“A list of all pack members and their jobs!”
“I put it together a while ago, and kept it updated,” he explains.
He is much more interested in the pack than they give him credit for. I bet his parents and Lissa sabotaged his efforts every waking second. “Mind if I study it now?”
“No, go ahead, but aren’t you tired?”
“I am, but I am afraid we won’t have much time to rest. I suspect your parents, or Lissa, will throw shit at us tomorrow. I’d rather be prepared.” I confide. “What’s the next event or gathering you need to attend?”
“A small, dining party next Friday,” he says, grimacing slightly. “It’s for networking.” He raises his eyes, looking hopeful. “Please tell me you are going!”
“Of course,” I assure him. “We are in this together. Do you have a list of all attending alphas?”
“Sure.“ He heads for a room that looks like an office and returns with another folder in his hands. “Here.”
“Thank you.” I grab one of the sandwiches Martin brought along and settle down in the living room. “I am a very fast reader and learner,” I tell him. “And I am good with names. Plus, I know the surrounding packs and their alphas. This should be easy. Don’t worry about me.”
“Alright, then I will unpack your things in the meantime. Is that okay with you?”
“That would actually be a huge help.”
Forest and I both fall into silence, with him sorting through my clothes and making sure I have enough space everywhere. It’s actually really sweet how he makes an effort to make me feel comfortable. I bet he would be a fantastic mate.
After I have gone through the folders three times, I feel confident in having learned the most important facts. Forest brings me a cup of tea and sits down as well. “You were not joking when you said you are a fast learner.”
“That’s thanks to my parents,” I admit. “I always studied a lot, and have a good basic knowledge of the other packs.”
“What’s my first step going to be?” Forest asks.
“You need to connect with Griffin,” I say.
He sighs, rubbing his temples. “How am I going to do that?”
“Forest, don’t overthink it.” I smile at him. “You are a good enough guy, and I am sure Griffin had a very strong inkling of what’s going on. Seek him out. He is still living here, isn’t he? How about you ask him to train with you?” I rummage through the folder. “It says that Griffin has a night shift.”
“Meaning he will return home early in the morning,” he muses. “He used to train a bit after his shift to unwind.”
“Good. You could meet him on his way to training.”
“We’d have our privacy,” he agrees. “Early in the mornings, barely anyone is around, and I could surprise him that way. You think I can do it?”
“I am absolutely convinced you can. Just be yourself and explain how cornered you truly felt.”
“Should I tell him the whole truth?” he asks.
I hesitate for a moment. “I am not sure.”
“Me neither,” he mutters. “I guess I will try to make up with him and then see where it goes from there, similarly to Martin.”
“We could do well with an ally,” I say. In fact, I think we probably will need one to be able to move around Forest’s parents, but I don’t want him to stress over it for now. “But you are right, we also need to be careful.”
Forest glances at his watch. “2 a.m.”
“We really should retire to bed.”
“Not to sound creepy,” Forest says, blushing furiously again. “But…”
“Are you hitting on me?” I ask with a straight face. When he blushes even more, muttering some excuses, I chuckle. “Don’t let me tease you. We already said I’d sleep in your room.”
