Serpent Mound - 19. New Beginnings

Axel emerged from his tent at sunrise, nude once again. The wolves and his mate were in no hurry to get up after having spent most of the night engaged in nocturnal calisthenics. He pulled on his favorite pair of gray cotton shorts and strolled down to the camp’s mess area for a cup of morning coffee.

The only other creature stirring at this hour was Colonel Banshee, on her cell phone, arguing with whatever unlucky soul was on the other end.

“I swear to Zeus,” Susie said, “If you’re doing this out of spite, the General will not only have you discharged from service, but you will also be facing a full court-martial in front of the entire Council, do you understand me?”

“Yes, that makes sense,” Susie replied after the person on the other end had a chance to explain. “All right, fine. But we aren’t driving the Humvees and the prisoners all the way to Calgary, understood? You’re going back to Cumberland, and we will rendezvous with you there later today.”

“You have your orders, Captain,” Susie said finally. “Good luck.”

She ended the call, and then rubbed the bridge of her nose between her eyes in frustration.

“Trouble in the ranks?” Axel asked, handing her a cup of coffee.

“Oh, it’s that jerkoff pilot again,” Susie replied, taking the coffee gratefully and slurping it without regard to temperature.

“Do you need me to kick his ass for you?” Axel asked, “Because I’ll do it. Just for you honey.”

Susie smiled around her cup.

“No, that won’t be necessary. He was just letting me know that even though he was able to land the plane on that short runway to the south, it isn’t long enough to build up enough speed for takeoff unless the plane is completely empty. In layman’s terms, he says that he’s going to have to sit at the end of the runway with the brake on and power the engines up to near full and then release the brake. Without the additional weight of passengers and cargo, and with the takeoff under heavy G’s, he should be able to be airborne before he runs out of pavement.”

“So, we’re driving back to Mt. Savage,” Axel replied. “The Cub will be thrilled.”

“Yeah, but we have prisoners and civilians to transport as well,” Susie said.

“I’ll take Karhu, Bernie and Siku with me and Adam in my truck,” Axel said. “Let the heroes ride in comfort. You’ll just need to find space for the other eight bears in your Humvees.”

“I’m going to keep the prisoners separate,” Susie said. “If I put four prisoners to a Humvee under guard, I can get all but two of them into four vehicles. That leaves our special little kitty Namir, and Everett the elder boar to travel in the fifth vehicle. We’ll put the three human kids in the command vehicle with Apollo and myself, so that leaves four Humvees with space for two bears apiece.”

“Piece of cake!” Axel replied and clicked his coffee cup against the wolf’s. “How much longer are you going to let them all sleep?”

“Even Apollo is wiped out from this mission,” Susie said. “The cooks just got started on breakfast, so I figure I’ll give them all another hour and then start kicking asses if they haven’t gotten up on their own yet.”

“Are you the same wolf who used to wait tables and put on amateur drag shows in the Silver Bullet back in the day?” Axel asked with a smirk. “A lot of the faces from those years are a blur, but I never forget the exceptional ones.”

“I wondered,” Susie said, “After all this time, if you were ever going to bring that up. The answer is ‘no’ Axel, I’m not the same wolf I was back in those days.

“Back then, I was a homeless frightened pup. Playing dress-up because it was exciting to go against the norm. A boy in a dress. After I left the Bullet, I found my home in Chicago, and my drag went from amateur to professional. Eventually, living life as a female became my true self.

“I can’t say for sure when I made the change within myself to officially transition, but it was around the same time that I formalized my position within the Chicago pack and with Alpha Apollo. When he made me his Beta, the official report to the Lycan Council did not state that I was gay, or a drag-queen, but instead that I was the first transgender female wolf lycan promoted to that rank within a North American pack.”

“I’d say that Apollo made a very wise choice, Susie,” Axel said with a smile, “A series of wise choices, really. First to make you his Beta, then his Colonel, and finally… his Mate.”

“Thank you, Axel,” Susie replied. “We may not always show it, but most of the Alphas and Betas are very happy to have you on the Council. You aren’t the same bear who used to bust heads and bully a bunch of confused queer wolves just for kicks back in the day. You have really changed things for the better for all lycans.”

At that moment, Adam came walking up in his own thin cotton shorts looking for coffee as well.

“Morning, Papa. Susie.” Adam said with a yawn. “What have you two been talking about so seriously while everyone else was still asleep?”

“The Colonel here was just telling me how impressed the wolves are with my sexual prowess,” Axel said, casually flexing his muscles and making his bulge in his shorts flop. “Those horn-dogs all want a piece of your ol’ Papa.”

“Of course she was,” Adam said dryly, pouring himself a cup. “I’ll have to make a note of that in my official report to the Council.”

