Taking in all that Ellena has said thus far, creates more than a myriad of questions that need answering.
What has happened in this pack that has made them have only female pups over this last decade and a half? I have never heard of that happening. Ever. And I make it my business to study birth anomalies in packs, its my job to know these oddities. And why is their Alpha Benji so relaxed about pack less wolves living so close to pack lands? Isn't he worried about a rogue threat? Why is Ellena so kind and trusting of strange wolves?

Why am I so bloody worried! If someone could internally combust without making an outward sign, that would be me right now. Willow is pretty but its damn well perplexing. Already. Damn it.

I guess I shouldn't look a gift- wolf in the mouth but it's literally crazy not to! This is just too easy and that very point terrifies me! My mother always warned me to not be so sceptical but I just can't help it. After the last few months of my turmoil filled life, I can't help but expect only the worst.

Usually for me,  if it seems too good to be true..... well, it is!

As I sit and anxiously sip my second warm coffee for the day and eat my fifth delicious bun, I watch Ellena coo and cuddle with Rox and it warms my heart as much as the coffee warms my body. Maybe I just need to relax. Not all packs have a hidden agenda. Maybe some are actually decent. Not all wolves and humans are assholes.

Just most of the ones I met recently which gives me a plethora of reasons not to trust people I don't know.

"He really is a darling Alice. You made a good one." She grins at me as she scents his little warm cheeks and tucks him back into his seat, covering him up nice and tight.

The sentiment is given with nothing but kindness but the words burn a little. I didn't have any part in making the beauty that is Rox. I just get to raise him.I won't ever get to make a pup of my own at this point. What mate would want me now that they think I'm spoiled? I'm old school like that. And so was my pack. I guess Rox is it for me.

Ellena pauses as she looks me over, maybe she noticed the change in my expression. I really need to keep a lid on the internal monologues and trips down misery lane if I want to keep my shit straight.

"Now where are you two staying while you are deciding your next move sweety? Figured that out yet?" Hoping that she took my emotive change as worry instead of guilt, I quickly shake it off and shake my head in actual time for the full affect.

"Uh, no I haven't got that far. I was literally just walking by and couldn't stop myself from entering your lovely cafe, it called to me." I say and mean every word.

She chuckles softly and her short dark curls bounce about her head like tiny spirals of ribbon on a gift. She is the most jovial woman I have ever laid eyes on. Slightly more robust than any she wolves in my pack, she is adorable in every sense of the word. Life must be very relaxing here as a wolf in willow. She just omits happiness and Im hoping like hell that it's infectious. I need some jovial in my life. I feel like I'm twenty years older than I am. It's shit.

"Thank you hun. Well, let's just see if I can help you out a bit. My family is one of the original families in Willow and we still own a few of the buildings around town. I know for a fact that the little flat above the barber is free at the moment. Now it's nothing flash, but it is mostly furnished. It's small but it has two nice bedrooms and a cute little kitchen and living space combined. It's neat and tidy and best of all, you can stay there for free until you get yourself sorted. Now how does that sound? Want to come for a walk and check it out?" She asks, like it's even a question.

"Ellena I can't let you do that! You don't even know me." I splutter out, not believing my dumb luck for a second. Why would she do this for strangers she knows nothing about? What's the catch?

"I can and I will. I don't need to know you to see that you could use a fresh start and a helping hand. I'm
sure that you will get on your feet in no time and figure out a way to repay me. Understood? For now, payment will be letting me cuddle with this wee one as much as I like. And really, honey, how much trouble can one young she wolf and a pup be? Honestly." She laughs out loud, throwing her hands up in the air dramatically and then chortles again softly as she takes the trash on the table over to the counter and calls out to the young girl making coffees.

If only she knew.

"Lisa, I'm just stepping out for a short while, you got this?" She asks but clearly she doesn't need to wait for the young human girl to answer as she is already heading to the door and gesturing for me to follow.

Once we escape the security of the warm cafe and edge back out into the frozen little street, Ellena walks next to me as she starts to give me an
impromptu tour of the town.

"My family have been in Willow for many generations. My great grandfather four times over was responsible for the construction of many of the older buildings still standing." She says proudly, pointing out many of the said buildings as we push the pram down the road.

"It's a cute little town. I think Rox and I will be happy." I say politely as I nod and ooh and aah at the appropriate times, not really into it but grateful for her giving us her time.

"And what is it that you did in your old home?" She asks, clearly fishing for more information but trying to hide it as she turns us right at a small crossing and heads towards an old school barber shop, complete with the candy striped poles out front.

"Oh, I was a midwife. I'm hoping I can get some work at the hospital, or the pack even." I say, thinking out loud mostly. Either would be within my scope of practice and comfort zone.

"Oh that's marvellous Alice! Our pack doctor is a little on the older side of old, don't tell him
I said that though. We could really use someone your age to help the new mothers, perhaps modern up the man a little." She jests and stops us at the barber shop, waving to the two older men inside.

