Chapter Six

Alpha Joe POV

Finding everything packed up and waiting to go, makes me smile, we should be able to get out of here within the hour at this rate. Leaving my warriors to help my family get their belongings down to the cars. I swiftly move towards the cottage with Dean, worried that something is going to happen to them if we leave them alone for too long.

Reaching the front door, I realise that it is only hanging on by a thread and listen out for the pups, but I don't hear them inside, their voices seem to be drifting from around the back of the house, moving around it we stay hidden around the corner to listen to them. Rude, I know but something tells me we won't get the full picture if we ask the pups directly.

"Ok Sofia feed Poppy this for me whilst I go hunting quickly" hunting? Why the hell does the pup need to go hunting? Didn't they have any of the breakfast?

"Sis, do you want me to go check the snares? Conner can gather some fruit?" snares? Gather fruit? What on earth is going on? They should be packing, before she can answer her brothers' questions, we step around the corner determined to find out what is going on.

"Why aren't you packing" I demand confused which is nothing unusual with these pups, to my shock there is actually more of them than I thought, quickly counting in my head I count twenty-six of them. Why are there so many of them? One of them is a baby and the rest vary in age, none of them look like they have been well cared for and I find myself yet again fighting control with Godric.

"We are all packed Alpha Joe. I was told to be ready by noon" she sternly points out breaking me out of my thoughts, black rings sag under her eyes showing just how tired she really is. Did she ever get any sleep? Surely this wasn't just from last night.

"Jenni, she is not-" before the pup can finish her sentence Jenni strolls over to girl and plucks the baby out of her arms, humming a beautiful tune that I cannot quite place at the same time she scoops some paste up on her little finger from a bowl then slips it in between the baby's lips.

"We came to help you but seeming as you are done, we will get a move on now" the pups look at her in dismay as she sighs sagging with defeat, why the hell do they look so miserable?

"Alpha Joe, please can you give me at least thirty minutes just so I can feed them they have had nothing since-" she looks at her brother trying to think. Shit, I had forgotten about them talking about food. When the hell was the last time, they ate a proper meal? They're all skin and bones. My wolf snarls through our link snapping me out of my thoughts yet again and I cannot say he is over exaggerating either.

"I can't remember" her brother whispers and my anger increases within me again, I seriously need to get us all out of this pack.

"We will get something on the way" I state matter-of-factly leaving no room for argument but that doesn't stop the she-wolf.

"Not to be rude Alpha Joe but I have no money and cannot afford it. However, if you allow me, I can quickly hunt a rabbit and get them fed" feed them, nothing about her and a fucking rabbit would hardly feed all of them as it is.

"Your part of my pack now and we look after our own" the pups look at me hopefully, but I see the speculation in all of their eyes, they don't believe me, and I feel hurt from the mistrust. Godric pleads with me to make them believe us and to tell them that we will take good care of them. We will rip Alpha Ricks heart out for not taking care of them. After a few moments of patiently waiting, she nods giving in.

"Ok you lot grab your things. Sammy, you take Joseph and his things, Conner-"

"Let us help" Dean says stepping forward as though waiting for her to command him, which I find highly amusing and plan on mocking him about it later, nodding she points to the back door as she stalks towards it. The cottage is in a sorry state, much like the outside but the pups do not batter an eye lid as they gather a few bits up each as she grabs something off the wobbly table.

"My wolf" I hear a girl yell, followed by Jenni sighing behind me, in that moment I realise that I still need to thank her for saving our pups, with everything going on I haven't had the time, she must think I am ungrateful. Turning around I watch a tear-filled girl launch towards Jenni's legs as she carries on feeding the pup in her arms with some sort of paste. Why is she not giving the babe milk? I must have linked my beta as he soon replies Looks like they aren't given anything Alpha.

Realising that he is right as I observe the empty space, a growl escapes me freezing the pups to the spot apart from Jenni, idiot now I've scared them. Jenni stares daggers at me, shaking her head she gracefully moves passed me and back outside where she picks up a ratty old thing off the ground before handing it to the little girl who is still clutched to her leg, she only loosens her grip slightly to clutch the object to her chest, must be her wolf toy. Jenni then picks up two wooden carved toys and hands them to a pair of twin pups who run out after her.

"Sammy" I hear my daughter squeal as she dashes inside the front door without knocking straight to the boy. My heart melts as he squeezes her in a hug, before kissing her on the top of her head. How can these pups that have been so mistreated be so kind?

Going to help get us out of here quicker so the pups can become part of a welcoming pack, I start to feel out of place as I stand there unsure what to do whilst the teenage pup rounds up everyone including my daughter who has latched onto Sammy without any assistance.

Even my warriors just stare in bewilderment and glance at me every now again not knowing what to do. Now I feel less inclined to mock Dean about waiting for her to give him orders, the next think I know our mates walk in and gasp before they quickly school their expressions.

"Conner where is-"

" Hiding-"

"Take Poppy for me" she goes to pass the pup to the boy however Dean suddenly snatches her up in his arms lovingly and starts stroking the baby's cheek, Jenni raises her eyebrow at him but says no more before heading outside again, letting Dean and Chelsea coo over the baby pup while she goes to find whoever is hiding.

"Ok let's get you lot loaded up" I tell the room with no such luck though as they all look unsure at me and stare past me to where Jenni had just left. Realising they won't go anywhere without her; I go to instruct my warriors to take...wait where is their stuff. "Where is all your stuff?"

"It's all there" Sam says pointing to a sheet with stuff in, which is not a lot for twenty-five no twenty-six pups if you count Jenni.

When we get back, I am taking these pups out shopping my mate sternly links me and I nod in total agreement knowing even if I disagreed, I wouldn't get a say about it. We don't wait long for Jenni to walk back in with another girl and a small boy holding onto her hand.

