I slipped from my mate's arms, wanting to get everything ready for my mate's surprise. I was able to catch two more rabbits yesterday, but we would both have to go hunt today if we wanted more meat for the week. I had seen a black-tailed deer, wanting to tell my alpha about it. Perhaps we could hunt it down together. We could sell a lot of the meat (not having a deep freezer to store any extra) and I was also thinking of selling some of the older furs my mate had kept. It would replace some of the money we had spent. I would have to discuss it with him later, excitedly making breakfast. I cut up potatoes, adding onions, garlic, bell peppers and a zucchini to make a yummy skillet. I thinly sliced the meat to add a different texture to it, adding salt, pepper, and rosemary on top. I cut up some strawberries, putting them in a bowl with blueberries and blackberries for my alpha and I to share.

I heard my mate moving about, peeking my head around only to hear my mate's shuffling from the bedroom; likely putting on clothes for the day. I went to the bag that I placed by the bookcase, having set up my mate's surprise while he had been at work. Everything was ready, jumping away from the bag when I heard the bedroom door open. My alpha looked at me curiously, looking at the bag on the floor.

As he came over, I pushed him far away from the bag and to the dining room, my alpha chuckling at me. We ate breakfast, with me stealing most of the blueberries.

"Surprise now?" Callan asked, smiling softly at me. I knew I was practically buzzing in my chair for breakfast to be over already. I hopped up from my seat, hurrying to the bag and bringing it to the dining room table. Callan looked just as excited.

"No peeking, alpha," I laughed, grabbing his hands in mine, lifting up his hands so they were over his eyes; even if he was blind in one. Callan laughed at me, but didn't remove his hands from his face.

I pulled out the portable radio I bought, not needing electricity to run it since it ran on batteries. I could see Callan's ears twitching, hearing me place it on the table. I turned it on, the sound of static coming out.

"Omega?" Callan voice hinting with nervousness.

"It's okay! One more second," I said, turning the dial to a radio station that ended up being classic rock. Once the music started to play, Callan removed his hands from over his eyes, staring at the radio.

"Omega? What is it? What is that noise?" Callan asked in awe.

"It's called a radio. This is just a little one. There are much fancier ones out there, but we don't need those. The noise is that music I told you about. Singing with words. There are different kinds of music, called genres. You turn this nob here if you want it to play a different genre. Come try it, Cal," I smiled, Callan looking at the radio in awe. I showed him how the dial worked, the small screen on the front displaying the station and the song that was playing, watching his large hands gently turn the nob.

"The numbers here indicate what radio station is playing the genre. A radio station is far away and has people in it that pick out music for the day. You have radio stations 101.1, 98.5, 107.5, and so on."

Callan moved the dial back and forth between stations, ending up back on the classic rock one.

I knew the song that was playing, baring in mind it had been a long while, humming to the music. I could feel my alpha watching me, starting to move my head side to side. I moved next to my alpha who was still sitting. I began to sway my hips, tapping my feet to the beat. I started to dance to the living room, Callan standing to follow me.

"Omega?" Callan asked softly, his eyes watching my every move. I shook my hips, spinning to the side.

"It's called dancing, my alpha! When you like a song, your body can't help but move to the beat in the music," I smiled, "come join me!"

Callan shook his head no, wringing his hands together against his chest, looking shy.

"Don't know music. Don't know dance either," Callan starting to look upset. I could not have my honey bear get upset. Music was to be enjoyed. I hurried to run past him, turning the station to classical, the soft melody of string instruments playing.

"Here, my alpha. This one is much slower," I said, grabbing his hands in mine and leading him into the living room.

"Place your hand here, and this hand here, when it's slow music," I said. One of Callan's hands was in mine, his other on my waist. I rested my other hand on his broad shoulder.

"Now just do what I do."

I gently swayed my hips side to side, Callan slowly copying me; his brow was furrowed cutely in concentration. After a few seconds, Callan seemed to relax, realizing it wasn't too hard.

