Chapter Twelve

They were not kidding when they said about their mates shopping habits, everyone was absolutely exhausted. I was surprised that we all managed to fit back into the coach with everything that was brought. The best part of it was seeing all the smiling faces and the love the pups felt from the pack from the way they had been treated.

Not only had the pups been treated to hordes of clothing and shoes they were also treated to toys, books, you name it they got it. Sarah and Chelsea along with Joe harassed me to look around for myself but I never managed too with all the pups wanting my attention, even with the other wolves with us trying to deter them away from me it was no use they were so used to falling back on to me for decisions.

Scott snuggled up to me I try to think about the wolf I saw at the mall again, trying work out where I know him from, I never managed to get a full look at him and never picked up his scent, so it was making it harder for me to place him. Luckily all the pups were occupied, and Sam and Conner were keeping Harry and Luke busy by getting them to show them how to use their new phones allowing me alone time to think.

The more I thought about it though, the more I felt I needed to go to the pack bordering the Evergreen Forest's. Val was insistent that we need to go there but not explaining why. Giving up I decide that it would be best for us to go for a run later on, to see if we could pick up any scents that we recognised along the border along the neutral territory, before we stepped into another territory.

That decided I find my mind wondering back to the pups and the wolves that have accompanied us. They have only known the pups for the day and have already fallen in love with them. I had watched how they were all interacting with one and another throughout the day and soon learnt who was suited to whom. Asking Freya, the she-wolf in front of me if she had a piece of paper, she passes it back to me with a pen. Getting to work I have to remind myself constantly this was for the best even if it was breaking my heart.

Poppy – Dean & Chelsea, Suzy - Rob & Gary, Aaron and Joseph – The Thompsons. Maria – The Lovedays, Charlie – The Smiths, Liam – The Fields, Taylor and Max – The Buckets etc etc…

By the time I finished scrawling down everyone's names and whom was their possible adopter I could feel the tears in my eyes, Val was a whimpering mess in my head. Taking a breath, I push the tears back and link the group of pups and explain to them about the possibility of being adopted and making sure they understood we were all family and would see each other every day. Finally getting them to understand and checking they were happy to go with whom I thought they would like to be with I find that we are already back and pulling up outside the packhouse. Lifting Scott up I follow everyone off as I try to decide on my next move and the best way to approach it.

"Right let's get all this upstairs. Probably best in the room opposite" the luna commands everyone around her.

"Wait" I say without realising and they all look at me confused. "Sorry, erm I don't think it all needs to go there, does it?" I look at Rob and Gary followed by a few other adults who look at me with sheer shock and watery eyes. "So erm…damn didn't think this would be so hard" I look up to the sky trying to control my emotions when I feel Joe rest a hand on my shoulder to comfort me, I haven't felt comfort like this for a long time and it makes my wolf whimper with joy, smiling at him I turn my gaze back to them all.

"You know you don't have to do this yet don't you?" he whispers only so I can hear knowing what I have decided, I nod letting Joe know.

"Ok pups why don't you go play for a bit I need to have a conversation with this lot." they look at me confused for a minute. "Why don't you go play with the other pups over there?" I point to a group of pups playing in the distance.

"We can play with others?" Squeals Sofia in her excitement.

"Of course, you can Sofia, all of you can" Sarah confirms, and they run off over to them apart from Scott who is still dozing on my shoulder and of course Poppy who is with Chelsea.

"OK. So, I have seen and felt how you feel about the pups and well. My question is if you want to adopt you need to tell me now because they have had enough time without a family -"

"You're their family Jennifer and don't you forget it. Even if one of them adopts them they will still want to be part of your life and anyone who adopts them understands you are part of the package" smiling at the alpha I take a deep breath.

"Ok Dean, Chelsea, I know you want Poppy and that is already sorted. Rob, Gary do you want Suzy to come live with you" they nod their heads vehemently. "Ok. Well, she would love you to be her new parents." I choke out and find that I struggle to catch my breath, I feel someone taking Scott out of my arms as arms wrap around me and I try to control myself. "Sorry" I stutter "I don't know what has come over me"

"Well at a guess. You are probably feeling a hundred and one things and your emotions are all over the place. Letting your family go is hard but understand if this doesn't work, we can come back to it. If the pups aren't happy, they can move back to you in the pack house. Do you understand? No one is going to think any less of you or them." Nodding my head, I shakily hand over the piece of paper to Joe as Sarah carries on hugging me, I didn't realise until now that I was shaking, and it feels nice to be embraced by someone older than me.

"Ok, well it looks like Jennifer is observant and has come up with a list of whom you may want to adopt and knowing her after her comment about Suzy has probably checked. I have a feeling she is right, so if you want to adopt come here and tell me who." I watch as Joe goes through the list, and I was a hundred percent right in who they wanted to adopt. Once they had gotten confirmation, they went off to talk to their new pups and to show them their new homes and rooms. "Oh, what about your siblings and the others, Jenni?" he looks around, but no other wolves are present.

