Loving My Mate

-Harrison POV-            I’m in the backseat of the car, heading back to my territory; my home.  It’s been 8 years since I’ve been back and it’s a great feeling.  After I graduated high school, it was nonstop warrior training.  Then, after a year, I ended up going to college overseas for 5 years, earning degrees in business and communications.  When I came back to the states, dad ordered me and my beta Mark to travel around to other territories to strengthen alliances, given that I am about to take over within the next five years or so.  Mark and I have encountered numerous rogue attacks and have fought along with our allies, earning us their trust.  That, on top of negotiations and trade deals, we have successfully reinforced good standings with pretty much all the other packs.  We’ve always been a peaceful pack and I wanted to keep it that way.    And now, I was finally able to come home.  I was looking forward to seeing the pack and my friends that I had to leave behind.  I wasn’t planning on being gone this long, but whenever I made plans to come back, something would always come up.  When I think about my high school years, they were amazing and carefree.  Now that I have the responsibilities of an alpha, free time is near impossible, that’s just how it is. Hearing my phone ring, I automatically pick it up. “Harrison here.”  “I swear, if you take any longer, I think your mom is about to start killing people.” I laugh quietly.  I know how she feels.  “She’s just excited Mark, I’m almost there.  Tell her to meet me outside.”  I end the phone call and 5 minutes later we pull up to the pack house.  It’s still as grand as I remember.  I can tell dad has added some additions to it, but it still feels like home.  When I exit the car, I hear my mom’s shrieks as she runs towards me and I see my dad not too far behind her.  They both look the same as I remember.  Sure, we talk all the time and video chat when we can, but not being able to be face to face with them has been difficult. “Oh my baby boy is home!! You look so well! How are you!?” Mom jumped into my arms and I embrace her, missing her hugs.  “I’m good mom.  Missed you and dad both, so much.”  I put her down and my dad slaps my shoulder with a proud face.  We hug each other, then mom joins in for a family hug. “You took a week longer at the Crescent packs territory, was everything okay?” my dad asks while walking towards the house.    I hesitate for a second, and before I can get a word out, my soon to be ex-beta jumps out from behind us and interrupts.  “Oh probably because he ended up boinking the alpha’s only daughter and had to make amends,” he says smugly, earning a glare from me.  I just want to slap that man bun right off his head.   “Harris!” my parents screamed in unison.  I hold my hands up in surrender, trying to sound as apologetic as possible.  They shouldn’t be that shocked, hell, it’s not like it’s some secret that I’m more than friendly with the opposite s*x.  “It’s all good now mom.  I just had to agree to escort her to my induction ceremony, in hopes that ends up finding her mate.  She’s 21 and very eager to settle down.”  I’ll say… As soon as we were finished, she got so clingy and practically begged me to give her title of Luna.  It took me half a week to convince her I wasn’t ‘the one’ and the rest of the week convincing both her and her father that her mate might be at my induction ceremony, given a lot of packs will be there.    “You sure it’s not a marriage proposal she seeks?” my mom hesitates to ask.  How does she know everything?    “No, we left on really good terms,” I say with a cocky smile, earning a glare from my parents.  “Mom the house looks great!  Will you honor me with a tour?”  She took the bait on topic changes and took my arm to lead me around.  Dad had to go back to work, leaving me and Mark on the tour, even though he’s seen it all.  Most things looked the same, the rec room received and upgrade in furniture, the canteen had the same layout, just new seating.  Walking towards the side of the house mom explains, “And these are the new additions.  This will be a full time daycare over here- we just have to get the walls painted and furniture in place, and over –“   “Daycare center?”  “Oh you should see how many pups are getting made dear! Truly it’s a baby boom around here- plus, I wouldn’t mind my grandkids having more friends close to home in their early years.”  As soon as she says grandkids, I begin coughing on invisible air.  “Seriously mom?!”  She just laughs, poking my cheeks, and keeps walking.  “And this is the counseling center.  We built it about 6 years ago.” “Huh, why a counseling center?”  “Oh, well, your father and I can only reach out to so many in our pack.  This is just an extra hand to anyone that needs it.”  She goes on about how it’s part of our nonprofit charity now and has helped a lot of teens and adults in our pack with their struggles on mental health.  In the hallway of the counseling center are a bunch of landscape paintings from around our territory.  They were so detailed I knew exactly where the locations were, and the season of the spots.  There were a lot of summer and fall scenes.  There was one painting of the highest peak of our territory, looking out over the vast amount of trees along the horizon- it was breathtaking. “Where did you find an artist to get so many shots of the territory mom?  They’re amazing!” “Oh! Well it's none other th—” “Luna! Shouldn’t we take Harris to where the induction ceremony is going to take place- I think he should see it,” Mark yells towards my mom.  