Lillian felt like she was in a dream. She had encountered death more than once in the last twenty four hours, and was still alive.

Not only that. Her children were alive, safe and happily being themselves for the first time in their lives.

"You can stay here for now," Eva said, opening the door to a small log cabin tucked in the shadow of a giant fir tree. "We'll figure out the logistics after discussing things with Noah."

"Thank you." Lillian stepped inside.

The cabin was one story, like all the houses around. It had an open floor plan. A simple kitchen on one side, a dining table for four, a living room with one big sofa, a blue woven carpet, a wooden coffee table and a fireplace. On the other side of the kitchen were three doors.

Two large windows on either side of the front door let through enough natural lighting to make electrical lights redundant by day.

"The boys will have to share a bedroom for now," Eva said, going to the fridge. She opened and checked it with a sigh. "I'll have someone drop off some food later, but you can have dinner in the pack house."

"I don't mind."

Lillian looked around with a smile. For the first time in her life, she felt... at peace. She'd had lunch with some of the other mothers in the pack, and she'd had so much fun. They were all lively and energetic, and very welcoming.

She'd learned that the pack house was a common space for anyone and everyone in the pack. It was the biggest building in the pack village, with several guest rooms for when they had visitors overnight, offices of the high ranking wolves in the pack, and a gigantic dining room that reminded Lillian of her high school cafeteria. Everything was made with wood. It gave the place a cozy feel.

"You say that now," Eva said, looking through the beige cabinets. "But in a few days you'll want to eat quietly. It's always rowdy there."

"Say, Eva?" The red haired woman looked over her shoulder. "What can I do? I mean, I don't know how things work around here, so I don't know how I can work for anything... Do you guys work?"

Eva chuckled and leaned her back on the counter, crossing her arms. "Everyone in the pack has a specific role and rank. For example, I'm the pack doctor, but I'm also the second in command female. Sean, my mate, is Noah's second."

Lillian frowned. "Mate? like, a partner?"

"Yes, but in human terms, husband would be more accurate," Eva said. "Although even husband is such a temporary and a ...an unstable term, so to speak. Immortal matings last for life. There's no such thing as divorce or separation."

"Oh, okay. Wow." Lillian raised her eyebrows. She couldn't picture such an abiding bond. The only relationship in her life that had lasted more than a year was with Lydia and the twins.

Eva took a seat at the table. Lillian sat across from her.

"So everyone in the pack has a specific role and rank. The alpha is at the top of the hierarchy, followed by the second in command and his mate, then comes the master-at-arms. In our pack, that's Jake. Then there are the warriors and the omegas."

"Warriors and omegas?"

Eva bit her lip in consideration, then shrugged. "This information isn't for outside ears, but since you'll be part of the pack, I guess you should know."

Lillian nodded. "I know I'm not fully trusted yet, and that's normal, I don't expect to be. But I'll work for it, I'll do whatever it takes to earn a place in the pack."

Eva smiled. "I know you will. Noah is a good judge of character, the fact that he let you in means a great deal. He doesn't trust easily."

Lillian could believe that. Just that morning his hands were on her neck. She suppressed a shiver at the sensation. His skin was hot, too hot for touch. Physical contact with men wasn't something with which Lillian was comfortable. But all she could think about that morning was how it was the end of her life, how she was never going to see the twins grow up.

"Warriors are basically soldiers," Eva said, interrupting Lillian's gloomy thoughts. "They're responsible for assuring the safety of the pack and securing the land's borders. Omegas are wolves who rank lower than the warriors. Submissive wolves who hold certain roles in the pack. Each is responsible for something. For example, we have two teachers for the pups, there are kitchen staff who take care of everything related to food, from cooking for the pack house to ensuring a fair distribution of foods like meat and groceries we buy from the human villages, and even farming. There are also wolves who ensure other services. Technicians, plumbers, electricians and things like that."

"So basically, it's a human city on a much smaller scale. Well, except for the rank thing."

Eva laughed. "I guess you can say that. Except that all wolves, warrior or not, go through daily training."

"Training?"

"Combat training," Eva clarified, making Lillian's eyes widen. " You compared the pack to a city, but in truth, our world is much more... interesting than that. Violence and death is something a regular wolf gets to see at least once in their life. It's a normal thing for immortals in general."