****

It was mid-afternoon when half of the caravan rolled back through the gates of the Academy. The five vehicles transporting prisoners had split from the rest, going straight to the airfield in Cumberland to rendezvous with the C-17.

When the five remaining Humvees and Axel’s Benz rolled to a stop in the circular driveway in front of the mansion, Rodney and Marcus leaped from their vehicle first, anxious to see the state of their beloved cafeteria during their absence. Daniel Arnold himself had taken over cafeteria duty for the last few days, recruiting groups of five boys to assist with each meal until things could get back to normal. They arrived just in time to see the lunch crew cleaning up, and other than throwing a minor fit that nothing had been put back where it was supposed to be, they were generally happy to see the place still standing and all the Cadets fed. They shooed their boss and his skeleton crew of Cadets out of the kitchen and set about putting things back in their proper place and planning a dinner menu for that evening.

Siku was taken into the infirmary in the mansion to have his wound checked out by the bear physician/biology teacher on staff. Considering that less than a day before, his entire back had been a massive third-degree burn, he was definitely on the mend. He still showed evidence of a terrible burn scar, but the remaining blackened tissue was carefully washed away by the bear physician, revealing healthy pink skin underneath.

“Give it another week,” the bear told Siku, “And the scar tissue should be healed as well. Maybe another week after that for the hair to grow back and then you’ll be as good as new.”

“I am grateful that you’re still with us, brother,” Erik said with teary eyes, holding Siku’s hand during the exam, “And that you will be able to fully heal from this injury. I promise when we get back to Atikokan that Max and I will not treat you like an outsider within our relationship as badly as we have done in the past. We will welcome you to spend as much time with us as you would like!”

“I appreciate that, brother,” Siku replied, “But it is time for me to no longer sit alone in Atikokan, waiting for the future to come to me. If I am ever to have a Cub or a Mate of my own, my destiny lies somewhere beyond our tiny community, and it is my own responsibility to find it for myself. Once I am fully healed, I will embark on a journey of discovery and see where the winds of fate take me.”

The two polar bears embraced and wept with both sadness for the ending of their old way of life together in Atikokan but also with joy and excitement for the new adventure that awaited Siku.

“May I have the attention of the two Councilmembers in attendance?” Apollo announced as he and Susie prepared the remaining Humvees for rendezvous with the C-17. “I have a proposal and wanted to at least get approval from the Council who are here.”

Axel and Thomas walked over to the Alpha wolf as he and Susie stood with the three human children.

“After a discussion with my mate on the drive here,” Apollo said, “We have decided to send the rest of the troops on to Calgary on the plane to deliver the prisoners to the Council prison until time is scheduled for their trial and sentencing.

“Susie and I and our personal driver are going to take the three humans with us straight to Chicago instead. There is no sense on putting them through a trip to Calgary and dealing with the sterile environment of the Council Headquarters. We have decided to foster them personally, until such time that they have proven to be sufficiently educated to enter society on their own.”

“You have no panthers or boars in your territory,” Thomas replied, “Is it going to sit well with the pack to have those two with you?”

“I’m the Alpha,” Apollo said boldly, “And I have long decreed that all friendly lycans are welcome and will be protected within my borders. That includes these young kindred humans. They will be safe under our care until the time that Council determines that they have a home among other panthers or boars.”

“If your Mate is ready to be a Mommy,” Axel replied with a grin, “Then I speak for the Council when I say that leaving them in your care is the best option.”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to be a Mommy,” Susie replied, “But I know that the other She-Wolves will be ready to be Aunties to this little pack of pups! We’ll all be just fine.”

Axel and Thomas nodded in agreement, and the wolves loaded their teenage human charges into their Humvee and headed themselves on the road home to Chicago.

****

After Axel, Adam and the three polar bears were loaded into the Benz for the drive home to Canada, Gary called Bill, Thomas, Sam, Karhu, and Bernie into his office for a discussion of the short-term future.

“Bernie,” Gary began, addressing the young man, “You will remain here at the Academy to finish your Senior year. You will also start additional one-on-one training sessions with Bill, learning to control the demigod power within you and how to use it without letting it consume you.”

“Okay,” Bernie agreed, “Is Papa going to live here with me at the Academy too?”

“No Cub,” Karhu replied, “You must take this time to learn and to train, but I will not be far away.”

“Thomas and Sam,” Gary said, “I know that the Council is going to want to stay apprised of this situation closely. We can’t have a werebear demigod living unmonitored among the human population. I propose that while Bernie continues his time at the Academy and potentially beyond until Bill has determined that his warrior training is complete, Karhu should live with the two of you so that he may visit his Cub frequently and further cement their mating bond, while you monitor his progress as he trains to become a warrior.”

