Spirit Wolves : A New Path (Book 2)

4. Why Now?!?!?!

**Luca**

It has been a few really long months on the road.  If you take into consideration that Nate and I have been on the go for a month longer than the rest of the pack, I was beginning to doubt that I would settle down with my mates in one place.  We had discussed it many times and we could never settle on the ‘where’ to do so.  I am a Spirit Wolf through and through, but they were also torn between the pack and their coven back home.  They had not spoken to them yet about their transition into wolves, but had kept in communication with them and also informed them of the upcoming war.  We had hoped that Nate would have made a stop there after we left our old pack, but he said it was too soon for them as wolves.  Personally, we thought that he was just delaying the inevitable.  (That our hides would be on a platter for what happened to them)

Since they became part wolf and we discovered that they still had their powers, we were working together to hone them in again.  Aria mentioned it felt like when they were teens first getting their powers.  She said that it felt uncontrollable and ‘weird’ but they are slowly pulling it back together again.  On our walk back to the campsite, we lingered near the back of the pack because Aurora was leaking her feelings again and myself along with Aria were not only trying to calm her down, but make sure she didn’t start a forest fire by accident.  With the wind blowing through her hair, tiny sparks were being expelled as we walked.  In her defence, this was their first real altercation after becoming wolves and it only made sense to me that she would be a little shaken.  She was a very powerful fire witch before and never defenceless, but now with the extra power boost of being a part of the Spirit Wolves (albeit neither of them were as powerful as we were), I could understand how it would be a lot to control.

I decided that the walking and calming thing was not working very well, so I stopped walking.  Holding her hand caused her and then Aria to stop as well.  I turned to her and lightly brushed her cheek with my fingers, stopping at her jaw and gently lifting it to look me in the eye.  She was being bashful or ashamed, but I was having no part of that.  Once she looked me square in the eye, I spoke to her as loving and supportively that I could. 

“Hey..Love, it’ll be okay.  It’s over now and we are okay.  Nothing is going to happen tonight.  We are both here and there is nothing to worry about.”  

“Ya, and besides if you can’t calm down before we get back to camp, then we’ll just have to toss you in the water to make sure you don’t burn us in our sleep!.”  Aria kidded

That seemed to help as she looked at Aria with a ‘go ahead and try me’ look, almost like a challenge saying that if she went in, she was taking Aria in with her.  She took a few deep breaths to calm and centre herself then replied to both of us.

“It’s not what you think.  I am not scared or upset.  I was angry and the power that we used tonight…..well....it’s still in me, trying to force itself out like it doesn’t want to stop.”  Worry was spread all over her face and ours now as well.  Being that her magic is tied so closely to her emotions, I felt like an ass for assuming that, but I knew that something needed to be done now, before it got worse.

‘Nate, Aspen- we need you’  I linked them and they ran right to us.  Aspen was the first to get to us and I think she already knew something was up because she had slowed to the back of the pack as well while Nate took a few more minutes but came just the same.  I had given Nate the low down on his way, but now with them both here, I let Aurora try to explain.

“Aurora, Sweety...what’s wrong?” Aspen asked as soon as she arrived.

“I...I don’t know....I still have that energy boost thing and it’s building inside me.  When we were in town and ever since, I have been doing everything I can to keep it inside, but it just keeps building and I feel like if I don’t release it soon, then I might hurt someone unintentionally.”  Aurora cried out almost like it was hurting her.

‘Willow, I need you NOW- and bring Piper with you’ Aspen linked them but still kept her face as calm as could be for Aurora’s sake but when she saw Willow and Piper running as fast as they could towards us, devastation crossed her face.

“Oh, great...Now everyone is gonna think that I can’t control myself!  Most of the pack is afraid of me already after what happened last time!”  She wailed out, tears now forming in her eyes and it took everything within me not to just take her in my arms and hold her.

Piper and Willow arrived and asked Aurora if they could check her out.  She agreed reluctantly, but knew it was the best way to try to get to the root of the problem.  Aria and I were each holding one of her hands, but had to let go and stand back because we were ‘clouding’ her aura with ours.  Aria and I both let out a small growl as we did not want to leave our mate’s side, but Nate stepped in between us and with one look, we began to step away.  Willow and Piper both as healers had this cool way of sensing the whole body to tell where the ailment was.  I liked to think of it as a clairvoyant checking an aura.  Worry and concern was spread over everyone now as we waited for Willow and Piper to check over Aurora.

‘River as a back-up plan?  It’s pretty close’  I linked Nate

‘I don’t think that’s the issue’  He replied

‘What the hell are you talking about?  You heard her, she feels like she can’t contain the power inside her.  If she blows, she could destroy a good portion of the freaking Rocky Mountains!’ I linked back, but couldn’t contain my anger, looking like some nim-whit throwing my arms around in the air as Nate and I were talking through our link.  

