Alpha's Solace (Black Moon Saga Book 1)

How is This Possible?

Adam can accept that Marc is not mated to Kylie like he had thought if he can only reconcile one thing in his mind. Why had the two been immediately pulled to each other, and how has Marc felt what seemed like the mate bond ever since they were children? Whatever was between them was so strong that even Adam had felt something there. Needing to understand the powers at play which he thought he recognized but apparently was mistaken about, he decides he needs to go to the Elders for advice.

Once a werewolf reaches the age of 150 years, which is approximately half a werewolf’s lifespan, he or she is given the opportunity to undergo specialized training in preparation to ultimately become an Elder of the community. After completing the lengthy training, which includes studying ancient texts, learning about magic, discovering antiquated healing arts, and meeting with other respected members from all walks of the supernatural community to share knowledge and discoveries, an elderly wolf will have gained the knowledge, experience, and wisdom necessary to become an anointed Elder for their pack.

In this way, modern werewolf packs can change and progress without entirely abandoning the old ways and the ancient secrets upon which their societies were built. The Elders essentially serve as the encyclopedias of supernatural experience and can be called upon to help explain certain phenomena that are no longer common knowledge. Often times, they even serve as advisors to various Alphas and contribute to decision-making when something out of the ordinary comes up.

Adam decides to visit an old friend of his family, an Elder woman named Gertrude who went to school with his grandfather and has known Adam his whole life. Even as a child and especially as a teenager, whenever he was troubled it was always Gertie he came to for advice. Then once he became the pack’s Alpha, their friendship became even more valuable.

She always makes herself available to him even if all he wants to do is join her for some calming chamomile tea on her back porch as they watch the sunset in comfortable silence. Usually, she knows he will be stopping by even before he does, as if she can sense whenever something is disturbing him or that he might need a friend to listen and help him collect his thoughts. She knows that he is lonely – motherless, mateless, and always putting on a brave face and being everyone else’s rock and support while lacking the same for himself. He knows that whatever they speak about she will never breathe a word of to anyone unless he asks her to, and he trusts her wisdom and guidance implicitly.

She watches from the rocker on her front porch as he approaches the cute little home toward the center of town where she has lived for as far back as he can recall. She regards him with a knowing smile and calls out to him once his feet touch the short path that leads from the sidewalk to the front steps of her porch.

“Well hello there, stranger,” she teases. “Have you come to help me prune my bushes?”

Adam chuckles at his old friend. “Well, of course I’m always happy to help, but I was hoping you might have a moment to chat with me. How’ve you been, Gertie?”

“Well, you know me. Always busy, but in good ways. My granddaughter’s eldest girl just had twin boys so that’s been some welcome excitement. Big boys, strong too. Should make fine warriors one day.”

“Well, that is good to hear.” Adam regards the pile of gardening tools next to Gertie on the porch, and adds, “If you hand me those pruners, we can work and talk.”

Gertie stands from her rocking chair and picks up the pruners, then hands them over to Adam as she starts down the stairs.

“I’m sure you have a lot more on your mind than new pups and my overgrown bushes, though. Spill it,” she demands good-humoredly.

“Well,” Adam begins, moving to the bush nearest the porch and beginning to trim it. “I’m not sure, but I might have a matter that could require the Elders to convene. It’s about my son, Marcus, and his mate.”

Gertie glances at him sideways, that knowing look returning. “It’s about who you thought was his mate. That girl, Kylie. I heard her party was pretty spectacular.”

“It was. And yes, it’s about her. Well, it’s about them. Ever since he met her, he felt the pull. Slight at first, more like a fascination of sorts, but that’s how it starts when they’re young. That’s what I’ve heard anyway. Then they got closer and closer, and one could say practically inseparable. He’s always been certain. But once they were both of age, nothing happened. His wolf said she’s not his mate. In fact, Marc said his pull to her has gotten weaker. I don’t understand it. I was wondering what the Elders might have to say about it all.”

Gertie gently puts a hand on his nearest forearm and waits until he looks her in the face.

“I can convene the Elders if you really want to hear what we all have to say, but I don’t think it’s necessary. I think I know what happened.”

“What then?”

“Wishful thinking. You wanted something to be true, and you convinced yourself and your son that it was. That’s all.” She regards the look of pain and shame that comes into his eyes, and adds, “I’m sorry. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but I think it’s the truth.”

