The Mahani Wolves

Chapter 33 - Sam

I've spent most of my day going through the thoughts of these disheartened souls. Their pain overwhelmed me, and I had to stop for the day. Leah had done a few also, and I felt her anxiety. We identified all those who were with the ones who had already rejected their mates, but we don't know how many were still affected. We asked the Council to send a representative to Blood Alpha Sands, but I doubt anything would come from it. The Council was too easy on him, and it will come down to someone killing him. So far, none of the mates rejected have died, and we had a way to repair the damage. What a mess.

Since it was time to eat the evening meal, I headed over to the house with my head hung lower than usual. It's been a rough day. My beautiful wife was arriving at the same time as me, so we held each other on the front step for a long moment. Her anxiety was high, too.

"This is the best I've felt all day, love. I'm so grateful to have you, but it brings back the feelings of these poor young wolves. How are the rejected ones doing?" I asked her as I opened the door to our home.

The smell of food cooking interrupted our conversation as we breathed in the delightful scent of beef stew and fresh bread.

"Don't worry about them," my beautiful wife said. "Once they were told the situation could be reversed, they are doing better. None are suicidal any longer."

"Anybody hungry?!" my youngest daughter yelled as her head popped out of the kitchen. Grace liked to cook but refuses to eat the food most of the time. We got her to a point where she will eat a full breakfast, but lunch and dinner were still a chore. Most of the time, she would drink a smoothie or flavored protein drink for those meals when no one else was around to make her eat.

When she walked out to greet us, I noticed a small stuffed animal sticking out of the collar of her shirt. When I reached out to touch it, her wolf growled at me. I rose an eyebrow at her.

"I wrapped him up in Lachlan's blanket yesterday after Holly and I went for ice cream, and I almost lost my cool. When I got up today, he smelled like the blanket, so I can carry him around." As she talked, her wolf forced her head down to sniff the tiny bear.

"Smart thinking, Grace," I said as I messed up her hair.

"Stooooppppp!" she says as she pulled away from me. "How is Lachlan doing?" She asked us as she hugged her mother.

"Why don't you get washed up, and we will talk at dinner?" My wife stated as she pulled out of the hug.

"I didn't check on him today. Did you?" I asked through the mindlink so Grace wouldn't hear.

"I didn't. We have both been swamped, so don't feel guilty. Just link Nicolas and ask while she is washing up. I'll set up the plates." My wife's behind caught my attention momentarily as she walked away. As she saw my thoughts and where they were headed, she turned her head and winked at me. I walked out of the dining room and into a side passageway that led to the bedrooms. Once inside my room, I linked Nicolas.

"Blood Alpha Cooper to Gamma One."

"Good day to you, Blood Alpha. How can I be of assistance?" Nicolas had always been very polite and formal, the after-effect of being the child of a Blood Alpha.

"How is Lachlan doing?"

"We had to cut a small piece of the blanket off for him to carry around, to get him out of his room. His temper is slightly off, but it's not much worse than normal, or so I'm told." I heard the smile in his voice.

"Grace wrapped a small teddy bear in the blanket yesterday to have something to carry around today. Have him do the same when we switch the blankets tomorrow, and we can include the small pocket-sized item, too."

"Understood. Any progress with coming up with a way to get them together?" He asked.

"Your father has taken that over for the moment, as we have an issue consuming our time. Leah and Brian will work it all out within the week." I predicted. "Are you and Kayla ready for your ceremony? It's in five days..." I let the thought drift off, as he knew what I was asking.

Kayla and Nicolas must both be marked for the ceremony. They do not need to mate, but since the two go together, it's unusual to complete one without the other.

"I don't know, Blood Alpha. We may need to put it off until the next full moon." His voice was strained, and I could tell he did not want to have this conversation.

"Does Kayla know about the marking?"

"We have not discussed it yet." His words had a tinge of guilt. I could also feel embarrassment about having to discuss this with someone else. Since wolves were loving creatures when it comes to a destined mate, I knew this was from the attack and not his upbringing.

"Talk to her, Nicolas. I want to hear from both of you within the next few days." It wasn't an Alpha command, but I rarely needed to use those with my own people unless it was a medical emergency.

"Yes, Blood Alpha, I'll talk to her tonight." I knew he didn't want to face it, but they needed to talk about it. He knew this as a shrink, but his emotions limited him.

I let the link drop as I walked back into the dining room, Grace hot on my heels.

"Well, I'm washed up. You don't have to send me back to do it again, either. See..." She held out her hands for me to inspect. "So, how is my mate?"

I took her clean hand and led her over as her mother put the food on the table.

"He had cut a small piece off your blanket to carry around, but I was told he was just a little off his normal. You'll both get used to it soon enough. We'll switch the blankets tomorrow, along with something small to carry." I said to Grace, but made sure my mate heard.

"That's good. The scent is already starting to fade." My poor girl sounded worried.

"We won't let anything happen to you, sweetheart," I assured her and got a big smile in return.

Lily and I fed Grace from our plates as we ate dinner. We've learned from experience not to make her one of her own, as she focused on it until she got sick.

"Did you have time to talk to Evan today?" I asked my lovely she-wolf.

"I did. He has an idea..."

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