We go back downstairs and head toward the kitchen. I give her a brief rundown of everything in the house.
“Ten bedrooms?” she exclaims.
“Yeah. Most of them are larger than yours, but that's because wolves have to share sometimes. We have a lot of people who come here, but it's mainly just to transform. Most of them leave without having to use a bedroom. This is also a sanctuary for wolves going through a hard time.”
“Like me,” she states.
I have no clue if she sees this as a bad or good thing.
“Yes, like you.” I enter the kitchen first to see the staff waiting. “Hello everyone.” They chorus their greeting back. “This is Leena. She's my new live-in assistant. Some of my friends have felt it wise for me to have a bit of help, and I've agreed, knowing that some of you here have said the same thing. Leena will be staying with us, so please welcome her.”
Everyone waves at her and she waves back. “Thank you for having me. I look forward to getting to know you guys.”
She isn't shy. That's a plus.
“Leena, you've already met Molly, our chef. This is Jackson, the handyman.”
“Thank you for the bookshelf,” she says immediately. “How did you get that set up so quickly?”
“Yes, howdidyou set that up,” I reiterate.
Jackson rubs the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. “I had a shelf lying around in the shed, and I figured it would be a nice addition to the room. I didn't want to leave it empty, so I borrowed afew books. I'm sorry, I can—”
“It's fine. Ask next time.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“This is Craig. He's in charge of plumbing and electricity. Ramona and Raph are the cleaners.”
The twins wave enthusiastically.
Leena smiles at them, clearly starting to grow comfortable. “It's wonderful to meet all of you.”
“Alright, Leena and I have business to discuss. You can get to know her later.”
I usher my assistant out of the kitchen, but this time we head outside. “Do we really have business to discuss?”
“No, I just figured that I could show you where the wolves go to transform.”
Leena’s face falls. “Oh…”
I let out a breath, pausing when we reach the backyard. “Leena, you definitely don't have to transform involuntarily. I only mentioned it because continuous transformations sometimes help with the pain. I understand if—”
“Do you?” Leena asks, no longer smiling. There's pain in her voice that makes me feel even worse.
“You don't know what it's like for your life to change overnight,” she adds. “I had a life before this. I had friends and I had a family.Now, I'm cut off from them because I can't control this monster inside me while around them. All of that's gone now, and I'm alone.”
“No, you're not,” I reply. “You're here now, and you have a family with you. The wolves here will be there for you no matter what.”
“It's not the same thing,” she sighs.
“I know. I get that. But it's something. I'll teach you to control your wolf side and keep it in check. Once you're able to master that, you'll be free to reunite with your family.”
Leena looks at me and then turns to the woods. Her gaze returns to me. Her beautiful eyes rest on mine for a moment. It's short, but it leaves an impact.
I realize how much I want to keep staring into those eyes. These sudden bursts of feelings and wants scare me, and not many things can do that.
“Can I be excused? I think I'd like to go back to my room now.”
