Stranger Yet

Chapter 20: Denied

***Authors note:
I swore I posted this already but I guess I didn't??? Anywho, enjoy***

It didn't take long for Ian's good humor to lift Ayra out of her slump. She was starting to understand why Ian had been assigned as the president of the ''welcome wagon committee", a title Ayra had internally given him.

The pack house was even larger than Ayra could have imagined.

There was a basement, where there were two theatres. One was a movie theatre, which surprisingly, only the older people used on a regular basis. The other theatre was used for plays, which some of the children and teens would put on for adults from time to time. There were a few separate living rooms. The most popular one was the biggest one, which could be found at the front of the first floor, through the main door. That was the preferred movie room for the teenagers. There was an arcade, a library, and a lounge/bar area for the adults. There were almost 200 single bedrooms, and about 20 larger family spaces, set up like apartments. There was an indoor swimming pool, near the back of the building, a gym, an indoor tennis court and a basketball court down the hall from the swimming pool, and in a seperate wing, there were the classrooms, separated by age group. You name it, the pack house had it.

Ayra was stunned. Ian explained that there was also a few different gardens outside, but told Ayra that since it was lunch time he would have to show her those later.

Ayra agreed that food was in order and hoped they could beat the rush.

Unfortunately, the group arrived just in time for worst of the rush. All of the elderly of the pack had already grabbed their plates, and next were the smallest children. Most of them were sitting at the children's table playing with their food.

Ayra ignored all the eyes on her as she fell in line to get a plate.

"Many of the families here have simple kitchens in their apartments that they can use, but most prefer to have community meals."

Ayra nodded as Ian continued, "Most the time, the ones that skip out on community meals are the new mates-- we all go through the honeymoon phase." Ian shook his head and laughed. Ayra smiled and nodded at him to show him she was listening before he continued to explain other cultural or 'fun' facts about his pack. She could hear love in every word.

"For lunch and dinner, we always have the elders served first, then the youngest. After that, the healthiest of the pack go through. Our Alpha always gets his food last, not because it's expected though. He says it's his job to make sure that everyone is well fed before he gets his share. That's the humanity in us. Our wolves would have it the other way around, if we let them run things." He laughed.

With that new information, Ayra looked back at the end of the line. Tiernan was nowhere to be seen.

"Sometimes, someone might come late and it might not happen exactly that way, but we try. Breakfast is the only meal where it's a free for all and that's only because everyone gets up at a different time." Ian could talk a lot once he picked up speed, and Ayra, though she tried to keep up, was quickly left behind by his passion.

As Ian talked, Ayra took the plate prepared for her, and followed Ian to a nearby table. Most of the spaces at other tables were filled, but this had 8 empty spaces. Ian and Ayra took up two of those places. As Ayra sat, someone pulled out a seat next to her.

"Hey, Ayra! Remember me?" A blonde, peppy young woman shoved her hand at Ayra enthusiastically. Ayra's brows furrowed as the took the woman's hand. Ayra's nostrils flared as she picked up the woman's scent, and just like that, she did remember.

"You're that wolf that I-- from the Dire house, right?"

"Ally. And you can say it: 'The wolf who's ass I kicked."' Ally laughed again. Across from them Ash sighed, defeated.