Leaving Home

“Come on girl, mean it.” Thomas yelled, “Where is your head at? Certainly not here, where it should be.” He bantered and swung in low sweeping Ember’s feet out from under her, landing her flat on her back in the dust.

“Tell me you wouldn’t be distracted if you were leaving everything you know, tomorrow?” She breathed heavily, this was the fourth time Thomas had knock her on her backside. Usually she was able to keep up better than this. He was right, she was too distracted today. He smirked as he held his hand out to give her a hand up.

“It’s not like you haven’t been there before. You have spent half of every summer there since you were little.” Thomas pointed out, as she dusted herself off and started to do her cool down stretches. “If you show up fighting like that, no one will take you seriously. You can’t let feelings distract you, when you’re fighting it’s just you and your opponent. No one else, nothing else. You clear your head. Do that and you have the potential to be one of the strongest fighters I’ve trained.”

“I know, but Thomas this time is different. I am going alone, I won’t have Hunter with me. I’ve always had my brother with me.” She tried not to whine, but she couldn’t help it sneaking in to her tone. “They are expecting me to meet my mate and take over with him for Grandad. I’m not even 19, I am not ready to take over anything!” She had always been the adventurous one of the two. Her twin brother was the calm and collected one. He accepted his role as an Alpha easily and has been looking forward to taking over as Alpha in a few years when mom and dad decide to step down. He even already knows who his mate is, she just so happens to be their best friend Isla Rainbar. The three grew up together, since Isla was their adoptive Aunt Sara and Uncle Killian’s daughter. She was half witch and half wolf. Hunter had always been protective of her, but on their birthday last fall he knew she was his mate. Isla is two years younger so she doesn’t feel the bond yet, but Hunter’s wolf knew right away. Ember was a little jealous that he got to meet his mate so soon. She was secretly hoping to meet her mate this year when she moves. She may not be ready to become a Luna, but she did want to meet her mate.

“Go get cleaned up, you don’t want to show up to your going away party all sweaty and covered in dirt do you?” Thomas reminded her as they started to head towards the warrior change rooms just off the practice rings. It was a beautiful early summer day, she loved this time of year. The weather was still cool, yet the trees just finished blooming and the flowers were poking up after the long winter. Everything was green and fresh. Ember opened her locker and pulled out her clothes bringing them to the showers. When she was done she quickly braided her dark auburn hair into a thick French braid and pulled on a light fluttery spring dress that flared out around her knees. They just graduated from high school and her mom finally finished teaching her everything she needed to know about becoming a Luna. Since Grandad and Grandma didn’t have any children besides mom, they asked if Ember would come and take over the pack as Luna and her mate would become the Alpha. It worked out rather well since her twin would be the Alpha here and his mate the Luna. Ember had agreed when they approached her with the idea when she was 15 and she has been training ever since.

Ember stuffed her work out clothes into her bag and threw it over her shoulder as she walked back to the main house. They were throwing her a big going away party tonight and the entire pack was invited. Her mom was evening helping in the kitchen’s cooking up all of her favourites. She ran up to the Alpha suite to put her bag away. Her room was still in the family suite with mom and dad, but Hunter moved into the single suite last week after graduation. She had seen Isla sneak in a couple times already, she was still living with her parents on the Beta floor since she was still 16. Ember didn’t know who she would miss more, her twin or her best friend.

‘Emy where are you?’ Ember rolled her eyes at her brothers link, he still called her by her childhood nickname.

‘I’m dropping my stuff off in my room, why? The party doesn’t start for an hour.’ She linked back.

‘Mom wants you to come to my suite, I’m not supposed to tell you it’s for a surprise pre-party with just the family.’

‘Then why did you just tell me?’ Ember could practically feel the shrug he would give her if they had been talking in person. He was never good with surprises. Sighing Ember headed down the hall. She waited a few minutes before throwing the door open and flinging her arms wide in a dramatic entrance, yelling “Surprise!” Before everyone could say it to her.

“Hunter! You weren’t supposed to tell her!” Alys swatted her son on the back of his head as he smirked and tried to dodge out of the way. Isla was giggling beside them as everyone was laughing and chuckling.

“Guys you didn’t have to do this, one party is more than enough.” Ember said to everyone.

“Don’t be silly we all want to say our goodbyes to you without the whole pack watching.” Aunt Sara said beaming at Ember and sweeping her into a big hug. “You have grown into such a beautiful young lady!”

“Aunt Sara, you see me everyday.” Ember laughed, Uncle Killian came over next to give her a big bear hug.

“Yes, but soon you will be off on your big adventure, we’ve got to get the embarrassing moments in now before it’s too late.” He winked.

“Exactly!” Uncle Jax, dad’s beta was sitting on a stool by the island next to his mate who had been a neighbouring Alpha’s daughter. She was short for a wolf and stocky, her belly swollen with their third child. The first two boys were wrestling each other on the couch over a video game. They were 14 and 13. Her parents, who were also beaming proudly came over to embrace her next. Alys’s eyes were welling up with tears.

