11. A Vision of Her

Chapter 11

A Vision of Her

THORIN

Catalina had been right. The minute my hand came into contact with Nika's, the buzz of our bond snapped into place, and I could feel my mate's energy hum around me. It was almost as if there was a line of energy that connected us even when we were not close enough to touch.

I couldn't take my eyes off Nika as we made our preparations to leave the area. She was beautiful and strong. After spending mere moments in her presence, I knew two things. As much as I adored Catalina, she would have never measured up. She would have been one of the many she-wolves cowering in the back of the female group if she had found herself tossed on Mirage Island. For the first time, since I decided to take her as a chosen mate all those years ago, I realized just how closely I had come to dooming my own pack.

My pack mates had also quietly observed their future Luna as she moved amongst the females who had been living on Mirage Island. She exhibited the hallmarks of a true leader as she organized the women who refused to leave with us.

"She is magnificent," Landon remarked as he watched my future mate take charge of stocking all the hideouts the women had to utilize.

"Don't forget that those stores of food need to be rotated every two weeks, so you don't get stuck hiding out with rotten food," Nika called to one of the girls.

"You pointed it out when we first got here, but it is startling to realize what is missing from this island." Landon's statement took my attention away from my mate's preparations. I turned my full attention to the highest-ranking beta warrior I brought with me.

"Tell me."

Landon glanced around again. "All these women are talking about hideouts around the island, and we saw how small those spaces are for ourselves."

"Yes," I agreed as I grew impatient waiting on him to get to the point.

"Where do they stay when there is no threat?"

"What do you mean?" I asked as my attention shifted to our surroundings. The answer clicked just before Landon spoke it.

"The lack of houses." We both said it as one. "I had hoped when we got to the island we would at least see some decently built make-shift shelters, but there are none of those."

The young girl, who seemed to cling to my mate, passed by at that moment and I reached out to stop her from moving past us. The minute my hand brushed her arm, the girl flinched back as if she had been burned.

"I mean you no harm and have but a simple question for you."

"Okay," she hummed the word out nervously.

"Where did all of you live?"

"Here on the island." The girl gave me an odd look like I wasn't all there in the head. Part of me wanted to chuckle at the misunderstanding, but considering the topic at hand, I didn't think that would go over very well.

"No, I mean where are your dwellings?"

"Dwellings?" She asked innocently as she scrunched up her nose as if she smelled something foul.

"Houses," Landon interjected. The girl continued to stare at us as if we had lost our minds. "Where do you take shelter from the elements?"

She bobbed her shoulders up and down. "We make do with a few old tarps and things. There used to be a couple huts pieced together and built by women who were here long ago."

"What happened to those structures?" I asked.

"Rogues burned them down. It's why our hiding spots are only the ones that surround us in rock and earth."

"Thank you," I offered her dismissively. When the little one was out of earshot again, I turned to Landon. "Let Warren know that when he brings the others out here, they need to bring building supplies and plan to stay until there are at least a dozen structures built on this island." I scanned the area. "They don't even have running water, plumbing, or…"

"Toilets," my pack mate announced. "We should take all of the women with us. It isn't right to leave them in these conditions."

Nika, who had been headed our way, scoffed at his statement. "It was never right to abandon women to this island to begin with, no matter how well-equipped. We are not disposable pieces of furniture to be tossed aside from packs on a whim because some infantile male isn't ready for commitment, the woman's mate dies, or they are an orphaned child no one wants to take responsibility for."

"Then you agree, we should take them all with us," Landon insisted.

"No, I do not. What I agree to, where these women are concerned, is allowing them the luxury of choice. They need to be able to exercise their free will to choose their own destiny. With only a couple exceptions, no one who came to this island chose to be placed here. The decision to leave, or do anything else they wish, is something I will not take from them."

"Even though they live upon this island like savages in the third world?"

"Look around," Nika scolded my warrior. "Do these women look like savages or survivors? I promise, there is a difference. They learned to survive on less than you are used to. If they are comfortable to continue that way of life, then so be it." My mate turned to me and smiled beautifully. "We are finished with preparations now."

"Then those who want to join us on the trek back to my pack lands can load up on the rafts. My men will ferry them across until we have everyone who wants to go safely on the mainland shore."

"I will go last," Nika stated.

"I will be on the raft back with you once we have accounted for all of our people, yours and mine, who are returning with us."

I turned to address the women who had chosen to stay. "Once we return to my pack, the other half of the unmated males – if they do not find mates among those returning with us – will be headed here. Do not fear them. They will bring supplies and help to build shelters for those of you who choose to stay and any others who are sent to the island."

I noticed Nika roll her eyes. "Trust me when I say the use of this island, and the reasons for it, is something we will address with the other packs very soon. Until that can happen, we have to be prepared for others to be sent here."

Nika's shoulders slumped ever so slightly. It might not have been noticeable to others, but I didn't miss it. I wouldn't make another promise to her because it was clear she was weary of the promises I had already made. Maybe, once she saw that I was serious and followed through, it would breed more trust between us.

I wasn't sure what had transpired between my mate and the other Alpha who had thrown her away, but it was clear that I would have to pay for his sins, even if just in the time it would take to build my Luna's trust in me and faith in my pack. It would be worth it in the end to finally have a partner by my side, a lover in my bed, and a Luna for my people. Our people . We came to the island as nineteen in total, plus our driver. We were leaving the island with an additional nine females – one of them being my moon-blessed mate.