"But I..."

"I'm not really asking, I'm saying I'm closing the book and going shopping for a while."

"Fine with me. Gem don't push. I know you mean well but this is pretty heavy stuff already and I don't think we've hit the heavy stuff yet." Lex cautioned Gem, but saw the recognition in Luna's eyes also.

"Alright but I swear if you girls get out of control once we get in there I'm taking charge."

"Excuse me who was the one that maxed out her credit card last trip?"

"I'm not talking money, I'm talking baby stuff. This car is not built to carry all we need and a dozen bags of impulse baby paraphernalia."

"Ooooh who's been reading their word of the day calendar then?"

"I mean it I saw the way you two were eyeing up that nursery."

***

Luna looked at the themed store nursery and couldn't stop the rush of hormones. She ran a hand over a row of teddy bears and alphabet blocks embroidered along the edge of a cot blanket. She looked at the crib itself and saw that it was adjustable and would go from new-born through to toddler. "Thorn do you have any nursery furniture you want to pass on to our baby? Sentimental stuff?"

"You saw the nursery the last baby in there was Thea and mum passed most of her stuff on to other members of the pack. She would have put a few things away for Thea. She put a few things away for all of us. But I think it was more about keepsakes rather than for us to set up our children's rooms."

"I'm going to send you a couple of pics on my phone, if you don't like it be honest." Luna was clicking before she even advised him what she was doing and pushed send as she finished.

"You really like it baby you get it, I'm sure I'll ... oh that is cool." He paused as he clicked through a couple of photos, "Baby get the whole lot. It will work perfectly for all our babies, boys and girls."

"You really like it? You're not just trying to please me?"

"I'd be tempted to let you have anything you asked for its true, but I really love this. I think if we paint the nursery a light yellow and put this set in we will be very happy. I think you should look for a rocker too, mum loved her rocking chair."

"Thorn don't freak out but I think I should get two cribs."

"Holy cow, are you telling me you know something?"

"I'm not saying I know anything I'm just running on instinct."

"Buy two. Get two of the dressers and changing tables too. I reckon my smile couldn't get much wider but if you want to come home and get to work on making our babies you just let me know when you're close."

"I'll get it all delivered next week or later, that way you guys can paint and stuff without us having to find somewhere to put everything."

"Yeah, yeah less practical stuff now, more rushing home to your man."

"Thorn you idiot, I barely left, I'll see you soon. I love you. Thank you."

"I said no baby shopping spree and here you are in the wrong corner of the store drooling." Gem came up beside Luna, "It is cute though."

"Thorn just agreed, it isn't cute, it's perfect. We are buying two of everything. And I need to look for a rocking chair."

"No way. That is insane." Gem looked over the set and then walked towards a set nearby, "but if we're doing this you need one of these, and come try out this chair." She sent Luna a huge grin, "I tell ya, I'm going to be the favourite aunty."

"What the heck are you two doing? I've been looking for you both everywhere." Lex came toward them and then stopped and glared at Gem "You're baby shopping with everything you said? Without me?"

"Quit your whinging and check out what Luna is buying, since we seem to be setting up a nursery today is there anything we're missing?"

Luna showed Lex what was already on the list and a sales lady approached and began scanning all the items with a mobile scanner. "Two of each of the bedroom stuff please."

"Two of everything?" The woman looked at Luna's very flat tummy. "Just found out?"

"Yeah, something like that." The woman walked away smiling after agreeing to meet them at the counter when they were ready.

"Two?" Gem cried out, "Lex and I can have one each to spoil."

"Yeah I can't see Kate agreeing to that." Lex grumped.

"Well you'll just have to get started on your own then. You should have a little girl and we'll arrange a marriage between her and Shannon." Luna grinned.

"Well that will certainly make up for the fact if you only have two I'm out of luck again. Kate and Gem are too aggressive for me. Or of course you could work on triplets. You'd be almost at the halfway mark then."

"It is not going to be triplets Lex, and I'm sorry but I'm not sorry."

"Yeah triplets would be hard work. The good news is Kate and Gem are out of the running for an arranged marriage, their kids will be related to your babies. This is one area I cannot lose."

"Like twins won't be hard work. At least you will never have to manage alone." Gem spoke up after realising she couldn't dispute Lex's statement.

"Like hell will I manage alone, Thorn is doing at least fifty percent."

"Neither you or Thorn will get a chance to get close to fifty percent. Omegas and family members will be all over your babies."

"I still haven't really got my head around the omega thing. I've met a few obviously but I can't really tell the difference between omega, beta, or whatever else there is."

"That's because we are a modern, well adjusted, pack. Our omegas are treated as valued members of our pack not as slaves. Our betas aren't all high ranking warriors, or dominant assholes, and if you recall we don't really bother too much with all the ranks and titles like in years gone by. It is more of an understanding of basic personality types and what members of the pack are best suited for, or need to be happy. Most of the members of the pack that thrive on looking after others or pleasing people have an element of omega, but true omegas are quite submissive. No not in a dom/sub context, well okay some are that too. There is also this thing they have, an omega can totally balance out an alpha or a higher end beta. It is kind of freaky but just being with an omega can calm down a stressed out wolf. Betas are usually considered a higher rank in a pack. There is a need to prove themselves in whatever area they have chosen. They like to think they are superior to some of the pack and only answer to the alpha or alphas. Truth is there are probably some betas that applies to and others that are just deluded."

"Yeah not really where I was at with my question." Luna grinned, "Why would omegas not let me and Thorn look after our babies?"

"I got side tracked, sorry. The pack has a group of omegas, generations of them now that consider it their honour and duty to look after the alpha and everything here on pack land. They have shown little interest in integrating with the rest of the world and haven't spread their wings into the city. I'm not saying they're backwards, they are all educated, licenced in any area they need to be certified in, have spent time in the human world. They look after all pack property. They school and babysit the young here as they did a hundred years ago. They cook, clean, build, farm and anything else required. They, will want to do everything they can for you and Thorn. In fact you may wish they would back off a little some days. The truth is though they just can't help themselves and a gentle word will go much further than asking them to change or getting grumpy. I learned that the hard way. I felt so guilty when a young woman dropped to her knees crying when I yelled at her not long after I came here."

"I definitely don't want to make anyone cry. Shit they won't be upset I'm buying all this and not letting them build it?"

"Maybe check with Thorn since you haven't found a chair you love maybe you could ask them to build one and there will be many other things they can be given to do so they feel part of it all."

"Did I mention I really need you guys to help me with all this? Thank you."

"It is all worth it if we get to go on adventures, shop, and be the fucking famous council."

"About the famous council, let us finish this up then we can pick up the last few things we're getting to take with us and then I think I'm ready to read a bit more of the damn book."

"Woohoo, I can't wait to see what comes next."