Nafarius smiled at her obvious appreciation. “It’s been in the pack for years. The original owner was a pack member that had it built. Back in those days we could live in the city and still run free in the surrounding wilderness. It was only as the city grew and spread out that we were forced to move further away.” Nafarius noted Sam scanning the surrounding area. “A few years ago we were able to buy the property on both sides and turn it back into a wooded area.” Grabbing their bags from the car, he said, “come one, I’ll show you the rest.”
It was the first time any of them except Nafarius had been there. The inside of the house was as beautiful as the outside promised. The architect obviously cared about space and one room’s relationship to the next. Each room was spacious and seemed to flow into the next giving the impression of endless space and room to run – something a werewolf would appreciate.
They had gathered in the living room; a large room with thick carpet and deep leather seats it invited one to sit and spend some time. Nafarius indicated that they should all take a seat but remained standing. Addressing Seth and Jake, he said, “I know we went over this before but I have to reiterate. You must remain in human form at all times. While the grounds are heavily forested there is not the assurance of privacy here that we have at home. Over the years, I’ve installed various security measures and upgraded as necessary but they are not fool proof and there is no guarantee against trespassers. If someone should come across you in animal form it is likely that they would either shoot or call animal control. Either way, there would be little we could do to save you. Are we clear?”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Nafarius seemed satisfied that his warning had been taken seriously. Indicating that they should all follow him, Nafarius gave them a quick tour of the house. There were several smaller rooms, a library, a garage with two cars besides the SUV they’d arrived it and even a hot tub off the back deck. Upstairs were the sleeping quarters and three full bathrooms.
There was room enough for everyone with plenty of space left over. Nafarius and Sam took the master suite with Alex and Maddie next door. Seth and Jake decided to share a room. As single males, they spent most of their nights at home sleeping in the common area, neither one of them wanted to sleep alone.
“I need to run a few errands, will you be alright?” Nafarius watched Sam as she explored their new quarters.
Sam flashed him a smile over her shoulder. “You forget, this is my city, I’ll be fine.”
Nafarius glared at the reminder and crossed the room. Sam gave a squeak in surprise when she found herself picked up and crushed against her mate’s chest. “Just remember,” he growled, “you’re coming home with me after we’re through here.” Not giving her a chance to reply, Nafarius pressed a quick kiss on her lips before dropping her on her feet and striding out the door.
“Humph!” was all Sam could think to say before going back to her unpacking. That done, she went in search of Alex and Maddie.
Nafarius dropped Jake and Seth off downtown. The boys had enough cash on them to keep them busy for the better part of the afternoon. Tomorrow, the group would set about the business of resupplying the pack; some of it they would take back with them, and the rest would be shipped to the building in town. For now, he was content to let the two young men experience and explore the city.
Nafarius spent the next couple of hours with his attorney. Once he’d agreed to join Sam in the city he decided to use the time to take care of some business, including updating his will and setting up a life insurance policy. He needed to know that if anything happened to him Sam would be taken care of.
His last stop was a quick meeting with Thomas, one of the historians in charge of recording and maintaining the history of the lycanthropes. Thomas wasn’t a werewolf, his animal was a leopard, but as the historian for the Pacific Northwest region he remained neutral and Nafarius knew he could trust him. Quickly, Nafarius explained the situation with Sam and asked Thomas to do some research. Thomas agreed to take a look; more importantly, he agreed to keep his findings confidential until speaking with Nafarius. Nafarius left feeling hopeful that within a day or two they might have some answers.
Back at the house, Nafarius found Alex sitting at the dining room table, an assortment of books and papers spread out in front of him. “Where’s Sam?”
“Out,” Alex didn’t bother to look up.
Nafarius felt a sliver of alarm. “What do you mean out?”
Alex had spent the past two hours trying to wrap up his entire life, both personal and professional. Unlike Sam, he had a number of family ties that he couldn’t just sever. He was tired from talking to his mother, making excuses to his sisters and avoiding his brothers. That, combined with trying to come up with a plausible story to explain his future absences, caused him to miss the quiet warning in his leader’s question. “She took Maddie, said she wanted to go out and do some shopping.”
“And you let her go?”
Apparently, Nafarius’ growl was sufficient to get through to Alex. Looking up, he found his leader standing in the doorway to the kitchen, gripping the frame hard enough to crack it. “I didn’t try to stop her, if that’s what you mean.”
“That’s exactly what I mean. It’s your job as a member of this pack to protect your mistress.” Nafarius took a slow, stalking step towards Alex.
Alex, recognizing that things were about to go very, very wrong, stood. “With all due respect, Sam can take care of herself. I trust her.”