A/N: Let's see how the couple's first day back in Jasper played out.
Humphrey's POV
I woke up as quickly as I fell asleep to find that the sun was shining bringing light into my den. I gathered my thoughts to see that Kate was sound asleep next to me. I didn't know why I kept getting up before her, normally she was up and active before I even awoke. I guess it was the fact that we hadn't been in a pack for the past week meaning she just slept in. It felt like I had only been sleeping for a few minutes but at the same time I felt so energetic form getting a good sleep. I decided to leave my den, that was now ours, and see what was happening this early in the morning. I knew once Kate got up she would want to head to her parents den so I would play it low key until she got up. I knew I should tell my friends Salty, Shakey and Mooch that I was back and the seemed like something to do right now. When I walked out of the den I could see a few wolves walking around but none that stuck my eye. For being a top omega in the pack I was pretty unknown to most other wolves which I didn't mind, I kept to myself anyway. I began to wonder where I would find any of my friends and decided their dens would be the best option. Salty lived near me in his own den so I headed to his first to see if he was up.
It looked to be an hour since the sun had risen and most of the pack was already up and alive. Much to my relief they all looked one hundred percent healthy and suited no scars from what I could see. This meant that something else had taken place that wasn't a war, maybe the two packs joined by a different way. I couldn't think of a way how else that could be done but I did know that once Kate and I talked to her parents we would get all the answers. For now I focused on talking to my friends and seeing what was new with them since I left. I may have only been away for a week but a lot can change in that time. Such as Kate and I going from two opposites who never spoke regularly to mates that loved each other and worked as a team.
I passed a couple dens before I reached Salty's, his den was much smaller than mine which worked for him since he lived alone. At least for now he did, I know he has the hot's for a few omegas in the pack. I stopped next to the entrance before I called in to see if he was inside. "Hey Salty you there?" I called not looking inside until told so "Just a minute" I groggy voice responded that I recognized as his. It was obvious that I had woken him up but I knew he wouldn't care when he found out I was back. A minute later he came walking outside and looked at me, it took him another minute to collect his mind up to realize who I was. "Humphrey! You're back" He suddenly said sitting down, I sat down as well "Yeah I am" I responded smiling. We sat silent before I spoke again "Wait if you're back then where's Kate? She's missing too and the whole pack has been looking for her." He said. Kate was right about her dad looking for her "She's asleep in my den, it's a long story but we got taken away from here and it took us all that time just to get back here." I said answering his question. "Woah, woah timeout! Kate's sleeping in your den?" He suddenly said looking at me strangely.
"Yeah she is what's wrong with that?" I asked knowing I had to tell him sooner or later. "Dude, if her mother finds out about that you're going to be a dead wolf." He said. "Kate wouldn't let that happen to me" I said knowing I didn't really have to fear her mother's overprotectiveness (A/N: Is that even a word?). "What do you mean?" He asked still looking at me like I had lost my mind. "Like I said it's a long story, but Kate and I are mates now" I said making sure that no one was around to hear me say it. "What!?" He loudly said but luckily no one seemed to care about the sudden outburst and continued on what they were doing. I couldn't help but laugh from how he was reacting to this. "I know you heard me" I said "But... How? What about the law?" He said. "I'm sure we'll end up telling the whole pack about why we disappeared later today, so I will make sense after that." I said. "It better, because right now you sound like you've lost your mind and gone mad." He said. I laughed again "Yeah maybe I have, but seriously keep it on the 'hush hush' until the rest of the pack knows. And yes you can tell Shakey and Mooch but no one else, got it?" I asked.
"Got it" He replied "Good, well I'll see you later, Kate and I got a lot of explaining to do to Winston and Eve and the rest of the pack." I said. I knew I could ask him about the eastern pack situation but it was pointless when I'll find out soon anyway. I left from his den and headed back to my own to see if Kate was up, by now she should be considering it the sunlight would wake her eventually. When I arrived it looked like she was still asleep but as soon as I walked inside she rolled over to face me. "Good morning" I said sitting down "Good morning, already out I see" She said getting up on her paws. "Yes, I went out and talked to Salty and now I've gone mad according to him." I said, she let out a small laugh "Did you tell him about us?" She asked. "Yeah his reaction was priceless" I said "I bet, and that won't be the last of then today for sure." She said "Yeah" I said.
