Big girls don't cry (Aleida series #1)

40. A beta for my thoughts

Aleida POV

"How do you suggest we get hold of him and also make him volunteer to come with us without saying a word?" Luis asks uncertainly.

"That's simple," I answer. "Like you, Michael has made a promise to me that his loyalty is only with me. He's not a traitor, and I know he'll keep his word. Besides, he's prepared reasonably for how to get to our new home. The only thing we need to focus on is getting him out of the Blood winter pack without being discovered."

"And how do we do that?"

"We don't do anything. You stay and keep an eye on the border as we have determined while I get in to pick him up."

"But alpha, we can't just let you do this alone!" a young man exclaims with a face full of worry towards his alpha.

"It's okay with me, dear friend, this is my mates' pack, and they won't hurt me. I will be surprised if at all they manage to notice that I'm there," I answer calmly. "In and out, ten minutes tops!"

Luis nods slowly, scratching his chin in thought. He wrinkles his nose from time to time before he finally relaxes. With a sigh, he purposefully nods this time.

"Okay, but if you're not back in ten minutes, we're going in to get you," Luis says.

"That's fine by me. If I know Michael right, he'll already be at the border waiting for me to come back. Even though this wasn't in our plans, it's the best option we had for me to get out and leave without having everyone searching for me."

"But, they are searching for you."

"Yes, in the Rose moon pack. But we're not going there, are we?" I ask, smirking.

Luis smirks back before he starts yelling out orders to our new pack members. I walk behind a tree to shift and put my clothes in my mouth, standing in front of them, waiting for everyone to turn. When I realize we're ready for departure, I howl lowly to indicate that we should now start moving.

We all run together in a group; Luis is by my side all the time, prepared to attack if anyone so much as dare to look at me the wrong way. I feel powerful and confident when my big paws pounds against the damp forest surface. We're one with each other.

Each of us no longer has anything to lose; therefore, we're prepared to die together if it were to be so. Even though I hope it won't have to go that far. It'll take at least half an hour for us to get to the rendezvous point.

The idea is that my pack will stay there while I pick up Michael, and then we'll come back there. It's a bit silly to call the people my pack because I technically don't have one yet, but I honestly don't know what to call them otherwise...

The distance is, in any case, no problem for me. I skip logs and duck for branches. My wolf and I are united, which makes the trip more comfortable. When we see the meadow, we slow down. The others stand on ranks in front of me, and I give them a quick nod before I proceed toward my old territory.

Just as I've previously assumed, Michael is at the border, sitting on a stone with a book in his hand. He looks up hastily when he hears me approaching. When he sees that it's me, he throws himself at me in a hug.

"Where the hell have you been?! Kian and Miliano have been so worried–"

"It's time to go, Michael. Are you with me or not?" I interrupt him.

"Always, on my honor, alpha," he answers with a knotted hand over his heart.

"Good, time to go."

I pull him with me, and we run towards the rendezvous point. We arrive in no time. Luis comes up to us and asks if someone saw us. When I calm him, he introduces himself to Michael.