Chapter 27: Bohemian Rhapsody

06:05 a.m. Monday. November, 18th.

I rolled over on the bed to stop the alarm clock. Carlisle is lying right next to me and his scent is wonderful to smell. He slept in my house yesterday. He has been sleeping with me more and more with each coming day, but we never go past oral as far as sex is concerned. I am ready for him whenever he feels like it.

I want the bond completion more than anything else I have ever wanted in my life. It is my prerogative as a werewolf, what I was born to do. I need to experience that closeness with my mate. It's not just about sex, though that is part of the equation, but what I want more than anything else is to seal our bond forever.

Carlisle lazily wakes up and yawns. He is used to waking up early in the morning, but back then he didn't stay up until late with a partner in bed. In fact, he never brought any man home to introduce to his son before. However, since Charlie is sleeping comfortably in the pack house, he needs to get himself ready now before he goes back there.

It is a process that he goes through every time he sleeps with me, which has become more often, but it makes him wake up earlier than needed until he is inside the dining hall of the pack house for breakfast with his son. I offered my house for them to move in, but Carlisle has resisted the idea so far.

We kissed each other for a moment before we had to get up and go about our daily rituals. Today he is off from work, so he will have the day to himself after dropping off his son at school. I am sure he is going back to sleep, which is what I would do if it was my day off.

Speaking of school, today I get to give a lecture at my old high school. I cannot go on career day because nobody there can ever become a Beta like me. The next Beta of the pack is five years old now, which is the same age Phillip's son is. Alphas and Betas rise together, so they have to be the same age or close. Me being a rare exception since I am four years younger than my Alpha.

I am not thrilled about going back to my old high school where my mom works as the principal, but it certainly beats being a student there. Though I have no traumas from that period, let's just say high school is a unique experience in which no one ever wants to do it again.

Carlisle leaves my house with a peck on my lips and I have breakfast before I head to work. My day has just begun.

08:58 a.m. Training Center.

I am greeted by the warriors as I enter the facility. Now that I have implemented the double shifts during the day the number of people here at this hour was cut in more than half. Warriors had too much idle time on their hands to gossip. This way I see much less men on their cellphones or pretending to exercise while they talk smack.

"Good morning, Delta. How is everybody adapting to the changes?" I greeted Iris who is still getting her bearings to this new regime. There are so fewer people here that it is weird for everybody, her and Clarkson included.

"Well, it is still weird to see this place so empty now, but I am getting there." She replied, looking around the room which used to be impossible to hear ourselves talking, if not for the acute sense of hearing.

"Good. Is Michaels on the field?" I questioned her, referencing the new Assistant Delta Kaleb Michaels whose new duties are to coordinate the patrol action on the town border. Or to supervise the warriors on the night shift, which Iris never works.

"Yes, Beta. He is there, being our eyes and ears. Don't worry, it is all going according to your plan." She assured me with a smirk.

"Perfect. After lunch I have to speak at my old high school, but I will see you here when I bring the students to check out the place. Don't forget to clean up." I joked, not that she laughed.

Every year, we bring some students who are interested in becoming a warrior after graduating high school. It should be Iris' job to do this, but since I was already scheduled to speak there anyway, I figured I would kill two birds with one stone.

09:30 a.m. Inside Thomas' office. Upstairs floor of the training center.

"Good morning, my friend. I feel like it's been forever since we talked. Are you okay? How is your mate adjusting to the new mandate?" I greeted my best friend, who I have been neglecting to see in person lately with all the changes in my life and the ones I made in the force.

Thomas got up from behind his desk to greet me. His scent is a little different to me today, but I cannot quite put my finger on what it is.

"Good morning, Steph. It's okay. At least you brought your mate to meet me when you came back from vacation. I know you had a lot on your plate lately with the changes you implemented. Daniel is adjusting fine to the new schedule. He actually likes going on patrols because it only takes four hours, then he is free to do whatever he wants. It's the twelve hour shifts that are tiring." He replied in a casual tone. His mate is a warrior, so I knew he would give it to me straight.

