*Sorry for the delay. Please enjoy!*
*****
Ryker
I tried my best to focus my attention on everything Alpha Howard of the Lakewood Wolf Pack was saying to both my father and I, but I couldn't think straight. Kendra, who I had just literally found out was my mate less than twenty-four hours ago was walking a little ways in front of all of us and her beautiful blonde hair was swaying back and forth in such a way that had me hypnotized and I wanted nothing more than to run my hand through it to see just how soft it felt.
"So what do you say? Is it a deal?" Alpha Howard said stopping in his tracks. I stopped to but I haven't a clue as to what he was talking about. We had come to a small creak not too far from the center of the forest, which had large boulders on top of each other that were covered in moss and small flowers. I could see Kendra wiggling her bare toes on the rock like she wanted to stick her foot in the water below but decided not to.
My father, Alpha Warren, and myself were being shown around by Alpha Howard, his Beta Steve, and Kendra to see some of the areas that the Lakewood Pack owned that our own pack could take advantage of as payment for the interest on a loan they needed. Alpha Howard had kept insisting that we would find some natural resources here but to honest everything this pack has, our pack, the Altos, has plus more.
I turned my head at my father who was close to retiring more and more every year since he reached the age of 82. He was still respected among our pack as a leader but the workload and all responsibility was passed on to me now.
"I think it's something of worth with that offer," my father said rubbing his hand across his bottom chin. "Although I don't think it would be enough to cover the fee for the loan."
I still didn't know the details of what they were talking about since I had been so distracted by Kendra but I had to say something. "We don't really need to give them an interest fee," I said shrugging my shoulders. I had mentioned this last night but I thought it was worth repeating. True, my pack was rich and to be honest I don't let that fact get in the way of business but for Kendra's pack I was willing to make an exception.
"Son, I really think that..."
"Please do not take us being a small pack for us also being weak and poor," Alpha Howard interrupted quickly. "We know what we are dealing with when it comes to requesting a loan and we have every intention of paying you back plus interest just like any other money handling deals you have dealt with before." He spoke in a strong, confident tone and I respected him for sticking up for his pack. I was not trying to disrespect him by doing him any favors. I just wish I could tell him it was all for his daughter's sake.
For some reason Kendra does not like the idea of us being mates and hasn't told her father so I haven't told mine either. It's normally a joyous occasion when wolves find their one true mate because it rarely happens nowadays. Wolf packs are spread out more and more and the chance of finding your mate that doesn't already live in your pack is one rare, special thing. I never thought to find mine. I never even thought it was possible for me. But now that I've found her, now that I've found Kendra, it's like this magnetic or gravitational pull that makes me want and yearn for her, even just be near her, in a way that I can't even put into words. But still I don't even know her.
"I do respect your pack's ability to pay us back," I said clearly. "I had only meant my offer of a no interest fee as a...gift."
"Gift?" Everyone said including Kendra.
I shrugged. It was the only thing I could think of.
"And you don't like the offer of having use of this beautiful spring water for you and your pack? You won't find any water like this in your region," Alpha Howard said waving towards the springs. Oh, so that's the offer he had made before.
I looked at the springs again and shook my head. "No, we don't have anything like this in our southern region but-" I stopped midsentence and decided to change tactics. "Maybe we can use some."
Alpha Howard's eyes lit up and I could see Kendra's face soften. She must have been happy to see her father happy that I had granted his request. "Great, yes, so that spring water will work for an interest repayment. Along with the rest of the loan money of course."
"Yes." I nodded once. I looked over at my father who had a skeptical look on his face but when he met my eyes he nodded to. I wondered what he was thinking but he must know that this pack didn't have much to offer us in terms of anything of high value. We had been hiking most of the day and mostly it's been nothing of real interest that we've come across.
"Good," Alpha Howard said looking like he wanted to pat me on the back. "Let's go back to my office to discuss the final details."
#
Kendra
Why I was doing this? All sense of reason must have left my mind because I was standing outside my father's office waiting for their meeting to be over. I don't know why I was standing against the wall like I wanted to go inside because I didn't. Part of me, probably the more logical part, wanted to be as far away from this area as possible but my other side, mostly my wolf side, wanted to see Ryker again. To be near him.
What if he left to go back to his pack and I never saw him again? I have refused to go live with him so that means if he were to walk out of this office and never returned then my last glimpse of him would be whenever he walked out of the room.
So I stayed.
I couldn't make out what they were saying but soon enough the door had finally opened and Steve, the Beta stepped out. He was an older man like my father and had been friends with him growing up. That's probably why my father selected him even though he probably wasn't the best fit for the job. My father could be a softy too much sometimes.
