"So... what did you think of Abel's little project?" Diana asked with a gleeful little smirk as the two of them were walking off towards Maddox's car.

Akela just shook her head, smiling widely.

"I can't believe he built that. It is such a wonderful home!" she said quietly, trying not to get overwhelmed again. Most of the afternoon she had walked around the half-finished building, discussing decor, furniture and practicalities with Abel. 

And at every turn, in every room, he had remembered to ask what Kira would like. Or if Kira would like to have it the same as Akela.

By the end of it, Akela had left the house, imagining how it would look like finished, lived in, filled with love, life, laughter.

Diana only watched Akela's delighted smile and nodded. The gratitude was evident in every step the former rogue lycan took.

They arrived at the car and Akela's steps came to an abrupt stop. Next to Maddox, with a bag slung over his shoulder, was the unmistakable figure of Zion.

Guilt rushed through Akela's body, making her take a sudden step back..

She had spent all afternoon, laughing and enjoying how Abel had made her future possible. And her mind had barely touched on Zion.

His cap was in his hand, ready to go on top of his head as soon as the car approached human habitation. There was nothing in his posture to suggest he wanted to look up from the apparently interesting gravel road.

"Hey, Akela! We're a bit strapped for space on the return journey. If you prefer, you can shift and run down with Zeke, but there's space for you in the cage if you still want a ride," Maddox smiled when she finally managed to tear her eyes from Zion.

"I... I need to complete my internship. And Maddox said he'll let me check the firedogs as my final assessment," Zion muttered and looked up from under his eyelashes.

Despite the layer of soreness, his eyes held no resentment towards her.

"Zion... I.." Akela started, but he interrupted her with a tiny shake of the head. A small, crooked smile appeared at the corners of his mouth before his eyes followed and his face lifted.

"It's a pretty amazing house, isn't it?" he asked.

Akela nodded carefully, cautious not to show too much enthusiasm.

"It's okay. I was pretty psyched too when he showed me the first sketches," Zion grinned.

Akela breathed out in relief and felt her own face slowly melt into an apologetic smile. Where Abel made her laugh and blush with his constant flirting and touching, Zion's odd smile made her whole spine feel soft and warm.

"We ready to go?" Ezekiel asked as he and Sam arrived from the village.

"Yeah. What do you want to do Akela? Run or ride?" Maddox asked.

The previous urge to shake some stress off reappeared in her mind.

"Run... If my Alpha agrees," she replied, her head doing an instinctively respectful nod towards her Alpha.

"Your Alpha would love to run with you," Ezekiel smiled and lay a protective arm around her shoulder in a comforting hug.

Akela smiled up at the golden-eyed leader of the valley pack. Not even in her wildest dreams could she have imagined ending up in the care of such a wonderful Alpha. He showed his pack how much he cared for them at every opportunity. Every child born to his pack was given a fund for education at birth. Even Akela had been given something Allie called a "bank account" in a human bank where money was stored for her use.

Ezekiel gave her shoulder an extra squeeze to signal that her gratitude was appreciated. Gratefully, she leaned into him, just like she used to with her father when she was younger. 

"Thank you," she said.

Ezekiel only smiled and nodded. He understood.

Next to them, Sam rolled his shoulders and shifted into his wolf. 

"Guess that leaves me to ferry your clothes then... messy lycans!" Maddox muttered with a teasing smirk as he picked up Sam's dropped jeans and jumper.

"I'll do my own," Ezekiel grinned before he shifted into Zeke. Before Maddox could approach, the wolf had thrown all his stuff into the back of the car.

"Now. Let's see if you can do that?" Maddox laughed towards Akela.

She shrugged back and let her body morph into her wolf-body. Since the escape, she had rarely had an opportunity to shift, and she missed it. Feeling the increased agility and superior senses sparked a rush of happiness. Her paws felt good on the frozen ground.

Before she could shimmy out of her clothes, Zion was there, picking them off her.

She emerged from the huge knitted jumper to see his face lit up in some kind of guilty grin.

"Not exactly how I imagined undressing you, but hey... You're a pretty cute wolf too," he smirked.

Akela growled a low, embarassed rumble to shut him up, which only widened his grin.

Their wolf faces were almost nose-to-nose as he crouched down to get her shoes. Slowly a slightly devious smirk spread across Zion's face.

Without warning, he moved a couple of inches forward, planting his wolf-nose on hers. Akela's eyes flew open in surprise while shockwaves shivered down along her fur.

For the two seconds his weird wolf-kiss lasted, Akela felt like her heart exploded, it hammered so hard, she was sure it could be seen through her ribs. Their eyes were still locked on each other while Zion moved back, his smile warm and tender.

Akela felt her eyes heat with unwanted and surprisingly disappointed tears. 

"I'll... I'll get your clothes," Zion mumbled and stood from the ground, leaving Akela to stare after him with a weird hollow feeling in her chest.

