Only four chapters left to go! I'm excited as hell to finish this story! I've been working on it for so long! Ask anyone who's been following from Chapter 1! Anyway, judging from what had happened in the last chapter, you can probably guess what is going to occur here, but in case you can't, remember what Age said at the end of the last chapter, "I'd like to set up a triple wedding…"

Better Than This

Chapter 21

The Fang, Claw, Spine, Heart, and Pride

The five members of the strike team headed down to the river to get cleaned up like they said they would, after such a long and hassling week no one deserved it more than them. Hutch was particularly shaken but he would've been fine, just so long as he cooled down. Hayley was extremely shaken, far more than Hutch was, after all she had almost lost Age, her dearest most true love in the world; she had come this close to officially losing him forever, she'd never let that happen again. Kate was thrilled it was finally all over, and now she could settle down with Humphrey in peace. Humphrey, in and of himself, was sort of nervous about the possible family that he and Kate were going to have the future, if only he knew that future was coming a lot closer than he thought. The leader of their team, Age, had yet to decide his feelings on the matter for he had almost lost his brother in the process, but at the same time his brother was nothing but a gigantic monster; though he was relieved beyond belief to be alive and back in Hayley's paws, after all he didn't like being dead very much, it was dark and lonely. Seeing as how Lily had just woken up out of her coma she was still little disoriented and couldn't walk straight, luckily she had her mate Garth beside her to help her walk perfectly fine. Joe was definitely rattled, he was still nervous that some random wolf out of nowhere was going to sneak up on him and cut him down for what he did, but those fears were rested aside every single time he remembered the seven wolves he was walking with five of which had been the ones responsible for taking him down in the first place, so if they wanted to kill him they would've done it by now. Once all eight wolves finally got down to the river, no one moved almost as if they were waiting for something, but naturally no one could stop Humphrey from walking up to the river turning to everybody and yelling,

"Cannonball…!" Following which he jumped right in without any hesitation and made a big splash and then he started to clean himself after making an entrance, which no one had a problem with.

After that, everyone hurled themselves into the river and splashed each other, regardless if it was their betrothed or not. The laughs were loud, and the noise was overpowering to even the smallest ears that could hear, but nobody cared, after the grueling, bloody week that these eight had, the best thing they could do was laugh. It didn't take long for everyone to get 'cleaned' as best they could. They were too busy playing around in the water that everyone except for Humphrey forgot to even scrub and clean.

Once on their way back to the dens, Lily leaned over to Garth and asked him a question, "Garth…I noticed that Age said a triple wedding…I know the first two are for himself and Kate, but what about the third?"

Garth seemed puzzled, but answered the best he could, "I'd assume since the first one is for Age and Hayley, and the second is for Kate and Humphrey, then I guess the third would be for you and me."

"But we're already mates!" Lily spoke up to her love.

"I know, but I guess we never had a real wedding." Garth reminded her, he was right, and Lily knew it.

They kept walking back, having small, yet loving conversations amongst themselves, minus Joe who was talking back and forward between Hayley and Age. Tony caught them at the edge to the canyon. Down in the canyon, they saw the big stone pillar Joe had placed there somehow wasn't moved, it looked like they were using it. Tony stopped them and said,

"Brides, go with Eve…" And he pointed to a waiting Eve in the mouth of the head den, "Grooms and bachelors, this way…" And he walked down into the canyon.

"Bye Age…see you soon…" Hayley said and gave him a lick on the cheek and walked off in the direction of the den, the other two girls did the same thing to their guys, and they parted way.

It was a natural custom in the packs to have wedding be held in the canyon, it was the same when Kate was going to marry Garth, and the same was going to happened when Kate had her real wedding with Humphrey, but she never expected it to be like this. Humphrey expected his wedding to be more calm, and not all of a sudden, but he really couldn't think about that right now, he loved Kate, and this wedding was a dream come true either way. Age was still very meek about love, even though he'd nearly fully experienced it, his shyness and passive nature was coming back to haunt him here in his moment of triumph, but he had to stay calm, his nerves were still building up even though the dangerous problems were over.

