Page 43 of The Pack

“I’ve got it,” I said, though the truth was that I grateful for the thoughtful assist.

He nodded but didn’t move far, keeping close enough to intervene if needed. Magnus walked just ahead of me, and when I cleared my throat, he turned back to look at me.

“What did you do before… everything?” I asked, my voice hesitant, but curious.

He glanced back, his lips curving into a faint smile. “I was a Garda,” he said simply.

“A Garda?”

“Irish police,” he explained, his tone light, but edged with something deeper. “I worked in Dublin for years before the Collapse. Spent most of my time trying to keep the peace, though it didn’t always go to plan.”

“You were a cop?” I said, my surprise evident.

Magnus chuckled softly. “Yeah. That about sums it up.”

“What about you two?” I asked, turning to Callum and Tobias, who walked side by side.

Callum’s grin widened, his gray eyes sparkling. “Sheep farmers,” he said, his tone almost proud.

“Sheep farmers?” I repeated, a laugh slipping out despite myself.

Tobias’s dark eyes flicked toward me, his expression calm, but amused. “Our family had a small farm in the countryside. Sheep, chickens, a few goats. Nothing fancy, but it kept us busy.”

“And you were happy?”

Callum nodded, his smile softening. “Aye, we were. It wasn’t much, but it was ours. Until the Collapse came and tore it all apart.”

Tobias’s jaw tightened slightly, his gaze dropping to the ground. “We couldn’t protect the farm, couldn’t protect the animals—or each other.”

Callum placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, his touch grounding. “But we made it,” he said quietly. “And we’re still here.”

I turned to Killian, who walked a few steps ahead, his fiery hair catching the light. “What about you?”

He glanced back, his cocky grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Oh, you’ll love this one, lass,” he said, his Irish lilt thick with humor. “I was part of a gang.”

“A gang?” I asked, my eyebrows rising.

“Aye,” he said. “Dublin wasn’t exactly a peaceful place before the Collapse. I ran with a group—nothing too serious at first, just petty theft and scraps here and there—but things escalated fast when the virus hit. The gangs became the only law in the city, and I… well, I did what I had to do to survive.”

There was no pride in his voice, just honesty.

“You regret it?” I asked softly.

Killian shrugged, his grin fading slightly. “Some of it, sure. But if I hadn’t been part of that gang, I wouldn’t have learned how to fight, how to think on my feet. It’s the reason I’m still standing.”

I smiled and kept walking, losing myself in my thoughts.

They were all so different, yet they’d found a way to survive together, to create something new out of the ruins of what was lost.

For the first time, I wondered if I could truly belong with them, the way they belonged to each other.

By the time we reached a suitable clearing to set up camp for the night, the sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant shades of gold, orange, pink, and crimson.

As the fire crackled to life and the pack settled in, I found myself watching them—these men who had somehow become my best chance at survival.

And for finding my brother.

Magnus, with his steady leadership. Callum, with his endless warmth. Tobias, with his fierce protectiveness. Killian, with his sense of humor. And Thorne, always watching, always guarding, always protecting.

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