Feral Attachments

Chapter 4

Isla

I let out a heavy sigh as I watch Arlo disappear back down the well trodden pathway and lose sight of him around the corner in the direction of the office building. I take a moment to look through the windows at the forest, the trees so tall they cast long shadows through the whole pack. It's beautiful here. Much more beautiful than any other pack I've ever been to. Most packs are about survival. There's no appreciation for nature. Every single thing is there for function, for protection. But just on the way here I saw a park for children to play on. The houses are strong, but have stone and flowers, just to make them prettier. I haven't seen many pack members yet, but it's early and with the weather I wouldn't expect to. 

I take a moment to lock the door, then turn to wander through the house. The main floor is pretty basic, kitchen, living room, dining room. I find the staircase and head upstairs. The layout of the home is similar to what I grew up in, so I'm not completely unused to it. But most homes don't have a second level. Wolves spend most of their time outside. We don't need large homes. But Alpha's usually have as many pups as their attachments can handle, so they always have a house with many bedrooms. 

As I walk around, I do notice some differences from my childhood home. The house I was raised in had two wings. One for my father and his sons and the other for my mother and her daughters. My brothers had large, spacious rooms mostly to themselves while my sisters and I had run down, ugly rooms that we shared between many of us. There was no privacy, no space, no where to be your own person. I love my sisters, but I rarely even stayed in our house. I usually slept in the woods, hidden by fallen trees or bushes in wolf form. That's part of the reason my wolf and I are so in sync. I allowed her to be in charge, to protect us when I felt like I couldn't. So now she trusts me to make the decisions for us, to keep us safe. 

I walk into a new room, a large bay window greeting me. There's something about this room. Maybe it's the soft colors or the warm glow of the sun through the window, but a sense of contentment envelopes me the longer I stay. I've never felt like this before. I've never stayed somewhere long enough to develop a sense of belonging, to feel safe. But something about this space makes me want to stay. 

I trail my fingers along the soft fabric of the bedspread. It smells clean, the whole room almost sparkling and I wonder how often someone comes in here to tidy up. There's a couple of doors, one is a bathroom and the other a closet I'm assuming. I put my bag down in a chair and slip off my shoes, the exhaustion of my trip catching up with me. 

Each time I move, it takes a toll on me. Physically, yes, but also emotionally. Wolves aren't meant to move around. Especially Omegas. We're meant to find a home, settle in, to build relationships. And an Omega's relationship with her pack is just as important as her attachment, if not more so. Bearing pups for Alpha's, bringing the next generation into the world is important. But being a Luna, caring for a pack and helping it thrive is almost more important. So, it goes against my nature to move so often. My wolf wants to find somewhere to settle, but constantly changing packs ensures no unattached Alphas can find me. It keeps us safe and free to live our lives however we want. 

I yawn and stretch, taking my coat off and pulling back the blankets of the bed, slipping in to the soft sheets. I've never slept on a bed that felt so amazing. I settle into the soft mattress, pulling the blankets tight around me. I traveled all night to reach this pack in time for my meeting with Alpha Atlas, so sleep catches up to me quickly. 

I'm not sure how much later it is when I stir from sleep. I groan slightly as I roll over, my body sore from my trip. I lay quietly for a moment before I hear a sound echoing through the house. It takes a moment for me to realize that it's a knocking at the front door. I don't need to look out the window to guess who it is. I wander down the stairs, taking my sweet time, hoping to irritate my unwanted guest.