Howls of Apollo

Six months ago, an alpha male was born to Luna Lyra and Alpha Atlas of Clara Solis. It was twenty-seven excruciating hours of labor as their little one refused to depart his mother’s womb. As the doctor reassured the couple that everything is taking its course, the exhausted mother to be, somehow thought that her son might be waiting for something. As she shared this epiphany to her concerned mate, the alpha looked at her incredulously, almost in disbelief, but at the presence of another party into the birthing room, the crowning of his son’s head brought him to a reluctant agreement. Skaia, the pack doctor’s daughter and only child, had just came back from visiting her late mother’s grandparents and was summoned by her father into the clinic as soon as she arrived. With the budding possessiveness of the alpha threatening to show at his mate’s lengthy labor, the doctor offered that a female presence might bring them more comfort and mentioned his daughter will be arriving soon. He went on to say that she often helps him around as she’s training to become a pack doctor herself. The couple ultimately gave a nod at his suggestion. The moment Skaia stepped into the room, a powerful wave of contraction hit the Luna, almost taking her breath away. The prompt progress in her labor was enough to confirm her suspicion at their son’s patience in gracing the world, and Luna Lyra managed to push her questions about the girl to the back of her mind as she delivered their bouncing baby boy into the world. As the couple unraveled from their apparent mirth, the Luna offered Skaia to hold their little one and the questions skyrocketed once more as the baby cooed and gave out a sigh of content as soon as the girl’s arms enveloped his small frame. The couple shared a look as they looked on at their baby and the girl. Having blessed with the gift of sight, the Luna refused to overthink and settled with the assurance that the answers are on their way to her soon. Three months later, it came to her in a vision. The girl was gifted with healing. The first one in a millennia since the healers were hunted for their gift. That answered why her son immediately settled at her touch. However, she still doesn’t understand why he would wait for her arrival before he came out. The answer came in her next vision another three months later. By now she had asked Skaia to help her around the baby. The only one she and the alpha trusted around their little one actually. The baby has just taken quite a liking to the healer and it brought a sense of security in them as parents. In her vision, the Luna discovered the young healer, Skaia, is her brother’s mate. That answered why their son was waiting for her before he came out. The young alpha wanted both sides of his family present and Skaia, being her brother’s mate was bound to his uncle’s pack. A presence that completed his identity as the son of Clara Solis’ leaders as well as the first nephew of Forti Polaris’ alpha and soon to be Luna, who happened to be present in the room. The little one recognized the prestige of his blood and needed representation from both families he came from. It astounded the Luna that she was closer to her sister-in-law than she thought! She was elated at the vision as she too took a liking to Skaia, as have many others that came to know her, she observed. In the months that Skaia has been around, she got to know the taciturn nature of the girl. She speaks with purpose and has an air of command yet gentle approach around her. Even her eyes speak volumes, ready to assess what and whoever comes her way. A true Luna, her mate would agree. She reckoned Skaia would be an excellent leader alongside her brother, but her only concern is the probability of them meeting when they share a quality of aloofness. Her brother rarely left his pack. He’d only send out his delegates to represent him whenever summons would occur. Skaia rarely left the pack as well. She was essential to the pack clinic and she was needed in the pack house where she helped with the baby. They’d never meet if they both stayed where they’re at. With that, Luna Lyra took matters into her own hands and devised a plan to pave the way for their meeting. Sometimes, destiny needs a little push. She recruited the help of the one person she can rely on no matter what: her mate, Alpha Atlas. Together they brainstormed what event they could hold that’d be enough for her elusive brother to grace them with his presence as well as require Skaia to be present. In the middle of exhausting every idea, their little one broke their train of thoughts with a soft giggle and it finally clicked. The answer was with them all along. And so, the planning for the young alpha’s half a year birthday celebration began and was truly under way. Thus why the ballroom has been the epicenter of chaos all morning. Luna Lyra has been running around, fixing last minute changes since the break of dawn. Planning was finalized weeks ago but with the arrival of the big day, her nerves have amped a notch, threatening to push through the boundaries of her skin. They’ve finally finished with everything late in the afternoon and now she’s sitting at the steps of the entrance thinking about how everything will play out. So hunched and staring blankly was how her mate found her. Alpha Atlas let out a deep sigh at the sight of his mate and took a seat next to her. “It’ll be fine.” He said in a voice only they would hear, pulling her to his side. He understood his mate’s nervousness at the upcoming event hidden in the façade of the celebration, but having experienced meeting his