Chapter 38: The General's Mate

Braka's POV:

I have been General of The Osupa for 4 years, ever since I was 28...after a decade of looking for my mate I gave up the search to dedicate my life to my Pack, my Alpha and my country. I will admit, it gets lonely... I even though about starting the search again with Alpha Gúarionex's blessing and leave Commander Bruno as acting General. All that went to dust yesterday.

I once had a relationship with the beautiful warrior Wen Yue, yet when Jorge came back from extensive training outside of Karaya for years, it turned out that they were mates. I was happy for Yue, I still am and Jorge is one of our best warriors and treats her like a queen. I still look at her and remember how loving she was, but I understood. The Mate Bond will always be stronger than anything we had, we were together for 2 years and we never even had a pup scare, yet she finds her mate and gets pregnant on their first Heat. Not that people who aren't mates can't procreate, it's just that the Bond assures it. 

A knock on the door wakes me from my thoughts, it's been a while since I have even though about it. I was supposed to sleep, but it never came, even with the Hayan drops. I should have tried to sleep, the Cacique needs me alert. We haven't given the title of Cacique to any Alpha for over a century, yet both the Pack and I consider her worthy. When the Lady Loiza returned from Avalon I saw her father's drive and instinct in her as well as her mother's prowess, Kiskeya was an Alpha herself in power and was a skilled assassin... Urayoán and Loiza are as silent killers as she was, their stealth comes from her as well as their speed, their sister Suania also inherited this trait from their mother. She has been one of my most determined pupils, she was already powerful when she returned, yet I knew she had the potential for greatness. I hope that my hope on her as a backbone for the pack not be wrong. 

I go to the door and a Priestess of the Goddess with aquamarine curls and eyes is waiting... "Are you General Braka?" 

"Hello, yes, how may I help you My Lady?" I ask. 

"The Lady Moira is here and wishes your presence." So Avalon finally decided to intervene, I guess Bayoán's bravado paid off.

"I will be there at once!" I get dressed and head towards where I know where the Beta is yet something stops me in my tracks. For a moment I got the very enticing scent of sea breeze and cinnamon. I feel Daemon not allowing me to go on until the scent is found. 'Daemon we will investigate the scent latter, the Lady Moira is here, we will get Karaya back!' He is not having it. 'No Braka! It's HER and you want to wait? She is close and we have waited too long if we get back home we take her with us now go and find her NOW!' Well damn! And the scent becomes stronger and now I don't need Daemon to push me, the scent is intoxicating and I start jogging towards it. 

I notice that I am going towards the pack house, I accelerate my pace. Suddenly a vision of a goddess is standing at the door, she is tall, with a lean yet muscular body, caramel skin, a long black braid and black almond eyes...she starts running towards me! I can't help myself and start running too. And she jumps directly into my arms wrapping her arms around my neck and legs around my waist and smacks her lips to mine! I can't describe what I feel except for BLISS. 

"Where have you been?! I had almost lost hope!" She says while kissing me all over my face and neck and I tighten my grip on her around her waist and lift her up kiss her again. 

"I could say the same my lovely mate, I have been looking for you for 14 years! What's your name beloved?" I start kissing her long neck, I feel her pulse accelerating, I feel my heart exploding!

"I am Helena, and you?" She has such a smooth, silky voice... "I am Braka, Helena." I wanted to try out the name I would say till the day I die. And I hear a soft sigh escape her lips and I want her, I want to claim her then and there, I feel Daemon's need to Mark her and I remember why I am there and where I was going, and catch my breath.

"Beloved, I have to go just now but I would like to meet later, do you have a phone? I will call you." I really want to stay with her, but the pack comes first and if Loiza is controlling her need to go to her mate and not abandoning the pack, then so can I.

"Yes! Of course, I came because your Alpha wishes to speak with me regarding training my little sister as a Priestesses Handmaid and now Kendra is really looking forward to it." She explains while I am grabbing her ass making sure she doesn't slip and get a feel for the goods. I kiss her lips again, she is so beautiful and she is MINE! 

"Then come with me my ladies, we will sort this out!" I get to stay with her! And walking out of the pack house the two girls from earlier. "So the young Kendra is your sister?" She gets on the ground while I help her down resting my hands on her waist. She leaves her arms around my neck...

"Yes, poor Kendra wanted to be Priestess of the Goddess like our mother, but failed her trials but she is still very interested in serving the Goddess." She brings her arms down and they claim my waist as I have hers. 

