I stopped and looked at Kaitlyn like she'd just lost her mind. She couldn't be serious, could she?
"Please Eva." Kaitlyn begged. "I promise it won't take long."
Saffron and Derrick tensed up by my side. Everyone knew that Kaitlyn had also accepted me as a pack member and therefore it's unlikely that she held any ill intent towards me, but the memories of our last encounter were still large in my mind. Apparently Saffron and Derrick also felt the same way.
"Ok." I said to Kaitlyn after thinking it over for a few seconds. "What do you need to say?"
"I just need to apologize for my behavior towards you when I met you Eva. I made a quick judgment about you and I could not have been more wrong. So for that and the way I treated you afterwards, I am truly sorry." Kaitlyn said while trying to keep the guilt out of her voice. "I also need to thank you for saving my niece. I heard that Lydia would not have survived if you weren't there. I honestly don't think there is any way I could possibly repay you."
Kaitlyn looked like she might actually cry after her apology. So I quickly decided on my response to spare her having to wait in suspense.
"Apology accepted Kaitlyn. On the grounds that you stop judging a book by its cover in the future." I said. "As for saving Lydia, you're welcome. It was something I would have done for any pack member, including yourself, because that's what you do in a pack. You look out for each other."
Kaitlyn broke and let out a single sob before she gathered me into a hug.
"Thank you. I'm so, so sorry." was all she said before she straightened herself up and continued on her way.
"Well I never expected her to actually apologize." Derrick admitted to us and himself as we watched Kaitlyn's retreating figure.
"Me either." Saffron agreed with her mouth almost hanging open in surprise.
However our shock was cut short when Grace's voice appeared in my head through the mind link. "Hey Eva, could you please come outside to the front of the pack house? There's someone I want to you to meet."
"Sure thing Grace." I replied through the link before turning to Saffron and Derrick.
"We should keep going." I said to them out loud. "Grace just mind linked me to ask me to go meet her mate. She must really want to introduce us."
"You'll love Detsy." Saffron said to me. "She's a natural born Luna, you can't help but love her."
With that we all turned to the elevator and took it down to the first floor where Derrick and Saffron split off from me to go and join the others, who were quickly organizing the welcoming party for the Alpha that was coming.
I headed out the wolf door and went straight around to the main front door. I found a group of fifteen or so werewolves that were not part of the Roaring Hills pack happily socializing with the werewolves from my pack.
I had to stop and do a double take just to be sure that I wasn't seeing things. In my previous pack, members from different packs did not socialize like this, it just didn't happen. Actually packs coming this close together that weren't just moving through our territory normally meant war.
However there was a friendly and relaxed feeling in the air and I realized why Alpha Leyton would want this pack as our neighbors over the wild wolf pack if he had a choice.
Ripping my eyes away from the rather amazing sight of two packs being friendly, I looked around for Grace. Only to find that I couldn't see her, so I tried to mind link her. "I'm out the front, where did you want me to go Grace?"
There was no reply so I waited for a few more moments in case Grace was busy. After still receiving no reply I huffed in annoyance and went to the front door to pick up her scent so I could track her.
Her scent trail led me to the visiting pack of werewolves. Here it was joined by another scent that seemed to compliment Grace's.
"This must be Detsy." I thought to myself. "It's common enough for the scent of two mates to smell better when their together."
I followed the trail away from the social party and down towards a small trail that led to a lake that you could swim in. The lake wasn't far from the pack house, but it was visually cut off from the rest of the pack houses by the forest. Making it a preferred private swimming hole for teenagers.
I followed the short trail to arrive by the lake and sure enough there was Grace and Detsy. I knew it was Detsy because Grace was currently doing what Saffron like to call 'sucking face' with her and I knew only mates did that. Although to me it just looked like they were in a dominance battle to try and swallow each other's head.
Detsy was slightly shorter than Grace and didn't have the stupid amount of muscles that her mate did. She had curves that clearly marked her as a healthy woman. She had long black hair that went below her shoulder blades and eyes so brown you could sink into them.
I sat and waited patiently for the duo to finish what they were doing. I didn't wait too long though as I became concerned that they couldn't breath.
So I yipped at them in a 'can I have your attention' manner, which caused the mates to look up slightly annoyed that their face sucking competition had come to an early finish.
"Sorry." I apologized to the pair. "You called for me then I couldn't find you. So I followed your scent here. I didn't realise I'd interrupted something personal." I lowered my head in apology as I said that.
"That's alright Eva." Grace said as she turned around in her mates arms to face me. "I shouldn't have called you and then disappeared."
"So proper introductions are in order." Grace continued while Detsy held her tight. "Eva this is my mate Detsy and Detsy, this is the incredible wolf I've been telling you about, Eva."
I lifted my head out of it's apologetic stance and for the first time I looked into the eyes of both the mates standing a good distance away as I didn't want to get too close to their personal time.
The moment I locked gazes with them, they both said something to each other. Although they said it quietly and I was too far away to hear.
Grace turned to face Detsy with an 'I told you so' look on her face and Detsy just looked amused.
"You can come over here you know Eva. I promise I don't bite much." Detsy joked as she unraveled herself from Grace and sat down.
"You're a beautiful wolf Eva." Detsy commented as I arrived at the pair. The moment I was within arms reach the mated pair reached out their hands at the same time and ran them through my fur.
"You're right Grace." Detsy marveled. "Her fur is so soft and it really is silver, not grey. Silver wolves are quite rare these days."
