Thank you Rachelle Whiskeyqueenn for your wonderful narrative 

and the spirited debates it brings.

For inspiring your readers, and letting me borrow from your brilliance.

The end of my senior year of school came so fast I can hardly believe it. First term, I almost had to drop out of computers, an hour in the same room as Rya was just too much. But David, Mr Riley, was nice enough to tutor me so I could get a good grade without going to class for the whole year. When their family discovered Daniel was Tina's mate, both brothers moved here, so she could finish school with her friends and family before returning to their pack. I think David was hoping to find his mate here but no such luck. Charlie is also still looking for his mate and the two of them were always going off somewhere on the weekends when we weren't having a lake party or they aren't hanging out with Clay and the warriors. They are all curious about Charlie's law enforcement training with the Vanguard pack. I was going to miss this house but there was nothing to keep me here after graduation, nothing except Rya. I had to find a way out for her. I had literature from several horticulture programs sent to her, and paperwork for a "fake scholarship" funded by my grandmother's pack but Rya's mom said she just threw them all away. She was wilting, her soul was dying. Anyone could see it who looked, but so few did.

I only got into one fight this year, Homecoming week. Some warrior-wanna-be alpha's son was going to 'get a piece off the mouse'. His plan, invite her to the dance, dose her and take advantage. I confronted him on the football field after school. Five wolves failed to pull me off before Clayton and my brother showed up. He alpha-commanded me to stop. And Charlie yelled at me when I almost didn't. Clayton's command had no affect on me or my wolf.

I turned on him, growling, "I am doing your job, Alpha! He was going to rape HER." His jaw twitched at my accusation, but he said nothing. It was like he wanted her harmed.

I faced the other males as I stood over the unconscious, bloody body of the football team's tight-end. "If any of you ever look in HER direction in that kind of way, you will wish you looked as good as him when I'm done with you." Then I kicked the wolf as hard as I could, breaking several more ribs and rolling his body into a heap at Clayton's feet.

"Furthermore, any of you put your filthy paws on any female in any pack without her permission, and I will show you who the weaker sex is. Do you understand?" I glare at the gathered males, not acknowledging the one who had 'tipped' us about the jock's pan, though he gives me a slight nod. It is not the place of lesser wolves to correct higher wolves, it is our job to police our own. Wrong is still wrong and it should be all of our duties to deal with it, to stop injustice and cruelty before it starts. The poison of generations has weakened us.

"Do you understand?" I snarl again, letting my power roll off me.

None met my eyes. I stomped off toward my car before Clayton could say anything to me, Charlie followed, trying to calm me down before I committed murder. I noticed the Alpha and Beta had watched my little outburst from a distance, both were scowling. I flipped them a rude gesture as I drove off.

Oddly, I didn't get asked to any dance or prom this year, hmmm, I wonder why?

Shh, do you hear that?

My wolf is laughing at me again.

~

~two months before graduation

"Hurry up," I hissed at Tim and Daniel, watching the lunch crowd filing out of their classrooms and into the halls. It was raining outside. Rya would come straight here.

"Almost there... gotta it..."Tim whispered.

Just as Tina texted, 'She's coming.'

The boys sat down at a computer on the opposite side of the library from Rya's cubicle and I hid among the shelves. She came in, twisting the end of her braid, head down. Not even sparing a glance around, just going straight to her cubicle. No matter how busy the library was, we always made sure Rya's chosen lunch spot was available. Many of the lesser wolves understood why and respected Rya's spot. Daniel's family were Gammas like mine and he had once dragged a delta out of the library for refusing to use another terminal during lunch. It hadn't been pretty.

I watched as Rya placed her sandwich and cookie on a napkin, she chewed them mechanically as if they had no flavor. Her body looked healthy, except for the dark circles under her eyes. Everyday, it seemed her eyes and her hair became paler, like she was fading away. I had become desperate to find a way to save her.

