Chapter 17

Marcus POV:

More and more I find the Osupa quite exceptional. Even with our help they have barely used our resources except for the absolutely necessary, they seem to be quite in control how they go about fixing their own issues. Our people have mainly stayed on the sidelines. Our pack has been as helpful as possible but it is as if they do not actually want our help, it's like they only needed place to go and to regroup.

I had hoped to find my mate among them, but alas, nothing. My wolf, Wilk was also disappointed, but at least Kayden found his, he is a good leader, but with all the women coming and going from his bed it creates a sort of instability within the pack, not to mention the drama. As I watch him leading now I can see more determination and maturity come to the surface... about time too. And it only took him meeting his mate, I can only imagine how it will be once she accepts him and complete the mating ritual. My mother was a High Priestess once and everyone says how much more competent my father became after he found her. With an Osupa Priestess Luna, our pack could  definitely become stronger, especially if the Osupa decide to join us. All I know is that I sense a change in the wind for our pack.

I go over to Kayden and one of the Osupa captains to verify their status, night is upon us yet their military have The Elders at bay. I heard that they suspected treason upon what happened this morning, yet how can that be if it was a volcano that destroyed their home? As I walk over Kayden waves at me to hurry.

"Captain, this is my brother and Beta, Marcus...brother this is Captain Bayoán, one of Loiza's brothers." I shake his hand, he has a very firm grip, I feel the Beta blood in him.

"Captain, I hope that we have been able to  accommodate you and your people, is there anything else we can do to help?" He is a big guy, not as big as their General or other warriors in their ranks, but he is big.

"Thank you Beta, I was just mentioning to the Alpha about a ceremony we will perform tomorrow night to honor the dead, but unfortunately we were focused on evacuating and nobody was able to bring drums. We can make them, we just need the raw materials wood and leather. Alpha Kayden has already offered some stored wood, we just have to hunt for the leather." What?

"You mean hunting deer for their leather? Won't it take time for it to dry to make into drums?" The closest music store around here is hours away and they probably not have the drums they use.

"Well we would hunt it and use everything, but Loiza and Yaya can dehydrate the leather to perfection almost immediately! They will need the drums to be able to perform the ceremony either way." Bayoán answers like it's the simplest thing in the world.

"Uh, yeah. Do you need any men?" I ask not even knowing what was needed of me.

"Nah man, we just wanted to make sure it was fine with both of you and to ask your patrols not to be alarmed while we hunt tonight, cool?" No I am not cool letting Goddess knows how many wolves hunt in our territory at night, but I glance at Kayden...

'I'm not jumping for joy here either Marcus, he says they need 13 drums and 30 wolves should be enough to get them in the fewest time posible. Also they have to hunt without outside help, double the patrols at the border but no one is to interfere.' Kayden is adamant to allow this.

'Are you sure about this?' I ask cautiously but his eyes turn black and just growls making me flitch.

"Loiza NEEDS this done or it will take longer for her to accept me! Just make sure it's DONE!" I notice that the Captain just stood there with a pleasant smile on his face. He was completely unfazed, and by his demeanor it seems he already knew what we were talking through the link.

"As you say ALPHA! Come Captain, let's discuss were there is the most game in our territory." I don't like the cockiness of Captain Bayoán, it's like he knew his request would be granted no matter what. I get in my Jeep with the Captain and we head to the western part of our territory, it is usually undisturbed and always has plenty of deer and sometimes large elk.

"You don't have to call me Captain, Beta Marcus, Bayoán is fine. I'm sure that by now you have noticed that I am a Beta as well, and we are here as your guests so there is no need to be so formal, besides, your brother is my sister's mate after all, that makes us family." He says while looking out the window still smiling smugly.

"Family? Is that how you convinced my brother in basically lowering our defenses?" I say gritting my teeth trying to keep my cool.

"Do you not see the mates of your siblings as your own family? Knowing that your brother or sister will suffer if anything happens to their mate, you would not want to protect them? Of all of my siblings till now, I was the only one with a mate, my family has treated her as if she shared our blood, I know with absolute confidence that if anything were to happen to me, my family would never abandon her. I have heard of the mate Bond working differently in other packs, I just didn't understand how weak it was." I slam on the breaks angered by his little cheek insult.

"Are you implying that the mate Bond in your pack is the best and that everyone else's is weak?" What an arrogant asshole!

"Tell me Marcus... how many packs have you visited in your life?" What?

"What does that have to do with anything?" I ask.

"Before I was a soldier undecided for a more routine military life, I used to be a spy, I gave that up because I don't blend in as well, but still I was able to visit many countries and tried to promote alliances between our pack and those who did not seem to be extremely hostile. Do you know what I saw?" Where is he going with this?

"I'll bite, what did you see...Bayoán?" Since he decided to address me so informally I guess there's no reason for me to keep up any pretense.

