Raven’s POV
Five years later, at Black Adder
I stood to the side watching the children’s class being trained, with Stella, and Lanie on either side of me. My little Jax is a warrior, he is a leader, and he takes training so seriously. His little face is so focused, as he looks out at the new obstacle course we just installed for the children. We have one for the adults too, but the children were so interested in it as it was being built, that we ended up putting one in for them too. The children have already warmed up with a run, and are ready to do the course and then spar. I am so proud of how he looks at something new, to see how he is going to handle it. He can look at a problem and work it through in his head, just like solving a puzzle. He just turned 5 a month ago, but he is so smart. We could not be more proud of him. Four of our six children were in training now, and the youngest twins who were standing there and watching them get ready to start the course were chomping at the bit to join their older brothers.
We were blessed to have them, and each one is special and different from the others. I enjoyed watching this class because twice a week Brandon and Justin get to run the children’s class together. Justin always trains the children, and he doesn’t play favorites. He loves all 6 of them as if he was their father. Brandon does the same, although it took him a little longer to get there. We have Jax, who is the heir to the pack. He belongs to Brandon and me. We had the twins almost exactly 6 months later, Liam and Chase were fraternal twins and it was obvious who belonged to who. Liam had brown hair, and gorgeous brown eyes, just like his father. Chase had his father’s lighter brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. They were a little over four and a half years old now, and they competed against each other all the time. They looked up at their older brother and thought he hung the moon. Dexter was the 4th boy, and I was starting to get worried that we would only have boys at this point when he arrived. He had Justin’s lighter brown hair, and my green eyes and he had just turned 4 years old not quite a month ago. My boy's always made me proud, they were all happy children, and we were so very proud of our family.
On my 4th pregnancy, we finally got our baby girls, Emersyn and Sasha. They would be 3 and a half next week. They were bundles of energy, and they already wanted to go and do what their big brothers were doing. They had their fathers wrapped around their little fingers the moment they arrived. They both had my face, Emersyn had her dad's dark brown hair and my green eyes, and Sasha had my black hair and her father’s blue eyes. They were both going to grow up and be heartbreakers, just like their brothers. We kept the kids from training until they were 4 years old and able to understand the instructions being given to them. Jax took to training so quickly, he was clearly born to be strong, and both sets of grandparents doted on him. He is one of the best kids I know, and I am not saying that because I am his mother. He is kind and very protective of his younger brothers and sisters. He is watchful, and he gets along with everyone. He listens, and even with instructions, sometimes he figures out a better way to do things.
Stella is standing here next to me with her two youngest children and watching her older pups too. She and Truett have 4 children so far, but I bet he would love to have a few more. Truett loves to see Stella pregnant and insists that she is never more beautiful to him than when she is carrying his baby. He is at the end of the course right now, as it helps the pups to know where they are headed, and he can help to call out and encourage them if they get stuck on it. He is a great dad and became a lot more mature after their oldest pup arrived, which was surprisingly two days after Jaxon did. Blane and Jaxon think of each other more like brothers as they have known each other, basically from day one. Blane has his fathers dark brown hair, and his mom’s blue eyes. He is very handsome, and his features are just like his dad, Truett, and grandfather. As their first grandchild, Edward, and Devin, we instantly in love. Blane is a fierce fighter too, just like Jaxon. They are very competitive, and they each are willing to push themselves to succeed, even at this young age. I don’t know if that is a Goddess-given present, or if it is because they are the next Alpha and Beta for Black Adder. But they are going to both be great leaders for the pack.
I watch as Justin and Brandon take turns explaining to them what they needed to do to get through each section of the course. The whole group is listening intently to them as they speak. Jaxon and Blane never took their eyes off the course, as they listened to what they needed to do for each section of it. I can see Jax’s mind working through the problems, as he takes in the information and decides his hand placement for the 10-foot rock wall that they need to get over first. Only the 5-year-olds and up can do the rock wall, rope climb, and the rope over the water. The rock wall, and rope wall, both have padding underneath them, just in case of a fall from it, and after you get to the top of the rock wall, there is a ladder-like wall on the other side to climb down. The rope wall was 20 feet up, but that was plenty high for me. The next step is two twenty-foot-long beams that are side by side. A chain hangs down from each beam to go down to a step to put your foot on. The steps themselves are about 3 inches wide, with a 2-foot gap between each hanging step. They can hold the chains with their hands to help them to balance and get past them.