If I had a human face I'm sure I would have been blushing by now.
"Thank you Princess Detsy." I replied to her.
"It's just Detsy to you Eva." Detsy said while still smiling.
"You are incredibly beautiful yourself. You and Grace really must be the luckiest mates in the werewolf kingdom and you honestly make me a little jealous that I'll never have a mate like you two do." I admitted.
Detsy had a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye as Grace replied for her "You never know Eva, you just might get a werewolf mate considering how much time you're spending around us now."
"I hope so." I said as I laid down in front of the two mates and without thinking about it used Detsy's leg as a pillow. There was just something so comforting about both Grace and Detsy.
"She is so cute." Detsy squealed like a little girl. "I can see why you like her so much Grace." She told Grace before turning to me. "I think we're going to be the best of friends Eva." This caused my tail to wag happily as the duo started to pat me again. I must admit that it was bliss.
"We're going hunting tonight." Detsy announced. "You're going to come with us." It wasn't a question.
"Yes ma'am." I replied with my tongue hanging out in a lopsided grin. Both the mates also grinning.
"But onto a more serious topic for a moment. Your parents are coming to the Roaring Hills pack for the lunar festival Grace." Detsy told her mate.
Grace's face lit up in a smile that could have cracked her face before wrapping both her arms around her mate and hugging her so tightly it would have snapped my bones if she did it to me.
"This is the best day ever." Grace said before realizing something and the smile fading from her face as she groaned.
"But this means that we need to cut our private time short and go see Alpha Leyton to inform him." Grace groaned not wanting to get up.
"We also need to tell him that there will be wolves coming from the palace to help with the setup and pack up as we have not left enough time for the poor Roaring Hills pack to organize an event this large." Detsy said, earning another groan from Grace.
"I just want to spend time with you after so long." Grace complained.
"You will tonight." Detsy assured her mate. "It will just be the three of us hunting and we can enjoy ourselves until the sun comes up."
This seemed to relax Grace but it also made me nervous at the same time.
"If you two are going hunting to spend time together then I shouldn't tag along with you. I don't want to get in the way of your reunion." I told the two women.
They both instantly replied with "No way" and "Not a chance."
Grace looked at me sternly before saying. "You're coming with us Eva. It will be a good night and Detsy really wants to get to know you. So don't feel like a third wheel, because you're not." By the end of her sentence a smile was back on her face.
"Although we do need to get up and go greet the Alpha of the Thundering Falls pack. Even though it's so comfy sitting here." Grace continued.
"I'd agree with you Grace, but Eva looks way to comfortable using my leg as a pillow." Detsy said. "I'd feel so guilty making her get up."
I laughed as I was used as an excuse. "Sure, blame the wolf." I joked back at Detsy who tried to smile innocently then laughed when she failed.
"We can rest as much as we like before tonight's hunt after we've fulfilled our duties." Grace announced as she got up and held out her hand to help pull Detsy up.
Detsy accepted Grace's hand up while grumbling and stood up. Which meant that I was forced to get up as well.
"I'll see you two later then." I told Grace and Detsy as I turned to head back and find a peaceful section of the pack house to rest in.
"And where do you think you're going exactly?" Grace questioned as I started to walk away, making me stop and turn back to her.
"To find somewhere quiet so I can rest in peace?" I replied confused.
"Oh no you don't. If we have to suffer through this then you do too Eva." Grace informed me with an evil grin on her face.
"But that's not fair." I whined at her. "I'm not a princess or an Alpha, why do I need to be there?"
"Life's not fair Eva." Grace said while still grinning. "You're going because I said so. As well as you were the one to find the wild wolf scents that set this whole meeting in motion. So Alpha William of the Thundering Falls wants to meet you."
I groaned out loud then as Grace kept grinning and Detsy chuckled.
"It's not that bad Eva." Detsy tried to comfort me. "I promise it won't take that long and then we can all retire for the day."
"If you say so." I replied with defeat.
"Lead the way Princess." I fell into a walk behind the two mates who had interlocked their fingers, while walking, in an act of intimacy.
...
As it turned out, Alpha William had already been taken by Alpha Leyton and his high ups to his study to talk business before getting down to the evenings task, which consisted of the two Alpha's drinking way too much alcohol together.
So I managed to slip away from Grace and Detsy so the mates could have a little private time together. After all, I'm sure they'll need it after being apart for so long.
Which left me the task of finding somewhere to rest now the room I was using is occupied. So far it wasn't going well for me.
I was considering heading back outside to escape the noise of the many werewolves on the lower floor of the pack house and finding myself a nice tree to curl up under when Detsy's voice came to me over the mind link. "Where did you disappear to Eva? I thought you wanted to rest, but you're not in your room."
"I'm just looking for another spot to stay now." I replied. "I don't want to get in the way of you and Grace."
"Eva, we're not kicking you out of your room and you're not in the way. So get your butt back up here. I'm tired from all the traveling and Grace promises me that you make an excellent heater for our feet." Detsy replied.
"Are you sure?" I replied nervously to her.
"Damn right we're sure." Grace's voice interjects into our conversation. "Now get up here before I go hunting for you Eva."
I smiled to myself as a huge sense of relief washed through me. I wasn't being kicked out or abandoned. For some reason that meant a lot to me coming from those two.
"I'm on my way up." I sent back to Detsy and Grace as I turned around and started to head for the elevator.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dedicated to my uncle, Scott Glanville, RIP
Please take care when you drive so others don't get hurt.