The African Alphas stood regally at the flat stone border in human form. Visena sat cross-legged before them with a beaming smile, and without fail, everyone returned the expression warmly. They seemed to sense her status in human form, unlike the other continent's wolves. "I saw that one of your Alpha's is my Gamma's mate. Is she here?"

"Alheri is my neighbouring pack's Alpha," a young man with rich ebony skin spoke gently. "She is not here yet."

"That's alright. What is your name?"

"Folami," he replied with a tender smile.

Just as Visena went to shift, Gideon tapped her shoulder. "He's waiting at the packhouse with Alpha Alheri."

"I'll meet her right after this shift," she replied with a grin.

Their wolves shifted like all the packs before and mingled excitedly. But, unlike the others, they would bow and rub their cheeks across Visena's, placing their scent upon her. It felt like a cheek kiss if she were in human form. Then, when they shifted back, Visena was embraced by many warm arms. She had never felt more loved by strangers.

"What do you expect from us?" Folami asked curiously. The other Alpha's nodded, sharing his sentiment.

"Nothing at all. You are so far from here that the choice is yours. What I hope for you all is the freedom to choose. I will do everything I can to destroy the Councils' hold across the continents, and you can decide if you recognise me as your Queen or not."

"The bond is clear. There is no denying it, but how will we survive if we follow you and are free from the Council? They control the pack's money, and most of what we have goes to our communities, wolf and human alike."

Visena pondered for a moment. She was sure she could make more money with magic, but that felt slightly sketchy. "I know the current Wolf Council leader, Svend. I'll make sure he tells me how to keep everyone's allowances going."

"Thank you. We must be going now. Please let Alheri know our flight leaves at nine, and if she is not there, she will have to find her own way. I would rather get the fourteen-hour flight over and done with." Folami smiled one last time before the Alpha's turned and headed out of the forest.

"Can we go meet her now?" Visena jumped up and down, squeezing Gideon's hands.

"Come on then."

The pair made their way to the packhouse, and the sight that welcomed them was enough to stab a hole in Visena's heart.

"Please shift. I want to see you," Alheri begged, burying her slender fingers in Jed's chocolate fur. Like her wolf's fur, her skin was predominantly bronze with intricate alabaster markings across her face and hands. Visena remembered from her time alongside humans a skin condition; vitiligo. She didn't think that non-humans could have it, though. Odd.

Jed lowered his head onto his paws and huffed into the dirt.

"Alpha Alheri," Visena called softly.

The woman spun and tried to mask her pained expression as her mate hid from her.

"Queen Visena, I assume?"

The women bowed their heads slightly to one another, and Visena took Alheri's hand. "Come with me." Then, glancing at her mate and his brother, she pulled the other woman into the packhouse dining room. 

Cassia sat on the floor, pulling tissues from a tissue box as Liam ran around preparing a bottle. "Sorry!" he shouted. "I'll be done soon...."

Cassia abandoned her task and crawled over to Visena, lifting her arms for a hug. The Fae obliged and squeezed the infant in her arms. "Da da," Cassia babbled, pointing to Liam.

"Do you think he's your dada?"

Cassia cooed in response, causing Visena to sniffle down tears. She loved them all so much. Alheri and the Fae sat around the table in silence until Liam whisked Cassia out the front door with a bottle tucked carefully away in a stocked picnic basket. "Picnic then bed, Cass. Let's go," he said as they skipped out the door.

"His daughter?" Alheri asked.

"For all intents and purposes."

"Will you tell me what is wrong with him now? Or his name? He wouldn't let me mark him, so I cannot Mindlink him yet."

"Oh... I forgot about that."

Visena had actually never been told that fact but refused to look stupid in front of the most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes on. 

Does that mean I'll be able to Mindlink Gideon after we mark each other? The thought was rather uncomfortable. "It's a long story," she started, "but Jedidiah, Jed, got injured. Badly. His spine was crushed in wolf form, and my mother gave up her magic to help him heal. However, the magic connected itself to his animal side, so he can still shift."

"And as a human?" The Nigerian Alpha quickly read between the lines.

"Paralysed. Not completely, but I don't think he'll be able to walk again. Not if he stays in wolf form forever."

Alheri huffed and stood abruptly. "That does not sound like a reason to not shift for your mate!" she said, stalking from the room, eyes stormy.

I like her already, Visena thought, quickly following after.

"Jed! Jed?" The women went to the last spot he and Gideon stood, but the place was empty. After a deep inhale, Alheri prowled behind the Packhouse towards the medical building. Visena grinned while jogging after and bumped into Alheri's back as she paused at the sight before her. 

Jed sat in a simple wheelchair, dressed and looking forlorn. "Sorry," he said, staring at his lap. Alheri seemed to work through the shock and marched over, tilting his head up to look at her, finger and thumb gripping his stubbled chin. "You are my mate. You were made for me. All of you, for all of me."

"You're beautiful, and I'm broken." Jed tried to avert his eyes, but Alheri growled at him.

"You are Alpha blood, wheelchair or not. Do you think I was easily accepted, looking like this? My mother was Alpha, but my father was a hunter. Human."

Jed's eyes widened, and Gideon growled. A human hunter? That would explain her skin. 

"I worked harder than any would understand to be the Alpha I am today. I'm half-human, so I know how it feels to be perceived as useless. Yet we are not, and others' underestimation of us will be their mistake to make."

Jed's warm eyes flickered as his mate's bond strengthened. "Alright. Well, when do we leave?"

Visena felt her stomach drop. Of course, she was happy for him. She was. But he would have to move across the world to be Alpha alongside Alheri.

"If we go now, we might make the plane with the others," Alheri stated.

Gideon turned away from the group, and Visena felt the dam burst. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, and she embraced the young wolf. "I'm really going to miss you," she cried, sniffling and burying her face in his reddening neck.

"Visena, I- I mean Queen-"

"It's okay, Jed. You can call me potato for all I care, I'm just happy for you, and I love you so much."

Alheri's quiet grumble had Visena explaining over her shoulder, "Like a little brother."

The Nigerian Alpha crossed her arms but let a small smile creep across her lips.

"Make sure you invite us to your mating ceremony," Gideon finally turned back, eyes bloodshot and high cheekbones spattered with a light rash. 

"We will... We'll come to visit for yours too," Jed said, staring at Visena. He seemed to have a hard time looking at his big brother.

A strained smile appeared across Visena's lips. "I guess so... What happens, though? Is it like a human wedding or something?"

Each wolf broke into soft chuckles around her, and she flushed with embarrassment. "What? What happens in a mating ceremony? Gideon, tell me!" She refrained from stomping her foot in the dirt, but only just.

"I'll tell you later."

After the longest, most suffocating hug, and tearful goodbyes from the other pack members, especially Prim, who blubbered so much she had to leave prematurely, Alheri called for a cab to meet them at the border. Gideon got the last hug when Jed shifted and trotted alongside his mate down the beaten path. He said goodbye to his home of twenty-one years. The trees, plants, creatures and wolves would surely miss his tender heart, Visena thought with sorrow. She would miss him dearly.

It's not forever! She tried to remind herself as the newly mated pair broke into an excited trot and headed for their new home.

~~~

A/N

Ahhh, so bittersweet!

Was this too sudden? I felt like he had gone through enough and deserved an incredible mate like Alheri.

Let me know what you think <3

Vote, comment, share xxx

K