"Well if you're ready then let's go talk to my parents. We're going to have to no matter what because the second I walk out of here everyone will notice I'm back." She said. "Yeah you're right, and yes I'm ready to go" I said "Alright let's do it" She said before I walked back outside with her following close. I let her go in front of me as we made our way toward the head alphas den. A few wolves looked at us and some whispered to one another probably saying "There back" or something. I was thinking about possible the ways this could play out about getting the law removed. It could either go good or bad but no matter what we would remain mates. For now the first thing they will ask is what happened to us and why we disappeared, then we will talk about the law. It didn't take long until we were making out way up the small path that led up to the leaders den. Most of the wolves what had noticed us resumed to what they were doing before and ignored us. Kate stopped just before rounding the corner and looked back at me, I smiled and told her I was ready. She smiled back before turning the corner with me right next to her. I looked inside and immediately saw Winston and Eve talking to each other. They hadn't noticed our presence until Kate spoke "Hi mom, hi dad" She said walking up next to them. I walked up as well and sat down next to her "Kate!" They both said each hugging her. Winston looked at me after her hugged his daughter "Humphrey" He greeted "Sir" I greeted back. "You don't know how relived I am to see you back, you had your mother and I worried sick looking for you." He said. "I'm sure" She said
"So where have you been?" He asked "Yes do tell" Eve agreed. "It's a long story but we were taken to Idaho and..." Kate began telling the story of our adventure getting home from Idaho. She told them all about how we had two birds lead us home, however she lied a bit and said we got off of the train this morning and walked here. We had actually planned all this out a few days ago about how we would tell them the story. We would tell then the truth after we found out what's going on with the eastern pack. "Wow you went through all that just to get back here?" Winston asked making sure "Sure did" I said with Kate nodding her head. "I'm glad you both made it back in one piece" He said "And did Humphrey behave on this trip?" Eve suddenly said eyeing me suspiciously. I just sat and looked back at her and waited for Kate to respond "Mom! He helped me get home and if it wasn't for him we wouldn't be here" Kate said. "Just checking" As all Eve said before looking away from me.
"So what's going on with the east, weren't you so post to go to war if I didn't marry Garth by the last full moon?" Kate asked changing the subject. "Since you disappeared Tony and I agreed to remain neutral until you returned" Winston replied. 'Good that means they didn't fight while we were gone' I thought to myself. However since Kate wouldn't marry Garth we had to think of another way to somehow unite. "But now since your back I'll tell Tony that we can proceed with your marriage tomorrow." He continued. 'Here comes the truth' I thought to myself "That won't be necessary" She said receiving odd looks from both parents. "What do you mean?" He asked "I can't marry Garth because I'm in love with another wolf" She said, all I did was sit and remained silent while she told them about us. "And who are you in love with?" He asked seeming calm about it, that's when she put her arm around me and all I did was look at him. "You're in love with Humphrey?" He asked, Eve suddenly fainted when she heard this. He looked at his fallen mate before looking back at Kate and I "But he's an omega Kate, you know the rules" He said plainly. I could sense that things might be going downhill "I know, and there more to the story that we've haven't told you yet" She said. "Alright, tell me all of it" He said, Kate proceeded to tell the full story where we confessed our love and ran away to be together.
He kept a plain look on his face as he listened to her tell the story "...And that's how we're in love" She finished "So we've come back here to see if you would remove the pack law against alpha and omegas being mates, allowing us to live together here." She said. There was a pause of silence that filled the room while we waited to hear what he would say. "I can't do that" He said "Why not?" She asked sounding surprised. "Because if I allow you to marry him then who is going to unite the packs, we'll go into war for sure." He said. He did have a point there, changing the law to just let us marry and throw the pack into a war seemed like a selfish thing to do. Kate let out a sigh of frustration "Marrying Garth is the only way to allow peace between us, it's your responsibility to go through with it for the good of the packs." He said.
"So you expect me to give up my love life for the good of the pack?" She said with her voice getting louder. "Well... yes, as harsh as it is" He said "I can't believe you would sell out your daughter like that" I said plainly. "This doesn't concern your opinion Humphrey, sometimes you got to do the right thing and it's not always for the best. Honestly Kate I hate that it has to be like this, I would remove the law so you two could marry but I just can't." He said. "Then it looks like we'll be leaving today" She said receiving a surprised look for him. "You're going to leave? You'll cause a war by doing this" He said. "If it's the way things have to be then yes, I'm sorry dad but nothing is going to make us separate. And if that means we have to leave then that's what we'll do." She said. "But..." Was all he said trying to figure out how to respond to that "Come on dad there has to be another way to unite the packs" She said trying to find a solution.
"Uniting through marriage is the only way; Tony is a stubborn wolf who won't agree to anything other than that." He said. It felt that no matter what we could do the pack was going to war, I couldn't help but feel selfish about abandoning the packs to fight. But as Kate said it's just the way things are going to have to be. There was a silence between us after he said this, Eve was still knocked out in the floor 'At least I'm not being ripped a part by her' I thought to myself looking on the bright side of things. "Just go, your mom and I love you. I understand that you two love each other and you have my best wishes for you future out there." He said. This surprised me, a moment ago he was trying to reason with us but now he's telling us to leave. "I love you too dad, I hate doing this and I'm truly sorry." She said starting to get a little emotional, I didn't blame her I would be crying right now if I was in her position. No wolf wants to just leave their family behind them.
"I know, I know" He said as they hugged for a minute "Humphrey take good care of her for me okay?" He said looking at me "I will sir, with my life" I said. He smiled at me "Good, I have no doubt that you'll be a good wolf for her" He said with a smile. That made me feel good inside knowing the leader of the pack respected his daughters choice in a mate. "Come on Humphrey, let's get on the move." Kate said getting up. I knew that we would now be heading back to the Willmore pack to live there from now on. I followed her as we exited the den, feeling upset that we had to leave here, but it was for the best.
A/N: Looks like things didn't go so well for Kate and Humphrey and now they are leaving Jasper. However this is not the end of things as you'll find out in the next chapter ;)
