I found that Iris was a more enjoyable the more you got to know her. This girl had no downsides, I could almost swear it.

As we made our journey through the pack, some other people had stopped to say hello. Many were intrigued about my "mysterious" and "touching" past. But if they started to dig too deep, Iris would shoo them away (she hated nosy people).

I couldn't help but feel grateful for Iris. She told me that Arlis's parents were executed by a Hunter, a man named Stone Waynes, who was dead now. She said that since he was nineteen, Arlis has been watching over this pack and that everyone gave him nothing but respect because he put his life and soul into the pack.

She walked me around to the training fields where Chleo was teaching some men and women to fight next to a woman I didn't recognize, unsurprisingly. All the men and women were muscular and lean, sporting six packs.

I sported a six pack too. A six pack of jello and pudding cups.

There was the pack gardens where a lot of their food came from, for the human side of them anyways. Fruits and vegetables grew while people tended to the beautiful, multi-colored fields. This pack was the biggest one in North America, around 400 people. I thought it was small considering how many people lived in Columbia Falls. By then again, these were all people who changed into wolves while the only thing the people of my town changed into was different sets of clothes.

She showed me the pack daycare, which was probably my favorite part of the whole tour. She told me that packs were always helpful towards kids and little ones, and that if I ever needed a babysitter to ask literally anyone and they'd be in trusted hands.

When we visited and I was introduced to the baby-sitter, Melloni, all the girls at the daycare had ran to me and said that I looked like a Princess and smelled like the Alpha.

I later learned that this was because that "energy" that Arlis poured over me was the same he placed on me when I got here.

"So you two haven't..." Melloni chuckled to herself, offering me a package of crackers. "That's shocking considering most mate within twenty four hours."

Melloni had an easy going personality with a laugh that flowed just the same. She was super short, and even I felt tall next to her and I was only five foot 7. She, however, held her height at around 5 foot 3 and it tipped me off because what she lacked in height, she made up in personality.

"Considering everything... I mean he found me bloody and beaten and broken." I said, cringing at Jacobi's claws digging into my back. "And I healed up, and then we've just been busy. No time to really... do that."

Not that I'd let him if we did have time. As much as I like him, and wanted to be around him, and enjoyed his presence... and the way his eyes shone when he looked at me... and his hair... As much as I like him, I'm not ready for that stage in our relationship yet.

"True true." She sighed and ate more crackers.

Iris purses her lips at me. "You better lock him down, sweetheart. Arlis isn't a patient man and the longer y'all wait, the more he'll just let a rip when it finally happens."

I choked on my cracker, reaching for my water and gasping for breath.

"Iris!" Melloni scolded. "How could you say that?" She laughed. "Obviously our girl here is waiting as long as she can just like everyone else, you don't have to say it out loud." She winked at me, causing me to gasp and choke on my water alone with my cracker.

"Though I'd find you here. I leave her with you for a couple hours and you try to kill her." Arlis chuckles, walking into the daycare kitchen as shaking his head. "Can't trust you."

"She tells me you haven't mated her yet." Iris stands, hands on her hips as Melloni giggles into her drink.

Arlis coughs, his eyes widening in horror. "I see why she's choking."

"Oh she'll be choking all right." Melloni adds and Arlis claps his hands together once.

"Okay! Conversation over. I see out of all the people in the pack, you befriended the craziest." Arlis sets his hand on my shoulder and I slide into his side, fitting perfect.

I nodded. "How could I resist?" I ask, winking at Melloni.

Iris wipes some fallen tears of joy and points at me. "I like her, Arlie. I really like her."

He smiles lovingly at me. "Yeah me too."

"Awe. Alpha Arlis has a GIRLFRIEND!" Tiny squeals come from behind us and I turn to see a band of kids ranging from 4-13 (I decided that when telling ages of these kids to take what I think and subtract a couple years).

Arlis gasped. "I know! Isn't she just perfect!"

The kids nodded in agreement and I blushed, looking down and keeping down a laugh.

"She's better looking than you." One of the girls said, raising her eyebrows. She looked 9, but she was probably only 7 or so.

All of the kids "ooohed" at her as Arlis playfully glared.

