When | get to our room, | see Grace has already packed our bags. | love the sweet little ways my mate shows me that she loves


    and cares for me. Neither of us have had a lot of time, so it’s the little things, like packing my bag, that we do to show each other


    how much we love each other.


    | have a gift for my mate as well. | used some of my money to get her some clothes to train in. She’s been wearing her shorts


    and t-shirts but they aren’t going tost long with the grueling workouts we are having and now, going back for Guardian


    training, | expect it will only get worse.


    | take the clothes | had Summer secretly wash for me and quickly put them into Grace’s bag. | took the opportunity to get myself


    some much-needed clothing as well. Rik, Liam and Anders have been very generous in providing the things that we’ve needed


    to this point, such as the knife and chalice and the clothing for me, Carlos and Noah for our pack inauguration. But it’s time for us


    to be independent and begin taking care of ourselves financially.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    As I''m checking my bag to make sure | have everything | need, Gracees in. She walks up behind me, wrapping her arms


    around me.


    “Are you about ready?” She asks me.


    “Yes, because apparently my mate loves me and packed my things for me. | say, turning in her arms and wrapping mine around


    her.


    “How are you feeling about this trip?” | ask. We haven''t really had a chance to discuss this, or much of anythingtely.


    “Only a little nervous. Angel and Cara seem veryfortable with King Ailduin and Maia has some memories of him from


    Donovan, something about testing our strengths. If he can help me tap into our Guardian strength even more, it''ll be worth it.”


    We grab our bags and walk downstairs, saying our goodbyes to everyone before shifting and running the two hours to Rik’s pack


    lands. When we get there, Trevor and Maddison are there waiting for us, and they escort us to the packhouse.


    I''m a bit surprised to see Cara and how much her stomach has grown in just two weeks. She’s about a month away from having


    her pup, and it already looks pretty ufortable to me.


    “Good afternoon.” She says from her chair. “Angel and Liam just arrived and are


    getting settled. You are in the same room asst time, so feel free to drop off your bags, get settled and join us back here. Rik


    will be back in a moment and Ailduin and Aolis are due to arrive around dinner time.”


    We f get settled and join everyone on the back porch. The girls immediately begin talking about the mate gathering which is


    scheduled for next weekend at Angel and Liam’s pack. | know some of our unmated pack members are excited to have this


    chance to meet their mates, while others have indicated that they would like to stay and work, nning to join in the next


    gathering.


    “How many people should we n for next weekend?” Angel asks Grace. She turns to look at me. “I believe there are about 50,


    right?” | nod.


    Angel frowns. “Only fifty? | thought you had more than 100 unmated wolves.” “We do, but some want to continue to work on their


    homes. I''ll speak to them again and let you know if that number changes, but if not, for the second event we will have different


    folks joining. Also, my omegas wanted me to rify that they are wee at this event. | told them everyone was, but they will


    feel better if | confirm that with you.”


    “| have no intention of excluding anyone. Everyone is wee. It’s a mate gathering. I’m hoping all of our members find their


    mates, no matter their status in the pack.”


    “That will increase our numbers, but I’m not sure by how many. The omegas didn’t want to agree until they knew for sure that


    they were wee.”


    “| think we have about 75 members going, right Rik?” Cara asks.


    “About that. And we know that our pack members and yours, Angel, already have had the opportunity to meet their mates and


    haven''t found them, unless you have any wolves that have recently turned 18?” Rik asks.


    “We have a few, but mostly it will be the individuals that didn’t find their mates in your pack. I’m excited to have fresh blood.” She


    says, rubbing her hands and we allugh. “We''ll have about 75 from our pack as well, so if you only send 50, that still puts us at


    200 for the event. That’s a good turnout and if you send more, even better.


    Rik stands up. “Ailduin and Aolis are here. I''ll go meet them and bring them back here.”