The rest of the week flew by without any sign of Aiden. Carl figured that he had reacted well enough to the first assault on their boarders that Aiden needed time to strategize. He wasn't a stupid man. He wasn't about to blow a war just to recover one female while she was on heat. There would be other heats and now he had another six months to figure out how to bring her home and defeat the Thompson Pack all in one. Gabby and Brandy agreed with Carl and they finally relaxed a little. Aiden would do a lot of research before he attacked again and Carl was sure they could keep his wolves out of range for a good while. So when Gabby's heat finally broke and she finally abandoned her denning room, she eagerly shifted and bolted out the door into the fading evening with her joyous pack by her side. Raph couldn't help but feel a little left out. He could keep up with them on two feet, even when they were in their hybrid form, but there was just no way for his two legs to keep up with their four. Sulking, he returned to the training room where he saw Jaden, the Junior Beta who seemed to like talking to him a lot, even though Raph hardly added to the conversation. Jaden seemed to have enough to say for the both of them and honestly he seemed to be a cool and genuine guy as long as he didn't try to get too personal.
"You ready to go?" Jaden called to Raph as he walked in. He seemed to have some weird enjoyment about getting his ass handed to him by the turtle, though Raph had picked up subtle adjustments over the last few days that told him the wolf was learning a thing or two.
Raph didn't say anything to the wolf, he just beckoned with a finger and a cocky grin. Jaden jumped at him and they rolled across the floor. They wrestled in human form for a while until Raph pinned him and then he shifted and used his strength to throw Raph. Raph landed on his feet in a crouch and then again beckoned to the wolf. Again they clashed and Raph spun around him and locked him into a chokehold until he tapped out.
"I don't know how you do it." Jaden said as he returned to his human form. He rubbed his neck where Raph's arm had bruised him.
"I been trainin' since I was a kid." He replied. "Every single day."
"Yeah, well I haven't exactly been a couch potato. I'm a Beta for cripes sake. I'm the most dominant male in the Junior Beta class. I think you should start training us in your fighting style. It would be a huge advantage in the war that's coming."
"What do you know about it?" Asked Raph scowling.
"All I know is that you guys coming here started something. Rumors about Aiden have been circulating for years and a bunch of packs have always whispered about standing up to him but before this all started, the Storm pack was the strongest pack on the Continent with the strongest Alpha and She-Alpha. When Aiden came and annihilated them like they were nothing that really scared everyone. Everyone thought he must be a really powerful wolf to do that. Now that the Storm pack is free again the truth about how they fell has come out. The remaining packs are outraged. They want justice and Alpha Thompson is using that outrage to rally for support. He knows now that he took you guys under his protection that his pack will be next on Aiden's list. He's planning for war and losing is not an option." Jaden said, his lively demeanor falling under the seriousness of the topic.
"We can teach you." Raph said. "I think that the real master should do the teaching though."
Splinter stepped forward. He had taken to watching those who did combat in the training room. Unknown to everyone else, her was devising his own plans to adjust the fighting style of the wolves. To teach them Ninjitsu would take too long, especially with the extent of wolf fighting they had already learned. It would be better for them to combine the two into something they could understand that would give them an advantage against wolves trained in the traditional way.
"I will take you on as my students. Any who wish to learn, I will teach." He said.
Gabby ran through the forest. Her heat was over and she was feeling herself at last. She relished the snow beneath her paws and the sounds of the steady heartbeats of her sister, her mother, her best friend, and her best friend's mother as they tore through the forest, testing the boundaries of their own speed and endurance. There was endless forest. There was plentiful game. None of them could even remember the last time they had been on a hunt or even the last time they had free reign of their own lives. They were finally free of Aiden. Though he was still a threat, he was no longer hanging on the edge of every thought and every action. They could finally breathe. Gabby slowed to a halt and her pack followed her lead.
"I wish Dad and Grant could be here." She said to her pack.
"They would be proud of us, of you." Brandy said, nuzzling her daughter.
