The Wanted Alpha

Chapter 21 - Overthinking

April

Join White Tree pack? Of course I wanted to. But I still felt some slight trepidations on actually being part of a pack. 

I had avoided packs, I ran from them.

Fear was a hard emotion to let go off. It leached into your mind and told you to run from things you shouldn't...like my mate, this pack, the people in it that had tried to help me.

I definitely wasn't ready to be Luna yet. I barely knew how to function as a wolf, let alone stand as a leader. But the first step to that was actually joining a pack, joining White Tree.

"Ok, join me to the link. But I can't be Luna officially...not yet!" I rushed the last part out. I didn't want Ethan thinking I was rejecting the position he was offering.

"That's fine, like I said there's no rush, no pressure. We go at your pace" his hands remained on my face, stroking my cheeks as he laid his forehead against mine.

'Close your eyes and let your mind open up. Reach out to the pack around you, let them in' he whispered through my thoughts.

I did as he said, feeling his aura and my own pulsate as my mind-link knitted together with that of the pack. I could feel acceptance and welcomes pour through my mind as they felt a new wolf joining them, accepting me as one of the pack.

'See, I told you they'd welcome you in. They really are gonna love you' he mind-linked, before kissing me sweetly but urgently.

"How about that breakfast now? Do you wanna go down to the dining room, meet some of the pack? Jude said he's already down there and my Gamma said he'd come over soon, how about it?"

"Absolutely" I grinned up at him.

He took my hand and led me down the stairs, the sounds of gentle chatter and the clatter of plates told me the dining room was just ahead. I could feel my nerves rising slightly but my mate's warm grasp on my hand instilled a silent confidence inside me. I didn't know how to interact with others particularly well. When I was held captive, the few Monkshood Moon members I saw avoided me, clearly forbidden from talking to me. I had friends in the orphanage at Red Shield pack, but it was easier to make friends as a kid. You just walked up to someone and asked them to play, I doubt the same approach would work as an adult. How the hell do you even make friends as an adult?

As we walked through the archway, the volume within the hall lowered and was replaced by hushed whispering murmurs. Pack members leaning around and over others to get a look at me. Many offered me curious but welcoming smiles, some looked quite excited seeing me standing with their Alpha. I didn't notice a single scowl or malicious face amongst them, but there were barely 40 or 50 members in the room out of a pack of a few thousand, so we'd see how that went as I met more of them.

I noticed a familiar curly chestnut haired man waving us over by an alcove table at the far end, Ethan's Beta, Jude. He held that same warm face as when I had seen him before. 

"Long time, no see" he stood up engulfing me in a hug, before sitting back down to his almost empty plate.

"Have a seat, I'll get us a couple of plates" Ethan motioned.

I nodded and sat, still feeling many eyes on me, making me feel a little uncomfortable. I still had that residual fear of being noticed thrumming in the back of my mind.

"Guys, knock it off! It's rude to stare. You'll all get chance to meet our Luna at some point" Jude shouted out to the hall, in a friendly but firm voice.

"Thanks" I smiled at him gratefully.

"No problem. And nice to hear you finally speak."

I felt my cheeks heat slightly, the few times I had seen him before I had barely said two words.

My mate returned, placing a full plate of waffles with pecans, smoothed in butter and maple syrup. I breathed in the heavenly scent, almost moaning as my mouth watered.

"This looks perfect, thank you!" I looked up to my mate, to see him staring at me, swallowing hard.

I saw his gaze briefly flicker to Jude, who was smirking at him in return. Whatever he said in mind-link had my mate blushing slightly. 

'He really is so cute when he does that...big, intimidating Alpha with little pink cheeks' August chuckled to herself.

I internally sighed in agreement 'he is, though I think I prefer it when it's just us making him blush.'

As Ethan sat next to me another familiar face appeared, sitting down next to Jude.

"Hey, pretty lady's back with us!" which prompted a possessive growl from my mate.

"What? You don't think she's pretty?" Carrick asked, in defence.

Ethan's eyes narrowed to his Gamma "not the point" he bit out.

"Ok, ok, April it is, I get the message."

I could see some silent conversation happening between Jude and Carrick that caused the Gamma to snort in laughter.

"Will you two just stop" Ethan snapped, that slight pink tinge to his cheeks back.