Lillian slowly nodded. "How can you tell what rank a wolf is?"

"We can just tell," Eva said. "I don't know how to explain it, but we can sense how dominant or submissive a wolf is."

Lillian shifted uneasily. She didn't like having her kids at the bottom of the food chain...

Eva smiled knowingly. "Don't worry. Wolves only start showing signs of joining the rank when they mature, around fourteen to sixteen. Then they train until their strength settles down. Though we can sometimes tell when a pup is going to be dominant."

"Can you tell with the twins?"

Eva grinned at Lillian, "we can't be sure. But I have a feeling Noah will have his hands full with them when they grow up."

Lillian gulped. Equally excited by the thought of her children growing and uneasy with the fact Noah would 'have his hands full with them'.

"But," Eva continued, "being submissive is not a bad thing. Submissive wolves are the glue that holds the pack together. They are protected by dominant wolves, and their gentle nature balances out the beasts of the pack's dominant wolves. Dominant wolves need submissive wolves more than the other way around. In some ways, a pack can function without dominants, but it cannot survive without submissives."

Lillian slowly nodded, absorbing the new information like a sponge. "So what can I do? Is there a need in some area?"

"Let me check first. Besides, we'll have to discuss it with Noah anyway."

"Does everything go through Noah?"

"Of course," Eva replied matter-of-factly. "He's the alpha, every decision in the pack is his."

"You make it sound like he has absolute power over everyone and everything in the pack," Lillian said, jokingly.

"That's because he does," came Eva's serious response. "The alpha's orders are law. His every order is obeyed. Packs aren't democracies."

Lillian frowned. "But earlier, he had the pack vote on whether I stay or not."

"Yes. Noah doesn't like imposing big decisions on us. He wants to have the pack backing him up in such matters. But if he chose not to do that, no one would blame him. If he'd wanted, he would've simply informed them that you'll be staying here."

"Well, that's... extreme."

Eva laughed. "Maybe it sounds weird to you, but our beasts need a dominant presence to keep everything under control. Otherwise, it will be chaos."

Lillian thought about Eva's words long after the woman left.

She needed to take off the human goggles and learn to look at things from the wolves' perspective.

Noah said she and her pups were now part of the pack. But she didn't have a wolf, unlike her kids, so that meant she didn't have to obey his every order. Just the thought brought a scowl to her face. Although she'd been a responsible person all her life, she didn't like being under someone else's thumb.

Lillian sighed as she lay down on the brown couch, the surface soft and bouncy. The fabric smelled faintly of lavender and oregano, it made her muscles loosen. It felt like so long since she'd had a moment to herself without the kids running around or the hustle and bustle of the diner.

The diner! She'd completely forgotten about it. Oh well, the manager will find someone else to take her place in the blink of an eye.

Lillian yawned. The boys were playing with the rest of the pups outside. She could hear them running around and shouting. It felt weird to let them loose like this. She was used to keeping a figurative tight leash on them, especially when going outside.

Odd. For the first time in years, in the heart of a wolf pack, Lillian felt safe. That was her last thought before she drifted into deep, untroubled sleep.

***

Sniffing.

Lillian woke to the sound of sniffing. She was still laying on her side. Her eyes cracked open to see a small brown wolf sniffing at the hand she'd put on the couch right in front of her face.

The pup had his front paws on the couch, his muzzle cool and wet against her skin. Lillian smiled. The pup froze, over-sized ears twitching.

"Hi," Lillian whispered, her voice hoarse with sleep. The little wolf licked her hand then barked, the sound high and utterly adorable, drawing a grin on her face.

"Aren't you adorable?" Lillian scratched the pup between his ears. Her sons loved it when she did that. And this pup did, too. He closed his eyes in a pure blissful expression.

Lillian noticed the lighting in the cabin had changed. It was already dark outside. She sat up, took in her surroundings through the darkness. The front door was cracked open, Elijah and Ezra were sleeping on the floor by her feet, both in wolf form.

"That was a great nap." Lillian yawned. The pup watched her with big eyes. "Do you know if dinner was already served in the pack house?"

When the pup only looked at her with his tongue hanging out of his mouth, Lillian smiled. She didn't notice right away, but now that she paid attention, the pup didn't give off the same vibe as her kids. He, or she, was an animal. Not a werewolf.

