The Tribrid Heir's Orphaned Mate

Coming Home

Warrick's P.O.V.

I fall into the dirt right outside of pack territory. I didn't want to teleport right into our territory since outsiders were coming with me, and I'm glad I did it that way, seeing as Delilah and Zeke left a good thirty seconds before us. There's no telling what our warriors would've done to them since they arrived through a portal, and since I wasn't with them in that moment, especially since I've been held captive for so long. My chest is hurting suddenly, my heart pounding violently against my rib cage. It takes me a moment to stand up, and I'm confused because this has never happened after teleporting. Then I remember it, the feeling of her hand leaving mine. I look around, noticing that Elizabeth is nowhere to be found. My breathing becomes frantic, and I feel dizzier by the second, unable to breathe right.

"Where's Lizzie, Warrick?" Zeke asks as he stares at me, before a look of worry takes over his face once he notices my panicked state.

I run my fingers through my hair and pull at the strands on my scalp, "ELIZABETH?!" I yell out, but there's no answer.

NO! NO! NO!

This is not happening!

"WARRICK! WHERE'S LIZZIE?!" Zeke asks again, his voice more threatening than I've ever heard before.

Tears prick at my eyes as I look around the dimly lit field, hoping she will appear suddenly, but I know she won't. I know that bastard got her at the last second. I double over, feeling like I'm about to pass out suddenly, unable to breathe. Zeke walks up to me and gently puts his hand on my back, before leaning down to look at me in the eyes.

"Warrick, what happened to Lizzie? Where is she?" he softly asks.

I look up at him as tears trail down my face, "They...they came in while we were still in the room. She was right behind me. I was even holding onto her hand and pulling her with me. I...I don't know. I felt her hand pull out of mine, but I thought it was just the portal pulling us away from each other. That happens sometimes. I...I think that they ripped her away from me at the last second."

Zeke stands up and lets out an angry huff, before I hear a growl reverberate through his chest, "Stand up, Warrick. Your mate is in trouble and we need to figure this out, now. I know it hurts, but man up. It's time to be the alpha you're meant to be, were born to be."

I nod my head and grit my teeth together, before standing up and looking around the field again, still hoping she will show up out of nowhere. The panic inside of me causes pain to radiate through my body, cutting me to the bone, building and building until I can't stand it anymore. I suddenly throw my head back and let out an anguished and angry roar, praying for some sort of release. Trees are shaking around us, and the ground is vibrating below us. Zeke and Delilah cover their ears and kneel down on the ground, trembling beside one another until I'm finally done. I double over again, gasping for air and finally able to breathe normally again.

Zeke stands up from the ground and walks over to me, "Feel a little bit better now?"

I shake my head as I stand back up, "No, but I can at least breathe now."

"Well, that's a start." he says, before patting me on the shoulder, "I think out of all of the things I've seen you do so far, that was the most impressive by far. I've never heard that noise come from any other werewolf."

I nod my head and look around the field again, trying to collect my thoughts on which direction we need to go to get to the packhouse, "We need to get back to the packhouse. I need my mom and dad. I know I'm not in my right mind right now and I need them to help me, to talk me down. If not, I know I'll just go straight back to wherever we just came from and rip your whole pack to shreds to be able to get to her. I know that's what Elizabeth doesn't want, and that's the only thing that's stopping me from doing it at the moment."

Zekes nods his head and gives me a soft smile, while pity clearly flashes across his face, "Lead the way, Alpha."

Him calling me Alpha catches me off-guard for a split second, but it's then that I realize that I am, in fact, his Alpha now, even if I haven't had my official Alpha coronation. He's part of my pack, part of River Crescent, even if he hasn't officially been accepted into the pack just yet. He feels it right now, just like I feel it, the pack connection. He's already accepted this as his new home, and it's just what I needed to hear in this moment to keep me from losing my sanity. It's what I needed to hear to remind me what our end goal is, what all of this is for, what my beautiful mate wants to happen. She wants a home for her pack, wants them here, and in this moment, that's the only thing anchoring me down.

"I needed to hear that." I confess to him, before giving him a soft smile back.

