Page 100 of Wulf's Pack
The woman shakes my hand and gives me a pained smile, but her inner strength shines through despite her watery eyes. “Lisa Shaw, pack luna. Or, I guess, the alpha now.” She swallows hard, and several tears track down her cheek. “I’m sorry for your losses as well. I’ll never be able to repay you for what you did to save my pack.”
The heavy feeling of guilt hits me again. “There is nothing to repay. These men were here because we destroyed their pack.They were after my mate. I’m sorry your pack got caught in the crossfire.”
She nods once, acknowledging my claim of responsibility, though I’m not sure she accepts it. I sense no anger or resentment coming from her. She looks around with a devastated expression. “What will you do now?” I ask.
She looks down at the body bags and grips her arms as if she’s literally holding herself together, and shudders. For a second, she looks completely haunted, but then she pulls her shoulders back and a fierce determination fills her. It’s a strength I recognize, one I’ve only recently gained myself. The strength of an alpha. I’m in awe of the woman. She just lost her mate, yet she’s standing here with a clear head, pushing through her grief for the sake of her pack. “I’m not sure,” she admits. “We’ll need to bury Mike and Thomas. Daniel and I can take over the family business, so we’ll be okay financially. But a pack of two widows and eight children with only one adult male among us isn’t safe, no matter how fortified our home is.”
I don’t even need to glance at Skylar to know she’s thinking the same thing I am. I wrap my arm around her shoulders, tucking her tightly against me to present a unified front as I make my offer. “If you’re interested, you would be more than welcome in my pack.”
Lisa’s eyes widen.
“We’re unconventional, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. We’re a mixed shifter pack, and we’re urban. We live in downtown Detroit. We’re brand new and small, but we’re strong in our own way. You would be accepted with open arms, and you wouldn’t be alone in your grief or your trauma. We’re a unique pack who are all healing in some way, but we’ve banded together to make a family, and we have an omega to help keep us strong.”
Lisa’s expression turns hopeful. I would love for her to join us, but she needs to be aware of the risks before she commits.“Our pack is very public,” I warn. “Joining us would mean revealing yourselves to the world. Your previous alpha might learn where you are, but if he decides to come after you, we’ll deal with it just as we did with Skylar’s old pack.”
“We’ll understand, of course,” Skylar says, “if you would rather stay here in your home and remain anonymous. But you’ll still have an ally in us. If you ever need anything, we’ll be here.”
Lisa pulls in a deep breath through her nose and swallows hard. “That’s very generous of you. I’d like to speak with the others, but I believe they’ll be grateful for the offer. It would be nice not to be on our own anymore.” Her gaze drifts to her mate’s body again. “Especially now…” Her eyes fill with tears again, and she brushes them away. “I hate to admit it, but I’m not sure I have the mental capacity to take on the role of alpha right now, and Daniel should not have to shoulder that responsibility. He is young and grieving as well, and keeping us all safe will be no easy matter.”
Skylar reaches out to Lisa and gently squeezes when Lisa grips her hand. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now. You’re obviously an incredibly strong woman, but you deserve the chance to mourn your mate in peace without the burden of taking care of a pack. Let us shoulder that responsibility. Let us help your family heal and keep them safe.”
Lisa’s tears come back in full force, and she nods. “Thank you, Luna Skylar.”
Skylar gives her a smile so compassionate that even I feel it, and she wraps Lisa in a tight hug. The two women cry together for a moment, Skylar sharing Lisa’s grief as if she feels it too. I wonder if she does. Perhaps as an omega, she’s a bit of an empath. It would make sense, considering their ability to be in tune with and comfort or calm other shifters. For a moment, I worry that Skylar might become overwhelmed with our traumatized pack, but I dismiss it almost immediately. Skylar isthe strongest woman I’ve ever met, and my pack is tough as well. We’ll all be okay, and we’ll be stronger than most.
Skylar’s omega influence leaks into the air, soothing Lisa and taking the edge off for me as well. Brett shivers, and then relaxes. He meets my gaze, then quickly lowers it in a show of deference. “If you’re accepting new members, I’d like to petition to join your pack as well.”
