Running with the Pack - 7. Chapter 7

The ride back to the pack’s home territory did not seem to take all that long, although Ethan had fallen asleep from the warmth of leaning against Aiden’s side. He had an arm wrapped around Ethan and had no desire to let him go. Casey kept the music turned down lower than normal to make sure their new friend would be able to sleep. Looking in his mirror, he gave Aiden a nod seeing him hold the boy and enjoyed knowing his buddy was so happy. Trevor watched the scenery go by and chatted quietly with his two friends. All three understood how tired Ethan was not only from the hike, but from the way he had been living out in the woods. They each felt a kind of admiration the teen had been able to care for himself so well for so long.

As they neared the main pack community, Ethan awoke and rubbed his eyes as he took in his surroundings. It took him a few moments to get his bearings and remember he was in the truck with the three guys he had met in the forest. He was being held by one; that ruggedly handsome guy he felt such a strong pull and attraction for. He guessed maybe this was not all just a dream after all. If it was, he did not want to wake up. Realizing what he had done and who he ended up using as a pillow, he coyly gazed into his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you like that.”

Aiden kissed the top of Ethan’s head. “Don’t worry about it. I actually enjoyed it and it felt good to have you in my arms.” He glanced out the window for a moment. “We’re almost home so it’s good that you’re waking up. Welcome to Silver Pines, home of the Parker Valley Wolf Pack.”

Casey looked again into the mirror to Aiden. “Do you think we should take him to get settled first or to meet the alpha?”

The mention of seeing an unknown person made Ethan became nervous. “W-What do you mean by meeting the alpha?”

“Alpha Stockdale is the head of our pack.” Aiden explained. “He’s the leader of all the lycan in the area and oversees the territory controlled by our pack. I know it probably sounds a little scary to meet him, but he’s a pretty cool guy. It would probably be best to get it out of the way and let him know you’re here.”

Both guys in the front seat nodded and once they were in town, Casey headed towards the main pack office and meeting hall.

After getting out of the truck, Aiden took Ethan’s hand. “It’ll be okay. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.”

Ethan nodded as the two were flanked on the right side by Casey and on the left by Trevor. They walked up to the building that housed the alpha’s office. There was a sign out front that read Parker Valley Timber Co., Stockdale Mining, Tucker Construction, and a few other names. Once they were inside, while the others waited, Trevor walked past some of the building’s staff and spoke to what looked like a receptionist. She briefly talked to someone on her phone before giving Trevor a nod. He walked down a short hallway to a set of large, dark-wooden doors, knocked on one of them, and waited. When given permission, he entered the office and could be seen speaking with a man.

After a few minutes, he reemerged following someone whose very appearance commanded authority. The man was as big, if not bigger than the three Ethan was with. His dark hair had a touch of grey to it and his charcoal polo shirt and khakis accentuated the strong muscles beneath. Just like with Aiden, there was a serious five o’clock shadow on his face and his smile was warm and friendly.

Giving a nod to Aiden and Casey, his focus settled on Ethan. The large man held out his hand. “I’m John Stockdale, Alpha of the Parker Valley Wolf Pack. Welcome to our lands.”

Despite his attraction towards Aiden, Ethan wondered what he had gotten himself into. He looked at the outstretched hand, then up to the alpha’s face and back before swallowing hard a few times as he shook the offered hand. “H-Hello s-sir… Mr. Stockdale… I-I mean Alpha Stockdale.” Ethan was clearly very nervous and more than a little intimidated. Given his time on the streets it did not happen very often, but he had also never met an alpha wolf before. “I-I’m Ethan Scott. I-It’s an honor to meet you, s-sir.”

Aiden kept a firm grip on Ethan’s other hand and gave a gentle squeeze of reassurance as his thumb rubbed small circles. He was beaming with pride at being able to bring his mate before the alpha, all while trying to keep in mind how fearful his new mate was.

“Why don’t we keep this informal for now and just leave it at John. How about if we go into the lounge and talk for a bit?”

“T-That would be nice, s-sir.”

