When we get back to our territory, I'm in a better mood, after saying hello to everyone at the house I quickly duck out and head towards the lake. From there I head towards James's house, James is the pack doctor. I knock twice before entering, the first floor of his house acts as a medical clinic for the pack the second floor is James's personal living space You wouldn't guess it from the outside but the small clinic inside has top of the line medical supplies and equipment.

Even though werewolves are immortal with incredible healing abilities, it doesn't mean they can't be killed. If they sustain too many wounds or if an injury is too severe, they can die without any help. That's where James comes in, he's the best pack doctor in the region, other pack doctor's come to learn from him. But the main reason werewolves need a doctor is for pregnancies. Werewolves have a low birthrate, finding it hard just getting pregnant in the first place. Even if they do manage to get pregnant the birthing process can still be dangerous. The first nine months of the pregnancy are just like that of a human's, but once it's time for the actual birth it becomes a bit more difficult. A werewolf's body is in a constant state of regeneration and is always trying to keep the body in peak physical condition. So once the baby is fully developed and ready to be born the body begins trying to revert itself to its natural state. Which can end up hurting or even killing the baby, it's a delicate balance, one that needs a doctor's help. Since James is the best, other packs and expecting werewolves often ask for his services during pregnancies. My father sometimes uses this to curry favor or even use it as a form of payment to other packs and werewolves.

Needless to say, werewolves take pregnancies very seriously, and is the only other reason a human female may be allowed to join a pack. It is extremely difficult for humans and werewolves to get each other pregnant. On the off chance, a male werewolf does get a human female pregnant they must wait until the baby is born to see if it's human or wolf. If the baby is human nothing happens depending on the wolf if the mother wishes for financial support, the male will usually help, and it ends there. But if the baby is a werewolf, the pack claims the baby. The mother is vetted and if she seems capable of handling the truth and keeping the secret they are both integrated into the pack. If not, the pack will go through different options until they get the baby. This can happen smoothly without problems or it can go very badly, usually for the mother. If a female werewolf gets pregnant by a human male the baby is always a wolf, so the male is never a factor. But all of this is extremely rare and almost never happens. With all my years living with my family and interacting with other werewolves and packs. I have yet to meet or even see another human pack member, I've only heard the rumors and stories.

The reason I'm going to see James is because over the past few years I have been secretly studying how to be a pack doctor from him. When you join a pack, you need to contribute something, most often a wolf will just join in as another fighter or guard for the territory. Seeing as how I'm human that particular route is out of the question for me, nobody in the pack expects anything of me when I join, and I hate that. So, I decided to go the opposite route and would help to heal instead, just like my birth father. No one knows about this yet and James has been kind enough to keep it a secret. This is what I'm hoping to contribute to the pack, another doctor. When I first came to James and asked him to teach me he looked at me like I was crazy, but after explaining to him my feelings and how this was the only real way I could help the pack he relented and started to teach me.

As I walk into the clinic I see James going through and checking all the medical supplies and equipment.

"Hey James, need help with that?"

He looks at me with a jolly smile on his face, his red hair and grizzled beard along with his large physique make him look more like a lumberjack than a doctor. "Caden, I didn't know you'd be coming today. If you don't mind start with the cabinets behind me."

By the time we finish checking everything, it's almost time for me to head back for dinner before everyone goes on patrol. It takes me a while before I finally work up the nerve to talk to James about joining the pack.

"So James...look it's my birthday today, my eighteenth birthday and...technically today is when I join the pack and I want to know if you think I'm ready."

James looks at me for a second before motioning me to follow him upstairs. He motions for me to sit down on the couch while he goes over to a small cabinet and pulls out a bottle of whiskey with two glasses. He pours the two glasses and hands me one before sitting down in the arm chair across from me. I don't drink so I just stare at the glass for a while before James starts talking.