own mate for the first time before, he knows the pull would be undeniable and things will fall into place on their own. “Once their wolves are alert of each other’s presence, it’s really point of no return from there.” The alpha assured her. The worry he had himself is the attendance of the other half of the significant party, the alpha himself. Atlas did all he could to bring the celebration to his attention, imploring the help of his mate to get through to her brother about this being a celebration for his nephew. It took a while but when he heard the resigned sigh from the other line, he knew the alpha lost the will to refuse. Thus, an rsvp wounded up on his office desk the day after. Now, all they could do is hold him to that promise. On the other hand, the girl all is centered in, is currently in the pack house humoring their bouncing six month baby boy. Skaia had retreated to the Luna’s sunroom as their hiding place from the morning’s fiasco. She held the sleeping baby close to her as she slowly swayed, raising the book she’s been trying to finish all week to her face. She finally got the little one to tire from all the laughter, however she can’t put him down on his cot at all. The young alpha seems to only sleep well when she’s holding him. She made the mistake of putting him down one time after she hummed him a lullaby one afternoon, and suffice to say, no tiny human should be able to emit that loud of a cry enough to bring the whole household to the door. So whenever she’d be looking after the little one, he’d barely leave her arms. A soft knock interrupted her light swaying and she turned her body to the door to face whoever it was, book and baby in hand. Luna Lyra entered the room with light footsteps. Skaia greeted her with a smile and slight bow of her head. “Why don’t I take him off your hands so you can get ready for tonight Skaia.” Luna Lyra whispered, extending her arms to take him. Skaia just nodded and gave the baby to the waiting arms of his mother. “I can’t thank you enough for the help you do for us.” The luna said softly. “It’s my pleasure Luna. He’s been a good sport really. He makes it easy.” Skaia replied with a soft smile. She gave a small nod and excused herself to get ready. Lyra only smile and followed Skaia out with her eyes, keeping her gaze on the doorway she just left a little longer. She can’t help but hope the reality would be as good as the picture she had in her mind for the two people whose lives, quite possibly, would change tonight. She was brought out of her thoughts by a soft coo. She looked down and her son had on a toothy smile, almost as if he understood her turmoil and he’s telling her not to worry. She returned his smile and gave him a kiss on the forehead, making her way out of the room to get him ready for his party. Feet submerged, ankle deep in her little tub, Skaia sat herself on the window right next to it and escaped into her thoughts. Talk have been going around about Forti Polaris’ elusive, low profile alpha in attendance tonight, and it erupted a wave of both excitement and wariness in the pack. His name flew from every pack members’ mouth for weeks once and it set off a feeling of unease because her wolf has been prancing around her head for days. She has an inkling why, but she doesn’t want to get her hopes up. As the rats of doubt are running around her head, she begins to rethink attending the party, but the reminder that the Luna herself requested she be present has her halting in her thoughts. So, pushing her own dilemma to the side, she brought her feet out of the tub and got ready. She had duties to fulfill, sentiments later. The party had already started when she walked in. Her eyes danced around the room, solely in search for the alpha and luna.  She pushed the urge to scan for a certain alpha who, from the lack of nervous fidgeting in the room, is yet to make an appearance. Not that she’d care to admit she was subtly looking for him. She made her way as soon as she spotted the alpha and luna who were in the company of a few delegates. The young alpha was perched on his mother’s arms, looking seemingly bored. Skaia couldn’t help the chuckle that left her mouth at the baby’s expression. She swallowed the defensive reflex to look down when the further she walked, the more eyes she turned. It’s a typical occurrence, something she had to get used to as she grew older. She never understood why people are so keen on looking at her and her memories can take her as far as being a little girl and looking up at her mother questioning why people were looking at her. Her mother merely said they’re just appreciating her beauty and to ignore them. Consequently, she mastered the craft of tuning people out.   “Alpha, Luna” She greeted and the pair immediately lit up when she came into their line of sight. She felt multiple pairs of eyes on her and she scuttled a little, wanting to high tail away from the unwanted attention. “Skaia, you look great.” The Luna praised. “Thank you Luna.” She replied, her cheeks staining crimson. The young alpha was soon passed to her waiting arms as the delegates didn’t seem to want to let go of the alpha and luna’s attention. She quickly excused themselves and walked away.   She took a seat on a table on the far side of the room and placed the young alpha on her lap, who immediately looked up at her. She gave him a smile and said, “It’s just you and me now bub. Hopefully we’d be graced with a little excitement before the night ends.” The baby replied with a giggle and a flail of his arms. Her brows shot up in surprise at his enthusiasm but it made her smile nonetheless.