46. Creativity

As Thomas followed Meave down the cobblestone path leading to her house, he felt the weight of their responsibility settling on his soul. As Beta, he was failing his Alpha, and he knew it. The air was heavy, not with the humidity or impending rain, but with the shared concern they both harbored for their Alpha.

Once inside, Meave offered Thomas a seat at her rustic wooden table. It was scattered with scrolls, a handful of worn books, and an intricately carved statuette of a wolf. The statue was symbolic of the unity and strength of their pack. Thomas knew she took it out whenever she needed guidance from the ancestors.

"Tea?" she asked, already halfway to the kettle.

"Sure," Thomas replied, his mind still riddled with images of a disheartened Gideon, forced to the sidelines of his own pack's training sessions. The look on his face in that moment, the total defeat when he retreated back to the rock almost brought Thomas to his knees.

Once they were both settled, steaming cups of her