-You know that my mate runs with her heart, right?
-So…?
-How do you think she's gonna react seeing you flirting with her future husband while she's sickly pregnant?
-I'm not flirting with you now… handsome. I'm here because I wanted to thank you for bringing Our Lady here. She lost weight didn't she?
-Yeah… She's lighter than she was before getting pregnant. I'm kind of freaking out.
-I swear we will take good care of her. After all, Aiko is a gynecologist and Chika is a nurse.
Emica began to walk away and, at the moment of passing the door, she grabbed the doorframe and turned her head toward her Alpha.
-Oh and by the way, as much as I would adore hooking up with you, Koga, My Lady is the most important person in my world. And as long as she's pregnant, you've got no decision power over her betas. And frankly, even after that, we still belong to her.
And just like that, she left jogging in her 6-inches heels to catch up the squad, her fitting leather pants and swinging hairs shining under the cruel light of the neons. Ginta and Hakkaku made their quite awkward entrance next, walking backwards to enjoy the show. The hairstylist couldn't quite stay silent.
-Damn. I'm telling you, these girls are hot as hell! Just the right curves at the right places. They could turn any man into one of their puppets.
-Dude, make something clear for me… Don't you date Ayumi?
-There's only you that can mate and just forget how sexy every girl around you is. I date Yuka and I think she is beautiful but I can still see that Kagome's betas are drop dead gorgeous creatures.
Yep, boys will be boys.
-So, what are my two favorite knuckleheads of the bunch doing in my office? Don't you have work to attend to, places to be?
Not that it really mattered to Koga why his betas were in here, they were kind of the only people with all the rights to be where he himself could, he was simply curious about it. He did not even know they would be in the gym at this hour, it was quite unusual.
-Yeah, we do, but we've got something more important to show you.
Hakkaku gently grabbed the right shoulder while Ginta took the left. They brought him back to the open space, the real gym part. What was presented in front of his eyes left the alpha confused and silent. Every single member of his pack was there, in a half circle so every face was shown, each of them holding a lighted candle. In the middle of that surprising picture was Yoshi, his little brother and that was even more surprising than the presence of any other wolf. Since he was mated to Ayame and she was the leader of her own pack, Yoshi tended to stay with them, not with his big brother. With beaming smiles, the two men embraced each other like only two brothers can.
-It's so good to see you. What are you doing here, Yosh'?
-Well, Nii-san, I know what you're going through right now with your mate, believe me. I went through something very similar with mine. Even if it was not that bad.
Those few simple sentences was enough to erase Koga's smile from his face and make him lower his eyes. Not of shame, but of pain. He was a great chief, a warrior. His legend was still told amongst the humans. And even with all that going on for him, when Kagome was in a bad place with everything going on, he was left helpless, unable do a single thing for his long awaited love.
-So, your betas and I talked a long time, searching how to help, how to communicate our own feelings to you. And we came up with this. So, kick back, relax and enjoy.
The last thing someone has to know about wolves is that they are very musical creatures. As Koga said, wolves sing to really happy things. Mating, wedding, pregnancy, birth, etc. But in reality, they sing about everything. And that's why nobody was shocked when Yoshi's smooth voice raised in the air following a slow music that Koga had no idea where it was coming from.
When we were young, we were the ones
the kings and queens oh yeah we ruled the world
We smoked cigarettes man no regrets
wish i could relive every single word
The look in the young man's eyes was enough to tell Koga that every word sang were genuine and from the bottom of his heart.
We've taken different paths
And travelled different roads
I know we'll always end up on the same one when we're old
And when you're in the trenches
And you're under fire, I will cover you
And then, the pack joined him for the chorus, doing the back vocals. It was as if the whole world stopped spinning for a minute. Koga had to sit to not let himself get overwhelmed by all of this.
If I was dying on my knees,
You would be the one to rescue me
And if you were drowned at sea,
I'd give you my lungs so you could breathe
I've got you brother-er-er-er
I've got you brother-er-er-er
Then, as naturally as one could be, Hakkaku took the lead alone. Usually, he was kind of a loner, never saying much. But he always cared deeply for his friend and Alpha and would do anything for him. He had to know that.
Oh brother, we'll go deeper than the ink
Beneath the skin of our tattoos.
Though we don't share the same blood
You're my brother and I love you that's the truth.
And then came Ginta's turn.
We're living different lives
Heaven only knows
If we'll make it back with all our fingers and our toes
5 years, 20 years, come back
It will always be the same.
After that, the two betas joined their voices with the pack's to create the same effect than Yoshi.
If I was dying on my knees,
You would be the one to rescue me
And if you were drowned at sea,
I'd give you my lungs so you could breathe
I've got you brother-er-er-er
I've got you brother-er-er-er
And with that, the pack fell silent. The three lead singers coming closer together to sing the last part in unison.
And if we hit on troubled water
We'll be the one to keep you warm and safe
And we'll be carrying each other
Until we say goodbye on our dying day
Because we've got you brother-er-er-er
We've got you brother-er-er-er
With tears in his eyes, Koga threw himself at them, hugging them as hard as he could not holding his tears back one bit. He did not know how they knew before him, but he had not realized how much he needed to hear that he was not alone.