Over the years we have found it best to confine each patrol shift to just four hours. It is better to not tire the warrior in case they encounter a danger that they need to fight. Though that means we need to send several squads to patrol the territory over the twenty four hours of the day, it is precisely why our force is so large.

It makes much more sense to have one hundred men out there, than eighty inside the training center. In reality, we send about 7 or 8 teams (with ten warriors each) a day. But I prefer this way. There is always back up not far from any squad on patrol.

Thomas and I catch up on his personal life, my new routine as a mated man and a step dad, and what changed now that Carlisle has found employment. It is great to have this talk with him and I missed my friend dearly, I just had a lot on my plate.

Before I let him get back to work, I couldn't help but address my suspicion.

"So, you told me all about what is new in your life and how your gorgeous mate is adapting to the new schedule, are you sure you didn't leave anything out?" I grilled him, looking suspicious.

Thomas looked at me with an innocent expression on his face.

"Yes, there is nothing else to say. Why?" He replied to me, puzzled.

I looked at his belly which was not any different than before, but it is enough to make my point.

"How did you know?" He gasped in shock, rubbing his belly instinctively.

"Your scent is different than before. I am a werewolf, you know?" I smirked.

"I am sorry for not telling you before. Danny said I shouldn't tell people until the end of the first trimester." He apologized, blushing from being caught in an omission.

"It is fine, Tommy. I am happy for you, really. You took your time making a baby, most of the people of our generation already have a pup or two." I noted, showing happiness for him.

"Yeah, I didn't want to rush the decision. I wanted to save up before I had any baby because I am sure I am going to need it later." He spoke, sounding preoccupied.

"You will do great, my friend. Congratulations! First Iris, then you. It's baby boom around here." I commented, feeling a bit overwhelmed from falling behind.

"Thanks. I am sure your mate will be expecting in no time." He winked at me, knowing full well how this makes me feel.

"We need to complete the bond first, but that's not the point. I am here for you, my friend. I really mean it. I am so happy for you and Daniel." I stated, sounding content. This may be a triggering topic for me, but I don't have time for anything except to be happy for my best friend. If anything, he took longer than I expected for someone mated for eleven years. Especially an Omega.

11:45 a. m. Arriving at the pack house.

Considering my mate was off today, the first thing I did as I entered the manor was to go up to his bedroom in the guest wing. He was surprised to see me there, but I was glad to see him again. Then we walked together to the guest dining room where I left him.

I eat my meals with the Alpha family and I shouldn't change traditions now just because my mate is here today, I can see him after lunch. Phillip and Linda asked me about the upcoming visit to my old high school, to which I told them I was excited to go, for once. I am doing a twist on my usual presentation, so that should be fun.

I ate my meal hungrily because the pack house employs fantastic cooks that always get it right. It is the one perk that I envy of the people who live here, not to say that Lupe - my house keeper - isn't a fantastic cook herself.

14:00 p.m. Inside the mandatory school assembly at the town high school.

The auditorium is packed with bored teenagers with ages varying from 14 to 18, none of which is interested in what I have to say. They are much more attentive to their phones than myself. I do not miss that age particularly, but I am happy to be here.

I brought a team of warriors with me, not that I am in any danger here, it is just protocol with public events. They are spread around the room with their eyes focusing on the students. My mom is looking proud at me by my side on the stage. This is where she gets to be a proud 'momma bear' and there is nothing wrong with that.

I take the microphone in my hands and greet the audience.

"Good afternoon, students. I am Beta Stephano Cortez and yes, the principal is my mom." I started off, not that this is a secret to anybody but I say it in a humorous tone to incite laughter and make them pay attention to me inadvertently.

"I am sure you all must be expecting a boring assembly where I talk about pack safety that most of you have learned when you were still a baby. But today I am actually here to talk about a crime." I declared, surprising them all who gasped in shock, my mom and the warriors as well.

Everybody was staring at me in curiosity about the alleged crime, waiting for me to tell them about it.

"Can anybody tell me what is the penalty for exposing our nature to humans?" I asked the crowd, looking around the room for an answer.

"Death?" One male student answered me tentatively.

