Hands on the steering wheel I am too shocked to move. Hearing the tap on my window brings me back to reality. I'm surprised to see Scott standing there instead of Kirsten. My mood is too good to question it. Rolling down the window Scott eyes me with a sly grin, "get out and let me drive so you can daydream like a little female." Climbing back out I let him have the keys. He has a point, probably better if I don't drive. My adrenaline is pumping. Body humming. I'm too amped up to concentrate.

Incredible.

We both switch spots and quickly leave. I notice he doesn't head towards home instead opting to go to the nearby town instead. He chuckles as I look out the window not able to focus on anything as we pass by. My mind hasn't stopped reeling over her. Perfection. There is no other word that can describe my mate.

Scott's voice drifts into my thoughts bringing my attention back to him. "Cheyenne is pissed at the both of us now so apparently I better stay away for the day. Figured I could get something good to eat for once while we have a 'talk'." He is telling me this as we pull into the parking lot of a truck stop with a restaurant. It's crowded enough that we can have a private conversation without the worry of others listening or the need to whisper. I grab the paperwork and take it with me to fill out while we eat.

Sitting ourselves in a back corner booth the waitress quickly takes our drink orders and I ask to borrow a pen. I start to fill out the basic information glancing up to Scott for our 'talk' as he put it, "alright, so what are you being made to speak with me about now, Alpha?" Wiggling my eyebrows at him. He humours me with a hardy laugh, his grin never leaving his face. It's obvious that he is genuinely happy for me.

The waitress returns with our drinks asking if we are ready to request food. I order whatever the special is not able to focus on the menu. My thoughts keep drifting back to her tanned face and full lips, her storming grey eyes demand my attention when she speaks. Curves aching for me to touch. There is something about her, I want to unravel her slowly, no rush.

Waiting for the waitress to finally leave Scott picks up his soda and tips it to me. "Congratulations." I pick up my water and clink it off his before taking a sip, eyeing Scott. "So now that we have the sunshine out of the way..." leaving the sentence open for him to catch onto. He scratched the side of his jaw with a sigh. "You know what, fuck it. All I want to know is how you are going to make this work with your schedule for training and getting the pack ready for the winter months. You have duties you cannot neglect. The pack is counting on us this year to get through the cold months, they have predicted a harsh winter. We may be stuck on the pack grounds for days at a time. Cabins need repairs, wood stacked, preserves counted for. What's the end game for this? She is a human, how are you going to explain this?" He asks me the same questions I have begun to ask myself. I don't have answers for him, not yet. He sighs again when I don't respond "I just want to know where we go from here." He tries to comfort me. It does. This isn't going to be easy and it's nice to have someone.

It seems like he is happier, lighthearted for once during these discussions. Finally speaking how he feels. We both are. Cheyenne pushes the matter between us, not liking the arrangement we already had in place before her. She has discussed her friend two years ago when Kirsten mentioned possibly getting out there again. This has been years planning lost for them.

The waitress is once again at our table with our food placing the plates down directly on the paperwork. "Can I get you, boys, anything else?" She asks fluttering her lashes at us. "No," I tell her gruffly and push my food out of the way to read the papers. Scott is already eating his lunch like a starved animal.

I notice a schedule form stuffed between one of the sheets asking for the times available. It shows the paid staffs work hours and what their jobs are. Next are the seasoned volunteers and areas where they assist the most. It doesn't look like it belongs. There are mostly girls names on it with a few males. Brenda stands out like a sore thumb, her job title 'secretary' and I immediately know it's the bitch from the window. Noting to avoid her wherever possible. The list goes on and I look at the individual jobs, hoping to see words like 'public speaker', 'wolf', or 'guide'. I find guide but it's one of the male names in the volunteer section.

I'm so caught up with looking I didn't notice Scott speaking. I look up from the distraction, "sorry man, really I am, what did you say?" I clear my throat. Dazed.

"What's the plan Cage? I can't help you if we can't work this out time wise. I can't give you anymore special treatment even though I want to. So we have to have a plan for this." Repeating his reminder to me. I can feel my leg wanting to shake, choosing to scratch the back of my neck to smooth down the rising fur instead. My thoughts are running a mile a minute and I can't concentrate.

Lost. Completely lost.

He must notice the distress in me when he takes the schedule and looks it over. His eyebrows knit together while his thoughts swirl like my own. "I didn't get her name." I say more to myself, "How could I not have gotten her name?" I was so caught up it didn't dawn on me to ask her. I don't think she would have told me anyways even if I had asked. "Maybe I should try the guide, at least I'll be shown around the park and told of all the areas. I'll figure it out that way." Whispering, "hopefully." as a last thought. A prayer.

He looks up from the paper and reaches into his back pocket taking out a folded pamphlet. His grin is that of a Cheshire cat. "Well aren't you in luck, Chey told me to put this in my pocket. Says all the times for the different activities they have." Scott informs me as he opens the folded sheets. He looks it over slowly and it's killing me, his chuckle tells me he is doing this on purpose. "Ah ha! Here it is," he exaggerates. I snatch it out of his hand scanning it over myself. It reads 10:05 am at the wolf den enclosure with Sophia Marino.

"Sophia" is whispered slowly from my lips. Testing it's feel.

