~ Harper’s POV ~
It has been a week since Katelyn was delivered and everyone has settled into a routine after the shock and pleasure subsided.
Mom suffered through severe blood loss during the C-section so she hasn't yet been discharged from the hospital. Dad took up the responsibility of taking care of his mate, staying in the hospital, making sure she was taking her meds and not surprising us by coding or something. You could easily see that he wasn't satisfied or relieved even when the doctors told him that she was finally out of the woods three days ago. He has been vigilant in taking care of his mate and I couldn't be prouder and understanding for him.
Seeing his mate like that, bleeding profusely, clutching her pregnant belly must have been traumatizing for him. If it had been Zara, I don't know what I would have done, or how lost I would have felt. These days, I feel my thoughts running back to her more and more and they feel like a welcome distraction because, in the absence of my father, all the pack duties and lives have come to rest on me.
Not that I am complaining.
I have already been acting as the alpha behind the scenes, so acting as the alpha and giving out orders wasn't exactly any different than how I have been living this past year and a half.
The first order I had out after Katelyn was born was to implement the patrolling plan suggested by Samantha. The new patrolling duties were explained to everyone in a pack meeting and roles were assigned to everyone according to their abilities. The system has been in place for five days now and has been working efficiently. There haven’t been any new sightings of these mysterious rogues till now, but I was optimistic that we would detect the presence the moment they chose to come near the pack boundaries.
Since both of my parents were mostly busy, caring for Katelyn became my responsibility. I had two small cots delivered and placed one in the Alpha's office, and the other in my room.
She was already the apple of my eye and I refused to let anyone touch her. I bathed her, clothed her, changed her dirty diapers, fed her, and let her sleep on my shoulder. Well, she drooled more than she slept and left my shirts with a very wet patch. I had to constantly change my shirts because I didn't want her to catch a cold from her drool. I didn't expect babies to be this messy.
I quickly got a crash course on how to care for a baby from Aiden's mom and I was proud to say that I had quickly got the hang of everything in the first two days and didn't need any more assistance after that. The most cringe-worthy thing was to change her diapers. I couldn't wait for her to get potty trained already.
I was juggling work and my baby sis efficiently, trying my best to not mess anything up. My respect for mothers increased a thousandfold as I went through the same thing they do.
In the morning, I took her with me to the pack dining room, where I let everyone awe and coo at her, while I had my breakfast. That was probably the only time I let someone take her from me. I made sure only Samantha, Aiden, and Natalie held her; I wasn't going to take any chances with anyone else.
During the day, when I was busy in the office, I had her placed in the cot in my office, keeping her in my sight all the time. She was still too little to play with silly children's toys and slept most of the time. In the evenings, I took her out for a round around the pack grounds, which also worked to my benefit because that way, I was also able to check the pack exercises. I wasn't able to preside over the exercises anymore, so I handed them off to Ajax.
During the nights, I visited the hospital to check up on my parents. They looked exhausted. Mom was recuperating and started to look alive the moment I walked inside her room with Katelyn in my arms. Earlier, mom was too weak to hold Katelyn in her arms but in the last couple of days, she has been playing and spending more and more time with her.
She has also started breastfeeding my little sister as she is off the pain meds. That was one sight I didn't want to see and so, this was the moment of the day where I spent with my dad. I caught him up with all the pack details and the solutions I came up with.
Dad couldn't stop about how well the doctors were treating mom in the first three days. All that praise stopped when the doctor forced dad to take a fitness exam and prescribed him some anti-stress meds to shake off all the worrying and stressing, he had been doing.
As I traveled to the hospital daily, I realized that it wasn't one block away from the pack house as I had thought in the frenzy to get my mom to the hospital as soon as possible. I was so numb to everything that was happening that I ran thirteen blocks, crying at everyone to step out of the way but it was still nothing because Dad carried Mom for thirteen blocks in her arms, not slowing down once.
We hadn't yet had a celebratory party for the newborn baby because mom was indisposed. We were waiting for her to get discharged and then a party would be organized where all of the pack members would come and rejoice for the newest member of the alpha family.
Only the first child of the mated couple of the white wolves turns out to be the next white alpha. So, Katelyn wouldn't be a white wolf. There would be no guarantee what the color of her wolf was going to be. Most probably, she will have the same coat as my mom's wolf. Her shift was still too far away in the future and I wasn't going to worry about that right now.
What I was going to worry about right now was the preparation for the celebration of Katelyn's birth. My mom was going to be discharged today so Dad and I had decided to give her a surprise party.
I had asked Samantha to come with me and help get my mom discharged from the hospital. I figured she would be more comfortable if a girl was caring for her than her very male son. I had asked Aiden to care for my baby sister for the time being. I threatened to castrate him if even a single strand of her hair was harmed.
