Chapter 33

    Miss Starfire sat on the couch in the living room. She watched Armand and Miss Fern but wasn’t listening. Armand and Miss Fern were trying their best to encourage Miss Starfire to make a choice between Mr. Redwood and Mr. Thunder to be her Mate.

    Miss Fern leaned toward her Pack Leader, Armand his friend Mr. Thunder. But they were both encouraging her to make a choice.

    “I will choose when I’m ready.” was all Miss Starfire would say.

    Finally Armand made a sound of disgust and stood up from the comfy chair where he had been sitting. “You’re too stubborn Miss Starfire. I give up. You do what ever you want. I’m going to focus on me now.”

    “You do that Armand. That’s the best thing for you and I will do what’s best for me!” Miss Starfire shouted at him.

    “You’re making a mistake.” Miss Fern said to her.

    “It’s my mistake to make.” Miss Starfire responded.

    Armand took Miss Fern by the hand. He knew his Wolf Parents were in their room, listening but deliberately keeping out of the way while Armand was having his discussion with Miss Starfire.

    A totally useless discussion, Armand told himself.

    “Mom, Dad. Can you two come out here?” Armand called.

    “Coming Son.” said Mr. Black.

    They exited their bedroom.

    “What is it sweetie?” Louise asked. She quickly noticed Armand and Miss Fern holding hands.

    “I want to announce Miss Fern and I are to be Mates.” And he smiled a brilliant smile.

    “Oh! Armand!” Louise pulled Armand into her arms holding him tight. And she started crying.

    Miss Fern looked worried at that.

    “It’s okay Miss Fern.” Mr. Black said. He put his arms around Armand and Louise and held one arm open just enough for Miss Fern to join the group hug. “Come.” Mr. Black said to her which she did with a relieved smile.

    “Congratulations Armand and Miss Fern.” Miss Starfire said from the couch.

    “Thanks little Wolf Sister. I hope you have such happiness soon.” said Armand.

    Miss Starfire smiled, her off white eyes radiant. “Oh, I will. I will.”

    “We’ll plan a huge ceremony for you!” said Louise, wiping her tears from her face. “It will be grand.”

    “Thanks Mom.” said Armand.

    “Our two Packs will be joined, sort of.” said Miss Fern.

    “They will be connected in a special way, yes.” said Mr. Black. “You and Armand’s Mating will be the first Mating between two different Packs.”

    “I need to tell Mr. Hunter and Mr. Thunder.” said Armand.

    “What about Quetzal?” asked Louise.

    “I’ll tell him. Right now he’s obsessed with Shasta again. They ought to just kill her. I’m sure she’s using Magic on him. They wouldn’t keep her hands tied and bound forever.” said Armand.

    “I’m going to talk to Mr. Stonevalley again. He needs to act regardless of Quetzal and his Wolf Parent’s wishes. The other Packs are very uncomfortable having one of the Others still around.”

    They slowly separated from their group hug, Louise clinging to Mr. Black and Miss Fern clinging to Armand.

    “Do that Dad, please.” said Armand.

    Miss Starfire stood up. “I’ll see you all later.” And she went swiftly out the door into the falling snow.

    “She needs to stop being so flighty and scattery.” said Armand with a frown. “She has Mr. Redwood and Mr. Thunder interested in her and refuses to choose between them.”

    Louise sighed. “Yes, she’s taking too long. I’ll talk with her.”

    “Do that my Sweet Plaything.” said Mr. Black. “But for now let’s go back to our bedroom and finish what we were doing then start making plans for Armand’s Mating Ceremony.”

    Miss Fern giggled and held tighter to Armand’s arm. He smiled down at her then found himself thinking of Miss Feather. He wanted to give into the sadness of her loss all of a sudden but instead fought that encroaching darkness.

    I will not give into it! I will not! He told himself over and over again.

 

 

    Mr. Thunder was happy for him. He was hoping to win Miss Starfire and Armand hoped he would too.

    Too bad his little Wolf Sister wanted to play games.

    Mr. Hunter was excited for him. “I’m glad for you Armand. I was really worried about you there for a while.” He had said.

    But things didn’t look so good when Armand went to talk to Quetzal. All Quetzal could think about or talk about was Shasta.

    “Come on Quetzal.” Armand finally said. “You’re sick again because of her. She’s used Magic on you again and don’t say no way or think I’m lying or making this up!”

    Quetzal just stared at him. “I won’t say it then.”

    “Are you going to be at my Mating Ceremony or are you staying here with…that thing?” The last two words Armand said with anger.

    “She’s not a thing!” yelled Quetzal.

    “Kill her Quetzal. Kill her and be well!”

    Quetzal stared at Armand in shock. “I won’t kill Shasta!”
    “How about I show you how much I care for you Quetzal. I’ll kill her and set you free!”

    “No!” cried Quetzal.

    “Why? Do you love her? Do you want to Mate with her? Mix your blood with hers and have….Other Children?”

    It seemed a moment to Armand that Quetzal stopped breathing. Then he let out a rush of air. “Yes! Yes to all of it! I want to Mate with her! I want to feel that pleasure! Yes I do!”

    Armand stood up from where they were sitting on the porch of Quetzal’s house. The area around his house had been cleared of the three feet of snow.

    A large snowflake spiraled down in front of Armand horizontally. He watched it as it came to a rest upon the accumulated snow by the side of the house that hadn’t been cleared.

    “Then I guess you won’t be at my Mating Ceremony Quetzal. I hope someone kills that last Other in our midst infecting you.” After saying that Armand walked away, following one of the paths cleared of snow toward the opposite side of Mr. Stonevalley’s Village where he reached the trail that led to his Village.

     Armand felt he was being betrayed by Quetzal. He’d thought Quetzal wouldn’t have been so easily lost to Shasta again. Why couldn’t Quetzal see Shasta was destroying him again with her Magic?

   I hope Dad convinces Mr. Stonevalley to kill Shasta before she destroys Quetzal in a permanent way, thought Armand. But I won’t let him ruin my happiness.

    And Armand quit worrying about Quetzal for now and focused his thoughts on Miss Fern and their soon to be Mating Ceremony.

 

 

Reviews

Those Others are sick. I have negative feelings for all of them. Their arrogant and very stupid, and use so called magic, which to me is a sign of weakness. Dark science users are never a good thing to keep around. I would have her killed if I were Mr. Stonevalley.

[Black Cat Fever]

I think Shasta is a Big Negative. Armand perhaps will be happy now.

[Wicahpi]

I'm not glad Armand is going to be mates with Miss Fern!
I do believe that Shasta should be killed or at least returned.
They could send Quetzal with her to the human world, like in exile.
I don't think it's safe keeping her around.

[Eric Cox]

Life goes on in the Wolf People World. It's sad Miss Feather won't be Armand's Mate. Very nicely penned, cool chapter.

[Star Wolf]

Armand and Miss Fern to be Mates. Well, I wish it was Miss Feather who was becoming Armand's Mate but I'm glad he's found someone. Quetzal, well, I hope he figures out what's best for him and its not Shasta.