I love you, kid.

Forrest

......

What?

Daisy squealed and jumped forward to hug Axel like a proud mother. Grinlo sensed me, and turned towards me with a smile.

"Shame on you to miss it,", she said casually, eyes turning back to face Daisy and my Axel.

"I'm not even sure what I missed."

"Just Daisy marrying Axel with the journal."

I wasn't even jealous, since I knew this was Axel after all. However...it must be a new record for him to be this random...

"Hmph, seems like him to go along with it.", I chuckled, smiling at the sight of my mate and Daisy actually comforting each other at what just happened. My eye twitched.

"Pardon me.", I excused myself as I left Grinlo to go towards my mate. It's my privilege to comfort him. Once Axel saw me, his arms opened in welcome. I hugged him back, massaging his shoulder.

Daisy calmed down, "Alright, alright,", she huffed, fanning her hands at her face, "Let's get back before our Alphas start wondering what's taking us!".

She looked around, "Where's Arthur?"

"Arthur and Oren are in the book section.", Grinlo replied.

We headed towards the book aisle, our eyes widening at the two who snickered uncontrollably at something they were reading. Arthur was focused on what the book read, Oren, in the other hand, was snickering at Arthur's unbelievable amusement.

"There you guys!", Daisy walked over to them. They both straightened up and Arthur quickly hid the book, looking flustered. Oren continued to snicker at him, but stopped once his elbow came into contact with his stomach. Daisy just sighed, "C'mon! Before we get in trouble!".

Arthur placed the book back on the shelf, shuffling it with others so that we wouldn't be able to know which book he read. Daisy pouted for her chance of knowing was now put out like a blow to a candle's flame.

~•~Back at the camp~•~

Axel and Daisy spent the whole time gossiping about Arthur and his secret guilty pleasure he tries so hard to keep hidden. Arthur and Oren walked quietly ahead of us, and I stayed at the very back with Grinlo. We entered our camp like that and our eyes widened at the amount of wolves that came over from Light Claw. Everyone was busy. Our Alpha could not be seen, and their Alpha saw us and told us to go back to the lab.

"Where's our Alpha?", I asked Him before He left.

He sighed and turned to face me with an annoyed expression as if I was wasting his time, "Settling down some of Her wolves from lashing out."

I kept quiet as He turned to leave. I sighed, I've been so distracted with Axel's group I forgot that not all wolves were as calm as them.

"Forrest?"

I turned my head to Axel and the group who was already heading to the lab, "C'mon.".

I clenched my jaw, Axel's face became worried, and he walked towards me, asking what's wrong.

"You go ahead, I'm going to have to help our Alpha with some duties.", I placed my palm to his cheek, "Go do some sciency stuff.", I smiled down at him. He blushed with a big smile, then pulled me down by the neck to hug me. He then let go and would've ran off if I didn't caught his arm, "Not even a kiss?", I asked, bewildered. He chuckled and went on his tip toes to reach my lips. I felt my face heat up, and his breath on my lips as his left mine. My lips felt cold after that.

He jogged to the others while waving back at me, almost tripping but caught himself just in time. Even after harsh training, he's still my clumsy wolf.

~•~

I opened the doors to the house to be immediately greeted by the strong scent of my pack members. They all sat at the living room in silence, drinking the calming tea William hand-made. Our Alpha, still in bad shape, wheeled Herself on a wheelchair to greet me.

"Forrest, where's Axel?"

"With the small Light Claw group."

Her face twisted in confusion, "You trust them already?"

"I trust Axel."

She nodded, "Anyway, they're all here to be calmed down by William. Light Claw would be able to provide stronger herbs, but they won't have any of that.", She sighed, "They're scared, Forrest."

I saw that among them was Sally, my eyes narrowed at her curled up body on the sofa. She was shaking. The Alpha followed my eyes and explained, "That's her after I calmed her down...She even drank William's herb tea."

"Excuse my intrusion, my Alpha.", William whispered, a tray with more tea at hand. She moved out of the way.

He gave everyone's cups then lastly sat next to Sally, trying to comfort her. Sally just sniffled and whined, curling into a tighter ball. I actually pitied her.

"It's not like we can go somewhere else. It's better she stays here with the rest of us. If she goes home where she lives alone, she'll get paranoid.", She explained then sighed, "William offered to stay with her at the house, but we need him here to help with everyone else, not just his mate."

