Hidden In Plain Sight: Book 2 (Wolves)

Chapter 4- Halyn

After getting my belongings unpacked today, my cousin Susan offered to take me on a tour of the pack territory, excuse me, ‘gated community’, via one of the pack’s utility vehicles. Security personnel and higher level pack wolves could use them on a whim, but lower level wolves had to reserve one of the vehicles specifically purchased with families in mind. The ‘family’ utility vehicles had an extra bench seat, and seat belts to be able to belt in car seats and booster seats if need be.

Susan walked up to me, set the infant car seat on the ground, and engulfed me in a huge hug. I was waiting at 3 PM, near the entrance to the shed that contained the Utility vehicles. Susan pulled back from the hug and smiled at me before saying, “Halyn, it’s so great to see you. It’s been too long. How are you?”

“Cousin, I am good. Thank you for offering to take me for a tour.” I said, returning the smile genuinely.

“It’s my pleasure. Luna Cat offered to watch Colson while I take you out. I just need to run him up to the house. Care to join me?” Susan asked as she grabbed the handle on the car seat to carry Colson in the house.

“Sure, I’ll come with. Where did you get the name Colson? I’ve not heard it before,” I questioned.

“Well, in Native American culture, as you know, names are important to convey what it is you want your child to become,” Susan explained. “Colson means ‘an individual who attains victory in whatever he does in life’. We could not think of anything we wanted more for our son.”

I again smiled at Susan and nodded. The baby boy had thick dark brown hair about 2-3 inches long, on top of his head. I’d always thought babies with hair were adorable, and Colson was no exception. This is the first time I’d seen the sleeping angel, and I was already smitten by him.

As we entered Luna Cat’s office, she jumped up from her desk chair with a huge smile on her face and came right over to grab the car seat. Susan teased Luna Cat, “sure, I see how we rate. You just want the baby.”

Luna Cat looked up sheepishly before saying, “I’m sorry ladies. I’m just always so excited to see my little Cole, that I forget there are other people around. Please forgive me.”

I smiled, “believe me, I get it. I like babies too.”

Luna Cat looked up at Halyn before replying, “just wait until they are your own pups or grandpups. The love you feel is so strong it’s almost scary.” Luna Cat smiled slyly before whispering, “it’s as intense as the mate bond, but in a totally different way.”

Susan looked around then asked, “where are the kids?”

“We have a nanny during the day now, remember? Cole is my reason to take a break.” Luna Cat winked in an over exaggerated manner.

“Well thank you for watching him. We shouldn’t be too long. I’m just going to show Halyn the main locations inside the fence line explain the codes, microphones, and cameras.” Susan gave Cat a big hug and stepped out the door. Turning back, she asked, “will Alpha Gannon be here in an hour or so? I’d like to get Halyn blood bonded so she can communicate with us if needed.”

An odd look passed between the two Lunas, but Luna Cat answered, “he should be. He ran to town for supplies over an hour ago.”

It seemed strange to me they would have me do a blood bond without a formal ceremony, but maybe I’m just caught in the dark ages with all the formalities? I came here to learn the new ways, and learn I shall. I waved a hand goodbye at Luna Cat, but was pulled into a hug from her. “Look here girlie, we here are a hugging bunch. You better get used to it.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond, but I hugged Luna Cat back, gave her a smile, turned on my heel, and jumped in the utility vehicle with Susan at the wheel.

Susan explained, “Luna Cat is right, our pack is very friendly and affectionate. I missed that when we were in hiding.”

I mulled over what Cousin Susan had said. I had to agree there were many things about pack life I would miss as well. It had to be doubly hard to pretend they were something they were not, human. An hour later we returned from the tour and I went to change since Gannon wasn’t back yet. I generally tried to wear clothes easy to put on and take off when I knew I’d be shifting.