June pulled paper-wrapped triangles from the sack. “Apple fritters. Figured we could use something a little sinful.”
Willow’s whole face lit up. “You are my favorite person this morning.”
June took a sip of her coffee and leaned back, gaze on the forest. “You handled those two pups real well, you know. At breakfast.”
Willow blinked. “I was annoyed. It’d been so peaceful, so magical, and they…” She shook her head.
“Exactly. We all felt it, but you’re the one who brought it into the light and shut it down. No threats, no unnecessary shaming.” She took a bite of her fritter and chased it with coffee. “You defused the tension and reminded them what matters. Kenny told me you asked them if you’d done the right thing. You wouldn’t have done that if you were trying to be some alpha bitch.”
Willow smiled. “Miranda sent me daisies. Said thanks for helping her soulmate and her brother start trying to accept each other.” She laughed a little. “I mean, it’s a start.”
“It was pack leadership, plain and simple. Confident and measured. Most mates don’t step into that role unless they’ve been blood bound, so there’s a little confusion, you understand.” Her head tilted. “Everyone’s accepted you as a possibility, but they won’t fully accept you into the social structure until you’ve accepted the relationship binding, which I’m going to assume Kenny will initiate between the four of you.”
Willow frowned. “Blood bound? What does that mean?”
June studied her over the rim of her cup, sipped, and lowered it slowly. “That’s for Kenny to explain.”
“Oh no,” Willow said. “You can’t just drop this huge bomb and not explain.”
June was silent a few seconds before saying, “Speaking of things your men probably haven’t explained, let me tell you about the bonfire.”
Did she push her back to the blood-bond thing? Or get whatever information she could manage? Willow decided on the latter. “I’m all ears.”
June grinned. “The bonfire’s a tradition, goes back to before Randall took over, even before this property. Every Christmas, second Saturday in December, the pack decorates the big fir tree out front. Lights, massive ornaments — looks like something out of a Hallmark movie, but with a wolfpack in human form. The outside of the house gets done too. Then the bonfire, and we all go out front after dark to watch Kenny light it all at once.”
She took another long drink of her coffee.
“The fire is huge, and we have every kind of animal for people to stick on a skewer and cook. Smells amazing.”
Willow nodded and opened another apple fritter.
“We go inside at 10:30 to decorate the kitchen tree, and by eleven, it’s over. Some stay longer to hang out, but the official pack stuff ends when the tree’s done.”
Willow smiled, imagining it. “Sounds lovely, and you’re right. My men haven’t told me any of this, except for the fact there’s a bonfire and we decorate.”
June gave her a gentle smile. “You’re bringing something this pack hasn’t had in a long time, sweetheart.”
Willow raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
June’s voice softened. “Feminine energy at the top of the pack’s structure. Grounded strength. You’ve got fire, but you listen, and you step in and lead when it’s needed. The top three are steadier with you here. The pack sees it and appreciates it.We’ve been in-between since we lost Randall. We thought we’d have Cora, but then…”
She shrugged. “Kenny stepped in and managed everything efficiently enough, but he was interim Alpha at first. We couldn’t settle. That’s why the three went out of town, I think, to try to form a cohesive management team. The Alpha leads absolutely, but one man can’t do everything. He needs people he can categorically trust, and since you returned with them, everything’s changed for the better.”
Willow blinked fast. “Thank you.”
“You’re doing good.” June drained the rest of her coffee, stood, and stretched. “And you’re only gonna get stronger.”
Willow watched her walk around the house, heart warm and throat tight.
She had a home. A pack. A future.
Now she just had to figure out what the fuck a blood bond meant for wolves, and whether she was ready to take that step.
* * * *
A few hours later, Willow contemplated how to bring the blood bond up to Kenny over lunch.
Thankfully, he’d ordered her to pack enough food for both of them, meaning they’d have time to talk. If he’d only ordered her to pack enough for him, she’d have texted to respectfully ask for a conversation.