"My heart hurts Gracie, it really does." He feigned hurt and then got down to their level. "But you're not wrong." He whispered to the little red haired girl with a face full of freckles and bright emerald green eyes.

She held her chin high. "Am I ever wrong?" She looked... upset. And I knew it was wrong to judge, but I couldn't but think that she would look better smiling.

He shook his head. "Of course not, you're my Princess. And Princesses are never wrong."

She brightly smiled and I was right, her smile was gorgeous. Just like her.

"I'm still you're Princess even though you have her!?" She asked, sending me a disgusted glance.

I looked to Melloni who held up one finger in my direction, silently telling me that she'd explain in a minute.

"Of course. You'll always be my Princess. She's just my Queen." He smiled kindly at her.

He reached out and growled playfully, causing all the kids to scatter. He ran after a little boy and lifted him up, playfully making the rocket noise.

He set him down. "Chase the others for me, my fellow King!?" He asked the little boy.

The boy's face lit up and he nodded. "I'm a King! Alpha Arlis said I'm a King!" He ran, chasing after Gracie who was shouting that Princesses were better anyways.

My heart swelled as he came back to us, smiling and wrapping his arm around me. I was at a loss for words over what happened. It was something so small, so precious, so cute. It made my heart thump to a happy rhythm.

Just when I thought he couldn't be any better, he did something like that and completely blew my mind.

He played with kids. Little kids. What's hotter than that!? Not a single thing.

"You have nothing wrong with you." I blurt out, and then instantly regret it as everyone starts laughing.

He pokes my nose gently. "I wouldn't say that. I just have a soft spot in my heart for kids."

Hot damn, I found the one for me. Mate bond or not, I would fall for him anyways. Anyone who wouldn't is mentally unstable and needs a psychiatrist.

"Yeah, like I said, perfect." I poke his nose back and then face to Iris and Melloni who have taken that time to "awe" over us.

"I raised that." Iris says, pointing to Arlis. "My little Arlie."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you did." He kissed my temple, playing with a tendril of my hair.

"SEE! I'm not your Princess! She is!" Gracie ran into the kitchen and then stomped up stairs.

Arlis cringed. "I upset the Red Queen. Can you hang here while I—"

I pushed him away lightly. "Go before she decides that my head needs to be off."

Arlis kisses my cheek, making flames of passion shoot through me just from that one act.

"Ugh, she's so dramatic." Melloni grumbles, taking a sip of a Capri-sun.

I gesture upstairs. "She seems special to him." No, I wasn't jealous of a 7 year old.

Okay so maybe I was jealous of a 7 year old, but not for the obvious reasons. She was more beautiful than I ever was at that age, and she was just a little ball of very irritating light. I mean who wouldn't be jealous? The girl had it all at just the age of 7.

Melloni nods. "That's Gracie, or what Arlis named her after her mom died giving birth to her."

It was like a punch to the gut, and I felt deep into my bones. "She's his daughter?" It came out almost painful.

Melloni started laughing, "No," And I sighed with relief. "He just treats her like she is. Gracie's parents were humans, both who knew of this entire world. They owned a diner down the road, and would offer help or advice to anyone who needed it, but I mean it was only supernaturals who walked into that bar anyways.

"But some Hunters cracked down on it, it was a big deal, and killed her dad. They let her mom live because even Hunters know it's wrong to kill a pregnant woman.

"Well Arlis found out and was like... super pissed, because those people didn't do anything. So he offered everything he could to help the woman. She only asked that he change her unborn child so the child would never have to face the fate her father did of knowing about supernaturals." Melloni raised her eyebrows. "The mom died giving birth, and Arlis showed up to find Grace curled up in her mom's dead hands. She wasn't crying, she was just sleeping quietly, unknowing that her mother was dead. Arlis saved her. When she was like... two, Arlis bit her and now... we treat her like anyone else. He named her Grace and if anyone asks she's under his protection and if anyone wants to call her a human, he's quick to shut them up. She'll grow up to be pretty powerful too. People bit by Alphas are always really strong. People bit by Arlis? Just as strong as an Alpha, if not, stronger."

