6. Dreams and Realities

Chapter 6

Dreams and Realities

THORIN

"If we take all the unmated males with us, we won't have anyone left behind to protect the rest of the pack while we're away," my beta advised.

"What about the mated males?" I asked.

"True there are plenty of them, but their priorities will be to protect their individual families above the pack in case of attack. It will split everyone's focus without a strong leader here to give orders that they will obey." Warren's nearly silver-hued eyes glinted in the morning sunlight as he spoke to me. As my loyal, and most trusted friend and confidant, Warren always stood as the voice of reason by my side. Normally, I would listen to him without fail, but anxiety rocketed through me at the thought I might wait too long and miss the chance to find my moon-blessed mate.

"We need to be on our way," I grumbled as the urgency from my dream settled in my bones again. My temper was quick to flare the past few moons as well. It was a sign of my increasing instability. The pack I inherited from my father was one of the largest, and to hold them all together took far more power than I was able to disperse properly without a mate to balance everything. It was a cruel twist of fate that nature made packs to be run by fated pairs. I understood balance was the goal, especially when we were put here by a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses who balanced one another out. Still, they could have at least made sure that we would find our mates quickly and easily, rather than this struggle that put our packs in jeopardy.

"I understand that you feel called to the island, but we still have to prepare our people for your absence." My beta's worried demeanor gave me pause and a plan.

"I'll take half the unmated males, and upon our return, we'll send the others to check on the island. From here on out, we'll rotate each group out every six months until we no longer have unmated males."

My beta laughed at my overzealous outlook. "That would be something. Can you imagine having all the males of age mated?"

I growled low in my throat at his insolence. "You know what I mean. I don't want any of them to think that we're keeping them from finding their other half. If they're so inclined, then we will at least try to make it happen."

"Fair enough." He stood and moved toward the door. "I'll go divide the group and give them all the news."

"Let's hope it doesn't cause a rift for those who have to wait."

My beta shook his head. "I don't think it will. They will just see it as fate stepping in and it not being their time yet."

"Warren, make sure Vik is in the first group. Something has been up with him lately and I want the chance to speak with him about it." Warren nodded in agreement and took off to handle everything my mind was too busy to deal with.

I mulled over what my beta had to say about fate as I walked back to the pack house. I'd gone on spirit walks, pack tours, and consulted the elders in an attempt to find my moon-blessed mate before I gave up and thumbed my nose at the Sky Gods with Catalina. If they couldn't deem me worthy enough to find my fated after all that, then the woman I had developed the puppy love bond with in my youth should have been able to fill those shoes. That's what I thought right up until the Sky Gods punished my arrogance by taking the woman from not only me, but her earthly existence.

"Will you be okay to travel?" I hadn't even realized Warren had doubled back and followed me toward the house.

"I haven't gone completely mad yet," I explained to my second in a low tone, so as not to be overheard by others.

He nodded and took off to do his part for the pack. I didn't know what I would do without him by my side. Since my father's passing, he had been the glue to hold me together, so that I could be everything our pack needed. If only that was enough. If only he could take some of the power burden and distribute it amongst the pack the way a Luna was meant to.

I shook the thought off. According to Catalina, when she appeared in my dreams, my Luna was out there. My moon-fated mate. It still baffled me that I was meant to find her on the island that housed rejected female shifters. I shook my head at the thought again. Which Alpha had been blessed to know his intended and cast her aside so callously? I had my theories, based on some news that traveled back to our pack recently. It would hold no bearing on my decision to claim the woman if she was amenable. Old friendships and alliances be damned. The health of my pack and future of my stability required that I find a mate and time was of the essence.