"Now if you want to move, I take a step forward, then you take a step back," I said. Callan was clumsy on his feet at first, matching me after another minute. We slowly began to turn, my toes getting bumped in to by my alpha's who looked upset when it happened. I had to keep kissing him so he would keep dancing with me. Another classical song came on, Callan seeming to get the notion even though he was still a bit tense.

"And then you spin me!" I giggled, Callan looking confused. I twirled away from him, leaning outward with my other hand still grasping his.

"Now tug me back to you," I laughed, Callan barely tugged at my hand, but I no less enthusiastically twirled back into him; my back pressing against his chest. I smiled when I looked up at him, my alpha nuzzling at my temple. We both swayed together, even when a person came on about an ad. His warm chest was searing into my back, our lips brushing against one another. Our kiss was soft and sweet, gasping a breath against my mate's lips.

"I'll think you'll grow to like music, my alpha. In fact, I'll have a piece of paper right next to the radio where you can write down the songs you like. The song can show up on that little box or the person on the radio will say the name of the song. If they don't, you can always write down the lyrics and we can find the song later."

"Lyrics?"

The rest of the morning was spent with me explaining music, instruments, singers, bands, concerts, and everything in between.

Late morning, early afternoon, came around quickly. Alpha agreed that since he was not by himself, that we could try to work together to hunt the deer down. I stripped out of my clothes, hopping around in my wolf form in excitement. Callan had chuckled at my antics, quickly shifting himself. I licked under his chin, Callan nipping at my ear. I had him follow me to where I saw the dear yesterday. Callan lifted his nose, sniffing here and there. Then he was tracking. I was in awe. I didn't really understand how tracking worked, but my alpha seemed well versed and very skilled at it. Before long, he was moving slower, ears swiveling this way and that. I nearly ran in to him, looking where he was.

My alpha dropped to the ground on his belly and I immediately followed suit. I suddenly spotted a tuft of deep brown fur that melded well within the forest. A deer's head poked up, looking around, hopping up onto its back legs to eat some of the bark off of the tree. Alpha looked at me and I knew that was my cue. Callan had told me that I was small and fast, so I would be the element of surprise. I was to immediately go for the throat, my alpha coming from the other side to jump on the deer to get another part of its throat.

I slunk through the trees, my own brown fur melting amongst the foliage. I waited for the cool breeze to pass down wind of me, continuing to move closer to the deer. I was a few trees away from it, knowing if I got too close it would be able to smell me anyway. The deer was large, easily close to 200 pounds. It stood at least five feet high on slim legs. I took a quiet breath in, coiling my back legs. I spotted my black haired mate behind the deer, watching me. I turned back to the deer, and lunged.

I bound to the deer, its head popping up, startled. It barely had a chance to run from me as I leaped up at its throat and held down. It's head was swinging wildly, easily lifting and moving my body from off the ground, making loud calling sounds. I held tight, starting to get dizzy. My alpha was suddenly there, leaping at its side, his teeth missing the deer's wildly swinging head. My alpha was stronger and faster though.

He leapt again at the deer, but my tired jaw let go. My mate's teeth dug into the flesh of the deer's neck where I had been, but not before the deer kicked my side with a hard hoof, making me skid on the ground. The wind was knocked out of me, blurrily seeing my alpha bite through the deer's neck, the animal falling to the ground; unmoving. Callan started to howl in success, his eyes seeming to find me. His howl fell short, running to me in two large bounds, whimpering and sniffing me all over.

I crooned at him, my alpha licking at my side, making me flinch and growl in pain. Callan was panting hard, looking like he was panicking. I crooned softly again, hoping to calm him down. Callan laid next to me, pressing his head against mine. I softly nuzzled him, licking his snout. Small whimpers left him every now and again. I had to wait for my ribs to heal. No doubt they had been cracked, but it would take a few hours for me to even move. There was going to be a nasty bruise; no doubt about it.

I really just wanted to sleep the pain away, but Callan kept nudging my head every time I closed my eyes for too long. I would have growled at him if his whimpers weren't hurting my heart so bad. The sun was starting to dip, sunlight streaming through the sides of the trees instead of overhead. I moved a bit, wobbly getting onto my paws. Callan was right there, his huge body like a support for me. Callan's soft cries were growing, but I licked over his snout again to calm him. I limped heavily when I began to walk, trying to hold back my whimpers of pain.

