Chapter 14

**Winter**



Holy Crap! I forgot that as Cole’s mate I will be Luna. What the actual fuck! I don’t know if I can do that. My mother was a wonderful Luna. She had grace and poise. She was so sweet and caring. She loved our pack and would help anyone who needed it.

I, on the other hand, am the opposite of poise. I am brash and stubborn just like my father. Growing up, my mother would try to get me to be more graceful, but in the end she just gave up. She decided that I was my father's daughter, and it was okay that I preferred to fight with the boys rather than learn to be graceful and have a gentle demeanor. Like I said she was sweet and let me be who I was. Goddess knows how I miss her voice.

Cole just asked me if I am okay with all of that. I need to give him an answer. “I guess.” I hear myself say. I will have to process the fact that I am bound to be Luna later. There is no reason to worry about it now. I mean the Goddess paired me with him so she thinks I can do it. So, I will just have to try to do my best, I guess.

After explaining the hierarchy of The Red Dawn Pack and how things run; Cole leads me up to the top level of the pack house. He opens the door to a room. “This is my room, well now I guess this is our room.” I take it in.

Wow this is a huge room, with a huge bed. I’m sure he would need that, as Cole is a mountain of a man. He puts my stuff down and shows me the bathroom, which is ginormous! It has a huge tub and a very large glass shower. Then he shows me the closet, which honestly is just ridiculous. Mabey I am just thinking that because I have an extremely limited wardrobe.

After showing me the room, he points out across the banister to the room on the other side and says, “that’s Marcus and Shelly's room.”

Then I ask, “what about the rooms next to ours and those by to Marcus’s? Who do they belong to?”

He replies, “those are for the children; if and when we have them, and same for Marcus and Shelly.”

We go back down a flight, and he says, “This is where my sister Gale lives, and on the other side my brother James with his mate Shasha. The twins are next door.” We go down another flight of stairs. “Adam’s room is on this floor. The rest are all the guest rooms for when people visit from other packs. We go down another flight. “This level has offices, a recreational lounge, and the library.” The thought of a library makes my heart happy. I love books. We come back down to the ground floor at last. “The first floor has the kitchen, which is where we usually eat. There is also have a huge hall on the back end of the house for dinner parties, and then there is also the ballroom, and a sunroom.”

“So, where do your parents live?” I ask.

“Well, they have a small house back behind the gardens on the side of the house. They like to travel. So, they are not always here, but they do sometimes come in the pack house when they want.” We leave the pack house open. So, if anyone needs something, we are available to them. People don’t usually come in unless they have something they need to discuss.”

Geeze five stories that is huge. Moon Stone only had three stories.

Cole leads me into the kitchen. “I’m sure you’re hungry. It is getting late. What does your heart desire? I’ll have Marie or Julian whip something up?”

“Well, I am still craving elk.” I say playfully. “Since someone interrupted my last big hunt.”

“Okay, I don’t know exactly what we have. So, I can’t promise anything, but I’ll ask Marie.”

A stout older woman walks in and smiles at Cole. “Good evening Cole. Can I make you and your guest something to eat?” She has a look of surprise on her face. I am sure that I look out of place, and I know she can smell that I am a rogue. Thankfully, she doesn’t say anything.

“Yes, Marie this is Winter, and she has a hankering for Elk. Do you have any?”

“I don’t think we do. I’m sorry. They don’t sell that at the store, but I can make some steak and potatoes. will that do?”

“Yes, Thank you very much.” Cole gives her a smile as he leads me to the table.

“Do you want something to drink?” Cole asks sweetly.

“Oh Goddess, yes what do you have?”

“Beer, several types of juice, wine, milk, chocolate milk, sweet tea, unsweetened tea, herbal tea, a bunch of soda, and water.”

“Umm, I would like chocolate milk, and juice, and sweet tea.”

Cole gives me a funny look. I don’t know why he is surprised. He knows how long I’ve been a rouge. I have hardly had anything but water for 5 years. The only time have I drunk anything other than water is when I’m in a city, but I haven’t been to one in over a year. Marie brings over three glasses with my drinks, and hands Cole a beer.

“So,” I ask” how many pack members do you have?”

“Well, around 900. We take a census every two years. So, it could be a bit larger than that.”

This is a huge pack I had no idea. My pack only had around 200. For a while we don’t say anything. Then Marie brings over our plates.

“Thank you, Marie.” Cole says.

She nods as I grab the fork and start to stuff my face. Goddess this is good. I haven’t had any vegetables since I was in the city. All the sudden I hear a high pitch voice. Hold on I know this voice, it is Gale.

“Cole, brother, I love you so much, but tell again, why I smell a rouge wolf in our home?” She looks at me with the look of horror. She must have been drinking because I smell liquor.

“You need to eat Gale. Soak up that alcohol! This is Winter. She is my mate, and don’t be rude. Tomorrow she is joining the pack.” He says with a stern voice.

Her face changes from horror to excitement “Oh Goddess, this is amazing. You found your mate!!! I’m so happy for you two... I’m sorry Winter about my bad manners, but you do stink. Don’t worry though, tomorrow after you join the pack, you will smell much better. I can already tell that I will love you. Let me know if my big brother gives you any trouble, and I will fix him.”

She appears to be extremely, genuinely happy for her brother. Despite her remark about me smelling, I think I will like Gale, but man is she drunk right now. She calls for Marie. “Marie, can you make me a cheeseburger and send it up to my room? I’m going to crash in a bit.” She smiles at both of us as she bounces out of the kitchen.