Zeke only nods at me, before looking around the field, like he knows where he's going. I point towards the north side of the field, before I start walking in that direction. I know exactly where I am, I've ran around this field countless times, but with everything that just happened, it took me a moment to collect my bearings. We start walking across the field through the tall grass, and when we're halfway I can hear yelling up ahead, letting me know that our warriors are aware of our presence, probably because they heard the loud roar I let out just a while ago. A moment later I see blonde hair blowing in the wind, before the person I know all too well starts sprinting towards me. She's running so fast and not even watching where she's going, that I'm sure she'll trip at any second and fall.

"A.J.?!" she screams out, her voice cracking at the end, like she's already crying.

A wide grin spreads across my face, and it's only then that I realize just how much I missed her, "Sylv!"

"OH MY GOSH! IT'S ACTUALLY YOU!" she squeals as she closes the distance between us and crashes into me, wrapping her arms so tightly around my neck that she's choking me.

She sobs into my shoulder and holds onto me like she's afraid I'll vanish into thin air, before pulling away from me and swatting me in the chest, "Don't you ever leave here like that again, you i***t! I thought I would never see you again!"

A chuckle escapes my lips as I look down at my best friend, who's face has quickly morphed from pure joy to complete irritation, "Don't be so dramatic, Sylv. You know I couldn't stay gone for too long, without coming back home to pester the s**t out of you some more. It's what I live for."

She tries to keep scowling at me like she's mad, but I know Sylv all too well and can see the twinkle of playfulness in her eyes, "Hmm. Maybe you need to go back to wherever you came from. Now that I think about it, it's been very peaceful without you around. I don't have to deal with your pranks, or you hogging all of your moms chocolate chip cookies, or your incessant whining about not being able to find your mate."

The second she says it, my face falls, and I'm suddenly pulled back into reality. Sylvia quickly notices and looks around me at Zeke and Delilah standing behind me, before looking back at me. Her brows scrunch together in confusion, before she takes a step closer to me and places her hand on my shoulder.

"Where's your mate Warrick? Your mom told me you had found her." Sylvia asks quietly, like she's afraid of the answer.

"She was captured a second before we escaped. I need to see my mom and dad. I need their help." I tell her without any further explanation.

I only want to have to tell this story once, not over and over again. I won't be able hold myself together if I have to repeat it more than once, because in some ways, I blame myself for losing her. I should've let her go ahead of me, should've held onto her tighter.

Sylvia nods her head and gives me a gentle hug, before pulling away and smiling at Zeke and Delilah behind me, "Who's your friends?"

I give Sylvia a soft smile, knowing that she's trying to change the subject. She knows me too well, knows that I don't want to talk about this any more than I have to. I really missed her, missed having that person, MY person. She's not my mate, but she's still connected to my soul.

I turn around and look at the two behind me, "This is Zeke and Delilah, they'll be my Gamma male and female when I take over as Alpha." I say, before turning back to Sylvia.

"What?!" Zeke yells from behind me, surprise filling his voice.

Sylvia chuckles and shakes her head, "You never cease to surprise me, A.J. Makes sense, though, since you never knew who you'd choose once the time came."

Zeke walks up beside me, looking at me with wide eyes, "Are you serious, Warrick? I mean, it'd be an honor, but we're not even part of the pack yet. Not to mention, we're from a pack that literally trapped you and held you captive."

A small and threatening growl escapes from Sylvia's chest, making look at her and chuckle, before looking back at Zeke, "Yes, I'm sure. If it wasn't for you, I would've never gotten out of there. You did everything you could to help me with Elizabeth, and to protect her when I couldn't. You've stood by me, as well as her, and showed me how loyal you can be. Plus, it helps that I can read your mind, so I can see your full intentions. I trust you." I tell him as I pat him on the shoulder, before looking back at Sylvia and giving her a mischievous grin, "This is Sylvia, my future Beta. She's been my chosen future Beta since we were like four and five years old. She's werewolf/witch hybrid, so she has powers, as well. She might be small, but she's a firecracker, so watch out for her and don't make her mad."

Sylvia squints her eyes at me and sticks out her tongue, before turning towards Zeke and squinting her eyes at him, as well, "I'm watching you." she says as she pokes him in the chest, before turning around and walking back towards the packhouse.

Zeke lets out a nervous chuckle as he watches Sylvia walk away, before turning back towards me, "Should I be worried about her? I don't want to step on any toes."