"Ready?" Zeke asked through mindlink.

Akela looked at him and nodded, her brain unable to formulate a coherent response.

"Right. See you in the valley," Maddox said and jumped into the car.

Zion hesitated, watching the three wolves run into the forest in pack formation. Sam first, the Delta being scout and guardian. Akela second, protected in the middle. At the back, Alpha Zeke where he could see his pack and protect them from the rear.
All three of them soft, furry, silent as they disappeared into the forest.

The hour-long run made Akela feel energised again. As if she had been strapped down or ill for a long time. Her wolf wanted to roll in the snow and climb trees, but her instinctive respect for the Alpha behind her made her stay in step with Sam.

They arrived home where Sam and Zeke shifted and dressed in the clothes waiting for them.
Akela hesitated for a moment before walking up to her clothes.

"Akela," Ezekiel smiled.

She stopped and looked at him.

"Perhaps you would like to run the perimeter for me?" He suggested with a knowing little shrug.

Akela kneeled gratefully.

"Just follow Finn's scent from this morning," Ezekiel smiled and casually wandered into the house where he, by the sound of it, was immediately assaulted by an overexited Blossom.
Sam gave her a warm nod before he  scanned the cars on the drive with a happy smile.

"Guess I'll go in to see my family," he said and waved her off.

Thankful, Akela sniffed her way to the closest marker. The routine was familiar, safe and satisfying. She had gone with Hunter on this round before, but the freedom of going on her own felt like a release. She sprinted the full round as fast as she could before sprinting to the lake beach. The small lake simmered in the thawing of early spring.
In a fit of exuberant joy she ran into the icy water. Her paws broke the ice and the water was cold as sharp needles where it made it's way into her thick malamute fur.
She swam along the shore for a few minutes until the cold numbed her muscles.
Wet and shivering, she made her way up to the shore where she saw someone waiting for her. She shook off at a safe distance to prevent soaking Aimee before walking up to her.

"Mum said to find you. Food is almost done," the younger girl smiled.
She had the same dimples and cheeky smile as Sam, but her dark hair and eyes were identical to Saleha. The delta Prime's daughter had the ability to shift, but rarely chose to.
In her hands she carried a towel and a set of clothes.

"I had a feeling you'd be here," Aimee said and handed Akela the towel.

Shivering in her human form, Akela gratefully wrapped the towel around herself.

"What's with you and the water anyway? Every time we come down here you look like you want to launch yourself into it," Aimee asked.

Akela shrugged.

"Not in a bad way... Smiling. Like you are now," Aimee specified with a curious little tilt to the head.

Akela grabbed the clothes and started dressing.

"It's a good memory, that's all. My dad used to take us out snow-bathing when we'd been cooped up long enough," Akela shrugged. Her smile was still bright.

"So... you like bathing in icy slush?" Aimee frowned doubtfully with a look towards the lake.

"It's refreshing... but only when I do it in wolfshape. My human body is a lot more of a wuss," Akela grinned.

Aimee shuddered in her thick coat. Her hair safely tucked away under a scarf.

"Let's go home. We're literally makng hungry wolves wait for their dinner," she grinned.

Akela nodded and followed Aimee up the path towards the house.

"You obviously needed that swim. Your steps are lighter," Aimee commented halfway home.

"What do you mean?" Akela hesitated her steps.

Aimee turned to look at her.

"You have been so worried and serious since you arrived. I mean.. I don't blame you... but that's the first real smile I've seen on you. The one you had when you came out of the water," the dark eyed girl informed.

"Out of the water? Akela? Are you safe? Did you fall in?" A worried voice asked from the darkness of the path.

Akela laughed from the sound of terrified worry in the voice.

"No Zion! I went for a swim!" She giggled.

A wolf-headed man crashed through the bushes stopping close enough to touch her still wet hair.

"You're icy! Akela!" He panicked.

"I'm used to it. It's how we used to bathe when I was a pup," she smiled warmly.

Without warning, a pair of warm arms wrapped around her, enclosing her into his chest.

"Don't scare me like that!" He whispered.

Akela nearly surprised herself with the laughter that came out of her mouth.

"You worry too much," she giggled and heard a relieved sigh released into her hair.

"Come on before the hungry wolves go rampant," Aimee laughed ahead of them.

Zion pushed Akela ahead of himself.

"I don't want to pull your frozen body from the lake..." he muttered.

"Don't worry. I'm a strong swimmer!" Akela teased and grabbed his hand, pulling him a little bit faster towards the light from the houses.

The thought of food hadn't been this appealing for a long time. Her mind wandered to the scent of roast rabbit, cooked on a woodburning stove in a small timber cabin.

She gave Aimee a spontaneous hug as they crossed onto the lawn.
Happiness. Family. Belonging.
It was all within her reach.