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The mood grew slightly more somber as I spoke. The pack listened closely, but I think they understood what I was saying.
Many of the women coming their way wouldn’t want relationships. They might not want a family, or even a pack. There was a damn good chance they wouldn’t want a mate, on top of that.
But that didn’t mean gaining a pack or a mate would hurt them. Maybe it would be exactly what they had never realized they needed.
And maybe they and the shifters could heal together.
As I’d started expecting,the conversation went on.
And on.
And on.
The wolves were the best audience I’d ever had, and we burned through my lessons as the hours passed. The suns went down and both moons rose, but the conversation continued.
I could tell Ivaylo was ready to get me out of there so I could sleep, but the men were still actively asking questions. Then, they began crafting a plan to make their land more comfortable for the women.
Some of them started drawing plans for shops, dens for the women, and community buildings. Others made lists of the supplies they’d need, and they all checked with me as the lesson graduated into a pack meeting.
At some point late in the night, Ivaylo set me on his lap. We got a few grins and a few lingering looks, but no one looked disappointed or jealous anymore. They just looked hopeful.
And I guessed that ifsomeonecould understand the pain of a woman who no longer wanted to live on Earth, it would be the wolf shifters who had battled their own minds for so damn long.
When the sunsbegan to rise, the conversations finally began tapering off. None of the men looked like they were about to go to sleep—all of them had a task, and from what I could tell, an assload of goals.
“Get your female to bed, Alpha,” Rok said, flashing Ivaylo a grin. “You’re lucky we haven’t challenged you for her after you kept her up all night.”
I tensed, half expecting Ivaylo to growl or snarl at his friend.
Instead, he gave a low chuckle and continued holding me securely to his chest. “She would kick your ass for me if you did.”
The men around us laughed. “Probably true.”
“Definitely,” I agreed, though there wasn’t a chance in hell I’d ever attempt to kick a male shifter’s ass.
Then again, he wouldn’t be able to lift a hand against me. So I’d probably win.
Still, it would be better not to bother risking it.
“Am I allowed to take you home yet, Ez?” Ivaylo brushed his stubbly chin over my cheek, and I fought a smile as I pushed his face away. He let me, but plopped a kiss on my forehead as soon as I stopped fighting him.
“I guess.”
“I’ll take it.” He rose to his feet, tucking me against his chest without bothering to let my toes touch the ground. “I’m taking Ezra to the Peaks tomorrow, so I can take a list of the supplies we need. I plan to ask them for some women’s clothes to use as a pattern so we can make our own.”
Nods went around the group, and someone said, “We’ll get a list finished before you’re up and moving.”
“You sew your own clothes?” I asked, surprised, and glanced down at the shirt on my chest. I still wasn’t wearing any underwear, but I’d grown used to that after so long without it.
“Of course we do. We’re self-sustaining, for the most part.” Ivaylo brushed another kiss to my face. We had stayed upwaytoo late, but it felt good to give his pack purpose. “Goodnight, everyone.”
A bunch of the others mirrored his goodbye, and he carried me away from the pack.
“That went well, I think,” I said when we were far enough away that no one would hear me.
“I haven’t seen my pack so focused on anything since I’ve been the alpha,” Ivaylo admitted. “Your words will keep my people alive for as long as it takes them to find a mate they can love. You’ve given all of us a great gift.”
“Coming here is a gift, too,” I said, my heavy eyelids beginning to droop. Soon, I wouldn’t be able to keep them open any longer. “Think I’m going to sleep.”
