The next day had settled into warm tones, and the sun was casting a gentle glow over the ever-busy Safe Water pack. As I stood in the verandah of our new home, I could feel the energy of the pack wrap around me like a comforting blanket, and it felt like I was being hugged.Brad came to join me soon after, and got lost in his thoughts, so I said nothing, settling into the moment with him. I glanced at Brad, my brown eyes filled with adoration, and I felt a sudden, suffocating sense of gratitude for the life we were building together. If things had not happened the way they did, we would never have gotten together, or perhaps we would have failed. “I love you, ” Brad muttered, walking over to pull me into a hug. “I love you too, and I'm so glad to be back.” Just then, I heard a peal of laughter from a little kid down the path, and I smiled, feeling the joy from yhat kittle spujd givwbny heart a squeeze. But amidst the joy, a pang of guilt gripped me. I hadn't had a chance to prope

The warm water from the shower cascaded over me, soothing my tense muscles as I stood beneath the showerhead. My day had not been the worst, but it had not been the easiest, and the sound of the running water drowned out the world outside, giving me a momentary escape from the chaos of the day. The water was hot, the way I liked it, anx steam filled the bathroom, wrapping around me like a comforting embrace, and for a moment, I allowed myself to forget the worries that had plagued my mind. After what felt like both an eternity and a mere second, I turned off the shower's stream of water and wrapped a fluffy towel around myself. Stepping out of the bathroom, I felt like I had just gotten a bit of renewal; as if the water had washed away some of the weight that had been dragging me down.While I was in the dungeon at Alpha Dan's pack, I had not had the opportunity to take showers every day, having had to save the water from my meals in the dirty bucket so I could use a cloth on my sk

"Hey, Layla!" Margot's cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink as she got up and approached me, a bright smile on her face. Wally, standing up and placing himself right next to her, grinned warmly in response, and I caught myself wiggling my brows.."Hi, Layla," Wally called. I smiled coyly at him, and in the way of an explanation he offered up a few words. "I bumped into her earlier this morning; we were both watching the kids play. I recognized her, so I decided to say hi. Why, just before you came, Margot and I were just talking about some of the activities we could organize for the kids in the pack. We realized we have a lot in common when it comes to our love for children.""That's wonderful! I'm glad you're making friends. Margot is one o the best people I know, for sure. " I exclaimed, genuinely happy for both of them. At least I didn't have to orchestrate a meeting between the two of them now, and my matchmaking skills couid take a break, since a meeting had happened authentically

The air outside the healer's hut felt fresher as Brad and I stepped out, the calming scent of the healer's herbs still lingering on my skin. The fresh air was a nice contrast to all the mists and scents and aromas that were in the healer's hut, but my relief did not last long.Her warning about potential danger from someone close to me weighed heavily on my mind, and as we started walking towards the pack farm, I couldn't shake off the unease that had settled inside my chest. Now I felt like instead of solving the problem, she had just amplified it, made things a lot worse by making me more paranoid about all of my friendship."Who do you think Healer Ruby meant by 'beware of friends,' Layla?" Brad asked, his brow furrowing in concern. I remembered just then that he had come to the healer with me, and I felt a lot of relief that he had. "I can't imagine anyone in our pack wishing harm upon you. We've all been through so much together. And the people you call your friends are people yo

As we walked towards it, the bonfire flickered warmly in the center of the pack's gathering spot, casting dancing shadows on the faces of the pack members who had come together for a night of laughter and each other's company. As Brad and I arrived hand in hand, the sight of familiar faces brought a sense of relaxation to my body, and I unclenched, unaware that I had even been clenching on the first place.Near the bonfire, asides from the usual Kimora, Lee and David, I spotted Erin, Eric, and Remy, the siblings of the outcast pack before we disbanded, their smiles wide and infectious. It had been a while since I had seen them all together, and their presence added to the joyous energy that the bonfire had going on. We approached them, the crackling fire coloring our faces with its golden glow.Erin, the most outspoken of the trio, wasted no time. "Well, well, look who decided to grace us with their presence. It's been ages since you two were out and about together. Are you finally do