She stretched her arms up with a groan, then kissed her boys awake. They yawned, showing little fangs that got bigger by the day. Her children barked at the new pup, then shifted to human boys. Very naked human boys.

"Oh dear." Lillian said, "Where did you boys leave your clothes?"

Elijah grinned. "We left them outside."

He lunged at the small wolf. Ezra joined the tangle. Rolling all over the floor, their playful snarling and giggling filled the dark cabin. The kids' eyes all glowed, their night vision was much better than hers. Thankfully, she found the light switch with a little help from Ezra.

"Aunt Eva said to tell you the dinner is at eight," Ezra said. Lillian picked him up and gave him a loud kiss on his plump cheek. He hugged her back equally as tight. Lillian's heart felt so full it was a wonder the organ didn't burst.

"Good boy. You remembered."

"Uh-huh." He nodded against her shoulder. A glance at the clock told Lillian it was almost time.

"Do you remember where you left your clothes, baby?"

Ezra thought for a moment then nodded.

"Alright. Elijah, come on honey. Let's go." Lillian opened the door and waited for the other pups, Ezra still in her arms. The night air raised goosebumps on her flesh. She didn't want the boys to catch a cold, although they never had before, so she told them to shift. They'd be warmer in their fur.

The sun had long since disappeared. Lillian navigated the scattered cabins that blended so seamlessly with the forest. There were lights outside, but they were spread in a way that left dark spots all over. Mainly, the lampposts were close to cabins and pathways naturally made by the frequent trampling of feet.

Lillian got a few nods and smiles of greetings from wolves coming and going, or just hanging around with pack mates. But she also had her fair share of suspicious, or straightforward aggressive, glances.

She returned the friendly smiles and met the surly gazes unflinchingly. She wasn't going to cower in some corner just because a few people didn't want her around. It was decided she'd stay, and they should deal with it. This pack would provide the perfect place for her children to grow up, and she got to stay and watch over them. If someone was uncomfortable with her, it was their problem.

Ezra barked when he found the clothes, they were folded and stacked neatly under a tree. The twins shifted and dressed. Lillian picked up the wolf, he was much smaller than her pups and fit in the crook of her arms perfectly.

"Aren't you adorable?" she cooed. He licked her face, then set his little head on her shoulder. Awwwe...

The three of them were still shoeless. But Lillian's feet were in the most deplorable condition. She sucked it up. There was hardly anything she could do about it at the moment.

She probably should've asked Eva for antiseptic and bandages. Did they even have them? She remembered Eva using them in the infirmary.

"We're here!" Elijah announced, jumping up the porch steps leading to the pack house.

Lights illuminated the wraparound porch. It had small tables and chairs, most of them occupied. The wolves ceased their conversation when she stepped on the porch.

Lillian met the eyes of a familiar female, the one who had interrogated her in front of the pack. Obviously, the woman hadn't changed her mind judging by the way she wrinkled her nose at Lillian.

Lillian went inside and headed straight to the dining room. She stood in the double doors of the huge, well-lit space. It wasn't at full capacity, but it was still crowded and noisy. Once Lillian appeared, the noise died down before picking up in hushed whispers.

There was no sign of the mothers she'd had lunch with. According to Eva, most nights, only the unmated wolves ate in the pack house. Families usually had their meals together in their homes.

"Lillian!"

Lillian followed the familiar voice, and smiled when she spotted Eva waving at her from a table in the far corner of the room. She waved back. From where she stood, she couldn't see who was sitting with the doctor. But as they approached the table, her hold on the wolf in her arms tightened. Sean sat right next to Eva, and Noah filled the bench across from them.

"Hi," Lillian greeted with a smile. Sean nodded, keeping his eyes on his plate. Noah just looked at her then the wolf quietly napping in her arms.

"Ah, you met Rick," Eva said with a smile.

Lillian smiled. "I did, you guys named him? He lives with the pack?"

Eva shook her head. "There's a pack of wolves, animals, that live nearby. This little guy always gives the slip to his pack mates. I'll have one of the warriors take him back after dinner."

Lillian settled the animal on the bench next to Eva. "I'll go get our food. Come on, boys."

The twins skipped behind her to the cafeteria line. The smell of warm food made her stomach rumble. The boys giggled.

