Chapter 4
Over the next several days, Lucy met more people than she could possibly even try to remember. She couldn't recall names, but she tried to at least be familiar with faces.
She hadn't returned to DeLane Industries just yet. Apparently it was fairly common to get human visitors there, and she was still having some trouble anticipating her shifts from human to wolf and vice versa. It was actually Lucy's idea to lay low for a little while longer to get better control of herself.
She wasn't exactly bored though.
Jackson had given her lots of reading material. Pack histories and general werewolf lore, maps of current territories, lists of DeLane Pack members by rank... she felt like she was back in school.
"Little one, we have to know where we come from to know where we are going," Jackson had told her a few days before.
She had almost laughed at the cliche until she realized he had been serious.
Lucy found she was having a more and more difficult time keeping herself in check around the Alpha. Her wolf's desire for dominance seemed to grow with each passing day since her Turning. But she knew she had to control her urge to talk back or show him any hint of disrespect. After all, he was the reigning Alpha of a powerful and substantial pack. She knew he deserved every ounce of respect she could muster. He was a worthy mate. And a strong leader.
The DeLane Pack was huge. There were hundreds of members. But Jackson somehow seemed to know every member individually.
"I've had many decades to learn about them. And it tends to help when I can more or less read their minds at will." He had grinned at her conspiratorially.
She was sitting in the library, reading up on the Smithton Pack when she heard a crash from somewhere down the hall.
Lucy poked her head out of the door and saw a skinny Omega in a nearby closet attempting to get out from under a stack of boxes that had fallen on top of him. She jogged over to him and started moving the boxes.
"Oh! Madam Alpha, I'm fine! Please! Um, it's okay. You don't have to--" The young Omega stammered.
Lucy cut him off with a raise of her eyebrow and a challenging look.
I'm helping you, and that's final.
She thought to him. Her wolf was firm and would tolerate no argument.
He gulped and nodded. Lucy could feel the relief wash over him. When all the boxes had been moved, Lucy reached for his hand and pulled him up.
He gave her a shy smile. "Um, thank you, Madam Alpha!"
"You're welcome, Gil," Lucy replied aloud. She wasn't sure who was more surprised that she knew his name-- Gil or herself. She hadn't even bothered to probe his mind for it.
Hopefully all this studying is finally paying off
, she thought to herself as he bounded away, eager to avoid embarrassing himself in front of the Madam Alpha.
News of her Alpha status had traveled around the pack fast. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if all the packs globally were now aware of the second DeLane Pack Alpha.
Though werewolves were incredibly good at keeping secrets from the humans, they were absolutely horrible at keeping secrets within the pack. Or at least the DeLane Pack was horrible at keeping secrets from each other, anyway. News, any news-- even the most mundane details of what was served in the cafeteria at DeLane Industries-- spread like wildfire. Lucy thought it was just as well though; life seemed a whole lot less stressful when you didn't have to worry about what you said and to whom.
Of course, specific security details seemed to be somewhat confidential, and Lucy was fairly certain Jackson maintained his own secrets as Alpha, but by and large the pack was an open book-- at least among its own members. Lucy had only been a DeLane for a few days when she'd heard all about so-and-so's crazy nightmare, or this person's gambling problem, or that person's mate's erectile dysfunction.
Actually she could have figured out that last one on her own. The other thing she was learning about werewolves is that they love sex. Any time. Anywhere. In the middle of the garden. In the corner of the dining room. Lucy had been very alarmed the first time she saw a public coupling like that, but Jackson had barely shrugged, apparently only noticing after Lucy had said something about it.
She was just about getting used to the routine nudity. The first time she saw Aunt Mae unclothed, though, she just about had a conniption.
"What, you think you're the only one around here who's still got it?" The old woman had joked to her with a wink. Lucy chuckled at the memory.
Pine Creek really was starting to feel like home.
Lucy continued to mull over her recent experiences as she cleaned up the boxes that had befallen the poor Omega and stacked them back in the closet. One box came open and Lucy found dozens of security cameras inside. All of the boxes appeared to be of identical size and weight. There must have been well over one hundred cameras, all told.
Well, they certainly take their security seriously
, Lucy thought.
She finished up and went back to the library to continue her study.
Around midafternoon, she felt Jackson through their mate bond.
"Ah, my lovely Madam Alpha. I trust you are well? Hopefully keeping abreast of pack information?"
Lucy laughed at his formality. It could oddly be such a turn-on sometimes.
I should have known you can only think about keeping 'abreast'.
"Oh, I intend to keep two breasts in particular, little one."
Lucy giggled at the wordplay. She started to feel a little frisky from their flirting.
You know, Alpha, I've been meaning to explore the boundaries of our mate bond a little bit more...
"Oh?"
Lucy could guess how Jackson must have looked, one eyebrow cocked and a devilish grin forming at his full and luscious lips.
Mmhmm.
Lucy moved from her seat and nearly pranced down the hall to their bedroom. She closed the (newly replaced) door and stepped in front of the full length mirror at the corner of the room.
Tell me, Alpha, what do you see?
Lucy could feel how pleased Jackson was with the view.
"I see you're adjusting to the regular lack of clothing quite nicely."
Lucy smiled and bit her lip, staring into the eyes of her reflection as if it were Jackson in front of her in the flesh.
