章 51: Nothing to Worry About

Paul - After 3 weeks

I enjoy the peace and quiet this place provides as I wait for the moon to rise. The crickets add a joyful melody to my ears as I stargaze the twinkling silver lights of the brooding sky. I push back the sounds coming from the clearing of our meeting grounds.

Everyone is always upbeat when we get together for the full moon shift. Despite the enthusiasm, I feel for the first time that something is off. Laura is not present.

Steps on the grass pique my interest. Looking toward the clearing, I see Alin and Ana Maria approaching. She was delighted to join the Muntenia pack, and we chose to call her Ana Maria in order to avoid confusion with our Ana.

“I wanted to thank you again,” Alin says, his hand around his mate’s waist. “I’m also sorry for my behavior in the past few months. Not in my wildest dreams have I dared to imagine that such a thing could happen, that Ana Maria would join our pack.”