To Save Them All

A contact

Luke

I had no shortage of offers to fill the luna position in the pack. Once they realised I was nothing like Julian some of the younger she wolfs found any excuse to come to the packhouse.

Clearly a couple had been bedwarmers for Julian as they appeared in parts of the packhouse they would only know otherwise. I tried to keep a respectable distance I didn’t want to have that sort of reputation. This seemed to make them try harder.

There were actually a couple of nicer shewolfs that kept themselves to themselves. As a group they approached me about training. Clearly this pack didn’t allow girls to train but these were the daughters of warriors, it was in their blood. Not that I really had the time but found myself offered to take a training session with them and once I had assessed them I would decide how to go about it.

There was a confusing overlap between some of the members here and paradise that I needed to get my head around.

Edward had continued his attacks on the pack. I still had Oliver’s warriors here and I set them the task of sorting out mine. I needed to know who was loyal and also have some form of formal training in place. Marty was happy to take over that part, I just needed everything done like yesterday.

I also knew I needed to visit some neighbouring packs and bolster relationships but I didn’t trust anyone enough to leave yet.

I looked at my watch and realised I needed to get to the training grounds if I was going to sort these girls out.

They were waiting for me in a circle, clearly they were all about Iris and Thea’s age.

“First things first, who yet can shift?” Three of the six raised their hands.

“Ok you three are one group.” I pointed to the other three. “Do you all shift soon ?” When they nodded I motioned for them all to me.

“Ok you can train together but keep in these two groups for now. I want to assess each one of you fighting in human form only today.” I pointed to two of the younger girls. “You two start.”

When I had seen enough I swapped them over asking another two to start, then the final pair.

Their fighting was all pretty basic, at Wise Water Iris and I had started a junior training programme, these girls probably were about that level. Even Thea looked good compared to them. But they all looked eager to learn and there was lots to like.

“Ok girls, we have a lot of work to do but if you are keen I think we can work with this. Maybe if I can train you up a bit we could open it up to more shewolfs.”

The girls nodded their heads eagerly. One of the older girls spoke up.

“We would love that alpha Luke, we have some basic training due to our fathers training us themselves but many here have nothing. When Julian came along but he wanted shewolfs in his bed not on the training grounds.” She shuddered at the thought.

“Did he do anything to anyone that I needed to know about ?” She shook her head. “He had enough shewolfs throwing themselves at him wanting to be luna, we were safe. Well safer than those in paradise.” She looked at one of the younger shewolfs.

She was the smallest, with large doe eyes and a pretty face. Automatically I compared her beauty to Iris and Thea, and found her lacking but there was something strikingly different about her now I was paying attention.

She looked uncomfortable under my gaze. “Tell him Sophia.” The older shewolf encouraged.

“I’m not technically a member of Eclipse.” She said quietly. “I was sent here by my grandfather, he noticed Marcus was taking an interest in me and thought I would be safer here.”

“And were you ?” I asked dreading the answer.

“Yes, very much so, even when Julian took over.”

I felt better about this. Then I thought occurred to me.

“Does this mean you have a contact in Paradise?”

She looked up. “My grandfather Joe was the gamma there, to a different alpha. He still serves the pack, best he can.”

She looked down at the floor again and mumbled. “I’d rather not go back if it’s okay I stay?”

This might well be the same Joe I had met when I visited Paradise with Iris and Oliver. I remembered him not being happy to submit to his new alpha. This might come in useful.

“Of course you are welcome to stay, I didn’t arrange your transfer here so maybe it’s a good idea to ask your grandfather to contact me when he can. Make sure it’s all above board.”

She looked worried.

“Don’t worry I won’t send you back.” I earned a small smile.

I hadn’t disliked the old wolf when we met him, he had been kind of helpful. I wasn’t sure I would go so far as to say I trusted him but it would do no harm to see what he knew. If u could do that discreetly enough.

I thought back to the conversation I had with Jackson yesterday. Whispered rumours had started about the course of the silver wolves. Naturally they had reached Jackson’s ears being the alpha heir of Silver Oak, one of the packs they were suspected to originate from.

He has his suspicions that’s Christian was behind the rumours, I tried to point out that Edward had an equal distain for us so it could well be him. Although most of his animosity was towards me he hated Oliver and Iris after their altercation at my alpha ceremony. I wondered how I could reach out to Paradise without Edward finding out to see what Joe knew.

I hadn’t paid much attention to the rumours of the curse, but I knew Oliver said it had worried Iris a little. It wasn’t surprisingly really, when everyone you loved had been murdered in some way I guess it would be easy to believe you were cursed. Thankfully Oliver didn’t believe in nonsense like that so wasn’t even entertaining the idea.

I felt bad that I was missing Scarlett’s luna ceremony. I had been in charge of protecting her and the pups along with Thea. I still thought of her as my luna. Not that there was anything between us. We were firm friends, it was just that I had never expected to become an alpha so expected to serve her and Jackson. I sent her a message if congratulations, I knew it wasn’t the same as being there myself and being honest I really wanted to see Thea but I needed to sort out the warriors before I could leave here.

I thought it how happy Jackson was with his mate, I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. The rational part of my brain was happy I didn’t need to worry about protecting a my mate on top of everything else I had to do but my wolf was impatient. He protested when I was with another shewolf. He had made his feeling quite clear that he wasn’t up for marking a chosen luna so I would have to try and find her once this pack was a bit more stable. My wolf was a bit of a brute, the only shewolfs he tolerated had been Thea, Scarlett and Iris, namely because we have spent our life looking out for them.