I turned off the ignition of my car and turned to face Samantha who seemed to be deep in thought. "How weird is it to have your sister and son to be born at the same time?"
I scrunched my nose. I hadn't thought about that. "This didn't even come to my mind. Mom was almost thirty-one weeks pregnant when she gave birth and Natalie is 25 weeks pregnant now. She has an alpha kid side her which will probably mean she will have a shorter gestational period."
"You're terrified, aren't you?" She inquired and smiled genially at me.
I gulped nervously. "I don't think I'm ready to be a father."
"You're already caring for Katelyn like a father, how's this baby going to be any different?"
"I don't know. I'm just really nervous. It's going to be my son. I mean, that's a big deal."
She sighed, "I have a feeling you will shine through. For now, let's make sure your mom gets to her party in time."
I sighed and nodded. Today's my Mother’s Day and I wasn't going to spoil it by thinking and panicking about me and my coming son.
With that, I got out of the car and made my way to my mom's room with Sam by my side.
~ Harper’s POV ~I checked out my red polo shirt, paired with black jeans and black combat boots. I had dressed somewhat similarly to Aiden's birthday party, which felt like a really long time ago.So much has changed since then. I had dressed up that day, as cringe-worthy as those sounds, for Zara because I knew exactly how I needed to dress up to turn her on. I loved how she made moony eyes at me whenever I was dressed up like this but her favorite color on me was black. Now, I was getting dressed up for the celebratory party for my sister's birth. I honestly never thought I would be a big brother ever, and I was sure neither did my parents. Katelyn was a miracle bestowed upon us by the moon goddess and I was forever thankful to her for that.Then, I was madly in love with Zara. At least, that hasn't changed yet and I didn't think it could ever change. She was with me then but she wasn't with me now. Now I had a very pregnant baby mama, a newly mated best friend and beta couple, a
~ Harper’s POV ~A sharp pain was slicing my hear and my wolf whimpered as he took in the blood-soaked body of our dad, with an arrow lodged in the junction of his neck and shoulder.I didn't want to imagine the kind of pain my mom must be feeling right now, considering mates could feel each other's pain. I clenched my eyes for a second to dissolve the world around me. I didn't want panic to overwhelm me, I needed to be in my wits because I would rather die than make my mom mate less and leave my newborn sister without a father.Gathering my wits, I quickly shifted back into my human form. I covered the remaining distance between me and my father's wolf and crouched down to take a look at me.My wolf whimpered again as I saw the condition of his wolf and I clenched my fists to stop from having a breakdown. Pack protocol stated that immediately after every attack, the non-wounded men and women would look after the wounded wolves left on the battlefield. So, I knew there would still be
It has been two weeks since I saw the moon goddess in my sleep and told me that she told me that the sacred race of white wolves was going to finally end, that the reproductive problems they were having with their mates were a result of a carefully put-together plan of slowing them down. It has also been two weeks since I have analyzed and over-analyzed everything she had told me. She had indirectly told me that Harper getting Natalie pregnant was part of a bigger plan, something which I wouldn't be able to comprehend. But instead of satisfying me, she had just left me with more questions. Honestly, I wasn't even surprised at this point. She always did that and it didn't matter to her that I found it frustrating or confusing.I just wanted to what Harper getting pregnant meant. Was she just a means to an end? Was she just acting as a surrogate so the pack could have an alpha after Harper, so the alpha line could continue? Or was she much more than that?Did Harper have sex with her
"His name is Harper," I whispered, my eyes glued to the roof of the gym. My clothes were wet from the heavy workout session and were sticking to my skin. It was very uncomfortable and my nerves were somewhat frazzled because of our make-out session a few minutes ago. "What?" Ethan enquired, turning his head to look at me.I felt his eyes boring into the side of my skull but I didn't have the strength to look into Ethan's eyes and tell him something I ought to have told him a long time ago.Silence enveloped us and I fought the tension inside my body. Was it right to talk about Harper? How much should I tell him? Should I tell him that my mate is the white wolf? If I told him everything, would it also change the way he saw me?"Harper is your mate." He confirmed and I nodded, still not turning to look at him."Our relationship has always been rocky from the start. I think it was bound to fail." I sadly chuckled, missing Harper and Sharing the feeling of missing him at the same time."
