BODIE POV

We spent 10 hours on that plane. It was a private jet, pretty big but still not made for the amount of people we had. It was a miracle we didn't have to stop to refuel. Most of it was spend in utter silence save for the occasional chatter from some of the children. About where we were going, what everything would look like, what kinds of things they could do when they got there.

It was a pleasant change from the heartbreaking chatter coming from some of the adults. Some females mourning the loss of their mates, how they would plan to leave and move far away, the food they would have, things they would see.

I drifted off at some point, shocked when I woke and found I was able to sleep.

I got off the plane after everyone and breathed in the fresh salty air. I had always loved it here. We stayed in the little house that we had built for the extended mission and never wanted to leave. When I bought it, I had intended to have them back over as a surprise. So far only Parker knew. My pocket buzzed with the incoming text messages that came in while we were in the air.

'I know you're not there yet. Captain texted me and said that you might need transport from the NZ air strip. Hehe. There's a charter bus waiting for you, Cap said he could take it back where it came from..'

'I took the liberty of doing some decorating..'

'YOU NEED FOOD!!'

'Crisis averted.'

I read through all the texts, sending her a massive thanks that she thought of things that I didn't. Kai too.

<i>'Kai?'</i> He said all I had to do was think of the person so this should work.

<i>'Yes, Alpha!'</i>

<i>'Oh cool, that worked! Thank you for thinking about how to get to the house. It completely slipped my mind.'</i>

<i>'Anytime Alpha. Maybe I can be your transport guy?'</i> I felt the happiness coming with the question he had asked and it made me smile.

<i>'Count on it. I'm ready to fall into a bed and stretch out. Do you know how to drive the bus?'</i>

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<i>'Yes. We've already started loading the luggage. Looks like an assembly line. Come 'round to this side.'</i>

They were able to start so many things while I was sitting on my ass. I chuckled a little, secretly glad that we were getting a move on. When I walked around to the other side of the plane there were only the little bags left behind.

"I take it you guys are ready to go." I chuckled a little, grabbed the last of it and jogged to the end of the single file line.

We were on the bus and moving in a matter of minutes. The children talked excitedly as we drive by about having an entire country to shift and run in without getting caught. Laurel told them we would still have to watch out for the humans but it was pretty.

We drove for another hour before we got to the iron fence we put in surrounding the property. I jumped up from my seat and out of the bus. The fence was covered in over grown trees and there was a small mountain of fallen leaves on the ground. Fresh tire tracks ran through it, proof so far that Parker had done what I had asked.

The gate creaked when I opened it but it opened easily and I waved the bus through. Kai stopped just inside so I could close the gate and get back on to direct him to the main part of the property.

Parker had been itching for a project like this, she spared no expense clearly. All the shipping containers had been set up in various sizes. Some tiny homes all the way up to two and three bedroom homes. I caught a look in one of the windows to know that she fully furnished each place. I needed to buy that woman a castle. When the bus stopped near the farthest house tucked into the tree line, I was floored. This isn't the house we built.

Parker completely redid it. It looked more like a house and not some bachelor shack in the middle of the forest. I stepped off the bus slowly. What the hell did she do to it? I am far from dissatisfied. That woman could perform miracles. The Moon Goddess needed to bless her, not some jughead from Baltimore. There was a note tucked into the floorboard of the stairs.

'There's a surprise for you out back, but it isn't finished!! -Park'

I smiled and turned to find everyone exiting the bus taking a look around. Two children had wandered off to roll in the grass together. Everyone had a smile on their faces, they looked rested and ready for what comes. Miles different from how they looked a few days ago.

"So! I'm sure you're all really tired. I know I am!" Quest chuckled at me and threw a stuffed animal at me. It was the one Stephan had stuffed under my head while I slept on the plane.

"I thought you got enough sleep." Quest laughed at me.

"I'm surprised you didn't draw on my face."

"I considered it. But we should wait until we know each other a little better." He winked suggestively. I shook my head and continued.

"My friend Parker really did it all here. You guys can set up how you like, all of this was put here for you."

A guy on the end spoke up. "I can make a suggestion, Alpha. We can have whatever fighters we have left move into the tiny houses on in the end? Keep everyone inside protected?"

"That's a solid plan. I'm almost sure that she found a way to stock each house with food and various things. We're not too far from the city if anyone needs to go shopping and I have also asked for cars to be delivered if you need to get anywhere.

I was thinking that I could start a securities company. We're gonna need income to keep this place running and there aren't too many things I know how to do. I'm hoping that some of you would like to be apart of that."

Quest put his hand up in the air like a kid waiting to be called on in class. I laughed at him and turned to gauge the reactions of everyone else. They were grinning and looking at the houses in the distance just waiting for me to tell them to go.

Laurel stepped forward with a bright smile. "Most pack members have jobs within the pack, we can take the next couple days to find out what everyone can do and set up for jobs?"

