Dead Luna
Chapter 14

Amelia's POV

The next day was the final day of the Alpha meeting, and after lunch it was time to move on.

I'm glad I chose the nearest pack to go to first, when I see the vehicle and the fellow travelers we are going with. In addition to Leo and I, and Silver Falls Alpha Craig Armstrong, we also had Beta Jimmy Schwartz, and Delta "tiny" Tim Fletcher (who was anything but tiny). The vehicle wasn't exactly a small one, but none of us would be considered petite by any stretch of the imagination. I was the smallest despite being 5'-10" with a large bone structure for a woman, and I definitely got it going on in the curves department. Leo was probably the smallest among the men, at 6'-2" and approximately 200 pounds of solid wolf muscle. I'm glad we'd be in this car for less than half an hour with me uncomfortably squeezed in the back seat between Craig and Leo, the latter of whom had his arms crossed in from of him, and was occasionally heard to be growling because Craig had taken advantage of the tight space and had one arm thrown across my shoulder, and I had rested one hand on the Alphas lap.

"I thought the rule was no inappropriate touching!" Leo informed me when I asked what his problem was.

"That rule is only for the Alphas to follow. I'm allowed to do whatever I like!"

"He's your i***t ex, isn't he?" Alpha Craig clarified, having cottoned on to what Leo's real problem was. "Yes indeed."

We stopped off briefly at the diner to pick up my final paycheck, so that I wouldn't have to come back again later. Leo went in with me, mainly because he needed to get out of the car so that I could get out, and because he seemed to feel that he was supposed to be my bodyguard or something.

My boss Greg was sad to lose me, but wished me well. I opened up the envelope to make sure everything was correct, only I was surprised to see the check was made out for a far greater amount than I expected. Almost double, in fact.

Greg saw my shocked face, and told me a customer had given me an extremely generous tip my last night here. Then he told me that if I ever needed a job, I was welcome to come back any time. We hugged farewell, and then I was squeezed back into the car again and we were on our way to Silver Falls pack, just outside Silverton, Oregon. Alpha Craig tells me a few things about his pack along the way, and he seems very proud of his little pack with its 420 members.

The area around Silver Falls pack was beautiful, forested, and the homes of the pack members were mostly rustic looking, but one could easily tell that they were well maintained and showed pride of ownership. Many had little flower filled gardens, or pots and window boxes bursting with brightly colored flowers.

The pack house itself looked like a gorgeous Swiss style chalet, window boxes filled with fuchsia, and great big planters to either side of the front door containing white candytuft and red geraniums. Everything was so charming, like an enchanted village from a fairy tale.

I was taken up to the Luna suite, Leo dragging our luggage behind him. Apparently he would be getting an adjacent room to mine, meant for the future children of the Alpha. He was grumbling about still being treated like a child, but I could tell he actually found it more amusing than actually annoying.

My room was beautiful, very "old country" with exposed dark wood beams in the ceiling and white plaster ceiling and walls. A comfy 4 poster California king bed was the centerpiece of the room, topped with a lacy canopy, and a handmade Dresden plate quilt adorning the bed. It wasn't a huge room and didn't contain much furniture, only a couple of nightstands, a dresser with mirror above, and a small sitting area near the bay window with 2 overstuffed armchairs and a small table, but it was homey. A door led to an en suite bathroom, also a bit rustic to go with the overall theme, but with everything a modern woman needs, as well as an adjacent walk in closet of modest proportions. I could certainly be comfortable here if I decided to accept Alpha Craig as my mate. And speak of the devil, Alpha Craig came in as I explored the room, happy to see my delight in his Luna suite. He grabbed my hand and spun me into his arms, then was kissing me passionately until I was breathless!

"So tell me, Amelia," he says, a come hither look in his baby blue eyes, my right hand somehow ended up buried in his light blond hair during our kiss. I think he looks like a Viking god. "How do I win the heart of my sweet maiden?"

I laugh, he's just so cute!

"Well," I inform him, "unfortunately for you, I won't feel the mate bond until I've made my choice. So you're going to have to win me the old fashioned way, but I think you are off to a very good start!"

A cough near the doorway brings me to my senses, and I take a step away from Craig. Leo, of course. Craig looks slightly miffed, but I carry on talking as if there isn't a third wheel in the room.

"You've got yourself one week to show me why I should care about you, your home, and the people of your pack. You should spend as much time as you can spare with me so we get to know each other. When you are busy with work, it should be arranged for me to meet with all your unmated pack members so I can help moon goddess to pair them with their mates."

I grab Craig's hand again and suggest he show me around his pack while we talk, which he agrees is a fine suggestion. Leo follows about 10 steps behind, as combination chaperone and body guard.

"Moon goddess has told me quite a bit about you and what sort of Luna you're looking for. An equal partner, she tells me. Someone strong and independent to help you lead the pack. But you also someone need a Luna with a bit of a fun and adventurous side, to counter balance with your serious nature. Apparently she feels you need to work on your work/life balance."

He laughs, recognizing that I knew him a lot better than he had expected. So then I tell him a little about myself and the things I like to do. He tells me more about his pack while showing me the places of interest, like the gardens, the little elementary school with its 50 students (grades K thru 6), and the training grounds. Craigs greets all the pack members warmly that we come across during the tour.

Apparently the older children go to middle school and high school in nearby Silverton. He's hopeful that the pack will grow larger in the next few years, and has plans to build a school for the upper grades within a few years.

"How many unmated wolves does the pack currently have?" I ask out of curiosity.

He thinks for a moment before giving me the answer. "19 men and 16 ladies. So 35 in total."

"I expect you'll be having a big baby boom coming in the next few years, right after the mating ball. So you better get started on that new school!"