Ethan's words kept rolling in my head every time my brain was free to actively think about something. I was going crazy about all the arguments I was having with myself in my head.It had been two days since I had told Ethan the selective truth about Harper while lying on a gym mat. Not the best of places, but still, it was better than nothing. These past two days I have been busy writing am essay which was due to be submitted today. Granted the teacher had assigned this essay three weeks ago but I had just gotten around to doing it. All this drama had started affecting my academic life and I hated it. I had always kept my grades up because I knew it was one of the many ways, I could be independent and take care of myself in the way I wanted to do. I have always had ambitions and boy trouble was the last thing I would let get into the way of that. I had already shifted schools mid-year; I wasn't about to ignore my studies.It was time I set my priorities straight and the number one
~ Harper’s POV ~It has been two days since the attack and these two days have been a living hell for me. Seven more gravely wounded pack members succumbed to their injuries in these last few days, which totaled the death count to 40. I had no idea if there would be more because many of the wounded were still teetering on the edge and fighting for life.40 lives were taken and I had to supervise the organization of 40 funerals. Trust me, it isn't fun!There has always been a set of protocols for a mass funeral in the packs. All the members don't get buried; all the dead don't get treated the same way. Like they were different while they were alive, they are treated differently when they are dead.The infants below the age of one year are completely burnt on a funeral pyre. This is done to make them be one with nature again. Fire easily disintegrates their small bodies and the elements are quickly mixed with the environment, mixed in the cycle of nature.All the wolves ranging from yea
The dream with the moon goddess only strengthened my resolve to call Harper. So, when I woke up, got fresh, I came good on my promise.I won't sugarcoat it. The decision was so hard. I practically sat on my clean bed, with my phone in my hand, doubting my decision and wondering about the potential consequences of this phone call. This could end either way. I could get my heart broken again or not, but I knew I would feel miserable. Whatever way our conversation went. So, after all the overthinking and overstressing, I just decided to get it over with. I turned my phone on and dialed Harper's phone, which I had blocked a few months ago. I was on the verge of hyperventilating and I kept wanting to cut the call while it was still dialing. I didn't know what was Harper doing right then, what if it was something important and he couldn't pick up the call? Half the time, I wished it would keep ringing and go to voicemail so I wouldn't have to talk to him. I wanted to talk to him. I want
I had broken up with Harper. It sounded so simple. The words themselves sounded so simple but only I knew how much weight they carried and how I felt the realization of the fact breaking my heart. I lay on my bed, sobbing as my shoulders shook. It was so damn hard to believe that everything was over just like that. All the struggle that we had been through to come together, all the chances I had taken with myself to decide to love him, it had all come to nothing. Nothing but pain and heartbreak. It was depressing and gut-wrenching to know that we were done, that I was done with him. I had heard and read so many times that love was never enough and that love doesn't always conquer anything and everything but this was probably the first time I was coming in turns with the sayings.It would have been easier if I could just make my feelings for Harper go away. Like maybe a snap of fingers or something. It would be so much easier than to be a heap of crying mess on my bed. I didn't know
Bonus Chapter: Natalie's POVI knew something was wrong when I didn't get my period for two months. I never had a smooth cycle so I wasn't troubled when they didn't happen the first time but their absence in the second consecutive month got me worried. My body had undergone certain changes I knew weren't normal and I was worrying myself to death, thinking about some kind of deadly disease that would kill me in a few months. Even though I knew that my immunity system was way better than a normal human's, I couldn't help but entertain such thoughts. I didn't tell anyone of my concerns as I didn't want anyone to worry because of my baseless concerns. Nonetheless, I booked the first possible appointment with the pack gynaecologist. I had prepared myself for everything, a tumour in my ovary, internal hemorrhaging of my uterus that would result in an immediate hysterectomy, or even breast cancer which would again lead to a complete mammectomy. But as I sat in front of the doctor and she ex
Bonus Chapter: Ethan's POVWhen you grow up as a werewolf, all you ever hear is the word 'mate', because people around you can't stop talking about them. Some elders talk about mates with a dazed but happy look in their eyes and you can easily tell how much they love their mates. When young people talked to mates, you could practically feel their longing and the love they had for their mates. When teenagers talk about mates, you can feel their desperation to find their mates and be one with them. Rejections in my pack were extremely rare and every werewolf lived happily ever after with their fated mates. There were no doubts, no questions asked because your mate could be the exact fit of your soul, your second half, and the one who you are supposed to live as long as you live. Growing up and watching my parents and pack members, this is all I had watched and learned, that a mate was for you to love, hold and protect till the end of your days. When you're brought up like that, the ide
EPILOGUE 3: HARPER'S POV (TEN YEARS LATER)It was three years ago when Mason was first teased by a classmate about the unusual arrangement of his parents. I had always known that as he was growing up, he became especially attuned to the fact that the way his family lived wasn't exactly normal by usual standards. There were so many unusual factors that they were bound to seem different to him and I wasn't exactly prepared for how Mason was coping with how different his family seemed to be from any other family in the pack. As the future alpha, it was essential to be a part of the pack because other people were often intimidated by the power you had and by the power you would have in the future. My father always taught me to be a part of the pack but always remember that you could never essentially be a part of the pack. And this is exactly what I had taught Mason to do; I had asked him to play with all the other wolf kids but always remember that in the future, he will be responsible
