Trio of Mates
Chapter 59

Brandon:

“Members of the Artemis Pack!” The Oracle booms into the banquet hall, arms spread wide and a smile on her face. The meal was magnificent, a true testament to Clara’s skills as a hostess. Now it was time for the ceremony.

Lucille’s salutation is greeted with howls and thunderous applause. “Today we are completing our pack’s new leadership with the ascension of our new Beta!

“Brandon Snow will take his place beside his mates, Alpha Zakary Loup and Luna Charlotte Loup, and his friends Gamma Devin Laoch and Delta Xander Hawthorne. I cannot imagine a better choice for Lady Selene to pick as the second-in-command and helpmate to our beloved Alpha and Luna. His faithful and selfless service nearly led him to reject his mates for the good of our pack. I cannot imagine a more committed and loyal wolf to help lead us.”

Again the pack erupts in noise. I feel the love and pride down the mate bond from both Charlie and Zak. Charlie is so excited that she doesn’t even object to being called Charlotte. Devin claps me on the back and Xander emits a loud whistle with the rest of the pack.

“Today, Beta Carl relinquishes his title to his son after years of loyal and selfless servitude to his pack.”

Again, the pack breaks into applause, none louder than that of Devin’s parents. It is only then that I see two new matemarks on my father’s neck. My eyes round and my mouth hangs open.

Dad! Your neck…

We’ll talk later, son. Kind of in the middle of something right now.

All I can do is nod. Looks like there is going to be a few trios for the pack to get used to. Mathias is going to love this.

By the time that I’m focused back on the ceremony, Lucille has sliced into my father’s palm and he is fisting it above the chalice.

“The Goddess has blessed you as part of our pack and has blessed us in return. Thank you, Beta Carl, for all of your loyal service and all of your sacrifices for us.” Lucille gives my father a knowing grin as he allows three drops of b***d to fall into the chalice.

“Your service is ended,” Lucille says. My father nods and bows, first to Lucille, then to Zak and Charlie, and finally to the pack. He walks back to his seat beside Devin’s mom, who k!sses him softly. Devin’s father takes my father’s hand in his, placing a k!ss on the back. The happiness emanating from them makes the moment seem almost intimate and I turn back to the ceremony to give them some privacy.

Lucille turns to Zak and Charlie, holding out her hand. Zak places his hand in hers. “Alpha, Luna, you have lost one of your core. He has finished his service and is ready for rest. This role will be filled tonight by your mate. We will welcome him into your core and our leadership with our hearts, our wolves, and your b***d.” Lucille slices Zak’s palm, then Charlie’s. Together, they fist their hands and allow three drops of b***d to drip into the chalice. They move back to me, their hands already healed.

Lucille turns to Devin and Xander, holding out her hand. She slices both of their palms and they repeat the process. “Gamma, Delta, your brother has left. His service is done. You have a new brother to join you in your service to the pack. We will welcome him into your brotherhood and our leadership with our hearts, our wolves, and your b***d.” They then step back.

Lucille holds her hand out to me. I place it in hers. “Brandon Snow, you were born into this pack, bred to this position, and have proven your loyalty to your friends, family, and pack. We are truly blessed by the Goddess to have you among us. Your talents and Goddess given gifts have been recognized by our Alpha and Luna as worthy of part of this brotherhood. Do you accept the responsibility, honor, and role of Beta of the Artemis Pack?”

“I do,” I reply.

“We accept you as our Beta, our Alpha and Luna’s second-in-command and our advocate, given to us by the Goddess Selene,” Lucille says.

“We accept you as our Beta,” the pack responds.

Lucille slices my palm and I watch the three drops of b***d flow into the chalice. I am filled with humility and awe at the magnitude of my pack’s acceptance and the knowledge that this was all preordained by Selene.

Lucille swirls the cup, not only mixing our b***d, but also our souls. Turning to Zak, she says, “Through the intermingling of the old guard and the new, the Alpha, Luna, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, our pack will be strengthened. Take from this chalice the b***d of your core, your brotherhood. Know that they will make and keep you strong.”

Zak takes a sip from the chalice and passes it to Charlie. The chalice goes from Charlie, to me, to Devin, and then to Xander, each of us taking a sip of its contents.

