Chapter 2: I Know You

The Moirai Wolf Pack was home now. It was a strange name for a wolf pack. But, Elizabeth shrugged, it hadn't really mattered all that much.

They were looking for a healer for their pack, and they'd been willing to take her in.

Elizabeth had walked to the pack, following a scent that was d*mn near impossible to miss. The wolves left scent markings all around their territories; no one could say they trespassed accidentally.

She'd been invited, though. The wolves that were patrolling their territory already had her scent, since she'd sent a few of her clothes with her scent on them ahead of her coming here.

She'd walked the small journey through the woods. Run it, actually. It had felt good to run again, for the first time in so long.

Finishing her schooling in the city had been tiring, but she'd made it through. She'd also not killed any humans while among them, so that was doubly good. But she was more than ready to be back with the wolves again. Even if they weren't her birth pack. But then, she would never be with them again. She didn't even know who they were.

Elizabeth collapsed on the bed in her new quarters. The Beta of the pack was supposed to come and show her around, but he'd been busy. So Kenneth, another wolf that looked like he had a little influence, gave her a tour instead.

He'd shown her the healer rooms, the bonfire – where the pack gathered every night, and where she was expected to be tonight, and he'd brought her to her quarters.

It was a tiny cottage, and it was all they had for the healer, but it was all hers, Kenneth had explained, almost apologizing and looking incredibly guilty.

But it was wonderful.

So she'd unpacked the little she had, and set about making it her own.

She'd been working alone, until someone came to greet her.

Thinking it was the pack Beta that made time for her, her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

She had to be dreaming. Because that was the only time she had ever seen this man standing before her.

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The new nurse was coming in today, James reminded himself. His Beta, Bass, would see to her lodging, and see that she had everything she needed, but James would still check on her.

As Alpha, he had to know every member of his pack. He would have a file composed on her in a few months, like he had for every wolf under his leadership, but in the meantime he would like to speak to her.

Pack healers were rare. Wolves had a different anatomy to the humans, but the healers still went to human school to learn their anatomy from them. They then went to vet school and learnt parts of what they knew about animal anatomy. It wasn't an exact science, but it helped. Lastly, they learnt from the healers of the different packs, and then they were qualified as a healer.

The healers had more contact with the human world than almost any other wolf. They took risks no other wolf did, they made sacrifices no other wolf did, all so that they could spend their lives helping others.

James had always been impressed by the healers, their sacrifices, their dedication and their bravery. So he made it a point to visit the healer today, like he visited every healer that had ever come to their pack, whether to stay with them or help them for a little while before moving on.

James had always thought that to have a Luna who was a healer was something perfect, but a Luna could never be risked like that. If she was discovered, or hurt, she might be lost.

The thought made James shiver.

No, their Lunas were far too rare, and too precious, to put them at risk like that.

Because healers were so few and far between, because the sacrifices needed for them to become healers were so great, not every pack had a healer of its own. James' pack hadn't had a healer for five years now, since their last one had died. And they had struggled to find someone new. None from the pack had been willing to go, and James had not wanted to force anyone into that kind of situation.

Truthfully, he hadn't wanted to send any of his pack into that kind of danger.

So they'd had to find one from another pack.

But packs did not give up their healers. Then, by some miracle, James had heard of a healer, almost done with her studies, who had no pack of her own.

An orphan, looking for a home.

James had felt a deep and primal need to provide this for his pack. He had told Bass, and then Kenneth, in no uncertain terms, they were to do everything in their power to acquire the new healer.

Turned out, as Kenneth had put it to him, all she wanted was a permanent healer position in a pack.

James mused on how easy everything had been to get the new healer, despite Bass's half-hearted attempts to find her and bring her to the Pack, Kenneth had proven true.

Soon, he was at the cottage Bass had told him would be given to the Healer in her probation period.

He knocked on the door, but when no answer came, he stepped through the threshold.

"Hello," he greeted her, as she looked stunned to see him. Well, he supposed, he had walked in without permission. "You must be Elizabeth."

He held out a hand to her, and she stared for a while before taking it.

"Yes, yes," she stammered, and James fought back a smile. She was beautiful, but more than that, she was familiar. How, he had no idea. "Elizabeth, from, well, I don't have a pack."

"You do," James told her, holding her hand tightly. "You belong to the Moirai Pack, now. This is your home. Do you like your rooms?" James asked.

Her place was one room, but it was large and spacious. There was a queen bed in one corner, and the other end of the room held her little kitchen. Towards the other corner was her living room, and there was a door near the bedroom that opened to a small bathroom.

There hadn't been time to build something new and amazing, but James had talked to Kyra, and had the place at least furnished as best as he could.

Besides, Bass had said this place was only temporary, and better healer lodgings would be built soon.

"Do I like it?" Elizabeth asked in wonder, her nervous stutter gone. "Do you see this place? Your Alpha is the most generous creature that exists."

Elizabeth waved her arms around, at the bear skin rugs, at the fireplace. She leaned against the wooden beams supporting the roof, a small smile of her face as she closed her eyes.

She was powerful, James guessed. No wolf closed their eyes in the presence of another, unless they thought they could protect themselves. Unless they thought they were safe. Or maybe she just trusted him.

She was also grateful. James thought of the place he'd offered Katrina when she came to stay. A room about ten times better than this one, fitted for the future Luna of a pack. He remembered the plain disgust she'd shown at his pack's best efforts to impress her.

Elizabeth fair near hugged the meager offerings he'd been allowed to give an outsider.

James shook himself out of those thoughts; it wouldn't do to be ungenerous towards his fiancé now. She had just expected better, is all.

"What do you think of the place?" James asked again.

She was extremely beautiful, James thought, and he wondered why she'd gone to become a healer. Any wolf would have been happy to have her as his mate. She would have found a place in any pack almost as soon as she stepped into their territory. He wondered why she went through all of this just to find a home.

"I haven't seen much of it," Elizabeth answered honestly. "The Beta was supposed to show me around, but I think he got caught up in something, which makes sense, he is the pack Beta. So I guess I'll go exploring tomorrow on my own."

James frowned. He'd specifically asked Bass to make her feel welcomed and at home.

"I'd be happy to show you around tomorrow," James offered. "There's a bonfire tonight, but I won't be there. Ask for Kenneth, if Bass still hasn't seen to you. He's really helpful."

"Thank you," Elizabeth answered, "I will."

"I'll leave you to settle, then," James bowed slightly, turning to leave. "I hope you like it here, healer Elizabeth."

Elizabeth stared after him; he only just heard her whisper.

"I think I will."

James almost stopped right in his tracks. Where had he heard those words before?