The Alpha's Choice

Epologe

Two weeks later

I wake up the next morning screaming. The visson of Ben's dead body with his blood covering my fur fades as I take in my surroundings. Tanner sits up beside me, looking tired but conserned, he rubs a hand against my bare back and tries to talk me back to sleep but my hand hurts too much for sleep.

I look down at where my left hand used to be. The doctors couldn't save it after the battle, I wasn't surprised and I'm ordering a prostetic as soon as it's fully healed and I can get one fitted. Tanner suggested I should get one made from soild silver and I like the idea of being the alpha with a silver fist.

Also, it turns out Tanner's parents are loaded and he covered mine and Ben's medical bills without any trouble. That would have been good to know earlier but I suppose it doesn't matter now.

I get out of bed and Tanner flops back onto his pillow before begrudgingly climbing out from under the covers as well. He has an irrational need to follow me around after I've lost my hand but I'm learning to work with out it. I head to the kitchen, I pull out the frying pan and then the eggs from the fridge. I haven't perfeceted cracking eggs with only one hand so I end up fishing egg shells out of the pan. 

"Do you need hel--" Tanner starts.

"Nope," I snap and try again with another egg, I do much better the second time. I find the spatula and start pushing the eggs around the hot pan. Tanner walks up behind me and rests his hands on his hips leaning against me as I fix us breakfast.

"Do you remeber what tonight is?" he breaths into my ear, I can feel his smile and I move my left hand to hold his but then stop in mid air when I realizes I have nothing to hold him with.

"Of course I remeber," my voice sounds more rough than I intened. Tonight is the full moon, so he and Brooke are becoming proper memebers of the pack. We've all been looking forward to it ever sence the battle, we need some good after loosing Ben. This will no doubt help moral, and maybe being able to mind link will put Tanner more at ease about me going to the bathroom by myself.

Tanner turns me around so he can look at me proper. He scrunches up his brow when he sees my hair. It's been growing out too long and is now a mess after my nightmare last night. He fixes it for me without saying anything. I wouldn't doubt this whole experience has made us closer. I lean against him and he kisses me. I close my eyes and pull him closer with my right hand, letting my left hang at my side, pretending in my head that I have fingers to tangle in his hair. I still remember how it feels.

Tanner pulls away, frowning at me, "are you okay? You're shaking." I hadn't realized it but I was on the verge of tears again. Tanner pulls me in for a hug and I rest my face on his shoulder, taking breaths to calm myself down. "Oh my God, Cade, your eggs."

I'd forgotten about them on the stove behind me. With the burner on high they never stood a chance. I flick the stove off and pull the pan off the burner with shaking hands. The chard remains of my hard work lays on the black metal before me.

"Come on, we're going out for breakfast," Tanner takes the pan from my hand and drops it in the sink. I try to tell him I'll just make more but he won't hear it.

We walk to Brewtiful coffe shop together. He tries to hold the door for me and earns a smack on the back of the head. He walks in first, smiling like a dork. I close the door behind us and look around. Sitting at a table across the room is James and Abby. James is looking at me already and stiffly turns away when we make eye contact. Tanner follows my gaze just in time for Abby to notice us as well. She doesn't look like she's completely forgiven me but also doesn't look as angry anymore. James on the other hand isn't turning around.

"Maybe we should go," I suggest but Tanner stops me from turning back to the door.

"Let's not let them ruin a perfectly normal breakfast together." He leads the way over to the counter where the barista greets us. We order two coffees and some pastries and take a seat. I sit with my back to James and Abby's table, Tanner's request. I've lost my appetite wondering if either of them are looking at me, even despite Tanner insisting they aren't every time I ask.

At one point James gets up to throw something in the trash and he walks past out table. I watch him walk away towards the trash can and on his way back I stop him.

"James," I say his name and he stops walking but doesn't look at me, "how are you doing? I haven't seen you."

"I'm fine, Cade, thanks for asking," he replies coldly only glancing at me a second. He does a double take. "Oh my God," he's staring at my wrist, or more specifically where the wrist ends. He steps over to me, still reluctant to get close but the stiffness in his expression has disappeared.

"I er, got into another fight," I explain and he seems to understand. 

"James," I hear Abby call him and he turns away a second.

James' standoffish expression returns, "I'm sorry to hear that, I hope it gets better." Tanner scoffs at this but James walks away before anymore can be said.

"Can we go now?" I ask Tanner and he agrees. I don't know if things will ever be okay between James and I. He's seen somethings that a human should never have to and it would probably be better for all of us if he just forgot and moved on. I feel bad for putting him though so much and all I can say is I wish him a long quiet life with a husband better than me.

In the evening Tanner and I arrive at our clearing last, Danny was there first as she has become our pack's beta after Ben. She's got some big shoes to fill but everyone is adjusting nicely. Brooke and Sarah are holding hands, stood very close in silenct anticipation. Everyone else is quietly chatting, the energy is palpable in the air. All heads turn when we arrive I give them all a confident smile that is soon returned.

"Are we about ready to begin?" I don't have to ask but I do anyway. The sky is clear and beautiful, you can see all the starts and the moon smiles down, lighting the clearing for us. I wonder a moment if Ben is in the stars watching us, I kind of hope so. 

We form a circle, me and Danny at one end facing Tanner and Brooke. We say the traditional chants, Tanner and Brooke make their pledges and Danny takes the lead  with a prayer to the Moon Goddess. After all of that is finished seamlessly we wait in silence for the sign. 

I've known it to take second, or hours for the sign to come. What it is basically, is a form of consent from the Moon Goddess to join the new wolves into the pack. She's judging their character at this point, making sure they're a good fit. My instinct tells me it shouldn't take too long, both Brooke and Tanner have already proven their character and loyalty to the pack.

My instinct is correct and a cool wind flows through us all after only a few short minutes. There's a feeling of openness, connectedness to everyone else. We all breathe in unison, think together, and not another minute passes before we're running together. In wolf form we close the ceremony by going on a hunt together to hone our skills as a pack. 

I'm at the front leading the race through the brush and towards whatever the future holds. From now on it'll be my choice.

A/N: The end!
Pretty dang cheesy but I still like it. Tanner and Colt could show up in werewolf stories I could publish in the future, but I think anything about them specifically is pretty much done. Unless I'm hit with some lightning bolt of inspiration. It feels really good to finish something, especially after working on it for so long! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.