Alpha Code
Chapter Seventeen

[Kin’s POV]

I was more than mindful of my little Mate over the next few days. He was watching me like I would suddenly disappear in a puff of smoke. I thought it was adorable and I had made sure to keep him close to me. I was able to keep everyone away from my wing in the Packhouse for almost three months and it was a very relaxing vacation from everything. However, Arion had held off my father for long enough and soon we were paid a visit by my parents.

It was sudden and it was not what I had wanted for early in the morning. Ra’ne had been so spooked by the sudden opening of the bedroom door that he had lept from the bed and quickly hidden underneath. I growled and stood in front of where he would be, facing the door and my very shocked parents.

I sighed and relaxed as I waved for them to wait a moment. I closed the door as they turned toward my personal kitchen and went to get my frightened Mate from under our bed.

“Ra’ne, my ember, don’t be afraid. It’s just my parents coming to meet you.” I cooed before reaching under the bed, holding my hands open for him to come into whenever he was comfortable enough to do so. I felt his little fingers grip onto mine and I slowly pulled him from under the bed. His face was stained with tears and I gathered him close to my chest, rocking him against me gently. I adored the way he just fit perfectly against me. Perfectly made just for me.

“W-why w-would they w-want t-to meet me?” he questioned his voice shaky and nervous as I held him close to me.

“Because you are my Mate and you will be the next Luna of this Pack. They are my parents and my mother has been waiting very patiently to meet you.” I said with a smile.

“W-what i-if they d-don’t l-like me?” he asked softly as I stood knowing he wasn’t really scared anymore just a little bundle of nerves.

“They will love you. You have nothing to worry about my ember. I will be right there with you.” I said as I set him on his own feet inside our closet. He looked up at me and smiled, as he went to his side and picked out his own clothes.

I was more than happy that he was comfortable with new people, as long as I was with him, but it was a start. I was going to have to tell everyone not to just barge into my rooms anymore. I had a feeling my parents were not going to be the only ones to frighten my ember with their hasty entry. It was not something I was going to tolerate.

When Ra’ne and I were dressed and ready we went to the kitchen to replace my mother at the stove while my father sat at the table. Mom was busying herself with making breakfast while dad sipped a cup of tea. I had set Ra’ne on my shoulders because he hadn’t wanted to be away from me so when we came into the room my mother let out a horrified gasp.

“Kin Barric Star!! Put the poor thing down!!!” she cried out as I brought us into the kitchen more.

I chuckled “Don’t worry mom, Ra’ne likes it up there.” I said as he gripped the back of my shirt a little tightly.

I heard dad chuckle at us as I went to the kitchen table. I pulled Ra’ne from my shoulder to set him in my lap as I sat down across from my father. “So, this is the Mate I have heard so much about?” dad said as he looked at the way I had my arm wrapped around Ra’ne.

“Yes, father this is Ra’ne.” I said watching his reactions. He was a very unpredictable Alpha.

“Little one, what are your intentions for my son?” dad questioned seemingly ignoring my words.

Ra’ne let out a small squeak before turning to look at the ground. “I-I only w-wish t-to l-love h-him A-Alpha.” Ra’ne stammered, he was getting scared again. It was the way my dad decided to ask his question. Ra’ne was waiting for my father to strike him. I could see it in the way he was orienting himself closer to me.

“That is all I can ask for.” Dad said getting my little Mate to look up in a flash before looking at the floor again. He was too scared to really look at my father but because of his past I could not blame him. “Why do you not look at me? Am I that hideous?” dad joked laughing heartily as mom came over to smack his shoulder playfully.

“Dad,” I groaned, shaking my head. “I saved my Mate from Ironclaw. They didn’t exactly treat him very well.” I said not wanting to really get into the entire situation.

“What were you doing near Ironclaw lands to begin with, Kin?” dad questioned as he made himself more comfortable. Even he knew our lands bordered each other so he was asking me a dumb question. I just wanted to sigh at everything.

Julius let out an inner sigh and I almost smiled at him. He knew that look on our father’s face and it meant he was not going anywhere until he had all his answers. Thankfully, our mother was there as well and she knew how to temper my dad’s need for answers.

Having been together for almost 100 years made it easy for them to know what the other was thinking. It let mom know when to get dad to shut his mouth before it got him into too much trouble. Knowing all of this, I also knew that she would let him get the answers she wanted before she would put a stop to it. With all that being said, the fact that she was silently making breakfast still let me know that she wanted to know too.

I sighed and held Ra’ne closer to me, “I was doing my job with my unit and patrolling that side of the border. Julius sensed Ra’ne and pulled me to him.” I said truthfully but not really saying much else. They were fishing for answers I was not sure Ra’ne wanted to give.

‘It’s ok to tell them. Just … please don’t make me say anything.’ Ra’ne’s voice sounded in my mind and it was filled with tears but he was telling me he was fine with letting them know what really went on while I was gone and why I had to be gone for so long. He knew I was going to have to explain it all to them eventually, he just didn’t want to have to explain it himself.

