Meeting Tanner

CHAPTER 9: MEETING TANNER

~ Harper's POV~

Gabriel left me standing with this guy in the middle of the dining hall. His sudden departure left me feeling cold. I understand his need to do other things. He is the alpha’s son. Deciding I need to get to know the members of my new pack, I tried to loosen up.

“Um… hi, sorry my name is Harper.” Tearing his gaze from Gabriel’s form disappearing up the stairs, the guy turned to me.

“Nice to meet you Harper, my name is Tanner. I am Gabriel’s Beta.” I smiled and shook his outstretched hand.

Tanner was as tall as Alpha Gabriel, and well built. The type of body structure you would expect a Beta to have. Although handsome, Tanner wasn’t as attractive to me as Gabriel. He had a nice personality. He had golden hair; buzz cut like something you would see in the military. His eyes were like navy blue. His face was round, but still suited his toned body. “The food smells good, were you planning to eat?”

“I was, yes. Just a little uncomfortable being in a new pack.”

“Allow me to keep you company then.” Pitching me a big smile he offered me his elbow. I stepped out of my comfort zone and accepted his elbow and he led us to the food bar.

We passed by pack members, they were all so nice and greeted me with a smile. At the bar, my hunger was pulled back to the front of my mind. This is the first time since Alpha Thane had held me prisoner that I have had an appetite to eat. There is steak, potatoes, steamed vegetables, and desserts galore. Tanner laughed at my full plate. It was filled so full, it looked like food was going to fall off if I wasn’t careful.

He led us over to a window seat near the beautiful white ceiling to floor length drapes that I was admiring before.

“So, do you know why Alpha Gabe is acting so uptight?” Tanner asks.

“I don’t, he seemed fine when we left Alpha Titus in his office. He brought me straight here after the meeting.”

“It’s probably got something to do with all his new responsibilities. He is preparing to take his father’s place. It is a heavy weight to carry for one 19-year-old.” I gave Tanner a sympathetic smile.

“I imagine it is very hard for him to prepare for everything.”

“That is why Alpha Titus and Luna Mae are pressing Gabe to find a mate. They don’t want him to carry the entire weight of this pack on his own.”

“I can understand their reasoning there.” I just hope whoever Alpha Gabriel chooses as his mate makes him happy. It is so unfair to Alpha’s and Luna’s like him to have to make decisions based only on what would be best for the pack. It’s as if his own happiness is not as important.

Once we arrived at our table, I turned to look out the window and paused to appreciate the beautiful view that greeted me. Even though we were in the middle of the wilderness, there was a large flat plot of land which surrounded this side of the packhouse. I saw lush green grass, and full green trees. Beautiful rose bushes, and other miscellaneous and colorful plants lined the walkway next to the packhouse. The colors of purple, yellow, and blue were a pleasant distraction from everything.

I realized that I was being rude to Tanner by not talking to him.

“Sorry Tanner, I was admiring the view. It’s so pretty here. I can’t wait to explore the rest of the area.” With a mouth full of food, he had a funny looking face which he didn’t care to conceal. I giggled and waited for him to finish chewing his food.

“Oh… It’s no problem, I understand. It is a beautiful sight if you are just now seeing it all. I’ll help you explore later if you want.”

“Yeah, that would be great. I want to get myself officially settled into my room first. Then you can take me exploring.” He gave me another bright smile before taking another huge bite of his steak.

“So, tell me about yourself. How did you find your way to our pack?” Tanner asks.

“The circumstances surrounding my being here is a long story. I am just happy to be here, and I do everything in my power to be an asset to this pack.”

“You are already an asset to this pack. We don’t deserve such a beauty like you.” I felt a blush spreading over my cheeks.

“Thank you, Beta Tanner. You are handsome as well.” I shifted awkwardly in my chair.

“So, what is your wolf’s name? Mine's name is Maze.” Tanner looked at me waiting for my answer.

“I haven’t gotten my wolf yet. My 18th birthday is four days from now.” Tanner coughed, seemingly to get strangled while taking a sip of his water.

“You mean your birthday falls on the same day as the solar eclipse and summer solstice?”

“Yeah, it's not a big deal though I am looking forward to meeting my wolf.”

“Are you kidding me? Haven’t you heard the stories that our ancestors told? Maybe you didn’t in your old pack. It is rumored that any wolf obtained on the same day of an event such as a solar eclipse would have an unfathomable amount of power. Any mate that is taken by that wolf has to also be unmatched in strength. Otherwise, the more powerful wolf would kill the other by mistake. If the mate of the wolf born on the day of a solar eclipse and summer solstice is born first on a regular day then he or she will obtain their power once marked by their mate. It is also said that there is a reason for a wolf with this strength to be born. It is to fight against a great evil rising up out of the depths of darkness.

Such evil is said to be able to cause devastation worldwide. No pack would be safe, and lots of blood is said to be spilled. This rumor is just an ancient tale passed down from our ancestors.”

Beta Tanner, now forgetting about his food, was waiting for me to reply.

“I have heard the stories. I don’t believe them though.” I laughed. “Trust me, there is nothing special about me.”

“Well, you look special to me. If the stories are true, maybe I should mention that I believe I’m your mate.” Tanner was smiling at me. I could tell he wasn’t being serious. He was just joking with me because of the story told by our ancestors. I laughed out loud at him.

“If I am an almighty, she wolf, I am sure you will be my mate who also wields an immense amount of power.” We both laughed at our joke as we continued to eat our food.

I was having a pleasant time, I got to meet pack members. Everyone seemed to welcome me, and it all made me feel right at home.