Page 47 of Finding Forever with the Alpha Pack

“Take a nap.” I keep my voice low, soothing. “I’ll check the map for preserves up north and see if I can find anything. I’ll wake you when we need to shift and swim.” I lean down, brushing a gentle kiss against her lips, and wrap her up snugly in the blankets.

She murmurs an “okay,” then shifts to remove the pumps and tend to the milk, her movements slow and deliberate. I stay close, watching over her as she settles in, her breathing evening out as exhaustion finally wins.

I close the van door quietly, leaving Grace to rest, though I know her mind is still reaching out, searching. Walking back to the others, I pull out the map, tracing my finger along the paths and preserves in the direction she feels her, knowing every minutematters. Ambrose joins me, his eyes flickering with the tension he’s barely holding back.

“What are you looking for?” he asks, his voice taut.

I arch a brow at him, letting a smile slip onto my face. “Your mate remembers seeing a game preserve sign on the way in,” I explain, tapping the map where I suspect she might be. “So I’m focusing where Grace senses her.”

A laugh escapes my lips as I point at one location. “Bingo. This is the only preserve in the direction Grace indicated. And the description from your mate fits.” My finger rests firmly on the Chapleau Crown Game Preserve. According to the map, the area is supposed to be an open space, but one dense part of the woods stands out, almost like it’s hiding something.

Ambrose’s face is a whirlwind of emotions—hope, disbelief, maybe even fear. He nods, and I see the weight of it settle in his eyes.

“The only downside,” I continue, feeling the sting of my concern, “is that it’s exhausting Grace to keep that contact steady.”

Nic steps forward, placing a hand on my shoulder as he looks between me and the van. “I’ll take over driving so Ambrose can stretch out for a bit,” he says, his voice low but steady. “Grace might sleep better with me there.”

“Then let’s do that. Nic, you drive Ambrose and I will take the bikes.” Everyone heads off to their vehicle of choice and waits for me to take the lead. I have a feeling this is going to be a very long trip.

We takeour time moving through Michigan, finally pulling up to the storage units to leave our bikes behind. I hate it, but it’s the only way we’ll all make it across. When we left nearly ten hours ago, I didn’t think we’d be crossing into another country, but here we are.

Ambrose and I climb into the back, where Grace is sound asleep, her breathing soft and steady. I catch him watching her, a softness in his gaze that makes something tighten in my chest. “You guys are really lucky,” he whispers, careful not to disturb her.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Nicolai responds from the driver’s seat, pulling the van back onto the road.

I place my hand on Ambrose’s shoulder, hoping to reassure him. “We’ll have your mate soon. Grace is determined to bring her home.”

Ambrose sighs, his gaze shifting to Grace as she breathes in and out, blissfully unaware of our conversation. “I don’t want to risk your mate to save mine,” he mutters, the weight of it pressing down on him as we sit like a pair of creeps, watching Grace sleep.

I try to steer him back to the plan, hoping it’ll ease his mind. “We’ll stake out the preserve, figure out the best course of action. It’s what Grace wants, to help you.”

Nic speaks up from the front. “We’ll make one more stop before customs. Let everyone eat well before the swim—that water’sgoing to be freezing.” He takes an off-ramp before we hit customs, driving slowly through town.

As we roll past a stretch of trees and old buildings, I notice Grace stir. Her head shifts slightly, and her gaze flickers out the window. Something out there has caught her attention, and I feel a prickle of curiosity settle over me. This might just be the moment that brings her fully awake, ready for what lies ahead.

“I smell pizza.” Grace’s tone has a low growl to it, like a wolf just waking and ready to hunt. She stretches, looking around slowly, every movement deliberate. When her head tilts back, her eyes catch sight of Ambrose sitting nearby, and something softens in her gaze.

“Last time you were over me, I was dying,” she murmurs, her voice raw but edged with a smile. Reaching up, she touches his face gently, her fingers tracing the lines of his jaw. “Even in your wolf form, I saw the kindness in your eyes. I knew I was safe.”

Her words linger, the unspoken gratitude between them thick in the air. I reach out and help her sit up, steadying her as she shifts her attention to me.

“We’re going to make sure the three of you eat your fill before the swim,” Nic calls from the front seat, his voice grounding us all with practical assurance.

Grace scoots into my lap, her warmth settling against me as she leans back, resting her head on my shoulder. “She knows we’re closer,” she murmurs, her voice carrying a dreamy, almost distant quality, like she’s listening to something only she can hear.

“Don’t overtax yourself, Grace. We’ve got a tough swim ahead of us,” Ambrose cautions, his gaze steady as he reaches out to holdher hand. There’s a quiet intensity in his touch, a silent promise of support that reassures us both.

Grace nods, her eyes slipping shut as she leans back into me, surrendering to the comfort of the moment. “I need to pump again, and eat,” she says softly, determination in her tone, even in her exhaustion. “Then I should be good for a while.”

As Nic parks the van, I give Grace a gentle squeeze before she slips out of my lap and follows him. Her steps are slower, thoughtful, but there’s a quiet strength in her that makes me smile. Watching her walk away, knowing she’s ready for what lies ahead, fills me with a renewed sense of purpose.

I watch them walk into the restaurant, their figures disappearing through the door, and I let out a sigh, turning my focus back to the maps spread across the dashboard. “It’s slack tide for the next two hours, so we’ve got that in our favor.” I rotate the map to face Ambrose, tapping a small, nondescript point of land.

“If Nic drives out to the island and drops us here, then doubles back, it saves us some running.” I trace the route with my finger, pointing out the patch of green coverage just before the main canal. “It’s got enough tree cover to shield us from view. Good place to leave from.”

“Sounds solid,” Ambrose mutters, but his eyes are already distant, staring out the window toward where we need to go. The tension radiating off him is palpable, coiled and ready to strike. His jaw is set, his gaze steely, but there’s that edge of desperation in his silence, an itch that won’t let him sit still.

I can’t blame him. If it were my mate out there, my wolf would claw to the surface, ready to tear through anything in the way. Ambrose’s mate is more than just a woman he cares about—she’s his sanity, his reason, his anchor. Without her, he’s a fuse already lit, and I’m the only thing standing between him and the wildfire he’s ready to unleash.

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