Chapter 18.

Chapter 18.

I help her out of the bath and help her dry off, brining her new clothes in I help her get dressed while I continue to talk to her about her parents and what life inside the pack was like. I ask her about her wolf and about the pack she comes from, I’m thinking her parents where from the Clearwater pack same as Alison, they probably decided to go off as rogues and the Clearwater pack found them again. It’s not hard to see these wolves are different so it would be easy to track them down or pick them out from a crowd, I just wonder why her parents decided to leave in the first place. When we are done getting ready I bring her down to the kitchen to get something to eat.

I leave her at the table with a stack of pancakes while I go speak with Emily.
“How is she doing?” Emily asks softly so Iris doesn’t hear.
“She’s alright, she’s very scared and clings to me.” I answer shrugging and I see pain behind Emily’s eyes.
“Blair told me last night she’s been abused.” She trails off. “It will take her a while but she will come around.” She says looking down.

“Have we found anything about her family?” Emily asks and I explain what she told me while she was in the bath.
“‘Well I will talk to Blair, if we can’t find her family I would like her to stay with us. I can help her heal from her old pack.” She says with her voice just above a whisper and I nod in return.
“I couldn’t think of a better idea.” I answer giving her a small hug.

“Hey!” She says pulling away.
“What about Sloan?” She asks looking at me with fear.
“Dead. She attacked me last night and I killed her, sorry I forgot to let Evan know everything was just so hectic.” I answer putting my hand to my head as she giggles.
“Good job, it was a long night and I don’t think he’ll blame you.” She says still giggling.
“Do you know where Evan is? I woke up and Preston was gone too.” I ask as we walk back over to Iris whose happily munching away.

“I’m not sure I think he went to go meet with the new pack and get everything started for them to start life over.” She answers and I nod taking a seat.
“How are your pancakes?” I ask Iris as she smiles softly.
“I’ll watch her if you want to find the Alpha?” Emily suggests and I look to Iris.
“Is it ok if you stay with Emily today?” I ask as she pauses chewing her food before finally nodding in agreement, I say goodbye and start working my way to the old pack houses where the new pack members will be staying.

I shift for the run, it’s so much quicker to just run in wolf form. After a few moments I reach the old pack houses and I see lines of tables set up outside with wolves moving around happily eating and chatting, pups run around playing with one another and I spot Evan and Preston side by side talking and making motions in the air with their hands. I laugh shifting as I walk up to them.
“Hey, you were gone this morning.” I say as Preston smirks.
“Sorry Alpha called, you were in bed with Iris so I let you sleep.” He answers softly and I join the conversation.

“I’ve spoken with everyone from the new pack and we’ll be accepting them in tonight.” Evan says turning to me as I nod.
“The girl, did you find out anything about her?” He asks and my head drops.
“I think her parents were originally from the pack but turned rogue, she said they came and took her when she was a child and she didn’t see her parents or siblings after that.” I answer as I see Evans face turn in pain for the small child.
“Emily is speaking to Blair about raising her, she’s been abused.” I say looking down as I feel anger waft from Evan.

“Ok Blair and Emily can care for the girl if we don’t find her parents, ask around the pack and see if anyone knows anything about her.” He says to me and Preston as he turns to go off on his own. Preston and I spend the next few hours walking through the new pack members asking about Iris with no answers, by mid day we decide to give in after not finding a single person who knows her parents. I look around noticing the pack land set up for the celebration and acceptance ceremony, I smile feeling joy fill me, our pack is getting back to normal, hopefully our new comers can feel that soon.

I head back to the Alpha house to help Emily get the babies and Alison ready for tonight, Alison will have to be apart of the ceremony so Emily and I will be on baby duty. Getting inside I run upstairs to shower quickly before heading down to get everything started, I find Emily in the kitchen in a slim black dress with a wide knee high cut. It’s slimming and absolutely gorgeous, I’m wearing my shimmery emerald green dress from last years mating season.

“Where are the babies?” I ask grabbing an apple biting in to it while she finishes tidying up the kitchen.
“They are in the nursery they are dressed just napping, we can grab them in a few moments.” She answers while wiping the counters down.
“And Alison?” I ask taking another bite.
“Upstairs getting dressed.” She responds again seeming slightly annoyed.
“How is she feeling though?” I ask looking over to her.
“Still sore but she’s healing well.” I nod and we both take a seat relaxing for a few moments before everything begins.

We finally get the babies and bring them down the stairs as I hear the cheers starting outside, I see Alison standing at the door wearing a long bright red dress that shimmers in the light and she looks absolutely beautiful. We take the babies out to the garden and the small fairy lights glimmer along the way, my heart pounds feeling the energy of the pack fill me, I love when we are one together the whole vibe has risen up and power seeps from the pack.

We join in with everyone as we all mingle chatting with one another happily, I eventually strap one of the babies to me leaving the other with Alison and Emily as I take off to find Preston. I talk with a few people along my way while I go, not many of the new members know I’m a witch besides the few that seen me that night. Most of the pack knows I’m a witch but it makes Evan nervous, he thinks it makes me a target, I think I’m less of a target. The more word spreads of my abilities and powers, the prophecy of me being the key it will intimidate people and hopefully will make other packs fear us.

At least that way there would be less attacks, I have no idea how I’m supposed to unify the species yet but hopefully the moon goddess will be able to help me with that. I break from my thoughts when I see Preston standing beside Evan talking away.
“Hey what are you guys up to?” I ask gently swaying the baby as I walk up.
“Just talking about expanding the pack, I’m going to talk wth the board about taking the unclaimed land between our pack and Alison’s parents pack.” Evan says reaching his arms out to take the baby.

“Well be starting shortly if you and Preston want to get everything set up on the stage.” He asks while bouncing the small baby in his arms and I nod taking Preston’s hand before we make our way to the front. Small matching lights are hung around the stage perfectly, Preston and I start getting everything ready when a huge bang startles me making me jump as Preston becomes visibly upset and I can feel Anna become uneasy in my mind.
“What the hell was that?” Preston spits looking round frantically.


“What the hell was that!” Preston repeats as my heart stops and my eyes scan for Alison.
“Preston, Valerie we need to head to the north boarder there’s been an attack.” Evan calls as we both stiffen standing side by side we nod, I step behind the stage to shift when I hear Evan call for the warriors to come forward to help. I feel Evan push through the mind link connecting us all as he shifts and we all take off across the pack lands together.

The new members won’t be able to mind link yet so they will just have to follow our lead, as we run more pack members join in and Evan begins to talk.
“Ok everyone, guards at the north border have notified us that the bang was a bomb. It took out part of the stone wall and we need to be prepared for an ambush.” Evan claims as we all begin to howl in sync together, I howl loudly letting Anna push through when I feel a rush of power leave me covering the group.

Our paws smash in to the ground all together as we travel in a pack, bonded together as one sharing our strength and power. I feel it grow, the energy flowing from me and through the other wolves giving them heightened abilities. My heart feels full and I see the border come in to view we all approach slowly as we crouch down taking cover until we can inspect the area, my heart races as my fear rises and we lay in the long grass waiting.