I looked at the dead deer, but Callan growled lowly at me. Which I took as, 'we are leaving the deer and going back home.' I didn't bother to argue, but was slightly upset if something else came along to eat our kill. It was a long trudge getting back to the house with cracked ribs. We were twenty feet from the edge of the forest when I froze. Callan had been watching my every move, nearly toppling me over when I had stopped so suddenly. He looked where I was, his hackles raising, getting in front of me protectively.

I didn't dare to breathe. There were two people talking in front of our house. They were both cloaked and hooded in black, standing in front of an older car; just as black as their cloaks. Elders. They seemed to be arguing, but their voices didn't raise. Callan looked ready to kill, his presence becoming almost enough for me to collapse and throw up from the pain in my ribs. Callan turned to me, having scented my distress, calming down minutely.

We watched the two figures get back in the car, driving away. Callan moved slowly out of the forest, sniffing the air. His lip curled back over his sharp teeth, growling darkly at the car that had already left. I hobbled out of the forest, Callan barking at me, meaning to stay. I did as he asked, my alpha entering the house in his wolf form. It was long minutes, dizziness coming back to me. Callan hurried back out, having shifted back to his human form.

I took that as the go-ahead to come out of the forest, slowly making my way into the house. Callan was my shadow. My own nose scrunched at the scent of the unwanted visitors, my hackles raising. A low rumble came from my alpha to calm me down. I carefully made my way to the couch, knowing it rested lower than the bed.

My alpha was watching me, and I knew I needed to shift. My ribs were likely healed, for the majority, but now I needed to rest out of my wolf form. It took a lot of energy to maintain one's wolf form, and a lot of energy to have accelerated healing. I didn't need as much energy if I was in my human form, but I would heal much slower.

I cried out when I shifted, jostling my newly healed ribs. I was half over the couch, my alpha right there.

"Omega! Omega, so sorry! Got hurt! Supposed to protect," my alpha was in tears, his hands fluttering around me, not sure what to do, "then Elders come and make house smell."

I blinked the dizziness away from my eyes, my mate's stress causing him to talk in more simple sentences. His scent was making me whimper, but I held it down.

"Callan, honey, I'm okay," I said with shallow breaths, my alpha whining low in his throat.

"Hey," I whispered, reaching out my hand from my good side to cup his cheek. I brushed away a tear that had left him, his eye gold and thrumming with power and fear.

"It's not your fault, Cal. Don't ever think so again. I let go of the deer. It's my own fault. I didn't mean to scare you. My ribs are mostly healed, but they still hurt. After a few days I know they'll get better," I said calmly, Callan holding my small hand with both of his that was against his cheek.

"Omega, Theo," Callan saying my name with such anguish, "if lost omega, if lost..."

A cry left my alpha, my own tears welling in my eyes.

"Callan, my alpha, my sweet alpha, come here," I said, tugging him closer to me so he could scent at my gland. Scent that I was okay and here. I felt my alpha's wet lashes against my neck, crooning gently at him. I combed my fingers through his hair, kissing his crown.

"I am here, my alpha. I'm not leaving you alone. I promised, remember?" I whispered gently. Callan hadn't even brought his arms up to hold me, my darling alpha afraid he would hurt me if he did.

"Here, Callan. Come help me onto the couch," I said. Callan pulled away, sniffling, helping to ease me up so I could rest on the couch. I sighed at the cushions supporting my back, opening my eyes to see my alpha wiping away a few more tears. I reached up for him, my alpha hunching over me. I pulled him closer, kissing him. Callan whimpered against my lips, his body slowly easing against the couch. Slow kiss after slow kiss, my thumb brushing against his five o'clock shadow.

"There now, alpha," I whispered against his lips, Callan bumping his nose against mine.

