Chapter 31 Western Pack
LISA'S POV
Adrian’s pack was so beautiful, they had vast forests that stretched endlessly in every direction, their canopy so thick unlike what we had at moonstone. The pack house was built into the hillside itself, natural rock formations integrated into the architecture in ways that made the building feel like it had grown there rather than been constructed.
Thankfully, Alpha Dominic was recovering from his heart attack but he remained weak. I visited him daily, sitting beside his bed while he drifted in and out of consciousness, his breathing was still irregular even with the pack healers working constantly to stabilize him. He looked smaller than I remembered from our brief meeting months ago, this illness had stolen the commanding presence that had made him legendary among pack leaders.
Adrian had taken over the Alpha position, the way he carried out his duties with grace and competence, impressed me more than I wanted to admit.
The way he handled crises with calm authority, made decisions that balanced pack needs with individual concerns, and carried their responsibilities without complaint. I watched him transform from this potential suitor into an actual leader, someone whom I could trust my life with.
I was able to assist him when I could, especially with emotional support as he handled the sudden responsibility of leading hundreds of wolves who depended on him for safety and guidance.
Nathan stayed close though, he was protective but not smothering in ways that showed he had learned from our conversation before leaving Moonstone. He established himself clearly as my Third, making it obvious to Western Pack wolves that I was not alone or vulnerable or available for any form of manipulation. His presence was comfort and a shield both, friendship without the complicated romantic feelings he had finally confessed and I felt so relieved.
I was surprised at how Western Pack members welcomed me with warmth, especially after I helped them resolve a bitter dispute between two families that had been escalating toward violence. I had to spend hours listening to both sides, finding common ground nobody else had looked for earlier, I gave each family something they needed while requiring both to sacrifice something they wanted.
Adrian watched me work with pride even though his gaze made me uncomfortable sometimes. His brown eyes tracked my movements during pack meetings causing me to blush like a teenager in love, his genuine smile when I successfully negotiated solutions to problems his father had been ignoring for months. The Western Pack responded to me as Alpha even though I held no official authority here, and that felt validating in ways I did not expect.
One evening, after a very long day of pack business that left my head throbbing, Adrian invited me to walk by the stream.
We walked in comfortable silence for several minutes before Adrian spoke, his voice careful in ways that showed that this was an important conversation coming.
"My father's condition is getting worse than we initially thought," he said, stopping to face me fully. "He will recover, but he cannot resume full Alpha duties. The healers are clear about that. Too much stress will trigger another heart attack, and the next one might kill him."
I touched his arm gently, offering sympathy I genuinely felt. "I am sorry, Adrian. This must be a hard time for you and your family."
"It is," he admitted, covering my hand with his own. "But it also means the pack is looking to me to officially take over as Alpha. This change will happen soon, within this month. And they are also asking when I will choose a mate."
My stomach tightened, I now understood where this was going before he continued. The pieces were there, obvious once I looked at them properly. Adrian brought me to Western Pack, introduced me to his people, and gave me opportunities to demonstrate leadership and earn pack respect. This was not just about ‘supporting him through the crisis’. This was an audition and courtship combined.
"I am not asking you to reject your mate bond, Lisa," Adrian continued, his honesty almost painful in its directness. "I know that is complicated, maybe even impossible. The bond exists whether you want it or not. But I am saying that you have options. Real options. You could build something here, with me, with this pack. We work well together. You have seen that in these past days. And I would spend every day proving you made the right choice."
The offer hung between us, tempting in ways that had nothing to do with the mate bond pulling me toward Ryan but everything to do with genuine possibility. Adrian was offering partnership, respect, a fresh start not stained by rejection and betrayal. He was offering to choose me deliberately rather than be bound to me by destiny's whim.
"Adrian," I started, not sure what I would say but I knew I needed to say something. This moment felt important, like standing at a crossroads where the path I chose would determine everything that came after.
Before I could form words around the tangled mess of my feelings, Nathan appeared on the path, moving fast enough that I knew something was wrong before he spoke. His face was serious with barely controlled anger, his wolf visible in his eyes.
"Daniel just called," Nathan said without preamble. "There has been an incident at Moonstone Pack."
Cold dread flooded through me, my Alpha instincts screaming danger before I knew details. "What kind of incident?"
Nathan's jaw clenched, fury making his words sharp. "Sophia has returned. And she is claiming Ryan invited her back, that they are rekindling their relationship."
My head spun several times, what did he just say? Ryan and Sophia. Together. Again. The betrayal I thought I had survived was coming back to destroy whatever fragile healing I had managed.
"Daniel does not believe it," Nathan added quickly, reading the devastation on my face. "But the pack is in chaos. Wolves are taking sides with them and arguments have started breaking out. You need to come home immediately."