"Look, before you go asking me if I think you're ready, you need to ask yourself if you think you're ready. This job is more than just fixing wolves up, you need be ready to lose here. You've been here and seen wolves, friends die on that very table downstairs with their blood on my hands. What you don't see is how it kills me a bit inside every time it happens. Are you ready for that?" He sips his whiskey while he waits for me to answer.

After thinking about what he said for a few minutes I answer him truthfully. "No, I don't think I am, but I don't think any doctor is until they're in that moment." I let out a heavy sigh, "To be honest I don't even know if I should even be joining the pack in general, all I can hope to do is try my best and hope it's enough."

James looks me in the eye for a good while before his mouth spreads into a grin. "Your right, no one's ever ready and whether you decide to tell your family or not, just know you got my vote." He raises his glass towards me, I smile back and clink my glass against his before we both take a sip. I instantly start coughing and sputtering the whiskey out of my mouth. James let's out a roar of laughter. "Well least we know that's one thing your definitely not ready for."

After finishing with James, I head back to the main house, there's still some daylight left by the time I get there. When I get to the main hall I see Claire and the other wolves with the night off getting ready to head out. My guess they're going into to town to blow off some steam and have some fun, Claire seems to be going over the ground rules.

"Alright let's keep this simple; don't start any fights, but if someone else starts one make sure you finish it." She gets a few growls of approval for that. "Next if you do end up staying out late tonight just make sure you're back by noon tomorrow. If not, your ass is getting an appointment with my boot. And lastly when it comes to sex," she glances at me and smiles, "Just don't get caught." I feel my face turn beet red while everyone laughs and walks out except for Claire.

Oh, great she must've told everyone about the accident. Last week Claire brought a guy over and I walked in on them having sex. Claire thought it was hilarious while I just found it embarrassing. Which is something I should be used to by now, werewolves especially mated werewolves are constantly going at it. Werewolves are physical creature, if they're not fighting they're having sex. I must have caught or have walked in on almost everyone one in the pack having sex at one point or another multiple times, the worst is when it's my parents ugh.

"Did you have to tell them about last week?" My face is still a little red.

Claire just chuckles. "What? It was funny I'm not embarrassed, besides it's nothing you haven't seen before." She waggles her eyebrows at me.

"Shhhhhhhh!" My face goes bright red again as I look around to make sure nobody is around to hear her.

It happened four months ago, on the same day Hannah had turned me down; Claire was bored, and I was depressed and feeling lonely. One thing lead to another and we ended up having sex in her room. At that point, I had still been a virgin so when I woke up the next morning and realized what I'd done I felt ashamed. She works directly under my father, she's third in command of the pack what would the others think? But Claire couldn't have cared less she said, "it was just sex and good sex at that," which I had to admit made me happy to hear. But I told her it was a one time thing and made her swear not to tell anyone. Not that she ever lets ME forget.

"What's the big deal? So, we had sex, there's nothing wrong with that." Still amused by my reaction.

"Keep your voice down! The big deal is that you're the gamma of the pack and...and." I honestly couldn't think of anything else. Truthfully, I was just embarrassed by the fact that I had lost my virginity to a friend and not somebody I truly loved. Don't get me wrong I care for Claire love her even, but not in that way she's practically family.

"Kiddo your way too stressed you need to get laid more. Come out with us tonight I'll even be your wingman." She was smiling but she was also serious.

I scratch my forehead almost considering it. "Not tonight I have homework I need to do."

Claire sighs. "Alright, but just so you know I know a lot of females who would be happy with your services, and I would know."

"Know what?" My mom's voice sounds behind me as she's walking down the stairs.

I slap my hand against my forehead and turn towards my mother. "Nothing, Claire was just being Claire." I look back towards Claire, she's at the front door looking back at me with a mischievous smirk on her face. She opens the door and walks out as Alice and Cora arrive, they give each other hellos and goodbyes as they pass each other.

