Chapter 60
Braxton
The following morning after Levi and Kenia’s mating ceremony, the entire Pack met for breakfast except for Lord Odin, Goddess Artio, and Elder Nelah who were standing in the south field. It looked as if they were in a heated exchange. I had to lock my arms around my mate as she tried to move closer to eavesdrop.
Not too long after, when they joined us. Lord Odin informed him, and Goddess Artio would be leaving. The children rushed to Lord Odin, begging him to stay. Some even cried. He chuckled, picking up a small little girl.
“My children, don’t fret. I will be back soon and when I do return, I promise to have gifts for each and every one of you.”
They cheered as he kissed the little girl’s cheek before putting her down. “Now go finish your breakfast. I need my tiny warriors to be healthy and strong.”
As the children ran back to their tables, Lord Odin summoned us.
“Lord Odin, are you sure you can’t stay and have breakfast?” Alpha Lightfeather asked, bowing his head once we were before him, Goddess Artio, and Elder Nelah. Vidar and his men seemed to appear out of nowhere and stood behind them.
“As much as I wish I could, Artio and I must return. There are many preparations that still need to be made. I will send word soon.”
“Yes, Lord,” Alpha spoke with another head bow.
Lord Odin’s eyes raked over all of us with pride before saying, “What a mighty Pack you have formed. I am confident you will not have a problem leading the other Packs. We won this last war, and we will win the next and the next after that, and the next after that one. We will be victorious over our enemies each and every time they challenge us because there can only be one dominant wolf Pack!”
Growls rumbled through our chests then exploded from our mouths as we lifted our heads to the blue sky. The children joined in, letting out their tiny howls.
Lord Odin brought his right fist up to his heart as Goddess Artio along with Vidar and his men began walking to the clearing in the south field. As he began to back away while lowering his hand, Lord Odin pointed to Levi. “I’ll be seeing you soon.” With that, he reached the others. Seconds later, the thunderous sound echoed through the trees before their bodies rose then disappeared into the sky.
What did Lord Odin mean when he told Levi he would see him soon? Was there going to be trouble when Levi returns to his family’s Pack? “Maybe Nyah, Ballian, Skia, and I should go with them just in case,” I thought to myself or so I thought.
A shoulder brushed against mine; It was Elder Nelah. She locked eyes with me before mentally telling me, “You will wait. Let Levi become the Alpha he needs to be. He will let you know when he needs you.” She turned her head, then left to help with the children.
“What was that all about?" Nyah asked.
Sliding my arm around her waist, I pulled her close to kiss her temple. “I’ll tell you later. Come let’s finish breakfast.”
The rest of the day was like a big family reunion with games and lots of food. Pack members were excited to find out Momma Willa was back for good.
Ballian and Skia got a kick out of giving the children rides on their backs. At first I thought they would have been a bit skittish, but they took to the large wolves as if Ballian and Skia had been Pack members all along. I guess it’s true what they say, children can sense the good and bad in people, in this case wolves. They knew Ballian or Skia wouldn’t harm them.
Through the festivities, I kept waiting for the chance to speak to Levi. I know Elder Nelah told me to wait but I needed to hear it from Levi. The opportunity finally came when Nyah and the ladies began taking food containers into the house and father, Alpha Lightfeather, and James went into the barn.
Levi and I with other men were folding up chairs. After laying the one I had on the pile, I told Levi, “You know I won’t interfere with what you’re about to do.”
“I know,” he said, placing his chair on top of mine, looking at me.
I gestured towards the front of the cabin. “You’re about to go into unknown territory with just your mate and uncle. Do you want us to go with you?”
Levi deeply sighed as we walked. “I’m not going to lie to you Brax, a part of me wants you all to come but if I am to be the Alpha of my father’s Pack, I have to do this on my own. From just being around you and Alpha Hillard most of my life, I know what it means to be a true and just Alpha. Not only that, but I now feel it inside of me ever since Eler Nelah whispered her words to me.”
I wondered since that night what she said to him. “What did she tell you?” I asked.
