Xander

This whole ordeal has been stressful on my mate. It was obvious in the amount of weight she had lost but that won't last for long.


Her squirming drew my gaze down to her body, sun rays filtered through the curtains and landed on her face. She hadn't opened her eyes but I could see her moving them.

Smiling at her cute antics, I gently tucked her into the safety of my chest, away from the sun. She relaxed moments later and I went back to my thoughts.

There's lot to be done concerning the packs. I had three packs under my control and moving them to one location is too risky. Most of them won't be comfortable moving from all they know especially Antonio's pack. We may have rescued them but that doesn't mean that they trust us. There's also the probability that some people actually liked his reign and harbour some resentment against us.


Leaving them as they are would mean that the people I have come to recognize as family would be separated. I don't think my mate and I are ready for that. She has finally found the pack members that she's always wished for, I don't want duty and responsibilities to take them from her.

'You're thinking hard over there my love," Leila spoke. Her voice grouchy from sleep.


With a light chuckle, I turned to look at her. She was blinking at me, her eyes still clouded with sleep.

'What's wrong?"

'The packs. I'm thinking of the best move to make that would be in the best interest for every pack and their members."

Leila shifted, putting her body better on mine and her eyes became more focused. I held her closer, enjoying the warmth and softness of her body.

'What do you have in mind?"

'Nothing solid. Moving everyone to one location would be foolish and unwise, leaving them as they are would just mean that we would be separated."

Not only would our found family be separated if we go for the second option, we would be separated. Both of us staying in the same pack would just lead to unnecessary problems in the future and too much traveling.

We had not encountered any rogue as a pack but that doesn't mean that they weren't there.

'We could give them an option. They deserve it, the choice to choose whether to follow you or not," she murmured, her persistent stroking of my chest luring her back to sleep.

'And those that choose not to follow me, won't I be dooming them to a life of being rogues?"

'It's their choice… forcing them to follow you won't make you any different," she fell silent.

'Different?"

'Hmm?" Leila was really struggling to stay awake. 'Oh, from Antonio."

Doesn't my actions alone make me different from him? I came in with my pack and saved them, I'm here thinking of a better future for them and I'm the same as Antonio?! Frustration and anger started rising in my mind but Leila slept on. Undisturbed by my turbulent emotions.

‘You still won't give them a chance to choose the future they want. That's the similarity our mate is talking about,' Hala's voice was gentle when he spoke.

‘But I'm their alpha, it's my place to make the right decision for them!'

‘It is also your place to guide them and support them. This is the time for support.'

I knew he was right. Goddess help me but the thought of this people who had gone through a lot in the hands of two different alphas turning rogue didn't sit well with me.

‘I'm not comfortable with this.'

‘I know.'

‘I'll leave an invitation to my pack open for them any time they need it.'

‘The others will support you.'

‘You sound so wise and ancient this morning.'

Hala just chuckled in response. I relaxed, focusing on getting rid of any negative emotions, Leila shouldn't be disturbed because I'm having difficulty differentiating emotions from duty.

Concerned about my well-being, Leila hugged me tightly and placed a gentle kiss on my chest.

Smiling, I closed my eyes and basked in the contentment and warmth surrounding me.

****

'I miss madam Kimmy," I heard Leila murmur as I made my way into the sitting room.

Surprisingly, I had gone back to sleep and Leila woke up without my notice.

'I really want to meet this woman," Marenza said, the sound of her voice accompanied with the sound of spoon hitting a plate.

'Or eat her food. That's what Leila has been moaning about since morning."

I walked into the room to witness Marenza shooting Regan a playful glare and Leila giggling at Regan's guilt stricken face.

'My love, I'm only curious. Your cooking rules my taste buds, you know this," Regan pleaded, he had already moved to his wife's side.

Chuckling, I walked over to Leila and her sparkling eyes and placed a small kiss on her lips.

'Morning baby."

She beamed, 'morning love. Feeling better?"

'Yes. Thank you."

'There's no need for that," she patted the chair beside her. 'Sit beside me, Marenza had already prepared lunch before I got up."

Instinctively, my eyes moved to the window and the glaring sun outside was evident that I had overslept. A lot.

'You were tired, I didn't want to wake you up," Leila said watching me with a soft look in her eyes.

'It's just strange."

I turned from the window and placed a kiss on her head.

Marenza cleared her throat. Loudly.

'Good morning Marenza," she said, trying to mimick my voice. 'How did you sleep? Thank you for the meal. You know, there are things you should have said to me when you walked in here."

I was surprised by her teasing. Since we became adults with responsibilities, this type of moments reduced between us.

'I was getting to that you impatient brat," I replied, going with the flow.

'Need I remind you that I'm older than you?"

'Then you shouldn't be complaining this much when you're doing something for your younger brother."

'You…"

I stretched and grabbed a piece of bread from the basket in her hand and popped it into my mouth.

Marenza gasped, spun around so fast and glared at Regan.

'Regan!! Xander is being unreasonable again."

'Xander…" he swallowed the meat in his mouth, 'don't steal her bread."

Leila and I laughed while Marenza released a reluctant smile.

'You thief!!"