I sighed and leaned my head back on the head-rest, we were finally on our way home. Only one person was on my mind and I couldn't wait to see him. These past few days without him have been horrible. We left as soon as we finished the ritual, Alexis and Julius understood so they lent us a car so we didn't have to run all the way back. I was extremely grateful, I didn't think I would be able to run all that way again. Julius is sending the builders along in the morning and to say I am excited about having proper houses for everyone is an understatement. We have already decided to keep it pretty simple, our pack doesn't really care about the wealth of things as most packs don't, we have gone without it for so long that we don't really need it.

The pack house will be the grandest of them all, as it will house all the wolves who don't want to live with their families or don't have a family and it will be the main meeting space for visitors. Pack members won't get their own house until they find their mate. The mated wolves and families will all get to design their own houses, helps to make them more comfortable in their new house.

I looked over at Thrain in the driver's seat, he was relaxed, one arm on the window and the other on the steering wheel. There have been plenty of times where I was weak and wished that he was my mate, but then my brain kicks in and I remind myself that he is basically my brother.

I frown when I remember that he is going to leave when we get back home, he is going to take the car and head to our old pack lands. From what I've heard, they are still abandoned, no one wants to take over the land because it was in the mountains and extremely hard to defend. We didn't have a problem with it, maybe because we grew up there. I ordered him to take Tom and Eric with him, I know he can take care of himself but I reminded him that he is now Beta and he has to think about the wellbeing of the pack as well as himself, he knew I was right.

"Stop frowning Lyssy, or you will get wrinkles" Thrain looked over at me with a smirk

"Shut up train" I smirked right back at him when I saw his jaw clench and a frown appear on his face.

He always hated that nickname, when I was really young, I couldn't pronounce his name so I called him train, it stuck around when I wanted to annoy him.

The boys in the back were snickering behind their hands, not wanting their Beta to see their amusement.

"Are you glad we are going home?" I asked the boys

"Absolutely" Tom peeked his head through the gap between the seats and grinned "I can't wait to help build everything"

I shook my head, Tom was a very talented guy, he could make anything out of a piece of wood. He is hoping the builders will teach him some stuff so he can get a job in the nearest city to help the pack. I can't get a job because I will have the pack to run but anyone that can will be getting a job, only if they want, I won't be forcing anyone to work if they don't want to. Thrain has already taken part of our first stipend and invested it, he is very smart with numbers so I trust him to get a good return on it. He will invest some of each stipend until we can stand on our own feet. I don't want to lean on the royals for too long.

"I won't lie, I was hoping I would find my mate" Thrain gave me a small smile and looked back to the road.

"You can't lie, not to me anyway" I joke, hoping to erase the sad look in his eyes.

"I lie to you all the time Lyssy"

I gasped and put a hand over my heart in mock hurt.

"You lie to your Alpha, Thrain?"

"I would never lie to my Alpha" He shook his head "My sister on the other hand, all the time" He sent a cheeky smile to the boys in the back who cracked up in laughter.

I slapped his arm "You're a dork"

"You love me"

"Debatable"

We chatted for a while longer until Tom and Eric fell asleep in the back seat, I snorted, good guards they are. The car settled into quietness, the both of us lost in our thoughts.

*****

Time passed quickly, we swapped drivers every few hours so we were all well rested. By the end of the second day, we arrived at our borders. Thrain stopped the car and Tom exited.

"Tell patrol that it's just us. I would mind link but I don't want to scare them" I smiled, we hadn't mind linked yet because we were too far away and doing it now while they weren't expecting it would cause mayhem.

Tom nodded and ran off into the trees, Thrain started the car again and we crossed the border. Four large wolves trotted beside the car as we made our way through the territory, I could hear loud talking and cheers as we got closer, I smiled at Thrain, seems the pack is glad we are back.

As soon as I stepped out of the car, a loud howl rang out into the night. A welcoming howl, to let everyone know that their Alpha has returned to them. Our pack didn't run like most, we were all very close and no one was left out of anything. We tried our best to be happy, despite our circumstances, we are alive, we have each other and we have food, nothing to be unhappy about.