We stopped in front of a black pickup truck. I peered at Levi as he glanced up at the sky. When he finally looked at me, I almost jumped back. What the holy fuck?! His eyes were a metallic greenish-gold, and his long canines were extended. Who the hell was this wolf because it surely wasn’t Levi’s regular wolf.
With a raspy voice I never heard come from him before, Levi replied, “Vengeance is mine.”
Before I could find out more, Nelah and Kenia found us.
“Hey, guys daddy wants all of us together to take a family picture,” Nelah said.
Levi’s eye’s instantly return to their natural hazel color and his canines shrink to their normal size as if someone hit a switch.
“I know how much you hate taking pictures but try to smile in these,” Levi jokes, giving me a jab to the side. I winced, rubbing my side as he ran off to Kenia.
What the hell? I know it was supposed to be a playful tap, but that shit stung a bit. I stood there in complete confusion before Nyah laced her fingers with mine. I shook off what happened as she led me to find our places for the picture.
What I thought was going to be just one family picture turned into an hour of taking numerous photos. I swear you would have thought we were having a professional photo shoot going on as the ladies moved us from one section of the Pack land to the other.
Later that afternoon, Momma Willa came over to Nyah and I. We were sitting in lounge chairs, sipping on cold glasses of iced tea.
“Nyah, can I steal your mate away to talk?” Momma Willa asked.
Nyah smiled, then nodded as Momma Willa held her hand out to me. I took it, then stood.
“Come take a walk with me,” she said.
I glanced at Nyah who signaled for me to get up with a hand gesture. Standing, I took Momma Willa’s hand.
As we walked along the path leading to the stream, I listened to Momma Willa as she talked about the merging of our Packs, how proud she was of me and Nyah mating, and other Pack related topics. Her soothing words covered me like a warm blanket, putting me somewhat at ease. Momma Willa then changed the subject to Levi and his departure. She let me know Levi would be alright and the last piece of advice she gave me really put things in perspective.
“Braxton, Elder Nelah told me about your thoughts. I know you and Levi have been thick as thieves since you two were pups. You’ve always been there for one another, but you’re grown men now with mates and your own paths to follow. Yours led you here and Levi is following his own. Levi is an Alpha just like you.” She tapped my chest with her free hand. “There’s no doubt in my mind if he needs any advice or help, you will be the first person he’ll call upon.”
I turned towards her as we stopped at the edge of the bustling stream.
“I know he will, but that doesn't take away the sense of loss I am going to feel. Levi has been my Beta, brother, and best friend for as long as I can remember. Things won’t be the same without him giving his perspective on things or just to unwind with a stiff drink after a long day of work.” My eyes fell to the ground, muttering, “Who am I supposed to do that with now?”
Momma Willa released my hand, then grasped my shoulders. “Lead our Packs with Nyah like Lord Odin entrusted you to do,” she snapped. “You make it seem like Levi is dead and you’re in mourning. You need to change your way of thinking. Lord Odin told us that the war isn’t over and by Levi going to reclaim his family’s name as Alpha of their Pack, it will only add more soldiers to our army.”
Her rationale did make sense. I knew Levi had to do this on his own, but it didn’t waver my concern. I let out a deep breath, conceding.
“I’m going to step back, but if I get a gut feeling that something is wrong, I will go to his aid and you can tell Elder Nelah that,” I declared with my words coming out in a deeper voice than expected.
Momma Willa peered at me as a pleasant smile graced her beautiful face.
“I will let her know but first let me give you a little advice...you better not ever in your life use that tone towards me. Do it again and you’ll find yourself getting up from the ground after I knocked the hell out of you. I’m your momma now and you’re about to see what it’s like to have a momma who doesn’t put up with shit your last incubator did.”
There were only a few rare situations in my life that have sent shivers down my back and as Momma Willa remained smiling as she spoke, I added this one to it. My own mother never had this kind of impact on me. I could have been dead wrong about something, but mother would always defend my actions.
Hell, Lord Odin granted Momma Willa life again with her family, so there was no telling what extra abilities he bestowed upon her.
My Adam’s apple bobbed as I swallowed air because my mouth was dry like the Sahara Desert.
“Yes, ma’am,” came out in a lower tone.