Tim was typing as he and Daniel talked about some video game called Halo:Guardians. Rya's computer chimed and opened a webpage. She looked up surprised, looking around, finally taking notice of Tim and Daniel. But they were bent over their terminal, speaking in some weird language that only boys who play a lot of video games understand so she dismissed them. The page was blog, written by a midwife from another pack, beautifully worded and articulate in her love of delivering new babies into the world, each page a work of art. She compared pregnancy to nurturing a garden and each babe to a flower. I watched as Rya read it, absorbing the metaphors between gardening and midwifing. Gretchen had suggested her once-student become Rya's teacher. Tim had helped her create the blog and found his mate in her pack. Becoming a midwife had given new life and purpose to this she-wolf who had lost her mate. I prayed to the Goddess, it would inspire Rya. My prayer was answered. Rya missed the rest of her classes, reading Belinda's blog. She walked to the bus thoughtful. Even though it hurt us to observe her for so long, my wolf yipped hopefully. For the rest of the month, she searched up everything she could on being a midwife. Aurora the Healer and Gretchen, our pack'sold midwife, both came to Career Day and spoke of the joys of helping other wolves. Both later helped Rya get into the midwife program. She just needed Luna Catherine's approval which I knew would be the hardest part. Luna Catherine wanted Rya where Clayton could see her, smell her, she wanted his wolf to make Clayton choose Rya over Kennedy. She did not know the Beta would kill Rya before he let that happen. We had to get her away, we were running out of time.

~

~one month before graduation

I sat nervously waiting outside Luna Catherine's office with a dozen other she-wolves. In my hands were the acceptance letters to half-a-dozen culinary schools around the world and one on this continent. Rya was across from me, she held her letters from the midwife program. She was trying again to smooth out the papers she had repeatedly crumpled up and smoothed while we waited. Luna Catherine came to her door, glancing around the room, she noted Rya's posture. Then a look of alarm crossed her face as she saw me sitting with a bloody tissue stuffed up my nose.

"Cora, come in."

I sat in front of her desk with a cold washcloth pressed to my face.She looked disappointed as she pursued the letters.

"These schools are all very far away, Cora. Are you trying to leave us?" She asked, her shrewd eyes narrowing.

"None of the closer schools have the status or offer me a challenge. I want to be the best that I can and the closer schools, well they just aren't good enough or I hate their lame curriculum." I answer mostly truthfully.

She nods, she knows my skill level is far beyond a chef of my age. "It will involve contacting the local Alphas and getting permission for you to stay in their territory."

"I already have letters from most of the Lunas, Luna Catherine. They are attached to the back, I am only waiting on Luna Claudette Depaduex to respond."

Luna Catherine could not hide the look of surprise on her face, I had letters from around the world. She didn't ask how I knew these wolves and I didn't volunteer. She sighed, and glanced at the door, leaning back in her chair.

"What is this really about, Cora?"

Time to show my hand, time to sell off my future for hers. "Do you remember the day I made pork chops with apple chutney and perogies? We talked about needing a younger midwife."

Luna Catherine nodded, leaning forward and folding her hands on her desk, she knew this was a negotiation.

"Rya could be that midwife, she is young, compassionate, and moon blessed. I will stay on this continent, I will return when she does, and stay while she travels between the packs working. My mate will come with me or I will reject him. I will do my duty. Just let Rya go, please. She'll die if she stays here much longer."

Luna Catherine looks thoughtful, "You would trade your future for Rya's?"

"Yes, Luna Catherine," I bow my head in submission, my wolf doesn't like it but we do it.

We sit quietly as she reads the letters from the Lunas that knew me through my grandmother and our travels. She frowned at the familiarity with which the letters were written. "Tell me Cora, how is it these Lunas seem to know you personally?"

"I met them while I was with my grandmama," I answer honestly.

"I had no idea Noble had so many prestigious visitors."

"Alpha Forrest is very, very old and very much respected. He knew many of the current Alphas' fathers and grandfathers." I answer as casually as I can, shrugging my shoulders as if it wasn't unusual for such dignitaries to visit Noble pack.

She nods slowly, "You never mentioned meeting these wolves."

"Luna Millie said a name-dropping wolf was really just a coyote trying to improve their prestige by eating another's scraps." I respond.

"That is a good lesson. She would be proud of you, as I am, but I should have been made aware of your connection to these other packs." She says coolly.

"I was just the young girl who cooked for them. I'm a novelty." I say modestly. She nods as if she believes me.

"Very well, I will let Rya go, but you will come back to prepare the celebration meals as I need you. And you will return, with or without your mate at the end of your culinary training. You will not speak of Adams pack business to anyone. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Luna Catherine. I promise." I struggle to appear calm. So close...