They look at each other as if they are having a secret conversation, but I’m too busy studying a painting of the Glade to even care.     “You’re absolutely right! Harris, we only have three days to get you ready for the ceremony and after party!  I already sent out invitations to everyone in our and our neighboring packs- and I guess I should send one to the Crescent moon pack as well.  Let’s hurry!” The rest of the day is spent with my mom worrying about all the little details of the party.  Flowers, caterers, what I should say, how I should dress.  It’s overwhelming, but that’s my mother.  After dinner, I finally get to lay down in my old bed, feeling at peace for the first time in a while.  Many thoughts are bombarded with memories- some good, some bad, some great.  I’m finally home.   -Brighton POV-            I’m staring at this invitation as if it wasn’t real, the thick card stock impersonating a happy event to take place the day after tomorrow.  Harrison’s back?  Has it really been 8 years since I’ve seen him?  I’m sitting on the floor, my back to my small couch, caked in sweat.  I started my morning with a run- human form run- and decided to check the mail when I came back.  ‘The Alpha Induction Ceremony’ it reads.  He won’t be taking over for another few years, but this is the first time he’s been home since high school.  I know it’s going to be huge event, especially if Maggie, the Luna, has been planning it.  And knowing her, she’ll expect me to be there with a huge smile on my face. Dustin waltzes in through the front door and climbs the stairs as if he owns the place.  “Hey girl, made breakfast. Want any?”  “No I’m good- you checked your mail yet?” I say, waving the invitation in the air.  He snatches it out of my hand and eyes bug out reading it.  “Wow. They are inviting neighboring packs as well….. This is going to be a huge event- are you going?”  “Honestly, I don’t know,” I sigh.  “Maggie is going to expect me there, and I don’t want to disappoint her or Steven.  I know you and Sally aren’t going, so it’ll just be me, a lone wolf.” He shakes his head with a small smile. “Well, you could always join Jessie and Cole?”  “….and be the 3rd wheel-s***h-baby sitter?  No thanks.  Plus, I have to find something to wear- it’s formal wear only,” I say with a grimace.   He knows I hate getting glitzed up and finds it utterly amusing, but one look and he knows better than to say anything. Dustin is still the same cocky and funny guy that I met in high school, and he’s truly the brother I’ve never had.  I’ve kept in touch with almost everyone since high school, and most still live here on the territory.  Anna found her mate a few years ago during a training session with warriors from a neighboring pack, and she moved back with him, completely and utterly in lust.  Oops, I mean love.  Dustin and Sally live close by, while Jessie and Cole live near the pack house, for Cole’s warrior duties.  He’s up to be Harrison’s 3rd in command.  Brian found his mate when he turned 18 to a girl two years his senior, and he treats her like a queen.  They live close to his parents as well.  Mark and I text every few months or so, but nothing too detailed, since he was so busy.  I didn’t want to know about Harrison.  I’m over what happened back in high school, but it doesn’t mean it can go back to how it was.  It seems he didn’t want to know about me either, which is fine.  “Do you have to work any today?” Dustin says, changing topics to a more refreshing one. “Nope,” I say stretching.  “Due to all the hoop-la of the ceremony, I don’t have to go back until next week, so I’m free for 4 days!”  “Well come over for breakfast, and I’m sure Sally would want to go shopping with you,” he says as he stands to leave. “I’m really not that hungry.  If she wants to go out that’s fine, but I probably won’t buy anything.  I could just find an old dress in my closet, or borrow one of Sally’s.”  “I think both of you need some retail therapy.  She’s been moody all week.”  “Probably because you’re a pain in the ass,” I state, giving him a smirk. “Whatever.  Shower, get dressed- see you in a bit.”  __________ Sally and I literally spend 4 hours in the mall.  I’m sitting at home, feet exhausted, but I did find a dress for discount that I actually like.  My wolf has been begging to come out, so I decide to go on a night run.  Anytime I feel anxious, my wolf gets on edge, and I have to comply to her.  I stand outside my back door and take off my robe, instantly shifting with a blink of an eye.  It’s amazing how my first shift full of pain and anxiety has evolved into something as easy as snapping your fingers.  No one has been able to tell me why I shifted so early, but nothing has been wrong with my wolf., so after a year, the council dropped any investigation. I begin running through the woods, just to tire myself out.  Running with a pack gives you a high like no other, especially on a full moon, but running with myself helps me clear my head, and to sleep better at night.  I see a rabbit and decide to give chase.  It may have taken over 20 minutes, but I finally have my prize.  When I have eaten my kill, I decide to head back home.  After I shift back, get settled in for the night, but my mind is still anxious.  Maybe the possibility of seeing Harris is getting to me more than I give it credit for.  I finally start relaxing into my bed thinking about past events of my life, and seeing how far I’ve come to get to this point.  With a strong exhale of breath, I give into a dreamless sleep.