I traced my finger along the creases of the surgical wraps bound along my alpha's ribcage. Both of us had fallen asleep the moment Sarah had deemed us sufficiently patched up. I was burrowed against my alpha, his arms holding me securely against his body. His nose was buried into my mark, and I into his. The scent of mate and protection and love wrapped around us more warmly than the blankets we were laying under.

I had slept like the dead in the comfort of my mate's arms, but I was still groggy and achy. My eyes still hurt from exhaust and my throat felt like it had been ripped to shreds last night. This morning I could feel how hot the skin of my neck was, trying to refrain from swallowing unless I had one of Sarah's medicinal cough drops. They stung my throat a little when I sucked on them, but they eased some of the pain.

My mind had been wandering in endless circles since I had woken up, my heart a tight knot in my chest. The beat of my alpha's heart was grounding me. Fingers suddenly combed through my wavy brown hair. My eyes darted up to see my alpha's warm amber eye looking groggy but alert. I nuzzled against his chest, neither of us saying anything.

He suddenly reached over me to the night stand by us, offering me one of Sarah's cough drops. I thankfully took it, popping it into my mouth.

"Don't like lemons," Callan said, a small smile curving on my lips. There was lemon in the cough drops. We let the quiet of the guest house we were in consume us, nuzzling together. Just wanting to be.

"Cal?" My voice horse and low so I would not aggravate it so soon. Callan's large hand brushed down my spine, holding my hip.

"I'm sorry," my voice wobbling, Callan's head popping up in surprise. I just couldn't stop the tears from leaving me.

"Our home is gone. Your grandfather's. All the books! My alpha-" my voice cracking, feeling alpha's fingers wipe away my tears gently from my swollen cheek and jaw.

"I am sad too, omega. But is okay," Callan said. I shook my head angrily, my cries sounding more like wheezes.

"Not okay! How can you say-"

"It is okay, omega. It was Grandfather's, but Grandfather has Passed. Only wish had picture of Grandfather, but did not know about pictures, until went to place that smelled of papers you send far away. Grandfather made house happy. When Passed, omega came and made house different. Made house for us. Thought," Callan's voice shuttering as tears wet his lashes, "thought omega in house with fire. Did not care if fire burn or make it hard to see or breathe. Needed to find omega. So it is okay, because omega was not in house."

I gaped at him as tears blurred my vision, a sob leaving me.

"Alpha, my alpha, you got burned!? Where!? " I patted down his body desperately even though my vision was blurred, feeling his hands encase mine.

"I'll get Sarah! Oh alpha, my poor alpha. I hate those Elders. I hate them!" I sobbed through choked breaths and wheezing.

"Omega, I am healed now. Body is strong. Strong healing, like omega said before. No cry omega. I am okay."

Callan's lips gently kissed over my forehead, my tear damp eyelids, and softly against the tip of my nose. His large thumb was tracing over the knuckles of my hand, a soft rumble leaving him in an attempt to calm my racing and frantic heart.

It took long minutes for me to calm down, little gasps leaving me in an attempt to control my breathing.

"Omega protected me from Elder when fighting. Could not protect back," Callan said oh so sadly, looking at my neck and jaw; which I knew must have been a haggard color from bruising.

"My alpha, Cal, you came for me. Was going to fight anyone to get to me. I love you, my alpha," I sniffled, brushing my nose against his. Callan held me tighter to him. I did the same, just needing him. His scent, his touch, his warmth. His voice, his smile, his words. I needed them all.

We carefully got up after another hour or so passed, heading to the bathroom. Callan was in awe with the shower. It included a bathtub, Callan curious as to why the base of the shower was so large. I was excited to show him about baths; missing them on occasion myself. I showed him he could move the shower head. It was almost too short for my alpha, but Callan happily stayed under the spray. I had turned the dial so the water was warm, almost hot, Callan startling at the temperature. I carefully rubbed his back with soap, having to take off his bandages. I whimpered at the cuts on his side, though they were pink now with some yellow-green bruising.

"I am okay, omega," Callan turning to face me. I reached over to turn the water back to warm since hot water probably wouldn't feel nice on any of his healing wounds. Callan started scrubbing my hair with shampoo, making me giggle as his big fingers clumsily tried scooping soap suds away from my face; my adorable mate's face set in concentration.