"Ready?" I ask her, seeming as they seem to all follow her, nodding she heads to the door.

"All right you lot grab your allocated items and head outside in your pairs." She goes to grab the sheet with their stuff in it, but I grab it before she can, muttering she picks up a backpack from behind the sofa and places it on her back before lifting the boy up onto her hip.

Jennifer POV

I can feel the anger and hatred coming from the pack house as I step towards the SUVs and know that Alpha Rick and others are watching us. The back on my shoulders feels heavy in my state of exhaustion and I cannot wait to put it down. I'm just thankful that Sammy snuck out in the night and recovered my swords, I'm not sure how the other wolves missed them but I'm thankful no one took the, and Sam was able to find them.

After everyone had left the house, I had taken one last look around to make sure everyone had taken everything, it's not like there was a lot to take but each one of them had something special that meant something to them and they were all clutching onto them now. I can feel the waves of fear coming off the pups and it's not just them I can feel it coming off the adults too where they are unsure what to do.

I know if we do not get out of here quickly, Alpha Rick may change his mind both me and Valkyrie have a feeling that Alpha Joe and his pack are different from this one and we also had a feeling that we needed to be his pack. It is strange the way we feel as we did not know them for shit, but I trusted my gut and I trusted my wolf completely, and we knew this was the right thing to do.

"Can I ride with you?" Harry asks ducking his head as I smile down at him his sister asking my brother the exact same thing making Alpha Joe and Luna Sarah chuckle. I briefly heard the other woman Chelsea call her that when they were cooing over Poppy. Glancing across I see the beta still cradling Poppy in his arms staring lovingly down at her, ok well looks like she is going with the beta.

With Scott balanced on my hip and Lily holding my hand I realise that they will probably end up with me and if I remembered right the car would only fit five so he would fit if…the others suddenly squeeze in closer to me knowing that I was going to have to split them up and I could see none of them wanted to leave my protection. Looking at the cars I try to work out the best plan and glance back at Harry who has his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Yeah of course you can Harry. As long as its ok with your parents." He soon perks up and runs straight to his dad to ask, doubt forms in my mind, was Alpha Joe's intentions in taking us to his pack real or was he just helping because I saved his kids. Then again, I did not read this situation as a thank you, he generally seemed to care about us along with the rest of the pack he had with him. I watch as he nods at the kid and smiles at his excitement, before watching him sprint back to me shouting that he was allowed to be with me.

"Alright so I understand why the pups are waiting but I need whoever is going in each vehicle to be like at that vehicle or do I have to sort you lot out too?" the warriors suddenly jump into action darting to whichever vehicle they are going in making the pups giggle at their actions, even the alpha and luna have to cover their mouths to hide their amusement. Moving over to the SUV the pups hang back and wait nervously for me to tell them what to do, standing in front of the short dark blonde-haired warrior waiting by the back door I can sense his and his wolf's caring nature "Hi."

"Hi" he replies with an unsure smile as though he is unsure why I am speaking to him and not getting into the car but then I can feel the nervousness coming off him in waves and know that he is just as nervous as the pups, observing him for a few more seconds I know exactly who to put in with him and the other warrior waiting behind the wheel to go.

"Conner, Sofia and Suzy" I call to the group not letting my eyes waver from the warrior "meet Mr. er-" he startles briefly at my introduction of him before realising what I am doing.

"Rob, you all can call me Rob" he smiles, he has a slight twang in his accent, and I know that a certain someone is going to love talking to him and on queue she walks up to him holding out her hand she is one of the younger pups and knows I would not put them in a situation where they would be in danger.

"I'm Suzy" she quietly chimes, and I can already see Rob melting into a puddle of goo, the alpha and luna's eyes trail me as I carry on down the SUVs while Dean and Chelsea talk to Poppy. Last SUV filled I realise that myself, Sammy, Lily and Scott as well as the Alpha and Beta's kids have no vehicle to get into and a sudden wave of nausea hits me and the thought of this being a trick screams in my mind, they were taking the pups away from me. No sooner than the thought emerged it is squelched to nothing more than a murmur as a limo pulls up.

"Ok just so can take my role back. The rest of you in here with us" Alpha Joe says smirking as he opens the door up and letting his mate hop in, getting the rest of the pups in, I get in just before the Alpha. Poppy starts kicking up a fuss as soon as we start moving due to not being unused to the movement of the vehicle, the betas start to panic and find they aren't able to settle her even their son Luke tries to soothe her from his position, his eyes keep darting towards me and I can tell he wants to be sitting with the rest of us on my side but he doesn't want to be apart from Poppy either.

"Let me" I say holding out my arms for her, reluctantly they give her up to me so I can lull her to sleep, they all watch me and become intrigued with how quickly I am able to get her to settle. "Would you like to hold her again?" I ask Chelsea who is itching to hold her again, still staring at Poppy I stroke her silky-smooth cheek, before glancing up in time to witness Dean urging Chelsea to say yes, she playfully attempts to slap him but completely misses due to them both having their eyes trained onto Poppy.

"Yes" Chelsea whispers almost pleading with me for no reason. Stretching my arms out to pass her back over, she is soon snatched up by Beta Dean, making the alpha and luna chuckle but Chelsea growls playfully at him as she snuggles up to them both. Settling back into my seat I feel arms wrap around my waist as my sister and Scott latch themselves back onto me as close as they possibly can get, my brother edges in closer too, wrapping his arm around the other side of my sister. Harry is next to Scott holding onto my arm and his sister is hanging onto my brother.

Smiling down at them all, Valkyrie starts moaning in my head about how everyone has latched onto us, but I can feel her emotions through our bond and knows she doesn't mean it, she loves having the pups so close to her, her need to protect them as strong as mine.