Chapter Two
2143 Words
****Two months later****
“Can you believe we are going to be sixteen in a few weeks!” Squealed Alyona excitedly.
Isabella rolled her eyes and shook her head at her sister, “Only you are excited about it Ally,” she wasn’t looking forward to it. Not one bit, her mother always insists on throwing big parties for them all and this year was no exception.
Irina looked over at her older by minutes sister and asked her, “Why don’t you like these parties? Momma always invites all the packs, so maybe, just maybe we will find our mates?” she said.
Alyona bounced over to her sister’s side wrapping her arm around her sister, “Yeah, what’s the deal? I thought you would want to find your mate,” she was just as puzzled as Irina. The closer they got to be able to find their mates, the more Isabella didn’t want to find her mate.
Isabella simply shrugged, “I just don’t want to be some submissive princessa, bending to some testosterone-filled male Alpha. I want to be my own person. I want to be the one in charge,” she said quietly but decisively.
Irina studied her sister quietly, she could see that there was more to it than that but was willing to let it go, as long as her sister was okay.
Alyona, meanwhile, looked at her two sisters and said, “Oh, I don’t know, I don’t think I’d mind bending to some Alpha's uh, will,” she winked and laughed.
The girls left their room, chatting about all the little things, including the tests coming up at school.
“Ugh, Reena, I will give you fifty dollars if you take my biology test for me,” Alyona begged. She hated biology and it was downright difficult for her. Mr. Hatch was an old as dirt teacher, who wasn’t aware that there were three of them. “He would never know! He’s a human,” she pleaded.
Irina pretended to think about it, she had gym that period, and she was certainly not looking forward to the physical fitness test that day. She looked around to be sure that their mother wasn’t nearby, “If you take my gym fitness test, I’ll take your biology test.”
Alyona smiled broadly, “Deal,” she said hugging her sister.
****************
Kane was walking into the kitchen sorting the mail, distractedly when he saw it. The familiar seal of a neighboring pack, the dragon flying across the moon, while the wolf howled beside it.
“Here ya go, ma,” he said handing her the whole lot. His magazines hadn’t shown up that day. And the envelope from the Dragonmoon Pack, not his business. At least not until he found his mate or his father changes his mind and allows him to rule without his mate.
“Well, hello to you too young man,” she said softly, her brown hair swept up into a bun.
He looked down sheepishly, “Sorry ma,” he leaned in a pecked a kiss on her cheek. He hoped that when he finally met his mate, she was as strong-willed as his mother.
She lifted her teacup to her lips and smiled, “How was your schoolwork today?”
He sighed, “Nothing out of the ordinary,” he said. He was graduating this spring and at the top of his class, so he didn’t see too many of his other classmates.
“So, no females caught your fancy?” she nibbled her shortbread cookie waiting for her son to respond.
“No, momma, none of the of-age females, are my mate,” he said. He lifted his bag, “I’m going to study” He left the room and went to his own. He shut the door softly, so as not to alarm his mother. But, then he threw his book bag on the chair, he paced his room frustrated that even she was trying to marry him off!
“Ugh! Even my own mother is trying to push the mate deal,” he huffed. “What if I never find her?” He uttered out loud. He turned to his bag and opened it. “Well, at least I can study my way to the top!” He opened his math book and began to work.
Tillie watched her son exit the room with a smile on her face, he was so much like his father, yet didn’t even see it.
She picked up the stack of envelopes and began to look them over, sorting them according to who they belonged to. She spied the one with the seal of the Dragonmoon Pack and smiled.
She opened it eagerly, she loved reading notes from Tatyana. She didn’t know how that woman did it! She was blessed with not only a son and heir to the pack but also three beautiful daughters. Triplets to boot!
"YOU ARE HEREBY INVITED TO THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OF ALYONA, ISABELLA, AND IRINA BOYETS. THE CELEBRATION WILL BE HELD ON THE TWENTY-NINTH DAY OF JANUARY. BEGINNING AT FIVE-THIRTY P.M. AND CONTINUING UNTIL MIDNIGHT."
Tillie’s smiled grew broader when a small piece of paper fell out.
My dear friend, Tills,
I can not believe my babies are going to be able to shift and find their mates. I am so sad over this! When you receive your invitation, please call me. We need a spa day!
Love, Tatyana.
Tillie picked up the phone immediately, calling her friend.
“Hello?” Came the familiar accent of Tatyana.
“Tatyana,” Tillie’s lilt was so soft and gentle it was as if it were a small breeze.
“Tills!” Tatyana cried, “We need a spa day! I cannot for the life of me get over the fact that my children are going to be of age!”
