Epilogue
The sun was slowly sliding behind the mountains. The warm breeze could very well be the last of the season, since winter was approaching with hurried steps.
Theodore's nostrils flared as he took in his domain. In Glasstone, he'd been a ruler of men. Here, with his pack, he was an alpha, and this coat fit him best; in the land of humans, he had always felt incomplete.
Not anymore. But he still recalled his many trials and the suffering he had endured as a wolf without a pack.
Which was why he was the best wolf to teach the young one beside him about the ways of the pack.
"You have it in you, Skarg," he said, while the pup struggled, once more, to turn into the shape destined for him.
"It is difficult, alpha," Skarg complained. Over the last several months, the boy had grown a lot – under Jack's care who took him to the Moon and the Sun and offered small sacrifices in his name so he could become whole. Vince's role had always been to train the young wolf in the ways of combat.
But no one was a better fit for the task of making Skarg understand his inner wolf than his alpha.
"I have great trust in you." Theodore, in his wolf shape, rested on his hind legs and watched Skarg make another attempt. "No more complaints. I am not Jack, who indulges you too much."
"You're a demanding taskmaster, alpha," Skarg grunted.
Gone was the zombie-like creature the boy had been. He was no different from a human teenager now. Tufts of brown hair had grown on his head, and his eyes were big and curious. No wonder he and Jack got along so well.
"I bet you learned that word from Jack."
"Your mate knows a lot of funny words, alpha."
"Indeed. Stop dallying. Now, close your eyes. Feel your wolf."
Skarg did as told. However, he squeezed his eyes shut too tightly, and his entire being seemed to tense to the point of breaking.
"Your wolf is in you," Theodore said patiently. "Do not fight your beast."
"I can sense him," Skarg mumbled. "But it's scary."
"That is because you must come to terms with his strength. You can rein him in. I promise, Skarg. It will come naturally to you. You must not fight him, because he will believe he is unwanted."
Skarg let out a long breath. "I used to be unwanted, too."
Theodore understood that too well. Being a lonely wolf was difficult enough; being a rejected wolf was much, much harder. In his pack from the other side, Skarg had lived like a pariah. Whiteflame had welcomed him among them, but centuries spent believing that he was merely tolerated by his pack weren't easy to forget.
"That means you understand him," Theodore continued his lesson.
"You are too generous, alpha. You're wasting your precious time with me. Other things must await you."
"You are part of my pack," Theodore said. "This is the important thing I must do right now and nothing else."
Theodore turned his head, as soon as he caught a familiar scent. Down the hill, running like the wind, Jack was rushing toward them. He told Skarg nothing, so the boy could continue to focus on his bond with his inner wolf.
He shifted into his human, only to have the pleasure of catching Jack in his arms. Jack's wolf was so fluffy, it was like having a large pet, a rambunctious, beautifully reckless one.
Jack put him down and rested his paws on Theodore's chest. "You always do that," he complained.
"I like to feel my Wolfie's strength. Like Skarg, you are growing stronger day by day."
Skarg had opened his eyes, forgetting all about his lessons. Jack remained his favorite person in the whole pack, and their friendship was legendary.
"I think you made Skarg lose his focus," Theodore said.
"Sorry about that. I come bearing gifts, though. Just a little earlier, I was talking to the Wisdom Tree--"
"Ah, you were talking casually with the Wisdom Tree," Theodore teased his mate.
"Shut up, I had to pay those guys a visit. The nehesh said something interesting."
"Such as?"
"Skarg needs to talk to the Moon alone."
"Alone?" Skarg squeaked. "But I'm afraid."
"You shouldn't be. She's a sweetheart," Jack insisted. "And anyway, I'll be close by."
"You're mollycoddling the boy," Theodore warned his mate.
"Well, he's basically our son. I'm the good parent, while you're the stern, insufferable one."
"Oh, you don't say. Leaving aside that you're treating Skarg like a younger brother, where does that leave Vince?"
"Vince is the cool uncle who knows a lot of stuff. Ugh, stop being such a stickler for labeling everything."
