💖 Don't forget to vote/comment! 💖

***Demetri's POV***

I spoke again with Alpha Carter. In two weeks we would make our way over to Red Moon. I was always excited to interact with other packs. The camaraderie gave me peace.

Beta Alex and Gamma Efran were in my office. We were discussing the trip. We will go in our wolf forms, since the pack was large and their territory was less than one day away. We made plans and discussed our pilgrimage. They seemed excited to leave for a few days.

We went over a few pack issues concerning patrol shifts and keeping the adolescent wolves better occupied. Apparently they had too much time on their hands, enough to be pulling pranks on everyone in the pack. I'm all for down time, but a little responsibility will be good for them.

We were wrapping up our meeting when we got a mind link requesting our presence in the pack yard. We didn't rush because they didn't make it seem urgent.

When we got to the area right before the training fields, all three of us looked at one another bewildered, but trying to stifle our laughs. 

Upside down, hanging from a rope in the tall evergreen tree, by one ankle, two barely teen she wolves were dangling. The scowls on their face would have been scary if they weren't so comical. They were screaming profanities and squirming, while trying to keep their shirts from falling over their heads. The blood was pooling at their heads and turning their faces a nice shade of eggplant.

Alex and Efran gently lifted the ladies in the air while I grabbed a knife from my pocket and cut the anguished teens from their restraints. Once on the ground all hell broke loose when the girls, Jenna and Ally, started frantically explaining how they got caught in the makeshift trap.

I tried to get them to calm down because they were so distraught they weren't making any sense. Once they FINALLY got the story out, Alex, Efran and I decided to do damage control. We told Jenna and Ally to head inside where they could get some snacks and relax for the day after their stressful ordeal.

Walking away, they were shaking their heads and throwing their hands in the air, obviously embarrassed by being outwitted by the captors.
Alex turned to me, once they were out of sight, busting out laughing to the point where tears were springing from his eyes. Me and Efran joined in commenting on the crude contraption that had caused so much havoc in our mid-afternoon.

Although it was quite funny, the little pranksters would need to be reprimanded. Rolling my eyes, as they forced me to be the bad guy, we headed out in search for the culprits.

No surprise, my sisters would be the engineers behind this raucous. So, like a good Alpha, I headed to my parents, trying desperately to stop the chuckles that were rolling off the three of us in droves. I walked in and greeted my parents with my Beta and Gamma flanking my sixes.

"Hey sweeties" my mom greeted us.

Leaning down to peck my mom on her cheeks, we all greeted her at once "Hi Luna, Hi Dad!"
Dad asked "what's brought you boys here today?"

"Well," I started. "Seems my little angels have been practicing their hunting skills."

Dad turned around and raised an eyebrow at me, a knowing grin gracing his very lit face.
Alex spoke up to enlighten our father with the details of our afternoon "Ari and Izzy (the twins nicknames) found it a good day to pull yet another prank, this time they got Ally and Jenna" he rubbed his hand over his face and drug it through his jet black hair.

Efran added "you should have seen those poor girls faces, hanging upside down in the tree like a piñata waiting to be plucked at a birthday party,"

I really tried to keep this professional, until my mom started innocently giggling, tears picking at the corner of her eyes. All of us burst out laughing, causing Ari and Izzy to come waltzing down the stairs to see what the commotion was. I turned to my adorable little devils and quirked an eyebrow at them while making my face as serious as I could muster given the situation.

Sheepishly, they froze in their spots and wrang their little hands in their shirts out in front of them. Ari's bright green eyes were trying to hide behind the veil of her dusty blonde hair.

While Izzy's brown eyes were staring mischievously under her dark brown curly locks. I wanted to pinch them, they were so fucking adorable. However, no good deed goes unpunished.

"Ari? Izzy? What have you done today?" I draw out. They both start twisting their backs to the side, still clutching their fingers together in front of them and batting those puppy dog eyes at us.

I heard mom coo behind me and tore my eyes away to flash her a "you're not helping" glance. Mom straightened up and crossed her arms over her chest to show a stern look of solidarity.