‘If that is what you want my ember I will, but you are stronger than those bastards in Ironclaw. I will always be right here for you.’ I thought back in reply before turning back to my parent’s sadness in my eyes. “There are some things that you will replace out eventually but I am warning you not to push Ra’ne into trying for answers from him. I will explain all that I know, as for the rest of it, everyone can wait for him to grasp it on his own.” I said seriously as my mother came to set plates in front of myself and my dad.

“Let the boy in his own chair Kin. He can eat while you talk to us about our next steps.” Mom said as she set another plate next to mine for Ra’ne.

“Ra’ne is fine where he is mother.” I said feeling Ra’ne tense up a little. “Julius does not like him to be too far from us.” I said smiling and kissing Ra’ne’s head as he leaned into me.

“If that is the lie you want to give me, I will take it for the moment. However, there is no reason for the two of you to hide things from the two of us.” Mom said with a dramatic sigh as she too sat down to eat with us.

“Mom …” I groaned as I pulled Ra’ne’s food closer to him. “It is not a lie. I really don’t like it when he is too far away from me. It unsettles me. I’ve been without him for 10 years and now that I have my beautiful little Mate, I don’t want him out of my sight.” I countered, letting him pick at his plate.

Ra’ne was healed but his stomach was still not used to being able to eat regularly so I had to make sure he didn’t stuff himself to the point of being sick. He had already done so twice on me. He had been so excited for real food that he had over eaten and made himself sick. Now I was more than closely watching him. He was not the fragile little thing he was when I saved him but he was not exactly a fully grown Wolf either.

“You were about to tell us what happened and why we are only just now meeting this little Mate of yours.” Dad chimed in after a moment of silence. Ra’ne was happily munching on his breakfast when he suddenly just set his fork down, his eyes downcast again.

“Faelan, let the poor boy eat first before you start grilling them about everything.” Mom said pushing his shoulder, with a light growl.

“I wish we had the time for pleasantries Adelina but we don’t.” dad said getting me to look at him seriously.

“What does that mean pop?” I questioned, pushing Ra’ne’s plate toward him again. Telling him to eat and not pay attention to anything going on.

“Ironclaw has come weekly since you claimed your little Mate. Their Alpha has set a claim that you stole Ra’ne from his Pack House after attacking them.” Dad said getting me to growl harshly.

“If I had attacked them, none of them would still be breathing. Trust me I did think about it but the life of my Mate was far more important to me at the moment. In Ironclaw, Ra’ne was considered an Omega despite his bloodline, therefore my little Mate was abused and raped by every Wolf in that Pack. For me to have just left them alive, says far more to my character than theirs.” I seethed getting my mom to gasp in horror and even dad to look at Ra’ne with sadness.

“Wait you said despite his bloodline, what does that mean?” mom questioned as she moved closer to us. She was hesitant and now that she knew Ra’ne had been abused she was far more careful in her movements.

“Ra’ne was stolen from his birth family by Ironclaw. Ironclaw murdered his entire family and took him as a prize.” I said getting a small squeak from my little Mate. I squeezed him tighter but I didn’t let him run from me. I could feel his overwhelming sadness growing and I was not going to let him deal with it alone.

“That explains a few things actually. If they took Ra’ne then the Alpha will always see him as his. Regardless of anything else. Ra’ne was a prize that the Alpha does not want to let go.” Dad said his voice serious and his eyes distant. He must have been calling for his own Beta, Larc, Callum’s father. This was more than enough to send the Counsel after Ironclaw. However, I had far more to use against them but I didn’t want to do anything until we could sentence Grissa to death.

I didn’t want him to take my little ember from me because of something he deserved to have happen to him. “I have far more than just that, but I am going to leave it with the state of my little ember when I found him. He was near death, barely above 60 pounds and his entire body was shutting down. Arion saved his life but if I had gotten to him seconds later my Mate would not be here and it would be because of these Rouges that I would have lost so much. I am never one to beg and I bow to no Were, but I cried the day I found my Ra’ne.” I said seriously. My parents looked at me in complete shock.

I had not shown real emotion since after my 18th birthday when I found that I had no Mate. Ra’ne was there he was just not allowed to come to me when I had called. I had searched the world looking for him when he had been right in my backyard technically. I had felt lost in those few short moments as I raced back to Arion to get him help. I should have been there for him sooner. I should have done so much for him before it had gotten to that point but I hadn’t even been around.

I felt Ra’ne’s small hands touch my face, pulling me from my thoughts to look at him. His eyes were that of Skie’s and I knew Skie was the one in control at the moment. ‘What’s going on?’ I asked a little alarmed by the soft look in Skie’s gaze.

‘Ra’ne and I have survived this long just to replace you Kin. We knew that one day our Mate would come for us but we did not know how long it would be. You went without us and we went without you for 10years. Let’s not dwell on what could have happened and look to what is in front of us.’ Skie said, love in his eyes as he stared at me. He wanted me to know how he felt but didn’t want to wait for Julius to say something to him. Skie was the one that had the loudest voice but Ra’ne felt far more than any of us.

In an instant Ra’ne’s ember eyes came back as he looked at me in the exact way as Skie had. Without fear. With only love and admiration. Without judgement. I knew what he was telling me, even without saying a word. He trusted me to keep him safe in the future and that was what really mattered to him. The here and now. Not the things that wanted to hold him back from a past he cannot change.