I spent the rest of the day with Derrick and Saffron. They showed me the recreation room, also know as the rec room, which didn't make much sense to me before taking me out and showing me the pack territory around the pack house, which included the township.
"This is what we call our mall strip." Derrick told me as we got to a row of buildings that were side by side with another row facing them. "Pack members own and operate them. This is where we come for basically all our supplies. We call it shopping and Saffron loves to shop."
"Hell yes." Saffron confirmed. "One of these days I'm going to take you shopping with me Eva."
I'm not going to lie, that sounded a little scary coming out of Saffron's mouth with that huge, scary grin plastered on her face.
"Take it easy on her love." Derrick defended me. "At least let her settle in first."
I was thankful to Derrick but Saffron's face went from scarily happy to pouting. She didn't say anything though as she nodded to Derrick in agreement.
The three of us spent the day like this before finally returning for dinner. I must admit that I was really liking this being fed hot food three times a day deal. The food was even different each time, it was amazing.
After dinner most of the adults of the pack socialized while the pups and adolescents moved to the rec room. I could hear the music going down there from the foyer.
"Where's Grace?" I asked Saffron after a bit. I knew Grace would be harder to spot as a human than a wolf but I still couldn't find her.
"She went to her room after her border patrol duty this afternoon. She does that most days, I think she's talking to her mate. I know I'd miss Derrick like crazy if I was ever separated from him." Saffron said as she leaned into Derrick from her position on the couch.
"With werewolves and their mates, it's physically painful to be away from your mate for so long. The pull of the bond is that powerful." Saffron continued.
"Having a werewolf mate seems complicated and restricting." I admitted.
Saffron shook her head before countering me. "It's not at all, the overwhelming love and adoration the mates have for each other is the most amazing feeling in the world. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
After Saffron said this she snuggled into Derrick's chest while he was chatting to one of his fellow werewolves and gave a content sigh.
Before too long everyone started to make their way upstairs to their bedrooms for the night. So after Saffron and Derrick wished good night, I went to one of the wolf beds that was close enough to the fire to be pleasant but not so close that I'd get to hot and laid down.
Before too long I felt my eyes closing of there own accord. It had been a big day after all, being accepted into a new pack and learning that pack was all werewolves. I can honestly say I'm happy to be here though, something about it just feels so right.
As I was thinking I effortlessly fell into a deep sleep while my silver fur reflected the fire light in the most spectacular fashion.
...
I'm not sure how long I was asleep for before a noise woke me up. However opening my eyes and looking out the windows told me that it was still late at night or very early in the morning.
My silver eyes made a quick sweep of the room to locate the source of the disturbance in the other wise quiet and found the pup Cody happily marching unsteadily towards the wolf door that was always unlocked, as he spoke in noises to himself.
I uncurled myself from the ball I was sleeping in and stretched out before making my way over to the pup.
When I got to him, Cody was at the wolf door and was already half successful in opening it.
"And where do you think you're going little one?" I asked the pup. He of course didn't respond and instead grabbed my fur happily as he realized I was there.
I chuckled and used his hold on my fur to guide him away from the door and back to the bed I was using. I used my snout to get him to walk into the middle of the bed and lie down before I curled around Cody protectively. Now he wouldn't be able to make any more attempts for the door without me knowing.
Cody put his head on my side and relaxed into my fur. I placed my tail over the pup to keep him warm and we both drifted off to sleep peacefully like that.
When I awoke next it was to a woman screaming. Cody was still sleeping against my side as the pup woke up with a start.
"Where is he?!" The high pitched screaming came from somewhere upstairs and no doubt woke up half the pack house if I could hear it from all the way down here.
I quickly looked out the window and saw the first tint of orange on the horizon as sunrise approached.
I heard several steps coming down the stairs in a rush now that they'd finished running around the level above us. The person in the lead was stomping so loudly they could have woken up Snorlax the Pokemon.
Kaitlyn entered the room in a state of panic and started looking everywhere she could think of before snapping at one of the male wolves that was helping her look "Look for Cody in the kitchen!"
"He's over here." I called to Kaitlyn as I realized she was in a panic about her son.
I got up as Kaitlyn stormed over to me. I was still half asleep and not ready when Kaitlyn pulled back her arm and swung it at me with all of her strength.
Her hand connected with my face and the force of it threw my balance off and I ended up back on the ground.
"How DARE you take my child in the night you mutt!" Kaitlyn screamed at me like a psychopath, as she raised her hand to strike again.
"ENOUGH!" A new feminine voice said from the corner of the room with enough force to make everyone in the room, including Kaitlyn, freeze.
A middle aged woman stood up from where she was nestled on a couch without anyone seeing. She was shorter than anyone I'd seen so far and she had long jet black hair. She also the same chocolate eyes as Derrick.
Kaitlyn was the first one to recover as she lowered her hand and addressed the new woman. "My apologies Luna May, but this mutt here came and stole Cody from my room in the middle of the night. We can't have such uneducated and disrespectful pack members here. It's dangerous to all the pups and adults here."
"Are you finished?" Luna May asked Kaitlyn before moving past her and kneeling next to me. "Are you ok Eva?"
"What are you doing, that bitch needs to be banished from the pack lands or put down!" Kaitlyn fumed in a loud aggressive tone.
"Be careful of who you're talking to." Luna May snapped at the woman in a voice that would scare anyone before continuing.
"So let me set the story straight. Cody disappeared from your room last night and ended up down here with Eva. So you want us to kill her because of it?" Luna May asked with a hint of venom in her voice.
"That's exactly right Luna. If the bitch is stealing pups then how long is it going to be until someone goes missing?" Kaitlyn confirmed.