Going back to the little mischievous darlings in front of me I waited for their reply.

"Well, we played in the yard with the kids. Then we trained for a bit. We ate a little, probably not enough, but you know what, we didn't eat enough. Maybe we should go do that now. Come on Izzy my tummy is hungry." Ari started. The girls began to shuffle slowly away to remove themselves from the five sets of not impressed eyes staring at them.

"Freeze!" Efran growled lightly.

Both girls snapped their heads up and looked around the room while gulping.

Alex asked this time "what else did you two do today?"

Izzy grabbed Ari's hand and started stuttering out their crimes "w-we may, perhaps, kinda sor-ta, made a tiny little boobie trap."

I glared at her antics. "Girls? What did we say about pranks?" I questioned.

Both girls sighed and spoke softly together with their heads low "not to pull pranks because some people won't think their funny."

"That's right!" I said.

Then both girls looked at me and Ari commented "but, it was funny, first Jenna was running and trying to get away from Daniel, who she was batting her lashes at, even though boys have cooties" she said with a disgusted face before continuing " and she was NOT watching where she went, when she got caught in our trap and ruined everything. Cause we were trying to get Daniel back for throwing water balloons at us. So Jenna ran into our trap and got caught by her foot. We were gonna help her but Ally ran up first and she got caught to."

She heaved her little shoulders in a sigh, "soooooo we couldn't help them and we were gonna come get help but the girls just started cussing and it scared us so we ran away back to our house hoping someone would get them down, even though it was their fault for flirting with the boys in the first place!" Then Ari and Izzy threw their hands in the air like that was that and all was made right in their little worlds by their excuse.

"Oy, cuteness overload is on point today," I mind link to my jury. They all try hard not to falter their firm masks of authority.

Dad speaks up "ok, lil ninjas, we are gonna have to dull out a punishment since you think it's ok to prank your pack members."

"Yes, Dad" both girls give in.

"Alpha, what shall we do with these two?" He stares.

Everyone turns to me, knowing it's my job to play the heavy when it comes to this bullshit.
"Hmmmm," I state, thinking hard on my punishment. "I think these two have earned a week in the combat training class." Their eyes lit up and they started dancing from one foot to the other. "But, you will not be pulling these stunts anymore or you will see how upset your Alpha can become." I state seriously.

Both girls run to me apologizing and hugging my neck. Alex coughs and they walk over to him and start their apologies and hugs for the rest of their judges.

"Ari and Izzy, you will apologize to Jenna and to Ally for upsetting them." My moms says sternly, leaving no room for arguments. The girls agree and me and my Beta and Gamma head for the door.

We headed back to the pack house where we called a meeting for all the pack members so we can discuss our visit to the Red Moon Pack.

I stood on the porch and faced my pack members in the clearing speaking loudly, announcing our plans.

"Good afternoon, family" I started.

"Good afternoon Alpha" they shouted. A smile graced my face looking out over my beautiful pack.

"Alpha Carter from the Red Moon Pack, has extended an invitation for all of us to join them for a bonfire. This will be a chance to connect with our allies and get acquainted with new faces. For some this will be a chance to meet your mate" an excited roar comes from the older pack members.

Wolves shift, normally, anywhere from 10-12 years of age. But, mates aren't revealed, to most, by the Moon Goddess until they reach 16-18 years of age. Of course their are always exceptions, some older and some younger in both circumstances. Alpha blood usually allows you to shift earlier but you get the farther end of the mating spectrum. This was the case with both me and Alex, since we both have Alpha Blood running thru our veins. We shifted by 10 and at 18 we were clearly still mateless.

"I would like everyone to be on their best behavior. You know the Moon Goddess has blessed each one of you with a mate. So please respect that. Do not illicit the attention of others that should be given to your mate. Remember, that person has a mate too. (In short, no funny business) in two weeks we will be ready to roll!"

Everyone was talking in the crowd and I dismissed them to go back to their regularly scheduled activities.