Chapter 13: Welcome

We are now riding Erik's Chevrolet truck. I sit beside Erik, who is currently driving, while the two are in the back.

I glanced at Erik, stroked his shoulder lovingly, and slumped back in my seat.

I didn't know how many hours had passed, but we had just entered Alpha Roy's pack. Looking out the car window, I remembered when I first came here. At that time, I couldn't think of anything at that moment that Alpha Roy called me a living doll. Meeting Erik made me feel alive again, that I could still meet someone I could trust.

"Should we rest first, or let's go straight home?" Erik looked in the rear-view mirror to see Vincent and Tia from behind.

"Let's go straight to the pack. I'm excited to see your pack, Mr. Alpha," Tia replied to Erik, smirking. Erik shook his head in disbelief. He started the car and was about to drive when Alpha Roy showed me on my side. Leaning into the window, He smiled at Erik and then looked at me.

"Clara?" Alpha Roy said, full of excitement in his voice.

"Yes. How are you?" I replied, smiling. Roy was about to talk when he suddenly realized something. He grew wide and glanced at Erik and then looked at me. "Oh dear, Is he treating you well?" He asked, trying to piss off Erik.

Erik faked his laugh and gave Roy a look, and Roy smiled sheepishly. Erik went down from the truck and went around the car to meet Roy, and they both hugged each other full of brotherly love.

"Get a room, you two!" Vincent shouted from the back, and Erik and Roy quickly let go of each other, feeling embarrassed at what my brother had said. I giggled at their reaction.

"Well, I won't take too much of your time then." Alpha Roy said, saying his goodbye. Erik returned to the driver's seat and put on his seatbelt. Alpha Roy waved at us, and Erik honked his car at him.

The journey from Alpha Roy's pack to Silver Growlers' pack is just half an hour's drive. During that half-hour drive, Vincent kept singing until Tia got mad at him.

My brother is tone-deaf. Anyone could get mad if someone like that kept on singing for the past thirty minutes.

We went out of the car, and Vincent stretched his arms into the air. I walked towards Tia, who was standing by the side, looking at the surroundings.

"Welcome to Silver Growlers pack, Tia," I said, standing from her side. Erik walked toward me, and his arm found its way to my waist. Tia smiled at us and bowed. "Thank you for having me, Alpha and Luna," She said, and I laughed at her seriousness.

"Let's go inside" We all walked and entered the pack house, accepting Erik's invitation to go inside.

"This is not what I expected," Tia exclaimed. Erik smirked, feeling proud of our pack. "I believe Vincent would show you around?" Erik asked Tia and then glanced at Vincent.

Seeing Erik's gaze, Vincent immediately walked to our sides. "Leave the tour to me," Vincent said towards Erik, then glanced at Tia to wink at her.

I watched Vincent and Tia walk away from us with a smile on my face. I'm so happy for you, brother, I told Vincent, mind-linking him. Vincent looked back and smiled at me.

Erik kissed my temples. "You should rest," He suggested. "Yeah, I'm feeling a bit tired," I replied. "Come, I'll walk you to our room," He said.

"You're not going to rest?" I asked him with a confused look on my face. "I'm going to my office to talk to mom and Ian, and I'm just going to check if things were okay here while we are gone," He explained while smiling. I nodded and smiled at him.

Erik walked me into our room and said goodbye. While I entered the bathroom to wash, he made his way to his office. I shook my head and laughed at Erik, who kept asking if I was okay by myself. He is such a worrywart.

I opened the shower, and when I checked if the water was warm, I removed my clothes and took a shower. The water dripped down my body, and I could feel the warmth on my skin.

When I felt my body was clean enough, I went out to the cubicle where the shower was. I took a towel and wiped myself dry. After drying, I wrapped my long wet hair using the towel I had just used, and then I wore my bathrobe.

I faced the mirror in our sink in the bathroom and brushed my teeth. After that, I walked outside the bathroom and entered my walk-in closet. Looking at my clothes, I chose to wear the pajama of Erik that is color black. The pajama was bigger than I expected, but I didn't bother changing it.

I slumped myself on the bed, feeling the fatigue I got in our journey. While thinking about our trip and what would come ahead of us, I drifted to sleep.

~~~~~~

Erik's POV

I accompanied Clara into our room and was hesitant to leave her alone but thinking about Ian and mom's report, and I forced myself to walk towards my office. I felt Clara being relaxed using our mate link, and I knew she was taking a shower.

"Come in," I said when I heard someone knocking. Ian entered the room and walked until he stood before me, and I nodded at him, and he bowed.

"Alpha"

"I assume that there were no problems when I was gone?" I asked using my Alpha tone.

"There is only one problem, Alpha," Ian said, waiting for my signal.

"Continue"

"Our members can't hunt properly in our hunting grounds in the middle of the forest. The rogues keep showing up, the members strictly followed your order not to engage, but they keep showing up that we can't hunt properly," Ian reported.

"When it's time to hunt, let the hunters be our guards here in the pack house while our trained guards will be the ones who will hunt," I ordered. Ian bowed and was about to leave the office when I called him again.

"Yes, Alpha?" Ian asked.

Thinking about the rogues, "You go with the guards to hunt and observe. Don't let yourself be seen, and order our men to take extra caution in their surroundings."

"Understood," Ian said and bowed again before leaving.

What is your plan, Klaus? This game of yours will end soon. With that thought in mind, I mind-linked Vincent.

"Vincent, Office"

"Will be there in five minutes, Alpha."

In a few minutes, Vincent entered my office and bowed before me. I nodded at him in acceptance of his greeting, and he sat down beside my desk in front of me.

"The rogues keep taunting our hunters, but they are not attacking. So I ordered Ian to let our guards do the hunting, and the hunters guard our pack house. Klaus must have thought I'll let even one of our guards in the borders hunt. What do you think of this?" After filling him in, I asked his opinion.

"It's a good move on your part, but what if it's not about that?" Vincent replied.

"I also have doubts, so let us make sure."

"What is your order, Alpha?" Vincent asked, standing up in his seat to face me properly.

"You order your-"

"I'll order my men to gather information about Klaus's hideouts and what he is planning while I go and join the hunters to guard our pack house for more security," Vincent said, full of confidence in his voice.

I smirked and laughed at him. "Why did you need to ask, then?" I asked, laughing at him.

Vincent smirked back at me and turned his back to walk towards the door. He glanced back at me. "Well, I'll be going now," He said. "Be on guard, Vincent," I said to him, ensuring I was severe enough.

Vincent then faced me properly. "I won't let you down," He said, being serious, and bowed before he left the room.

I slumped back in my seat and looked out the window.

Killing you is not enough, Klaus, and it will never be enough. You will pay for hurting my mate and killing one of my pack members.