Not entirely sure how he’d gone from contemplating his parents’ future to his own, he took a short nap in the sun with several of his packmates, at home with the group, and yet suddenly not certain he was really home.
Chapter Two
Cindy was going to start bawling any minute, she just knew it. She was trying not to, was worried it would send the wrong message. She and Myra were committed to starting the new pack, but she hadn’t considered how hard it would be to actually watch Myra, her alpha, hand over the pack that she had lovingly led for so long.
Myra held Adam’s hand tightly as she stood before Kendra and Deacon, with most of the pack spread out around the group, on the back lawn of the pack house. Cindy could see Adam’s knuckles were white. It would be odd for him, she supposed, to be feeling some of the connections of the pack to his mate, but not the normal level, since he was not their alpha.
He and Myra had left Mountain Pack after their mating and gone to his cabin in Montana to spend a couple of weeks together, alone. Now they’d come back to officially hand the reigns over to St. Louis’ firsts, who would be the new alphas.
Cindy knew that they were making the right decision, but it was still hard to see her friend stepping aside, though she was thrilled to see Deacon and Kendra stepping into the rolls of alpha. They had been the packs firsts for several years now, and were more than ready for their new responsibilities.
She watched as Myra released her mate and put one hand on each of her firsts’ shoulders. Her view was of Kendra and Deacon’s faces, not Myra’s, but she imagined her friend had closed her eyes and was concentrating on the power that connected her to the pack. She saw the moment that it hit Kendra and Deacon, felt it as well. After all, she was still a member of the pack. She’d experienced it when she’d moved from Texas to St. Louis, felt the cutting of the tie between herself and her previous alpha in a way that wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but jarring.
Because she already had a bond with Kendra and Deacon, as members of the hierarchy of her pack, she was able to feel the pulse in the thread between them that would solidify when she approached them as a member.
Except, she wouldn’t. It was best that she move forward with Myra and Adam at this point, finally creating the little pack that they’d been working towards for a month.
Myra stepped away, into Adam’s waiting arms, and Cindy moved to stand near them. They watched as each pack member made their way to their new alphas, to receive a hug or a handshake, a touch to solidify the connection that now bound them.
Cindy glanced at Adam to see how he was taking it all in. The wolf had been a loner since being turned, had never lived with a pack, never been bound to anyone, either as leader or subordinate. He’d wrapped his arms around Myra and was watching the scene intently.
When about half of the pack had gone to their new alphas, Myra caught Cindy’s gaze and motioned her back. The three of them made their way out of the yard and to the edge of the wood. Myra gave her mate a kiss, then pulled free and gave Cindy a long hug, re-cementing their bond. Cindy felt the burst of love and loyalty like a warm balm to her soul.
She turned to Adam, who winked at her. Laughing, she stood in front of him and let him decide how he wanted to proceed. Being his first pack member was an honor that she didn’t take lightly, and she felt like her heart was in her throat.
He reached a hand out to her shoulder, let it rest there for a moment as he watched her.
She saw emotion hit his eyes just before he pulled her into a tight hug. The connection pulsed into place, a warm and welcoming one that satisfied a need in her to belong to her alphas. He drew back and kissed her cheek, before winking at her once again. She laughed and let Myra’s joy wash through her.
“Our new pack. So small, but precious,” Myra said.
“Was that totally weird?” Cindy asked Adam.
“Totally. But also pretty cool.”
“Now we just need a place to live,” Myra said.
“Details, details,” Cindy said with a careless wave of her hand.
“Says the details queen,” Myra laughed.
“We’ll figure it out. I’m all packed up and ready to go. Let’s make a plan.”
“The fourth in Los Angeles is interested in moving, and she’s a security specialist. I’d love to get someone with those skills in from the beginning, if she’s a good fit,” Myra said. “Her name is Jen. There’s also a mated pair of seconds from Denver, an older couple from New York thinking to retire, and another handful of non-hierarchy from all around the country. There’s more that have asked to be kept updated.”
“I’ll start a post on the forum letting people know what decisions have been made. Send me the names of those who want to be updated and I’ll direct them to the post,” Cindy suggested.
“Perfect. And we’re all agreed to try Alicante, New Mexico, first, right?”
“It looks like a good spot, and I kind of like the idea of settling in New Mexico, instead of Arizona, if the town works out,” Adam said. “That’s definitely something you can update on the forum, Cindy. People are still assuming we’ll go back to Arizona.”
“I like it,” Cindy said. “And the research I’ve been doing on Gila National Forest looks beautiful. I’ll do a post with some pictures.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Myra said. “We’re packed as well. I think we should go ahead and head out tomorrow. It will be confusing to the pack to have me here much longer.”
“It’s a plan,” Cindy said.
Cindy decided she was in love. The town of Alicante was more than she’d hoped, and she really believed they would be able to settle their pack there. It boasted about ten thousand people and was large enough for a grocery store, some restaurants, a couple of antique shops, an art gallery and a bar. No Target, movie theater or mall, but those were less than an hour away. And there was hardly any traffic, which was awesome.