Luna May helped me back into a lying position before rising up to her full height, fury clearly on her face. She may have been a lot shorter than everyone else here but she was definitely a lot more scary.
"Except I watched last night as Cody made his own way down the stairs after you'd obviously forgotten to close your door properly. We're actually lucky he didn't fall down them. From there he went straight to the wolf door to try and get outside. He was halfway through it before Eva woke up and stopped him. She then moved him away from the door and managed to get him to go to sleep in a way that would alert her if Cody made another break for the door. So tell me Kaitlyn, what part of that deserves physical violence and the death penalty?" The anger in Luna May's voice was clearly evident as she shut Kaitlyn down.
"The wolf still can't be here." Kaitlyn said in a small voice now she'd been shut down.
"Yes she can." Luna May contradicted her. "In fact it's you that should be worried about not being here after you decided to attack one of your pack members for something that is entirely your fault. Even if her membership is currently on trial."
The Luna turned to everyone else present. "Does anyone else here find fault with looking after and caring for one of the pack pups when they've gotten away from their mother?"
There was a chorus of mumbled "No's" from the crowd that had formed in order to search for Cody before.
"I didn't think so." Luna May said before turning back to Kaitlyn. "Kaitlyn George, as of right now you are forbidden to leave your room until my husband and I have discussed this matter and informed you of the outcome. I will have your meals sent up to your room so there is no reason to leave as you have proven that you are a danger to your fellow pack members."
Kaitlyn looked completely shocked. "But Luna..." Kaitlyn started before Luna May cut her off.
"Don't you dare but Luna me girl. You should be glad your punishment isn't up to me or I'd throw you in the cells for a few month to teach you some respect. So go to your damn room before I drag you to the basement myself." Luna may said radiating fury. "Oh and Kaitlyn." She said dripping venom as Kaitlyn began to walk towards the stairs with Cody in her arms. "Don't EVER even think about striking one of our pack members again."
Kaitlyn paled and hurried herself to the stairs, trying to get away from the infuriated Luna. Luna May followed Kaitlyn up the stairs to ensure she went straight to her bedroom and didn't leave again.
As Luna May was exiting the room still looking like a thunderstorm that was following Kaitlyn, Saffron and Derrick ran into the lounge room.
Saffron ran straight to me and enveloped me in what she had described the day before as a hug, apparently it was meant to be comforting. Derrick on the other hand took one look at his mother and got out of her way, letting her past before moving over to me.
"Are you ok?" Derrick asked as he reached me and also gave me a hug around his mate because she hadn't let me go yet.
"I'm ok, I promise." I said to the mated couple as their faces grew even more concerned.
"Look I'm fine." I said again as I shook them off and got to my feet. I'd endured much worse than a slap just from my days hunting after all.
"Okay then, but from now on you're going to be staying in our room with us." Saffron informed me.
"That's really not necessary." I told both Saffron and Derrick. I really did not want to intrude on the mates person space.
"Yes it is, you're more than welcome." Saffron insisted before a voice I hadn't heard in a while interrupted.
"I wouldn't want to sleep in the same room as you two either." Grace said as she entered the lounge room. "Your nightly activities regularly keep your neighbors up, imagine how bad it would be if you were in the same room."
Grace was just as large in human form as she was in wolf form. She was easily the tallest female I'd ever seen and maybe even taller than the largest male as well. She had pure white hair that framed her strong face and just like her wolf, Grace had the same brilliant dark blue eyes. It was easy to tell who Grace was, even if she hadn't said anything.
"What do you mean by night time activities?" I asked Grace in confusion.
Grace smirked at me before replying. "Well what does a mated couple do while they're alone Eva?"
"Oh!" I said when I suddenly understood what Grace was saying.
"So we're just going to let her sleep out here where it's noisy and crazy people have access to her?" Derrick said rather angrily to Grace.
Grace was completely calm despite the anger directed at her. "I never said that." She answered. "Eva will stay with me in my room. It works because I don't have my mate here to keep her up at night and I get to watch over her so she stays safe."
Saffron had her mouth wide open as Derrick responded. "You're going to let her stay in your room with you? But no one is even allowed into your room."
"That's true." Grace replied calmly. "However I've made an exception for Eva."
Derrick was looking at Grace like the world had just ended. Although I'm not really sure what the big deal is, it's just a place to sleep.
"Eva if you'll come with me I'll show you were our room is." Grace instructed as she left the room and I trotted to catch up with her as she ascended the stairs.
We climbed all the way to the top of the pack house as the stairs let out onto a hallway that went either left or right. Grace took the right hallway and went all the way to the last door before stopping before it.
"This is our room." Grace told me. "It's a little special because unlike every other room in this house it can be opened by a wolf." Grace pointed to a little lever beside the door that was designed for a paw to push down.
"Just put your paw here and push down to open the door. There is another lever on the other side to exit." Grace explain to me as she demonstrated.
Inside was a mostly white room with two floor to ceiling windows on the two walls the looked out over the pack territory. Even for a wolf this view is amazing.
"There is a dirt tray in the bathroom for your business so you don't have to go all the way down to the foyer to go to the bathroom and I'm too lazy to set up a wolf bed so just sleep on the end of the bed. Just be sure not to disturb me while I'm asleep." Grace told me. "I think that's everything."
"Thank you so much for taking care of me." I said to Grace.
"That's ok." Grace replied with a smile. "You're a lovable wolf and even my mate can't wait to meet you when they get here in a month for the Lunar festival."
"If they're as amazing as you than I can't wait to meet them either." I replied happily.
"Well, breakfast will be served shortly so why don't we take the elevator down and start the day properly?" Grace asked me.
"That sounds perfect." I said as I followed Grace out the door.