Between Two Wolves

"fuck!" Mariella yelled from the other side of the door. James knocked on the door outside her room. "I'm busy!" She yelled back to him.

"It is me." He said he said in a commanding tone.

"Oh shit." He heard his sister curse. This was proceeded by the sound a few thumps on the floor and the bed before Mariella opened the door. "Is this about your mate?" She asked. James peered behind her to see Jason on the bed. He was the owner of the diner his sister worked for and her mate. He was loosening his twist from the bun atop his head. Jason noticed his alpha's stare, ginned, and gave him a small wave. James rolled his eyes and glared at Jason. He didn't particularly like Jason. James felt his sister's mate never took things seriously. James doubted that when the time came, Jason would have what it took to protect his sister. "Why do you have such an attitude. I am the one who was just interrupted." Mariella said. Snapping him out it.

"There is a problem with my mate," James responded flatly.

"The kind of problem that you need me for?" Mariella asked.

"Yes, you're the one who knows the most about the subject. Just get dressed and meet me in the library." James ordered. Mariella nodded her head and closed the door.

"I don't think he would mind if we finished." James heard Jason say. James banged on the door.

"Yes, I would!" James shouted.

James headed downstairs toward the Library.

The library was in the sublevel of the packhouse. They had a far greater expanse than the above-ground levels. There were no windows but the library was brightly lit with strip lights on each bookcase and the utility lights on the ceilings. The library had three stories, two of which had wide mezzanine floors that wrapped around the library. They are connected by a winding staircase towards the back. It was open 24/7 and as old as the pack itself. James sat at one of the newer wooden tables towards the entrance and folded his arms as he patiently awaited his sister.

There was turmoil brewing inside James. He had never thought he could feel this afraid. Which leads him to feel angry and weak as well. He was also dreading the answers to every question that ran around his mind about this situation. He had pondered about his mate being human and having a boyfriend, or even a husband, before but never another wolf. James felt confident in his ability to compete with a human. To seduce his mate through the bond the moon goddess had gifted them. The thought of having to compete with another alpha never crossed his mind. The thought of competing with a woman never crossed his mind. He didn't know how to process it. He didn't know how to compete for attention. He was born the center of attention for his pack. Had a strong presence that couldn't be ignored but so did every other alpha. James tried to hide this brewing storm of emotion inside him by keeping his face stern and his shoulders back. A stance he used to command obedience but for now, he used it to commend confidence, even though it worked little to that effect.

Mariella came prancing down the stairs into the library entrance. "Hello, James." She stated flatly. She'd wrapped her hair into a bun and slipped on a loosely fitted sundress.

"Sit," James stated pointing his hand to the chair across from his. Mariella complied.

"So are you going to tell me why your down here with me instead of consummating with your mate up in your room?" Mariella asked.

"How did you know?" James asked.

"Are you kidding me? I had barely stepped out of my room before someone strutted up to me just dying to spread the gossip." Mariella replied. James grunted. He should have known that word would spread fast. She wasn't just his mate after all. She was this pack's future luna.

"I don't know what to do Mariella," James admitted.

Mariella leaned forward and placed her fist and elbows onto the table. "Well, well, well. That's a first." She said as she stared into his eyes.

"What?" James asked.

"You're terrified," Mariella whispered. James immediately leaned back in his chair. "I have never seen you this afraid James."

"How can you.."

"You are my big brother. You can try to hide it as much as you want but I will still be a James Leoness expert." Mariella gave him a grin but he didn't return it. "Is this about that boyfriend?"

"Yes and no," James replied. "She already has a mate." James waited for her response but she sat unfazed and just nodded for him to continue. "According to the registry she is mated to a firstborn alpha."

"Interesting," Mariella commented.

"That's all you have to say!?" James shouted. "Interesting? Why aren't you surprised?"

Mariella let out a deep breath. "I know you are surprised James but think about this logically. No matter what happens this girl is still your mate." Mariella crossed her arms and looked James up and down analyzing him. "There are two possibilities here. Either he isn't her mate or this alpha is also your mate. The moon goddess has done this before. Give two alphas to one pack. It's a good sign. Makes for a greater pack."