“I think that’s a sensible plan,” Thomas replied. “Karhu is as thin and weak as a newly-turned Cub before his first change, so we will care for him as such! A high-calorie, high-carb, high-protein diet, along with an exercise program fit for building werebear muscle will have him back in fighting shape in a few months, just like any new cub!”

“And honestly,” Sam added, “If Karhu agrees, I could really use the help at my garage. I’m short-handed as it is, and he doesn’t have to be a certified mechanic to do oil changes and rotate tires. That work will put muscle back on his bones fast, and I could have an additional twenty oil changes a day added to the garage’s schedule if I had another pair of hands to help out.”

“I would be more than happy to trade labor for room and board,” Karhu replied. “You all have been extremely kind to a stranger. Odin continues to reward me for my patience and loyalty during my incarceration.”

“After I graduate next year,” Bernie said, “Is that when Papa can finally change me?”

“I don’t think you will be ready yet at that time, Cub,” Karhu said gently, taking Bernie’s hand in his own. “Odin was very specific about this to me. It is necessary for you to complete your warrior training with Bill before you can be turned. If we unleash your full power before you are able to control it, it will control you instead, and put all in danger. Patience and practice, my Cub, and when Bill says that you are ready, we will begin the next phase of your life together.”

“Does that mean that I’m going to have to wait until then for the two of us to… you know…” Bernie said, suddenly blushing and looking down at his feet.

The bears all laughed, causing Bernie to blush an even brighter red.

“My Cub is a true werebear, is he not?” Karhu exclaimed. “He will certainly be a handful during his four months of change!”

“No, Cub,” Karhu replied, placing a finger under the young man’s chin to lift his eyes to his own. “I won’t make you wait years until we share our love physically. Just allow Thomas and Sam a few months to get me back into proper shape, and I will surprise you with a visit. It will come sooner than you think! I have waited almost three thousand years for my mate; you can wait a few more months!”

“If you think you’re horny now,” Sam interjected, grinning, “Just wait until your Papa bites you and starts the change! I just about wore my poor Papa out!”

“The point is,” Bill said, coming to Bernie’s rescue, “Is that after you graduate next year, you’ll likely need to spend another couple years or more training with me before you’ll be ready to be turned and to leave the Academy. You’ll simply be promoted to a Staff position as my PT Assistant Coach while we prepare you to receive your full power.”

“And after your change is complete, and you have your new werebear appearance,” Gary said. “It will be time for you to go to college.”

“Aw, man,” Bernie whined. “This is like having five dads all planning my future for me! What if I don’t want to go to college?”

“Young man,” Gary said sternly, “You have an IQ that most people could only dream about, and you are just a couple years away from becoming a nearly immortal werebear and demigod. You are going to college, and you are going to fill that brain of yours with enough knowledge and wisdom to balance the warrior within your heart. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir!” Bernie replied with a grin. “Maybe having five dads won’t be such a bad thing.”

“That brings us to the Cub’s name,” Gary said. “Karhu, when you left him in Gatlinburg at the age of five, he could only remember his first name. Do you know from where he was taken from his birth parents?”

“It was more than halfway across the continent,” Karhu replied. “I believe that Rieka sent her wights all the way to Colorado to take the boy and set the fire to kill his parents.”

Gary nodded.

“That would line up with the police investigation, which found that the only child named ‘Bernie’ who had gone missing during that timeframe was a boy in Colorado who was declared dead along with his parents from a house fire. They decided that he couldn’t be the same boy so far away and an entire year later, so within the child welfare system, he was simply named Bernie Smith.

“Bernie, would you like to go back to your family name of Hansen?”

“With no disrespect to my birth parents,” Bernie replied, “I feel like I’ve already been told my true last name. When I called for Mjölnir back on the mountain, a man’s voice spoke to me inside my head. He said that he was my many times great-grandfather, and that he claimed me as his own. He told me that from that moment I was Bernhard Odinson and I should be proud of my family name.”

“Then I think the matter is settled,” Karhu said to Gary. “His name is Odinson henceforth. I was born and turned before the invention of surnames, so when we are mated, I would be honored to take his last name as my own as well.”

“So it shall be,” Gary said. “I’ll start the legal name change paperwork tomorrow.”

“And I will report to the Lycan Council the discovery of a strong new ally,” Thomas said. “One who will help and aid all were-kind for centuries to come!”

Bernie looked at his Papa and found Karhu already looking back at him with pride and love in his eyes.

“You’ve done very well, Cub,” Karhu said. “I will be so proud to be your Papa and your Mate for as long as we live!”