Lucille turns around to the pack. “I give you Beta Brandon Snow!”

The sounds of the pack’s deafening response explodes. Zak grabs me, pulling me into a k!ss. Charlie k!sses me after and Devin and Xander both pull me into a hug. I feel…complete.

Zak:

It’s hard to believe that the bond between Charlie, Brandon, and me can get even deeper. But the second that Xander drinks from the cup and our brotherhood is complete, it is almost like I can feel him in every corner of my mind. Though he has been inside my head as my mate, able to feel my emotions and occasionally read my thoughts, this is new. It feels as if his presence is everywhere. This ever present feeling is only matched by Charlie’s presence.

Unlike our last ascension dinner, this one ends well. Many in the pack come up to congratulate not only Brandon in becoming Beta, but the three of us in our mating. Some of the older women start asking about when we are going to provide them with some pups to dote over. Charlie’s face is glowing at their questions and I can’t keep the smile off of my face. Brandon’s face starts out looking shocked by the thought, but his expression quickly morphs into a pleased grin. I feel the surprised delight filter down the mate bond.

The pack began to empty out of the banquet hall. Soon, the only ones left in the room are us, Devin, Xander, and our parents. The omegas had already cleared the tables, but our mothers were determined to take down the decorations to prepare for the Blue Crescent Pack’s arrival.

I linked Charlie and she managed to get her mom out of the banquet room, along with her father and Brandon’s, with the promise of helping out early tomorrow. She winked at me while walking out with her mother. She had an errand to run.

Brandon was in conversation with Devin and Xander and didn’t notice Charlie’s exit. I grinned at that. Good.

I turned to my father, who was attempting to get my mother to go to bed.

“Clara, please,” he begged. “We need to go to bed. This can all wait until tomorrow…when you have help.”

She shrugged his hand off of her shoulder and waved a hand behind her in a placating gesture. “I know. I know. Let me just put away the holy things from the podium. They are all clean, I just need to put them away.”

My father’s hands dropped to his side in a helpless gesture. I came over and clapped him on the back, chuckling. “I’ll help you, Mom. And then you need to go to bed. We’ll help you out tomorrow.”

“You’re as bad as your father,” Mom said, but she smiled affectionately at me.

Mom took the cup and I took the knife. We walked to a cabinet placed along the wall. Opening the cabinet, Mom pulls out the knife’s box and hands it to me before taking out the box for the cup. We packed them in the protective covers, then the velvet bags, and then into the wooden, velvet lined cases where they belonged.

I put my box away and then grabbed the cup box from Mom. I turned to her and began guiding her towards my father. “Time for bed, Mom.” I needed her to get out. All of them to get out. I had a wager to collect on.

“Let me just clear off the high table…” Mom begins, but Dad holds up his hands.

“Clara! Stop!” Dad raises his voice, which he rarely does to Mom. “You are done! You’re interrupting our son and his mates’ time together. Let’s go!”

“Fine, fine!” she raises her hands in the air in a sign of surrender. Dad puts his hand on her lower back and starts to steer Mom out the door. But she quickly spins around and looks at the four of us that are still remaining. “I expect every one of you in here by 6:30 tomorrow morning!”

Brandon and I g***n, while Xander nods to her. Devin gives a mock salute, muttering “Yes, General.”

“I heard that!” she calls over her shoulder as Dad pushes her out the door.

“Little high strung, isn’t she?” Brandon grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze as he watches Charlie walk back into the banquet hall, a small bag draped over her shoulder.

“Rightfully so,” Xander replies. “Two major ceremonies and an inter-pack dinner within one week? I’m surprised that she’s taking it as well as she is.”

“What’s with the bag?” Devin asks Charlie.

She smirks up at Brandon and me. “Zak’s reward for a bet he won with Brandon.”

Devin c***s a brow at me. “Do I even want to know?”

“I doubt it, but you’re going to get a front row seat if you two aren’t out of here in the next 30 seconds.” With that, I turn to Brandon, capturing his mouth with mine.

Though obviously startled, he responds immediately and I hear Charlie’s breath hitch behind me. This is going to be f*****g hot!

“We’re out,” Devin says and I hear his and Xander’s hurried footsteps as they leave.

“Lock the door,” Charlie calls after them.