RUDY

 

One month later…

 

It was the middle of the day. The sun was out and there wasn’t a single cloud to block the view of the clear blue sky.

Everybody in the camp was going about their day as usual. Some had left to gather. Others went fishing with George.

I stayed behind with the others and enjoyed the peace of the day.

“She’s already so big.”

The sight of Knox playing with Cassie in front of me never failed to put a smile on my face. The lead Alpha sat in front of the young girl as she continued to wriggle on the ground.

“Crawl to me,” Knox said in his silly voice. “Can you crawl to me, Cassie?”

He held his hands out playfully. My daughter didn’t respond though. She just sat there on all fours and looked around the camp with those innocent eyes of hers like she always did.

“It’s okay,” Knox said as he picked her up from the ground. “Because I can grab you!”

Cassie cooed with a big smile on her face as the Alpha held her up. I sat across from them and leaned back in my seat while they continued to play.

“It’ll be some time before she’s able to crawl,” I said.

“That’s all right. The longer she goes without crawling, the longer she stays out of trouble. Like her father…”

Knox gave me a knowing smirk. I chuckled softly and shook my head.

“There’s no need to insult Vesper when he’s not around.”

“Nice try…”

Knox looked at Cassie as he rocked her back and forth in his arms.

“…But you and I both know who I’m talking about.”

“I don’t intend on doing much more exploring. Not as much as I used to, anyway. Even if I did, you know the woods are safe. Some of the other packs have come out and talked about making peace with us. There’s no sign of the hunters.”

“I’ll extend an olive branch to all of those that come here. That doesn’t mean there aren’t still dangers out there. Surviving in the Timberlands is never a simple task.”

“I’ll always be there for Cassie. She has nothing to worry about.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t.”

Knox continued to focus his attention on our child. I watched in amusement until I heard a noise coming from the brush next to me. I turned to the side of the clearing and watched as Vesper emerged.

He wasn’t alone though. A man with messy dark hair walked by his side. He was wearing clothes as well as a slightly bewildered look on his face.

I got up to my feet to greet him.

“Saxon,” I said with a smile. “Welcome to the herd.”

The Beta looked around the clearing before smiling back at me.

“Rudy,” he said with a nod. “I’m glad to see you’re doing well. Better than I’m doing…”

“City dwellers aren’t much for walking through the woods,” Vesper said as he put a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been out here,” Saxon said as he looked up at the sky. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this far east from the city.”

“There’s a first time for everything. Come on.”

Vesper and I helped Rudy to the area where I was relaxing.

“This is Knox,” I said. “Knox, this is Saxon. He’s a friend. From the city.”

Knox’s eyes widened in surprise.

“The city?” Knox said.

“I’ve lived in Dirge for a long time now,” Saxon said. “I came all the way out here to see what this was all about. And… to see the little girl.”

Saxon moved closer to Cassie. She looked up at the strange Beta, her eyes wide with wonder.

“Such a cute little child,” Saxon said. “It doesn’t matter if they come from the city or the woods… They’re always so fascinating.”

“I’m glad you could make it,” Vesper said.

“Please,” I added. “Make yourself comfortable.”

The four of us gathered around in a circle with Cassie resting in Knox’s arms.

“There’s plenty to eat and drink,” Knox said to Saxon. “Please. Help yourself.”

“I don’t mind if I do…”

Saxon chewed on a small bag of fruits and washed it down with a gulp from a water flask.

“…Walking through those woods sure can take a lot out of you.”

“This must be important if you’re willing to come all the way out here,” Vesper said. “I was surprised when Megan told me you were interested in having a meeting.”

“Not a meeting. That’s a little too formal. I just wanted to have a friendly conversation.”

“A conversation?” I asked. “About what?”

Saxon stuffed another bite of fruit into his mouth and chewed on it.

“You know that York runs the shelter,” he said. “I help him out when I can. There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to help all of those young Omegas.”

“I’ll bet,” I said. “I feel that way with George.”