John smiled and managed not to laugh. He knew how scared the boy was. He liked how respectful this Ethan was even when told he could use his first name. He also took note of how close Aiden stayed to him in addition to not caring who saw him holding the boy’s hand. John led the way into the lounge, which he was happy was empty. Alpha Stockdale guided them to a group of chairs that looked out a window onto a courtyard with a decorative fountain in the center. He motioned for the others to take a seat. For Aiden’s part, he made sure he did not let go of Ethan’s hand and pulled him to his lap as they shared a chair. Trevor and Casey both took seats flanking Ethan and Aiden that allowed the boy to see they were near. John inwardly smiled with pride at how his wolves appeared to be protecting this boy. He did not need his wolf senses to pick up the fear rolling off Ethan and decided to do what he could to ease it.

“Ethan, I first want to apologize to you for what happened in the forest while you were camping. It angers me to know that members of my pack harassed you and bit you. Despite the impression a few of my pack may have given you, we do not condone nor allow for humans like you to be used as prey or to be attacked.” He took a deep breath to try and control his anger over the actions of those from the campout. “I want you to know the boys involved have been punished. I also want to assure you that while you’re in our territory, you are safe. No harm will come to you. Lastly, you now hold a great secret. One we rarely share with humans, so I hope that no matter what happens from this point forward we can count on you to help protect our existence.”

“Thank you, sir. Aiden kind of explained what happened. I think I understand that they didn’t really mean to harm me, but at the time I just thought I was being attacked by wild wolves.” Ethan stated a little more calmly, feeling Aiden’s free hand rub his back. “I can promise with my life that I’ll never tell anyone what happened or about your existence. I didn’t even tell the doctor that treated me what I thought I saw the night I got bit.”

Aiden glanced at Ethan and then at John. “Alpha, I couldn’t smell any change in him from the bite. But while we were out there, I came to the realization that he’s my true mate. We’ve talked a little, but not enough for him to really understand what that means. Knowing he’s my mate as well as some other factors, I felt it was best to bring him back here.”

Trevor spoke up, “Alpha, after meeting Ethan, Casey and I discussed bringing him back here and letting him stay with either one of us or possibly with Casey’s family while he and Aiden get to know each other better.”

“Do you have any family that’s going to be worried if you don’t return from camping? Anyone that will be looking for you?”

Try as he might not to cry, a tear ran down Ethan’s cheek, followed by several more as he thought about the fact that when he went into the woods, with the exception of a trick or two, there was no one in the world that would even notice he was gone. Without looking at the alpha, he shook his head.

“Ethan, if you don’t mind, would you tell me a little about yourself?”

Ethan wiped the tears from his cheeks before telling the alpha he was eighteen and a little of his past. He did not go into as much detail as he did with Aiden, but enough that the alpha knew he was kicked out of his home three years before and lived on the streets ever since.

Even though the alpha had just met Ethan, he knew from the boy’s scent everything told to him was true. He trusted the decision of his three young wolves on bringing the boy into their pack. Try as he might, he could not contain the low growl that began after what little he heard the boy had been through; especially knowing what his son and the others tried to do. Like with the others, there was no pity; he did not look down on the human pup for being homeless. He figured he knew why the boy was kicked out of his home, even though Ethan had not mentioned the reason. He stood while trying to keep his growling under control and grabbed a glass of water to calm himself before he scared the boy more. His thoughts went to his own son. Despite what he thought was a good upbringing, and how he tried to teach him respect and honor, this boy who had been thrown away by his family had more than Michael ever would.

Feeling scared he was going to be asked to leave, Ethan tried to get up. “Sir, I don’t want to cause any problems so even with the offers these guys made, I’ll move on. You have my word though that for as long as I live I won’t ever tell anyone about you guys and will always protect the secret that you exist.”

