Chapter 28: Chapter 28

EVIE

Sawyer guided me to the elevator, taking us down to the main floor. He began to share about all the facilities the pack could use in this area. He mentioned that the pack house was always alive with activity, especially during the evenings and weekends.

Our first stop was the library, which Sawyer said was usually the least crowded. He thought I might like it there, and he wasn’t wrong.

The library was massive, with bookshelves reaching from floor to ceiling and cozy spots to sit. It was like something out of ~Beauty and the Beast~.

A young girl, who looked to be in high school, was sitting at a table with papers scattered in front of her. As we entered, she looked up and immediately stood.

She greeted me with a shy, “Oh, hello, Luna,” her cheeks turning a deep shade of red as she avoided my gaze.

I returned her greeting with a smile. “It’s Evie. What’s your name?” I asked, moving closer to her table.

“I’m Lily, ma’am,” she replied softly.

“Please, just call me Evie,” I reassured her, glancing at the papers on the table. “What are you working on?”

“Studying.” She sighed, sinking back into her chair.

“You seem a bit overwhelmed,” I noted, taking a seat next to her.

I could feel Sawyer’s presence behind me.

“It’s not a big deal, really,” she said, shifting uncomfortably.

Ignoring her dismissal, I read the title of her study packet aloud. “Advanced Government.”

She sighed again. “They aren’t kidding when they say ~advanced~.”

“No, they usually aren’t. The vocabulary is the hardest part, honestly.” I shrugged.

Lily looked at me in surprise. “You’ve taken advanced government?”

I laughed. “I have a degree in it.”

Her eyes widened even more. “That’s what I want to do!” she exclaimed.

“What year are you, Lily?” I asked.

“I’m a junior in high school.”

“You’re doing great then, taking advanced government in your third year. That’s going to look very good for college applications. Can I offer you some advice?” I encouraged her.

“Yes, please!” she responded eagerly.

“Take Latin and join the debate team.”

She tilted her head to the side, looking puzzled. “Okay?”

“Most of these terms are rooted in Latin. Once you understand that, understanding the vocabulary is easy. And all the top political science schools will look at your extracurricular activities, and the debate club will look very impressive to them,” I explained.

“Thank you, Lu…Evie!”

I was delighted when she used my first name. “If you need any help, Lily, you know where to find me,” I said, standing up from the table.

“Are you staying here now?” she asked, looking up at me.

“Yes,” I replied before I even realized what I was saying.

She clapped her hands in excitement. “Yay! That’s so exciting, Luna!”

I waved at the young she-wolf with short brown hair and eager brown eyes. She waved back and then returned to her paperwork as Sawyer led me out of the library.

“Already making friends,” Sawyer teased.

“Shut up,” I retorted as he guided me through the winding halls of the pack house.

~Oh, I was so going to get lost here.~

Next, he showed me the indoor pool where kids were splashing around under a lifeguard’s watchful eye and the greenhouse on the other side. We then visited the Wellness Center, which housed a large pack hospital and clinic, a therapist’s office, and a spa with hair stylists, barbers, nail technicians, massages, and a sauna.

There was also a fully equipped gym with weights, machines, and a full-sized basketball court with a walking path around it.

“This place is like its own little resort,” I said in awe, taking in the center.

“The original idea of the pack house was for it to be completely self-sufficient from the human world. Our founding alphas didn’t want our people to have to mingle with humans for any reason. We even had a school on the grounds,” Sawyer explained.

“Had a school?” I asked.

“Noah’s grandma, who was the luna then, believed that our folks needed to mingle with humans to lead fulfilling lives. She began to push kids to attend human schools, families to dine at human eateries, and adults to take up human jobs. The idea was well-received, and now, more than three-fourths of our pack is somehow part of the human world. We no longer allow them to school within the pack,” Sawyer explained.

“Hmm,” I responded, taken aback.

“What’s with the look?” Sawyer asked, chuckling as we strolled through the gym.

“It’s just that Noah shared a bit about his dad, and I find it hard to picture his granddad being so different,” I confessed.

“His granddad wasn’t different at all. Noah’s dad, Toby, and his granddad, Henry, were cut from the same cloth. The only distinction was that Henry managed to keep his destined mate because she was an alpha’s daughter. Henry couldn’t care less about the human world, but he did care about his luna,” Sawyer clarified.

I nodded, absorbing his words, but remained quiet.