Gabby reached out to touch her Alpha's mind with her bond. It was a gentle brush, just enough to know he was sitting in the male training room watching Master Splinter begin training his new subjects. Gabby couldn't help but smile and she sent a surge of fondness down her growing bond to Master Splinter who had taken on the role of a father to her in the last month. She could feel his fondness in return.
"We owe them so much." Renee said as she looked back the way they came. "Without them none of this would have happened. We would still be stuck under a psychotic Alpha and our girls….." She trailed off but she didn't need to finish her sentence for everyone to know what she was saying. She took a breath and her powerful jaws parted and a long mournful howl echoed through the trees. Saffron and Gracie took up the call, and then Brandy. Gabby joined last, howling for their lost pack and for all they had suffered but never been allowed to mourn. Again and again they lifted their voices to the sky, until they had given voice to all of their loss. The echoes of their mournful cries faded into the forest and they all crowded around each other, taking in the scent of family and friend. Finally Gabby stepped forward.
"I will hunt for our new Alpha tonight. I will bring him my kill and feed him with my own skill. This is the start of a new life, let's celebrate." She ran off into the wind, searching for a prize to bring their leader.
It was well after sunset and Raph, Leo, Donnie, and Mikey were all seated in the entertainment room. They were taking turns playing COD on Xbox and they were more relaxed than they had been since the girls had tumbled into their lives. Leo could tell Raph was calmer than he had been in weeks.
"You look like you're in a good mood." Leo said.
"Yeah, well it helps that Gabby isn't on her heat anymore. That was brutal." Raph replied as he focused on the screen. "Not to mention actually starting to train the wolves to fight different. Makes me feel useful, like we're getting' somewhere, ya know?"
"Yeah." Leo said. "I bet it's weird, bein' their Alpha and all."
"It's somethin' alright." Raph responded.
"But you get to boss them around and scare all the other wolves. Isn't that cool?" Mikey asked as he slammed his thumbs over his remote, trying to kill Raph and failing.
"No, dingus, it ain't cool. And I don't boss them around." Raph growled. He shot Mikey and laughed. "Gotcha!"
"If I could make people listen to me I would never have to get out of my chair again, except to go to the bathroom." Mikey mused. "I would have them bring me food and drinks and everything. I would be King Mikey!"
"I don't think that's how the whole thing works, Mikey." Donnie said as he looked up from the pages of the book Saffron had given him. "According to this book, Alpha's that lord their power over the pack end horribly."
"Yeah, well what does that book know?" Mikey groused.
"Quite a lot, actually." Donnie replied. "It's an extensive pack history dating back to just before America gained its independence. Packs were just starting to form in the forests. It sounds like there were no Weres in the Americas before the settlers came. I wonder why. Maybe their species originated after the land bridge closed and so they couldn't migrate over until sailing was invented."
"Who cares?" Mikey said. "That stuff happened a million years ago."
"It's just interesting." Donnie said. "Besides, knowing things can help you understand the world you live in. Knowing the history of this pack might help us live here with them."
"Donnie's got a point." Leo said.
"Well I'll let you do the reading and you can report back to me, okay?" Raph said.
"You might be an Alpha, but I'm a turtle. You're not my Alpha." Donnie replied dryly.
Raph just shrugged. "Im sure Gabby will tell me about anything I need to know."
Donnie huffed and was about to lecture his two brothers for the millionth time about the importance of educating yourself when the omega they had met their first day came into the room.
"Alpha Storm, your pack has a surprise for you." She said.
"Can it wait?" Mikey asked. "The round is almost over."