Before Ethan could manage to get out of Aiden’s hold, the alpha walked over and knelt down so he was eye to eye with the young human. “Ethan, I’m sorry if I scared you. I wasn’t growling at you. It’s something I can’t always control. I was growling at what someone claiming to be a parent did to their own child. I thank you for your promise of secrecy, but I don’t want you to leave and you are no trouble to us.” He finally got the growl to stop and managed to smile slightly. “You’re most welcome to stay with our pack for as long as you wish. I hope that’s for a long time.” John looked like he was inspecting Ethan, staring into his eyes and almost into his very soul. Glancing over at Aiden first, the alpha leaned in, smelling Ethan’s scent followed by doing the same with Aiden. He gave the young wolf an almost imperceptible nod of approval. “When the time’s right for you, I hope you’ll consider formally joining our pack. No matter if you stay human or decide to be turned. Aiden and his friends, as well as myself and some of our elders, can help you learn about the pack, our life, and what it means to be mated to a wolf.”

The alpha focused his attention on Aiden. “From his scent, you’re right. He is your mate. If Ethan makes the choice to be turned, you have my permission and blessing. But only when he is ready and understands what it means though.”

“Thank you, Alpha.”

“Why don’t you guys take him to Casey’s family and introduce him. I think that would be the best place for Ethan to stay for now. If anyone can help him integrate into the pack it’s your parents. If you don’t mind, Casey, I’d like you to stay at the house with your family at least for a few days so he has someone close by that he knows.” The alpha’s smile widened a little. “Knowing your friendship with Aiden, I have a feeling you already see yourself as his mate’s bodyguard.” Both John and Aiden were smiling by this point. “Ethan, when you feel up to it I’d like the pack doctor to check you out and make sure everything’s okay. Even I can’t detect any change in you. If and when it happens, it will be entirely your choice to become a wolf.”

Everyone stood and the alpha shook Ethan’s hand one more time. “Welcome to the pack and to what I hope you will consider your new home. You are officially under my protection now as an honorary pack member.”

Ethan did not want to do it for a second time and appear to be weak, but could not help when he broke down in tears again. The human world had been so cruel to him and these wolves were offering him a home.

The alpha placed his hand on Aiden’s shoulder. “Congratulations on finding your mate. I couldn’t be more proud of you if you were my own son. I know your dad will be just as proud.” With a smile at all four boys, he turned and walked back to his office.

******

The group loaded back into Casey’s truck and headed to his parent’s house. It was a large, two-story house with a nice size covered porch that had a swing and a few rocking chairs. In the middle of the front lawn stood an old oak tree that looked like it had been climbed many times. There was a garage attached to the house with a van parked inside it and a separate garage off to the side with a box trailer alongside it. Out front of the second garage, getting things out of a truck that looked to be loaded for construction work, was yet another huge mountain of a man even bigger then Casey.

Looking at his three companions Ethan absentmindedly asked, “What do they put in the water around here? Everyone is huge!”

Casey being one to never let a possible dick joke go by, grabbed his crotch while smiling. “Thanks, I thought I saw you checking me out when I was changing.”

Ethan ignored it, but Aiden growled. “Keep it in your pants and your mouth shut. You better not be showing my mate anything like that or I’m gonna rip it off and shove it up your own ass.” Realizing how forcefully he had snapped at his friend and seeing the look on Ethan’s face, he tried to lighten the mood again. “Seeing you naked might just scare him enough to turn him straight.”

Casey ignored the jab and tried to make Ethan feel welcome. He pointed at the men unloading the truck. “The old guy’s my dad. The other four are my brothers. My older brother over there is twenty-two and the youngest one’s nine. Come on and meet them.”

As the four got out, the father stopped what he was doing and walked over to greet them. “Hey, son, welcome home. Did you have a good trip?” The man pulled Casey into a hug. He shook hands with Aiden and Trevor before turning his attention to Ethan. “I’m Rafe Tucker. You must be Aiden’s mate. It’s good to meet you. Alpha Stockdale called and asked about you staying with us. We’re happy to have you here.”

