Another pack, another life.

Settling down.

***Elisa POV***

Once alone the first thing I did was taking my pink laptop from the trolley to make a call.

Damn I forgot to ask if there was a WiFi here.

I looked around, ready to dial the famous "8" when I saw a card on the desk with the words WiFi: Bright_Moon_Packhouse and Guest Password: @ELISASOLMI#.

I quickly entered the datas on my laptop and opened w******p web.

I started a video call with my mum's mobile, knowing she was probably staring at the phone just waiting for me to show up.

She answered right after two rings.

It took some seconds to see her face.

"Hello mum! I landed on time, the flight was long but ok, I found a car waiting for my and Nensi was there, we arrived at the pack about twenty minutes ago and now I am in my room."

"Eli! I am so relieved to hear from you!!! I am happy to hear everything went smoothly."

She made a pause before speaking again.

"First impressions?"

I was expecting that question, she was so excited for me as I was going to see all the places she used to love when she was young and careless.

"Well they all seems very nice, they cared a lot to make me feel comfortable and at ease."

I stopped.

"Is that all you have to say?" she asked with a small pout.

"I met them few minutes ago, what else can I say???"

"How is my cousin Charlene?" she asked.

"She is ok. She is exactly how you described me her. Bright and energetic.

Her hugs are pretty... Strong!"

I had a sudden idea.

"Wait mum, I want to show you something..."

I took the laptop and turned it to let the webcam focus on the view outside the window.

I could not see my mum face but I could hear my mum giggling.

"The lake!!! Oh what a view, it's so amazing! I miss it so much even after so many years!!"

I smiled and moved the laptop to show her the rest of the room then I turned the laptop again in front of me, she was still smiling wide and I smiled too.

"It's amazing, you're right! Listen, I will have to meet them again for dinner and I would really appreciate a shower before, I don't have a lot of time, I need to go. I love you mum!"

She waved her hand at me from the screen: " I love you too, I'll call you soon!"

Then I mimicked kisses with my lips.

I closed my computer and opened a luggage to take some fresh clothes for the dinner, then I headed to the bathroom to have a well deserved shower.

***Beatrice POV***

I was glad to hear from my little Eli. I wasn't exactly worried but... Well, no, I WAS worried.

Her first travel all alone and so far!

I spent hours thinking "what if" and imagining the worse accidents ever.

She was my girl, my treasure, the heritage my beloved mate left me.

She was beautiful as he was, she was clever as he was.

I shaked my head firmly trying not to be overwhelmed by my feelings and I exited the room where I was to let the Matriarch know Elisa called.

I gently knocked the heavy wood door of her studio.

"Come in!" I heard her soft voice letting me in.

I bowed my head to her then I closed the door behind me.

"Good afternoon Matriarch, I am sorry to disturb you while you are at work but Elisa called me and I wanted you to know everything went well and she is now settling down in her own room".

She was at her desk, an antique oak desk trimmed with gold, looking at me with hands joined over a log book she was examining.

She nodded her head, a slightly grey lock of hair dangled from behind her left ear.

She had a grave expression on her face.

" Good. I am glad she is safe and sound. You know her travel there is of utmost importance.

We need fresh blood here, we can't go on this way, our pack mustn't die."

I nodded to her with my eyes down.

"I know Matriarch, I know.

But what if that won't happen? Or what if it happen and they choose not to come?"

Matriarch made an indignant expression: "If she won't find the right one we will let her move to another pack in North America.

I have a lot of connections, chances are high.

If, or better when, she will find her mate she will have to make up things in order to do what she has to do. We need them here, not on the other side of the world. I know male wolves up there tend to think at themselves as the leader of the couple and they use to mansplanning but Elisa knows her stuff and will be able to lead him here."

She made a brief pause before going on.

"In the worse case she will have to reject him and find someone else to bring here."

I looked at her in disbelief, I was opening my mouth to speak but she waved her right hand midair.

"But I am sure this is not going to happen Beatrice. I am sure. Now excuse me, I have to double check these documents, I am signing new sales contracts, we need funds to renovate some of the buildings and to improve the security around the borders.

I know we haven't met problems in a while but we cannot let our guard down."

She stopped talking and returned to her papers.

I bowed my head again and left the office without a word.

Thinking of my daughter in need to reject her mate for the sake of the pack teared my heart apart but the Matriarch was right, it could not be possible, which wolf let his mate away just in order to keep his ass comfortable?

I sighted hard while walking to my own office, I also had things to do.

As the second in command of the " Branco della luna crescente" ( Rising Moon Pack) I was in charge of the ordinary routine: meals, training schedules, accomodations for new members...

But we had not new members since I came here more than ten years ago so I basically kept clean and settled empty rooms and houses around the Pack's territory.

A Pack without new members is a dying pack and we were too close to this to skip the hard reality: for that Matriarch sent all the soon to be eighteen members (not a lot to be honest, less that ten) around the world, with the hope they will come back with their mate and will breed increasing the number of members.

She sent them out tempting them with the idea of a travel to see the world right before they come of age but the truth was she was frightened they could find a mate within the pack, preventing them from finding new members.

We were only seventy five members left after the last hunters' attack when my beloved Giovanni lost his life defending us and our land.

We were the biggest pack in Italy, now we weren't anymore but the biggest one had only one hundred twenty people in it so we could regain our position in few years if things runned smoothly.

I sat at my desk with the monthly meal schedule in front of me, with some bright colored sticky notes made by omegas in charge of the kitchen, but I kept on staring to the void, unable to concentrate on my duty.

I knew Francesco, sent to Norway to meet some far, very very far, relatives, already turned eighteen three weeks ago but we had no news about him except for not important issues like how cold it was up there, how fun it was hunting mooses and how wonderful everything was in the eyes of a young man far from home for the first time.

European packs were often willing to host young people from other packs as pursuing big gathering the way they do in North America, wasn't possible due to the risks we would encounter.

The newly mated were usually free to choose where to live but almost no one wanted to settle in Italy anymore as it's considered dangerous.

Because of it we, as almost every pack located in the country, experienced a leak of people over the years but it had to change.

I knew this was not the pack I was born into but it was my mate's and he gave is life for the sake of it.

I would not let his sacrifice be vain.

AT ALL COSTS.

I took a deep breath and started watching the meal schedule, checking the related grocery list on the side.

We could provide almost entirely by ourselves to the food needs of the pack but we had to buy some things like fish, oil, salt and spices.

Seeing the word fish on the sheet brought my mind to the lake at the Bright Moon Pack and my work got another stop.