I look back at mom and that's when I notice she's naked, she must be going out on patrol tonight too. Just like sex, nudity is something you get use to very quickly with werewolves. Shifting back and forth between human and wolf form ends up shredding any clothes anyway so they usually don't bother. You try to be as respectful as you can, but it's hard sometimes. It's just another part of their culture and who they are, it's unavoidable. It's a little harder for me because unlike everyone else I'm not naked with them so it's a little unfair on my end.

Mom has a confused look on her face, she opens her mouth to I can only assume ask what that was about, but she's distracted by dad coming down the stairs with everyone going on patrol tonight. Alice and Cora take everyone's nudity in stride unfazed by it what so ever.

My father steps up to the girls unashamed. "Thank you for coming on such short notice, as always there's dinner waiting for you and help yourselves to anything else you may want."

Cora gives my father a slight bow with her head. "Of course, he's our family too, besides it's our duty anyway."

My mom pokes her head out from behind dad. "Oh, is that a formal declaration?

Alice laughs. "No, at least not for another month."

My mom smiles at that. "Well until then thank you for watching over our little boy."

"Ugh, mom! Don't say it like that." She makes it sound like I'm a toddler.

My mom doesn't seem to care. "What? You are our little boy." Everyone laughs while I groan in embarrassment.

As they all start heading out the door I give Noel and Lucas fist bumps. "Be careful out there and watch each other's backs."

Noel is all business when it comes to going on patrol just like his father. "Don't worry I won't let anything happen to any of them." I can see the promise in his eyes.

The only ones' left are Charles and Selene, I look over to see them performing the same ritual they always do when they go on patrol together.

They give each other a small kiss on their marks and then touch foreheads as they hold hands. The mark is something mated werewolves give each other, it's a bite mark on the left crook of their neck where the shoulder and neck meet. It lets other wolves know that they are taken.

I face Alice and Cora and make small talk before walking with them to the kitchen, trying to give Charles and Selene some privacy. But I could still hear Charles low voice. "If any trouble comes up tonight make sure you keep close to Lucas and Noel." His overprotectiveness towards his mate on full display.

Selene scoffs at him. "You should know better than anyone, I can take care of myself."

"That's why I want you close to them, their young and still need someone watching out for them." The smile in his voice made it hard to believe.

Selene rolls her eyes and smiles, but gives Charles a tender kiss on the lips before nodding and walking out after everyone else with Charles right behind her.

As the beta, Charles is responsible for looking out for the alpha during trouble, so he can't be distracted or focused on his mate during patrols. The pack tries to not to schedule mates on patrol together, but sometimes it can't be helped given our packs small size.

As I walk towards the dining room with the girls, I send a silent prayer to the goddess asking her to bring everyone home safely.

After dinner, I went to my room to do homework while the girls watched tv in the family room downstairs; by the time I finished the sun was setting and it was dusk outside. I stretch out my back and let out a yawn. I decide to go downstairs and see what the girls are up to. I'm not halfway down the second flight of stairs when I begin to hear them arguing, which is a rare.

"It makes no sense!"

"It makes perfect sense, we would be doubling our chances!"

"What's going on?" I pop my head into the room and see Alice and Cora on the couch facing each other.

"Nothing!" They say angrily in unison.

"Riight." I lean against the doorway. "Okay, spill it."

They sit there reluctant to say anything which was strange because they usually tell me everything, sometimes telling me too much.

Cora finally broke the silence. "We were talking about kids, specifically our kids."

I just stood there stunned for a second. "Wait, what?"

Alice finally spoke up. "We were talking about the future and how we would like try to have kids."

"Oh, wow." I had always assumed that since they were lesbians that they didn't care about having kids. Which I guess was dumb of me since their both still females and everyone thinks about their future children.

Alice continued to explain. "We were thinking about going to a human clinic and trying artificial insemination."

"Wow, I never would've thought you guys would consider that option. So, what were you guys arguing about?"

As if remembering they were just arguing, they return to scowling at each other but continue to talk to me.

"Cora has the bright idea of both of us getting treated at the same time, which I'm telling her is a dumb idea."

"It's not dumb! It's faster than alternating between us and we would be doubling the chances of one of us getting pregnant."

