ARI POV

He wasn't lying when he said this was a small pack. I stood at the top of the hill with James and Forbes while Agnes rushed off toward a small cooler. Both boys hid a bit behind me and, one by one, each persons eyes drifted toward us.

Bodie, who had been in deep conversation with another older woman, looked up and smiled. He handed her something and made his way over.

"You guys decided to come out. I'm glad. I was worried you really thought something bad would happen to you."

"Pack Alpha's are pretty possessive. Over the land, over their people. It's safer to assume."

"I understand, I'm still glad. Is Nina still unconscious?" I looked back at Forbes who had come to stand beside me.

"She's awake, turns out Quest is her mate." He sucked in a breath and his eyes got wide.

"What happens now? What do we do?" I couldn't help but smile. His humanity showed, it was cute.

"WE don't do anything, it's up to them if they want to mate. Nina has been waiting for her mate since she found out the existence of them." Agnes came back up with two bottles of water and a beer. James took the beer and brought it directly to his lips for a long swig. Forbes held his hand under the bottle of water and let it drop into his hands, with a shy smile to Agnes.

"Does that mean the possibility you will join us went up?" Bodie asked hopefully.

"How do you know we won't try to kill you and take your pack?" I asked bluntly. I didn't want to leave again. I just wanted to live in peace, maybe I could find a mate of my own..

"Well, I doubt you would have asked that if those were your true intentions. You could have done that anyway, and long before me if you really believed you could or wanted to. And lastly, maybe it's the wolf magic or whatever, but I can tell you have no malicious intent." I blinked owlishly at his explanation.

"I-I.. Well we should talk to Nina, see what she wants to do." Agnes laughed and placed her hand in a loving motherly gesture on his arm.

"Let's not make them feel rushed. We want them to feel welcome enough to stay." She giggled her melody and went away again.

"I'm sorry if you guys feel rushed. It's my own ego, I don't like seeing people in unfortunate circumstance when it can be helped." He said earnestly.

"I appreciate that. You don't know how much. And you're probably right, she'll want to stay with her mate."

"And you three..?" He shoved his hands in his pockets and lowered his head to try and meet my eyes. I sighed.

"I just want to be of some use again…" I said quietly. I had never admitted it out loud. I was a damn good warrior at my previous pack, I could have chosen to fight the allegations, but it wouldn't have done much good. I wanted to watch Nina be happy with her mate, protect her children and defend my pack. I wanted home again, but how could I be comfortable.

"I can tell you're struggling, and I'm not sure with what, but I can put you to good use." He said with a chuckle. I just gave him a wry look.

"We briefly talked about starting a securities company today. Not exactly sure what type just yet, but I'm sure we could get you on the payroll." He squinted his eyes and smirked at me. "You think it over, it's not like we're going anywhere anytime soon."

Agnes skipped over. "The love-birds are talking now. I'm so happy. I'm going to start bringing things inside, you boys come help me before Quest leaves that poor girl to do it." She took hold of the forearms of James and Forbes.

Bodie and I stared after them, Agnes pointing to Forbes then to the the small items littered in the sand around the table And to James and the empty chairs left about.

"What did you do in your last pack?" He asked me quietly, still watching me.

"Warrior; bodyguard sometimes." He nodded slowly and took a deep breath.

"You kinda remind me of me… I don't know your story and I don't expect you to tell me but, I kept myself to the sidelines. Especially when I first joined the Army. I was getting into trouble all the time, so I figured it was better to keep my head down.

I - I know what it's like to want to belong somewhere and to not find your place really anywhere. You have a place here if you want it." I looked into his eyes and found sincerity there. Quest came running out of the house and bounding toward us.

"Well, he looks happy." Bodie murmured.

"Guys, I have a mate!! My dad always joked that I would have to take a chosen mate because the Moon Goddess wouldn't be able to make someone for my "larger than life" attitude. But, he was so wrong and she's so perfect. And thank you, Ari!!! For taking care of her, she cares about you a lot." He didn't take a breath for the whole statement. When he was done, he bent over to finish panting.

Bodie leaned forward to pat his back. "You good?"

Quest whipped his head up. He was grinning and his face was flushed. "Yeah, man. I'm on the moon. Ari, She's eating something now, she said to send you in while I help Agnes?" He framed it like a question, but I didn't have to think twice. I nodded and looked at Bodie.

"Thank you." I told him with a smile before I walked away. I never saw a reason to join another pack. There was always Nina's safety to consider and I never wanted to open myself up to that kind of vulnerability again. Much as I hate to admit it - even to myself - he was right. I have always wanted to belong somewhere, but never truly felt apart of anywhere. The time we spent on this property living as rogues, was the longest I had ever lived anywhere.

I stopped when I got to the front door and looked back toward the beach. I couldn't see the shore from my position, but I could see Bodie still looking over everyone, his hands in his pockets and his shoulders hunched over. Quest, following Agnes around and taking everything she picked up from her hands.

I walked into the house when I heard something clatter to the ground. When I got to the den Nina had her good leg stretched all the way out, with her toes trying to reach the fallen fork. She had her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth and her eyes were bugging out of her head.

"Need some help?" She popped her head up and her cheeks flooded with a blush.

"Ari…" She whispered with a silly smile on her face. She sat back in her seat and folded her hands together. When I approached her she started to bounce in her seat, but stopped with a small grimace.

"You shouldn't have jumped in-between Forbes and that wolf like that. They were from the Viper Moon Pack, you could have been killed." I said to her, getting a little angry with her that she cut it so close.

"That's exactly why I did it. You know I heal faster than normal, I was in less danger than any of you." That pack was known to have venomous bites and she was correct, if any of us had gotten injured as bad as she did, we would have died.

"We shouldn't have been there."

"The deers foraging patterns led us there." She smirked, being able to find a rebuttal for all of my statements. "I shouldn't have gotten so close, I'm sorry." She looked at me guiltily.

I sat in the chair across from her and shook my head. I didn't know what to say in response, but I definitely wouldn't scold her for wanting the attention of someone besides us. Wolves are social creatures, even when we aren't.

"So, your mate?" She bounced a little again and nodded. "He… seems nice."

"He's perfect. I never imagined someone that looks like the goth version of Timothée Chalamet to be with me." I scoffed at her and laughed at her comparison.

"What are you talking about? You're beautiful." She laughed her little cartoon giggle.

"I know that, we're just so… opposite. I never saw him coming. Maybe… we can stay here for a little while. Quest told me that this is a new pack and it could be a new start for all of us and since there's not a lot of attachment; if we don't like it, we could leave together." She rushed out. She looked scared, like she thought I would say no. I don't blame her.

"The Alpha offered me a job." I said quietly.

"That's great! Wait, what kind of job?"

"He said they're going to start a securities company or something. I don't think he's really sure." I said not wanting to get my hopes up.

"That's still great, it would be perfect for you."

"What would you do here?" It was a silly question, she could do anything. I just didn't want to be the one to decide.

"Let's give it a chance. If it doesn't work, we'll write off pack life and make our own little pack, like we've been doing."

"My wolf wants to stay here." It was true. Shango had been calm and quiet ever since we set foot back on these grounds. And he didn't offer a single protest at any of Bodie's offers to join the pack.

"Then let's stay." She said with a grin.

"You get to break the news to James and Forbes."

"Then they can tell the Alpha." She laughed knowing that they would be really uncomfortable talking but they would do anything she asked.