Beta Mates
Meeting Family

They all shifted and ran back to the pack house. Kara couldn’t help noticing that Adams wolf was a pale blonde like his hair when he was human and his wolf kept those startling jade eyes. Her wolf commented that he is a handsome specimen in both wolf and human form. She had to agree. They arrived in the clearing and all split up to shift and don their clothes. Shane led the small group toward the back of the pack house to a large patio with a picnic area which was set up to hold the entire pack. The enticing smell of barbecue was wafting in the air.

The pack was milling around preparing and setting up food and all activity stopped when Shane came into view. “I want to welcome the visitors to the pack. Please make them feel welcome. Let us have a feast in their honor” he said. He headed for the food tables and everyone fell into line according to rank to eat. Kara glared at her brother for pushing her forward so she had to stand by Adam. He was taking some ribbing about his eye from some of his friends. Word had gotten out what had happened between them and he was good natured about all the teasing.

As they were waiting in line a small child of about four ran up to Adam yelling “Uncle Adam, Uncle Adam” with her arms held up. He leaned down and picked up his niece and swung around to make her giggle. He turned to Kara and introduced the cute little girl as Mandy his niece. Kara smiled at her and said hi and Mandy buried her head shyly into Adams shoulder and turned away. “She is only playing about being shy, as soon as she gets to know you she will talk your ear off,” he stated. “She is a cutie”, said Kara, “I didn’t know you had family in the pack”. “Yes a sister and her mate, my parents are dead so she is the only family I have”. A beautiful blonde woman walked up and looked up at Adam, “I see your niece found you”. “Hi, my name is Maggie, I’m Adams sister, you must be the mate that everyone is talking about.” Kara just stood there speechless, not sure what to say. “Yes” said Adam “she is still adjusting to the situation”. That’s an understatement, thought Kara!

“Maybe tomorrow we can sit down and get to know each other better and I can tell you some stories about your mate”, giggled Maggie. “I will see what kind of time I have left after the training” said Kara with a wry smile. She wasn’t sure how to handle everyone talking like the mating was a normal one but with the doubts and feelings twisting in her gut she wasn’t sure about anything at the moment.

They finally got to the front of the line. She took the now sleeping Mandy so Adam could get his plate of food and Maggie took the adorable little girl back and went to put her down for the night. Maggie explained she would grab some food later when her mate was back from being on patrol. Kara starting loading up her plate with food and turned to sit at one of the picnic tables and looked towards her brother who had left her a place open beside Adam and across from Shane. She sighed and mentally slapped her brother across the back of the head. He was going to have a lot to answer for and she was looking forward to their next sparring match! She walked over and took her seat. She was going to have to get herself in control, every time she was close to Adam and caught his scent she could feel the pull and just wanted to wrap herself around him regardless of what her mind said. She started to eat and listened to the conversation around her about the rouges that had attacked her and found out it was a rare thing to happen to their pack.

They were fortunate, there were many packs being targeted by rouges or worse, hunters. The hunters had decimated several packs she visited and the damage that was done was scarring to the existing members. Too many had been tortured and the females raped and beaten. She knew the training she had taught them would help if they followed her rules and didn’t go out alone. Which she was guilty of as soon as she got there and was sure she would hear about. She finished her meal, getting up from the table. Shane reminded her he would like to see both her and Adam in fifteen minutes at the pack office. She nodded in agreement and took her dishes to the kitchen and started helping to wash up the plates. With the members counting up to over eighty the kitchen staff gratefully accepted her help. They quickly finished up with the cleanup and she asked directions to the office.