Kelp and Dalia were doing their best to keep the spirits of Snow Moon pack up. Not only did they lose their Luna, but in a lot of ways, lately they have lost their Alpha too. Nathan was rarely seen outside the pack house. He only interacted with the pack when he had to do his Alpha duties. Dalia could barely get him to speak to her, let alone anyone else. He sat most days in his office either staring at his phone or watching the tree line of the forest. He looked at the pictures of his mate on his phone for hours with tears rolling unchecked down his cheeks. Dalia had tried to make him feel better once, and he chased her away, telling her he was getting what he deserved.
Kane and Kelp had caught Nathan in the gym this morning. They joined his workout session, so they could tell him about the memorial that Moon Touched was planning. The moment they broached the subject, he stopped working out and left without a word. The alphas of both packs would not speak with one another but the two of them were acting and grieving similarly. Both refused to give up hope. That was why Nathan stared at the tree line for hours. He expected his little mate to come walking out of it someday when she had forgiven him.
Kelp was at his wits end. He did not know what to do to get either Alpha to accept little ghost’s death. He thought Mark would accept it more easily, knowing that Kelp could not feel anything from her. If she were alive, he would know their connection is complete and they both must block it to keep his gamma abilities from doing what they are supposed to do. As the gamma, his ability is to always monitor Luna to know that she is okay and not in need. Kelp had felt nothing for weeks now.
His mate Dalis joined him on the couch he was sitting on. He had wanted to watch a movie and unwind a bit but the moment the movie started his brain went its own way. All he could do was think about the two Alphas and their refusal to give up hope. Maybe Mark was onto something. Maybe something else was going on here. Why would you both feel bound to keep watching for Katia’s return? Nathan could understand more than Mark. He knew that Mark was the next person closes to Katia after him, but that did not explain his feeling he had of not giving up.
Dalia moved from the spot next to him onto his lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she said, “What is wrong, mate? You barely registered me there next to you.”
Kelp pushed her blonde hair behind her ear and blurted, “I keep thinking maybe Mark is right and something else is going on. I mean look at the two of them. They may have their reasons for keeping hope, but in the end they both feel it.”
Dalia blushed as she told him, “I have been quietly asking around how others felt also. It was unanimous in both packs, no one wanted the memorial to be built. They all say the same thing. That we feel the need to keep hope that their Alpha Luna will return to us. No one can explain why they feel this way, they just do.”
“I wondered what you had been up to all day.” Kelp kissed her on her forehead and then turned her to settle her back against his chest with her legs stretched out on top of his. She hadn’t even noticed that he had moved into a different position until he settled her. Laying back against him, she asked, “What are you watching?”
He chuckled, “One of Katia’s favorites. “Underworld” Remember how much she laughed at things humans got wrong about us. She wanted to find a vampire and ask if anything in them was correct about them.” The movie was about werewolves and vampires.
Dalia was laughing so hard she could barely get her words out, “Nathan had his hands full keeping her from going off looking for a vamp to bring home and interview.”
Kelp laughed harder, saying, “Which brought about her next favorite movie.”
“Interview with a Vampire”, they both screamed.
Kane came rushing in the movie room, “Shhh, you two sound like a bunch of pups in here carrying on. Alpha is in his office trying to get some work done for a change. What has you all screaming and laughing like that?”
Kelp filled Kane in on the conversation they were just having which ended with Kane laughing just as hard at them, “Our Luna came down the next day with a list of questions, she had stayed up all night making, and trying to convince one of us to capture a vampire for her.”
A voice from the doorway said, “She was tenacious.” Three heads whipped around to stare at their Alpha standing there. Nathan walked in and sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, so he could see the others sitting on the couch. The warmth from the fireplace felt nice after his run he had snuck out to have.
Kane said, “Alpha, I thought you were working in your office.”
Kelp was immediately on alert. This was the first interaction Nathan had initiated with them since the incident that day and The Luna did not return. Nathan looked at his sister and said, “I heard what you all were talking about when I returned from my run, and I wanted to discuss it more.”