About that time, Casey’s older brother Joe came over followed by the three younger ones running, Jack, Ryan, and the youngest Zach. Rafe’s wife walked out of the house after hearing Casey’s truck, happy her son was home from his trip. Almost instantly, Ethan was surrounded by the large family and pressed himself closer to Aiden for comfort. Aiden wrapped an arm around him to try and make him feel safe. Before any more introductions could be made, one of the younger brothers looked like he was sniffing the air. “So you’re a human?” It wasn’t said with any malice or as an insult, merely an innocent question.

Casey’s mother swatted at the boy’s head as she joined to the group. “You mind your manners. He’s a guest in this house.” She giggled and smiled at Ryan. “Oh, who am I kidding, we don’t have guests here, he’s the newest member of this family and now your older brother so you behave.” She gave Ethan a big smile. “Welcome to the family, dear.” She turned her attention towards Casey. “Welcome home, son.” She pulled him into a hug and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Mary could see the look of uncertainty on Ethan’s face and did not want him to get overwhelmed by the entire family crowding him. “Go on, boys. Scoot and give this young man some room to breathe. They’re all good boys and are just looking forward to getting to know you. I’m Mary.”

Ethan shook her hand and got pulled into a hug, followed by shaking Rafe’s hand. “I’m Ethan Scott. Thank you for allowing me to stay with you.”

Rafe smiled, although it somehow did not look right on his rugged face. “It’s great to meet you, Ethan. Casey, we’re putting him in the room next to your old room. The alpha told me if Ethan needs anything, just tell the store to put it on his tab, so clothes or anything else just let the store know and it’s handled.”

Hearing that, Ethan looked at Aiden and not knowing about the lycan’s exceptional hearing, whispered. “This is too much. I don’t know how I could ever pay anyone back for all this. I mean, giving me a place to stay, offering me new clothes… I’m not sure I can do this.” Everyone else acted like they had not heard any of that. They knew it would take time to help this stray become a member of the pack.

Before Aiden could say anything, Rafe and Mary turned back to the group. “Aiden, we know you have your own place, but why don’t you stay here tonight. It might make Ethan feel more comfortable and help him get settled.”

All Aiden could say was, “Thanks, I’d like that.”

When everyone headed inside, Casey’s oldest brother stuck out his hand. “Hey, I’m Joe. Welcome to the family.” After shaking hands, he ran off to finish unloading things from the truck.

******

Inside, Casey showed Ethan to the room that was to be his. It was a typical guest room with a bed and dresser; nothing fancy but compared to where he had been sleeping it was a palace. Sitting down on the edge of the bed Ethan broke down and cried. He was embarrassed to be crying in front of the other guys, but he could not seem to stop. Aiden held him and gently rocked him. Trevor and Casey looked on not knowing what if anything they could do.

Mary noticed with her enhanced hearing, walked past, and motioned for the two boys to come out and leave Ethan and Aiden alone for a bit. She asked a few questions about the teen. They answered some but most they said she should really talk to him; it was not their place to talk about his past.

Aiden tried to give all the comfort he could and held the smaller body tight against himself. He was not entirely sure why Ethan was crying but he had a fairly good idea from the comment outside.

Ethan kept his gaze on the floor. “I’m sorry for crying. This is all a little overwhelming and to be honest, a part of me keeps waiting for someone to tell me it’s all a joke before kicking me out to the street.” He sniffled a few times and took a deep breath. “I know that isn’t fair to you or anyone else, but it isn’t easy for me to trust anyone even though for some reason I really do want to trust you and I think I do trust you.”

If Ethan had been looking at Aiden, he would have seen a brief expression of hurt and disappointment on his face. The larger teen quickly hid that as he thought he could understand why. He was holding someone abandoned more than once and used by anyone that could. Instead of trying to offer sympathy for something he knew he could not understand, he decided to tell Ethan some things about wolf life. “I think you should know something about lycan. You’ve heard me and a few other people now refer to you as my mate. Shape shifters believe we’re all born with a mate somewhere out in the world. This mate is the other half of our soul. For some, they’re lucky enough to find that person, while others never do.” He turned himself so they could see each other’s faces. “We’re very loyal and faithful creatures. When we find our true mate or bond to another, it’s for life. The only thing that can break the mating bond is death. Finding you was a blessing to me that I’ll always be thankful for. My hope now is that in time, you’ll be able to accept me as your mate. The decision when you feel it’s right will be yours and yours alone.”

