Every Were Gets A Mate

Chapter 18

Cade kissed my cheek. "No, love. They aren't blind. They're just so focused in on scent that they tune out their other senses. It's something less experienced trackers do until they learn better. We joke about it because it is funny when they trip or walk into things. They get teased about it until they quit doing it."

So the pack was laughing at those trackers, not me. It didn't make me feel much better. I twisted my head to look at Cade over my shoulder. "That sounds mean, Cade. I don't think people getting hurt is funny."

Cade gave me a little smile and another kiss, this time on the mouth. "Not everyone is as sweet as you. But I think Jackson was actually trying to brag on me, since I don't need a spotter. I can pay attention to all my senses at the same time." He lowered his voice to a were private level. "Most of the time."

I thought of my super magnet and laughed. Cade grinned at me.

The man spoke, drawing my attention back to him. "I was trying to brag on him. I'm Jackson, by the way, Cade's lieutenant." He put out his hand.

I shook Jackson's hand without pausing to consider it first and was proud of myself. "Hello, Jackson. What does lieutenant mean?"

"Well..." Jackson turned and called a woman over with a small inward wave of his hand at his chest. She had short brown curls that bounced around her face as she walked over. "This is Laura, Cade's sergeant. She leads a squad, that's nine weres, including herself."

Laura put her hand out and smiled at me. "Hi, Jessica. Welcome."

I shook her hand. "Thanks, Sergeant Laura."

Jackson said, "Cade reports to Laura, and Laura reports to me. There are four other sergeants that also report to me. I report to one of four captains, who report to the alpha and second."

I imagined the pyramid structure and did the math. Nine people per squad, five squads per lieutenant, five lieutenants per captain, and four captains equals 900, plus two. I looked around at all the weres in the field. "Wow. That's a lot of people." I turned to look at the vehicles and tents behind us. "And a massive number of RVs."

Laughter filled the field again. James said, "Most RVs have three or four occupants, roommates. The campers can accommodate up to three, the vans sometimes two. We have tents of all sizes, from eight man to singles."

I asked Cade, "Do you have a roommate?"

"I do now." We smiled at each other. "But I didn't before, no. I had a van all to myself."

James looked at me. "Good thing for you."

I noticed everyone was smiling at us like we were cute and they knew what we would be doing in Cade's van. I wished they were right but pushed that out of my mind.

James said, "Anyway, it is a lot of people and equipment. The command structure keeps them all organized, makes sure that everyone knows what to do and is taken care of."

"Do you and Alpha Fidoro know Cade better than most of your pack? Because it seems like you're friends."

"We know and care about everyone in the pack like a friend. It's a lot of people, but there is a lot of time. Some we've known for many years. We meet the new members, talk to them and their families, get to know them before they join us."

It was mind-boggling. I didn't even know the names of everyone in Fury. "I can't imagine knowing the names of nine-hundred people, never mind anything more about them than that."

James grinned. "Don't worry. You won't be expected to learn them."

"But how do you keep up?"

"We all play, eat, work, and fight together like one big family. We all want the best for each other. Everyone knows everybody's business. That's why everyone is so happy Cade found you and so curious about you."