The door opened, and he stepped in, holding a file folder. He greeted with a small nod of respect and a smile, “Luna.”
Kira smiled back warmly. “Hey, Ryker. What do you have for me?” she asked, gesturing for him to sit across from her at the desk. They were currently in the main office, downstairs.
Ryker took the seat and flipped open the folder. He had been the one guiding her on how things worked, teaching her and showing her so many other things since Bryan and Aiden went on their business trip. Kira was genuinely grateful for his support and help, she truly wanted to do good.
“I wanted to go over the housing situation for new members,” Ryker began, spreading some kind of chart in front of her. “We have had a few new wolves join recently… refugees from neighboring packs, and they need permanent places to stay. The Alphas are also aware of this but because of their meeting, a decision concerning this has not been made yet.”
“How many are we talking about?” Kira leaned over, scanning the chart as she asked.
“So far, twelve. Mostly families, but there are also two line wolves.” Ryker responded, taping one of the columns. “Right now, they are staying in temporary places in the pack, but we will need to find or give them a permanent place to call home in the pack, which is of course also their home now.”
“I see,” Kira nodded. “Do we have space for everyone?”
“We do, and more building plans are coming up for more buildings,” he assured her, flipping to the next page, which showed and detailed the available homes. “But we will need to rearrange some things like two homes that require repairs, and we might have to ask volunteers to assist with renovations or pay someone. Any of which works.”
“Okay, so have they been checked? Can they be trusted?” She asked and sat back in her chair, crossing her arms thoughtfully. “I mean, how do we know they are not a threat?”
“We have run background checks on all of them.” Ryker said, giving her a reassuring look. “No red flags so far. Most of them lost their old packs in battles, some were treated badly and to sum it all up, all of them are seeking new homes, not trouble.”
“And what about the lone wolves?” Kira pressed. “They can be… unpredictable.”
“That’s fair, I understand your concern,” He admitted. “But we have been keeping a close eye on them since they arrived. So far, no signs of trouble or disloyalty. We will also need to introduce them to the pack during the next gathering to help them settle, a proper introduction so there won’t be any issues later. Old members get to know who the new members are.”
“Sounds well thought,” Kira nodded, satisfied with what she was hearing. “I just want to make sure we are not bringing any danger into the pack.”
“I understand you perfectly,” Ryker said with a smile. “We always take precautions and if anything feels off, we will act fast.”
“Very well then,” Kira smiled back.
“I will continue now,” Ryker informed her as he was about to continue telling her the information she would need to know.
“Please.” Kira said, and he continued.
“Okay, so usually, we handle these requests through the council, but as Luna, you can make the final decisions on these assignments,” he explained to her and slid a sheet toward her. “Here is the list of available homes.”
“So, I just decide who goes where?” She asked, tracing a finger over the list thoughtfully. “That seems… important.”
“It is. It is also about being practical,” Ryker replied. “You will want to match people with homes that fit their needs. It indicates that the leadership cares. We want to make the pack as comfortable as it can be for everyone.”
“Wow,” Kira let out a breath. “I can’t imagine I will be great at assigning homes,” she gave a small chuckle. “But I will try my best.”
They went over more details, such as how to handle the repair requests and assign everyone to their new homes. Ryker patiently answered every question Kira asked, clearing up every confusion. His calm way of helping her, made her feel more confident.
By the time they finished, it was already noon. “It might be a good idea for you to meet them yourself too,” Ryker suggested. “You can get to know them, make them feel welcomed, and even build a connection right from the start.”
Kira nodded, “You are right.” She agreed, her lips curving in a small smile. “Let’s do it now, I’m not busy.”
“Okay.” Ryker muttered and stood up, as did Kira.
Without hesitation, she grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair, shrugged it on, and they exited the office together.
The visit was a productive one as Kira greeted them warmly, making sure that they all felt welcomed, including the lone wolves. She also took her time, speaking with them and learning their names. While she noticed the sharpness in the two lone wolves’ eyes, there was no hint of hostility.
Ryker also stayed at Kira’s side throughout the interaction, in case Kira would need his help with any helpful input.
After ensuring that everyone was settled and comfortable, Kira exchanged some final words and soon, they were done and now on their way back to their homes.
At first, Kira had no idea what she was going to say to them. Surprisingly, when she opened her mouth to speak, words flowed out easily, and she had never been more proud of herself. “This Luna thing is not that hard,” she had thought to herself after they were done.
“That went well. Very well,” Ryker remarked as they walked back. “I always knew you had it in you.”
“It did, thank you. I was surprised, myself. And I am truly grateful for your help, guidance, advice, literally everything.” Kira said with gratitude. “Plus, they seem like good people.”
“Thank you, it’s an honor.” Ryker said to her, “And yes, they do seem like good people. Hopefully, they continue to fit in just fine.”
“I hope so too,” Kira murmured.
Soon, they reached an intersection, which made them both stop as Ryker gave Kira a respectful nod and bid her goodnight. “Goodnight, Luna. I wish you a good rest.”
“Goodnight, Ryker,” Kira replied with a warm smile. “I wish you the same.”
With that, Ryker turned and headed to his home in the other direction. While Kira resumed walking, heading back to hers.
As she walked back, she enjoyed her little stroll alone and the cool night air that brushed against her skin. Taking a deep breath, Kira could feel the peace of the moment.
Just as she stopped in her tracks to admire her surroundings and enjoy more of what she was feeling, she felt a firm hand slide around her waist from behind. The fingers pressed a bit possessively against the curve of her hip, and the touch was slow.
Kira immediately froze, her body stiffening at the unwelcomed contact. She felt so angry, and her lips curled in irritation. She spun around sharply the instant she felt the touch, and yanked her waist free from the grip.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” She snapped.