He is already looking at the schedule. "Huh. Says she's the vet for the place, well the assistant one anyways." He sounds impressed. A veterinarian could be useful for the pack later down the road when she joins me it would be easier to train her for a doctors position.

His face deflates. "What's up?" I ask, trying to swallow down the rising anxiety. "No spots available for her." He strokes his chin in thought. I sag in my seat. Now what? My thoughts start up again. How am I going to get close to her if I'm not around her?

Minutes trickle on as silence takes over in this noisy place. Scott is the first to break the silence between us. "Well, the only thing I can see from this is going with this Wayne guy. He's a guide but he happens to work the days we do our training in wolf form. It's your best bet since Sam is in charge of that. you'll have to up your days of training though as I do not want a repeat of today." His eyes narrow toward me and I nod my head down. "Understood." I give him my submission. Friends or not he is still Alpha and expects more out of his Betas. "Good." Curt nod to me and silence once again descends. I begin to eat my meal that looks like crap piled on top of fries. It's surprisingly better than it looks.

I hear Scott exhale audibly before speaking again. "Seems you can only volunteer until the first of November when they close down most of it for the winter months." He says finishing his biscuits and gravy. Glancing at his empty plate he mutters under his breath "should take something with me." Snickering I offer to get something for the road and my couch for the night. Poor guy is in the dog house for simple association with me.

Paying the bill we head back to the truck, this time I drive. I'll save my thoughts for later. Alone. The drive home goes by quicker than the drive there. Ironing out the details of the plan the whole way back. I'll be at the animal sanctuary to volunteer Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays. Saturday's I will be going to each home in the pack after training and making sure everything is going alright and make repairs or get anything they need. Sunday's will be spent making up for my absence the following days. Above all, I have to maintain my position and responsibilities even if I'm out there all night doing it. No excuses for lateness or fatigue. Absolutely no slacking.

I'll have to stock up on energy drinks and coffee because this is really going to test me and my limits.

Scott's voice cuts through my thoughts as I step toward the front door to my cabin. "Run?" He asks. My wolf perks up, he has been satiated in the back of my mind since we left the reserve.

She is all he can think about.

Tossing the food on the counter and closing the door behind me we make our way to the back tossing our clothing in a heap on the back deck. "Race ya to the falls," Scott calls back from his sprint before swiftly shifting into his wolf. I shift just as quickly and chase the moving blur of umber through the brush.

He jumps over fallen logs, slowing down for the smaller gaps in trees. His body too large for the quick movements while I dart between the trees and under the thicker brushes of bush. Taking the lead I push faster. I can hear the water hitting the rocks as it tumbles over the edge of the cliff before I break through the treeline. My wolf makes a straight dive into the water, I'm going to be freezing when I get back.

I can hear Scott yapping before it changes to a hardy laugh. He has always found my wolf's antics to be amusing, the little control I have lands us in the mud every time. "Gonna regret that later." He is bent over holding his stomach still laughing when I emerge. We shake out the wet fur and get him in the process. Barreling through the woods he is right on our heels.

I make it to an opening in the woods before he tackles me and we fight. Snapping teeth towards his muzzle that has me by the shoulder in an attempt to break free of his grip. Scotts wolf forces his weight forward on me to force me to the ground but my wolf manages to loosen his hold rolling out of the way before taking an immediate defensive stance. I can see the calculation in his eyes as he sizes us up but I take the chance, leaping forward. He takes the tackle head on and we tumble over one another endeavouring our dominance over the other. Losing my footing in an attempt to kick him is all he needs to win. He clamps down on my neck, squeezing until my wolf stills in submission. When he releases his hold I notice the twitch in his ear, pressing my hearing to focus I hear it too, something large is moving around farther in the woods. Prowling through the bushes we spot a brown bear eating. Couldn't be much older than a year or two. Scott looks to me and I'm already going for the onslaught.

He takes the front while I flank it from the left. Forelegs down, haunches up, tails straight, ready to attack. The bear bares its teeth towards us huffing and growling out. He isn't going to back down. I advance forward, lips raised to show off threatening teeth. Growling low he darts his head my way and Scott pounces with the opportunity that has come for him. The bear quickly recovers swatting his large paw down towards Scott, he backs off barking towards it. Leaping forward and digging my teeth in under its arm, the wolf swings its head back and forth, ripping off muscle with the fur when pulling back. Scott is already on his right side when it charges towards me. Ripping and clawing into the bear's backside. More blood is dripping from the open wounds. He paws at me again and gets my muzzle, the wolf yelps out while bounding backwards and darting towards the other end of the bear. His paw raises to swoop down in my direction as it turns while Scott is already there digging into the open wound I caused under the arm. The bear roars from the pain. I don't miss the chance to leap at its exposed neck when it tries to loosen and throw Scott's grip. It isn't long to take it down, breathing and bleeding heavily. After our fill, we drag the remains back to my cabin. The fur can be sewn and fixed. I'll bring it to Grams tomorrow while I have my free time.

Scott decides to head home anyways and I'm left to eat the take out on my own. My thoughts drift back to Sophia as I sit on the couch with the heat of the stove pressing into the small space of the living room.

Sleep takes me to bliss.