"Mommy, you're hungry," Elijah said.

Lillian snapped her teeth and made claws with her fingers. "I am, and if you're not careful, I'll eat you."

The boys' laughter rang around them. The two men doling out the food smiled. Soon, their trays filled with vegetable soup, pan roasted beef, and a slice of chocolate mousse pie that made her mouth water.

Lillian and the twins joined their table, climbing over the round bench. She sat next to Eva, Elijah next to her and Ezra on his other side, next to Noah. She settled the still-sleeping pup in her lap, he stirred a bit before snuggling closer. Lillian petted the wolf absently.

"By the way, Noah. Lillian wanted to know what she could do in the pack."

Noah took the time to chew on his meat, swallowed then looked at Lillian. Lillian stared back expectantly.

"What kind of job did you have with the humans?"

Lillian shrugged. "I worked as a waitress. I dropped out of senior year in high school, so I had no college degree. I just worked wherever I could over the last few years."

After Lillian got pregnant, things went from bad to worse. But she'd never take anything back. All the adversities were a puny price to pay in order to have the twins. They were worth it.

"I'll see where we can use you." Noah rubbed his bearded jaw. "I also want you to attend class with the pups. If you want to live here, you have to understand how things work in our world. If you don't want to attend with the children, you can ask the teacher for lessons alone."

"I don't mind sitting in with the kids," Lillian replied, then looked at the twins who were busy inhaling their meat. "The twins can attend right away?"

Noah nodded. "No formalities needed."

"Someone will drop by tomorrow to show you around," Eva clarified.

"Thank you."

They ate their dinner, and Lillian considered the question running through her head. Would it be a good idea?

Lillian's plate looked empty compared to the adults' around the table. Eva's plate had at least triple the amount Lillian ate. And the men... she didn't even compare.

She was about to spear a forkful of chocolate pie when she felt Elijah's eyes on her. He was holding his spoon in the air, his plate completely empty and his lips smeared with chocolate. Out of her sons, he was the one who had inherited her chocolate addiction. Ezra, surprisingly for a child, was impartial to sweets.

Lillian ate the forkful of chocolate goodness then sighed. "I don't think I can finish this." She pushed away the pie and looked at Elijah. "Do you want it?"

Wide-eyed, he nodded and raised his spoon in the air. "I can finish it!"

"There you go."

She gave him the dessert, smiling to herself. She was usually strict when it came to sugar at night. But they deserved a break after everything they'd gone through. Her smile quickly disappeared when she remembered Lydia. She still had to tell the boys and she didn't know how.

"Eva, you and Sean take the boys back to their cabin," Noah said, standing up with his polished tray. "Lillian, come."

He left Lillian gaping at his back. She took a deep calming breath. He did not just order her around like a pet dog. Lillian kissed Elijah and Ezra, then bid goodbye to Eva and Sean. Only Eva replied.

After leaving her tray in the disposal area, she hurried outside. She ignored the looks and whispers as she stood at the door, searching for the damn alpha. She spotted him a second later, shrouded in darkness.

He waited for her to join him before walking away.

"You know," she said, panting because his steps were much larger than hers. "I don't appreciate being ordered around."

Noah came to a halt. Lillian almost tripped on her bare feet to stop, too. The alpha looked her way through eyes glowing amber. Now that she was accustomed to the darkness, she could see well enough to note the raised brow he directed her way.

"I'm the alpha," he said. "And you're now part of this pack."

Lillian crossed her arms. "I'm not a wolf. I don't do well with orders, even from you."

"That's a human way of thinking," Noah said, taking a step closer to her. She held her ground despite the frisson of apprehension that crawled up her spine.

"No, that's my way of thinking," she said, raising her chin. "I'll work my butt off for the pack, and do what's asked of me. But I won't be spoken to like a subject, and I'll appreciate it if you understand that."

"You're setting a bad example for your pups." His eyes were now glowing light bulbs.

Lillian sighed. "They're wolves, they'll learn just like the rest of the pups. I'll try my best to not influence them with my 'humanness'. But you have to understand, I don't have a wolf that wants to submit to you because you're the alpha. Please, respect that."

Noah stepped forward until he was toe to toe with her. Scrutinizing amber orbs. She had to crane her neck to keep their gazes locked. And she worked really hard to keep herself from taking a step back.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a second then exhaled loudly. When they opened, they were darker.