Momma Willa laughed out loud. “Now Braxton, you know damn better. Yes, ma’am ,” she mocked. “I wanted to lower your tone, not your stature. At the end of the day, you are still an Alpha. Yes, I am the mate of an Alpha and a Shield Maiden, which either title is under yours but as momma to my girls, and a momma figure to you, I just wanted you to know you can’t talk to me any kind of way. You can express your words to me without going all shifter. And whose voice was that? It surely wasn’t Ballian’s?”
Perplexed, I ran the voice through my head. It definitely wasn’t Ballian. Did Lord Odin pair me with another wolf?
Momma Willa wiggled her hands in front of me. “We’ll worry about that later. Right now, we need to get back to the others. Noah has promised me two grilled tomahawk steaks and the way I’m feeling, I’m not sure two will be enough.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said once again, this time merrier.
As we walked back to the cabin our conversation was about where Nyah and I planned to make our permanent home. Also, other than Crown when she and Alpha Noah should be expecting grandbabies and to make a reservation at one of my hotels for her and Alpha Noah to take a quick vacation. I told her I would have information and locations to the hotels for them the next morning. All they had to do was pick the dates and I would cover all the costs. I’d have them set up with full amenities and any excursions they would like to go on.
When we arrived back at the cabin, everyone was still in high spirits dancing around, talking and laughing together.
Before leaving her side, Momma Willa embraced me tightly. “I trust and love you son. I know you will keep Nyah safe at all costs.”
“I pledge my life to that,” I honestly said. “And I love you too.”
We separated with her going to Alpha Noah’s side and I joined Nyah on the makeshift dance floor doing what she informed me was the latest line dances. After a few trials and errors, I found my footing and was sliding to the left like a pro. I’ve never been one to line dance but this form of it had me wanting to learn others.
As night took over, we were exhausted and ready to call it a night. I knew I was tired but after learning four more line dances, I wanted to speak to Levi about what happened earlier. It didn’t happen because Elder Nelah surprised them with what she called a honeymoon cabin. Kenia laughed as Levi picked her up bridal style. Elder Nelah pointed to the woods as she told Kenia directions to the cabin. It was clear that it’s one of those cabins that could only be found by Elder Nelah, so that went my hope of talking to Levi before the night ended.
After they left, father told us he and James were heading to the airport to fly back to Texas. That information felt like another sucker punch.
“Father, you can’t wait until after breakfast in the morning?” I inquired.
“No, son.” He answered, grasping my shoulder. “Just like Noah and the Midnight Pack, we have to start getting ready. Plus, you and your mate still have a business that needs your attention. I’ve already got another jet coming for your use. It’s back to business as usual, but we must always remain alert. Not only that, when you’re ready to do so, you also have to come back and select a Beta to replace Levi. I will make sure the finest candidates will be selected before you return.”
Wait, what? A new Beta? Replace Levi? The questions swirled in my head. I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to replace Levi. In my eyes, there could never be another to fill his shoes, nor did I want to disclose company or Pack information to someone new.
Nyah must have sensed my worry because she blocked my path, stepping into fathers’ arms when he held them out. Father hugged her sincerely before letting her go.
“Thank you,” Nyah whispered.
“No, thank you for being the mate that my son needs. Hell, if I would have known this was to be the outcome, I would have suggested to Noah the first time we met to have an arranged marriage between the two of you.”
I rolled my eyes as the others laughed.
Alpha Lightfeather then approached father, offering him his hand. “Thank you Bryant, for your help and lending us your Packs assistance.”
Father grasped his hand, shaking it. “No thanks needed Noah. We are family now and even before the bond between our children.” The two Alphas shared a brotherly hug, showing their mutual respect and loyalty to one another.
After saying our goodbyes, father and James got in the car that was waiting for them. Nyah hugged my waist as we watched the car drive off.
“Are you okay?” she asked, not undoing her hands as she moved to face me.
I nodded, resting my hands just above her hips. “Yeah,” I replied. “Are you?”
“As long as I’m with you, I’m right as rain,” she giggled.
I chuckled before pecking her lips. “In that case, let’s go see if I can make your body rain too.”