A New Wolf Life (Completed)

Ch 22 - Worth the Wait

Copyright to VedaPettigrew

The Challenge had been going for about a week and I hadn't yet had a chance to have a proper chat with Joan. Everyone was so busy and all over the place, but we were on kitchen duty together today so finally we would be able to discuss her future.

I had spent the week contemplating Fiona's reaction to the news that had spun me off my axis. She had been so matter of fact about the initiation, that in a way it redeemed Dominic. I still couldn't bear the thought that he wanted to do something so awful to me, but at least now I had some added context.

"Hello Luna Luna," Joan came in the kitchen and I immediately went to give her a hug which she returned happily. I had been making up for lost time with all my Starfish and rarely saw them without hugging them, squeezing their hand or arm, stroking their hair or just patting their shoulder as they went past. Silver and I were hungry for physical affection and saw no sign that it would abate.

Sophie, Letty, Kitty and I had gone to the children's compound yesterday to allow the rearers an opportunity to all go and watch a match between a warrior from Forest Frontier and Jack. Jack was the brother and cousin to two of them, and a regular visitor to the compound, so all the rearers and children loved him and wanted to support him.

It had been like immersion therapy in affection. We cuddled, chased, laughed and played silly games, inside and outside, showing them our wolves. Silver had been in seventh heaven, surrounded by children even though they hadn't got their wolf-pups yet. She was so patient with the younger ones tugging at her fur, or kicking her as they clambered on her. She just gently nudged them with her snout, helping them up.

It had been a wonderful afternoon and the rearers had been very thankful, Jack had got through to the next round so they were buzzing with excitement.

As good as it had been, I still hated the compound. Children belonged in real homes with their families.

"So what are we cooking for tonight?" Joan asked.

"Hmm, the menu saayys..." I checked the calendar, I'd organised a plan and written out instructions for each meal, "Baked potatoes, salad and creamy chicken."

"That's fairly easy," Joan rubbed her hands together, "Hurray to not peeling hundreds of potatoes." She went to the walk-in fridge to pull out the chickens while I grabbed the deboning knife and some cleavers.

A short while later, we were making good progress and I was brave enough to begin, "Joan, I have a proposition for you. You can absolutely say no, and you definitely shouldn't say yes before you've heard everything."

She looked at me curiously and I laughed at the piece of hair stuck to her face that she couldn't remove with her chicken fingers. "Okay, you've successfully caught my interest."

"Well, Dom...." I flicked my eyes to Kurt and Harry my protectors for the afternoon to see if they caught my mistake, they were stone-faced as usual. They weren't friendly or unfriendly, they just took their post seriously.

I continued, "Alpha Alpha has suggested to me that you would be a good person to join me when I go to Black Lake..."

There was as clatter as she dropped the cleaver, looking at me with her mouth open.

I smiled, "I told him how you helped with organising the forms that time, and that you pointed out some things to improve my Nursing Tent schedule for the Challenge. He thought your methodical mind would be an asset to my new role."

I wouldn't mention the 'personal omega' part, she probably wouldn't think of it as odd, but every word counted in trying to re-educate the image they held of themselves and I wouldn't ever use derogatory terms like that.