We got out and dried off with a towel between us, even though there were multiple towels in the bathroom. Callan had made sure after drying himself off, that he wrapped the towel around me. I giggle very softly, feeling my cheeks lift in a smile. I couldn't help the small purr that left me when I nuzzled into it, my alpha nosing at my temple softly.

We snooped around for clothes, finding jogging bottoms and a t-shirt for my alpha. I found a small pair of joggers and a long sleeve shirt, shivering a little. Callan tugged me close to him as we looked about the guest house. There was a small kitchenette with many things my alpha recognized in there. It was far larger than the kitchen of his Grandfather's regardless. A living room was next to it with a fireplace and two armchairs. It was sparsely decorated, with a potted plant in the corner.

I explained to Callan about the thermostat, promising my alpha I would start teaching him about science since it could be super fun to learn.

"But, if th-thermostat makes warm, can't get wood to keep omega warm anymore," Callan said looking sad, amber eye downcast. I whimpered a little, nuzzling and curling against his chest where we were standing.

"I like when my alpha gets wood and chops it for me. You can still do that Cal! Think of the thermostat as something you can use if it's very cold outside and you don't want to leave to find wood."

Callan perked up at that, gently dragging his fingers down my back.

"Omega likes when I chop wood," Callan's voice rumbling low. I felt my cheeks flush brightly, even under the bruising. He definitely knew I wasn't lying about that. I gazed through my lashes to see his amber eye half lidded, another warm rumble vibrating into me.

I snuffled against him, clutching his shirt gently with my fingers. I tilted my head up, my alpha hunching down a bit. His lips were feather soft against mine. I sighed happily against his lips, wanting more. I only received soft pecks, but I could feel my alpha wanted to plunder my mouth just as much as I needed him to.

"My alpha," I whispered, confused, knowing Callan knew what I wanted.

"Omega still hurt. Do not want to hurt more. Will wait a few days. Only soft kisses," Callan said. I harumphed promptly, bumping my head against his chest. Callan chuckled at my antics, but we both knew that he was right. My face was so very sore, my cheeks having throbbed even when I smiled earlier. My ribs tugged a bit when I moved too quickly, and my calf would ache randomly, but they would heal sooner than my throat would.

Callan's hands brushed down my back, both of us freezing when there was a knock at the front door. My alpha's nostrils flared, squeezing my hips, before letting go. I peeked around him when he opened the door seeing Sarah and Grant.

Sarah was holding her usual first aid kit, wearing a nice blouse and jeans under a lab coat. Grant looked like he just rolled out of bed with his hair in absolute disarray and loose clothes disheveled.

"Are both of you feeling better this morning?" Sarah asked, walking in. Callan nodding as he eyed Grant whose eyes were hardly open, looking a second from snoring.

"Look at omega first," Callan said, Sarah nodding politely. My mate watched Sarah as she checked my ribs that had yellowing bruises. My calf was pretty much healed, but the bruises on my face were still dark.

"It will still be a few days until the bruises are healed. I hope the cough drops have been helping your throat. It is very irritated. I may need to draw blood to make sure you don't have an infection," Sarah said, making me grimace.

"Take blood?" My alpha rumbled, his amber eye flashing gold. Sarah immediately bowed her head, eyes to the floor. Grant seemed to wake up more at the change in my alpha's demeanor.

"It is something healers do, my alpha," I said quickly, hurrying to my alpha to hold him around the waist. I nuzzled against his chest, his large hands holding me protectively against him.

"Remember what I told you? How someone can get sick?" I asked, Callan no longer eyeing Sarah but looking at me instead. I could hear Sarah's quiet sigh of relief at that.

"Sometimes, what makes someone sick can show up in their blood. In fact, blood can tell someone a lot of things. We can learn about science soon, my alpha. You'll like it a lot," I said. Callan still looked unsure.

"How do they get blood?" Callan asked suspiciously.

"They have a sharp tool, called a needle. They poke it into skin, into the veins. Veins carry blood that has gone all around your body, back to your heart," I said, pressing my hand over his heart, "it feels like a little pinch, but it doesn't hurt a lot."

"Don't want omega hurt by needle," Callan grumbled.

