Black Trail

ADARA

To say I was upset about the events yesterday at White Moon would be an understatement. My family had essentially turned their backs on me.

The air at the house was tense. With Black Trail Pack consisting of just Ryder and myself, we weren’t exactly equipped for an attack.

“Ryder?” I said quietly, as I leaned against the kitchen counter.

Ryder looked up from his coffee. “Hmm?”

“What are we going to do?” I asked softly.

Ryder lowered his head again. “I really don’t know . . . ”

I sighed. “Maybe the fact that nobody has come is a good thing. Maybe they saw their mistake.” I held hope in my voice, knowing that probably wasn’t the case.

“They are probably just organizing themselves . . . ” Ryder mumbled.

I walked around the counter and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Ryder, whatever happens . . . I love you.”

Ryder’s head snapped up and he turned to me, his eyes meeting mine and filled with emotion. “Adara, I love you too. So much.” He kissed me softly, his love pouring out.

We were interrupted when the bell rang. I looked up at him with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

“If we were being attacked, they wouldn’t ring the bell,” Ryder said, walking to the door. He opened it, standing tall.

I gasped as he threw the door open wide. Standing outside our home was a group of almost one hundred people, and standing tall at their head was my mother.

“Mom?” I asked, stepping out onto the porch. “What is going on?”

My mother stepped forward with tears in her eyes. “You said I was always welcome here. Well, we are all rogues now, unless you happen to have a home for us.”

Ryder smiled. “And you definitely have one here. Come in, all of you.”

The group walked in, mostly small families and some single wolves. We gathered in the meeting hall, letting them sit and rest and allow their pups to run around as we talked.

“Why have you come?” Ryder asked.

“After what happened yesterday, the entire pack has changed. Mason and Austin have become dark and angry.

“I left, telling them I would have no part in the attempted destruction of Black Trail. If you remember, I was born here.

“As for them, when they heard about what happened, they decided they couldn’t respect an Alpha who would attack another out of greed and pride. So I offered that they come with me.”

I smiled. “Well, you are all welcome here. I’m sorry it’s not all that comfortable yet. We haven’t quite finished the house.

“But if you are all willing to work a bit, we could have your rooms finished by this afternoon.”

The adults all agreed, thankful to have a place to stay.

We took them on a tour of the house, showing them where everything was. After taking each to their rooms, Ryder and I went back downstairs and into the mess of his office.

I looked up at Ryder and laughed. “Well, that was unexpected.”

Ryder pulled me close. “We have a pack.”

I wrapped my arms around him, echoing his words. “We have a pack.”

We spent the next few hours working out logistics. I needed to get some food here, fast.

After figuring out meals, we realized we needed to have a pack meeting once their rooms were all fixed, to see what skills they had and how they could help the pack.

I found a place that would deliver the supplies and groceries I needed for the next few days and then went on the rounds, making sure everyone had the paint and cleaning supplies they needed for their rooms.

Ryder was helping my mother fix up her room when I walked in. I leaned against the door and smiled as I listened to their conversation. “What are you two going on about?”

Ryder smiled. “Nothing.”

I rolled my eyes. “So, how is everything coming?”

“Almost done,” my mother replied as she looked around the room. “I forgot how amazing this place is.”

I smiled. “It really is a magnificent pack house, isn’t it?”

Ryder walked toward me, paint smudged on his cheek and his clothes dotted with the lavender color. “Is everyone else almost done?”

I nodded. “Yes. I told them all that we will have a meeting before dinner. Speaking of which, the delivery should be here soon and I need to start on dinner.”

I turned and walked down the hall. Ryder followed me, jogging up beside me.

“Adara, I’m worried about your mom being here. Mason is not going to take too kindly to his mate leaving him and going to another pack.”

I frowned. “I know. Hopefully everything will calm down and she can go back to him, as much as I like having her here.”

Ryder laughed. “If she’s anything like you, it’ll be a while. I have a feeling she won’t back down easily.”

I smirked. “Where do you think I learned it from?”

In the evening before dinner, we all gathered in the meeting hall. Ryder and I stood at the front with a table off to the side.

“Welcome, all of you, to our very first pack meeting,” Ryder began. “This will be a little bit different, considering we have to form the pack officially.

“Today is a very special day for me. It’s the day we rebuild Black Trail.”

He turned to me and I stood from my chair beside him. He turned back to the group. “Everyone please rise.”

They all stood tall, excited and proud of what was about to happen. It was a rare occurrence nowadays for a new pack to be formed.

“Place your fist on your chest and repeat after me. ‘I, say your name . . . ’”

The group began to repeat his words, following after him.

“ . . . swear to uphold pack law and to honor and submit to the Alpha and Luna, as long as their judgment and leadership is fair.

“I swear to obey pack rules and to work hard to protect and serve within my pack. To protect its borders and my family within.

“As a member of Black Trail Pack, I will live honestly, contributing to its strength and honor, and refuse to take actions that will harm the pack.”

Ryder and I smiled as we all finished speaking.

Suddenly we felt a pulse through the room, connecting every member of the pack to each other and to their Alpha, his power flowing through us as ours flowed through him.

Ryder’s presence radiated throughout the room so strongly he almost seemed to glow. “Welcome home, Black Trail,” he said gently, with pride.