I looked at her shaking body, tightly closed from everyone else...even William.

"Why don't you use your Alpha tone to make them drink the herbs Light Claw provides?", I asked.

A few heads turned my way in pure fear. The Alpha smacked my side, "Yeah, because forcing rogues to submit their allegiance to another Alpha is going to make it all better. I'm their Alpha, they've put their lives into my hands. I'm not going to force them to do something as trust another Alpha out of the blue until they're ready!"

Her voice raised to the point everyone heard Her. Even Sally stopped shaking. Our Alpha sighed as she turned to them, "I speak the truth...", Her voice lowered, "There will be no need for you to participate if it frightens you. An Alpha shouldn't abuse Her power to force Her wolves."

William teared up at Her words, Sally still hid in the blanket, but was no longer shaking. Everyone else went back to staring at nothing and sipping their tea. The tension in the air wasn't there anymore. She did it. I looked back at Her to see a heavy expression of grief. She sighed.

"You're a Great Alpha.", I whispered, "I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that."

She looked me in the eyes, then turned to go where the others won't hear us, "As Alpha, I don't strive for power, fame, nor to be the best at being Alpha, but to be what my pack needs me to be.", She looked back at them, "And I know I haven't exactly been that in the past few years after—"

"Lavender,"

She faced me with tears brimming at Her eyes, I gave a comforting smile, "You don't need to explain, we understand your reason. We still look up to you as our Alpha, even if you are in a wheelchair."

The tears fell as her face scrunched up in pain. Her hands covered Her face.

"You're not just saying that...?", She sniffled.

"I'm not."

William came over with a tray of empty cups to refill them. At the sight of the Alpha, He rushed to pour Her a cup of the tea, then rushed to massage Her shoulders and neck to relieve stress.

"Alpha,", he worriedly sighed, "You need to rest in bed! It's too much of a strain on your neck..."

She calmed down, "Yeah, alright."

William looked shocked, apparently expecting a refusal.

"In the healing cabins?", he was making sure.

"Yes yes."

"O-oh! Right away then!", before he rushed away with Her, he asked kindly to refill the cups then remembered I wouldn't know who's cup is who's. A panic look was taking over when I then suggested I take Her instead. He thanked me a whole lot (like he always does). I told him it was no bother since it was just a simple solution.

As I wheeled Her out into the healing cabins, we received many stares from the Light Claw wolves, so unbelieving She was actually alive. Our wolves that were outside tensed up, thinking someone might lash out since our Alpha was weak. She just ignored them.

"You've gone soft, Forrest. So soft, it's a bit hard to think you're the Forrest I raised all these years."

I stayed quiet, knowing it was all because of my mate.

"Forrest?"

"Yes, Alpha?"

"Do you remember those years you anticipated for your mate?"

I chuckled, "It's as if they never happened, now."

She laughed too.

I opened the cabin doors, wheeled Her in, and carried Her atop the bed. She held my hand after I made her comfortable.

"Forrest, thank you."

I stopped moving and looked at Her eyes filled with sincerity.

"Not just for putting me on the bed either, but for everything. Who knows if even Mixen could've helped me to where I am now, without you."

I clenched my jaw, touched by Her words.

"Thank you too, Alpha."

Her eyes remained the same, but She smiled.

"Thank you for everything you've done. Without everything you've done to make this pack, to fight for it, I would've never found home."

I felt a tear escaped my eyes that I immediately wiped away.

She chuckled at the sight of me.

"And here I thought I'd seen it all! Forrest actually crying out of thanks to me...", She gulped.

"Damn, I'm gonna cry again."

I chuckled and hugged Her, she hugged back.

"Now I can complete my bingo card by marking down the 'Forrest hug' box."

I smiled. I knew She couldn't miss the opportunity.

"I love you, Alpha."

She tensed.

"I'm not talking about the love mates' share, just the one family does."

She took a deep breath and began crying, "I love you too, kid."

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

ugh could I be any slower with the updates -__- I'm so sorry...

Thanks again fer the votes and comments! I've been busy with school and planning fer college. I need to get my shit together too!! I hope y'all enjoy the chapter, my fellow lemon sponges :,D lot of y'all have been very understanding and I truly appreciate it! Enjoy these new chapters, y'all deserve it after the wait.

Have a wunferdal day/night :)

-SeaSalt38