I throw my head back and let out a loud laugh, before looking back at him, "Like I said, don't make her mad."

Zeke's face morphs into one of horror as he looks back towards Sylvia's retreating figure, before looking back at me, "Are you serious?"

"No, man, I'm just joking. I mean, definitely don't make her mad, because she's very hardcore when it comes to revenge pranks. You have nothing to worry about, though. Sylv has a heart of gold and is a great friend. She's just really overprotective when it comes to me, so I'm sure it rubbed her the wrong way when she heard what pack you guys were from. She'll come around, though, trust me." I tell him, before turning towards Delilah, "In fact, I think you guys will get along well. She doesn't have a lot of female friends, since every friend she's ever had has used her to try to get to me. The fact that you're already mated, it'll make her warm up to you quick. I'm sure she's getting tired of hanging out with me and the guys all of the time"

Delilah gives me a half smile, "And is that all she is? Just your friend? You said she's overprotective when it comes to you. Lizzie has been through enough already; she doesn't need to come here and have to deal with an angry female Beta who was planning to be your chosen mate or something."

I shake my head and chuckle under my breath, "Sylv and I have been best friends since she was born. We've been joined at the hip all of our lives. Her dad is my dad's Beta, and her mom is my dad's warlock counterpart's sister. She's like family. Our families were hoping that we'd be mates, but honestly, me and Sylv have never seen each other that way."

Delilah nods her head, "And what about any other females here? I don't mean to pry, but Lizzie is my best friend. I want to know what she's getting herself into."

I give her a small smile, "I've been saving myself for my fated mate. She's the only one I ever wanted to be with. I didn't want to have any regrets once I finally met her, didn't want any baggage."

Delilah smiles at me happily, before her brows furrow in confusion, "Your dad's warlock counterpart's sister? What the hell does that even mean?"

I let out a small chuckle, "Come on, let's get to the packhouse so you guys can meet my parents. If I don't get to Elizabeth soon, I'll lose my mind. I'll explain everything later, explain how our pack works and all of the mechanics to it. You guys are in for a wild ride being here, so try to keep up."

***

I walk into the packhouse behind Sylvia, with Delilah and Zeke following closely behind. I'm sure they're nervous right now, considering that my pack was being anything but welcoming on the way here. The stares and the whispers, there's no telling what was going through the rumor mill while I was gone. On top of that, they're about to meet the world's first two tribrids, and the woman who stripped their parents away from them years ago. They probably think my mom is going to rain fire down on them with how the pack was acting on the way here, but I know my mom better than that, she'll welcome them with open arms.

The smell of roast beef and vegetables, buttery mashed potatoes and gravy, and fresh rolls wafts through the air from the kitchen, along with the hint of my mom's special homemade chocolate chip cookies. The radio is playing softly, and I can hear her humming along to it. I smile as I imagine her dancing around the kitchen, oblivious to the fact that I'm even here. Usually when she's cooking supper, she blocks the pack-link out so she can relax for a moment. She's done that since I was a kid, explaining that she wants just an hour a night to herself without the pack bothering her, and that my dad is a grown man and can handle everything by himself for that short amount of time.

"Mommy, can I puh-leeeease have one more cookie?! I promise I won't annoy Theo anymore for the rest of the night if I can get one. I'll be a good girl." I hear my little sister, Allie, ask my mom, and I can only imagine her clasping her hands together and giving my mom her best puppy dog eyes.

"Sweetheart, supper is almost ready. You can have one cookie now, or three cookies AFTER supper, if you just go into the living room and play for a little longer and wait." my mom tells her, knowing all too well that Allie will choose the one that rewards her the most.

"THREE?!" Allie squeals while clapping her hands.

"Three cookies, that's what I said. Go color me a pretty picture while I finish cooking and I'll hang it on the refrigerator. I'll be done in ten minutes." my mom says as she shoos Allie out of the kitchen.

I'm standing in the front door of the living room, a smile tugging at the corner of my lips as I wait for Allie to enter from the kitchen. It takes everything in me to contain my laughter when I see her slowly walk in with her shoulders slumped and her bottom lip poked out, pouting about the fact that she can't be under my mom twenty-four-seven. Allie's nose twitches, letting me know that she's caught my scent. Even though she's only five, her wolf senses have started kicking in already since she's a tribrid. Allie looks up and stares at me with wide eyes for a few seconds, before she squeals so loud I think my eardrums are going to explode.