The deeper I delved into this world, the more I began to respect the werewolves and hate the Hunters. The more I learned about Arlis the more I began to like him and hate how life treats him.

He came back down, Grace holding his hand. "Kate, this is my Princess, Grace. Grace, this is my Queen, Kate."

Grace smiled at me. "I guess you are kinda pretty."

I smiled at her, deciding that I was a dumb woman, no girl, to be jealous of a 7 year old. "Not as pretty as you." I said, bending down to her level like Arlis did earlier.

She looked up at him, her head reaching his hips. "Okay I like her. I guess you can stay with her." She looked to me. "Do you know how to braid hair!?" She perked up.

I nodded. "Fishtail, Dutch, French, and waterfall." I had a little cousin who I always practiced on. Plus Vix, she always made me braid her hair.

Vix. How could I have possibly forgotten to talk to Vix?

She nodded. "She's awesome." Grace said, running off to go play with the other kids.

I stood up, laughing. "This Pack is... this place is amazing, guys." And I meant it.

The place was beautiful, it was nothing like I expected, but everything I could ever dream plus more.

"Well," Arlis rubbed his hands together. "We really must be going." He said.

Melloni narrowed her eyes at him. "Tell that brother of yours to get his ass over here."

Arlis smirked. "What'd he do now?" He asked.

Melloni glared at nothing in particular. "The scoundrel forgot my birthday a couple days ago and I've been ignoring him since. In all parts of our relationship. But now I want him to open a jar of pickles so..."

Arlis looked to the fridge. "I could open it?"

She shook her head. "No. No I'm putting him in his place. Showing him what he's good for. Opening jars. I can open it just fine, I'm not weak. I just want him to do it."

"Wait... your mate is Jonah?" I asked, shocked. I didn't really know Jonah, but from what I could tell he was kind of violent. Melloni didn't seem that way.

She nodded. "Yup. As of six years ago. And the little punk forgot my birthday, he's lucky I don't chop his little Jonah off!" She grumbled.

And here I was thinking she was non-violent. I laugh and began walking out with Arlis.

"Bye Iris! Bye Melloni!" I yelled back, waving to them.

"Don't forget, waiting is only a good idea if you don't feel like walking the next day!" Iris laughed, pointing at me.

Before I knew what I was doing, I turned around and said, "Well maybe I should buy a wheelchair then, huh!?"

And then I realized who I was standing next to and cringed while he just laughed at me.

"A wheelchair, huh?" He grinned madly, raising his eyebrows up and down in an innuendo.

I rubbed my neck, nodding.

I heard Melloni and Iris burst into laughter, their voices echoing as we walked.

I found myself watching the sunset, the sky melting into a pool of oranges and red. Like lava floating effortlessly across the sea.

"It's so beautiful." I breathed out, looking back to Arlis who was looking at me.

"Yeah, she is." He put one hand on my cheek and pushed back a piece of hair. He leaned in to kiss me, to seal our lips, but someone yelled and it made us spin.

"Arlis!" It was Constance who was walking up to us. "We have a big fucking problem."

Arlis groaned. "We have a lot of problems, you gotta be more specific."

"Okay, Zach got bit and my cousin isn't answering her phone!" She panicked. "My Dad is going to kill me. And if he doesn't, my Aunt Marinda will."

"Okay hold on, slow down. Who bit him?" Arlis asked.

"The guy I hunted today, he was a werewolf. He bit Zach and he just now told me. I was only supposed to have him for an hour but I've had him for four. Everly isn't answering! I called Dallas and he told me he didn't know where she was! She's not answering for him either!" She took a deep breath. "I swear to god, if Clay got her I will bust into their coven and kill them all and I expect your help, Arlis."

Arlis didn't even hesitate. "Of course."

Constance's phone rang and she answered it, talking to Dallas. "Okay yeah bye. I'll see you two later, I have to go drop off Zach at home."

We nodded.

After she left, Arlis playfully nipped at my ear. "You wanna see our house?" He whispered against my throat, making my body shudder under his gaze.

I gulped. "Our?"

He nodded back. "Well yeah. What? Did you think you were sleeping somewhere else?"

I don't know what I thought. "I didn't know."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me along to his house, which I had yet to see.