Epilogue 2: Zara's POVI could feel everyone's eyes on me, which instantly made me nervous. I hated feeling this way but I wasn't sure I could help it. I hated being the centre of attention and walking down an aisle and standing in front of all the pack members to take part in the Luna ceremony was exactly that, being the centre of attention. Harper had told me that since I was the true luna of the pack, the ceremony would be a little different and I wasn't sure how that would affect me as I hadn't exactly attended Natalie's ceremony. I weakly smiled at all the pack members assembled in the pack grounds and started walking down the aisle towards the raised stage at the front of the pack. I was barefoot to pay homage to the natural aspect of the pack and to respect the raw nature of the wolves. The grass was soft beneath my feet and I immediately compared the softness to the grass in the spirit world where I used to meet the moon goddess. Harper had instructed me to not look around an
Epilogue: Zara's POVA blush immediately coated my cheeks as I slowly woke up from my deep slumber. The bed felt too cosy and I couldn't help but snuggle against Harper's body. His amazing body heat and the tingles that danced all over my skin whenever we touched made me let out a deep, sleepy moan. I felt Harper stir beside me and felt his arm settle on my bare hip, eliciting a heady warmth to settle deep in my belly. His thumb gently caressed my hip bone and I moved closer to him, determined to have as much skin contact as possible and leave no space between us. Harper's scent surrounded me, which brought an involuntary sleepy smile to my face. Even with my eyes closed, I could picture Harper's slightly upturned nose as he slept. It was too hard to resist his adorable expressions so most of the time, I didn't even try. My head rested on his shoulder and my face settled in the crook of his neck. Without needing to open my eyes, I leaned forward and planted an open-mouthed kiss on Ha
I thought about it for so many months, because the act of being marked by Harper seemed final. It felt like a full stop and in a way, it was final, an end. I knew the meaning of being marked even before I had decided to go away when I had learned of Natalie's pregnancy. I had asked him to mark me so many months ago and he had refused. It seemed so long ago, Aiden's birthday party when he found out that Samantha was his mate. So much has happened since then, things that have made me value the most precious things in life, let go of grudges, and the importance of relationships. After all, I have been through, I believe I have grown as a person. Not just me either, I know that all of us, Harper, Natalie, Samantha, and Aiden have grown up and matured in a way that most eighteen-year-olds don't. Well, Natalie is nineteen years old and so is Harper, as of today. So, I want to stress the fact that the decision to mate with Harper wasn't a light one even though I know most people wouldn't s
I think what the moon goddess said somehow helped me get over Ethan's death. I was still wrung and grieving about him for weeks, don't get me wrong but thinking about how must be at peace somehow made it easy to bear his loss. If I were to believe the goddess' words, Ethan wasn't happy in his life and was lost because he had no apparent purpose. I like to think that he got the release he so desperately wanted and needed. Even after knowing all this, I still couldn't cope with the fact that I won't be seeing him every day. He had been my source of comfort and strength for so long, he was someone I could lean on. He had begun to understand me in ways I'd never thought possible. And his absence felt left like a big void and I wasn't sure I could fill it. I didn't know if it was possible to fill it. When Harper told me that Ethan wouldn't be getting a funeral like the pack members because he was a rogue, I had been so infuriated. I knew that what Harper was saying was a part of who he w
~ Harper’s POV~"You do realize that to break the bond between us, either one of us will have to complete the mating process and mark our mates," I remarked and watched as Natalie nodded her head in acknowledgment. We had just gotten back after performing the final rites of the pack warriors who had lost their lives from the battle with the rogues. Needless to say, we needed some time to regain our bearings before we mingled with the rest of the world. I had done it before when my father was fighting for his life and I still found it jarring to my being, to perform the final rites of the werewolves who lose their lives. I couldn't imagine how Natalie must be feeling as it was her first time dealing with this ceremony. And hopefully, the last time. "I know," she said and we didn't speak for a few moments. I sincerely hoped that it would get easier with time, performing this ritual. It certainly hurt more when I knew that the pack members were paying for the mistakes my father committe
When I came to my senses, I immediately knew that Harper wasn't in the bed with me. I had lost consciousness when I was engulfed in his body heat, with his arms wrapped around me. The loss of his presence was so pronounced that I didn't want to open my eyes. It felt like he was the only reason I wasn't emotionally breaking down right now. A very big part of me wanted to be near him right now and the fact that he wasn't here with me disappointed me a lot. Even in my dreams, I had expected him to be here with me, helping me get over my loss. I wanted to never open my eyes and I was glad the room was shrouded in darkness. My neck prickled in awareness and I became aware of someone sitting in the room and even though, the threat of the rogues was over, I suddenly felt unsafe. "I know you are awake, Zara." I recognized that voice and the fear immediately abated. I opened my eyes and got up in a seating position. I leaned against the headboard and regarded the figure of the soft figure of