“Mom, don’t cry! You will still see me all the time. Once Hunter takes over you can spend your time half here and half with me.” Ember hugged her mom fiercely. She refused to cry.

“Wait, I thought once Hunter took over, your mom and I get to go on a much needed long vacation, some where warm and tropical?” Her father chuckled as Alys shot him a look then wrapped his daughter in his arms. Ember almost started crying again. She was daddy’s girl. They had always had a strong relationship and as much as she loved her mom, she would miss her dad a lot. He always knew how to cool her temper and calm her down. “I will miss you my little fire.” He whispered into her hair, using the nickname he always used for her in private.

“I’ll miss you too dad.” The next hour was spent laughing and joking and spending time together before they went down to the big pack party. The pack party went all night, it was held outside on the stone patio beside the garden that was intended for these type of things. Everyone told Ember how much they would miss her. Isla was stuck to her side most of the night. Hunter and Ember were quite popular with the pack and more than one person came up in tears to hug her tightly and say good bye. By the end of the night most of the younger wolves ended up by the beach with a couple fires going.

“Are you nervous?” Isla whispered not too quietly, she had a couple drinks in her by now and was leaning heavily on Hunter to keep herself upright.

“A little, I mean I know pretty much everyone there. I will have Grandad and Grandma there of course too.” Ember took a large gulp from her drink, thinking about the next day.

“No, silly! I mean about meeting him?” Isla giggled and almost slipped off Hunters arm.

“I think that’s enough for you, babe.” Hunter shook his head smiling at Isla as she giggled again.

“Meeting who?” Ember laughed as she watched Hunter try and take Isla’s drink from her. She was putting up a pretty decent fight despite the fact she was spilling it all over.

“Your mate of course!” She threw her arms wide sloshing the last of her drink from the cup.

“I don’t know who he is going to be, or if he is even in Grandad’s pack. Although I may have a few who I wouldn’t be upset over.” She smirked conspiratorially at Isla who squealed and launched her self at Ember whisper yelling in her ear.

“Who? Tell me who? Is it that dreamy warrior Callum? Carlson? Carl? What’s his name again?”

“Caleb? Maybe. I mean its been a year since I’ve seen him. He might have found his mate already.” Embers heart fluttered a little, Caleb had flirted with her a fair bit last summer. She had had more than one dream or two with him turning out to be her mate.

“Ugh, I really don’t want to hear about this girly stuff, especially with my sister and mate.” Hunter groaned. “Although Caleb did seem like a good fellow, he is well respected as a warrior. Grandad said he was rising quickly despite his young age.” Hunter had a thoughtful expression as he said this.

“Well don’t forget, its been a year who knows what has happened in a year.” Ember didn’t want too get excited. She knew it was a long chance that he would be her mate. They talked and teased for another hour before they realized they should go in. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day!

The next morning Ember woke up early not being able to sleep any longer. She went through her things one last time to make sure she packed everything she wanted to bring with her. She already had her own suite in the Scotland pack house considering her and her brother visited every summer. So she didn’t need to bring anything really other than clothes and personal belongings. She ended up only having two large suitcases and one box. Uncle Killian would be opening a portal for her at 10:00am, she was as ready as she could be and it was only 7:00. She walked into the kitchen to make a coffee and brought it out to the balcony sitting on the couch that was out there. She used the quiet time to look out over the pack. She was going to miss her home, but she had always felt a little out of place. The pack was always going to be her brothers. Ember loved Scotland, the land there called to her. The cliffs, the valleys, it was a magical place. She was excited for her future and what was to come.

“Hello my dear. What are you doing up so early?” Alys walked out with her own cup of coffee and sat down beside her daughter.

“I couldn’t sleep.” She replied simply. Her mom and her had always been the early risers of the family.

“Ahh. Excitement, and nerves, will do that to the soundest sleeper.” Alys smiled softly at her daughter. “And we are not always the most sound of sleepers.”  Ember laughed.

“Mom, do you think I will meet him right away?” Ember asked, she knew her mom and dad didn’t meet until they were a lot older.

“I don’t know. I do know that no matter what you will be amazing. You and your brother are meant for great things.” Alys gently stroked her daughters unruly hair then pulled her in for a tight hug. Ember hugged her back before resting her head on her moms shoulder. They sat in a comfortable silence for quite some time before Aiden hollered for them to come in and have breakfast before it was time for Ember to go.

It was finally 10:00 am and Uncle Killian was doing the final touches on the portal runes in the back of the garden. Ember had her bags and her one box of pictures and keepsakes.

“Okay! Are we ready?” Killian clapped his hands getting the chalk off them as he stood back admiring his handy work before stretching his arms wide and muttering the incantation for the portal door. As Killian’s blue magic trickled out the magical glow grew and formed a swirling circle before it started to clear. She could see the pack house, more like pack castle, just behind her smiling Grandad and Grandma. Turning to her parents she gave them one last tight hug and a kiss, then turned to Isla and Hunter hugging them both firmly. She had said everything she had needed to the night before.

“Wish me luck guys! I’ll call you later Isla! Don’t get into to much trouble without me Bro.” Ember took a look around one last time before gathering her things and stepped through the portal.