Chapter One
A disgruntled sigh passed Arlo’s lips. He ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, intertwining them behind his head. His elbows softened the blow as he leaned forward on his desk. He used his thumbs to rub the place where his head met the top of his neck in order to relieve building pressure.
Frustration and exhaustion consumed his being over the passed couple of months. Sleep evaded him as anxiety captured his mind.
Forest fires had traversed through packs along the west. They swallowed everything they licked, decimating homes, temples, buildings. Families were torn apart and lives were destroyed. Everything that once held sanctuary for these people was now but rubble in the dirt.
Their alphas and leaders stayed behind, telling them that safety could be found in the east. Families migrated east, finding homage in different packs. Most families had heard of the resourcefulness of Arlo’s pack. They were rich in crops, buildings, and overall life.
Arlo was proud to be the Alpha as his pack welcomed refugees with open arms. His members were quick to show hospitality to new families. They opened their houses, allowing them to utilize whatever supplies they needed.
The pack house also became a sanctuary. It was a mansion, housing 75 rooms big enough for families of five. Each room had its own bathroom as well.
As more and more families sought homage here, less and less space was allotted. While his land was vast, it did not have enough housing. Therefore, tents had to be set up across his land to accommodate everyone.
Arlo met with his construction team when word traveled of the atrocity of the fires. He knew his reputation would lead most to his pack. He was not too proud to think everyone would come, but he was aware enough to know that his pack would see an influx of people.
Construction began the next week. It has been a couple months since the disaster, and housing seemed to be at a standstill. He knew subconsciously that work was still being accomplished, yet he felt as though it wasn’t fast enough.
He abhorred seeing people living out of tents. Yes, they were animals, but it didn’t mean they had to live like them. Their human side deserved more than sleeping bags and tents, especially as the rainy season flooded the grounds.
The temple used to worship their Goddess was now used as a shelter. Food was served every day. The older women of the pack volunteered to make new clothes for everyone. He had a sneaking suspicion that their voluntary act of service was spurred on by his mother who loved to chat with them.
This organized volunteer work lit a spark for other volunteer groups. They consisted of preparing food, child services, health clinics, and so many more. His pack was booming with life greater than ever before!
So then why did he feel so depressed and anxious?
He forced his mind to stop thinking negative thoughts and focus his attention on the paper work on his desk. Stacks of documents were sorted in groups. One group held information regarding the refugees who were housed. Another group consisted of refugees who were not. This stack was taller than the former.
To the right of his desk was information about construction plans. He feared they weren’t going fast enough. A new, overwhelming fear struck him that this new construction would not be enough to house everyone. New refugees were still coming, and only five new houses were built. He made a mental note to check on the construction in the morning.
Below this pile was a stack of paper related to his current pack members. They have mostly revolved around his people finding their mates and desiring his presence at the ceremonies. The alpha blessed the couple before their run in their wolves. These ceremonies were held once every couple of months; now, with the influx of refugees, the requests have doubled.
He couldn’t be everywhere at once. That he knew; however, he couldn’t help but feel he was letting his people down.
Picking up a mating request from the top of the pile, he got to work reading. His cousin, Genevieve, found her mate recently, and wanted him to be there this Friday. It was already Wednesday. He groaned in frustration and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands.
Eyes blurry with sleep, he signed that he would be there, sealed it in an envelope, and put it in another stack of letters to be sent out. He jotted this new information in his calendar and continued reading more requests.
“Arlo, baby?”
Glancing up, the soft candlelight glow illuminated his mate’s figure as she stood in the doorway of his office. Her hair was in a disarrayed messy bun and her body was clothed in a loose crop top and a pair of his old boxers. This was her usual attire for the night because she usually woke up feeling uncomfortably hot.
“Little wolf, I thought you were in bed.”
She ambled over behind him, placing her hands on his tensed shoulders. Her fingers dug into the knots spanning his shoulders and at the base of his neck. Arlo let out a contented sigh upon feeling her work out the pressure building in his body. Her strong fingers then moved to his neck, working out the knots.
Arlo felt as though he had died and went to heaven. His mate’s touch was firm and strong. Her fingers knew exactly where to be and what type of pressure to apply. He could feel his headache lessen as she continued to help him relax.
She moved upward to the bottom of his hairline where she scratched the area with her short nails. He loved that feeling. She ran her fingers up his head and pulled his hair, continuing the gesture.
He was not immune to his mate, his Samantha. They had been together for a few years, so she knew that made him relax through stressful periods.
She pulled his head back until it rested upon her chest. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. “I woke up not feeling you next to me. I figured you were still in here.”
“I haven’t left this chair,” he confessed.
Samantha frowned. She walked around him, planting herself on her lap so that she was facing him. Her hands rested at the base of his neck, playing with his waves.
Her grey-blue eyes locked with his. She found what she was looking for and decided to take action into her own hands. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Her lips skimmed up until reaching the shell of his ear. She bit down lightly on his lobe.
“Come to bed, Arlo. I feel your anxiety.”
“I can’t sleep, Samantha.”
“Then rest with me. The Goddess gave us rest for a reason. It enables us to be stronger for the journey ahead.”
“Little wolf,” he sighed, “I can’t leave this work behind. Our people need to be kept safe and have a wonderful life. I am responsible for them. My responsibility is to protect them along the way as well.” He looked away from her beautiful eyes. “I’m not living up to my role.”
“Arlo,” Samantha softly said, “you are taking on too much at once.” She palmed his face gently so that his eye focused on hers once more. “Our people are safe as well as jubilant. They couldn’t have asked for a better Alpha.”
“I feel as though I’m letting everyone down.”
“How so?”
“The refugees that have come do not have housing. They are without running water and are exposed to the wilderness. Some have small children. Pups, Sam." He looked down at her protruding belly. "They need better. They deserve better.”
“I understand, Arlo. I really do. I want nothing more than to have these people housed properly. But right now, in this moment at two o’clock in the morning, nothing can be done. Please, Arlo, rest your mind so that you can be of better help tomorrow.”
He shook his head. “What about the ceremonies? Planning needs to be done for them. This is the most important celebration of our wolves.”
“Baby, you know as well as I do that the ceremonies are not planned by you. You are working yourself too hard for no reason.”
He sighed. He had forgotten that his role was to unite the mates, not contribute to setting everything up. He was confusing his own ceremony with others.
He longingly looked at his stacks of papers. Half of his mind wanted to do more, but the more logical side knew his mate was right. Rest and sleep was the priority at the moment. Everything else could be pushed to later in the morning.
“I’ll come to bed,” he stated. Samantha’s eyes lit up with relief. “Only if you promise me you won’t allow me to sleep through my alarm.”
She kissed his lips and got off his lap. Her smile brightened the softly lit room. “Of course, Arlo.”
He squinted his eyes at her. “I’m serious, little wolf. I need to get up early.”
She smiled sweetly as he walked over to her. Reaching out her hand for him to hold, she waited for him. He approached and latched on with a firm squire that melted her heart. “Yes, baby. I’ll make sure.”
