7. Oliver

Chapter 7

Oliver

I'm not sure how things wound up like this, but I suppose I won't complain. I look down at the bundle of blankets in my arms as I follow Lucas through the compound toward some buildings that are set back from the main thoroughfare. I honestly wasn't expecting them to just let me join their pack without any hesitation, but after talking things through a bit, they did just that.

"So, this cabin is unoccupied right now. It's only one room, has a little stove and some electricity. You should be able to figure it out," Lucas shrugs as he nods toward the building. "If you need anything, just ask someone. Preferably not me."

I frown at his words. The entire drive here, Lucas had either spoken to Sebastian or been silent. He'd avoided talking to me completely, and even now that we're standing here beside each other with no one else around, he won't look at me.

"Okay…" I mutter, feeling a little deflated. I don't understand his attitude, but I don't really care that much about it either. He's just some alpha that I barely know. Why should I care if he hates me or not?

"Anyway." Lucas shrugs. "I'm gonna head out. See ya."

Before I can respond, he turns and walks off, leaving me alone outside the small log cabin. With a deep sigh, I turn and enter the building. I flip the light switch and the single overhead light flickers on. Inside, the cabin is bare bones. There's a tiny kitchenette against one wall with a table and chairs in the center. A twin bed and a chest of drawers are pushed against the far wall.

I place the blankets on the naked bed. The bedding is apparently all stored and laundered centrally, which I guess makes sense in a community of this size. There are more wolves here than I've ever seen in one place before. It's kind of exciting.

But it's also a little nerve-wracking.

I'm honestly not sure I belong here. It was easy enough for the elders to decide to let me stay, especially once they learned the whole story of what happened with my pack. They were very sympathetic and had no problem agreeing that I could take refuge here until I figured out what I wanted to do next.

Plus, there are those alphas. All four of them make my wolf stir from its slumber. All four of them fill me with puppy levels of excitement. There's no reason for me to feel this way about any of them, but I do. It's confusing, it's strange, and I don't really like it.

My wolf keeps telling me that I should be with them.

The cabin feels empty and quiet, and I feel the urge to wander, explore a bit.

I was told to make myself at home, that no one would treat me badly. The rest of the pack is apparently being told that this whole thing was just a case of mistaken identity and that I'm to be welcomed. I still don't know if I'm going to stay here, but I'm definitely not going to shut myself in my cabin the entire time.

I head out into the late afternoon sun. The sky is just starting to darken, and I can smell a faint hint of wood smoke in the air. People must be starting dinner.

A few wolves greet me as I pass by, and I nod and smile. I don't really feel the urge to talk to any of them, at least not until I see Roman. He's pacing back and forth underneath a massive tree. From the look on his face, he's lost in thought and doesn't notice me.

"Hey," I call as I approach him.

He stops short and looks up, his brows furrowing when he catches sight of me. "Yes?" His voice is terse, and he seems extremely annoyed by my presence.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry that you didn't find who you were looking for," I offer. "Sebastian told him about why you were chasing him and why it was so important. I know it probably doesn't make anything better, but I am sorry that I got in the way of your hunt."

He snorts and shakes his head. "I failed the council." He looks at me for a moment. "This was my mission, my hunt. I was so certain we were in the right. That we'd gotten our target. But now that we're here, I think I was just seeing what I wanted to see."

I bite my lip, unsure of what to say. I want to tell him that everything will be okay, but I clearly have no evidence to back that up. I don't know how this pack treats wolves who don't successfully complete a hunt, but it's obvious that Roman is deeply upset no matter what the consequences are.

"I'm sorry," I tell him. "I really hope things work out for you."

Roman sighs and shakes his head. He doesn't respond, but I don't think I could say anything else.

I turn to begin walking away, and I almost bump into another alpha. My eyes widen as I look up and see a familiar face. Sebastian.

He grins at me, his eyes flicking between Roman and me. "Is everything okay here?"

"Yeah, I was just checking on Roman. Making sure he's alright," I reply.

Sebastian snorts and shakes his head. "Roman's always alright," he assures me. "He just needs some time to clear his head. In the meantime, come with me. Let's get some dinner."

I glance over at Roman, but he's not paying attention. I can't tell if Sebastian's request is a genuine one or not, but either way, the idea of food is very appealing. "Okay, sounds good."

"Awesome." Sebastian leads the way across the clearing, and I follow him.

I notice a few of the wolves giving me a wide berth. They stare, but none of them seem to want to approach me. I don't blame them. Given the crimes Dodger is accused of, I feel like any newcomers to the pack would be treated with extra precaution this time.

Sebastian heads toward the largest building on the compound, a wooden structure with a steeply peaked roof. There are windows on all sides, and the sound of music and conversation spills out into the air.

"This is the central gathering place for the pack," Sebastian tells me. "There's a kitchen and dining room, a few smaller meeting spaces, and a lounge area where everyone can just hang out."

I nod slowly, trying to take it all in. The building is massive. Long tables fill the central room and serve as dining space as well as a community gathering area. Along the far wall, there's a stage where a group of people are gathered playing instruments and singing.

It's like nothing I've ever seen before.

The entire room smells like a dozen different wolves, and I'm finding it a little difficult to concentrate. There's a large number of omegas here, and all of them are radiating pheromones.

"What's wrong?" Sebastian asks.

"Nothing. It's just, there's so many scents. It's a bit overwhelming."

"Oh, yeah." He nods. "You get used to it eventually. But I've heard it's kind of a lot to take in if you're used to life in a smaller pack."

"Right."

Sebastian grabs two plates from a stack near the kitchen and grins at me. "I'll go fight through the line if you wanna snag us a seat at one of the tables?"

"Sounds good." He nods and heads off into the crowd.

I'm not sure what to expect during my stay here, but I don't mind spending so much time with a hunky alpha like Sebastian. He seems sweet, straightforward, and easy to talk to. If it wasn't for him, I think the drive back would've been a lot more torturous. But now that I'm here…well, I'm catching myself looking for reasons to stay.