"You know, I can break your neck like a twig."

Lillian grinned. "I know."

His brows lowered in a confused frown. Lillian thought the expression was cute on him. Considering he was a six-foot-five male built like a mountain with a striking scar on his bearded face, Lillian thought that maybe she was going crazy.

"But you won't," Lillian continued, more confidently than she felt. "You had your chance to get rid of me, it's too late now."

If he wanted to kill her, he would've done it that morning. Lillian didn't know Noah, but from what she gathered from the members of the pack, they held him in high regard, trusted him and felt protected with him in the lead.

Noah blinked, tilted his head to the side, then stared at her. For too long. Lillian cleared her throat.

"So," she finally broke the silence. "Where are we going?"

"You remind me of someone." Noah stepped around her then started walking before she could ask. "We're going to my office."

"I thought your office was in the pack house," Lillian said, walking beside him.

"I have another."

Lillian was surprised at herself. For some reason, after what had happened that morning, she wasn't as afraid of Noah as she should've been. He was an unfamiliar male, and she was walking around alone with him, at the dead of the night in a dark forest. She did feel wary, but underneath it all was an unexpected sense of security that sprung to life from a deep, nameless part of her being.

A few minutes walk, during which Lillian tripped a few times due to her human eyesight that couldn't function in the darkness, they reached a one story cabin. It was slightly isolated from the pack village, perched on a hill that made Lillian aware of her lack of shape. She was breathless by the time they reached the top.

A lone light shone on the front porch, highlighting the wide space. The cabin was big, but there were logs and tools on the porch and the area surrounding the house. The building work was still ongoing.

Noah walked in and held the door open for her. He turned on the light to reveal an unfinished living room, a sole black couch in its center. Lillian followed as Noah walked deeper into a hallway, closed doors on either side of them. He led them to his office.

A messy wooden desk sat in front of a window to the left of the room, a fireplace on the far right, and what caught Lillian attention, shelves spanning the length of the wall facing the door. It was packed with books. A massive library that Lillian wanted to take her time exploring title by title.

"Come in," Noah said from where he combed through the papers on his desk with a frown.

Lillian slowly walked in. Although it was bare of furniture except for the desk and the chairs, the room felt like a sanctuary. A coffee mug on the desk, a blanket and a pillow on the ground near the fireplace with a few books stacked beside it, pictures on top of the mantel.

Perching on a chair in front of the desk, Lillian looked as Noah fired on a laptop then walked out of the room. He returned a minute later with a pair of socks and white baskets. Lillian thought it was weird that he waited until he got home to put on shoes since he'd been barefoot every time she'd seen him. But then he handed them to her. Surprised, her hands took over and accepted the items.

"Put them on until you get ones that fit." He sat on his chair. "Your feet are a mess."

Lillian blinked. "Thank you."

Her feet were numb from the cold and the bruises, but she put on the socks and shoes. They felt like boats in her feet. She'd treat the scrapes later.

"What can you do?"

Lillian frowned. "If there's a need somewhere, I can fill in. I learn quickly."

Noah typed something on the laptop, squinted then shook his head. "What would you do if you had the choice?"

Lillian bit her lip, considering the question. Even in high school, before getting pregnant, the only passion she had had laid with the earth. "I'm a decent cook, and I had a small garden back home that did pretty well, I've always had a green thumb."

Noah nodded, shifting his eyes from the computer to hers. "Tomorrow someone will introduce you to the wolf responsible for gardening, start there and see how it goes."

Lillian felt a spark of excitement. She nodded eagerly. "Alright."

"Coordinate with them so you'll have time for class. You need to have at least a minimum of knowledge about our world. Now," Noah loosely linked his fingers and leaned forward, fixing her with a piercing gaze. "How did you know that Rick was an animal and not a shapeshifter pup?"

--- ---- ---

Right on time! how do you like this chapter?

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Also, if you follow me on Instagram then you know I'm currently working on another story other than this one. It's a lil' lil' (or maybe big) something that fans of A Silent Heart will be thrilled to know of. It's going to take some time, but if you want more updates about it, head to Instagram. (username: when_mia_writes)

Another Enigma update will be live on the day after tomorrow, as usual, so stay tuned!

Love love 

M.B.