Following Jett and Uncle Gale outside the Pack House – albeit against my will – I try my best to hold back the excitement inside me. Brynlee had called me her Mate and this means she is starting to trust me more and more each day. That the pain of the rejection is slowly fading from her heart and that means I am slowly winning her love once again. Being trained as a Beta is just a bonus to me as being with Brynlee has been my goal since I decided to leave Pine Moon.
“So what are we doing first?” I ask as Gale leads Jett and me away from the Pack House and down a familiar path.
“We are going to check in with our soon-to-be Pack Mates. Some have found their Mates within the Crescent Phoenix and we would like to see if they would like to move in with one another while we also plan where to put some of the single wolves.” Gale answers, looking back at me over his shoulder. My footsteps falter for a moment and I nearly trip over my own feet. This is something a Luna would do while -- figuring out the living situation for the Pack Members. For a moment I go to protest but then catch myself from saying anything. Gale is the Luan, the male Luna. It makes sense that he would take on this role and I as his soon-to-be Beta am supposed to help him with these matters, matters that the Beta Female would do.
Gale and Jett look at me with narrowed gazes as they stop just ahead of me. I can tell they are worried I may protest or make a scene. In the past, I would have cussed him out, stating he was a delusional idiot for thinking I would stoop so low to do a female’s job. But this is Crescent Phoenix. Things are different here because everyone has a chance to grow stronger and show their potential whether they are male or female.
“I guess I will have to get used to doing the female role if I am to be your Beta, Uncle.” I state after concluding that I will take on the Beta Female role since Brynlee has already proven herself to be the main Beta of Crescent Phoenix. Jett and Gale look at each other, relief in their whole demeanor as they turn to look back at me.
“You really have changed kid.” Jett states with a smile.
“Had this been an option to you six months ago, you would have fought with Brynlee to be the true Beta of the Pack and not lower yourself to helping the Luna, well Luan in our case.” My Uncle adds as I move to stand beside him and Jett. I can feel their pride and love for me as I grow closer, happy that I had given up Pine Moon as leaving that place has made me a better man, a better Mate, and maybe one day if I am lucky, a better Alpha.
“Let’s go talk to the wolves Alastor brought and see what we can do to help them adjust to being in the pack before they join.” I suggest, allowing Uncle Gale to take the lead. The three of us make our way to the guest house – a large two-story building that is a miniature copy of the Pack House. Wolves are scattered about the front, either sitting on the steps of the front porch or on the many benches placed under the shade the porch’s canopy provides. I recognize many of them as the Willow Bark wolves, some coming up to Jett and excitedly telling him about their new homes that Brynlee and Asteria are planning out using the designs I sketched. I feel pride knowing the homes I drew will be going to these wolves and can’t help but link Brynlee about this. She chuckles, telling me I did a good job and should feel proud before our link closes and I return to focusing on our reason for being here.
Jett animatedly talks with these wolves, explaining that I was the one who drew up the designs that Milan and Quincy asked for. They turn to me, quickly thanking me and a few of the younger ones surprise me with hugs before their focus returns back to Jett. I shake my head helplessly, watching the man I now think of as a father figure interact with each of the Willow Bark wolves. Many of these wolves are still too young to be living on their own, so Milan and Quincy asked to have a few tiny homes built around Quincy’s house for these pups deciding to put two in a home with a young pup and a teen sharing them. This way, the pups can learn how to become independent and strong members of the Pack and still have Milan and Quincy around to help teach them how to be self-sufficient. They will move into these homes as soon as they are built which should be two to three weeks after their initiation into Crescent Phoenix.
“Have you seen the wolves the Council brought to the Pack a few days ago?” Jett asks these wolves, getting nods from all of them.
“We did; they are inside.” A boy who seems to have newly shifted answers.
“Thanks Mitch.” Ruffling his hair, Jett tells these wolves that he has business to deal with and will come to check on them late while Gale and I walk past the small group and enter the guest house. The cool air from the air conditioner surrounds me as I take in the front entrance. This is the first time I have stepped into the guest house since I arrived at Crescent Phoenix and the impression I get from this building is a homey feel.
The walls are a soft cream colour, the décor and furniture from the benches to the shelves lining either side of the room are made of a similar tone of dark wood. Various scents form the wolves living here fill my nose but one catches my attention. It is a very faint but familiar scent and I wonder just who this scent belongs to for it to catch my attention.
“Luan Gale, what are you doing here?” A she-wolf with auburn hair calls out as she walks into the entrance room.
“Hi, Carolyn. We are here to talk to everyone.” Uncle Gale states, smiling at the woman. I watch her with curiosity, the familiar scent lingering on her. She isn’t the one who owns the scent, but she must know the wolf it belongs to.
“Oh, well I can tell Devlyn and have him help me gather the others in the Dining Hall.” Carolyn happily suggests. At this point, Jett has joined us, and after a nod to him, Carolyn takes off to gather the wolves the council brought in.
“You have a look. Is something wrong?” Jett asks, placing his hand on my shoulder.
“I am not sure, but there is a scent I recognized but I can’t place from where.” I answer, catching my Uncle’s attention.
“It could be a wolf from an allied pack of Pine Moon.” He suggests.
“Maybe. When I figure out who this scent belongs to, I will let you two know so we can assign a wolf to watch them. I have a feeling this wolf isn’t here to join our pack.” Jett and Gale look at each other for a moment before both men nod.
“I trust your instinct Rune.” My Uncle states, his voice low.
“Let’s head to the Dining Hall and wait for everyone to join us. After we talk to these new wolves about their lodgings, we can meet with Brynlee, Quincy, and Asteria and see what we should do about this wolf you are concerned about.” He adds. Happy to know that my Uncle supports my concerns, I follow him through the guest house, taking in all the rooms and memorizing the layout to the best of my ability. Part of me hopes that my concern is just that, a concern. But if it turns out this familiar scent is a spy, I will not hesitate to end this wolf’s life if it means protecting my new Pack and the small family I have gained since coming to Crescent Phoenix.