The meeting room was huge because it had to be. It resembled a stadium styled auditorium. There was a large steel table long enough to sit 25 people on each side. The seats that circled the room went up to row 42. And it was crammed with people.
The Northland WolfPack was the largest and oldest pack in North America. It once was filled with a rigid caste system, tradition, and rigid set of laws. Now the leaders took a more liberal approach.
In every pack there was an Alpha, that's just basic wolf nature, but in this particular group there was a board of 25 advisers. Sort of like a Presidential Cabinet. All were to be treated with respect, but the Alpha was above everyone. It was a terrible strain on the last alpha who tried to run a pack this large alone.
In Northland the rules are understanding and fairly simple. There is no real caste system, only what nature had intended. The women were the caregivers and respected as an essential part of the pack. They cooked, clean, cared, and nurtured. They worked in the outlet malls, day care centers, and restaurants. Of course there was the occasional woman who became a warrior.
Then there were the men. If the women were the foundation of the pack then the men were the protective walls built around it. They trained, patrolled, and protected. They were security guards, policemen, and the army.
~~
The freshly mated coupled walked in draped in the traditional color white. Honey colored wild hair could be seen form every seat. Sunny Rae's small body stood ramrod straight, shoulders back, and head up. Yet she still looked soft. A contradiction at its best. She appeared to be the fierce fire crackered soul; someone to fight for all the right reasons; yet she seemed to be soft and approachable- the home maker and loving care giver to children.
Storm stood by her side like a strong protecter and a great leader. At ease in his homeland surrounded by his kind. He nodded greetings personally to those who caught his eye. Making him down to earth, someone who's head didn't swell with power and authority.
They made a striking pair. Sunny Rae's short stature didn't even clear Storm's chest, she was all feminine curves. While a Storm was a hulking mass of man, tall, strong, and solid. One would be a fool to mess with these two.
They made their way to the large table seated in the center. The current Alphas rose to greet their son and new daughter. The current Alpha couple were the only ones allowed to touch a newly mated woman.
Storm's mother was named Vivian, and his father was named Leif. Vivian was was a tall willowy woman. She reminded Sunny Rae of the mother from the tv show 'the Adams Family'. She was about an inch shorter than Storm. The woman looked strong and fierce, and yet she had a kind face. She was draped in the royal color of purple. Her dress was practically regal and it clung to her like a second skin. There was a deep plunging neckline, one that went almost to her navel, the sleeves where long and wrapped around her middle finger. The bottom of the dress pooled around her feet like a lake.
Sunny felt intimidated and inadequate. She was standing in front of the woman responsible for the well being of the pack and she felt like she didn't measure up. Literally and figuratively. Storm felt Sunny's raging emotions and rubbed his hands down her back. Soothing her completely. Storm had a way of making everything right in Sunny Rae's world.
Leif was the carbon copy of Storm; or vice versa. The only distinctions between the two was the graying at Leif's temple and he was several inches taller than his son. Sunny Rae wondered if Storm would get any taller. "Tiny little thing, isn't she?" Leif looked down his nose at Sunny. Vivian swatted his arm. "Isn't she just the most gorgeous person you ever seen?"
"Thank you, Ma'am." Sunny didn't if she should address the couple as Mr. and Mrs. Alpha. She silently cursed Storm for not properly preparing her. He said she wouldn't even have to talk, and yet here she was speaking.
Storm suddenly turned to address the crowd. He grabbed Sunny and pulled her close. "This is my mate, Sunny Rae. She accepted me, and we've completed the mating ritual. She will be future female Alpha to the pack and I expect her to be treated as such. Thank you all for assembling today to greet my mate into our society. As you know, she's human, so be gentle with my Sunshine. She might be carrying precious cargo!" The crowd laughed at his joke. It was a werewolf's natural instinct to reproduce. Pups made the pack stronger through the need to protect, bonding, and a growth in population.
"To the males look at her so that you know who she is, then don't look at her anymore. To the ladies, treat her nicely and with respect." Storm sealed the deal with a kiss. This act was equivalent to the bride and groom kissing at their wedding. It signified the acceptance of the mates; sort of like merging the two together. To be represented as one whole soul.
Now that the mating bond was acknowledged in front of the whole pack it was truly complete. The couple would be able to hear each other's thoughts instead of just understanding general feelings. The mates will also draw strength from the touch of their partner.
Werewolves and witches alike celebrated the future Alpha mating union. It was a glorious feeling, the growth and strengthening of the pack; solidified by the strong solid pair.
And now it was time to party. Gone were the old traditions of long mating ceremonies where it was required for the whole pack to sit still for two hours. The Alphas in place now saw it as unnecessary. The real mating ritual intended by the Goddess was done in private. So there was no need for a long drawn out affair. The pack needed to be formally introduced to the new Luna therefore making her position permanent.
