Eli and I went to our room early. This weekend, while taxing emotionally, has been good for us. It’s the most time we’ve been able to spend together in weeks and when we return to our pack, we’ll have to get right back to long, tiring days. I keep my promise from earlier and finish what I started. It feels good to reconnect with my mate, to be able to shut out the world and let it just be him and me for a couple of hours. The next morning, we both wake feeling refreshed and reconnected. We join everyone downstairs for breakfast before starting to work on pooling our Guardian strengths. Rik wasn’t happy about having Cara participate, so Ailduin had me and Angel work together. “Angel, since you’ve done this with Cara, let’s see if you can direct Grace’s power as well.” Angel walks up to me, taking my hand. “Ready?” I nod, looking at Rik’s warriors that volunteered to be part of our experiment. Ailduin tells us to start with half of the warriors being protected by Angel and the othe

Grace returned from the pack gathering with an additional 16 pack members. Six of those are warriors and the other ten are omegas. Carlos finds a place for the warriors and begins training them, assessing their strengths and weaknesses. It’s an adjustment for them at first, our pack being so young and needing so much work. But eventually, they appreciate being needed and begin to enjoy building a life with their mate literally from the ground up. Grace easily found places for the omegas, especially as our pack is growing. They were excited to be able to build their own houses and if they have a skill, they have the ability to expand that into a business if they choose. The ten pack members that went to spend time with their mates chose to stay in those packs. Once they realized that Rik, Cara, Liam and Angel are good leaders, they were more comfortable staying. It helps that they were evenly divided between the packs and therefore have some friendly faces around them. Over the next

Fucking woodland sprites. I’ve never met a sprite before, and I could have gone my entire life without that shitshow. Of course, now, Grace has offered to let them spend time with our wolves. I'll have to order the patrols to stay on their watch and not go off having literal quickies with these damn creatures! “Do you think there’s any possibility that wolves could be mated to sprites?” Grace asks me as we head back to the packhouse. Alexander had shifted, much to the delight of the sprite twins, and asked if they wanted to meet him at the pond when he got off duty. I’m surprised they were able to answer through all their drool. “I have no idea. I would never have guessed that a 10-year old fae prince would be mated to a Guardian’s daughter, so what do I know?” I say, still feeling grumpy about this whole mess. Grace takes me hand and pulls me to a stop. She runs her fingers over my temples and into my hair. “Let it go, my love. They aren’t a danger. It’s just like being in a room w

I call for help and more pack members come to assist with the injured. Several of our wolves are unconscious and many are not healing because of bullet wounds. Only one looks to have been injured severely and I send him back to the pack first. I’m worried about Grace, but she seems unperturbed by the bullet in her shoulder. However, I’ll feel better once it’s out. I know we were both hit by wolfsbane arrows, but other than the injury taking a bit longer than normal to heal, I’m not feeling the effects of the poison. I’m beginning to truly understand Rik and Liam’s excitement when they talk about the gifts of being mated to a Guardian. I’m stronger and my body heals faster. After a battle like this, I should be feeling exhausted and sore, but I don’t. I almost feel rejuvenated. When we get back to the pack, we head straight to the pack hospital. When we arrive it’s chaos, and not just because it’s full of wolves needing medical assistance. Connor, Thomas’s wolf is standing, guarding….

When Grace and I return to the packhouse, I have to admit that the sprites are overwhelmingly appreciative of our assistance. Grace lets them know that they are always welcome, but especially if they are frightened or need assistance. Before they head back to the forest, I ask Funichio to continue to keep a lookout for hunters and alert us right away if they see any. He agrees happily, before flitting off to join his group. I notice the twins flitting around the back of the packhouse, until I see Alexander come down and join them before heading out into the forest. I’ll need to have a conversation with him soon about his involvement with the sprites. He needs to understand what he’s done and what it means to the twins. Sprites may not be my favorite creatures, but I’m still an Alpha and my job is protect those that need protection. The sprites are annoying, irritating creatures, but they are fragile. “Carlos, Noah, meet me in my office.” Now that our pack is settling, my office spac