The next step is angled plates for the kids to push off and jump to each one, there are a total of 8 of them. They are set up in an angled alternating pattern for them to jump side to side on. They will then run in and out, zigzagging around 20 cones set up right before you arrive at the rope climb. This makes you use both your arms and legs and even though these are made smaller than the adult rope climb, it is tough for anyone to do. I am worried about the twins, as they are not 5 yet, but they wanted to give it a try. We made this course up to challenge them, and to train them in a fun way. Each station helps them to increase either their stamina or strength. It is a full-body workout, and they are really excited to try it out today. They have been hearing about it for weeks now as Justin told Brandon his ideas. They both got excited about making this a way to train the pups, without them even knowing that they are training and conditioning. Brandon had a lot of great ideas too, and this became a much bigger plan than it was originally.
Like with the swinging monkey bars. We got the ones with the smaller handles for them to use, swing themselves holding one, and be able to swing and grab the next one, with the other handle next to it. Looks simple but it helps to strengthen their back and shoulder muscles, as well as their core strength, and biceps. Each station works different muscles, and Justin spent a long time planning it out and making it both fun, and effective for the children to do. They can also do pull-ups on the rings and use them to do other exercises. Just like the Olympic rings. They work numerous muscles at once, depending on what exercise they do. Justin researched that too, watched videos to learn, and is now doing ring dips, top position hold, chin-ups, and pull-ups on the adult course. Justin wanted the course to be able to do double duty in all of the stations for both courses. The proof is there, as his upper body, which was already impressive, is even more defined now. Brandon saw the changes and he started doing it too, which got others on board to want to do it as well.
They both know how bad I feel for our children. Knowing that there is a war coming is stressful, but not knowing from where the danger is coming, is really the scary part. Yes, I want them to be strong and able to protect themselves no matter what comes up. I just still want them to be able to play and have fun too. I don’t want their whole childhood to be “have to” train, spar, fight, and learn to use weapons. The weapons will come when they are 10 years old. The same group that came to train us a few years ago, will come back again, to give a week’s training for the kids when they turn 10. I have to say that I was very impressed with how knowledgeable they are about the weapons. They were werewolves too, and he also had a training team to come and help packs that needed him. But he was friends with my dad, so he made the trip here, he had three people with him, and they stayed here for three days. I cannot believe how good they are at the training too.
Justin made up other challenges and now he also does upside-down sit-ups on the rope climbing wall, it is quite impressive to see him do it too. Justin climbs halfway up the wall and is about 15 feet off the ground, laces his feet through the rope to hold him secure, and then does situps. People are always watching him, and he gets people to train harder, each and every week. They feel like it is a challenge to become just as strong as he is. He really is all in on trying to strengthen the pack. They see him doing something, and then start to ask questions, about what he is doing, and why. Justin was already buff before he came here. He was Beta born, so he was already strong, but with him being a Sigma too, he was basically an Alpha himself. That was the difference between them. Brandon was very passionate and potentially explosive if something came up that could hurt me, the pups, or the pack. Justin was passionate too, but only over me and the pups. He would help deal with the problems that came up, but he didn’t get upset about them. It helped him to have a calm head when he helped to deal with them. It also helped him work out the problems for the pack. After 5 years, they knew he was a trustworthy member of the pack. The pack was not his problem, but he always was there for Brandon to offer his assistance. He usually stayed calm, unless he saw a problem or threat happening to us. When Jaxon started school, we all noticed he was upset when he got home that first day. We waited for him to tell us, as he was trying to process it himself. We just waited for him to calm down to let us know what the problem was. I already suspected what it was, we clearly still have some issues inside the pack over me having two mates, and 90% of the time it is from a she-wolf.
Justin went to him and could tell that he was upset. He waited and just asked him occasional questions until he found out what the problem was at school. One of his other classmates had told him that he couldn’t have 2 fathers when they were discussing their family structure. How it could look different for some, some could live with their dad, or their mom, or have two dads or two moms, but nowhere on the spectrum given, was our situation. When Jaxon mentioned our family, the teacher was quick to agree with him. She knew, as she was here for the incident several years ago, and knew that we were all indeed mated. But this was a new classmate, someone whose mother was warned when she got her two months ago, but still took every opportunity to flirt with both of them every chance she got. Even in front of me. She was trying to start drama, and I was not on board with it, but Justin told me to let him handle it, so I did. He went to school the next day to speak to the teacher too. Most of the children knew him as he helped to train the junior or children's class. He is much bigger inside a school room than on the training field.
He didn’t speak to the child in question. The child didn’t do anything wrong, but Justin wanted exactly what he had said, because he went to the mother with it, and she denied that anything had happened. Justin spoke with the teacher who confirmed what the child had said to the class. Justin asked her to mindlink him if it happened again. We just didn't expect it to happen again so soon. It did, on the playground, where the other child called me a name, that he should not have even known. Jax was quick to defend me and immediately jumped on the child after he was punched and they fought. Well, it wasn’t really a fight, the kid got one punch in, and Jax got all the other blows in. We were all called to the school, and when we showed up, the mother was quick to blame Jax.