"Are you trying to be my personal assistant? You're hired." She blushed and Sienna held her hand next to her.

"OK! Well, take the rest of the day and find your new homes. Any children that need a place can stay in this house. After a good night's sleep, we can talk about what to do next, yes?"

"Yes, Alpha!" They answered together and walked away to gather their belongings.

I turned and bounded up the stairs with all the children. I wanted to see what this surprise was.

Walking through the new and improved house, I found myself feeling slightly disappointed. I loved everything and it was to my taste, but I had hoped that I would be able to do all the work myself. I pushed those feelings away and turned to the kids that followed me. They were all looking around, just like I had; spinning on their heels to take it all in.

"I know for sure there are three floors here now. I remember mentioning that I wanted to put another one in when we were here before. I'd like for you guys to be on the top floor. You would have to walk farther to get out, but anyone breaking in would also have to get through me here on the first floor."

"Can I slide on the bannister?" A boy next to Stephan asked shyly.

"You can. But you have to be careful with yourself, no unnecessary injuries. Understood?" They nodded at me but stood where they were. Laurel bounded into the house, out of breath but with a huge smile.

"Hey. We were just checking things out and was wondering if it would be alright to have a bonfire tonight? On the beach?" She looked excited and the children all took in a collective gasp.

"I'm hungry now." Stephan whispered to her while tugging on her hand.

I wanted to do a through walk through of the house and property itself to make sure everything was on the up and up.

"Executive party planner as well? You are really putting a lot on your plate." I smiled at her so she wouldn't know I was too serious, but I also wanted her to know she could take it easy. She was young and probably still in school.

"It's no trouble. Most of us have already picked where we want to live, you made it really easy for us. Umm, I'll stay here with the kids, if that's ok?"

"Of course. If everyone's all good and you have everything you need, it's cool with me. I want to check somethings out around the place, but I'll definitely join you guys."

They all cheered and some of them even clapped. I was nervous with all this attention, but Caine was preening and wagging his tail, loving it and the idea of a party. Apparently he's a social creature.

"Let's go get you guys some food."

"Kitchen's open. Take whatever, whenever." I said walking away.

"Thanks."

She lingered a little, but I didn't. I hurried past the stairs and into a den, of sorts. I slowed momentarily, it was the same den we had before for when we gathered together and clearly she didn't want to be rid of that. She redecorated and somehow made it to look bigger than it was, I shook my head and continued on my mission.

Passed the den and out the back of the house, there was a lawn and directly on the tree line was a… shed? This was going to be some shit.

I walked with a stupid smile on my face, knowing she did something completely outside of my realm of understanding but beneficial at the same time. When I got to the door there was a biometric lock on it and It wasn't engaged… She would never leave things that needed that kind of lock and key, unprotected. Opening the door I found wires hanging from the ceiling, but everything in place for a monitor of some sort. There were stairs that led down to a bunker…

No this is an armory. <i>'Damn. You must have laid it down real good.'</i> This is one of those rare times that Caine and I shared the same emotion. Shock.

<i>'It's not like that with her. We've just had each others backs since we met. This is kind of her job, to keep tabs from the computers and make sure we get in and out safely.'</i>

<i>'I'm just kidding. I can feel your bond to her. Like a sister.'</i>

I looked around, picking up and putting down various knives, guns and grenades.

<i>'We'll need silver bullets for those.' </i>I stopped and almost dropped the damn grenade on my foot, I checked the pin and carefully laid it back on the shelf. I turned around as if Caine was behind me and I could face him.

<i>'Do you mean that everything is real? Wolfsbane, Silver, full moon?'</i>

<i>'No. The full moon thing is a myth, you know we can shift whenever we want. Well, except for the first shift, that usually happens the first full moon after puberty starts. The rest is true, we are weakened by those things. We can heal really fast from any other injury, unless it involves silver or wolfsbane.'</i>

<i>'So, we'd just heal slower with those things?'</i> I need to know all my potential weaknesses. It's not often humans walk around with weapons of silver, but I could come across it, then there were those hunters to think about and any other tyrant Alpha that wanted to get their grubby hands on my pack.

<i>'It depends on the dose. It's toxic for us.'</i> I nodded and sighed. This was something I could play in my favor. We can be hurt fatally by a regular weapon but it wouldn't be easy. I went back up the stairs and out the door. I shut it carefully, wondering when Parker would come back to fix that mess.

<i>'We need to check the perimeter, I haven't been here in a while.'</i>

<i>'If you want to run, you can just shift…'</i> The first time we shifted, he did all the work and I went through the pain. I was pretty sure the process was the same as shifting back to human, but I'm reluctant to put myself through that. I pulled off all my clothes and did a hop to shake my nerves out, then just imagined myself as a wolf.