"So like you to say something that makes sense only after you look at it twice."
"I'll pretend that's a compliment, though I know better." Jack shifted into his human and collapsed on top of Theodore's chest.
"Skarg, continue your exercises, as I taught you," Theodore said.
"But if I'm going to see the Moon--"
"That doesn't mean you're excused from training."
Skarg looked at Jack with pleading eyes, but even Jack knew that no one went against the alpha's decision when it came to training to be the greatest wolf one could be.
"We'll go for a run, but we'll come back," Theodore told the boy and then turned toward Jack. "Do you think you can beat me? I noticed that you were taking lessons from my father on how to outrun me."
"Psh, nothing gets by you, does it? Well, let's see."
Jack, always the sly one, stole the start. Theodore laughed and followed him.
***
Being a wolf definitely had its perks, and Jack had discovered that he loved being a wolf, and spending a big chunk of his day in his beast's coat. His fluffy fur was all the rage – ask anyone who was part of Whiteflame and they'd tell you no one could beat him at fluffiness.
Not the same could be said about other aspects of his being a wolf. Theo was right, of course. While Jack didn't think he could actually beat his alpha at anything wolf-related, not even trying meant that he was a lazy bum.
He had taken lessons from his father-in-law. Secretly. Or not so secretly, since Theo had figured it all out. Jack couldn't imagine Tharion tattling on him. Since the senior of the pack had relinquished his role as alpha to his son, Tharion enjoyed teaching the young wolves all kinds of tricks. Jack didn't mind being part of his class, even though he was older than his classmates.
Theodore wasn't sparing him, and he was grateful for it. After all, Jack had discovered that he had his tiny little ambitions. Becoming a fast, strong wolf was among them.
They raced to the edge of what had used to be the Black Forest. Young fir saplings grew there, hinting at the large forest that would one day rise there.
Theodore was already there, waiting for him, with a grin on his face. Jack shed his fur so he could show his alpha mate that he wasn't impressed.
"You've been doing this for far longer than me," he said, wiping his brow. "Now wipe that smirk off your face."
"I can't. I'm looking at my mate, and all I can do is smile."
"Smooth," Jack said. "Theo, look, the saplings are growing stronger. One day, we should bring Skarg here."
"One day," Theo agreed. "We must not rush him. He's already made so much progress."
"True. I want to help him, though. I can tell he still feels out of place."
"Yes. Healing takes time. And even if he spent so much time underground with the others, that doesn't mean he grew old and wise."
"Yeah, he's pretty much a kid," Jack agreed. "By the way, Theo, you're really awesome. You're a great alpha. Putting so much work and effort into a single member of your pack says a lot."
"I must. It is what an alpha must do."
"And I thought alphas expect to be worshipped all the time."
"Only a bad alpha would expect that."
"But you're a good alpha. Still, aren't you in the mood for a bit of worshipping?"
Theodore gave him a surprised look, so Jack couldn't help laughing. "I might have lured you out here--"
"I invited you for a run," Theo corrected him.
What a stickler for correctitude. That's my alpha, Jack thought.
"Well, I'm used to thinking on my feet. Consider yourself lured out here for this." Jack grabbed Theodore by the front of his shirt and pulled him into a kiss.
"I am very much lured, and I'm enjoying myself," Theodore said. "But we promised to go back to Skarg to see how he's doing."
"I agree. But I had to steal a kiss from you today."
"Am I too busy with my alpha's responsibilities?" Theo took Jack's hand and looked at him with unconcealed affection.
"Nope. You're the right amount of busy. I wouldn't have it any other way."
***
"Why are you by yourself?" Vince asked as soon as he saw Skarg, who was sitting on the ground, looking a bit dejected.
"Alpha Theodore and Jack went for a run," Skarg explained, quickly getting to his feet.
"Don't get up." Vince sat by the boy's side. "How is training with our alpha?"
Skarg hung his head low. "Everyone is doing their best to help me. But I just can't seem to get it right. What if I can never turn into my wolf?"
