Revolting

The day of William and Heath's ceremony dawned perfectly clear and bright, with skies so perfectly blue that it hurt to look at them. The small pack had assembled on the back lawn to witness the official union of the beta and his fated mate. Heath had finally made the decision not only to marry the love of his life, but to join the small pack officially. A very big step for the man who said, "never trust a pack."

The two grooms were dressed in black tuxedos with deep red cummerbunds and ties, both of them tall and handsome. Hannah stood proudly beside her brother, and Luna Nina stood beside her best friend, William. Shane did the honors of officiating the ceremony. Daisy stood with them, holding baby Gabe in his own tiny tux, as part of their sweet and complicated little family.

They began by exchanging the rings and finished with the blood ceremony to induct Heath officially into the pack. His face was flushed red from the moment they began, and he squirmed to have all eyes on him, but when he gazed into William's loving blue eyes, he felt calm and certain. He had found his forever home, not in the pack, but in his mate.

When everything was over, the party began. There was music and dancing, and tons of food. Heath snagged his sister for a dance. Hannah beamed at her brother as he spun her around. Speaking full sentences was still hard for her. Like a person recovering from a stroke, her brain was slowly repairing and regrowing neural pathways for speech. She patted her brother's ruddy cheek. "So... happy." She whispered.

Heath pressed her hand against his face. "Me too." He searched her face as they continued to sway to the music. "Stay with us Hannah. Please? It's not too late to change your mind."

She gave him a look and shook her head. Her eyes cut to Michael, who was standing near Caroline and Boyd on the outskirts of the party.

Heath heaved a sigh. "Michael can stay too. He's an asshole, sure, but he's a great warrior. I'm sure he'll be useful." He grunted in pain as Hannah stomped on his foot and glared at him. "What?"

She shook her head and smiled, a little sadness showing in her eyes. She gave up trying to speak in words and used the mind link instead. You know we have to go. But it's not goodbye, brother. We'll be back to visit you. Heath grunted, and leaned down to kiss her forehead, just before William swept in to steal him away.

Hannah moved back over to her mate, sliding her hands possessively around his middle. He glanced down at her with concern. "Are you okay?"

Yes, I'm fine. I'm so happy for him. He finally has the love he deserves.

Michael's eyes strayed back to the area where people were dancing. "Yeah. William is a great guy. He couldn't have done better."

Well, that's debatable. She gave him a sassy grin. She turned to Caroline and Lonnie, and spoke to them, using Michael as her translator. Are you all packed?

"Yes," Caroline nodded, frowning at her husband, who was currently eating his third slice of wedding cake. Lonnie had been pouty about leaving the comforts of the packhouse, but tonight was their last night. Shane and Nina had not extended any invitation to the couple about joining their pack, so they had no choice but to leave with Michael and Hannah.

When the party was over, Michael and Hannah returned to her pastel room in Heath's little house. William and Heath had gifted them with new backpacks in which to carry their supplies, as well as some extra necessities. As a sort of back- handed joke, Heath had even given Michael a new longbow. Everything was ready for their departure in the morning. They snuggled up together to enjoy the comforts of a clean, soft bed one last time.

In the morning Heath and William arrived with breakfast in hand, warm cinnamon rolls, fried eggs, sausages and sliced berries. The two men seemed closer than ever since their ceremony, sitting so close at the table that their knees and thighs were touching, and their forearms were constantly bumping each other over breakfast. William finished eating first and leaned back. "Where will you go?"

Michael shrugged one big shoulder and finished chewing his bite of sausage. "North, probably," he answered vaguely. "Maybe find a human settlement where we can pick up some odd jobs for the summer."

Heath's mouth pressed into a firm line. "Is that really the life you want for my sister? Living like nomads?"

Hannah reached out and laid her hand over her brother's. the life I choose, Heath.

Heath grunted and reached for another cinnamon roll. He and Hannah had already lived that life, always on the move, always fearing for their lives. It was a hard life, and he wished he could save his sister from that. Hannah understood his reservations, but she wasn't afraid. Something out there was calling to her, some greater purpose that was waiting for them to discover. She felt it in her soul, and she believed in it.

When they had eaten their fill, they said their final goodbyes. Heath clung to his sister with tears in his eyes. "I have one last thing for you," he said gruffly as he thrust a box at her. She gave him a curious look as she tore open the paper and unwrapped the box. It was a satellite phone with a solar charger. Her face broke into a bright smile as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around her brother's neck.

"Please, don't get lost again." He said, in a choked voice. "Call or even text." He gave her a humble, lopsided grin. "I can read a text now."

She planted a smacking kiss on his cheek before he lowered her back down onto her feet. She gave William a warm hug too before she retreated back to Michael, who was standing aside with their packs in hand.

"We could drive you somewhere," William said awkwardly, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Hannah shook her head and Michael spoke for her. "No thanks. We're going to hike out. Hannah has a place in mind for us to make camp for a little while."

They shouldered their packs and went out, meeting Caroline and Lonnie in front of the pack house. The luna and alpha were there, along with Daisy and Boyd. Boyd had the infant in his arms and looked perfectly comfortable in his new role of stepfather. Daisy wrapped Hannah in a hug and gave her a teary-eyed goodbye. "I can't believe you are leaving again. I'm going to miss you so much." Boyd passed the baby back to his mate and also leaned down to hug the slight woman. He bent close to her ear to whisper, "Goodbye... luna." Hannah widened her eyes and shook her head negatively as she released him. He smiled down at her. "You are. You just haven't realized it yet."

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When all the goodbyes had been said, they started on foot down the long driveway, back toward the road and the place where the rogue party had camped, just outside the boundary lines. They followed the road for a couple of miles before they veered off into the woods, following Hannah toward a trail that only she was familiar with.

Michael felt a great relief as he left the Rebel Moon lands. At least here, out in the woods, he was free. He didn't have to submit to any other alpha or play by anyone's rules. Hannah looked over her shoulder and smiled back at him in a knowing way.

Okay, maybe he would play by ONE person's rules. The only person who mattered. He would follow Hannah like a puppy anywhere.

Lonnie had started whining about three miles into the hike, his mouth running non-stop as usual. Michael rolled his eyes and tuned him out, instead reaching for Hannah's hand as they walked. "Humans are so dumb. Why would ANYONE want to go camping for fun? Do they realize they are actually paying money to go live like homeless people in the woods??" Lonnie said to no one in particular.

With Lonnie making noise, and Michael focused on Hannah, they didn't see the man in a tree stand high overhead about four hundred yards off the trail.

The man in the tree watched the rogues moving away with a pair of binoculars. He focused first on Michael's broad back before he moved lower and adjusted the sights for the tiny female at his side. He had once considered the huge male to be his prize, but now McKnight realized the real trophy wasn't the alpha male, but the luna at his side. He made no move to grab his weapon. Not yet.

He was a hunter.

And he wanted to study his prey.

~END~