“You let your child do whatever he wants to. I mean I know that he is the Alpha’s son, but he can’t just beat up other children for no reason” she told us. She didn’t even try to hide her interest in them both. They flanked me, one on either side of me, and I am seen this at least a thousand times. Yes, even in the human world. Two extremely attractive men, with me, it causes a stir wherever we go, no matter what. Justin stepped forward to straighten her out, but I held my arm out and stopped him. I will deal with this, she needs to know how close she is to getting punished here, and Justin is sometimes more patient than he should be. She needs to know right now, that neither of my mates is available to her, in any capacity.
“Jax is a very loving child, he would not attack another child unprovoked. Did you not get the same call that I did? I was told that your son was again speaking ill of the Alpha couple, more specifically me, just like he did yesterday. He is only 5, so I am sure that he heard all of what he said from you, as it was just you took that came to us for protection in our pack. You were warned yesterday by my mate, Justin. This will be your second warning in as many days, as you are getting the second one now. When it happens a third time, and I am totally sure that there will be a third time, you will be asked to leave Black Adder. So pay attention to this warning, do not allow yourself to be banished from the pack. Your son doesn’t deserve a hard life because his mother is jealous of me having two mates. That was decided by the Goddess, not by you” I told her and could tell from her expression as I spoke that she got angrier and angrier as I spoke.
“You may have others convinced of it, but this is not natural, it doesn’t even make any sense. You get one mate, and then if you get rejected, or one of you dies, the one left behind might get a second chance mate. I don’t care what you say, this is not possible. How can you be worthy of not one, but two ranked wolves? I see nothing at all special about you, and I find this whole situation off-putting, to say the least,” the woman, whom I now know as Barbara told us.
“Thankfully, you don’t get to decide anything for us, the Goddess already did,” Brandon said and pulled his shirt over to bear his mark to her. Justin did too, and they both stepped forward for her to see them. She was stunned and then went to touch Justin’s mark for herself like it would smear off or something.
“You don’t get to touch me, only Raven” Justin growled out, and then rubbed the mark himself. Brandon growled in agreement and did the same thing. They both bear my mark, and it is beautiful if I do say so myself, so are the ones I have from them. I show her both marks, and she is stunned even more that I have two marks on me at the same time. That is not something that can happen. We can only bear a mark, once we get bitten again, the original mark gets replaced. But with me still having both of their marks it shows that the Goddess has blessed us all to be together. Despite other women wanting one, or both, of my mates.
I can see the stunned surprise on her face. She started stammering, “I am sorry, I thought that you were mated only to Brandon, as you were the Luna here, but that you choose to have another mate. I didn’t know, I am so sorry. I will correct this immediately with my son. We are in the wrong, It was completely my own fault. I thought that Justin would be available as you had your own true mate. I am sorry for the disrespect, I misunderstood the situation. I should have asked someone, but I didn’t. It just seemed like you wanted them both, even though Brandon is your true mate. I will make sure that my son knows that I was incorrect. This will never happen again. I am sorry, Luna.” Barbara said and hurriedly stepped back away from us to leave.
“She has been after me for over a month. I had already told her several times that I was not available to her, but she wouldn’t back down. Then this problem at school started. I guess she figured that if she couldn’t force me to date her, she would cause trouble with our pups, and I will not allow that to happen” Justin said as we exited the school.
“Let me know if she, or anyone else, does it again, Justin. We cannot allow it, as it could lead to bigger problems down the road. I will not allow any of our children to be hurt because a jealous person decided to be spiteful to them because they desired us. I will shut it down quickly. Thank you for always being there and taking care of our children. I wish I knew about it, I would have gone with you to speak to her last night” Brandon told Justin, and he nodded.
Justin knows how much Brandon has on him and tries to take care of the extra things that pile up, as much as he can to keep Brandon from having extra things to do. He knows that Brandon spends time with the pups with any extra time he can get. I know that Justin helps Brandon out more than either of us knows. He takes care of the lower-level things just for the kids to be able to see Brandon more often. I know that after 5 years, Brandon finally sees what a good person Justin really is. Brandon considers him to be a good friend now. I know that 5 years ago, we never thought that this would have even been possible, but now I can’t see our lives different from where they are right now. I love our family so much, I cannot dream of any of our sweet babies not being here with us. The only way for this to be better would be to know that the war could be averted, but that would probably be impossible.
Excelling on the Course