Chapter 137 - 136. Mail And Mate

Once he dropped off his mate at Red Creek Academy, Glen drove back to Connor's with a twinge in his heart. He knew the omega was making the best choice but he didn't like being apart. Especially not after the last days they had spent together, nor all that they had learned. He had never felt something like that before. Even though the bond reassured him, he felt uneasy. With a sigh, he closed the front door behind him and trudged to the voices he heard.

In the living room, Connor was chatting with Nube. The female dominant was comfortably seated in an armchair, while Sora was drawing. Dozens of pencils and markers of all colors were scattered on the living room table where she had settled.

The alpha raised an eyebrow when he saw her then turned his head to Connor who mirrored his gesture to ask him what was going on with him.

"We reached home early in the morning, the stores aren't open yet how did you manage to find something to keep her busy?"

"Not me! My soon-to-be hubby! He took them along with whatever is in the bag over there when we bought the car seat." Connor pointed to a large paper bag and Glen walked over to take a look.

Inside, several educational and artistic games for children between four and six years old. The dominant smiled and turned to his friend.

"If you ever adopt, your man is going to be the greatest doting parent ever."

"Don't even start about it," Connor answered as he rolled his eyes.

"You cannot talk! You're almost as excessive as him!"

"Nope. Me, I wouldn't have bought all that without Sora. I would have taken her with me and she would have chosen, right Sweety?"

Glen shook his head in disapproval but smiled widely. Connor shrugged and focused on the little omega who, in response, showed him her drawing. She wore her usual expression as she expected his compliments. She didn't have to wait long. Both her mother and Connor enthusiastically congratulated her. Glen bit back a smile as he saw the little werewolf proudly giggling and fidgeting. She put the sheet aside and grabbed a new one to keep drawing.

The Dominant turned his attention away from the little omega when he heard Nube's voice.

"I don't know how to thank you for everything you're doing for Sora and me. I don't even know if I will ever be able to return the favor. I mean, now I'm a Green Lake pack member, but I was a rogue…"

"Why do you think about this kind of thing? It doesn't matter where you're from. We're not doing this so one day we'll get a reward or a payback." He glanced at the little werewolf.

Sora was focused on her drawing to the point that a crease had formed between her eyebrows, however, Connor lowered his voice to resume.

"I know my man. The only reason he does this is that he wants to help you. He knows what it's like to grow up without his parents and even if he had his grandfather with him, I guess he wouldn't Sora to find out what it feels like."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Nube replied with a sad look.

"The only thing you need to worry about is resting and enjoying Sora as much as you can. Whatever you have, I'm sure Greg will find it eventually."

Nube's hands gripped the plaid that was draped over her legs and stayed silent. She wore the expression of someone who had lost hope. Still, she lifted her head and gave Connor a forced smile.

The agent decided to change the subject and turned to his childhood friend.

"Is everything good for Eden? Did he manage to be there without any problems?"

It was Glen's turn to look depressed. The alpha suddenly remembered that he would be separated from his mate at least until next weekend, and the more he thought about it, the less he liked the idea.

"Yes, everything is okay."

"Then, what with your look?"

Nube chuckled because she could guess why Glen was making that face. However, she chose to respect the alpha silence who preferred to pretend in front of his friend.

"Nothing at all. I'm just tired." His response drew a dubious frown from Connor, who narrowed his eyes, ready to pry the truth out of him.

The dominant understood that he had to retreat before he asked any further questions.

"If you need me, I have emails to check. Alpha Silver told me that he had sent something important."

Glen had barely finished speaking when he left the room. He dashed to the bedroom where he slept then came out with his laptop tucked under his arm. He settled down next to the dining room table.

He had barely been sitting for five minutes when Connor and Nube heard him stifle a groan. The agent turned his head to him and he noticed the alpha had frozen in front of his computer screen. Unable to guess what it was about, he waited for the werewolf to regain his ability to move and speak.

Glen did, indeed, move again and Connor heard him stammer.

"I think I got a... job?"

"What are you talking about? Were you looking for a job? I thought you wanted to focus on the pack and learn everything you need to take over from the alpha."

"Well, that's the job I got."

"What are you talking about?"

Connor stood up. He walked over to the table and Glen swiveled the computer screen to him to let him see what he was reading.

"Wow! You have a job as an alpha. Congratulations!" He patted the dominant's shoulder who still didn't know how to react.

"I don't understand. How can I get a job as an alpha?" He was speaking to his friend but it was Nube's voice that rose to bring him the information he wanted.

"It's specific to traditional packs. I learned it when I joined Green Lake. My health after Sora's birth didn't allow me to mingle with my packmates, so the alpha had to take me under his wing. Over time, I ended up becoming a bit of his secretary even though now…" She dragged her sentence and chased away her sad look with a fake smile. "Being a werewolf, especially when it comes to a dominant with a high rank in a traditional pack, takes a lot of work. You have to manage the pack, and make sure that it fits into the modern world.

