Fate's Pawn

Pt 4. Nomadic Pack

It turns out, Regina did like the strange humans; they weren't so bad. She had spent the past week with them, and nothing terrible had happened. She had food three times a day, an excellent bed to sleep in, and several humans to observe. There weren't any adverse side effects.

At first, Regina was always on edge. Constantly flinching when one of the pack members even raised a hand, hiding from everyone she didn't know and not eating until everyone else took a bite. She didn't want to be afraid of the pack, but she couldn't help herself; she was just full of anxiety for an unknown reason.

Everyone at the pack was so sweet, though. Marissa and Blake comforted her with every single one of her nightmares, even if it left them exhausted. Tyler was always there for company, whether she wanted to be alone or try meeting new people. Teresa was annoying, wanting to check on her wounds, telling her to rest or not to eat so much. But she also had kind eyes and would sneak Regina a little treat.

No matter what, these people had kind eyes. Even after Marissa and Blake got no sleep or a stressful day for Teresa and Tyler, they were never harsh. Their voices were soft, and their eyes had peace radiating off them. It made Regina want to trust them more, and she found herself doing just that.

Walking around the packhouse with Tyler wasn't so scary. She knew he was there and would protect her. Suddenly, meeting new people wasn't so nerve-wracking.

She still flinched when people touched her, but she did like it when she got pets. Teresa always managed to find the perfect spots that just made her melt. Tyler was also pretty good, but not quite as good as his Fated.

It had been a week. As time went by, Regina got more relaxed and comfortable with pack members. She could walk down the halls getting greetings without freaking out. That still didn't mean she was ready to meet someone, introductions, and all that.

So, when Marissa woke Regina up one day by saying, "Wake up, we have guests." Regina just buried herself further into the blankets.

Sure, she could walk around and see other pack members. But Tyler was almost always there, and there was time to meet them gradually. Surprise visitors that would most likely want to talk to her, no thanks.

"Come on pup, they are family of the Beta, and all the pack members are going downstairs to greet them. Besides, one of them may know more about your family. Wouldn't you like to know where you came from?"

Yes, but that didn't mean Regina wanted to meet strangers. She was still getting used to the pack, and she hadn't even met any of the leaders. If she couldn't meet the Alpha, how was she supposed to meet potential bad guys?

Marissa let out a sigh and left Regina to sulk. The pup wasn't required to meet the Neri's, but it would be kind. Attalo and Mavis had traveled from Montana to see them. That was at least six hours, depending on traffic and the roads. Still, she couldn't force Regina; she was dealing with enough anxiety.

Marissa was proud of how much the pup had adapted, but there were no signs that she would shift anytime soon. Until that happened, they couldn't work with her to figure out what had happened to Regina. Adding two strangers to the mix probably wouldn't help.

"No Regina Luce?"

Teresa called out as they continued together to the entrance hall.

"Nope, she just stayed in her blankets. I had hoped she would be okay if we were all with her but no dice."

"Well, we can only hope Attalo has information. Maybe if we find her family, Regina Luce would be more comfortable shifting."

Marissa's heart clenched, and she glanced down at her notebook. It was horribly selfish, but she didn't want Regina to go. She had been with Blake for almost eighteen years now, and they had no luck having children. They had given up, thinking they would never have a chance. Then Regina Luce was found.