Alex
I loved my mother but I didn’t fully trust her where Chasity was concerned. Chasity needed a neutral third party to prepare her adequately for taking over the post of Luna, so I had hired a professional. Nicolai was an expert in pack law proceedings. He was a former child prodigy who had actually just graduated from law school with honours after passing the bar exam with flying colours. Instead of beginning his law practice immediately, he had decided to take a year off after all those consecutive years of study. I had been hoping to hire a female pack law tutor for Chasity but Nicolai was clearly batting for a different team despite not being out yet. For the record, it wasn’t that I didn’t trust Chasity. I trusted her implicitly and knew she was faithful. It was the lustful pack wolves I didn’t trust.
“Oh you’re home!” Exclaimed Mom the moment she spotted us.
Her smile seemed a bit forced and the tension in the room was palpable. Both my father and Chasity’s father were stone-faced whilst sitting on the living room couch in total silence. Chasity’s mother and grandfather were nowhere to be found. I could tell my parents and Chase had been in an argument of some kind, possibly involving Chalice and Chance too. I wondered if Chalice and Chance had stormed off. I sighed inwardly. Integrating Chasity’s parents with my parents had proved just as difficult as I had thought it would be. My parents had a lot to apologize for and as time went on, more and more of my parents’ misdeeds would be revealed to Chalice, Chase and Chance. Chasity had graciously bestowed her forgiveness upon my family, but we couldn’t expect the same from her relatives.
Mom walked right up to me and spoke softly in my ear.
“I really need to speak to you,” she whispered, her eyes anxious.
“Let me get Chasity settled first,” I said quickly.
I saw a flash of annoyance in my Mom’s eyes.
“Sure,” she sneered, grimacing.
I held back yet another sigh and brushed past my disgruntled Mother. I took Luna’s hand in mine, interlacing my fingers with hers as I led her to one of the conference rooms upstairs. I could tell that Chasity’s curiosity was piqued. Meanwhile, my younger brothers were already well-aware of what the surprise entailed.
I hope she’s not offended by this little surprise, I mumbled, mind-linking to my brothers.
I was suddenly feeling nervous about the reveal. Chasity had always been quite studious. What if she thought we were underestimating her?
First of all, let’s get one thing straight, it’s not a surprise, it’s a dude who will give her extra homework and take up precious free time she could be spending with me, grumbled Felix.
Calix? I said pointedly, hoping for a lighter take on the situation.
Calix was beaming with excitement.
I think it’s a great idea! Chasity is gonna be the prettiest and smartest Luna in all of Northern Wolf Country, said Calix proudly.
I smiled at Calix as we neared the door to the conference room. He seemed blissfully unaware of the storm brewing downstairs. He was usually much more in tune with Mom’s feelings. In the past, he wouldn’t have been able to enjoy anything if he had sensed any inner turmoil coming from Mom. His happiness used to hinge on hers. I was relieved he was growing out of that. Chasity had worked wonders on Calix, making him much more mature. She had also tamed ferocious Felix and she had even managed to mellow out my meticulousness.
Northern Wolf Country? Scoffed Felix in response to Calix. My Baby is already the prettiest and smartest and naughtiest Luna in all the land, declared Felix, a smug smile on his face.
We chuckled amongst ourselves.
“Hey! You’re leaving me out of a mind-link, aren’t you?” Surmised Chasity, pouting. She was so adorable when she pouted like that.
“What are you talking about?” She demanded.
“You!” Teased Felix.
Chasity let out a theatric gasp though I could tell she was just playing along. Her pouty lips formed a sly smile instead.
“What are you three saying about me?” Asked Chasity in a mock accusatory tone.
I grasped her shoulders and gently pushed her until her back was against the door to the conference room. I lowered my head and leant in until we were nose to nose.
“We’re saying that you, little Luna, are the prettiest…” I paused to kiss her, pressing my lips against hers briefly but eagerly.
“…smartest…” I continued, punctuating another pause with a kiss.
“…sexiest…” I growled, pecking her again and nibbling her lips, eliciting a squeal and a giggle from her.
“…Luna in the multiverse,” I concluded.
Chasity grinned.
“Really, Alex? Multiverse?” Chuckled Felix as he leant in to nuzzle Chasity. “Why’d he have to go and ruin a perfectly good compliment by bringing his nerdy Sci-Fi lore into it?” Complained Felix, pointing his thumb at me.
I rolled my eyes.
“It’s not lore, Felix,” I grumbled, annoyed. “It’s an actual scientific theory!” I countered.
“I actually don’t care, Alex,” retorted Felix.
“Surprise time,” announced Calix, curtailing the argument he anticipated us having.
He threw open the door and exclaimed, “Tada!”
Nicolai, a short brown-haired wolf, was sitting at the table almost completely hidden behind a mountainous stack of pack law books. Several scrolls lay on the table along with a huge map anchored by makeshift paper weights. Nicolai peeped out from behind the book stack. He approached Chasity cautiously with a nervous smile on his face. Felix was glowering openly at Nicolai.
Felix, relax, this guy is a professional, I said in earnest.
Professional? Professional what? He’s staring at my mate with his big eyes. He should keep his eyes on his books, complained Felix.
I don’t think Nicolai sees Chasity that way. I think he is focused, said Calix.
Yeah, focused on my mate, grumbled Felix.