"Well, if you have an infection, something that makes you feel sick, your blood can tell a healer that, and they can give you medicine."

Callan eyed Sarah again who looked a little flustered, turning back to me to nuzzle in my hair.

"Will you at least let her look at your wounds now, my alpha?" I knew Callan didn't want to talk about the needle situation anymore.

Callan nodded slowly as I helped him take off his shirt. Grant whistled low, seeing that the wounds on my alpha were almost gone. Sarah looked to be stunned as well. Before my alpha could ask what was wrong, I smiled.

"My alpha has the strongest healing factor in the whole world," I smiled proudly, looking up at my mate who flushed a little at my words. Callan grumbled something, nuzzling his nose against my temple.

"Uh, so, the alpha was wondering if you two would like to join him and the rest of the family for breakfast this morning?" Grant asked, having leaned against a wall, still looking sleepy.

I looked up at my alpha, his brows furrowing. I could feel through our mark that he was unsure and nervous, though his face remained stoic.

"Alright, but please, nothing complicated," I said seriously, Grant nodding his head once, saying it would be ready in fifteen or twenty minutes, hurrying out of the house.

"I'd like for you to stop by the Healer's Wing after breakfast to get some blood work done, if that's okay," Sarah added quickly when my alpha lifted his brow at her.

"Sure. I don't know how much I'll be able to eat anyway," I said tiredly, Sarah patting my shoulder, bowing her head slightly to Callan in respect, before leaving.

Once the door closed I rubbed my hands up and down my alpha's arms.

"It's okay to be nervous, Cal. I think they just want to get to know you. I think alpha Griffith might really be your dad. If he is, he probably feels awful. Pack is a matter of pride for an alpha and for something like this happening to his own, right under his nose, must hurt him a lot," I said, "I can't speak for him, of course, but let's just see what happens, okay?"

Callan nodded slowly, peppering kisses over my forehead, eyes and nose. I giggled at his antics, smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt once he pulled it back on. I rolled my eyes at the fact that Callan looked a bit too happy about not having to wear shoes. Callan kept me close to him, the morning air brisk, making my nose and ears cold. Many pack members were hurrying back and forth outside the pack house, many whispering when they saw my alpha. Callan hunched his shoulders slightly, blindly grabbing for my hand. I bared my teeth at anyone I saw eyeing him for too long, many looking away quickly when I did that.

Grant waved at us from the back door, the warmth from the house washing over us. Our fingers were still tangled together, both of us following Grant through the pack house. We were in a very large hallway that had many pictures and potted plants lining the walls. Many voices were scattered about, overlapping and easily heard through the house.

I could feel my own nervousness grow at my alpha's. How much time had already passed since I had been within a pack? Truthfully, with my alpha, I did not miss it. Though, the pack I was in was not a great example of what a pack should be.

"Callan, no matter what happens, I'm here for you, okay?" I whispered, Callan nodding, the corner of his lip lifting for a moment in a nervous smile.

"Silas," A woman's voice admonished rather gently, "the bacon was just set down on the table!"

The reply was muffled, no doubt by the person who likely ate said bacon. Grant opened two large wooden doors, and I could feel Callan's shoulders lift in a deep breath. I held his hand tighter in the hopes it would comfort him. Once we walked through the double doors, the talking had ceased. There was a large table that could sit up to eight people. At the head of the table was alpha Griffith, a petite woman with pitch black hair to his left. The youngest boy at the table sat next to her. To alpha Griffith's right was his eldest son, I assumed, and the middle son next to him. Grant took the seat next to the middle son.

I took the seat next to the youngest boy, leaving my alpha to sit at the other end of the table, directly across from alpha Griffith. It was the farthest seat but also one that allowed my alpha both the ability to see everyone, while also forcing him to not hide from his supposed father's eyes. Whether or not this was a good move on my part, remained to be seen.

The table had a few things on it, a plate of bacon which was directly in front of the young boy, no doubt dragged from the middle of the table where a lone pitcher of orange juice sat. Suddenly, three woman came out of the kitchen, two betas and an omega. Each were carrying breakfast items that made my stomach gurgle.

