赤裸裸的滑稽故事

“What about the wildlife?” Axel asked. “Our current borders are marked with crude fencing and impenetrable mountain passes. They are simple, but part of the reason we haven’t worked harder to build them up is because of the wildlife. There are animals that migrate in and out of the territory throughout the year. These turrets and sentries you’re talking about, would they pose a risk to the animals?”

“Yes and no,” Clara said. “They won’t be able to migrate back and forth as quickly as before. But if you have areas you know are migration points, we can adjust how we set up the borderlines.

“We can set sensors that would identify the animals on their approach and open the gate. There would need to be a second more obscured boundary line a little further in to double-check that someone didn’t figure it out and use the migrating group to sneak in.

“That’s the way we have sections of our eastern border set up to keep from interrupting the deer migration.”

Axel nodded, listening carefully to what Clara was suggesting.

Corrine smiled as she observed her son. He had grown a lot in the past few months. He had begun his Alpha journey lost and angry. Feeling as though he were being forced into a role that he wasn’t ready for and without good reason.

But as she watched him now, she saw a man that knew his place. He was confident and considered all his options before coming to a decision. Axel understood the weight of those decisions.

Corrine had never felt prouder of her son.

“I assumed Alpha Wyatt would be joining this discussion,” Galen whispered.

Corrine smiled and leaned toward him in order to reply quietly, trying not to interrupt the discussion between Clara and Axel.

“When I told him about this meeting, I expected he would have a lot to say on the subject,” she said. “But to my surprise, he said that his place was with his team. Whatever his Alpha decided would be the best for the pack.”

Galen looked at Axel. He thought for a moment about their conversation from last night; he still hadn’t gotten a chance to ask Bell about it. He couldn’t help but notice the seriousness with which he was talking to Clara. He remembered the first few times they had met, Axel was older than Galen by a year or two, but he had seemed much younger back then.

“He has changed a lot,” he said._.

“Which one?” Corrine chuckled softly.

Galen grinned.

“Yes.”

They both shared a quiet laugh.

“Wyatt chose to go on a field assignment with his scouting team,” she continued. “He has been out on quite a few in the past few weeks.”

“Is that hard for you?” Galen asked.

“Why would it be?” she asked.

“I meant no offense,” Galen quickly replied. “I just meant that the two of you have led Winter together for a long time. I imagine it is difficult to be apart now.”

“You ‘imagine’ do you?’ Corrine smiled a knowing smile.

Galen smiled.

“I admit I am thinking of myself,” he said.

“Yes, I know Bell has had a hard time with the distance as well,” Corrine said, reaching out and taking Galen’s hand comfortingly. “But that’s why you have made the decision to stay, right?”

Galen looked away and then nodded.

“Good,” Corrine smiled. “The two of you deserve some happiness and peace.”

“Thank you,” Galen bowed his head.

“As far as Wyatt and I….” Corrine chuckled. “Being part of a team again has filled him with life. I think he feels younger. He absolutely loves training, early practice, and drills. Field assignments have been like a brand-new adventure. I swear you would think he is in his twenties again.”

“That’s great,” Galen chuckled and then tilted his head to look at her. “And what about you?”

Corrine looked at him. She smiled and then looked at her son talking with Clara. He was focused. He was confident. He hadn’t even noticed that Corrine wasn’t paying attention to the details of the meeting.

For years Axel had struggled and presented himself as a strong man, but he was always reserved and nervous. So, when she tried to teach him about diplomacy and the finer details of leading Winter, he had difficulty keeping up and staying focused.

If she was honest, she had been worried. Before and after Wyatt had announced his retirement.

“My children have both grown. Each is finding their way in the world… and I love seeing this new spark of life in Wyatt,” she said.

“But…?” Galen asked.

“But,” she chuckled softly. “I find myself dreaming of a memory….”

“What kind of memory?” Galen asked.

“A memory of adventure,” she said with a gentle smile on her lips.

Galen waited patiently for her to continue.

“When I was young, I had lots of adventures,” she said with a delighted nostalgia in her voice. “I traveled on foot across the majority of the territories. Met wolves of every pack, made friends, a few enemies.”

She smiled.

“Ahh…” Galen said, as though he had made a realization.

“What?” Corrine asked.

Galen chuckled.

“It’s nothing. I just realized something.”

“What?”

“Part of my training to become Caleb’s Beta involved studying the other packs and their trade arrangements. When studying Winter, I wondered why open trade with the lesser packs had become such a strong part of Wyatt’s leadership, but he still seemed so old school about technology and upgrades.” Galen smiled at her. “I understand now. It was your influence.”

Corrine laughed.

“Yes,” she said. “It took a lot of conversations and a few threats to get him to agree to the first few. But then he understood the value of building relationships with the lesser packs. I just couldn’t get him to budge on moving forward in time.”

“Dad enjoys living in the past,” Axel commented.

Galen and Corrine both looked back at the young alpha and the analyst that watched them with warm smiles.

“I’m sorry, darling. Were we causing a distraction?” Corrine asked.

Axel shook his head.

“The meeting is done,” he smiled. “We just caught the end of your conversation, and I couldn’t help but throw a jab at dad’s expense.”

Corrine laughed.

“Trouble maker,” she said quietly.

“You should go,” Axel said.

“What?” Corrine asked.

Axel gave her a gentle smile and a meaningful look.

“When everything is settled between the packs, and we have peace again,” he said. “You should seek your own adventures.”

Corrine took a deep breath through her nose and smiled.

“That is very considerate of you, and I appreciate the thought,” she began. “But even if the peace is restored, I still have a life here, and my role of Luna–”

“Mom,” Axel interrupted. He moved beside her, taking her hand in his. “You will always be the Luna of Winter for as long as you live, no matter if you are here or not.

“But you have earned the right to enjoy the life you have left. So go on adventures and make new memories to tell your future grandchildren about. Teach them how to dream.”

Corrine cupped Axel’s cheek as tears filled her eyes. Galen and Clara carefully and quietly left the room. Axel’s eyes followed them, making sure the door was closed before he continued.

“Ashleigh has found her mate, her place. She will be fine. Dad has a new lease on life. I haven’t seen him look this happy since I was a kid. And I…” he paused and swallowed. “I am doing alright.”

“You are doing amazing!” Corrine whispered firmly. “You are doing amazing.”

She kissed his forehead.

“Thank you,” Axel smiled.

“But Axel, I can’t just leave you in charge of all of this by yourself….”

“I won’t be by myself,” he said. “I have Saul. I have all the people that support me.”

He paused and bit his lower lip, holding back the longing in his heart.

“And one day, I will have Alice too.”

“Alice?” Corrine gasped and then smiled “Her name is Alice?”

Axel swallowed and nodded.

Corrine’s smile fell, and she furrowed her brows, tilting her head ever so slightly as a troubling thought suddenly made its way into her mind.

“Wait…” she whispered, and then her eyes suddenly widened. “Alice… the one that helped Granger!?”