The She-Wolf Alpha (Book 1 She-Wolf Series)
Chapter 26

I woke up with the sun the next morning and got up to shower as I usually did. As I was blow drying my hair, the smell of bacon wafted over me and I smiled. I made my way to the kitchen where Emerick stood in a t-shirt and sweats at the stove. I wrapped my arms around his waist from behind and embraced him. He turned and gave me a kiss.

“How’d you sleep?” he asked.

“Like the dead,” I smiled. “How about you?”

“Well enough,” he said. “Ready for moving day?”

I released him as he turned back to his cooking, and moved to start the coffee.

“A little nervous,” I said, honestly. “But mostly excited. I haven’t even gotten to see the Alpha Residence. It will be nice to make it my own.”

Emerick nodded.

“It’s beautiful,” he replied. “It will be weird to be back there, I think.”

I stilled. I had forgotten what the house must mean to Emerick. His best friend had lived there his entire life.

“I’m sure you have a lot of memories there,” I said, finally.

“And hopefully many more.” He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.

I nodded.

We ate and dressed quickly. Since Emerick was working with my security team now, he accompanied me. My mom called while we were leaving to let me know she was on her way. The movers were following behind by an hour or two. It gave me a little bit of time to explore my new home and start planning where I would put furniture and belongings.

Emerick turned down a quiet road and approached a large, wrought iron gate with the letters “RC” emblazoned on it. I thought we were pulling into some sort of subdivision. As the car rolled down the tree-lined, gravel drive, I realized we were approaching a single brick mansion. This was the Alpha’s Residence.

It was beautiful. While most of the homes I’d seen thus far kept with a cabin-like aesthetic, this was a classic brick structure with large colonial pillars in the front. It was two stories and I imagined it boasted numerous bedrooms and entertaining spaces. The entire front facade was a large porch where I pictured placing rocking chairs to enjoy coffee in. The realtor and designer in me was itching to see the inside.

“Wow,” I breathed.

“It’s pretty, huh?” Emerick said beside me.

“That’s kind of an understatement,” I replied.

He grunted his agreement and we pulled to a stop at the end of the circle drive. I noticed two other vehicles already here. As I stepped out, a middle aged woman with red hair and bright green eyes, walked from the front door towards me. I recognized her as Serena Redding, William’s wife and technically my aunt.

“Good morning, Alpha Paulson,” she said brightly. “I don’t mean to intrude. I heard you were starting to move in and I thought you might want someone to show you around.”

“Luna,” I greeted her, bowing my head slightly. “Please call me Sam.”

“In that case, call me Serena,” she surprised me with a quick hug. “And I’m only the former Luna these days. I realize we haven’t had the chance to get to know each other yet, so please send me away if I’m bothersome. I’ve tried to clear out most of the sentimental things from my… Christian…”

She trailed off. It hit me that while I was moving into a new house, she was probably trying to cope with a stranger moving into her and then her late son’s former home. I felt immensely guilty at having moved up the timeline without thinking to reach out to Christian’s family to make sure they were ready.

“Samantha, don’t look at me like that,” Serena said as she took in my expression. “We knew you would move in here the second you took over as Alpha. As you should. You’re not stepping on anyone’s toes. I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. It’s all still a little fresh.”

Serena’s eyes looked misty but her voice was strong and sure.

“I’m so sorry for your loss and that I haven’t found time to tell you sooner,” I told her. “This all has to be very jarring for you on top of losing your son. As a mother, I can’t imagine what you’re going through, Serena.”

“Thank you,” she said, looking relieved. “But I think you have been going through quite a bit yourself, and I also could have made more of an effort. Can we just agree that it’s time we get to know each other a bit better?”

“Absolutely,” I smiled.

“Hey, Mrs. Redding,” Emerick came around the vehicle and greeted Serena with a warm hug. She smiled and squeezed him tight.

“Good morning, Emmy,” Serena returned his greeting.

Watching them embrace, I caught a glimpse of their close relationship. Emerick said he and Christian were best friends for most of their childhood. It made sense that he would love her like a second mother.

On top of that, Serena gave off such a calming energy that I’m sure many people were drawn to her. She was a well-loved Luna. I was looked forward to having her in my inner circle, even if I wasn’t quite ready to consider her close family.

When they parted, Serena turned towards the mansion and squared her shoulders.

“Alright. Let’s get to it,” she said and guided us to the front door.

We walked through the large entryway and into a massive foyer. Warm wood floors trailed their way throughout and a large curved staircase was the focal point of the room. Serena took a right and led us through a sitting room, dining room, and into the kitchen.

The kitchen was massive and top of the line. Custom cabinetry lined the walls and double islands called for gatherings around them. I loved to cook, and could see myself preparing meals for Luke and I on evenings I wasn’t busy with my duties as Alpha.

We continued on to a large family room where I decided I would place most of my living room furniture, and I pictured my family photos on the built-in shelving. Despite its great size, every room felt warm and inviting. I could feel the love that had been shared within these walls. It made some of the sadness I felt about leaving my own home lessen. Luke and I could make a life here.

After finishing up downstairs, Serena led the way up the back staircase. Apparently, a house this large needed two. Emerick split off from us before we ascended so that he could go check in with Jonathan who was setting up access to the gate for the driveway.

“So over here is the master bedroom,” she pointed out. “Sarah redid the bathroom and closet space a couple years ago . I think she did a very nice job. You are, of course, welcome to change anything you like though.”

I walked around the corner and was greeted with gorgeous white marble floors accompanied by a large freestanding tub and a walk-in shower made for a king. Several of my clients over the years would have killed for a bathroom half this nice, and many of them spared no expense. Beyond the tub, stood a closet with custom mahogany built-ins, equal in size to the bathroom.

“Oh Serena. This is gorgeous,” I breathed. “She had excellent taste.”

“I agree,” she said with a sad smile. “I’m going to let you go through the other bedrooms on your own if you don’t mind. I haven’t been back to Christian’s childhood room and I’m not sure I’m ready just yet.”

“No, of course,” I said quickly. “Thank you so much for the tour. Can I meet you downstairs in just a minute?”

She nodded gently and then made her way out of the room.

I stood in the massive bedroom, feeling the sunlight on my face from the windows that had a perfect view of the mountains in the distance. Mine and Travis’s home was large by any standard, but this was an actual mansion. In another life, I would have relished the opportunity to decorate every square inch and make it my own. Now, with with everything on my plate, the task felt daunting.

In the distance, I could hear a car pulling up the long driveway. A moment later the familiar tone of my mother’s voice carried to me. I ran down the stairs.

“Mom!” I exclaimed, throwing my arms around her.

She caught me, laughing gently.

“Hey, baby girl,” she greeted. “I’ve missed you.”

It had really only been about a week, but it felt like I hadn’t seen her in a lifetime. I held on to my mother for another breath before reluctantly pulling away. Serena slowly made her way over to us.

“Mom, this is Serena Redding, William’s wife,” I introduced her.

“Serena, it’s wonderful to meet you,” my mom gave her a quick hug. “Are you joining us in the unpacking extravaganza?”

“Oh, I was just showing Samantha around the house. I wouldn’t want to intrude,” Serena said, unsure.

“Serena, if you would like to join, you are more than welcome,” I told her. “Truly. But please don’t feel obligated either.”

She seemed to hesitate slightly but eventually said, “You know, that actually sounds lovely. It would be nice to see new life brought here.”

“Excellent,” I said, giving Serena’s hand a squeeze. “Let’s get to work.”