Mates of a Human

Part One. Chapter Four. Alex.

Christmas came and went and with it my own eighteenth birthday. I managed to distance myself a little from Marcus and his pack.  Actually, it wasn't too hard, we were all up to our eyeballs in homework and studying. That and several of the wolves had found their mates and were all about date nights and sharing the love, which us single people avoided. But occasionally, Marcus felt the need to cling to me like he was cellophane, that possessive wolf of his trying to keep me as one of the pack.

I met with Charles a few times to vent and he and Adam even joined me for a few more movie marathons when the loneliness began to pull at me. I was so used to being one of them during the day at school and three out of four weekends, I was pining like a lone wolf for its brothers. It did not matter that I didn't have a wolf inside me, I had been around them far too long.

I started counting down the days to finishing school and starting university, my first choices were several hours drive away. I would be able to start afresh, away from the pack, away from Marcus and I would try to fit in amongst others and find myself. Just three more months until final exams... just two more months...

And then, one month before the exams began, Marcus dropped another bomb on me; he wanted me to attend his mating ceremony.

Most wolves didn't bother with the ceremony, it was a little redundant seeing as you and your partner already knew that you would spend the rest of your lives together. Wolf marriage began with the first meeting of bodies. However, Marcus was the future Alpha and Jenny the future Luna, the ceremony was not only a celebration of their mating, but a celebration for the continuation of their pack.

The ceremony was usually held in spring, anywhere from Easter to May Day, for it is said that this is when the Moon Goddess and Sun God stand together in the heavens. So it was the time for great blessings. It was considered fortunate when children were born during this time as well, such as David and Frankie, that good things would come to them. Marcus and Jenny's ceremony was planned for Easter break. After that, we would be drowning in exams and studies and the happy duo did not wish to wait for the following year.

I really, really, really did not want to go. I really, really, really did not want to drive another proverbial stake through my already fractured heart by watching him declare his eternal love for another. But I also really did not want to share why I did not want to attend. I was planning on taking this secret love of mine to my grave. Eventually, after running out of excuses, such as 'but the pack won't want a human running around the territory' and 'I am so behind in my studies'... I caved in. He knew I would.

As is the cliche, the main pack grounds were surrounded by beautiful, wild woodlands. I thought it was a wonderful place, no need to be a wolf to appreciate the splendour of it. I wouldn't say that wolves needed to be surrounded by trees, after all, artic wolves are happy enough in their barren environment, I think it is more that the woods offer them some privacy, fresh game and an awesome place to stretch and run freely.

The packhouse itself is in a more open part of the forest, a glade and it is amazingly ramshackle, with the amount of additional rooms plastered on over the years. It has had extensions in almost every direction, including underground. Some of the basement rooms were awesome. Their entertainment area was by far bigger than the one in my parents place. There were also many outbuildings and small homes clustered nearby and a second huge building which were guest pack accommodations. Naturally, these rooms were filled by visiting pack members for the ceremony. It was a good time for newly of age pack wolves to mingle and perhaps find mates that they could not find in their own packs.

Soon the guests were beginning to settle. Charles had me placed between him and Adam who, thanks to his bond with Charles, was completely aware of my situation. Neither of them wanted me to be here today, but they knew that Marcus was one hell of a stubborn man and would not take no for an answer. "If you had told him," Charles mentioned, "you could have avoided this."