“Flora, our good boy Dylan was an assassin once upon a time,” Jackson chuckled, rubbing his chin.
“How many rules did you really break? I mean how many are there?”
“For starters, I’m only 29. A Shifter shouldn’t become a true Alpha until they are well into their 70s.”
“Old wisdom. I could see that,” Flora reasoned as they continued walking on.
“Also, for accepting people of different breeds.” Jackson glanced her way. She knew not everyone in the Pack was a wolf but to hear it proudly from the Alpha himself was telling.
“How did that happen? What made you accept outsiders?”
“We are more than our animals, but more importantly, we are more than our stereotypes. Each member brings something different to the Pack, whether it's Felix's tech skills or Eddie's lightheartedness. It was by chance we met each other and that they wanted to be part of the Pack.”
“Not just a Pack, Jackson.YourPack.” River appeared before them.
“What are you doing all the way out here?” Jackson raised his eyebrows in question.
“Willow’s here.”
* * *
“Willow,oh my God. How long have you been back?” Flora asked, rushing her way through the living room to her friend. Soul-crushing relief flooded her system. Her best friend was back.
“Two minutes, Flora,” Willow breathed, wrapping her arms just as tight around Flora.
“Are you…you okay?” Flora whispered, even though all the Shifters in the room would still hear them.
“No, but I will be. We have to focus on you now. Have we gotten anywhere with Cassandra and Romeo?”
“A few ideas, a few locations, nothing concrete,” Dylan answered, leaning forward from his corner of the living room.
“What’s the plan thus far?” Willow asked, keeping Flora wrapped in her arms, her protective vibe filled the room.
“We can’t legally do anything yet. Nothing has happened on our land,” Ryder said. Flora knew he was the legal representative and advisor of the Enchanted Pack. If anyone needed a sound mind, their go-to person was Ryder.
“What if we did thingsillegally?” Felix wondered.
“Honestly, it's a huge risk. If it goes to shit, there’s a small possibility of us getting out of it.”
“Even with your skills?” Jackson asked.
“Even with me,” Ryder confirmed.
“Let's take your stuff back to our room,” Luxe said, leading the way back to the girl’s room.
* * *
A few hours later,Flora softly stepped into the kitchen, weighing her options. She’d been at the Packhouse for a while now, but was she allowed to search the fridge? Eat their food in which she had no monetary involvement in? She was living here temporarily, so it should be fine. Right? Right. With a pull on the fridge door, the previous night's leftovers sat in a container practically screaming to be eaten. Grabbing the mac and cheese Jackson made, she put the whole thing in the microwave. Huffing, she leaned against the white counter. Pushing the anxiety of exploring her boundaries with the Pack around in her mind, she typed away on her phone, pulling up the latest episode of her current reality TV show. She removed the dish from the microwave, the cheese melting in her mouth. Homemade mac and cheese was the only kind she’d eat. The meal reminded her of home, how her father used to make it for her all the time, and she just never could replicate it correctly.
As a moan slipped through her lips, Jackson walked in.
“Hungry panther?” Jackson joked, pulling open the fridge door.
“I like how you constantly remind me of my animal.” Her sarcasm at its finest, she couldn't tell if he was trying to make her feel bad about her animal. Those days were over.
“I just can’t believe I met a panther, and it didn’t try to kill me.”
“Why would I try to kill you?”