"WAWWIICK!!!" she yells, before continuing squealing and running into my arms.

I kneel down and open my arms wide as she jumps into them, before picking her up and spinning her around. I hear a pan drop in the kitchen and land on the floor with a loud clank, before I see my mom running into the living room with wide eyes. She stares at me for a long while, before tears start to form in her eyes and she's running across the living room, as well, to wrap me in a hug.

My mom starts peppering my cheeks with kisses, before she pulls away and cups my cheeks, unaware of the fact that she's squishing Allie between us, "When did you get here?! HOW did you get here?! I haven't heard anything about you returning."

I let out a small chuckle as I put Allie down on the ground, "You like to turn off your mind-link during suppertime, remember? Guess it came back to bite you in the ass, finally."

"YOU HAVE TO PUT A DOLLAR IN THE SWEAR JAR!" Allie says, as she points up at me with a little scowl on her face.

I chuckle at her, before pursing my lips and snapping my fingers playfully, "Darn it! Can't ever get anything by you, can I, Allie girl? Go up to my room and get a dollar out of my nightstand drawer. Put it in the jar for me, will you?"

Allie runs up the stairs without question, giggling along the way as I watch her, before I turn back to my mom, "Mom, where's dad? We all need to talk and it's urgent. I need Uncle Gavin, Aunt Anna, Uncle Sean, Aunt Lillith, Uncle Damon and Aunt Gracie here, as well."

My mom furrows her brows as she takes a step back, before looking around me at the two people standing behind me, "Who's your friends, Warrick?"

"This is Zeke, and his mate, Delilah. They're from The Forgotten Pack, but are going to be joining River Crescent. They will be my Gamma male and female when I take over as Alpha." I explain to her as I look back at Zeke and Delilah, before looking back at my mom.

My mom gives them a warm smile, before extending her hand towards them, "It's nice to meet you future Gamma Zeke and future Gamma Delilah. You guys look starved. Supper will be done soon. I can get Allie to set up more spots at the table for you."

I turn back around to look at Zeke and Delilah, wanting to see how they'd react. I'm sure they never thought The Almighty Tribrid Guardian would be so motherly and warm-hearted. Zeke stares at her with wide eyes, confusion written all over his face. Delilah, though, Delilah surprises me. She takes a couple of confident steps towards my mom and shakes her hand, before giving her a soft smile.

"We'd love to have something to eat, Luna Athena. It smells delicious and we've had a rough week. A nice meal is just what we need right now." she says, before turning towards Zeke and giving him a threatening look, "Doesn't that sound great, sweetheart? Aren't you going to thank Luna Athena for being so hospitable?"

Zeke clears his throat and shakes his head to break him away from his stare, before quickly walking up to my mom and shaking her hand, as well, "Yes, Luna Athena. That sounds amazing. Warrick, I'm sure, will explain everything that we've been through when we all discuss everything that has happened."

My mother smiles at the two of them, before turning towards the stairs, "Allie, honey?! Can you please come set up some spots at the table for Warrick and his two guests?!" she calls, before turning around and walking back towards the kitchen.

Zeke turns towards me, "Your mom isn't anything like what I've always ever pictured in my head. She's so warm and gentle."

I chuckle and nod my head once, "She wasn't always like that. She's had a very rough life, which is why I think she doesn't judge people. Don't let her fool you, though. She's the toughest person I've ever met."

He looks back towards the kitchen, before turning back towards me, "I thought she would look different, though. I've always heard that her skin glows like glitter, and her hair looks like smoke, and her eyes are completely golden like the sun."

"She does. It's an illusion spell that she uses quite often. Her other look is quite intimidating, and although our pack is used to it now, it's still a lot for them to handle sometimes." I explain to him.

"Do you...do you think we can...we can see what she really looks like...sometime?" he asks me nervously.

I let out a small laugh, before patting him on the shoulder, "You'll eventually see it being a part of the pack. She doesn't hide it all of the time. She takes her natural form when we hold important pack meetings. You'll see it at my Alpha coronation."

