Animalistic

21

My god, they were still staring, silent and staring. The last girl's name rung out from the Lady Alpha, but the silent staring ensued as all eyes were upon Atlas and I, hand in hand upon the stage, back where he belongs, and where I feel like an exhibit in a freak show. "Come see the strangest oddity of all: the Alpha Claimed Rank Two!" the old time-y ring leader shows the old time-y crowd a dirty, obviously drugged out, delusional but ultimately depressed circus version of myself holding a fake Atlas' hand as I stand on a mock stage within a cage, a sign around my neck on cardboard reads in toddler like writing Rank Too with a backwards R. Wow, now that's a mental image I know will be popping up in my inevitable nightmares tonight. Great. At least Sav's here next to me. My eyes flick from the eerily silent crowd to her and find an incredulous, eye-twitching, furious glare.

Oh yeah. When I told her and Audri, I didn't known Atlas was the Alpha. And I didn't get to tell them yesterday because, well, situations arose.

Oops.

I'm going to have to deal with that later. But damn, I did not expect for her to be standing here next to me, and by the "scandal" that played out when she was chosen, it doesn't look like she was either. Wait a minute! That means she's staying here! A-And Alex too! I lean out of our straight line a bit to peer over Sav's dagger eyes to see her brother standing with his mate. Horay! But Audri...I don't know.

A tugging at my hand causes my eyes to flick up to my mate. Ugh is it terrible that I love saying that in my head? I meet his gaze and he gives me a raised eyebrow before leaning over his side a bit to whisper to me. "Were you zoned out for that whole Closing Ceremony speech?" He gives a small whisper-chuckle as I open my mouth to reply but he keeps whispering "C'mon, we're supposed to lead the cabinet off the stage." And with that he gives my hand a little squeeze and we fall into a graceful side by side walk as we walk down the stairs, I know I shouldn't, but as we exit the stage I take a quick glance over my shoulder and see Sav, keeping a good distance away from her mate's side giving me a stare as if she was the one punched, not Allen, Thistle and Alex hand in hand and beaming behind them, and acting as the caboose of this train-wreck of a cabinet, the unclaimed blue haired Delta who was really trying to keep from basically skipping off the stage. What a group we are.

As we fully exit the stage area and quietly march our way to the pack house, I take a glance at the dispersing crowd of mated and un-mated wolves, all either beginning to return to the main village of the Long Howl pack or lining up to climb onto buses that will take them home. And just like that, the Mating Ceremony is over. I won't even get to say good bye to Audri. I'll miss the hell out of her.

My eyes flick back forward to find Atlas leading us back to the pack house where we climb the few stone steps onto the porch and through that white door into the marbled entry way, just as lavishly decorated as ever, which is strange when considering I belong here now, in a place so lavish I would never even have dreamed of possibly walking upon this marble every day for the rest of my life. The sounds of our footsteps echo in the now eerily silent entryway as Atlas continues to lead us, through the archway and into the living room, where the Alpha and Lady Alpha stand in font of the fire place, a small smile upon the Lady Alpha's face and the edges of the Alpha's eyes crinkling in a similar fashion, even if his face appears as stoic as always. Atlas continues to lead us until we all stand before them.

"Please, sit." The Lady Alpha speaks softly, though there's a small, giddy rush to her voice. Looking around the room, I watch as each of the couples, and the single, all take seats on near by sofas while Atlas gently pulls me to one for ourselves too. The Lady Alpha clears her throat and looks to each of us, her hazel eyes drifting from person to person until finally landing upon Atlas and I. "Let me be the first to say welcome" she gives a small bow with her head "and congratulations." her smile beams brighter than I think I've ever seen it. "Now, enough with the formalities, I'm sure you're all eager to spend time with your mates." her eyes fall upon Sav, strategically positioned on one end of a love seat while Shepard is perched on the other side, for only a moment a spark, much like the playful spark in her son's eyes, dances around her orbs before they flick back to address all of us once more. "So we release you, for now."