Steaming, crispy hash browns, fluffy scrambled eggs, a giant leaning stack of golden brown pancakes, a bowl of diced fruit, a large glass bottle of maple syrup, and small bowls of condiments. I felt my alpha's fingers reach under the table for mine, gently rubbing my thumb over his knuckles.

"Well, let us dig in then," Griffith said, his eyes darting away from Callan, seeming to fiddle with a dining napkin; the petite woman next to him, gently held his hand to stop the motion. Everyone grabbed a steaming dish, putting a little on their plate before passing it around. Callan seemed very curious at the actions, having cutely cocked his head. Grant pushed the fluffed eggs across the table, Callan looking at it before handing it to me.

I smiled gently at my alpha, not having bought him eggs yet.

"They're eggs, my alpha. A type of meat. I haven't bought them for you yet," I whispered, though I saw several eyes dart over to us, knowing they could likely hear me easily. Callan nodded his head slowly as I gave him a small spoonful to try in case he didn't like them. The same thing happened with the bacon, giving him one piece to try and one golden fluffy pancake. I gave him a large portion of the hash browns, knowing my alpha loved potatoes seemingly in any form. I also gave him a hearty scoop of the diced fruit, my alpha knowing all of the fruits within the bowl.

I couldn't really eat the food except for the scrambled eggs and a few bites of the pancake. The other foods either scratched or burned my throat on the way down. Callan didn't look happy at how little I had eaten. My alpha curiously sniffed the eggs, seeming to like them more than the bacon. I don't think my alpha had eaten something so fatty or greasy before like bacon, so he didn't like it. He loved the hash browns, and the fruit was perfectly fine.

"Omega, is it bread?" Callan asked very softly. The power within my alpha's voice, even when he was quiet, could never be heard quietly. It was too strong to not be heard. Regardless, I made sure to ignore everyone else at the table, knowing only scattered bits of conversation were made at an attempt to abate the quiet.

"It is, my alpha. A sweet bread. The kind you like a lot. I think you will like it just like this without the syrup," I said, my alpha lifting it with his hand like a piece of bread, taking a cautious bite. He hummed happily at the taste, munching away at it. Grant seemed to push the plate of pancakes closer to him, looking like he wanted to say something. In fact, glancing around the table, everyone looked like they had a million questions ready to spill from their lips.

"What is syrup, omega?" Callan asked curiously, happily stealing more pancakes. His chair was scooched close to mine so we were near huddled together.

"It is like honey, but instead of coming from a bee, it comes from maple trees. That's why you'll hear it called maple syrup. It is still very sticky like tree sap," I said, smiling at him as I stole one of his pancakes from his plate. Callan grumbled at me for stealing his pancake, but the quirk to his lips gave him away.

"I think some introductions are in order," the woman next to Griffith said politely in a soft tinkling voice. Griffith's eyes got round at the woman, who I had already guessed was the Luna.

"My name is Anne. I am the Luna to the Mountain Ridge pack and Griffith's second chance mate," she said, my alpha tilting his head down slightly in acknowledgement. Anne was fair in skin, dark black hair pulled into a bun with framing pieces pulled out to touch her high cheeks. Her eyes were a dark warm brown like warmed red mahogany.

Anne smiled softly at the action as she continued, "our oldest son is Ethan," she said, pointing to said son who politely nodded his head at Callan and myself. He was by far the one who looked like he could have been Callan's twin, though the other two still looked like they were related to my alpha.

"Our middle son is Beckett, and our youngest son is Silas."

Beckett nodded his head politely like Ethan had done, Silas on the other hand was nearly bouncing excitedly in his seat. My lips couldn't help but curl up at his boyish actions.

"My name is Theo. I left my pack due to extenuating circumstances," I said vaguely, noting how all of them knew that there could have been any number of reasons I left my pack. Anne nodded politely, everyone's eyes shifting to Callan's who didn't look particularly comfortable with all of the stares. I slid my hand back into his under the table, knowing our hands had separated once we started to eat.

"Callan Marsh," My alpha said in a low timber, Griffith blinking in confusion.

"Hi Callan!" Silas said with a wide smile, nearly looking ready to bound over me to tackle my mate.

"Hello," Callan said, cocking his head curiously at the boy.

"Callan is an interesting name," Griffith's voice quieting the room.