Before Nate could answer me though, Willow broke the silence and started speaking directly at Aurora.

“Sweety, I have some good news and some bad news.  Which would you like first?”  Willow was beating around the bush, but trying her best to lighten whatever blow was coming.

“Give me the bad news”  She countered, hoping it wasn’t too bad.

“Well, the bad news is that the extra power boost has sent your whole system out of whack and I will have to fix that.”  Willow explained as Piper stood behind Aurora with a huge grin on her face looking straight at me.  What the hell? I thought...Why was she looking at me like that?!?!?

“Okay...and what’s the good news?”  Aurora asked, sounding a little relieved.

“Well, Sweety” Willow began, not able to hold back a smile “It appears that this whole thing is making you go into heat!”  Willow finished ecstatically, barely able to contain herself from the excitement.

“She’s what?!?!?”  I cried, feeling my wolf perk up

“I’m WHAT?” Aurora asked at the same time mortified

“Whoa, no way!” Aria commented, astounded at the news.

“Don’t you see?  No one has been able to have pups because no one has gone into heat!  This is great news!  The Moon Goddess is blessing us again!”  Willow burst out, overjoyed in her peace, love and happiness-way.

“If she is in heat, then why the hell can I not sense it?!?!  She is MY MATE!!!”  I demanded because I should be able to tell before anyone else.

“It’s because of being raised with powerful powers as a witch.” Willow answered me before turning to Aurora to finish “Sweety, I am afraid that you are in pain because you are trying to suppress it, like you were trained to do as a witch.  Such strong emotions come with being in heat and the more you try to fight it, the harder it is going to be.  Can you try releasing it?  We are all here for you and can help if anything goes wrong.”

Aurora did as she was asked and her scent hit me like a tidal wave.  Everything within me wanted nothing more than to take her right here and now, not caring who was here to watch.  It was an instant erection and the hardest I had ever felt it being, and that’s saying a lot because I not only had to keep one mate happy, but 2.  I felt Aria through the bond as well and she was just as turned on as I was.  That was until Aurora started crying.

“But-No...I can’t be...There’s no time...We have a war...can you stop it?”  Aurora stumbled through her words but eventually managed to get through her thoughts.

“WHAT?”  Everyone replied at the exact same time.

“We can’t bring pups into the world right now.  Not while we are trying to prepare for war!  Alpha, you understand what I am trying to say at least, don’t you?” Aurora re-affirmed her thoughts and asked Nate to reassure her that she was indeed thinking straight.  I however was crushed and in agony.  I could feel it in Aria as well.  The thought of having some small pups around brought joy to both our minds the moment Willow mentioned it.  We hadn’t even talked about having pups yet but now that a moment has come up that it may be a possibility, I was mortified that she was not ready to have pups with me.

Nate took a moment to gather his thoughts before answering this dangerous question because no matter what he said, he knew that he was going to have a very pissed off wolf.  It was Aspen who answered for him.  She moved herself between Aurora and Aria and I, placed a hand on each of our shoulders and began speaking as she sent her calming vibes into us.

“Brother, Aria...Aurora is not saying never, she is just thinking of the next year ahead of us.  We are preparing for a war and she realizes that is no place for pups.  Can you imagine the state you will both be in when we face the vampire queen?  You will be unfocused, more worried about Aurora and the pups and it will not end well for any of you.  She is not saying no, she is saying not yet and you both need to respect her for this decision because she is making it out of love for all wolves and witches and setting her personal feelings for both of you aside.”

DAMN IT!  I hate it when she is right!  I huffed before answering over Aspen, shoulder to my mate.

“If it can be done to stall it, you will have no argument from me.” Clearly, I was still upset, but I just tried to make sure that I supported her.

“I agree.” Aria expelled as she slumped her shoulders.  She too understood what Aspen was saying for her that she couldn’t say for herself.

Willow looked to Piper, who nodded back and they asked us to keep walking back to the camp while they worked on Aurora.  Aria and I didn’t want to leave her side, but when Nate and Aspen stood in between us, we both huffed off stomping all the way back to camp.  This sure has been a s**t night I thought as I plopped myself down at a picnic table, waiting for Willow, Piper and Aurora to return.  By the time they did, Aria and I had calmed down, supported each other and came to the realization of how difficult and selfless the decision was for Aurora and she should be getting our praise instead of our attitudes.  We did not wait for her to come to us, as soon as we sensed her near, we were on the move to apologize and beg for forgiveness.

To say that she didn’t ream us both out a little bit for not supporting her right from the get go would be a lie and I am sure the rest of the pack enjoyed the show of their Beta and one of my mates getting reamed out by the other one.  I could hear a few chuckles as we entered the tent to go to bed but one little growl from me and everyone shut up real fast.  Aria and I both nestled into Aurora trying to show our support for her and tried to get a little bit of sleep before the sun came up.  What a freaking day!!!