Young werewolves must be educated, which means that we must do what is necessary administratively to enroll them in a school, a college, a high school, a university for those who want it and who can. The older ones have the choice between being exclusively traditional members. That means hunting, monitoring the territory, managing resources, handling internal conflicts, or they can work outside to earn money. Part of this money is donated to their pack. And that's just a tiny part of what pack members have to do.

The positions of Alpha, Luna, and Beta are key positions in a pack, not only for the pack itself but also for the outside. Since the Big Bloodshed, in particular, the diplomacy between the packs and with the WIA has become something extremely important and delicate. Because of this, being an alpha has gradually become more than blood rank. It's kind of the equivalent of politicians, but for werewolves," she concluded with a smile.

"Wow…It sounded…boring as hell." Connor commented with a pout. "If I hadn't seen Alpha Silver on the field, I would have told you to decline."

Nube chuckled as she heard the agent speak. The man straightened up and crossed his arms to read again with a new prism the email that Alpha Silver had sent to Glen.

"I assume the idea you have of traditional packs of werewolves is how they were back fifty years ago and beyond. However, keep in mind that even traditional packs had to evolve to share the world with civilians. If they hadn't organized themselves to live beside or among them, it would have ended in constant bloodshed, or the werewolves would have been forced to live hidden like monsters for fear of being discovered. Think of it all as rules for everyone to live freely.

Even an alpha as powerful as Silver Bloodhood doesn't make a decision lightly. He certainly has a lot more leeway than a leader of a smaller pack, but I'm sure he makes his decisions by taking much more into account than strength. He doesn't seem like the kind of leader willing to sacrifice his packmates for power or vanity. "

Glen nodded listening to the women talk. He remembered the alpha's reaction when he lost his men during the battle against Wyatt. It was a risk he hadn't calculated and he saw the leader regret it bitterly. The alpha stared at his computer again to read the screen.

"I will have to manage the relations between Bloodhood and Red Creek but also with all the small packs around."

As soon as he finished his sentence, Connor's hand fell on his shoulder and the latter lowered his head sympathetically.

"Don't start a war with Alpha Carter or your father-in-law might kick your ass out of the pack."

"You saw him when Alpha Carter entered Bloodhood's territory before the dead-end, I'm almost sure he sent me that mail so I have all the green lights to start a war and I'm sure he would finish it."

Nube and Connor both chuckled when they saw the dominant rolling his eyes. Glen's phone vibrated on the table beside him and he frowned.

"'I'm going to kill you'. Why? What did I do wrong?"

Connor, who had heard him, suppressed a grin and announced.

"Whatever it is, I'm siding with Eden."

"What? Why? I didn't do anything!"

"Are you sure?" Connor squinted his eyes with suspicion and the utterly confident answer Glen wanted to give him failed to pass his lips.

"I… think?" He faltered, thinking back to the fact that he might have been overboard this morning. He started to worry at the idea that his mate was seriously angry with him. "Connor, I'll borrow your car at noon, if you don't mind."

"It's Greg's car. Mine is still on Bloodhood's territory but, sure. I don't think he would mind. He told me that he would borrow one of the lab's cars to let me use this one since tomorrow I'm taking Sora shopping. He waved at the omega girl whose head protruded from the sofa where she had joined her mother.

She waved back at Connor and the agent smiled broadly. As he watched his friend's hand move, the alpha noticed something he hadn't seen when he turned around. He grabbed Connor's hand and stared at his left ring finger which was decorated with a refined white gold circle.

"He finally gave it to you?"

"Yes, this morning when we went back… Wait what do you mean, "he finally gave it to you?" You knew about it?"

"He showed us the ring when we were at the Soul Healers'. That's why I knew you were acting like a drama queen."

"I…" The man was about to deny but finally swallowed his words. "You should have told me." He mumbled as he crossed his arms.

________

The car pulled over in front of the academy and Glen checked that he had texted his omega. He looked anxiously at the device as he hadn't received any answer. As he was about to send a new message when he heard the door open.

An icy wind rushed inside, preceding Eden who settled down, without a word and closed behind him.

When he sent the message, the male omega intended to start a war of nerves to make his mate pay for his boldness in the morning which only got him into trouble.

However, throughout the morning, he had felt through the Fated bond all the anguish that gnawed at the alpha. Eden had tried to focus on his lessons, but the bad feeling only grew stronger. He finally gave in and answered his mate but the alpha was restless.

When he saw the message where his mate told him he was waiting outside, Eden left his friends and rushed to the entrance.

The closer he got, the more he felt the tumult of emotions the alpha was in. When he opened the door and got into the passenger seat, he felt all the alpha's angst melt away and the only thing left was pure affection that took his breath away.

So, this was how it felt like to have a mate.