"You'll have to air out the house on your own though," I smiled, Callan nodding slowly. He had left the front door open anyway, the cool breeze helping clean out the unwanted scents. I shivered from it though, making me groan. Callan grimaced, kissing my forehead before hurrying to close the front door. He then started a fire, the scent from the burning wood also helping clear out the house.

"Callan, maybe you should bring back the deer. I don't want something else eating it. Plus I wanted to sell some of the meat in the market," I said, Callan scowling at me.

"Hey, I'm not going to move from this couch. I promise. But we worked hard to get the deer and I want you to try it."

"Don't want to try. If omega gets hurt don't ever want to eat new thing," Callan promptly crossing his arms, upset. I rolled my eyes at him, sighing.

"Callan, honey, I don't want food wasted. The deer isn't too far from the house. I'll give you lots of kisses when you come back," I said, pleading at him. Callan grumbled, shuffling to the kitchen before bringing me back a cup of water. He then came back from the bedroom, fluffing a pillow to tuck under my head.

"But, omega hurt. Don't want to leave," Callan whispered. I held his hand in mine, rubbing my cheek against his knuckles.

"I won't move from the couch, Callan. I promise."

Callan didn't move for a long while, slowly sighing. I knew he would give in, his Grandfather instilling in him that food was not to be wasted. Callan lifted my hand up to his lips, kissing the back of my hand. The same motion I do to him if I want him to stay put. I rested fully against the couch, hearing my mate slowly leave. I grimaced when he left, peeking down at my side to see it was a serious bruise. Dark and black in the center and spreading out along the side of my rib cage. I couldn't breathe too deeply. My head was throbbing, sipping at my water. What I wouldn't give for pain meds.

I don't know how long I tried to just fall asleep, even with the warmth from the fireplace. I nearly snarled at the bits of scent I could still smell every now and again from the Elders that had come. I likely wouldn't fall asleep until the scents were gone from my den or at least not without my alpha. I heard a thump from outside, nearly jumping from surprise. I whimpered low, biting my tongue to stop the sound from fully leaving me. My alpha hurried through the front door, relaxing when he saw that I indeed did not move.

My alpha hurried over to me, kissing me softly. He headed off to shower, some of the blood from the deer on him. I longed for a shower too, but my body was refusing most of my demands at the moment. Callan had made a warm soup, sitting on the floor right by me. He gave me a large chunk of bread that I devoured, my headache going away now that I had eaten something. We were sharing a bowl of fruit, my alpha's gaze lost in the fire.

"Elders never come so often. Once every few birth years. But came again," Callan said, lip curling in anger. I frowned at his words, my heart sinking.

"What did they want from your Grandfather when they came by?"

"Don't know. Grandfather never gave anything. Made sure Elders never see me."

"Callan, I don't have much information on them from what I read, but I can tell you what I've found out so far," I said. Callan nodded quickly, turning his concentration more towards me than his own thoughts. I explained as much as I could to him, hoping it was in a way he understood.

"So Elders not strong like me?" Callan asked.

"I don't know, honey. Maybe one or two, but not all of them. Your kind of power, that power you feel inside you, is rare. The power your Grandfather was teaching you to control makes other wolves get scared of you, and know not to bother attacking you. The color of your eye is exceedingly rare, if I had to guess. It shows the power you hold inside," I said, placing my hand over his heart.

"But why come back?"

"I think, it's because of me."

Callan looked shocked, anger flitting through his eye. I could see his hackles raising from where I was laying.

"I think they don't scent your Grandfather anymore, but my scent instead. They are probably wondering who I am. Callan, that reminds me, did your Grandfather say anything about your father? Or your mother?"

Callan furrowed his brow in thought. He told me what his Grandfather told him on his death bed, but it hardly gave me any clues.

"Why?"

"Callan, it doesn't make sense."

Callan only looked at me. He moved so his chin was resting on the couch, looking up at me. His hair was a mess, but I could still see the tenseness in his shoulders from the day's activity.

"Your father, Callan, worked really hard to make Elders go away. But there are still some in his own pack? How did they get you away without him knowing? Or other pack members from knowing? Your mother must have been the Luna of the pack. Her death would have caused a lot of problems, so how did they do it?"

"What is Luna?"