I howled along with the rest of them, the cacophony of sounds ringing throughout the forest. We would go on a pack run later, running together as a pack was the most exhilarating thing, everyone playing in wolf form, our natural instincts taking over our bodies.

Once the noise had quietened down, I had everyone's attention on me. I opened my mouth to begin explaining what happened while we were gone but I was interrupted by a little body ramming into my legs, I didn't have to look down to see who it was. My heart fluttered when I looked down and saw his face. God, I missed him.

"Hey little wolf" I picked him up and set him on my hip.

"Hi Lysa, I missed you" He nuzzled my neck, breathing in my scent.

"I missed you, so much" I held him closer to me and kissed his hair.

Marty is an orphan, I found him three months ago just outside the borders. We had word that a family was coming to us for help. I had guards waiting for them, but instead they heard screams for help. I could feel their fear and quickly made my way to where the sounds were coming from, what I saw, I pray to god that Marty never remembers. Feral wolves had snuck up on them and attacked. I got there just as the father's throat was torn out, they had advanced on the mother who was laying over a young girl's body, my heart broke when I saw it and I shifted into my wolf and tore through the feral wolves within a second. I only saw red, the family was pretty much already a part of my pack and for them to be so close to my borders and getting attacked was unacceptable. At that point in time, I welcomed the haze, I just wanted them gone.

I went up to the mom and saw that she was severely wounded, I knew then that she wouldn't make it. She looked up at me with glassy eyes and thanked me, then told me to look after him. Then, she was gone. I sniffed around the area and found little Marty hiding in a tree, crying his little eyes out, at only three, he knew that his entire family was gone. From that point on, Marty hardly leaves my sight. He doesn't trust many people but when he does, you get the most dazzling smile. It brightens up your entire day, it doesn't hurt that he is extremely cute.

I looked up at everyone after my little trip down memory lane and saw them all staring at us with a soft look in their eyes, the women all had tears in their eyes, everyone had taken a liking to him, it would just take a little bit longer for him to warm up to everyone else.

I cleared my throat to make sure everyone was listening.

"Thank you all for the fantastic welcome, I'm glad I'm home. Now onto business, we are officially a pack, as you know from the phone call, but we can now all mind link each other, so if anyone needs anything just contact me" Everyone cheered and I saw some of the kids trying it out with big smiles on their faces

"Our name is The Blood Moon Pack - I'll explain that later - in the morning, a crew of builders will arrive from the palace. All mated couples and families are able to design their own houses, anyone who wants to live in the pack house are able to design their room any way you want it. Also please give me suggestions about what kind of buildings we need around the area"

Everyone cheered and yelled and ran off to their tents to start their designs. I shook my head in amusement, they all acted like kids sometimes. Thrain patted me on the back and said goodnight, it was getting late, I could feel my body becoming heavy.

I looked down at Marty and noticed he was looking at me with an excitement filled smile. His black hair hung down to his shoulders, he won't let me cut it, and his big brown eyes were heavy with sleep.

"What are you smiling about cutie?"

"I get to live in a house again" I had to fight to keep the smile on my face at his words, they cut me deep.

"Yes you do"

His smile dropped and he looked down "Will I have to share a room?"

"Why would you have to share a room?"

"The other kids said that because I don't have a family, I will have to live with all the other kids without a family and I will have to share a room"

My heart broke, kids could be so cruel.

"Don't you worry, little wolf. You will be living with me, I am going to take care of you from now on"

I had decided when we were away that I would officially adopt Marty as my own. I know my mate might not like it, but I have a connection with Marty and I won't let anyone come between us. He will be my son the day of the introduction party.

His eyes lit up at my words "I get to live with you?"

I nodded my head and smiled at him.

"Will you be my new mommy?" His dead dropped onto my shoulder in exhaustion

"Honey, I could never replace your real mommy, she saved your life. How about I be momma Ally?"

His head bobbed up and down and a yawn escaped. I chuckled and began walking to my tent, time to put the little wolf to bed. I kissed his forehead and placed him on my bed. Even though I wanted to lay down with him and sleep I had paperwork to catch up on, plus I had to design the pack house, including my room and the offices. I sighed and left my tent, time to catch up with my duties.