The preparations were made, the bridal talks were done, and Tony had given the boys the lectures about their wives coming first and how they should always be there, but they had already forgotten them, they were just too excited for the moment. The three girls walked down the cliff into the canyon with Eve leading them and they did a very proud and graceful walk down to them. Age and Humphrey had leapt up onto the big rock while Garth had stationed himself at the flat rock where he had stood with Kate a week earlier. After the girls got close enough to their guys, Kate jumped up to join Humphrey, Lily sat in front of Garth, and Age had jumped down, so Hayley could get on his back, and then he climbed up the side of the rock on his own and sat down on top next to his cousin. Tony turned around and looked at the little over a dozen packs members that remained, Joe and Hutch were sitting next to Tony in front of everyone, and began the marriages.

"Everyone here…has a right to be here. All of those who survived are tough wolves, and…" He looked over to Joe.

"The pain and death I caused really did bring out everyone's true colors, and the way I see, all of you who are alive, have the right to call yourselves…Pure Wolves!" The audience cheered, and then settled again. "I realize that may sound like I'm leaving out all the Omegas, pups, and Alphas who didn't make it…but that doesn't mean that they're any less of a wolf than all of you. But in opinion, the purest wolves of all…are the ones we're here to celebrate." Joe finished and turned back to Tony. Eve had been sitting near them too, but was too busy keeping an unnecessary eye on Joe to speak.

"That's right, the heroism that these five wolves have shown are going to be an inspiration for generations of pups to come, including their own. I say that, because today, we are joining them in marriage, and in that mate-ship we'll see just how lucky and strong they all really are." Tony said and pointed up to the tall rock, the wolves below stared and 'aww'ed at the two couples, and then Tony point to Garth and Lily on the ground next to them, more adorable noises came from the crowd, and Tony walked up to his son first. "Garth, you know how this works, don't make me say it for you."

Without hesitation from either of the two, Garth and Lily began the ritual. Garth accepted Lily's scent first, and then Lily took in his. Following that they gently nipped on each other's ears; Lily was still somewhat sleepy from her long coma, but was getting thrust awake faster than anything. After that, they pushed the sides of their muzzles up against the other's and gazed deep into their lover's eyes. Her eyes…they're still so beautiful…Garth thought as he pulled away. This was the part Lily was excited for the most. The leaned in and their noses touched, and a calamity of howling erupted from the audience.

"Garth…Lily…I now declare you two to be…" Their ears folded, "Mates…!" Lily ran into Garth and knocked him over and then hugged on the ground. Winston smiled as he walked away and shook his head in amusement. He walked down to the base of the tall rock and called up to Age and Hayley. "How about you guys next?" They both nodded in approval and did the same as Garth and Lily, but before they rubbed noses, Age stopped and got a twinkle in his eye.

"I want to do this a little different…" He said, the crowd got worried and silent, but Hayley thought she knew what he had meant.

"You mean like…"

"Yes…I sure do…" He said, after his quiet words, instead of rubbing noses, they kissed each other, just like they had done before. The howling could've broken someone's eardrum, but no one cared. The kiss was the one that made them mates, and it was the best one each of them had ever felt. "That was way better than rubbing noses…or at least I think so…" Age said, going from macho, back to his shy former self in an instant. Hayley got up under his chin like before and rubbed up into his next like when he had woken up from his unconscious state. Tony's ears went flat when he saw the cuddled, but turned his attention towards the last couple.

"Kate…Humphrey…" He called,

"We're already on it…!" Kate yelled back in a very playful manner, much like her Omega love. The same thing was done, and Humphrey's tail winched.

"Could we…?" He meekly asked and point to Age and Hayley, a sly grin slithered onto Kate's face, and they both giggled and kissed on the lips just like Age and Hayley had done.

That was it, all three couples, married and safe. They all got off of their respective altars and joined Hutch's side down on the normal ground and sat next to their new mates. Tony got a small tear in his left eye as he turned to look at the five, for Joe had returned to Tony's side, with Eve still watching him. Garth and Lily sat back, and just stayed together while they watched the final event. The five wolves who sat didn't know what was happening, but they knew it was going to be good, they just knew it.

