Chapters of a Life: There's no place like home

15

I hate mornings, transitioning from glorious obliviousness to harsh reality, sucks. It's almost been a month since we arrived here or should I say since I became Alpha because my Dad was murdered by Ewan. We lost so many that day, my chest burns when I think of all those gone. We made it out with less than 50, was it really only this Spring when I congratulated Dad on us having a 200 strong pack? I have asked the Goddess why every night but so far she has sent no answers, only bathes me in her glow.

The packhouse is in a small glade with a lake in the front and a mountain behind it. It has just been slapped up and everyone is staying in it, never have I seen a more barren or simple building. Heck, even Pack Woulfe's den back East was a far sight better. Everyday life gets a little easier and harder. Adare is no longer Beta. Tim and Molly have stepped up. Fenian is having a hard time, Bea died fighting to ensure that the pups were safe. I don't know how much longer he'll be with us, every day he disappears for longer and longer periods, his brood can see it coming and go out every evening and call to him home if he isn't here, I can no longer join them.

The new Deltas are Alastar, Neco, and Yura. I have also introduced Thetas into the mix they are going to be our warrior's trainers, the first to hold this title will be Edgar, Naill, and Anna. Yea, Anna got away with us, Naill snatched her up as he ran, turns out he has had a crush on her for years. He prayed she was his mate. It took a Witch, a Warlock, and a Fey working together to get her collar off, but they did it. The scars under it were horrific, Dane was not her mate and had tried to force the mark. Heather says she will take care of the scars but we all still wonder how someone could do that to someone they claim to love. The circle is full but not set, my Beta and Delta blood are too young to take their positions, but they come to the meeting and are well on their way.

Somedays I feel more exhausted getting up than when I laid down.

The good is coming, the pups have fewer nightmares, the orphans are asking about their parents less and less, and having a roof over our heads is a good start on making us a pack with a territory rather than a band of nomads. Speaking of nomads, a group of them came into camp yesterday. They were mostly women and pups, the few males were young. Their pack had been destroyed, they had been on the run for months, not unlike Neco or the wolves from the packs back East. They are not bad wolves just looking for a pack, a home. Just like that we are above 50 members and are out of room in the packhouse. Winter is bearing down on us Fall is here and the leaves have already turned their sunset colors, the crunch is heard with every step. We lack so much, even a simple rake is seen as a luxury.

I was kept out of the loop on so many things, Dad had a plan. He had sent males out here several times with supplies and tools. They had built a couple of cabins but it seems a forest fire destroyed them late this summer, so much for planning. They did manage to place some food stores in a small cave behind the cabin, turns out that is where the food from my cave went, at least a bit of it. At least we wouldn't starve this winter nor any other if the ground is as productive as it appears. We have seed and our dried vegetables but we need to hunt. The problem is we don't know the area, only Pavel and Erik do and we are mainly a group of young wolves, pups, untrained females, and only a few trained hunters, trackers, or, warriors. I have set out as many as we can spare I pray that they bring back meat, I pray harder that they just come back.

Finally, the Goddess has sent us a sprig of hope, this morning I was awakened by a whinny and snort. I shot up off the floor, threw open the door and burst into tears, there at the door was Stud and a mass of animals. Horses, sheep, goats, cattle, chickens, pigs, several domestic dogs and cats, two mules and some donkeys. I didn't even question his menagerie instead I threw my arms around his neck and cried, thanking the Goddess and Dad for looking out for us.