Aiden moved so he was kneeling in front of Ethan and looked him directly in the eyes. “I know you’re going to have issues with trusting people here and I’ll thank the lunar gods if they exist for you trusting me enough to return here with me. You have a lot to learn about us before you can decide if you do want to be part of our way of life. If you said you decided now, I’d still make you wait until you do know about us wolves. The most important thing I want you to know right now is that I accept you as my one and true mate. I accept you as you are and that’s something that will never change. For us to complete the mating bond though, when or if you do accept me, would require me to mark you, which would mean me biting you. That will turn you into one of us. It is a big decision and will change your life. If it ever happens, it will be at the right time for you. Or you can decide to remain human and I would be just as happy to share my life with you.” Aiden had just given Ethan all the control to eventually say yes or no.

Ethan once again started crying but managed to get it under control fairly quick. It had been years since he had cried like he had lately and he did not like it, but his emotions were running high. He gave Aiden a tight hug and did not want to let go.

One of Casey’s little brothers, the youngest one Ethan thought, knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter. “Mom said to tell you guys dinner will be ready soon.” They both thanked him and got up to join the family.

In the Tucker house everyone gathered for dinner around a large table in the dining room. There was more food than Ethan had ever seen at one setting: steak, fried chicken, potatoes, salads, and so much more. Everyone dug in and devoured the meal like a hungry pack of wolves. Ethan, feeling a tad uncomfortable, took very little and tried to go as unnoticed as possible. The entire family tried to make sure he was included in their conversation.

When Mary told him he should take more food, Rafe came to his defense. “Mary, let the boy alone. It can’t be easy getting thrown to the wolves, literally,” he laughed. “If he’s hungry he’ll eat what he wants.” She did keep an eye on him and made sure he ate though.

******

With dinner finished, the three youngest cleaned up and put everything away. Ethan insisted on helping as much as he could as he wanted to pull his own weight. Rafe and Mary quietly spoke with Aiden until Ethan had finished helping in the kitchen then called him over.

“Ethan, we just want to tell you again that we’re very happy you’re staying with us.” Mary brushed her hand over the teen’s hair. Aiden felt proud of his friend’s parents. “We know in some ways this is going to be difficult for you but regardless of the past hopefully things can be different for you here.”

Ethan worried what Aiden might have told them about his past that she would have made such a comment. Seeing the look he had and guessing what he might be thinking she continued. “Aiden hasn’t told us anything about your past and neither has the alpha. We do know you were living on your own out in the forest.” She waited a minute before continuing. “You don’t have to tell us anything you don’t want to. If anyone gives you any problem, make sure to let me, Rafe, Casey, or Aiden know. Though I have a feeling Aiden would know before anyone.”

Rafe decided to chime in. “We’ve known Aiden since he was a newborn pup and it wasn’t long before he was hanging around with Casey. Even before they could walk. It might fall to Mary and me to embarrass him from time to time in front of you. Nothing too serious mind you, but just enough to remind him he’s family here too.” The man’s hearty laugh filled the room. “We don’t have any long list of house rules other than being respectful and my instincts say that isn’t an issue with you. Like Mary said, if any wolves give you a problem, let us know.”

“I can’t thank you enough for letting me stay here. As much as I enjoyed camping in the forest it was getting a little tiresome. This is all a little overwhelming and everyone seems so nice. As bad as it sounds. I keep waiting for someone to say it’s all been a joke or that I’m going to wake up from a dream and still be in the forest.” Ethan paused to collect his thoughts. “I want to be up front with everyone just so there are no problems. I’m gay. I’ve known for years and it’s the reason I was living how I was. I know Casey is too so you must be understanding parents. I know you also mentioned me being Aiden’s mate when you first welcomed me. While I still don’t fully understand what that means, you don’t seem to have a problem with it. It’s been a while since I lived indoors, but I’ll do my best to be a good guest while I’m here.”