Vince understood the problem. It was true that they were doing that, but their eagerness to help put too much pressure on the young wolf.
"I know what you're going to tell me," Skarg continued, scratching his head hard. He was getting used to having hair and skin again, and they itched. "That I'll overcome all these obstacles and be a great wolf one day."
"I won't tell you that." Vince patted Skarg's arm. "How about we forget about that?"
"Forget? But how?"
"By taking a break from it all. Let me teach you a game."
Vince got up and offered Skarg his hand. "It's a game I used to play a lot as a kid."
It wasn't exactly true, but since everyone seemed to forget that kids loved playing more than anything, he needed to step up.
Skarg followed his every move while Vince broke a branch off a bush and removed the leaves and twigs from it.
"Let's see who can throw it farthest," he said and threw the branch through the air.
Skarg seemed unconvinced at first, so Vince went after his toy and demonstrated the move again. By his side, the young wolf was becoming restless.
It had to be the fifth time, when Skarg broke into a run as soon as the stick flew from Vince's hand. He jumped through the air and caught it between his teeth.
And landed on all four paws. Vince said nothing as Skarg hurried to him with the stick in his mouth.
"Very good," he praised him and patted the brown wolf, who now waited impatiently to have the stick thrown again.
"Vee!" Jack's exclamation from a few yards behind stopped their playtime. "What is going on? Who's this cute dog?"
Theodore was there, too. He took Jack by the shoulders and laughed. "Don't you recognize him, Wolfie? That's your friend."
"What friend?" Jack asked. "Oh, oh, that's Skarg!" He gestured wildly at the brown wolf, too excited to stand still. "You're a wolf, Skarg!"
"What? Am I--" Skarg realized only then what had happened.
He turned and turned to see his own tail.
"How did you do that, Vee?" Jack moaned. "Theo and I have been trying so hard, and you just waltz in and help young wolves become themselves by snapping your fingers!"
"That's hardly what I do," Vince said, without hiding his smile. "How is it, Skarg? How does it feel being a wolf?"
"It is incredible!" Skarg replied. "I feel the need to run—and there are so many scents—I think I must hunt!"
No one stopped him when he took off in the direction of the mountain.
"Oh, they grow up so fast," Jack said, shaking his head like a grandma and wiping a tiny tear from the corner of his eye.
Vince moved to stand behind his alpha and his other mate so he could hook his arms over their shoulders. "As much as I'd like to take all the credit, I believe that this success is the result of our joint efforts."
"You're only saying that so we don't feel bad about being lame as teachers," Jack said.
Theodore hurried to correct him. "I don't think so, Jack." He turned his head to look into Vince's eyes. "Our guardian mate is just. He'd never lie, not even to make us feel good about ourselves."
"Thank you, alpha," Vince said. "Now that Skarg found his wolf, we should find ourselves another joint project."
"Ready for the next task, aren't you, Vee?" Jack said.
"You know me."
Theodore kissed his cheek. "Maybe we should start searching for other guardians."
His alpha remembered. Vince rubbed his nose against Theodore's neck. "For that, we would have to leave the pack for a while? Would that be all right?"
"We live in a blessed time of peace," Theodore said. "This is the best time to do that."
"Are we going to embark on a new adventure?" Jack asked.
"That's the plan," Theodore replied. "Are you down with it, Wolfie?"
"So down I'm flat against the ground," Jack replied. "Does that mean that I should prepare for an incredible amount of mating activities? We need to keep ourselves entertained somehow, right?"
Vince laughed and hugged Jack with one arm, lifting him off the ground. "Mating activities are the main thing on your mind, Jack, admit it."
"I don't hide it," Jack said. "I especially like when you're both doing me. Don't slutshame me."
"Far from us to do that," Theodore assured him. "Then it's a deal. We're leaving soon. Do you agree, my mates?"
Vince and Jack beat each other to saying 'yes'. After all, that was a word that often slipped off their lips when their proud, handsome, amazing alpha was involved. Vince had an inkling it would be the same forever ever after.
THE END