“It’s such an honour to finally meet you, Luna Chasity!” Exclaimed Nicolai, going in for a hug.
Felix literally stopped him with one finger pressed against Nicolai’s forehead.
“Not so fast,” said Felix. “Let’s get a few things straight.”
Before Felix could lay down the law, Mom walked in.
“Boys, you know, we really need to talk,”said Mom.
Calix frowned at Mom. Felix was still glaring at Nicolai whilst Chasity was smiling politely at Nicolai. I completely ignored Mom.
“Luna, this is your new pack law tutor, Nicolai Evans,” I announced.
Chasity’s smile widened.
“That’s a relief,” said my Luna sweetly. “I could use a tutor. Law is not really my thing, but I want to learn so I can be ready to take over the pack.”
Mom’s frown deepened considerably. Chasity seemed to catch this out of the corner of her eye.
“I’m in no rush though,” said Chasity earnestly. “I’m just a high school student after all.”
Mom smiled slightly.
“Yeah well, I have a timeline in mind,” grumbled Felix, keeping his eyes on Nicolai as though marking a criminal’s movements. “Three more months tops!” Pronounced Felix. “In three months, my Baby should be well-versed enough for Mom to retire,” clarified Felix.
Mom frowned. Chasity had a determined little smirk on her face. Nicolai nodded, seemingly up to the challenge.
“And don’t think you can just let everyone off scot free on your Luna hearing days,” warned Felix, noticing the smirk on Chasity’s face. “Alex and I will take turns supervising you when you first start out.”
The smirk slipped off of Chasity’s face.
“What about me?” Asked Calix.
“Those criminals already get off scot free on your day,” revealed Felix. “What would be the point of letting you supervise her?”
Calix rolled his eyes but he didn’t complain further.
Go easy on them, Felix, I said, referring to Chasity and Calix.
Why? That’ll just encourage them to go easy on everyone else, said Felix. I want to see my Baby bring forth justice on her hearing days.
Most Lunas are admittedly a bit more lenient than their Alphas, I said.
It was true. A cold-hearted Luna was a rarity. Alphas were another story entirely, especially up here in the North. The Northern Wolf Country was known for its bitterly cold weather and its bitter and cold Alphas. Northern packs were ruled by grudge-holders. The members of each pack would rejoice whenever a new Luna came along to warm their Alpha’s heart.
“Chasity seems settled in,” said Mom pointedly, working my last nerve.
“She’s not even sitting down yet,” I said through gritted teeth.
I knew that whatever Mom wanted to talk about was not an emergency. If it was, she would come right out with it. I was no gambler (that was Felix’s territory) but I was willing to bet money that Mom had a litany of complaints regarding Chasity’s parents.
“I’ll talk to Mom while you guys get Chasity settled in for her first tutoring session,” offered Calix.
Mom beamed at him. I frowned.
“Settled in?” Repeated Felix. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m supervising this entire session and every other session hereafter,” pronounced Felix, folding his arms and clenching his jaw.
Nicolai paled a little.
Felix
Alex and Calix were batshit crazy if they thought I was leaving my baby and our unborn babies alone with a male wolf. Even if the tutor had been a chick, I would probably feel the same come to think of it. It had been a femme fatale behind the orchestration of Chasity’s kidnapping. Sure, she had sent a male wolf goon and a random sadistic human man in her stead to do the dirty work, but ultimately she had been the mastermind, the brains behind the operation.
“You can go talk to Mommy Baby Boy, I’ll hold down the fort here,” I offered very kindly, winking at Calix since he liked winking so damn much.
His winking had almost driven a wedge between Chasity and us, remember?
“Alex, feel free to get lost too, take the day, I insist, sightsee, re-organize your sock draw, go crazy!” I said encouragingly.
“How gracious of you,” said Alex dryly.
Both of my unappreciative brothers were frowning at me.
“Okay goodbye,” I said.
I wanted them to go so I could rush this Nikolas guy through the first study session and get some much needed alone time with my Baby Chasity. Pregnant women need romance. Showering them with love and attention was good for the baby (babies in my case, as we’ve already established that I was a baby-making machine). My brothers did not budge. I caved and used my honest communication skills.
Look…I was thinking…I really could use some alone time with Chasity, guys…you know…after her tutor session, we all could, I said privately, softening my tone.
Alex nodded wordlessly. Calix followed Mom out of the room. He did not look nearly as excited as he usually did for mother-son bonding time. He was becoming a man, that one. I knew they would expect reimbursement, i.e. for me to fuck off next when they each wanted to chill solo Chasity. Sadly, I would have to oblige them, but I wasn’t going to worry about that now.
Chasity was glowing and looking like a five-course meal. She was already sitting next to Nigel as they went over a map of our lands. I sat on her other side, making sure he wasn’t teaching her crap. Alex was the one with every single major and minor pack law memorized, but I was the one who knew our land inside out. Every glacier, every frozen lake, every hill, every mountain, every busy city street and every deserted country road. I knew it all. I was territorial that way. The land was mine and yet I sort of viewed it like a living thing, a wild untamed creature kinda like me honestly. There were very few commitments I would prioritize above my loyalty to my pack lands and my pack wolves inhabiting: my pain-in-the-ass parents, my bossy elder bro, my whiny younger bro, and if you couldn’t guess who tops my list, then you didn’t know me at all. As if on cue, Chasity turned to look at me with her beautiful doe eyes. I smiled.
