Chapter Three: True Home

~ 5 years later~

“I think this is everything.” I say pushing at the brown cardboard box in front of me, the other boxes I had squeezed into my car seeming to add resistance allowing my feet to skid along the floor as I pushed.

“Not everything.” Max smiles arriving at the steps of the pack house with another box in his hands, my mouth hung open as I looked to the box and over to my car which was already bursting at the seams!

“There is no way I’m getting that last box in, I have a feeling the boot is going to fly open mid-drive anyway, with that I’ll just be tempting fate!” I exclaimed walking around to the passenger door in hopes I could squeeze more in, but the full box looked back at me smugly riding shotgun.

“How did I arrive here with three boxes, just to leave with seven?!” I asked slamming the door in a huff as though it was the box's fault, I was the one that packed them and allowed myself to accumulate all of this junk.

“I mean you have been rather busy these past five years.” Max joked leaning down to place my box which wasn’t going to fit no matter what I did to sit on the floor beside him.

“I’m scheduled to go and visit the Alpha in a few days, I’ll take this box along with me, it’ll give me an excuse to come and see how you’re settling in.” He smiled placing his hands into his pockets, his kind offer making the stress of me packing up and moving my life for the second time slowly fade slightly.

“Thanks Max, at least that lowers the chances that I cause an accident if my boot lock fails.” I laugh reaching up to slam the boot, where I had to use all of my body weight to jump up, so it closed fully.

“It is going to be odd without you here, all the pack members keep repeating how much they’ll miss you and I have to agree, can’t you reconsider joining this pack as a true member?” Max asked repeating the question he’d asked me for around a year now and as much as I did love this place, it wasn’t my home.

“I’m certainly, going to miss this place and everyone so much but you know how I stand, I haven’t seen my family in five years and miss them terribly. The plan was always for me to stay here and go back remember.” I asked with a little chuckle only repeating the same response I’ve had, where he also chuckled slowly making his way down the steps towards me.

“Well shoot me for catching feelings, would it help if I told you I’d die without you here?” He asked pretending to stab himself in the heart, where I only laughed a little more pushing at him to stop.

“The sympathy card won’t get you anywhere, maybe by the time you come and visit me, I’ll miss this place too much and beg you to take me back!” I exclaim joining the joke but also secretly nervous that I’d been away from home for so long, what if it no longer feels like home but this place does?

“I’ll be wishing upon a star each night until then.” He joked in his fake poetic voice making me laugh even harder, Max and I have become really great friends over these five years, he’s the main person I’m going to miss.

“Oh good, I worried I would be too late, and you would have already left.” Bennett smiled walking from around the pack house and coming over to me, where Max and I pulled away from each other slightly, throughout that interaction, he’d gotten a lot closer to my bubble.

“Well luckily for you, I found myself playing Tetris to try and force my boxes to fit, you never know how much junk you collect until you’re forced to move it all!” I say looking back at my packed car, the only space left was for me to be able to drive and even then, I don’t think I’ll be able to see out my passenger window.

“That is the humour I believe we are all going to miss, thank you Iris, I was aware when I approached the Alpha about having someone move into our pack to train was beyond odd and even outlandish in some way, but you have truly showed us what an incredible person you are by jumping into the training without a second thought and really taking what we had to offer and worked with it. You have not only grown into such a great fighter and young lady but will always be a true friend and honorary pack member to The Full Moon Pack.” Bennett smiled as always, filling me with nothing but compliments, I have truly loved staying here.

“If all the members of The Blood Wolf Pack are anything like you, I believe the decision to become allies would be such a terrific idea.” Bennett continued mentioning the reason for my move those five years ago, where I had to look up with a little smirk.

“Does that mean you’ll accept our request to join forces?” I asked crossing my arms over my chest looking over to Bennett, who only smiled in return patting Max on the back.

“That decision does not rest on my shoulders anymore; I am no longer the Alpha so Maxwell will need to decide.” He said looking over to Max with such a proud look, it’s clear he’s beyond proud of his son for the way he took over as Alpha.

“Well with all things considered, I may have to look more into this one here, how about we take another five years for observation?” He asked crossing his own arms over his chest the same way I had, where I had to roll my eyes knowing what he was trying to do.

“At this rate, you’ll never allow me to leave.” I joked looking over to Max with my head titled, whilst Bennett only smiled walking closer to me for a hug.

“I better get on and allow you two to say your goodbyes, safe travels Iris and please, do not be a stranger.” Bennett smiled pulling me into an embrace, where I smile accepting before sending him a wave as he left.

“I wish you weren’t leaving, since my mother passed, you have brought my father and I such happiness that we believed was lost.” Max smiled stepping closer to me while taking my hand, a smile on my lips as I turned to look at him, feeling his thumb run over my knuckles.

“You are such a special person Iris; I have never met anyone else like you in all my life and I have some odd suspicion that I never will. Why am I allowing you to leave here?” He said his voice beginning to lower with each second, his eyes looking from my eyes to my lips, his body beginning to get closer to mine.

“When you first arrived here before either of us turned eighteen, I did begin to wonder and secretly hope you and I would be mates, that way I could never let you go.” He whispers our faces now inches from one another, my eyes now on his lips as a bubbly type of feeling began to spread through me the closer, he and I became.

We both knew what was about to happen and for some odd reason, neither of us went to stop it as we leaned in. The tension in the air grew as our lips were so close, I felt his breath fan against my lips. But one of the pack children kicking a ball at pack house wall beside us snaps me out of my trance and reminded me what I was meant to be doing in this moment.

“I better be getting off; I’ve never drove this way myself and I don’t want to get lost if dark approaches.” I say clearing my throat as I take a step away ensuring what was about to happen didn’t, where I spot the hint of annoyance sat on Max’s face once I did so.

“No, that would certainly, not be a good thing.” He replied, his voice much deeper than before as his eyes watched my every move whilst I take my keys from my back pocket.

“Thank you for everything Max, I’m going to miss you.” I say stepping forward but for a hug this time, where I felt his muscular arms hold me so tightly as he took a deep breath in as though he was taking a smell of my scent.

“Ensure to text or ring me when you arrive so I know you made it home safe and I’ll be sure to drop this box of your things around when I visit.” He said still refusing to let me go, where I had to be the first to pull away and send him a smile.

“I will, I know I’ll be counting down the days until I see you.” I smiled taking my steps away and over to my driver's side door, sending him a wave with a tiny sad look as I opened my door and climbed in.

Turning my car on and slowly pulling away from the pack house, I spot him sending me a wave before slipping his hands into his pockets and watching as I drove away.

Time to head home, where the biggest surprise of my life was waiting for me.