Ethan laughed quietly which got him puzzled looks from the three around him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude, but it just struck me as funny that after being homeless and living on the streets and in the forest, I am now in a house living with a pack of wolves.”

Aiden, Rafe and Mary all chuckled. “If you can laugh about something like that after all the BS you’ve been through, there’s hope for better days.” Mary patted his hand.

******

Aiden took Ethan outside and they sat in the garden swing. Ethan ended up on Aiden’s lap being held as the swing rocked back and forth. He looked into Aiden’s eyes. “I usually don’t like to be touched or held, but for some reason with you I like it. It makes me feel safe.” He nuzzled Aiden’s neck not knowing what effect it had on Aiden or the significance of that act to a wolf. Ethan tried to figure why he felt so comfortable around Aiden, but decided to go with it for the time being. In the back of his mind, he thought maybe it was the mystery of this handsome man who first appeared as a wolf, or something like how Aiden said he was drawn to him.

Aiden took a deep breath filling his senses with what he could only describe as the perfect scent, that of his mate. He could not believe he was lucky enough to find his so early in life. He knew some wolves actively searched for decades without finding their match. He did not even mind his was a human male. Aiden swore to himself he would always do whatever he could to protect Ethan and make him happy.

“Why don’t you like being touched? Is it because of the way people had treated you in the past?”

Ethan nodded.

“I’m happy you don’t mind me holding you. Wolves are very tactile and for some reason, I’m not sure I could go very long without touching you in some way or trying to hold you.” Aiden smiled happily as he held his pup.

The two sat in the swing enjoying the night and the feeling of closeness. Neither felt the need to talk at the moment. That would come soon enough. Ethan still did not really understand any of what was happening, but he did know he felt safe in Aiden’s arms and that was a feeling he had not had in years.

Aiden could hear Ethan’s breathing become very steady and knew his pup had fallen asleep. He smiled and gently kissed the top of Ethan’s head before standing with him in his arms and walking back to the house. Everything was fairly quiet inside, but with the enhanced wolf hearing they knew the two were coming in. One of Casey’s younger brothers opened the door for Aiden who carried the sleeping Ethan up to his room and softly laid him on the bed. He removed Ethan’s shoes, then, with a little effort slipped off his shirt and pants getting Ethan down to his briefs. He stripped himself down to his boxers. Aiden sat there for a while watching Ethan sleep before he too laid down to get some rest.

******

It seemed like no time passed before Aiden woke up to find Ethan’s head resting on his chest. Seeing Ethan was still sound asleep, he softly extricated himself from under his pup doing his best not to wake him. He got clean clothes and went across the hall to shower for the day. He was all smiles every time he thought of his mate. Even though he had experiences with both men and women, he always considered himself to be more straight than bi or gay. He always thought his mate would be a female shifter and he would become a father to several pups. Even though his mate turned out to be a human male, he could not be happier with whom it was.

After finishing his shower and getting dressed, he checked on Ethan to find him still sleeping, though not as peacefully as when he had been next to him. Walking down stairs to the smell of fresh coffee, he entered the kitchen to find Rafe and Mary sitting at the table. The boys were outside, including Casey who was keeping an eye on his brothers.

“Good Morning, Aiden.” Mary pointed to the cupboard. “You know where the cups are so grab yourself some coffee and I’ll get your breakfast.”

“Thank you, but don’t worry about it. I’ll run over to my place and get a bite to eat.”

“Nonsense, you just plant your butt in that chair while I fix something.”

Rafe smiled. “You know you won’t win so you may as well give in now. Trust me; it makes life much easier and happier.”

Aiden tried not to laugh too much at that.

Mary looked towards the stairs. “He’s still sleeping?”

Aiden nodded.

“Well, he was out there for a while and on the streets before that. No matter how relaxing it is to be camping in the forest, finding out there’s more to the world than he thought and meeting this pack I don’t doubt that he’s exhausted.”

Aiden nodded again while sipping his coffee. “Have either of you ever known someone who was mated to a human?”