The pain started quickly and ripped through me from head to toe. I squeezed my eyes shut and less than a second later, it was over. I felt myself standing on four legs and Caine still waiting patiently in the back of my mind. I ran to the back of the house where it sat close to the cliff and looked down to everyone walking back and forth carrying bags, food, blankets. Quest ran ahead of everyone and did a back flip that landed him in the water.

Confident that everyone was not falling apart, I went back the way I came and into the forest. There was nothing out of the ordinary. The trees went on for a while but there was a small clearing that was inhabited by rogue wolves. I stopped a few yards away and crouched down low. I didn't want to spook anyone.

If they have been living on this land all this time, it wouldn't be right to just kick them out. And it was hard enough living out here.

<i>'We should bring them back.'</i> I told Caine. I wanted his opinion.

<i>'We can't take in every stray we come across. They could be thieves, we have the children to think about as well.'</i>

<i>'I get what you're saying, but we can't leave them out here. There's not many from the scent of it, they've probably been living out here all this time. We could gain more warriors in the pack and grow it, like you said.'</i>

Caine wasn't a fan of the idea allowing rogues to stay, but he could see my point. There was a disturbance in the trees on the other side of the clearing and 2 wolves walked through. They wall looked tired and they slumped down together in the middles of the clearing. They must not have scented me yet. Two more smaller wolves came out behind them, one carrying the other on it's back. It was wounded, it's hind leg dangling off the back of the one walking. He went towards the group and laid the female gently on the ground.

I stood tall from my crouched position and all their heads snapped up together. I shifted back so they would see me as less of a threat. I wanted to help.

When I shifted, the biggest one growled at me. He stepped in front of the others and his hackles rose. I held my hands up in front of me and didn't move an inch.

"I'm not here to hurt anybody. I bought that house down there, maybe you saw it. I haven't been here, but I understand that you have. I just moved back, with my pack." He stopped growling long enough to hear what I had to say. He didn't make any moves so I took that as a good sign. "You're welcome to join us. We're not very big and I'm not sure if we're able to do anything for her, but we can try to help."

He looked behind him, seeming to contemplate what his options might be. She wasn't dying, but she was severely wounded and her leg wouldn't heal properly unless it was set.

<i>'Is there a doctor or nurse among us?'</i> I decided to ask the pack.

<i>'Yes, I used to be nurse. Did you hurt yourself, Alpha?'</i> I remembered Agnes. She didn't have any family to lose in this war, but she lost many friends and I saw her fawning over everyone else on the jet.

<i>'Nah, I didn't hurt myself. But I did find some rogues on the property and one is really badly wounded. Also trying to see if they would be willing to come back with us.'</i>

<i>'I'm on my way. Be careful, not all rogues are bad. But there are some.'</i>

<i>'Thank you. I will keep that in mind.'</i>

"I asked one of my pack members to come and help. She used to be a nurse and she might could help you." I never took my eyes off him and he stood staring at me through my entire exchange. After my last word, he started to shift. A really tall - and really wide - black man stood in it's place. He looked at me with apprehension then back to the she-wolf laying in the grass.

"She's done nothing wrong." He had a really deep and harsh voice, like he didn't use it often.

"You want to tell me what happened."

"We were hunting for food. There were children from the pack playing away from their parents. When they scented rogue, they came to attack. She's not very fast." I had no way to check if that story was true, but he had no reason to lie.

"You mind telling me why you guys are rogue?"

"I figured I could live as an outcast within a pack or outside a pack, and it's much quieter outside of a pack."

I chuckled. "I get that. Well, we can get her some help and you guys can be on your way. No one will attack you and I don't feel right about sending you away with someone so critically injured."

Agnes made perfect timing, bursting through the trees, holding a bag in her mouth. When she spotted me, she went behind a tree to shift, when she came back, she was covered in a long dress and carried the bag with her.

"I don't have much, but I'm sure we can make this work." She said making her way to the injured she wolf.

The other wolves moved away and stood staring at the only other one who shifted, they glanced at me and ran toward their entrance of the clearing.

"My name is Ari. They went to go get dressed, they said since the wolves didn't descend it must mean we really won't be hurt."

"No one will hurt you. I meant everything I said. My name is Bodie." He nodded once and took off after his buddies. They came out as he went in. Both dressed, and looking haggard. There were bite marks on both their necks and there was blood staining their shirts.

They stopped just beside the girl, looking at her worriedly. I watched their reactions closely to make sure that this girl was really safe with them. Caine hadn't protested or sent any warning signals out since I decided to help. I've learned to take his silence as compliance.

"The blood flow has stopped and I reset the bone. She was already unconscious when I got here, that helped with making sure everything went smoothly. She should rest for a few days before running or shifting again." She addressed me when she spoke.

"We have extra space, you can come with us while she recoups and decide what to do later." The two that came out after stood where they were and said nothing to me, looking at Ari instead.