Tony stood up, tall and proud as he concluded his speech, "As a final tribute to our brave warriors, I shall award them the highest possible honors in this newly found, and sizably smaller pack. Hutch…" He said and turned to the tough Alpha, Hutch got to his feet and showed respect, "For being a brave fighter, and for going into what most Alphas would run from, I proclaim you…The Claw of the Pack." His eyes glowed, and his ears got erect and his smile was seen.

"Kate…" he said to his new daughter-in-law, "For showing all of us that being an Alpha is more than strength and speed, and knowing when to conceal your strike and plan…I dub you…The Fang of the Pack!" More howls and he moved on,

"Humphrey…for being nothing less than a true hero, regardless of your former Omega status…you've showed us that you need to have emotions at all times, and using them is a great advantage…for this…I say you deserve to be…The Heart of the Pack!" Humphrey hooted himself and received a kiss from Kate.

"Hayley…" Tony continued, "Shy as can be…and yet probably has the toughest backbone of anyone. Your parents dead, and you had nothing left, but still you fought for what you believed in, and you never gave up…that kind of stubbornness, and will power…it's just gotta be…The Spine of the Pack!" Hayley twiddled her paws together, shy and excited for her new title.

"And Age…" The whole park was amped for him, "The troubles you brought with you when you arrived here, didn't stop you from working to stop them. You risked your life for a pack of wolves you barely even knew, and that takes a lot of guts and pride. Pride in yourself, and pride in your friends…" Tony said and pointed to the other four. Age looked down and smiled, Tony picked his head up. "So…it's only fitting that a true wolf like yourself be…The Pride of the Pack!"

The noise could be heard for miles as he finished and the five of them rejoiced over their new found glories and titles among the pack stat. Each one suddenly had a world of opportunity open to them and they didn't think of it as anything less. The pack rushed up to all of them and joined them in their glory, they had been so anxious to see the day when no one would be threatened anymore, and even though this wasn't a war, the day still couldn't have come any sooner. "We owe our lives to these five…" Tony yelled once more, and then turned to the five, "Is there anything we can do for you in return?" He asked them, and Age stepped up immediately.

"Sir…I ask that…I…I wish to be an Omega, so that I can really be with Hayley." He said and smiled to her, Tony just smirked, and Humphrey joined his cousin's side,

"I too wish to return to being an Omega, being an Alpha just isn't any fun." They were both in accord, and Tony nodded his head.

"Very well…behold our heroes…Alpha Hutch, The Claw…Alpha Kate, The Fang…Omega Humphrey, The Heart…Omega Hayley, The Spine…and Omega Age, The Pride…!" The pack bunched up again with everyone pushing and shoving, but the moment didn't cease.

Through all the noise and collaboration, Humphrey turned to his mate and tapped her on the shoulder, making her face him. Kate noticed he was smiling, this made her know that he was having an idea. "You know Kate…now that I think about it, tonight is the Moonlight Howl…isn't it?" Humphrey was right.

"Yes…it is isn't it? I think Age will enjoy his first Moonlight Howl, especially since he has a mate to share it with." Kate then turned and saw Age with Hayley by his side, accepting loads of salutations, and then she turned back to Humphrey, who she noticed was staring at them to, and then he look back to her. "And I do too…" Humphrey and Kate smiled, and nuzzled noses, more in love than ever before.

Over with Age and Hayley, the fact of tonight's events was finally dawning on Hayley, "Hey Age…" She said turning to him. "You know…tonight is that Moonlight Howl I told you about…and I…"

"I was told you can sing now…" Hayley's eyes widened, but she returned them to normal and nodded her head, "Then as soon as we're done, I want you to sing with me." She went to accept, but backed up to what he just said.

"Done…? Done with what?" He just smiled and nodded, followed by a small chuckle.

"You'll see…my mate…" The words rang supreme to her, and they were the best thing she'd ever heard.

(End of Flashback)

Do you remember how sometime during the middle of the first chapter the story said…(Flashback to a week earlier)? That was the end of the flashback. Yep, this entire story was one huge flashback to everything that lead up to this. Age and Hayley are finally going to mate in the next chapter, which should be up sooner than this. After, Kate and Humphrey are going to mate, and then the Moonlight Howl, and this story will be finished. I hope you didn't forget!