Tillie chuckled softly, “I know exactly how you feel, my friend. When Kane became of age, I cried. I’m just thrilled that I get to keep him a little longer,” she whispered conspiratorially into the phone. “He thinks I’m just as hell-bent on him finding his mate as his father is.”
Tatyana laughed, “I know it!”
“So, when do you want to hit Avec?” Tillie asked. She knew that they would need to hit the spa, and Dreamers, and that café! Mary’s black forest cake has been calling to her for days!
“Tomorrow? We can hit the dressmakers shop as well and I can order the girls' gowns.” Tatyana did her best to hide her sadness at the mention of the gowns.
“No worries, my friend,” Tillie said. She hung up the phone after they set the time to meet. She wasn’t worried about getting into the spa on short notice. The human one was always busy, but if you knew where to look you could find the one that specialized in the mythics. Those Fairies, Tillie sighed just thinking about their hot rock treatment. She couldn’t wait.
She stood, about to go find her mate, to tell him what her plans were when their newest pack member, Thadius, walked into the room. She stifled a shiver of disgust at the wolf.
“Hello,” he greeted, his smile was just as creepy as his demeanor.
“How can I help you today?” She asked politely.
“I was wondering if there was any way you could help me?” he began as he put his hands inside his pockets.
“Well, that depends, what do you need assistance with?” Her guard was up and she could tell he was plotting something.
“Well, it seems my family, from my old pack,” he began, “Is due to have a party to celebrate my niece’s coming of age.”
Tillie kept silent, but was listening intently, this man couldn’t possibly be related to Tatyana and the Boyets. Could he?
“And because I am no longer welcome there I was wondering if you would be so kind as to drop off my gift to her?”
Tillie breathed a small sigh of relief, so he wasn’t related to the triplets! “You could always mail it,” she suggested. She didn’t want to get any closer to the man than she absolutely had to. As she was suggesting it, Troy walked into the room.
“Hello, Thadius,” he greeted the man warmly, but with an air of caution himself. He was willing to give all rogues a chance, but until they proved themselves, he was overly cautious with them. And this one still gave him the feeling he was hiding more than he was willing to admit. He walked over to his mate and laid a protective hand on her shoulder.
“Oh, hello, Alpha, “ he said smoothly, “I was just getting ready to ask Luna here to help me get something to my niece as her birthday will be here shortly. And I am banned from my old pack,” he gave them both what he hoped looked like a sad face.
Troy studied the man carefully, “I don’t see why you can’t just send it yourself?”
Thadius looked down for a minute, to hide his anger, how dare this man! He was equal to him, of Alpha blood! Who does he think he’s talking to? “Of course, Alpha,” he said doing his best to not sneer at the man in front of him.
He shoved the small box into his pocket further, he would just have to mail it himself. “I’m sorry to bother you,” he said, turning on his heel and leaving the packhouse.
He was so frustrated with this encounter, he needed to do something about it. He walked right to his own small cottage and found his ‘mate’.
“Dress in the skirt and tank top I gave you,” he ordered her.
This woman was so eager to please him and have him eventually mark her that she scurried to do his bidding. She didn’t understand why he so obsessed with certain clothes on her but she quickly threw them on and came out of the room.
His eyes and smile grew darker with lust, “That’s a good girl,” he said. “Now come here and show me you’re a good girl.”
*****
Back at the Dragonmoon Packhouse Bardik was getting ready to leave for the fire station. He was getting ready to train to be the new fire chief and he was very excited. He graduated high school last spring and went straight over to the firehouse in Avec. He wanted to help people, and until he found his luna he would be doing this.
The triplets all watched as he packed his bag, “You three act as if I’m leaving forever! I’m just going for a few days.” He did his best to reassure them. “Isabella, you will be in charge of training the females while I’m out this weekend,” he wagged a finger at his sister, “No slacking, mladshaya sestra,” he joked. He knew full well that Bella was more fierce than most of the men here.
Alyona smirked, “No chance of that bro, she’s crazy tough on us out there.” She flopped on his bed as if she were exhausted and sighed heartily. “I dare say, she’s tougher than you!”
Bardik looked affronted, “Hey,” he protested.
“Look at this,” she said lifting her shirt sleeve, “I have muscles!”
Bella laughed, “You’ve had them, they’re just defined!”
“Well, I would prefer to not look him,” she joked, jerking her thumb in the direction of their older brother.
“There’s nothing wrong with the way I look,” he protested.
“Yeah, cause, you’re a guy!” Alyona argued back.
Bardik smiled at his sisters, he would miss this when they found their mates and left. He just hoped they would be treated well. That was why he wasn’t sorry that Bella has turned into such a warrior.
- Writer
