Hunting Haven, Stone Mountain Shifters, Book 5

Chapter 8 - Genetics

Haven

When I come to, the full moon is shining through the blinds and casts its shimmering light on me. Sitting up gently, I make my way to the bathroom carefully, trying to avoid falling in the semi-darkness.

I flip on the light switch and squint as pain shoots through my head at the sudden brightness. Once my vision has adjusted, I look in the mirror. The glamor has worn off and there I stand, white-blonde hair, violet eyes, a trail of dried blood down my chest with no mate mark. I sigh so deeply in relief that my body actually shudders.

I realize I will have to take another shower after I work out, but I need to wash off the blood. After turning on the water, I step into the stream and begin washing my hair. Blood has dried in it where it brushes up against my neck. I soap up the sponge and glide it across my smooth neck in satisfaction. I'm free. I might be so for now, but I am not absolutely safe. My anger spikes again. In the wolfpack I came from, females are not valued as they should be. Remus didn't respect or trust me as he should have. I have to work to become safe...safe from him and others like him.

As I watch my blood wash down the drain, my mind wanders to my work with genetics and the population decline.  I am respected in my field of knowledge and I will make it safe for women all over the territory who deserve to be recognized as an equal.  I think the key is in the genetics and strengthening females while educating ignorant males.

My core work is based on strengthening mate-bonds and addressing population decline.  Based on facts that we know, fated-mates are responsible for 95% of births, while 4.75% are from chosen-mate pairings, and .25% are non-mated couplings. Of the non-fated-mate couplings, part of the decline comes from miscarriages, while fated-mates have a 99% success rate of viable births.

With these statistics in mind, I think I have discovered the root cause of population decline. Simply stated, fated-mate couples become stronger once their biologies sync, especially the females. Research suggests that the mate bond is a metaphysical tether between individuals. The fated-mate bond appears to be stronger and more deeply rooted than the chosen-mate bond. A nourished fated-mate bond, a strong bond that strengthens both parties, is where most of our population comes from.

Additionally, test results have shown that when hormones transfer from a male to a female through seminal fluids, it can make the female's immune system, muscles, organs, bones, and mental abilities stronger. However, this only happens effectively in relationships where fated-mate bonds are well-nourished, but not as much in chosen-mate bonds.

In simple terms, a healthy fated-mate bond makes females stronger, these strong pairings are important for reproduction. If we can strengthen the female, we in turn, strengthen the bond.  I feel like this is the answer we are looking for to help chosen-mates conceive and carry pups.

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In Stone Mountain City, we have a usual hierarchy structure. We have the Alpha Commander who is over all the packs in the Northern Territory. Under him, are his Prime Alphas who are the leaders that run the packs. There are also Secondary Alphas who are among the ranks of citizens. They have the Alpha personalities and traits, but do not lead packs; they are the natural leaders in society. The next rank are the Betas. The lesser ranks are the Deltas, Gammas, Omegas and then the rankless like I was to become. Before I became a Luna, I was an Alpha, like my father. However, my mother trained me to behave like an Omega due to the lack of recognition given to females in the pack where I grew up. My mother termed it Smoke & Mirrors.