Chapter 88
Shawna POV
I expect to feel some sort of anxiety when we pull up in front of the Pack House of the Lone Wolf Ranch. I don't. I feel some sadness but not the type of off mix of anxiety and trepidation I had prepared myself for. As I get out of the car, I reach my arms up and stretch, twisting side to side. The Alpha is greeting Alpha James at the side of the car in front of us. I watch as he smiles and shakes his hand, greeting him with a welcoming smile. Michael is standing nearby, close enough to indicate he's there as a body guard but not so close that he's being rude. The Alpha turns to Michael and greets him as well. I can vaguely hear the conversation, but I don't really pay a lot of attention. I close my door and walk towards the back of the car, making my way around to the side that faces the house just as Natalie climbs from inside.
"Wow, this place is gorgeous," she says softly. "I can see why you would want to come here for the mating run. These mountains are incredible."
"It is very pretty," I say. "Easy to get lost," I remind her, because that's exactly what can happen in a place that is so vast. Montana is a place with stretches of land where there are no human inhabitants for sometimes hundreds of miles. It's both a blessing and a curse. It's probably most werwolves biggest fantasy, and once upon a time it was mine. It was also once my home, but oddly I feel better living close to a large city as I do now. It's harder to disappear without a trace when there are people everyone. Humans are nosy, it's like they can't help themselves. That nosiness will keep me alive, even if it does stifle our ability to shift and be one with our wolves.
"Hmmmm," Natalie hums next to me. "When can we go explore?" Her excitement is brimming forth and I can't help but smile.
"Girl we literally just got here," I tell her.
"Shawna, is that you?" I hear Alpha Gabe's deep commanding voice only feet from me. I jump slightly and turn towards him, baring my neck. "Oh sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."
"No, it's okay Alpha. I didn't expect you to address me was all. You caught me by surprise."
Alpha Gabe steps forward and takes my hand gently. "Welcome back to Lone Wolf Ranch." He turns to Natalie, "And you are?" he raises a questioning brow.
"My apologies," Michael is next to the Alpha in a blink. "This is my sister Natalie. I hope you don't mind that she has come along as Shawna's personal security."
"Not at all," he holds out his hand and he and Natalie exchange quick hand shakes. "Welcome Natalie, I hope you will feel at home here."
"Thank you Alpha," she gives him her mega watt smile and clasps his hand.
"Great. My Luna will show you to your rooms. You are all welcome to dine wiht us tonight in the Alpha Dining room rather than the Pack House dining room. Ashlynn will be there as well," he looks pointedly at me. "She's been looking forward to your arrival."
"That sounds wonderful Alpha Gabe. Thank you so much." Just then Luna Jenna came rushing down the steps from the main house and threw her arms around me in a fierce hug.
"You look so good Shawna! Welcome, let's get you and your friend settled." I made the introductions between Jenna and Natalie before we went inside. "Okay so you need to have a room next to each other then," she announces. "We can make that happen." She calls out to one of the Omega's standing at the day, gives them a few quick instructions and then turns back to us. "Bags?" she asks. Natalie motions to the trunk where our driver is retrieving our bags. Luna Jenna claps her hands and then grabs each of us by the hand and pulls us towards the stairs like we are small children. She rattles on about how her son Connor is home too and that the dinner table will be so full tonight, that she can't wait. Natalie throws me a curious glance but says nothing.
"Dinner is at six, so you have a few hours to just decompress, get freshened up and settled into your rooms. I've put Michael on the same floor as Alpha James, it's requires since he is his assigned protector. Unfortunatley there wasn't enough room on that floor for you ladies. I hope you don't mind. I put you on the Beta floor since Cody isn't living in the main house. It's completely empty, you will have lots of privacy."
"Luna Jenna, that's perfectly fine. We can even sleep in the Pack house if you would rather," Natalie states.
"Nonsense, you stay with us." She takes us to our rooms by herself, waving off the Omega hovering nearby. "Let me know if you girls need anything at all. Ophelia will be tending to your rooms. She has a phone you can call her one if you need anything in between her scheduled visits. The number is on the desk in each of your rooms. See you at dinner," she pecks me on the cheek absently, which I find strange and then disappears.
"Wow, she's full of energy," Natalie laughs as we open the doors to our rooms. Somehow our bags have already been deposited inside, which tells me that someone brought them in through a different door and then disappeared out of sight before we even could see them.
"Just wait, "I tell her. "Everyone here is so great." We both take a peek around our respective rooms and then I advise Natalie that I'm going to take a nap and then shower before dinner. I will text her when I'm ready to go down. Unfortunately, Michael has made me promise not to go anywhere without either him or Natalie and I want to respect his request, considering where we are at the moment. I know the ones who hurt me are not here but it doens't make it any less nerve racking. It messes with my mind too, especially as I peered into the woods on our drive down the long driveway from the main road. It reminded me so much of how easily it is to be here one moment and then hidden away the next.