La Bella Notte

Alistair Crew became Alpha when a flood swept through their valley, leaving in its wake destruction and death. By then he had already met and married his mate, Katherine. They had one son, Lincoln, and she was pregnant with another…twins in fact. He barely had time to process the death of his parents when he was looked upon for guidance and strength.

Many had died in the floods including his Beta and lifelong friend Charles Nolan and his human wife Isabelle. It seemed to Alistair that if anyone was meant to perish that day...they would do so with their mate. Fate’s cruel mercy so that one wouldn’t have to survive without the other.

At twenty-five, Alistair was no longer just a father, friend, or husband he was now also their leader. He gathered the survivors and spoke.

“Today we mourn but tomorrow we rebuild. We have lost many and there are no words to describe the pain of their loss, but we cannot fall into despair and ruin.”

These words became harder to say as his mind flashed to the faces of his parents…his friends. He knew they were important words even if he could not feel their impact just then.

“I, Alistair Crew, Alpha of the Bella Notte pack do hereby proclaim Beck Williams Beta, Derek Atlas Delta, and James Blake as Gamma. Let any who would stand to challenge me, step forward.”

When no one stepped forward applause erupted among the crowd. The new alpha had risen, and hope was on the horizon.

Life in the pack continued as it should. Alistair and his men helped the town rebuild while Katherine tended to the woman and children…as most Lunas do. They had adopted Charles and Isabelle’s three-year-old son, Trevor. He was the spitting image of his father except he had his mother’s piercing green eyes. A sadness swept over Katherine as she watched Trevor and Lincoln play.

She wondered if Trevor would ever remember his parents. If he would feel the loss of them and have hoped for better when he looked to her and Alistair for guidance. Then as if he heard her thoughts Trevor bounded over to her wrapping his arms around her legs while beaming up at her with a smile and loving eyes. Lincoln was not too far behind as they were inseparable. Some even say since birth as they had been born on the same day within minutes of each other.

“Hello, my little loves”, she said as she tucked those sad thoughts away…refusing to dwell on them again. She let the warm embrace of holding her boys fill her with dreams of a future packed with love and laughter...but with the sweets come the bitter.

As the town was rebuilding the rogues soon became a problem. They had heard of the tragedies that befell the Bella Notte Pack and had hoped to capitalize. Alistair however was unwilling to let anyone think them weak and rather than wait for them to strike decided to take the battle to their camp.

“I have to do this Katherine! They won’t hurt our pack...our family!” he said.

The thought of war was something Katherine was afraid of. She had lived through one in her childhood with her pack and knew the horrors it would bring.

“What if this only makes things worse? Why can’t we find another way?” she replied hoping her words would alter his course.

“Because there is no other way Katherine! Do you think I want this? If we don’t act now, we could lose all that we’ve rebuilt. Everything that we have been struggling for will be for nothing if we let them come in and pick us off! This is my pack and I will do whatever is necessary to protect it!” And with that he was out the door…leaving a sobbing Katherine cradling her growing belly.

They hit at first light. Alistair and his warriors descended upon the rogue camp with swift fury. The leader being a man named Jason Rhymes, was Alistair’s main target. Then they found each other in the middle of the camp and immediately let their wolves’ surface. Alistair’s steel grey with white shoulders circled and snapped at Jason’s dark brown for what seemed like an eternity before they finally came to blows.

Jason had caught Alistair on the shoulder ripping into his flesh. In a flash Beck, Alistair’s beta, flew through the air and tackled Jason to the ground. Alistair struggled to stand and regain his balance. Pain racking his body while his mind began to think of his pack and how his wife & children would need him to return home.

Jason and Beck were now fighting, when Jason grabbed Beck by the throat. He bit down hard and threw the shell of Beck into a nearby tree. He then set his sights on Alistair whom by this time had regained his strength for one more fight.

As they ran toward each other for one final confrontation, Jason sought to take advantage of the wound he had dealt with before. He snapped at the loose flap of fur on Alistair's shoulder and at that moment, Alistair was able to grab Jason’s front leg. Alistair bit down with such force that he was able to snap the bone.

As Jason fell to the ground howling in pain and barring his teeth, Alistair went in for the death blow. Within moments Alistair had Jason’s neck in his teeth. As he clamped down, he shook his head vigorously and snapped Jason’s neck. The fight was over. The rest of his warriors had dispatched most of the rouges…with only a few making a quick exit.

Derek, his Delta, was by his side in time to catch him as he staggered in human form...blood flowing freely from his wound. They both looked over to see their fallen friend Beck laying against the tree.

“We need the doctor!” Derek shouted to the others.

Alistair had collapsed from the blood loss and had to be carried back to the town. Everyone was silent as the pack doctor stitched him up...waiting to see if they’re Alpha would survive or not. Katherine rushed to his side and sat with silent tears as he laid there still as the grave.

“Only time will tell. H-he lost a lot of blood,” said Dr. Leland.

Two days had passed, and his body had almost fully healed but he still did not wake. Katherine had left to check in with the children and returned to her usual spot at his bedside.

“Get your ass out of this bed now Alistair!” she said...but there was no reply. She rested her head on his hand.

“You know I love it when you tell me what to do,” Alistair said with a dry throated rasp.

Katherine shot up with tears of joy streaming down her face and kissed him as if it would be the last time. The next day as he walked into his home, filled with the laughter of the boys, he sighed a breath of relief. He was home with his family, the pack was once again safe, all was finally as it should be.

Many years later Lincoln Crew…or Link as he preferred to be called, was a young man of twenty-three. As the son of an Alpha he was assuredly tall for his age and possessed a strength only surpassed by his father. His smile was his most striking feature second only to his eyes. One was icy blue and the other a wintergreen…”One from each parent.” he would often joke.

“I can’t believe that they're both gone,” I said as I ran my fingers through my short dark brown hair. “Only yesterday we talked about my becoming the pack Alpha and my mother’s need for grandchildren. 'Mom I haven’t even found a mate. There’s plenty of time for that.' I'd told her.

We had laughed together at dinner as my brothers, Jake and Kyle, fought for the last piece of steak. Dad reminisced with Trevor about his parents and how proud they would be of him. Our home had been filled with great moments of laughter, sadness, love, and lessons to live by. All that had come to an end only hours ago. My father was killed trying to protect my mother during a rogue ambush.

The rouges had been encroaching and testing our boarders for weeks, but this was the first time they dared to attack. After the rogue fight year ago, no one dared challenge my father or our pack in his twenty years as Alpha. We’d become the strongest in strength and number under his leadership. Even so…protection of the pack now fell to me. I felt unready...unworthy of the Alpha title.

Trevor, Jake, and Kyle flanked my sides as I stood before our pack. I felt myself tremble with the new power that was now coursing through my veins and as confidence streamed through me from an unknown source...I began to speak.

“My father would have said today we mourn but tomorrow we rebuild. I say we let this sadness fortify our pack as we stand united against those who would threaten our lands…or pack. We are strong! We are the Bella Notte Pack!” The crowd erupted into applause and shouts.” I then raised my hands to bring them to order.

“I, Lincoln Crew, Alpha of the Bella Notte Pack proclaim Trevor Nolan Beta, Jake Crew Delta, and Kyle Crew Gamma. Let anyone who would challenge my word step forward!”

As was tradition, and as his father had done before him, when a new Alpha rises he must name his soldiers and lay down the offer of challenge. When no one stepped forward applause once again erupted. In this moment of power and unity…Link felt only sadness and loss. Even so there was no time to dwell as the war had just begun with the murder of his parents. He knew that the rogues needed to be brought to heel. Link knew that he could not…would not fail his parents or his pack.