"Yes, exactly." I affirmed, looking at him. "Let me tell you a story. Almost two months ago, I went to the mall to assess a possible threat. A rogue was reported to enter our town in human form, so I had to check him out." I informed them in a serious tone.

"What I did not expect to happen is that this particular rogue would turn out to be my mate. We got mated right in the middle of the food court." I spoke, not that this is a surprise to anyone at this point. My mating to Carlisle has been a talking point all around town.

"I thought to myself that though that was a public space, I am among my people. I did not fear anyone would risk revealing my mating, after all we are all werewolves in this town." I spoke, leading up to something.

"Can you play the video for me?" I asked my mom's secretary, who was behind a desk with my laptop in front of her, hooked to a data show. She played a tik tok video on a giant screen that was put together at my request.

In the short video made by a cell phone, they could see my eyes shining at Carlisle as I looked at him mesmerized. Luckily, he was out of frame for that particular video.

"Is there a Miranda Crane here today?" I asked the audience of teenagers glued to my presence in anticipation.

A female teenager rose from the crowd, looking scared.

"I am Miranda." She replied, being stared at by the other students and the warriors.

"It's nice to meet you, Miranda. Did you not know it is forbidden to record anything that would give away our true nature, including our eyes shining?" I questioned her in a dead serious tone. Mom was staring at her reprehensibly.

"I - I did not see the harm, I put a filter on the video." She stuttered, nervously.

"You did not see the harm in putting a video with a werewolf's eyes shining? Do you think humans would find it normal?" I grilled her, causing the young girl to start sweating nervously.

"I-I-" She stuttered from being called out like this in front of the whole school.

"Do you know what happens to people who break the law? They are brought before the Alpha for judgment. I am within my right to arrest you now and bring charges against you. You should be banned from our pack." I interrupted her, causing the young girl to panic.

"NO! Please, Beta. You can't ban me from the pack. It would kill my parents and I would never find my mate!" She exclaimed, desperately.

"Do you think I take our pack security lightly? I have thirty thousand people to worry about. Your Tik Tok video endangered all our lives. Shouldn't you be punished for that?" I questioned her, sounding pissed off.

"Please, Beta. I promise not to do it again, please. I beg you, don't ban me from the pack. I would die." She sobbed, incredibly frightful.

"When we tell you teenagers about the rules of being a werewolf, we are not doing it for our amusement. We are protecting our kind. This is serious business. Did you seriously think we would not monitor your social media accounts? We monitor everything!" I lectured in a loud voice, staring everybody down.

"Miranda, you are excused for now. But I will keep an eye out for you. Also, don't film people without asking for their permission first. It's not okay." I told her, who breathed out a sigh in relief. All the students gasped at the riveting discussion.

15:35 p.m. Inside the training center.

I walk inside with two dozen students to show them around. First, I introduce them to Iris and accompany them on a tour of the place. While we walk, I tell them about what to expect as a probational warrior. Iris speaks about the try out that will take place next year in June and what she looks for in a prospecting warrior.

Students are introduced to a rigorous regime of training to maximize our potential and put the fear of Goddess in our enemies. We are not the most respected pack in the south by chance. No, we are prepared.

Iris and I answer their question as we show them equipments and the facilities designed for combat training, exercises and everything one could need to achieve their peak of physical fitness.

Around twenty minutes later, a few probational warriors arrived in the training center. They are taking part in a shadow program that I initiated. No sooner did they enter, our attention was immediately drawn to a boy's eyes shining the brightest they have ever shone.

"MATE!" Owen declared in a deep, husky tone while he looked at a student whose eyes were also shining.

"MATE!" He was compelled to reply, enchanted by the young warrior.

Wow. I had yet to see Owen smile so wide like he is right now. Honestly, relatable. I am so happy for him.

First they scented each other, then the teenager jumped into his mate's arms like they were born for each other. As if he has been waiting all his life to meet him. I do love being a werewolf in times like this...

A|N: BOOM!

I am back with a vengeance. How do you like me now?

Are you surprised yet? Just wait for it... next comes a rather expected decision.

This is dedicated to my dear Pink Cookie, with Love.

I know how much she loves this song. <3

Love,

Léo.