She looks blank for a minute, and I know she is speaking to the Alpha. She blinks and looks back at me, "Go and see the Alpha about having the Alpha Command removed. I will approve your schooling and Rya's." I bow deeply before leaving her office. I belong to her now.

~

When I arrive at the Alpha's office, he and the Beta are waiting. I know what is coming. Bastards!

"I am sorry Cora, but I will not be removing my command from you until after you return from school. The Beta and I feel you can not be trusted to keep the confidentiality of our pack's business to yourself."

I hold up my head, "The Luna trust me to do my duty."

"She-wolves are too emotional and temperamental to be trusted, it is why they are the weaker sex," the Beta says, baring his fangs at me.

I narrow my eyes at him, choosing my next words carefully. I can not say anything that will jeopardize mine and Rya's chances to leave Adams pack territory. But my wolf wants to shove his statement down his ripped-out throat. I smile instead.
"In ancient Sparta, giving birth was equated to battle. Having the heart of a female was considered to be a compliment, it still is today or so Alpha Theopolis told me." I retort in a calm tone. The Greek Alpha had the second fiercest warriors in the world, half of whom are females. The Beta glares at me and I turn my eyes to the Alpha. "I will prove myself to you Alpha Adams, even if I can't convince your lapdog otherwise." The Beta snarls as I turn and walk purposefully out of the Alpha's office, head held high.

~

~last Saturday of May : Graduation

"Miss Cora Shill, Honor Society, Principle's Award of Academic Excellence,Awarded pre-grad Degree in Culinary Arts. Ms. Shill has been accepted to several culinary schools around the world. She makes us proud. Congratulations." I smile at the photographer as I take my diploma. My parents are there, puffed up and proud, next to the Alphas but I barely even look toward them. I hate them all. I resist the urge to flip them off in front of everyone, even as my wolf eggs me to do it. She gets so feisty when she sees them all together, I love her so much.

Tina, David, Tim and I howl and throw our caps with the rest of the graduates. Howling is a school tradition because our mascot is a wolf and so are half the students. 

We are all outta here!

Goodbye High School!

Goodbye Adams pack!

~

Rya wasn't at graduation yesterday. An hour past dawn, my wolf sits in the woods across from her house. We watch her hug her mother before she drives away. We run to their porch and sit next to her mom, who hugs us and cries into our fur. This is how I visit her always. My human can't be here without passing out, but my wolf is stronger.

"I don't know how you did it Cora, but thank you. Thank you for getting her away from here and for all the times you've protected her," she says. We whine, it is hard to let go of Rya, but Belinda promised to keep her safe during her training and Tim is there with his mate. We have to trust that the Moon Goddess which blessed her, will watch over her. Suddenly, I scent a familiar wolf, I lick Rya's mother before I run toward the woods.

I tackle Clayton before he can get away. I shift and stand, arms crossed before him. He shifts too, looking ashamed at being caught. His eyes are red, like he's been crying.

"She's gone. She is finally away from you for four years." I snarl in triumphant, "You can't hurt her any more, Clay."

"I just... I just wanted to see her one last time," he says softly. His green eyes look pained.

"Why? You've done nothing, but hurt her for two and a half years. You don't love your mate, so go home to your fake mate." I growl.

"Cora, you think I don't know what I've done but I do." He sounds anguished, "And I can't help it. I love Kennedy, but I need Rya. She shouldn't even be my mate."

UN-BE-LEIV-ABLE!

"You are blaming her for being your mate?!?" Oh, it's on as far as my wolf is concerned, fortunately my human drags her back. Alpha– schmalpha, this wolf isn't worth our fight. I shake my head at him in disgust.

"Goodbye, Clayton."

I don't wait for him to reply, just shift and run to Gretchen's cottage, to tell the old she-wolf that Rya has started her journey to becoming a midwife with the Moon's blessing.

The End, part 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9.2018 - CLAYTON is published!!!

Clayton (The Wildflower Series) by Rachelle Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/164034487X/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_S8sbDbB084P46 via @amazon

2.2019- DALLAS is published!!!

Dallas (The Wildflower Series Book 2) by Rachelle Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXRVB7M/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_o9sbDbPFY61NH via @amazon
Find them on Amazon

::Thank you to Rachelle for allowing this CLAYTON Fanfiction to be published.::