We exited the gym and began to explore the beauty services. There were three she-wolves lounging in various chairs—one getting her hair done, another her nails, and the third having her eyebrows waxed. They all had different hair and eye colors, but their faces were equally artificial, and their outfits immaculate. I felt Sawyer tense beside me, and I knew they spelled trouble.

“~Oooh~, what do we have here?” the blonde getting her nails done taunted.

The brunette having her hair done giggled.

“It’s the ~human~,” she said, making the word sound like an insult.

“Shut up, Rachel,” Sawyer retorted, rolling his eyes at the brunette.

“What’s your issue, ~Gamma~?” the blonde questioned.

“My issue, ~Lauren~, is your disrespectful tone toward your luna,” Sawyer shot back.

“You’re both pathetic,” the other brunette, who had been getting her eyebrows waxed, hopped off her chair and started approaching us.

“Watch your tongue, Madison,” Sawyer cautioned her.

“Not ~you~ two, ~those~ two.” She rolled her eyes, gesturing toward the other girls who glared at her.

“Right, because you’re so loyal to the luna,” Sawyer scoffed.

I stood quietly beside Sawyer, observing the exchange.

“Of course I am, isn’t that what I’m ~supposed~ to do?” Madison retorted.

Even I could tell her words were as fake as her lashes.

“Just back off, all right? You three are already skating on thin ice,” Sawyer warned, placing his hand on my back and nudging me forward.

I could feel the girls’ stares as we exited the Wellness Center.

“What the hell was that?” I asked Sawyer.

“Three of Noah’s biggest mistakes.” Sawyer sighed, causing me to tense up as I recalled my conversation with Noah at the bar.

“They were just flings, Evie. Noah was always upfront about that, and the entire pack knew he was waiting for his mate to get serious. Those airheads back there thought they’d be the exception, that they could persuade Noah to choose one of them over his destined mate,” Sawyer said, shaking his head in disgust.

“So, I shouldn’t expect them to be my pals, then?” I asked, laughing nervously.

Sawyer glanced at me. “Just steer clear of them. If they give you any trouble, let me or Noah know immediately, and we’ll take care of it,” he advised sternly.

“Roger that, boss.” I chuckled. “Where to next?” I asked.

Sawyer guided me through the game room, which boasted several TVs showing various sports games and TV shows, pool tables, foosball, darts, and tables for board games.

There was a section for video gaming, a sitting area, and a small snack bar. On the other side of the game room was a cozy movie theater with plush chairs and a large screen.

We were back at the front of the pack house now. On one side, a pair of double doors opened to a massive dining room with an attached gourmet kitchen.

On the other side was a spacious parlor room filled with couches, chairs, and a large TV.

Sawyer led me into the bustling parlor room to meet some of the pack members. I was swamped by the enthusiastic greetings from everyone in the room—men and women, adults and children alike.

“Hey there, Luna!” A little boy with dirty blond hair and big blue eyes came bounding toward me.

His energy was infectious. A woman who shared his hair and eyes trailed behind him.

“Hi, Luna,” she greeted me, her smile warm as she gently pulled her son back.

“Hi,” I responded, then crouched down to the boy’s level. “What’s your name, kiddo?” I asked.

“Liam, Luna!” he replied, his voice filled with excitement.

“Well, Liam, I’m Evie,” I introduced myself.

His excitement was palpable as he bounced up and down, glancing between his mother and me.

“Can I hug you?” he asked, his chubby arms already reaching out to encircle me.

“Liam!” his mother exclaimed, but I shook my head at her, returning Liam’s hug.

“It’s all good,” I assured her, laughing.

“I hugged the luna! I hugged the luna!” Liam sang, darting around the room. His joy was contagious, and soon everyone was laughing and cheering him on.

“You’ve just made his whole year, Luna,” his mother said, extending her hand toward me. “I’m Ruth.”

“He’s a sweetheart. I’m glad I could make him happy,” I replied, shaking her hand warmly.

Suddenly, a deep voice rumbled from behind me. “What’s this I hear about you hugging other men?”

Strong arms wrapped around my waist. I leaned back into the comforting warmth of my mate.

“Sorry, Noah, but he’s just too cute,” I teased. The room erupted in laughter at my words.

Noah spun me around to face him. “As long as I’m the only one who can do this,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Without warning, he pressed his lips to mine. When we finally pulled apart, I was breathless and blushing. The room filled with cheers and whistles.

“Can I steal you away?” Noah whispered in my ear.

I nodded, and he took my hand—leading me out of the room.