Rafe and Mary looked at each other trying to think if they had before Rafe spoke. “I’ve heard of it, but I can’t honestly say I’ve met a mated pair where one had been human. I’ve met some wolves that were turned. About the closest I can think is couples where one’s a different species of shifter. Are you worried about him being human?”

Aiden took another sip of coffee. “Him being human doesn’t bother me at all. Even him being male doesn’t bother me like I thought it might. He’s simply my mate. I just know from the stories I’ve heard, turning someone can be risky. Since I realized he was my true mate all that matters to me is his happiness and his safety. Even though I’m happier than I can describe, I’m a little scared of losing him if he’s turned and doesn’t survive his first change.”

Ethan was walking down the stairs when he heard Aiden talking. He thought he understood what he was saying but could not be sure. A part of him was still scared this was not real and he would be ask to leave, maybe not for being gay this time but because he was a human. Walking into the kitchen to find the three still talking, he made his way over to the table.

“Morning, sleepy head.” Mary’s cheerful voice greeted him.

“Good Morning.” He started to pull out the chair next to Aiden when the man wrapped his arms around him and pulled him onto his lap.

Breathing in the scent of his hair, Aiden hugged him tight. “Morning, Pup.”

Both Rafe and Mary smiled.

Mary glanced over at Ethan. “Are you hungry?”

About that time, Ethan’s stomach decided to answer for him by growling rather loudly. He blushed. “Yes, ma’am. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“You just sit there and let your man hold you while I fix breakfast for you two.”

Ethan blushed again drawing another smile from Mary. Rafe pretended not to notice while reading his paper.

When breakfast was served, Ethan moved into his own chair although Aiden acted displeased, all the while trying not to grin too much. After everything was finished, Ethan spoke to Mary. “Thank you. Everything tasted wonderful.”

“Why, thank you.”

Ethan got up and started taking the dishes to the sink to wash. Mary glanced at him. “You don’t need to be doing that. I’ll take care of the dishes.”

Not about to let it go, Ethan smirked. “Well, if I was just a guest I might agree, but I remember you saying last night you didn’t have guests and I was a new member of the family. While I don’t really know what it means to be in a family or have one, I have a feeling the others would have to do chores and pull their own weight some. So, while I’m here, I need to pull my own.”

Rafe looked between Ethan and Mary and laughed. “He’s a quick one and I think he got you on that. Guess you need to be careful what you say to him.”

Mary helped Ethan clean up the kitchen before he went back upstairs to get showered and cleaned up for the day.

******

It was a beautiful day as Aiden and Ethan left the house. He scanned the surroundings from where they stood. The day before had been so overwhelming when they arrived he did not pay attention to much of anything beyond the front yard. A little ways behind the house appeared to be nothing but forest. The house itself looked very well cared for; Ethan though that was no real surprise having met Rafe and Mary. He could see a few neighboring houses but nothing was overly close. Everyone in the area appeared to have had good size properties.

He nudged Aiden to get his attention. “How many houses around here are wolf families?”

“Everything around here is wolf owned. The entire town of Silver Pine and all the businesses are part of the pack, though we do have members spread out all over the county. The alpha and a group of the top pack members make up the town council, which is really the pack council with the alpha being the mayor. He’s also the lead county commissioner which is a good thing since the entire county and most of the surrounding counties fall in the pack’s territory.” Aiden glanced around before coming up with an idea. “Why don’t we go for a walk around town so I can show you the area?” As they walked, Aiden pointed out various things. The main part of town was about a mile away so it was a nice easy walk. “Over there is the pack’s meeting hall and the offices next to it are where you met the alpha. It’s where Alpha Stockdale runs most of his companies from as well as pack business. We have most of our regular meetings at the community hall. Since it sits at the edge of the forest, it makes it easy to go for runs in the woods after our weekly gatherings. That building over to the left is apartments for some of the younger unmated wolves. It’s where Casey and I live for now. It also has rooms available for shifters that visit the pack. Trevor lives across town in an apartment on his parents’ property, but he’s away for school a lot. Down that street is the general store, a clothing store, a nice café with great home style cooking, and a few other stores. It’s nothing real impressive but it’s home. For anything fancier we head over to Parker which is just a few miles away.”

