âYou want to ~recruit?â~
Olivia shrugged, looking sheepish.
âI donâtâis that what you call it?â
Her revelation didnât get the reaction she had anticipated. But it was better than the last time she had suggested something. She could consider this progress.
Alex rubbed his neck. âWe donât call it anything.â
âThen how does the pack grow? You canât tell me itâs just from new babies and mates?â
âIt happensâ¦naturally. We donât actively seek it out.â
Olivia pressed her lips together, her shoulders hunching as she felt her chest tighten. She didnât make the same mistake twice. This time, she told Alex about the wolf she had seen, and he sent some pack members to patrol the area.
She knew she couldnât be naive, and she couldnât believe it was just a coincidence that a harmless wolf happened to wander into their territory. But there was a chance that it meant nothing.
What if it didnât have a pack? What if it was from a smaller pack?
For most of her life, she had been alone. Or with Will.
No family to speak of, not many friends due to the constant secret she carried⦠Now she knew that there was strength in numbers. The pack was about protection and trust. She had found Alex here, she had Mayaâ¦
She had asked Maya about it. Sheâd asked if some wolves preferred to be loners or in smaller groups. But the answer wasnât straightforward.
Some wanted more, but not all alphas were the same. Some couldnât provide as much as others. In such cases, the pack remained small or broke apart as some members sought a better life.
This wasnât like her old world. There werenât many options.
They mostly lived in the shadows. They only interacted when necessary or out of desperation.
If the pack grew, they could not only help other wolves, but they could also strengthen themselves.
Alexâs words had resonated with her. She was aware that the recent attack had cost them some of their pack. She hadnât had the chance to get to know everyone, but the weight of their loss was heavy on her heart.
Perhaps if their numbers were greater, they could prevent such losses in the future.
And maybe, just maybe, they could begin to mend the gaping hole left by the loss of two of their own.
She hadnât broached the subject of Lina and her mate with Alex or anyone else. But she hadnât seen them around, and she knew for certain that Lina was no longer in her makeshift prison.
There was only one explanation.
Sometimes, when she let her mind wander to it, her skin would prickle and her throat would tighten. In those moments, sheâd take a deep breath and remind herself that what was normal for her was not normal for them.
Their lives were different; their world was different.
Perhaps she would never fully come to terms with it, but she couldnât dictate to them, to Alex, what he ~had~ to do.
She could try to instigate change; she could propose alternatives, but ultimately, she had to listen to ~them~. She had to step outside her comfort zone and see the world from their perspective.
Hopefully, she would get better at it with time.
She still found herself biting her tongue on occasion.
âBut what if we did more?â She cleared her throat. âThere are other wolves out there, smaller packs. Maybe we could invite them to join us, merge with them.â
âAnd what about their alpha?â
âWhat?â
âMost packs are led by an alpha. What would you propose we do with the other alpha?â
âIâwell, couldnât he?â
Alex shook his head. âTwo alphas in one pack would inevitably clash.â
âSo, what happens if a pack member has a child who turns out to be an alpha?â
âThey usually leave to form their own pack once they reach adulthood. Itâs instinctual, Livy. They need it.â
~Right.~
Her aim wasnât to cause more deaths in order to expand the pack. âSo youâre saying itâs not feasible?â Her voice wavered, but she tried to mask it. She wanted to contribute to the pack; she wanted to give backâ¦
Alex sighed, then walked over and pulled her into his embrace. âIâm not saying itâs impossible. We could potentially scout for new members. Itâs not something weâve done before. Weâve never had a reason to. Weâve always been content with what we had.â
âBut?â she murmured into his chest. She sensed there was more he wasnât saying.
âIt wouldnât hurt to be stronger.â
âSo?â
âIâll consider it.â
She laughed softly against his chest, then pressed her lips to his shirt, kissing him through the fabric. She hadnât quite mastered the whole werewolf thing, and if she was being honest, she probably never would.
Her past would always be a part of her. She couldnât just erase years of her life.
But perhaps she could use those memories, her past life, to improve her current one.
She had never had high expectations for her life; she never imagined she would have much. She never thought sheâd have ~someone~.
Life was different now. She didnât have to be alone.
She didnât have to settle for less than she deserved. Life wasnât as bleak as she had once believed. Her world had expanded. Most importantly, she had found something she could call her own.
~Home.~
This was home.
After years of loneliness, pain, and hardship, she could finally heal and have a family.
A ~real~ family with Alex and the pack.
She could be happy now.