"I saw the very unnatural act of rejecting a mate. Before I wondered outside our island I had only heard the term in training and as my father's apprentice, never in the history of the conception of the Osupa has there been a mate rejection. Even HERE with everything that has happened there hasn't been a single member of our pack who would dare reject the will of the Goddess, and yet already one of YOUR pack has rejected her true mate. After what happened today and an added rejection from his mate the wolf in question is receiving therapy... every time somebody from a pack rejects the will of the Goddess, it takes away some of her protection from such pack and she starts taking away her Blessings. A mate is a gift, the perfect being to help not only with love, companionship and reproduction, your true mate is also there to make sure you reach your maximum potential and the best service to the pack. Rejecting that gift weakens the pack as a whole... it basically chips away at their strength because that which the Goddess has given to make it stronger has been rejected." I guess I bit of more than I could chew, I had indeed read this theory a while back in the library at the High Council, but while I had to look for the information in the library it seems that they LIVE by it.

"I have read of what you say, yet how do you explain what happened to your people this morning? Wouldn't you say that the Goddess has taken her Blessings from your people?" I know that was a low jab but I really want to get his opinion on the matter. But to my surprise he laughed!

"That is yet to be determined. There is an investigation, yet we need Izzy up to help, I guess not having a Priestess in your pack breaks your connection to Avalon and the Goddess herself. I even noticed a broken altar to the Goddess not far from the woods behind your pack house, The Council must have a tighter grip on your pack than maybe you yourself know." And with that he goes back to looking outside the window. I have seen that broken altar all my life but never paid any mind to it, nobody really has. Yet HE DID and I could hear the contempt in his voice while he said it.

"It's just a slab of stone." I retort trying to sound more confident in my pack. But deep down his words have taken root, since they have arrived they have shown nothing but devotion towards each other, they have only accepted the bare necessities from us, but it seems that they really do not want to mingle much with us.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself to make you feel better Beta. Now can we stop stalling, we have a hunt to get done, I'm sure you have a lot on your mind right now." I start the engine again and continue.

"Is that how you convinced my brother to authorize this hunt?" He is not wrong, my mind is thinking on what he said. Father did mention the mate Bond among The Osupa, and from what Kayden mentioned earlier about how Loiza's brothers care for her in complete synchronisation while she is at her weakest has had left me thinking if it is OUR pack who has fallen out of favor with the Goddess. But... why would she give my brother one of her Priestesses as his mate?

"Nope, I just asked, no convincing necessary. Your brother is mated to my sister, so HER mate bond is guiding him to make the best choices that are in the best interest of his mate. It's that simple, that is how strong the Bond is within our people, your brother is adapting to it." Well that is interesting, I want to hear what Kayden says to that.

We reach a clearing before entering a thicker part of the woods. I stop the Jeep and inform my companion that we must continue on foot.

"Good, I haven't let Nicodemus out in a while, I'm sure he will be happy to run through a new forest, he always does!" And he starts to take off his clothes with no hesitation. I follow suit as he shifts into his massive grey wolf with a black muzzle and molten gold eyes. He is as large as Deacon! I snap out of it and let Wilk out, he has typical agouti  camouflage fur and is smaller than his. He motions to me to lead the way. Now Wilk wants to show of, he may not be as big but he knows he is fast and he starts running to where the is always deer or elk. Running is always helps me relax yet Bayoán's wolf quickly catches up to me and I can see he is lowering his pace so he doesn't go ahead... HE IS EVEN FASTER! Yes I'll admit I am jealous and slightly intimidated. Bayoán is a Beta, but not THE Beta of the pack, until this morning the Beta was his father.

'...their methods are unconventional.' I hear my father's words echoing in my mind. Yeah, no shit! I have heard that even their training was unique, they even have an active and organized military, not just warriors, but  disciplined soldiers.

We reach the border and we meet with Helena who is on patrol. I shift and she hands me a pair of shorts, Bayoán shifts but there were no more clothes.

"I am sorry Beta, but that's the only extra clothes I have on me, there is another stash a mile south." She says averting her gaze from Bayoán, and he just starts laughing again.

"There is no need for that, you are a Warrior, I am sure you have seen your fair share of naked men, this should be brief either way." He says crossing his arm over his chest with a grin showing his lack of care of his nakedness. Helena is a 25 year old warrior and the tallest female of our pack at 6'1", long black smooth hair, black almond eyes and deep tan skin. Her and her sister Kendra look so much alike, yet while Helena was tall with darker skin, Kendra was only 5'6" with very fair skin. Their mother Mei came from Asia pregnant with Kendra looking for asylum from Helena's father, she was friends with my mother and a Priestess herself who found her true mate in Kendra's father. After Helena's father killed him, Mei fled only to die here in childbirth. At 9 years old Helena made it her mission to protect and raise her baby sister and turning into one of our best warriors.

She looked at me awkwardly... "Helena, it's fine, our guests are going to be hunting here shortly, I am just showing Captain Bayoán where the best game is. So just continue your patrol duties and let them be ok?"

"Understood Beta! It's a pleasure to assist if you need so Captain." She says while not looking at him. And Bayoán laughs again.

"It's ok! I know it's not a pleasure to meet this way for you. We won't disturb you any longer,  I can already smell what we need, we will be back soon for the hunt. Thank you for your help Marcus, I will just run back, I have to stretch my legs for the hunt and doubling back will help me assure the path for the hunters, and don't worry, I'll get my clothes from the Jeep on my way back, I wouldn't want to cause anyone a heart attack!" And with that he shifts and runs back in the direction we came leaving me there with a confused Helena.