My brows climb my forehead. I didn’t see that one coming. Bears are solitary more often than not, and Brett is almost a match for me in dominance. “You’re interested in pack living? You’d be willing to give up your home? Your territory?”
Brett casts a glance at Lisa before nodding. “Wouldn’t be much of a home without my coyotes. I was on my own for a long time before Mike showed up with his pack, and when they arrived, my bear eagerly accepted them as his. Looking after them gave me a sense of purpose I hadn’t realized I needed. I have no interest in being on my own again, and Lisa and the others are my family. If they decide to join you, I want to stay with them. I’m also curious about this mixed species pack you’ve built.”
I study him for any hint of doubt. I don’t find it, but I still have to ask. “You’re very dominant. Strong enough to challenge me.”
Brett shakes his head. “I’m dominant, but not aggressive unless I’m defending those I care about. I don’t want to be alpha of a pack. I wouldn’t even want to be a beta. I just want a place to belong. I could still be an asset, though. I’d make a good enforcer. I’m strong, protective, and fiercely loyal. You’ve gained my respect, Alpha Winters, and I’m impressed with the devotion your pack has shown for one another, even though they are of mixed races. It’s something I’d like to be a part of.”
There’s not a trace of a lie in his voice. All I’m getting from him is sincerity and that respect he mentioned. I glance at Skylarand am not surprised to see her and Lisa watching me. Skylar reads the question in my eyes and gives me a smile and a nod. It’s all the encouragement I need. I look over Brett again, then hold out my hand. “If that’s truly the case, then assuming the coyotes join us, we’re lucky to have you.”
“I’ll speak to the others now,” Lisa says, “but I think it’s safe to assume we’ll take you up on your offer.”
Brett’s eyes light up, and he grins a big smile behind his bushy beard when he shakes my hand. I’m relieved when my wolf doesn’t try to shift and automatically claim them. He’s pleased with the idea of having more pack members, especially one as strong as Brett. But he’s not so desperate that he feels the need to take over. He trusts me.
I look around the compound, making a mental list of everything that needs to get done. “We’ll lay our fallen pack members to rest and have a proper memorial first, then we can figure out the logistics of getting you all to Detroit. I’m assuming you’ll want to sell your businesses and your land before joining us. I can have a few people stay here with you as added protection until you’re ready to leave.”
Lisa looks around with a wistful gaze. I hate to make her leave her home. It’s such a nice place. Perfect for shifters. Moving to the city might be hard on them. “Yes, I’ll want to sell the business,” she says. “But we should keep the land. It would be a good place for the pack to come when they need to run, or when they just need some time away from the city. It can’t be easy on you all.”
I perk up. She’s right. This place is perfect. And looking for land for the pack is already on my to-do list. I don’t know why I didn’t consider this a possibility. “That would be great,” I say. “As long as you don’t need to sell the property for your personal funds.”
Lisa shakes her head. “We should get enough from selling the business for a fresh start, and honestly, I would hate to give this place up. It’s home, you know?”
I do know. I left my pack decades ago, but a piece of me still considers it mine. “Well, all right, then. Welcome to the family.” I look up at the sky that’s starting to lighten up with the approaching sunrise, and my body reminds me that it’s been the longest day of my life. “Everybody get some rest, and we’ll get everything sorted in a few hours, when we’re not all ready to drop from exhaustion.”
No one argues, and Lisa finds us all places to sleep. I go to bed with a heavy heart, but I have my mate in my arms, and I’m hopeful for the future.
Chapter
Thirty-Three
We end up creating a small plot on the coyotes’ land to bury all of our fallen. We even have Carl’s body transported so he can be with the rest of the pack. Brett and the coyotes officially join the pack, bringing our numbers up to twenty-four and consisting of eleven wolves, ten coyotes, two hawks, one cougar, one bear, and one wolf-sorcerer hybrid. We are truly unique.