"Hi there Tom, Max, this is Alice. She and her little one are going to rent the space upstairs." She says boldly and they both smile and step closer to the entrance.

"Nice to meet you Alice." The first man says, peering in to the pram and smiling broadly.

Humans both.

"It will be nice to have some one up there again, especially someone as beautiful as you." The other man gushes. What an old smoothie.I guess there really is no age limit for flirting. Good to know.

I chuckle and smile back, why not eh? It's a compliment after all, even if the guy is ancient.

"Well thanks gentlemen, lovely to meet you both." I say sweetly as Ellena shoos them away and guides Rox and I around the back of the small shop, where a small service elevator is hidden next to a supply room.

She must notice my face and I instantly have to stop myself short of saying fuck no out loud. Instead, I just stand wide eyed and instantly terrified.

"Not the newest of machines but it does the trick and will save you carrying the pram around honey. Hop on in." She directs, noticing my expression yet completely disregarding it as she pushes me in and closes the door behind us. She pulls down the metal grate that is now the only thing separating us from apparent doom.

"To the penthouse James." She quips and I can't help but laugh at her. She even laughs at her own joke and I am so here for it, even if we only last a few seconds in this ancient scrap of metal.

Surprisingly, we survive the two agonisingly slow minutes it takes for the vintage lift to take us up to the first floor. The metal contraption clangs to a halt and Elena springs to action, pushing up the grate and showing us out into the shallow hallway.

There is only one door leading off the tiny lift and I follow Elena, lugging the pram out of the death box and stepping the two small feet towards the only exit in the dim lit hall. Ellena lifts up a crusty looking plant pot, void of any actual plant life and finds a slim silver key.

Safety first in Willow it seems.

Fitting it into the lock and clicking to the left, she springs open the wide oak panelled door and pushes, ushering me in first.

Its evidently much better than the picture I had concocted in my mind.

The door opens up directly into the small but functional kitchen and living area. There is a corner bench enclosing the cook top, oven and pantry and the bench space itself looks out onto the tiny living area. Its more than enough space for Rox and I though, I just couldn't imagine any bulking male wolf forms squashed in here.

Not that I need worry about that.

Rox is literally the only man in my life now and shockingly, after all I have seen of late, I'm ok with it.

The living areas consists of a very clean dark grey three seater couch and an arm chair that beckons me immediately. There is a new looking flat screen on the wall and a half empty bookshelf in the corner next to twin doors that open out onto a small deck overlooking the Main Street and flooding the whole front room with natural light. I doubt the blinds will ever be closed. It's gorgeous.

Ellena shows me down the hall where she opens up two doors, each contain a matching bedroom set up with a double bed and single wardrobe inside and small but sustainable windows with simple clean grey blinds. It's nothing fancy but it's very clean and will be easy to take care of, which suits me fine. There is a bathroom at the end of the hall and I count myself eternally lucky when I open the door and see a claw foot tub with the shower over the top.

"Well. what do you think? Home for now?" Ellena questions, searching my face for answers.

"Home for now for sure, I can't thank you enough." I say, hoping she understands just how much I mean it. She beams at me and I take it to mean that she does.

"You will have to share the laundry room with the two gentlemen down stairs but I'm sure you can handle them." She says with a small wink and another chuckle.

"Easy." I say in return and give the palace the once over again. My place. Our place. It's safe. Quiet. It's homely. It's not our home per se, but it could be. For now.

The relief I feel is instantaneous. I suddenly feel exhausted however, maybe the release I needed to finally be able to rest securely has hit me all at once. I still need to get the car and unpack.

As if she can read my thoughts, Ellena interrupts my revelry;

"So where is your car hun? Need a hand with unpacking? I can stay and watch Rox for you if you need?"

I release a breath I didn't even know I was holding.
I step forward and without thinking, I embrace the she wolf in front of me. My absolute saviour today.

"You have no idea how much you have saved me today." I tell her and I start to tear up as I release her.

"I had a good feeling about you as soon as you walked in. Call it intuition. You are meant to be here, both of you. You will see." She places both her hands on my shoulders.

" Now go, while he is asleep, get your car and park it around back here." She says as she steps over the the couch and pulls the pram close to her.

She must sense my indecision because she quickly adds;

"I'm positive you could catch me if I decided to run off with this wee one honey. Now go, I got this." She says and I just nod in reply.

My gut says I can trust her. And it's never steered me wrong before. Let's hope this isn't a first. I hurriedly place a small kiss on the baby's head, grab the car keys out of the pram and head back through the door and into the death machine. Without over thinking it, I step in and repeat all the actions Ellena performed on the way up. As the grate closes and I step in, I watch the door of the little apartment disappear.

My apartment. Mine and Rox.

We got this far. We found a safe town and a new home all in one day. And we made a friend. That's more than I could have hoped for.

I shudder with relief as I land on safe ground again, throwing the grate open as I brace myself and head out into the cold to get the car.

I pace along quicker this time, no more sightseeing today I think to myself.

One more day closer to seeing them again.
One down. One less day apart.