"Hey, sweetie, do you want to take them up to the guest floor and show them to a room? I noticed you don't have any belongings with you either. Delilah can borrow some of my pre-maternity clothes, since she looks about my size before I got pregnant again, and Zeke can borrow some of yours, since he looks about your size. Dinner will be ready in five minutes. Your dad and the rest of the ranked families will be here then. He's finishing up with something in the dungeons." my mom says as she peeks her head out from inside of the kitchen.

I furrow my brows at her, "The dungeons? We haven't used those since before I was born."

She shrugs her shoulders at me, "I don't know what's going on. I'm sure we'll talk about it over supper. You know how your father and Beta Sean are, always something to do with work during suppertime, no matter how many times I ask them to talk about something else."

I nod my head at her, before turning back towards Zeke and Delilah, "We'll go to my parents room first and get Delilah some clothes, since it's on the way. Then we'll stop by my room to get Zeke some clothes. Guests usually stay on the fourth floor, and all of the ranked members are on the first, second and third, but there's a spare bedroom across the hall from me. I'm sure you guys would be more comfortable there."

Along the way, we run into Allie, who's skipping down the hallway back towards the kitchen. She stops in front of Delilah and stares at her stomach for a few seconds longer than normal, before looking up at her and giving her a wide grin. Allie starts swaying back and forth on her feet, and it doesn't take me long to realize she had some sort of vision or feeling about something, since she always sways on her feet like she's hiding some sort of secret after having a vision.

I kneel down beside her and smile at her, "What did you see, Allie girl?"

Allie looks towards me and pushes her finger against her lips, before making a shushing sound.

I furrow my brows at her, confused at why she's being so secretive, since she is always ready to tell what she saw the second that she sees it. Allie ignores me though and looks back up at Delilah while grinning from ear to ear. Delilah smiles at her, before ruffling her hair. Allie giggles, but then presses her hand against Delilah's stomach and starts staring at it again. Delilah looks at me with confusion, but it doesn't take me long to figure it out.

"Hey, Allie girl, make sure that you go and set the table like mom said, that way you can make sure to get those three cookies that she promised." I tell her quickly, trying to get her out of here before she blurts out the secret.

Allie giggles and takes off skipping down the hallway again, before heading down the stairs. Delilah stares at her for a moment, before turning towards me, "What was that about?"

"Allie is a tribrid too, obviously, and one of the first powers we all get is the power of foresight." I explain to her, without trying to go into further detail.

"Like visions and being able to see the future?" Delilah asks as she furrows her brows.

I nod my head at her, before opening the door to my parents bedroom.

"What do you think she saw?" Zeke asks me as he follows me in.

I turn around to tell him that I don't know, even though I'm pretty sure I do, only to notice that Delilah has stopped in the doorway and is looking down at her stomach with her hand gently pressed against it.

"Oh my gosh, Zeke." Delilah whispers.

Zeke turns and looks at her with furrowed brows, "What's wrong?"

She looks back up at him with teary eyes, "I thought...I thought that I was feeling sick these past few days because we haven't been fed much in the past week. I went into heat last month, remember? I didn't think anything of being sick or feeling tired. I just thought it was because we were locked in that room all of the time."

"Okay?" Zeke asks, with confusion lacing his voice.

It takes anything in me not to chuckle at him. If I wouldn't have figured it out, I would be just as confused as he is. However, I'm used to my families antics and how they work, it didn't take much for me to get the hint. Watching Zeke now, though, it makes me understand why girls always say that guys are completely clueless.

"I think...I think that I'm pregnant." Delilah says, before looking at me, "Is that what that was about? She could feel the baby inside of me, or see it somehow?"

I nod my head at her, "Yeah, more than likely. If I had to guess, Allie could probably even tell you what you're having and what it'll look like."

Delilah gasps as she puts her hands to her mouth, before tears start to fall from her eyes. Zeke stands still just staring at her for a few seconds, before he starts to pace around the room and hyperventilate. Giggles escape Delilah's mouth as she stares at him, before Zeke turns around and looks at her with a wide grin.

"We're having a pup?!" he yells out happily.

Delilah nods as tears fall down her cheeks, "We're having a pup."