Ethan noticed a very plain building near the pack offices, with a security fence around it, and partially hidden by trees. “What’s that one over there? It almost looks like a jail.”

“Well, that’s the pack jail and the local sheriff’s office. Even we have problems that sometimes require someone to get locked up for a little while. It’s rare, but it happens.” Aiden guided them down the road as he explained. “If someone breaks pack laws or another shifter violates our territory and causes problems, they can get locked up in there. The one that bit you is currently in jail.”

They walked in silence for a bit before Ethan came to a stop. “I know you talked a little about mates, but what does all that really mean? I still don’t really understand. I know I need to so that seems like the best place to start with my learning about this stuff.”

“Wow, no easing into it with you.” Aiden joked. “Let’s go over there to the park and sit down.” The short walk gave him a moment to put his thoughts in order. “I’m not sure how it is for other species of shifters, but for wolves we believe we’re born in pairs. Not always at the same time, it can be a few years apart sometimes. But we have a match out in the world that’s our other half. Literally. We call that person our true mate. It is the person that makes us whole. Wolves can imprint to another that isn’t their true mate and live a very happy life, but they will never be totally complete. Sometimes, after a pair has imprinted, they might still end up meeting their true mate and have to decide who to be with.”

Aiden took Ethan’s hand and held it. “When we meet our mate or are around them, we can pick up certain things that let us know they’re close by. Like when I met you, I could smell something on the breeze that made me want to track you down. Your scent drove me to need to be around you. I knew you were a human, so it took me a little while to figure out what was going on. I almost missed out by not realizing it sooner. When I came back to find you, I knew for sure who you were. I don’t know all the workings when it comes to completing the mating with a human male or even a male wolf for that matter. However, completing the mating bond usually requires one or both to bite the other while making love.”

Aiden ran his fingers over the base of Ethan’s neck on the right side causing a shiver in the boy. “If you do eventually accept me as your mate, this is where the mating bite will be. Just like rings for humans are a physical symbol of love, so is the bite mark. It also warns other wolves that you’re taken. In your case, if we mate, like I told you before it would mean me turning you into a wolf like me.” Taking Ethan’s hand and moving it to the base of his neck on the right side he continued. “And this is where I would bear your mark as well after you’ve turned.”

“The whole turning people into wolves just from a bite sort of sounds like out of a werewolf movie. When you shift, is it always into a four-legged wolf that looks like any regular wolf? Except in your case, where you turn into the best looking wolf that ever roamed the earth.” He immediately blushed realizing what he had said.

“Yeah, we’re all four legged wolves with the exception of an alpha. They can shift into a hybrid wolf that walks on two legs. I’ve never seen our alpha do it, but it’s one of their abilities. There are other types of lycan wolves who take on a two legged form and it’s probably where the stories of werewolves began. We only have the four legged kind in this pack though. I’ve met a few of the two legged ones at a type of lycan summer camp. They are something to see in their full form. Just so you know, werewolf isn’t a polite term in our society so be careful about using it. We’re lycan, shape shifters, or just wolves.” Aiden had a confident smile. “You really like my wolf, don’t you?”

He suggested they stop by his apartment to get clean clothes and to pick up his Jeep. Just as they walked into the apartment, Aiden got a text message reminding him about the weekly pack meeting. He got a second text asking him to bring Ethan with him. He knew the alpha and his closest friends had accepted Ethan as his mate, but a part of him worried about other pack members and how they might react to having a young, gay human mated to Aiden.

“I guess seeing my apartment will have to wait. We’ve got to run over to the pack meeting hall soon.”

******

At the appointed time, Aiden walked proudly into the pack’s meeting hall holding Ethan’s hand while flanked by Trevor and Casey. Once the gasps died down, you could have heard a pin drop. People wanted to know what the hell was going to happen.