Leader of the pack 2: Protected

The forgotten outpost

The day was spent with nearly everyone asleep. They took turns watching over the others or caring for the babies. Soon, night was upon them. Darwin glanced toward Eren as he woke up. Stumbling toward the fire were the scent of coffee pulled him, he flopped down. The bearded man handed him a cup.

"I've been thinking." Darwin began.

"Hold up." Eren held his hand up for the other to stop talking.

"I need more coffee for this!" He downed the first cup holding it out for Armin to refill. After taking another sip he turned to Darwin.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked as sincerely as he could.

Darwin caught the slight edge in the alpha's tone. He rolled his eyes.

"Wolves are nocturnal. Wouldn't it be better to travel during the day? The proctor is more alert at night." He offered.

"Yeah, but so are we." Erwin sank down beside the man to explain why they were doing things this way. Eren tuned them out as he met up with his mate beside the babies. Pan was cooing in Levi's arms as Chiyo watched sucking her fist. Ariel was still sleeping. Eren touched her slightly pudgy cheek.

"Oh, I just finished feeding her." Rigor said. Eren nodded.

"You make a great uncle." He smiled at the tall lean man. Rigor looked startled, a slight pink coloring his cheeks. Levi snorted.

Eren picked up Chiyo to feed her. He didn't talk much to Levi. Instead they sat beside each other, their shoulders pressed tightly together. The babies appeared happy to be with them. Once they were fed, changed and situated inside their box seats, Levi called everyone together.

"It is going to be hard for the humans tonight, no moon." Levi pointed out.

"Ugh!" Jean groaned.

"Won't that weaken you?" Darwin asked. Levi started. No human had ever guessed that.

"My mother was raised with him." Eren reminded them.

"Yes, it will. But it also means they will be weaker too." Levi sighed.

Darwin scratched at his head with the handle of a knife he was using to peel an apple.

"It sounds to me like you are in the same boat as them, but they have far more resources than you do." He growled.

"Look, we are stronger together. We're a pack!" Levi snarled.

"Well, pack leader." The sultry voice of Nils came from the woods nearby. "I think it's time you used us." He added.

Lights lit up the area around them. Levi startled, realized they had gotten so many vehicles close to them without waking a single wolf.

"Oh, you lot were all awake." Nils walked up to him. "We pushed them into place." He reached out to ruffle Levi's hair, he got an elbow to the ribs.

"So what do you purpose?" Erwin asked.

"That you stop thinking like wolves. That's what they expect. You need us." Nils insisted.

"Kenny isn't going to like this." Armin shook his head.

"Kenny isn't the one I'm worried about." Levi hissed. The pack looked at him. He glared out into the night. He had the feeling for awhile now.

"What is it?" Eren asked.

"We aren't headed to meet Kenny." Levi turned to look at his mate.

"There are still two alphas that run the Ackerman pack, don't forget." A sly smirk twitched over his lips.