Cold as Winter

As I exit the airport the sounds of Lost Crescent overwhelm me. It is so different from my Saskatchewan forest. The warmth has more people outside, not as busy as a big city, but still the way they speak, a little slower but louder, a little deeper and sharper.

The way they dress, a little more clear of their differences. I can tell who is middle class, lower class, upper class. Their clothes show their difference. Who is who, of what walk of life, had they only known that a wolf walked among them they would know clothes cannot define them.

I hear a V6 engine roll in front of the exit and I roll my blue suitcase towards it. The soft click of my winter boots is overwhelming protection against the light flurries that brush the winds with their slight cold.

A red Lambourgini rests uninterrupted in the flow of movement. I stride towards, the familiar comforting scent of wolf flowing from it. The window rolls down and a man of about seventeen leisurely rests in the driver's seat. His shaded eyes on mine; he gives a small smile. The alpha aura waving off him.

"Is that you Pines?" Alexander Stone says.

"Yeah that's me, you must be Alexander." Alex nods and slides out of the car to place my suitcase easily into the trunk.

"You can call me Alex. Here, get in. My mom will kill me if I don't get you straight back." Alex holds the door open and I slip inside.

"So, since it's your first time in America my mom thought she'd throw you a party."

"Oh, no, she didn't have to. That's really sweet of her."

"Yeah, she's like that. Although I'll warn you now Pines, she's got the pack down there ready to meet you, and that too, on short notice." Alex drives out onto the highway keeping his eyes on the road.

I feel excitement building. A whole new world of new people and new ways of being with each other.

I snap my eyes at Alex and look at him fully. He stares at the road and briefly glances at my stare.

"What's up Pines?" Alex says a hint of worry in his tone.

He stops at a red light and pulls his sunglasses off as the clouds cover the sky and darken.

His eyes catch mine and I see the nonchalant glance of a mated wolf. A lifetime of visiting male wolves racing to meet me when they arrived in Saskatchewan had me wary of the first full glance. Being in the alpha's family had that effect on people.

"It's Maria, I just wanted to tell you that."

"Oh, okay then. Well Maria, we'll be at the pack houses soon."

I wonder, who is his mate? Shouldn't he be alpha by now if he's found her, maybe his brother, the other potential alpha has taken his place?

Sara told me there was no drama here. Sis was so wrong.

I grin.