"Well, erm…no one seemed to click with them. Scott only left my side when he was with you or Dean. Sam and Lily no one really spent time with them other than you and Sarah and the others, Conner, Sofia and the twins may still have a living parent or family."

"What?" Sarah gasps

"I cannot go into the details but all I can say is they got split from a pack. So, their family may be still alive. Well, I am pretty sure they are, but I don't know where yet."

"Joe, we need to get a notice out to the other packs." Sarah says excitedly.

"Can I think about it?" they look at me confused

"What is there to think about?"

"You see they were…well they were…" closing my eyes I try again "this is hard. Them and the pack they were in are in hiding. I was under strict instructions not to name the pack."

"By whom?"

"My parents. Sofia's Dad agreed with them before he died. Please don't force me, just give me time to think about it. If I tell you I would like to tell you the whole story and why it is important."

"The list of things for you to tell me is getting longer every moment I am in your presence, but I will accept it for now. I hope with time you trust me to tell me everything."

After Sarah had informed me that the rest of the bags had been placed in my room, she gave me permission to explore the pack grounds. Taking the opportunity, I do just this, I find that the pack grounds is very well established and make note of where everything is for future reference. When I stumble across their training ground my eyes nearly pop out of my head, its massive and well equipped.

They have a running track on the outside of their main training area where sparring mats are spread out and near the back there is a door leading to a fully functional gym with a huge section for weight training. This whole building has everything, and I do mean everything when I look to my right and see a full-sized Olympic pool through another glass wall and don't forget the shooting range on the left, I think my mouth drops open in shock.

"What are you doing here?" Dean asks popping up from my left and I realise that there are locker rooms either side of me.

"Sorry Beta, Sarah said I could explore, and I came across your training grounds it's amazing."

"I suppose it is. I think we all take it for granted as we get to use it day in day out. We do our main training sessions down there." He points to the sparring mats "I don't believe we have had a chance to tell you about them. Let me show you the schedule and explain how we group our training." Heading down the steps he shows me into the office where a very detailed chart shows who trains and at what time.

"So, we normally have warriors training in the morning and evening depending on if they are on patrol or not. That is run by Carl he is one of our skilled warriors. You don't have to really worry about that. So anyway, we train pups after school in defence only. So, we will need to let all the pups know. Sam and Conner will be training with the other teenage boys, and we will be starting to teach them attack moves soon."

"Girls as always are only ever trained in defence and depending on what age group depends in how in-depth the training is. With your age group we have added in some sparring and some attack moves that help you get away from the enemy but as you know females are not trained to be warriors." I role my eyes at him, it is so old fashioned, I know the male wolf wants to protect the female but given the chance some females would be stronger and better than some males. I for one was able to take out one of the most skilled warriors at the age of eleven.

"So, this gap here after dinner no one uses the grounds?" I question ignoring his rambling and pointing to the chart.

"Er…no. Why?"

"Could I say…Well what I mean is can I book it out? Is that something that can be done?"

"Why would you want to book it out?"

"Well, I have always practised with the pups, and it would be nice to have a safe place to do this rather than finding a place in neutral territory suitable." Though he tries to hide it I hear his faint growl before his eyes glaze over.

"Alpha Joe said that was fine that you can have that hour slot and he will notify others that it is a closed training session for now to give you space."

"Thank you."

"Right well I better be off. Luna has decided on a pack barbecue, so we need to go hunting."

"Oh, would it be ok if I head out with Sam and Conner and help. I have been training them how to hunt."

"You know how to hunt?"

"Well, it was the only way I could feed the pups. We were not allowed any of the pack food" I quietly state.

"You what?" of course Alpha Joe had to arrive at that time "You will never be denied here. And I will be talking to the council when you are ready to tell us in detail what they did. Alpha Rick and Red Moon need to be held responsible for their actions."

"I know but I am not ready yet. Soon but it's a bit too soon to talk about it."

"Ok. Alright I will hold you to that. I am afraid I need to take Dean now for the hunt."

"Is it ok if Sammy, Con and myself go hunting too?" I ask again now Joe is with us walking out of the training grounds.

"You don't have to but if you would like to, then that is fine with us"

Suddenly a strong scent hits me as we stand outside the training grounds, turning I gaze in the direction the scent is coming from and become mesmerised in a pair of baby blue eyes, I am soon snapped out of my trance as he looks down to where a she-wolf has latched herself onto his bulging bicep. 'MINE!' Val growls in my mind and I know we have found our mate, but he seems to already have a girlfriend.

'Val, can we talk about this later. We are not even of age yet.'

'He's mine' she seethes through our bond as we watch the she-wolf rub herself all over our mate.

'I know but he doesn't know it and he is already with someone. We need to think about this logically and I am not ready. Please understand. I need to sort the pups out first; our pups are going to new homes, and I need to concentrate on them at the moment. Plus, we are going hunting' I add on the end hoping that it will keep her content for now.

'I understand Jen, but I don't like it' she growls, sending her some love I link the boys to meet me, their excitement is tenfold when they respond.