Another pack, another life.

Meanwhile in Italy.

*** Matriarch POV ***

The phone beside my bed rang.

It was almost 2 am and I went from deep sleep to wide awake in a couple of seconds.

" Pronto? ( Hello?) " I held my breath untill I heard the voice of Laura, Francesco's mother.

"Matriarch? I am sorry to bother you so late." She paused. "Or so early..."

Her voice was respectful and a little timorous but I could sense a sort of strong excitement behind.

"No problem Laura, if there is any issue so important to call at this time of the night I am here to help."

I waited, meanwhile I put the blanket aside to get off the bed.

"Matriarch Francesco called us about thirty minutes ago. He was so excited we had a hard time trying to understand what he was saying but it seems he found his mate in Norway, during a big feast gathering some packs. You asked to be informed as soon as something like this would have happen so we called."

Laura went silent, a inner smile spreaded in me.

"You did well, Laura, the news worth an early wake up for sure! I suppose he met her no more than few days ago or even less. Let's give him, and her of course, some time to get used to the bond then we will have time to speak with Francesco and... And I suppose you know her name?"

"Ingrid, Matriarch, her name is Ingrid."

I nodded even if I was on the phone.

" And Ingrid. Meanwhile I'll speak with the Alpha of the pack where Francesco is to investigate a little about this girl and how to settle everything to let her come here.

I am sure she will be delighted to live in the sunny Italy."

Or, at least, I hoped to. If not we would have a rough situation to handle.

I greeted Laura and hung the phone.

I looked at the clock on the night stand: 2.21 am, no way I would have been able to return to sleep.

Better think to something happy, like where to accommodate Francesco and Ingrid.

Some photos of a cozy, comfortable and somehow luxurious retreat could make miracles if sent them.

I spent some hours doing business with an eye on the clock, waiting a convenient time to call the Northern Lights' Alpha.

At seven I took a shower, I got dressed and I called for an inroom breakfast.

At eight I called Beatrice to give her the big news.

She was truly happy: after all every child of the pack is the son, or daughter, of everyone here.

She told me she would have done all she could to set a lovely cottage with a Nordic flair, something she called hygge.

Not sure what she was talking about but her taste was out of discussion, she should really have been an interior designer.

If only she hadn't to take the weight of a daughter all alone and a dying pack over her shoulder with me!

I would have avoided her all this but I could not.

I sighted heavily.

At nine I picked up the phone and called Jonasson.

"Good morning Alpha Jonasson, sorry to disturb you so early, it's Matriarch Maria Rosa Savelli from the Branco della Luna Crescente."

I got a deep laugh in response.

"Good morning Madame, in summer we have light for about twenty hours a day so it's never too early or never too late..."

I totally forgot that.

"Well, good then. I called because I have been said my nephew Francesco found his mate... I don't really want to seem prying but I would like to know more about the girl. I believe she is called Ingrid..."

I heard another deep laugh from Jonasson.

"Yes, yes, Ingrid is her name and she and Francesco are totally in love. She is not from my pack but from the Red snow Pack, they are located North of ours and the Alpha is my cousin so I suppose I can have all the informations you are looking for.

He let her stay at our pack, he didn't want to split a newly met couple.

Her parents are coming here to meet Francesco, they are quite impressed to have a foreign son in law.

A little bit worried maybe as they cannot speak English, just Norwegian and a little Swedish.

Ingrid on the other hand speaks a good English."

I was taking notes of everything but Jonasson was far from what I was interested to.

" Good Alpha, very good. I was wondering what the girl does in life, how old is she and I need to know, of course, if she and her family are ranked members of the pack, if she has any particular talent... You know, classic Alpha questions I have to place, I would be happy to have a new member of the pack anyway."

I dropped the thing of the new member in a casual way, waiting for a reaction.

"Oh oh ah, yes, yes a new member you say...

Well, Francesco speaks of your pack like it is a paradise lost or something similar...

So Ingrid slants to move.

But she is hesitant, leaving her parents would be very painful...

Oh by the way her father is the retired gamma of the pack, her mother is the retired head hunter of the pack. Ingrid is nineteen."

I wrote down the informations once again but I got puzzled at the words head hunter.

"I beg your pardon Alpha, what is a head hunter?"

"Oh oh ah, yes, I suppose you're not familiar with this title but here the sustenance of the packs often rely on meat as here is too cold for almost any kind of vegetable.

We breed moose and some other animals but we often organize hunting trip to fill our pantry before winter hits.

We usually have a group of skilled hunters who are also, when needed, beaters and trackers.

Ingrid's mum is a skilled beater, no matter if we speak of animals, humans, werewolves or other creatures. Uh uh uh, great woman!"

His laugh remembered me of Santa Claus, coincidence?

But the news about Ingrid's parents were more than welcome.

"What about the young lady? Did she follow her mum's... Track?"

I tipped the pen on my block notes impatiently.

"Uh she is also a skilled tracker and hunter. I don't think it's of some use where you are...At least for animals. But she is a good shewolf and she would probably adapt to whatever you find suitable for her..."

Oh if he knew how useful she could be...

I was drawing circles and random shapes on the block note, a habit I had since I was young, then Lula, my wolf, suddenly tipped inside my head.

"Maria. Maria I've got an idea!"

I could sense here spinning in circles inside my head.

"What? Can't you wait? I am on the phone!" I spoke to her in my mind.

"Nope, nope, let's say to the Alpha we can accommodate her parents here too.

Two trackers, a retired gamma...They can be a worthy add on to the pack!!"

I felt her jumping up and down in excitement in my head, I usually hated her doing that but that was an idea for sure!

"Madame Maria Rosa, are you still there?"

I heard him asking.

"Yes Alpha Jonasson, excuse me, I was thinking.

May I ask how old are her parents? Just to know as you said they are both retired..."

"Uh, uhm... Well let me check the folder my cousin have me.

So, Ingrid's mum is forty two, her dad is forty five.

The are already retired as their pack is quite big and they had good replacements; plus, life in the cold weather can be hard so we usually prefer the youngers take place the moment they are ready."

I bit my lip a little: " Oh I hope they are healthy after years of work in the cold..."

"Oh Oh ah, yes, definitely: we Nordic wolves are strong!".

"It's wonderful to hear that Alpha. If Ingrid is unsure about moving so far you can say her, in my name, her parents are welcome too.

There isn't a better place to retire than Italian countryside and we have space enough to accommodate them too."

" Uh uh oh Matriarch this is so generous! Not many Alpha would offer a spot for two in their pack. Especially for two no more of age for breeding."

He stopped speaking for a couple of second.

"Uhm. Oh! Oh Matriarch excuse me...I r******w Ingrid also has two brothers, I can understand if you withdraw your generous offer...Silly me, I didn't read the folder in full.

One brother is called Silas and he is twenty one, unmated, he is in the warrior team. The other one is called Jona, he is only sixteen, he studies of course. Language high school for what I read."

This was a blessed call, Lula was an unstoppable bundle of jumping joy.

"Expand the pack, secure the pack!" I heard her screaming "Let's make our pack strong and proud as it once was!"

"My offer is still on the table Alpha Jonasson, how do they say in English? The more, the merrier!"

"Oh, oh, yes, the more the merrier, I suppose it is like that if you have plenty of food to rely on...I will tell Ingrid and her parents about your idea, I'll call you as soon as I have news madame. Have a good day!"

"Thank you Alpha, have a good day you too!"

I hung the phone, massaged my forehead and took a minute to think how four more members could be settled comfortably.

We had a lot of empty houses and cottages but they needed all a good refurbishing.

I exited the office in search of Beatrice.

She had some extra work to do, apparently.