Dalia looked confused, “You want to talk more about Katia and the movies she liked?”
“No, the other part. The stuff you were talking about first.” Nathan growled at his sister for trying to play dumb.
“I am sorry Nathan. I did not want you to hear that. It is just something that has crossed our minds, and we are not sure if we are wishing it to be or if it is something we have hit on.” Dalia told her brother. She did not want to cause him any more pain.
“Just go over why you all think something else may be going on. I am fine, Dalia. I know for tonight she is not coming back.” Nathan assured his sister.
Kane took it from there. He explained how Mark could not give hope either. How Mark could not tell them why, just that something was pushing him not to give up. “When we mentioned that we could not feel her bond. That no one could. He then asked how we knew that some kind of magic was not at work here?”
“Which got me thinking because I feel the same way but was pushing for the memorial for closure, thinking that was why I could not give up hope she would come back. So, I spent my day asking every single pack member in Snow Moon and Moon Touched, and they all felt the same way. None of them want the memorial.” Dalia interjected.
Nathan looked at Kelp. He had always been closest to Katia. Nathan still hated it but understood their connection. “Kelp?” he said, questioning.
Kelp shrugged and sighed, “I can’t feel anything from her, but we were so connected. I know in my heart of hearts that if she were to die, I would feel it. It would be like I was dying right with her. There was nothing and my heart is telling me that is wrong. My brain is telling me we are missing something.”
Looking at Kane, Nathan questioned, “Kane?”
Kane’s reply came quickly, “I agree with Kelp. I am her cousin and second gamma. I felt absolutely nothing, and my brain is telling me something is wrong. My heart just misses her.”
Now observing all three of them, Nathan clears his throat and, sounding like the Alpha that he is, he starts breaking things down, “So, every single person in two packs feels the exact same way. Two Alphas with Alpha powers cannot let go and feel like something is telling you to not lose hope. Both gammas agree and when were you going to speak with me about this?”
Dalia jumped off Kelp’s lap then. Putting her hands on her hips, she stood there shaking her finger and then pointing at Nathan, “When were we going to tell you? Let me tell you something, Big Brother, you have been an ass the last couple of weeks. The one time I tried to approach you and speak to you, my head got ripped off, chewed up, and spit out. Don’t you dare sit there acting outraged, asking when we were going to come to you!”
She stepped forward and slapped him on the back of the head and said, “That is for being a dick to Katia.” Turning around, she went back to Kelp, climbed back into his lap, smiled, and said, “You were saying brother?”
Kane and Kelp waited for the explosion they knew was coming. The two were shocked when their Alpha sheepishly said, “I am sorry little sister. I was a monster to you when you were trying to console me. I was a monster to Katia that day out in the woods. I wish every day that I could take back what I did or change how I handle the situation. Maybe I should have listened to Doc and everyone else telling me to stop. I just want her back, alive, and I don’t care if she does not come back to me. I will spend the rest of my life convincing her too.”
Kane said, “Can any of you think of what it may be that we are missing? What is it that keeps telling us to not let her go?
They all sat thinking and shaking their heads. Kelp said, “It’s there, but I cannot put my finger on it. It is like it is floating around in my head and just as I am about to figure it out, the answer disappears.”
Dalia yells, “Exactly!”
Nathan just sits quietly for a while like he is in deep thought. He was really speaking to Kalen, who had perked up and been listening to the conversation. Kalen suggested calling the in-laws in on this and asking them about it. Maybe there was some kind of God thing going on.
Nathan informed the rest of Kalen’s suggestion, and they all agreed that Hyperion, Theia, and Selene should be called to ask their opinion.
“Kane, could you ask them to come?” Nathan asked.
Kane shook his head, thinking Nathan was a brave wolf, “I’ll ask, but I don’t think they will come. Hyperion said if he ever saw you again he would kill you.”
Nathan told Kane, "You tell Hyperion, I said bring it on!"