Raph turned it off. "C'mon, Mikey. Don't be such a whiner." He got up and headed for the door. Mikey made a face behind his back but got up and followed his brothers out. Britta led them into the spacious back yard of the compound where there were three fires blazing and a multitude of wolves gathered. They were led to seats that had been set up between two of the bonfires, lending them the warmth they needed. Master Splinter had already been seated. Raph noticed there were two smaller pits off to the left that had red embers in them and he wondered what was going on. Suddenly the wolves that were present parted and all noise ceased except for the slight crunch of snow as a group of wolves slowly emerged from the shadows. As they stepped into the light, the brothers recognized the wolves of their pack but they had blood on them and they were moving strangely. Raph almost leapt from his seat in concern but then he saw why they were moving so strangely. Each dragged a dead deer in their mouths and were trying to move in a way that wouldn't cause them to trip over the carcasses. Raph held still until the pack deposited each kill at his feet, Gabby coming last. Her amber wolf eyes bore into his.
"A gift for a worthy Alpha." She said.
"You did this for me?" He asked.
"To celebrate our new life." She replied. He nodded to her, accepting her offer. She lifted her blood stained muzzle to the sky and howled long and victorious and the pack took up her cry.
"I don't have to eat its heart or anything, do I?" Raph asked nervously. Laughter echoed down his bond, sparking his ire. He didn't like to be laughed at, ever.
"No, silly. Though, someday we'll have to find a way for you to join the hunt like a proper Alpha. No, they are coming to take the kill away and prepare it for us to eat." Gabby said. "As Alphas, you and I are meant to relax while the Omegas do the work." She walked forward and laid on the blanket that had been laid so the turtles wouldn't' have to keep their feet in the snow. She let her warm fur cover Raph's feet, knowing the fires probably weren't enough to keep all of winter's chill away. Saffron did the same for Donnie. Gracie crawled right up into Mikey's lap like a dog and Gabby couldn't help but be thankful that the turtles were made of tougher stuff than any human. An Alpha blooded wolf was no light thing. She probably would have suffocated a human. Renee laid on Leo's feet, hoping to keep him warm, and Brandy Laid on Mikey's since her daughter was being ridiculous and curling up in his lap.
They all sat out in the starry night, basking in the glow of the fire. It was easy to forget the threat of a war. It was easy to forget that the turtles were out of their element. It was easy to forget that they had lost so much. Carl and his mate and She-Alpha Anne pulled up seats with the turtles and the pack circled around them continuously, some brushing against them in wolf form, some speaking to them in human form. Conversations were pleasant and whenever Gabby caught a female eyeing up Raph with interest, she let out a threatening growl. The fourth time she scared off an attractive young woman Raph glared at her.
"Why are you doing that?" He asked.
"It's all about dominance." She replied. She lifted her head and eyed him suspiciously. "Why, are you interested?"
"Does it matter?" He asked. "You're scaring people."
She rolled her eyes and put her head on her paws. "This is how it is. You wanna talk to pretty girls? Do it when I'm not around."
Raph just shook his head and nodded at a passerby. Was he interested in the girls here? He didn't know. He hadn't had the time to think about it. He had only been able to think about her since her heat started and that just made him uncomfortable. Now that her pheromones had disappeared and he was out with the pack he was starting to notice the other pretty girls. He wondered if it would be okay to date them or whatever he did. Did they date? His mind jumbled up and he scowled. He was so out of his element. His eyes collided with Jaden's on the other side of the fire and an idea struck. Jaden was always chatty. Maybe he could ask him how to approach the females in the pack if he ever wanted to. Even better, he'd say he was asking for Mikey. Mikey was all about the girls but would be just as lost and nervous as he was when it came to it. Mikey would think he was a hero for getting that information. Raph smirked. That's what he would do.
Jaden approached where they were seated. He nodded respectfully to his alpha and then grinned cheekily at Raph. "Alpha Storm." He greeted. "Your girls are top notch, bringing home a haul like that. Can I have one?" He joked.
"Fat chance." He replied with a grin. He had gotten used to Jaden's often inappropriate jokes.
"Listen." Jaden said moving closer. "The guys and I want to throw a nice little party to welcome you now that She-Alpha Storm is over her heat. It won't be as formal as all this. Tomorrow at our place after sunset. You in?"
"Sure." Raph said. It would be the perfect time to ask Jaden about the girl thing.
