Second chance mate

Chapter 28 (Final Draft)

She kissed her pup's head and tried to feed him again. As River had said, it was becoming easier to feed him and she had weaned him off the formula and it had been a couple days since he was only drinking her milk. It was satisfying to finally manage to do this and not have to rely on formula.

It was hard at the same time though. She had to watch what she ate and what she drank to make sure that he received all that he needed. But she pushed through. The same way that she pushed through everything else.

Cortez had left after she woke up, having been away from his own pack for far too long. She was happy that things were slowly falling into a routine and she had fallen back into a routine that comprised of her son and the pack. The pack spent time building the boundary wall, patrolling and after a meeting, on her orders, they took an area towards the west that would be converted in their source of everything growable. She wanted them to self-sustaining and protected as much as they could be.

She started pulling her weight around after office work and training. She needed to strengthen her body and the hard work was away to that now that she was actually capable of doing it.

"Alpha? May I speak to you?" Axel stepped inside her office. He looked up from where she was working on her laptop and took in his serious visage. "I have a situation I need to bring to your attention."

She gave a brief nod. "Come in and close the door behind you." Closing the laptop screen, she put her arms on the table and gave him her full attention. He sat down on the chair opposite to her desk and turned to her. He looked at a point just below her eyes, not having been able to meet her gaze head on ever since she had shifted. It was too intimidating, her very presence demanded submission from his very being.

"The biannual gathering is coming up." He stated, never hesitating to speak but knowing the sensitivity of the issue, he kept his tone completely submissive and respectful. "The pack has become slightly restless and doesn't know what you have decided since the topic hasn't been brought up."

HE paused to see if she would interrupt him. But continued when she didn't. "I have brought the request of the pack to know of our decision regarding this topic."

She nodded slowly. "Very well. I will inform the pack of my decision." She paused. "When I have made one."

He licked his lips, trying to gauge her mood and whether she would be receptive of his opinion. But she didn't give him time to speak. "Dismissed."

He stood up instantly and left. She was slower in standing up and her steps slightly unsure as she moved away from her desk and to the window. The biannual gathering for those unmated who might want to find their mates. Each time, the pack law held the gathering to allow all packs to send a number of them. The guests all intermingled and searched for their mates. She hadn't needed to go to search for her mate, luckily finding him in her own pack.

It wasn't really safe. If she sent some, the rest left here would be vulnerable. Not to mention it wouldn't be fair to anyone else. If she sent all, the territory wouldn't be safe. And she had no desire to go. No desire to watch everyone finding their mates while she stood alone. She would be happy for her pack mates but it would hurt. At least if she stayed home, she would know who had mated and be prepared for it long before they came back home. On top of that, she had to worry about losing pack members to their mates if they mated to someone higher in rank or for other reasons. For things they didn't have here. Security, protection, more companionship, family of their mates. She could understand but still their leaving would put her pack in more danger. The pack had her loyalties as a whole. She needed to take decisions for their betterment as a whole. Not as individuals. But if she didn't let them go to the gathering, they would come to resent her and their pack and might leave anyways.