I hate it when they fight, it just feels wrong, I gotta find a way to snap them out of it.

"And what happens if we both end up getting pregnant Cora, whose gonna take care of us!?"

"Don't be ridiculous the chances of that happening is slim to none."

"But there's still a chance and pregnancies are not a walk in the park, it'll be hard enough with just one of us pregnant."

"Goddess, listen to yourself! We're not on our own anymore we have Caden and the rest of the pack."

I respond without hesitation. "Cora's right, we're here for you guys, whatever you need. I'll take care of you both myself if I have to." It was the truth.

Alice focuses back on me. "You're willing to put up with us while we're both bitchy, emotional, wrecks for nine months?" Her tone disbelieving.

"Of course, not much different now."

I hear them both let out small gasps of indignation, but I'm already half way down the stairs laughing when I hear them scream after me.

"You asshole!"

"You better run!"

This is exactly what they needed, a way to vent their feelings and forget their fight. I'm already out the sliding glass door when I hear them clamoring down the stairs, I don't stop or look back because I know it will only take them seconds to catch up to me.

When I finally have a few trees between me and the house I finally look back just in time to see both Alice and Cora jump out the sliding door and explode out of their clothes and into their wolf forms, Alice has jet black fur while Cora has Blonde fur. They're both on me in seconds, I barely manage to avoid them as they swipe at me with their massive paws. Alice come's at me from the front while Cora tries to flank me from the side, a simple but effective strategy. Alice has strength while Cora has technique, but I've trained and seen my share of fights so I'm not going down that easy.

I charge toward Alice confusing her for a second, using my momentum I slide underneath her giant frame taking her back. I give her backside a small smack and continue to jog backwards making sure to keep the trees between us never taking my eyes off them.

"Is that all you got!" I laugh.

Alice growls at me while Cora lets out a small whine, they both look at each other, a sign they're communicating, and nod. They both explode towards me.

"Oh, shit!"

Their new speed and aggressiveness taking me by surprise I narrowly dodge out of the way. We keep going at it but I'm quickly losing stamina from constantly laughing, I can tell the girls having fun too from the small barks of laughter they let out while nipping and swiping at me. Besides, if they were serious I would've never made past the sliding door. Finally, out of breath I make a last-ditch effort and tackle Cora, the impact barely nudges her, it was like hitting a soft tree. My feet dangle a foot off the ground the only thing keeping me up are my arms wrapped around Cora's massive neck. Just thinking about how dumb I must look makes me laugh causing me to lose strength in my arms. Losing my grip on her neck I manage to steady myself as my feet hit the ground but Alice wanting to get back at me for earlier uses her snout to sweep my legs out from under me and I hit the ground with a thud. As I lay staring at the now orange sky I chuckle, Alice and Cora's giant wolf heads come into my view and look down at me.

"Give up?" I say through my chuckles.

Alice and Cora growl and proceed to lick my face with their tongues getting slobber all over my face, which they know I hate.

"UGH!! Okay, okay I give up! Uncle, uncle!!"

They stop, and I immediately get up and start wiping the slobber off my face.

"Argh, you know I hate that!"

From behind me I hear them both break into howls of victory which quickly morph into bouts laughter, I turn to see them both laying on the ground in their human forms laughing. After a good minute they finally stop laughing and just lay there looking into each other eyes. They slowly reach out to each other and entwine their hands together never looking away. Their love for each other so clear on their faces its almost palpable. I quickly turn away feeling that just by looking at them I was somehow intruding, so head towards the house.

"I'll go grab you guys some fresh clothes."

As happy as I was that they finally stopped fighting I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the fact that I'll never have the kind of love that they have. At first it scared me, the intensity of the love wolves can have for each other. But after seeing how fragile and fickle human love can be, I came to admire it. Wolves may party and treat sex just like humans but when it comes to love there is no comparison. I've never resented not being a wolf I was never jealous of their strength, agility, or immortality, but I am jealous of that.

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