The night wore on and it was well after midnight and the fires were burned to embers when the pack finally began to disperse. Some headed for the compound and some headed for the forest. When Carl stood and took his mates hand, Gabby rose from Raph's feet and went and stuck her cold, wet nose in a snoring Gracie's ear. She leapt out of Mikey's lap and shook her head violently. The turtles all laughed their asses off as the other wolves also stood and shook out their fur. The turtles stood and followed the Thompson Alphas into the warmth of the compound. They headed for the guest quarters and split off to their own rooms. Gabby sighed happily as she settled into her new bed in her new room and drifted off to sleep. She dreamed of the forests and lakes of Minnesota.
The next day, the guys were once again to be found down in the entertainment center trying to finish their game of COD. Saffron, Gracie, and Gabby strolled in after a big lunch and settled in around the turtles.
"You guys play COD?" Donnie asked.
"I can't." Gabby said. "Ronnie's pretty good though."
"Not as good as Donnie." Leo said. "He's a genius."
"So am I." Said Saffron with a grin
"I think he's challenging you, Ronnie." Gabby said. "You should probably play him."
She gave Gabby her best stink eye. "Oh I will play him. When I kick his ass I'm playing you next."
"Ha! Good luck with that." Mikey said as the game finished. "None of us can beat him."
"Watch and learn boys." Saffron said, swiping the control from Mikey.
A new game started and Donnie was impressed by how well Saffron played.
"Take that!" Saffron said as she mowed down the enemy left and right. Her stats were better than Donnie's.
"Oh I'm just getting warmed up." Donnie said as he went on a kill spree. His stats beat out Saffron's. "Booyah!" He said. "Back on top."
"Oh you'd like to be on top wouldn't you?" Saffron said. She sot a wink at Gabby as Donnie kind of blanked at hearing the dirty joke from the hot girl next to him. His lapse in concentration caused him a death. He swore.
"Language, language." She teased. "What would Master Splinter say?" She was having so much fun teasing him that she lost focus and died. It was her turn to swear violently.
"And you thought I was bad?" Donnie poked fun.
It went on like that for the rest of the game where Donnie narrowly beat her stats.
"You cheated." She said. "I want a rematch."
"I don't cheat." Donnie said. "I won fair and square but if you want to go again I'm ready."
They played each other for a long time. Finally, Saffron called it quits. "I need a workout." She said and she left to hit the gym, followed by Gabby.
"She's good." Leo said.
"Yeah." Donnie said. "She's really smart too, and funny."
"Donnie and Ronnie sittin' in a tree…" Mikey said.
"I don't think so, Mikey. I just met the girl a month ago." Donnie said.
"But you think she's hot." Mikey pressed.
"So do you." Donnie retorted though he was blushing.
"Uh, yeah." Mikey said. "All three of them are smoking."
"Seriously guys?" Leo asked. "There's more to them than their looks. Plus there are a lot of other pretty girls here too."
"Hope there's a bunch at the party tonight." Mikey said eagerly.
"I'm sure there will be." Donnie said. "Jaden seems like a popular person. I'm not sure I want to see any of the other girls though. What do you guys think?"
"About what?" Raph asked.
"Dating." Donnie replied.
"I wanna try it!" Mikey eagerly volunteered.
"If I met the right girl maybe." Raph said.
"Yeah, maybe." Leo said. "I'd like to make some friends before we hop right into the whole girl thing."
"That's probably a good strategy." Donnie said.
They all fell silent for a while. Each of them had faced down the foot clan and the shredder but the thought of approaching a girl left them terrified. Raph hoped the party wouldn't be a complete disaster.
Hey Everyone. I just wanted to thank you for reading my story! I hope you love it as much as I love writing it. I'm trying to improve my writing so any feedback would be really appreciated. It's hard to remember that you guys don't know everything about my universe and I do. If I'm missing anything or there are any questions I would love the help. Anything you love about this would make me happy too. Please review me and thanks again!