Though I loved that look on his face, I also wanted to defend my mate and put these two wolves in their place.

"Carrick you really should know better than outright commenting on your Alpha's mate. What would your own say if she knew you were going around calling other women 'pretty lady'? I have a name and prefer you use it now you know it" I raised a brow at him, almost making him choke on his own breath.

Jude chortled next to him, unknowing he was next.

"You're the one that shot me right? With the darts?" I addressed the paling Beta.

"Uhhh...yeah?" he replied, nervously.

"You were a really good shot" I smiled at him, sweetly. I could feel Ethan's eyes on me, wondering where I was going with this.

"Oh, yeah thanks" he said proudly.

"Jude here's the best shot in the pack" my mate spoke.

His demeanor looked a little more relaxed, good...

"Just next time, instead of leaving your captive on the ground writhing in pain so you can banter with your pack mates and clap each other on the back for a job well done, actually do your job and make sure your target is down and out first...I've never done wolfsbane training so those darts really hurt."

Jude looked as though he was about to shit a brick and was bright red. While Carrick burst into a fit of laughter at his friend's mortification. And I could practically feel the shit-eating grin rolling off of Ethan next to me.

"Holy shit, I love her" Carrick managed to get out between deep breaths.

'That...was nicely handled' Ethan mind-linked me and I noticed how he squirmed a little in his chair, rearranging his pants.

"Well, I guess that's us told...if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go reattach my balls" and with that Jude scurried away sheepishly.

Carrick took off not long after, offering a small apology, to go lead his tracker training, leaving me and my mate alone.

"I didn't overstep, did I?" 

"Are you joking? Those two needed a dressing down. This is exactly why we need you as Luna, to keep these guys in line the only way a strong she-wolf knows how" he gave me a gentle kiss and urged me on to eat up, he had the pack house to show me round still.

After I had finished and had greeted some of the pack members that had cooked the amazing breakfast, Ethan walked me around the pack house. It was separated over four levels, with more apartment complexes set up around the territory for unmated members or couples without pups. The ground floor was all communal areas and conference rooms for pack meetings and hosting events, the second and third floor were all living quarters with a few guest rooms, Jude had a small suite on the third floor to himself. The apex on the top fourth floor was all for the Alpha family, which had been Ethan and his father and until now, him alone. It was a beautiful and warm feeling home, all painted in natural colours of blues, greens, yellows and soft browns. All the furniture was rustic and wooden and gave the entire building a sense of being outside in the forests. Fireplaces littered most of the communal areas, all lit with roaring fires and a few wolves, that we greeted, gathered around them. Winter Solstice decorations, evergreen garlands covered in lights and paper moons, adorned the doorways and window sills. This whole place felt so utterly welcoming, nothing like the cold pack house I was kept hostage in. 

This felt like home and Ethan's hand that had never left my own added the feeling of belonging.

"Come on, let's get you some warmer pants and we'll go for walk, maybe even a run if you want" he said pulling me up the stairs to a large storage closet.

"Take a pick of whatever you want. I can take you shopping soon and get you your own things."

I smiled at his care and selected some thick looking thermal leggings. While I changed into them and put on some snow boots that looked my size, Ethan ran upstairs to grab us both some coats and a bag to put our things in to carry once we shifted. Heading out of the door together, the crisp winter air hit my lungs, reminding me of the sharp contrast of the cozy interior. I grabbed Ethan's hand, lacing my fingers through his and practically dragged him down the steps of the porch. 

I hadn't shifted for five months and August was desperate to come out and run. Being in my wolf form was always risky, it was a struggle to keep my scent and aura suppressed. So I only ever shifted if I had to, to catch prey or on the rare occasion to outrun a male that had less than honourable intentions. It was dangerous living as a lone female in the wilds, you could never let down your guard, you could never relax, you were never safe. But now I had none of those dangers to worry about with a pack surrounding me and my mate standing by me with a protective gaze. 

I pulled Ethan along behind me, heading straight for the woods. He didn't pull back or ask me to slow down, just simply laughed at my readiness to shift.

"Someone's eager."

"I haven't shifted for 5 months, wouldn't you be?"

"5 months?! If I'd have known that I'd have brought you out here first thing."

"And that's exactly why I'm dragging you, Mr. Alpha."

I really couldn't wait for our wolves to meet!

Chapter 22 - The Wanted Alpha