Adam contemplates this for a moment, but decides he isn’t satisfied with that.

“If that’s the case, then how do you explain a human walking freely through this town right into my hotel, where the effects should be most potent for a human? And how do you explain the pull he felt?”

“In all honesty, I can’t explain the first part with certainty other than to say that the protective effects of a potential mate bond with an Alpha aren’t contingent on being the same age or growing up in the same location. It’s not him, but that doesn’t mean there’s not an Alpha out there somewhere who will claim her at some point.”

“I suppose I hadn’t considered that,” Adam softly agrees to the possibility.

“No, you hadn’t,” Gertie scolds. “As for the pull he felt that is now fading, the most likely possibility has to do with the nature of chosen mates. You identified her for him, and his fascination with her likely imitated your own. He spent years getting to know her, getting close to her, and bonding as friends. He wanted her to be his mate, and so that bond formed and had plenty of time to strengthen. But chosen mates are a fickle thing. The bond can fade as easily as it formed, and perhaps now in his mind he’s decided that he doesn’t want her or feels he can’t have her. Even if it’s subconsciously, he’s pulling himself away from her and so the bond will fade. In time it may be as though it never existed, and they’ll be no better than normal friends.”

“Just like that?” The disappointment is evident in his voice.

“Just like that. Honestly, I don’t know why chosen mates have become so popular, and it’s not a new thing either. I don’t understand how someone could reject the mate chosen for them by the Moon Goddess, someone destined to complement and better you in every way who is bonded to you by fate in an unbreakable connection once you accept it. Why give that up for someone who might be here today, but gone tomorrow? You of all people know I’m right, and honestly, I think it’s for the better that his bond to her is fading. Once he meets his true mate, he’ll forget all about this disappointment.”

Adam forcefully exhales a breath, feeling like she punched him in the gut with the reminder of his own failures with mates.

“Yes, I do know,” he acknowledges wistfully. “And yes, I agree that some people make hasty decisions they’ll likely live to regret. But some of us had good reasons and felt there was no other choice.”

He clenches his jaw, fighting not to apply too much pressure to the pruners and risk snapping them in half or ruining her hedges.

“But enough of that,” he dismisses the despairing thoughts clouding his mind. “If what you’re saying is true, and honestly my gut right now is telling me that it probably is, then I guess that I agree that this is for the better. As always, I appreciate your guidance and clarity. I suppose convening the Elders won’t be necessary after all.”

He pauses, debating whether the other thing on his mind is important enough to mention, and decides that it is.

“One more question, though, Gertie. If you don’t mind, that is.”

“Of course, I don’t mind. What’s on your mind, Alpha?”

Adam playfully grimaces as she addresses him by his formal title. “You have known me since I was in diapers. There is no need for formalities just between the two of us, and you know that.”

She nods and winks at him, making it evident that she just likes to rile him up when she can, and he continues, “I was just wondering what you know about fox shifters. Would it make sense for one to be spending a lot of time trying to court a human?”

Gertie considers this a moment before responding, watching Adam work with the pruners and enjoying the reprieve from her chores.

“It is not unheard of. If this is the case, my guess would be that this is a younger sibling from a large litter who is entirely unconcerned with breeding and simply enjoys the human’s company. If this human we speak of is Kylie, this doesn’t surprise me at all. The girl is quite charming.”

Adam doesn’t know why this bothers him so much. He doesn’t like the idea of Kylie spending that kind of time charming anyone but his son, despite all evidence pointing to her not being his mate. Perhaps Adam still hasn’t fully accepted that fact. He can’t deny what Gertie is saying, though.

“Yes, she is. People want to dislike her if they think about her as just the human intruding onto our protected territory, but for anyone who meets her that prejudice quickly falls away. It’s her smile, I think. It could melt an iceberg.” He can’t help smiling himself as he pictures Kylie’s smiling face.

Gertie hums and gives him a smile of her own in agreement as he continues helping with her yard work. He appreciates that after their discussion she leaves him to contemplate and reflect in silence.

Once they are finished, he hugs her goodbye and tries to convey with that embrace how much he truly values her. No one else provides just the right mix of wisdom, compassion, understanding, and cold hard truth without any sugar coating just like he needs to keep his head on straight.