"That's impossible," James said.

"Why?" Mariella asked.

"Because the other Alpha is a female," James said. For the first time, Mariella's eyes widened in shock and she mouthed a silent oh.

The two siblings sat in silence for a moment. James' head hung low. "I have you seen her?" Mariella asked. James looked up to her with his eyebrows furrowed. "A picture? A video? Have you smelled her scent?" James shook his head. "It's possible she could belong to you as well."

"For what purpose?" James asked.

Mariella rose from her seat, "Fallow me." She commended and then started down the stairway. Towards the bottom floor. The bottom floor of the library was filled with the oldest and less used books. Mariella led him toward the back towards a bookshelf of old diaries. Most of which weren't authored by anyone special to the pack's history. "Before I found Jason I had a fling with a human female from the town." James didn't know about this but he let his sister continue. "I got curious and started digging around about female mates. It is rare but I found accounts of quite a few. Most of which were lower class wolves," Mariella removed a book off of one of the higher bookshelves. It was bound by an aging beige leather. "Except for this one." She handed the book to James.

Lira Ignacia was carved into the leather, barely recognizable after all these years. "Lira Ignacia," James whispered the name to himself. "Wasn't she a luna to a female alpha? How is this going to help me?"

"The Alpha Ophelia Ignacia was originally Pham Hang Lung before her pack moved from Vietnam to a rural estate in England about 400 years ago. Don't quote me on the name though. I am not quite sure how to pronounce it. That is probably why she changed it."

"I know about this. Ophelia found her mate in England then conquered half of the packs in the area." James said.

"That is what some people will have you believe," Mariella said. She strutted toward a nearby table and sat down. James sat alongside her. This was one of the older more fragile tables. Probably as old as the library. "The two parts our history teachers left out was that Ophelia met Lira while she was on a mission trip from the church in Vietnam and Ophelia already had a mate when they met, a male one."

"Why wouldn't I know about this?" James asked. "Ophelia was one of the most influential alphas in history. It seems like a vital piece of information to leave out."

"That is because he wasn't an alpha. This male, Duong Ba Binh, served as Ophelia's Luna. The pack always wants us to believe that males have to be these macho protectors. One of the most powerful packs in history having a female alpha and a male luna kind of undermines that idea." Mariella explained, "Plus, he never changed his name. Was to proud to assimilate into English culture. It could also be a whitewashing thing but I guess we will never know why most pack historians forgot him."

"And how do you know this," James asked.

Mariella rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious. That is Lira's diary. It accounts for the two years between when she met her mates and when she moved them to England."

"And how did we get a hold of it?"

"During the 19th century when the pack disbanded to move to the united states two of Lira's diaries were brought here by one of the higher-ranking members that were absorbed into our pack. The other diary, which accounts for Ophelia conquering the neighboring parklands is upstairs and for some reason, Duong Ba Binh was mostly left out. Barely mentioned enough to understand he was a high ranking member of the pack, especially the Alpha's mate." Mariella continued.

James absorbed every word she said. Trying to fit himself into the story like it was a puzzle. Could this Alpha female be for his pack? Did the moon goddess see him as not enough? Did she see him as weak?

"I know what you're thinking James," Mariella said to him. "Duong Ba Binh may have been a luna but he was a powerful wolf. Arguably even more ruthless than Ophelia." Mariella rose and tapped a finger on the book he held in his hand. "Read it. It might help you find the answers you need for this." Mariella stroked a hand through his hair and he tilted his chin up to look at her. "I know that this will work out well for your brother. When the moon goddess commands it love always finds a way."

Then she left leaving James alone at the table. He sat and stared at the cover of the book for what felt like half an hour. Part of him wanted to put it back on the shelf, forget what he heard, and go upstairs to make Jasmine his but he knew it wasn't right. That at the center of his turmoil lay a gut feeling that told him there was much more here than any traditional mating. Maybe it was the moon goddess speaking to him or maybe it was his fear.

Against the roaring tundra inside of him, James let out a heavy breath and opened Lira Ignacia's diary to seek the answers for himself.

֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍

I Aurora lost the scent as she neared a road in the woods. She was lucky to have gotten this far because of her alpha senses. Aurora knew with woods came pack lands and with pack lands came more wolves. Aurora was strong but not strong enough to take on a whole pack alone. Aurora decided to instead roam around the perimeter of the woods. Attempting to sniff out the direction of the area with the lowest population densities.

Poor little Jasmine. They probably had her mate locked in a cage. Aurora did not want to imagine what the wrong kind of unmated male might do to her or what pain they might inflict on her for trespassing onto their property. Kill them all her wolf told her. Kill them for touching our mate. Rage burned through Aurora and she struggled to suppress it as she scoped the area. So when aurora heard a rustling in nearby she pounced.

She soon had her jaws wrapped around the neck of a smaller wolf. His eyes widened in fear and shock. The wolf whined and opened his neck in submission but Aurora didn't back of. Instead, she bit into his jugular, not had enough to kill him or even leave a scar but hard enough to hurt. A warning. Aurora released her jaws from him and shifted back. He didn't move.

Aurora spit wolf's blood from her mouth onto his pale orange coat. "Shift!" She commanded and the wolf obeyed. To her surprise, he was a very tall and muscular male. Not the type she would expect to submit so easily.

The man seemed to cower on the floor and he raised his hands in surrender. "Aurora, I presume." Aurora straightened her posture at the sound of her name. The male's manhood was protruding out for the world to see and he was unfazed yet he blushed and tilted his head away as to keep his gaze from being caught onto Aurora's breast. Aurora scoffed at that.

"Where is she?" Aurora asked. "and don't even try to play games."

"Well first let me introduce myself." The man said.

Aurora flared her teeth at him. "Where. is. my. mate." She gritted out.

"She's safe. In one of our rooms. We even gave her a maid." The male used his hands to lift himself and distance himself from her.

"Take me to her," Aurora ordered.

"I am sorry but your not my Alpha." He said. He was trying to be formal and polite but Aurora didn't care. She pounced on him once again, only this time squeezing a hand on his throat. She slowly started to increase the pressure as she squeezed onto his throat. His face became red and in between attempted gasp he croaked, "I'm the beta. The alpha sent me to find you."

"What does he want with me?" Aurora kept increasing the pressure on his throat, letting her claws dip into his skin. The wolf's blood leaked onto the forest floor.

"Nothing. He wants nothing from you!" The male said. Aurora increased pressure she didn't believe this man for a second. "Please!" His face began to turn purple and his airways had closed to much for speech. He began to claw at her arm but she easily lifted both of his hand above his head with her remaining one. She watched as his eyes fluttered and released him. She sat beside him as she watched him fight for breath with a large intake of air and choke on it.

"Tell him to let me take my mate and we'll leave. We didn't trespass for malicious purposes." Aurora commanded.

He rubbed his neck tentatively and looked up at Aurora his eyes bulging from his head. "You seem pretty damn malicious to me."

"I am an alpha. When we ask something of someone I expect it to get done." Aurora replied. It was true. One of the more annoying things about being alone alpha wolf was that most other wolves she encountered never really took her seriously until she showed force. It had become the first response to her in these past first years.

"Go back to the hotel and we will call you." The beta said.

"And what about my mate," Aurora asked as she stood up to loom over him.

"We need to guarantee you will both stay in town. Keeping your mate with us is the only way to ensure that. This is final. You can make negotiations when the alpha calls you." Aurora lifted her hand to throw a fist in the beta's direction. "Even you can't take on an entire pack at once. If you kill me he won't let you see her."

Aurora let out a deep breath and attempted to calm herself. "Fine. I want a call by tonight or the next wolf from your pack to cross my paths won't be coming out of the encounter alive." Aurora warned then shifted and ran back to the direction of the hotel. Our mate! We need to rescue our mate! Aurora's wolf whined in her head. The desperation her wolf felt to be reunited with Jasmine tore at Aurora's heart. Soon Aurora told herself Soon.

֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍

"Dear Diary, I have arrived at the port town of Prey Nokor. The captain has told me that is translated to forest land. That sparked hope in me. I hope to find a place where my wolf will be let out to play. That hope relieves the saddens of waving away the ship. Home seems like a world away and I am unsure if I will ever return. My father is dead and his aides are counting the moments until one of them sits on his throne. With no son to inherit the alpha position and me unmated. I am sure that is why they sent me away. Why I am so far from my friends and family. Far from any packs where I might find my mate. I had hoped he would come. I prayed to the goddess every day of my father's Illness that he would claim me in time to claim my people.

The people here are very different from England. I am very different from these people. The women here have cascades of hair as dark as night. It made me quite insecure. I covered my head as to detract stares. I have never before thought this much of my red hair. It has never attracted this much attention. The women here also where robes, while my missionary leader has forced me into customary Anglican dresses. These distinctions from those around me only serves to deepen my loneliness. I hope I will return home soon.

-Lira Ignacia; June 19th, 1628."

James read the first entry of the diary disappointed by the lack of information. He did not know how long it would take for Lira to meet Ophelia and was eager to reach those entries. James had not been taught much of Lira Ignacia. Only that she was a noblewoman who brought her mate to her estate. The stories of Ophelia's battles were always brief in his lessons and her mate was never mentioned in any of them.

James wondered what else he had missed from those lessons. What other figures in the Lycans past could give him answers. Most of the figures he learned about were other Alphas. He learned strategies and policies but he was never taught much about mates. It was always supposed to be simple. He finds her, consummates, and she becomes his luna.

James heard footsteps and looked up from the diary to see Caireen marching toward him. "James, Briannon made contact with the Aurora Cholmondeley." Caireen stood straight avoiding James' gaze. His hands connected behind his back.

"And what did she do?" James' asked him.

Caireen opened his mouth to speak but then rescinded. "She did as asked. She left to wait at the hotel."

"Who do we have to watch her at the hotel?"

"We set up cameras in the room sir. We also have a camera feed to every hallway, staircase, and the lobby. We have a car parked outside her window to keep an eye as well." Caireen answered.

"You put camera's in her bedroom?!" James' yelled. Caireen flinched.

"and microphones."

"Show me." James' ordered. He closed his book and fallowed Caireen as he ascended the stairway.

"We also placed cameras and microphones in you're room as well. To keep watch of our luna." Caireen added. James' wolf was slightly offended at this. He wanted to dismiss the notion but he knew that they were right. He didn't know what to expect from Jasmine. She had attacked him after all.

Caireen led James up to a surveillance room in the attic. Two of the lower pack members promptly exited at their entrance. James barely came into this room. It was always dark. The only source of light coming from the many screens mounted onto the walls. Four bigger screens sat at the center of many smaller ones. Some surveilling the surrounding woods, Some in the town, and some in the packhouse. Caireen used the control panel towards the left side of the screens to switch two of the views to angles in his bedroom and the two angles from the inside of the hotel room in town.

The hotel room was empty while in his bedroom, Jasmine slept in an almost sheer purple nightgown. Probably given to her by one of the servants. She was adorable. James couldn't help but feel a shiver of joy and relief to see her sleeping soundly in his sheets.

Jason heard the click of the door on the other side on through the speaker on the side of the other screen. James sat down on one of the swivel chairs in front of the screen. He watched as a stunning honey-haired female walked into the room. James was amazed. Aurora seemed to glow with a golden aura even through the screen. She was wearing a long t-shirt dress and by the sight of her nipples, James could tell that there was nothing underneath. She was shorter than him, close to Aurora's height but her build was skinnier. She was toned and tanned. Every limb of hers a finely carved weapon. Her head hung low. James could tell she was upset. Aurora sat on top of the bed with her knees. Facing the phone. Through the camera, he could see her bubble butt stick slightly into the air. James felt his wood harden in his pants and to his surprise, his wolf didn't protest him ogling someone who wasn't their mate.

Ever since he found out Jasmine was already in a relationship with someone else James was jealous. Like he had to compete for Jasmine's affection. But admiring seeing Aurora with his own eyes switched something inside him. Some of his anxiety and fear melted away. A part of him truly began to believe what his sister said could be true. Maybe Aurora wasn't a burden or roadblock between him and Jasmine.