His Sweet Luna

Artic Pack

JoLynn managed to get another 2 hours of sleep, but realized by 10am she was not going to get anymore. After showering and getting ready for the day, she went on the hunt for her mom. Aspen was going to tell her what she knew about the artic pack, Jo wouldn't stop until she did.  The noise coming from the kitchen told her Aspen was probably cleaning up after breakfast.  Knowing her younger twin brothers, Asher and Alder, they left no food and just destruction everywhere.  

"Hey Mama, I was hoping you could tell me about the Artic Pack traits you mentioned last night."

Aspen looked up at her youngest daughter and smirked, "I am surprised you want to know about that and not about how I know Grayson is your mate." JoLynn started to fidget on the kitchen stool, her mom could tell she had forgotten about that fact.  "Don't worry baby girl, they are kind of tied together, so you can learn about both."

Mother and daughter went into the living room, Aspen grabbing a photo album before sitting on the couch.  

"I want to start with I only know so much, and I wish I had researched it more. I never expected one of the pups to be a white wolf since I was not one, nor are any of my siblings. So let me ask, did Grandpa Joe ever talk about his family pack? The pack he was born into, not Glacier Lake."

"Ha! Grandpa Joe doesn't talk about anything from his past, he barely talks."

"That is very true.  Well as you know Grandpa isn't from Glacier Lake, he was mated to Grandma Lynnette who's family has been the Gammas there for generations.  Grandpa's family pack is the Artic Pack, which is the pack of white wolves the Moon Goddess blessed.  Because of how rugged and isolated the pack lands are, the white wolves are larger, stronger and more agile. They even have extra traits or special abilities to handle life so isoalted from everything." 

JoLynn thought for a second, "do you think that is why I was able to clear the ravine so easily last night?"  

"Yes, I do feel it is, but please do not do that again." JoLynn let out a little giggle, knowing she probably gave her mother a minor heart attack last night.  "There is a spot in the mountains up north that is like a portal to the realm of the Moon Goddess; the Artic Pack is who protects it.  It is hard to breach, but there have been shifters who have tried."

JoLynn looked at a picture of her Grandpa Joseph, he was probably her age and standing next to a man with similar features.  "So the Artic Pack protects the portal to protect the Moon Goddess and this is why wolves from this pack have the special abilities and enhanced strength."  She glanced back at the photo, "is the Grandpa Joseph's brother? They look similar, but he looks a little older than grandpa." 

"That is Uncle Janss, I have never met him but I do know that he is the Alpha of the Artic Pack.  The fact that your grandpa was born second made it easier for him to move to a different pack. Plus, he does not have the extra abilities, just the strength and agility."

"Wow, I am just shocked by all of this." Jo took a second to think, "you said they have extra traits, what are those?"

"Since the Artic Pack is a smaller pack and very rural there are certain things they need to be able to do without assistance from other packs or outsiders.  Some of the traits or abilities include healing powers, seeing the future, matchmaking, persuasion, and invisibility, among others.  Some wolves have no extra abilities, some have one ability, while a pure white wolf has multiple or all abilities."

"Matchmaking?  I am going to assume that is the trait you have and that is why you know about Gray and me.  Wait! Did you set us up? This isn't a fated bond?"  JoLynn started panicking a little bit, twisting her shirt in her fingers.  How could her own mother go againt the Moon Goddess' wishes?  How was she going to tell the Alpha that her mom was the one who forced them together?  That they weren't fated as they thought?  What would Grayson do?  What would he say?  She knew being with Gray was too good to be true.

"Jojo, calm down.  Yes, I do have the matchmaking trait, but it isn't what you think.  I do not go against fated mates, I more help them find eachother.  The Moon Goddess blessed me with the gift of seeing who someone's fated mate is.  Grandpa Joseph's aunt had the same matchmaking ability, which is why he went to Glacier Lake Pack to meet his mate."

JoLynn listened intently to her mother, calming down the more everything was explained to her.  In the end, the matchmaking ability made sense to make sure the pack continued to grow.  Fated mates could go a long time without finding each other, especially if you are at the top of the world with no neighbor packs.  Matchmaking made it so mates found eachother easier, to be together and start families, continuing the pack.  

"I don't get a reading on everyone or sometimes it isn't immediately.  For example, I never had a feeling or vision or anything for your brother, but lately I keep getting this vibe that it will be happening sooner than later.  I still do not know who she is, but I do know she isn't from our pack."

"So how was it with the Alpha and I?  How long have you known?"

"I have known to some degree about you and Grayson since you were 8-years-old. Why do you think I agreed so easily to you going to Glacier Lake?  I knew that eventually you would be coming back here to be our Luna.  This is part of the reason I was never really a fan of any of Grayson's girlfriends, I knew it was you all along."

"Why didn't you ever tell us?"

"I wanted you to experience what it was like to find your mate without interference.  When it came to meeting you father, I had no clue who he was and it was exciting to have that initial rush of the mate bond.  I wanted Grayson and you to have that same feeling when your eyes met and your wolves screamed MATE in your head!"

JoLynn immediately blushed and started to smile, "it was really exhilarating and intense.  We both had that moment of ah and then it turned into heat and need for eachother.  It is a lot to feel the bond that sudden, almost overwhelming."

Aspen set aside the photo album and shifted to put her arm around her daughter.  "Can you tell me why you haven't annouced it yet?  I have been having to hold it in for 10 years and I still haven't been able to tell your dad about it."

"I don't know if I want to tell you."

"I would ask if something happened with Grayson, but it is very obvious the way he looks at you, that boy is madly in love with you."  Aspen turned towards JoLynn with the look of a mother who already knows everything.

"Ugh, fine.  After I tried to reject him, and Gray beg me to give us a shot, I asked to keep it between us for now.  Apparently, Lane and Gray made a pact a long time ago that they would only mark their fated mate and would never take a chosen mate."

"You rejected the Alpha?  Wow, that takes guts baby girl, it is total bullshit but gutsy. I know you love Grayson, and have for some time."

"Do you really think the girl who ran away from her problems in the pack should be the Luna?  That those people from my past will actually respect me or follow my direction?  That's a big NO!"  

Aspen didn't want to admit her daughter was right, but that was something that was always in the back of her head.  Would anyone really respect her as the Luna?  Would she try and reject the mate bond because she felt this way?  Would the mate bond be enough for their relationship to last under these circumstances.  If JoLynn would just admit to what wolves were messing with her, Grayson could take care of them.  "Well baby girl, I do see your side, as much as I hate to admit it, but you cannot let that break your bond.  I know you and Grayson are the perfect fated mates, that you will only make each other stronger and more respected in the werewolf packs."

"Trust me, I am becoming more aware of that everyday," JoLynn took a moment, "Grayson actually got a little angry I guess you could say.  After begging for me to give us a chance, I was going to say no again, but he told me flatout there would be no one else for him.  That is when he told me about Lane and his pact, he refused to take a second chance mate or chosen mate if I rejected him.  He said he would be with no one else by me."  JoLynn had a tear slip from her eye.  "It was funny to see him try and be so firm with me; he always let me get away with everything.  I don't know what to -- Gosh mama, I love him so much!"

"I know you do baby girl.  Trust me, he loves you more than anything, so please don't make that poor man wait forever before he can declare it to everyone."

"Got it...just a little bit longer."