“You’re not the only one who feels that way. York and I made a lot of money in our past lives but it’s nothing compared to some of the most powerful men in the city.”

“The Alpha jaguars,” Knox said.

We all turned toward him.

“I’ve heard the stories,” Knox continued. “They have material wealth. Excessive and silly, if you ask me.”

“Some of them would agree with you,” Saxon said. “That’s why they befriended people like York and me. The richest one… His name’s Donovan. I don’t know what his story is but he’s doing everything he can to help the people in the city. And wouldn’t you know it, he’s starting to make some progress. The slums were the last place anybody would want to live in. Now they’re so pleasant that people are starting to move there willingly. It’s all thanks to the efforts of men like Donovan.”

I chuckled softly at the thought of it.

“Is that why you’re here?” I asked. “Are you asking us to move to the city?”

“You can if you want,” Saxon replied. “But I know you won’t. I’m here to discuss something else. Something I know you’ll be open to.”

“And what’s that?”

“Donovan heard about the hunters. It was a bad situation. It didn’t matter if it was taking place in the city or in the Timberlands. Nobody should have gone through what you did.”

“It’s over now. We don’t have anything to worry about.”

“You have no idea. Donovan wants to ensure that it never happens again.”

“How would he do that?”

Saxon gave us all a friendly smile as he chewed on another piece of fruit.

“He has an offer,” he said. “Peace between all of the packs and herds and sleuths and skulks and whatever groups may be hiding out here in the Timberlands. He’s not asking anybody here to move in together. He just wants there to be a sustained peace between those who live in the city and those who live in the forest.”

“Wow…”

I said one word but not much else.

“An intriguing idea,” Knox said. “One might say it’s overly ambitious.”

“Ambition is the only way Dirge was established in the first place. A man like Donovan never got to where he was without it. Nobody ever did.”

“Then what are you asking of us?” Vesper said. “We live in peace. What more can we do?”

“You don’t have to do anything more. Just know that if you ever need help, there are people in the city that can provide that help for you. Even if it’s not someone from your herd. If they can’t make it out here in the Timberlands, Dirge will be more than happy to assist.”

I looked at Knox.

“You’re the lead Alpha,” I said to him. “What do you think?”

Knox’s eyes were lost in thought, his face pointed at the ground. After a few seconds, he slowly started to nod.

“The herd is at peace,” he said. “We’ve made peace with the surrounding groups. And we have a bear protector that will shield us from any danger.”

He glanced at Vesper.

“We welcome your friendship and any of those in the city who wish to offer it. In exchange, we extend our hands out to you.”

“Thank you,” Saxon said with a nod. “We won’t be planning on asking for much from you. We have everything we need in the city.”

“Just as we have everything we need in the forest,” I said.

Saxon smiled at me as he stuffed another piece of fruit into his mouth. He looked around again, examining the camp with a curious eye.

“This place is nice,” he said. “The air is so fresh out here. I think I’ll spend a few days out here.”

“We welcome your company,” I said. “I figure we owe you that much for everything you did for us in the city.”

“Yeah… This is the life…”

Saxon leaned back and lied down with his hands behind his head. I chuckled softly at the sight of him then picked my daughter up from Knox.

“How are you?” I asked my daughter. “Are you doing okay?”

She stared at me with an open-mouthed smile, her eyes locked on me.

Vesper put a hand on my shoulder and kissed me on my cheek. I turned to him and smiled. Neither one of us said anything to each other. We didn’t have to.

I spent so many of my days exploring the Timberlands. I just wanted to escape from the herd and see what was out there. Now I’d found what I was looking for.

Vesper was by my side. My daughter was healthy. The herd was safe. The city would be there for us if we ever needed any help.

I had everything I could ask for and more.

I turned my head up and looked up at the clear blue sky. I imagined that there was someone else out there, in the Timberlands or the city, doing the same thing as me. I didn’t know what their life was like. But I knew that if I could find my happiness, they would eventually find theirs, too.