"Wait, your mother WAS a Priestess?" Urayoán and Maco do have reason to feel uneasy about what's going on with this pack's Priestesses. 

"Yes, she died as she gave birth to Kendra." A Priestess dying in childbirth is very, very rare they are beloved by the Goddess. 

"I am so sorry to hear that my love, let's go where I have been summoned, the Prime Priestess of Avalon will be there, and if she is here the Alpha will be summoned too." I take her hand and put my other arm over Kendra, "You are as a sister now to me as well little one, if either of you need ANYTHING just come to me, ok?" Kendra starts to tear up and I look at my beautiful Helena not understanding and I see her eyes glazed but firmly looking forward. 

"Did I say something wrong love?" And she hugs my waist again, hard..."No, everything you said was perfect, it's just...it's really only been just Kendra and me forever and I hadn't found my mate, so we kind of thought it would just be us and now that you are here we feel like we can have the type of family we wanted." If it was only them, then my sweet mate raised her little sister. 

"Well, the family is bigger... I had an older brother who passed in the tragedy but his mate and my niece and nephews survived. In fact my niece Cleo and their mother Alma are here, you two are alone no more, I will protect you both." And I squeeze Helena smelling her scent helping to soothe me. And I feel sweet Kendra wanting comfort, her filial bond to her sister and her sister's mate Bond to me made me aware and I pull her in so she understands that she has family besides her sister who will be devoted to her. Then I notice young Jolene standing alone. And I am so happy that I pull her in too and squeeze all three. 

"Ok, come ladies let's sort this and anything else that awaits us, Alma has been receiving mate loss grief counseling, but I know Cleo is working directly with the Alpha and Beta on a mission, maybe you ladies could meet her now." I was so happy to have my mate and a little sister as a bonus and I am going to do everything in my power to give them the happiness I feel they need. I link Bayoán to see where they are and we head towards the medic tent. Where there were several people gathered, but the Alpha and Lady Yaya aren't in the crowd but the Lady Moira is, I bow to the Grand Prime Priestess of the Goddess, salute the Beta and greet Alpha Kayden and Morgana. 

"My Lady I received word you summoned for me so here I am." She looks me up and glances at Helena.

"General, congratulations are in order it seems, your long wait has been Blessed by the Goddess, your mate is quite lovely." She says with her usual stone cold face and tempered voice.

"Thank you My Lady, her mother was a Priestess herself and her young sister was chosen for the trials, however she wishes to serve the Goddess as a Priestess Handmaid but needs the proper training. Alpha Loiza has assured training for the girl." She looks at Kendra up and down. 

"Did she? It seems Loiza's Alpha status has emboldened her beyond what I would have suspected." She gestures another Priestess. "Alpha Loiza and Lady Yaya have had enough time to to be presentable, go summon them at once." The Priestess curtsies Moira and heads to the pack house. 

"By the Goddess Moira, it's just two girls who wish to serve and both Loiza and Yaya have offered to train them, it's not like Avalon provided them with anyone to assist in their duties as it SHOULD be." Bayoán replied to the Lady Moira, Loiza knew what she was doing on naming him as her Beta.

"TWO girls! Who does Loiza think she is to make such decisions?" Her voice no longer tempered and controlled. 

"She is the Cacique of The Osupa Blessed by the Goddess My Lady, so I suggest you take it up with the Goddess herself!" Bayoán snaps back. 

"You are overstepping Beta!" Moira almost roars at him, but before she could reply I notice Alpha Kayden's eyes looking pass me.

"How nice that we are all getting along to solve such a momentous tragedy! My Lady am so pleased that Avalon has decided to join the frey!" I turn and see Loiza curtsy to the Lady Moira, looking like a queen in a black one shoulder gown with a black cloak with the hood down and her hair in a fish braid over her shoulder, gold cuff bracelets and something I have not seen since I was a boy... the gold Guanín medallion which shows her status as Cacique of the Osupa. Last I saw the medallion it was in a glass at the Museum of Natural History of Karaya, no Alpha in over a century has used it. I wonder how it ended around her neck.

"By the command of the Goddess, General." The Lady Moira answers. I know she can read certain thoughts. 

"What command of the Goddess My Lady?" Loiza asks.

"That you wear the Guanín, Cacique." And to my shock Moira returns the courtesy with her voice calm and her face stone once again. And I am not the only one who noticed, Bayoán side glances Moira with curiosity.