While Mazelina didn't speak, Turk felt her ease beside him. She didn't seem to be in any pain with their voices and eventually laid against him with her head on his chest, asleep. He was just as surprised as the others when she snuggled into him like a child. He looked up and said, "I don't want to move."
"Unless you expect to stay sitting there all night, you'll have to eventually!" Kortan said with a grin.
"With the evening she's had, I don't think she'll wake," Anju said. "She'll be asleep at least until morning."
Turk looked around at them all. "Why?"
They knew what he meant. It was Rudi who answered. "She stood up for you." He shrugged. "I'm not going to lie, but that was damn brave of her to take him head-on like that."
"If she's willing to take on a strange alpha and his pack for you, then there's no reason not to stand with her," Anju added.
"What if my brother meets her?"
"Hopefully by then, there will be no reason to doubt. But I don't think your brother will sway her, Turk. She's already loyal."
Turk nodded gratefully and took his mate into his cabin and laid her on the bed. Sitting beside her, he stared down at her face that was framed by her rose gold hair. He knew Anju and Rudi were right. She was loyal. She was also skittish when it came to understanding her role. She was brave, beautiful, defiant, and his.
The next day, Mazelina was led to Turk's car without any word to Skrimir's pack. She was grateful to be leaving and got into his vehicle with relief. Once she and Turk were safely buckled, he pressed a button and turned on the car. Mazelina was awed. He had turned the sound of the engine off for her.
Turk drove through the territory and into some mountains. Mazelina asked him about his pack, about those packmates who were with him, and generally about himself. They stopped midday for Turk to talk to a different Alpha to let them through. This one didn't give much resistance, only asked to see Mazelina and introduce herself. Soon, they were off again.
"How many more territories do we have to go through to get home?" she asked once they were clear.
"Seven. A few of them are smaller packs, so closely together. We'll be through most of them by tomorrow night," he explained.
"Where are we staying tonight?"
"Hill Pack. An ally of mine."
Mazelina swallowed. "Does that mean we'll be welcome?"
Turk glanced over at her and gave a reassuring smile. "Yes. This alpha is a bit old but helped raise me. He is excited to finally meet you."
"What pack is it?"
"Everclaw Pack."
A male with wrinkled skin and grey hair sat in a chair at the head of the table as Mazelina and Turk walked into the dining hall. Mazelina was glancing around her as if there might be an attack, but Turk squeezed her hand gently. She took a deep breath and tried to stand still, but Turk smirked when she twitched nervously. He bent down and kissed her then whispered, "it's alright. No one will harm you here."
She looked up at him. "I'm sorry."
He smiled and looked at the alpha. "Thank you for offering us your hospitality," he said with a dip of his head.
The alpha did the same then turned to Mazelina. "Turk, you have found a beautiful mate!"
Mazelina blushed at the compliment. Turk said, "Thank you, Kashgar. This is Mazelina.'
"Mazelina." The alpha smiled. "My dear, your mate will be the best you could ever have."
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Will you join me for dinner?"
Turk bowed his head again and said, "Unfortunately, we must decline. Mazelina is very sensitive to sounds at the moment and I would prefer to have a quiet night."
Kashgar tilted his head. "Already?"
"Yes."
The alpha hummed lightly, then waved his hand. "Go. Go then. I do not wish to hurt your mate. But I would like to have a word with you, Turk before you leave tomorrow."
Twenty minutes later, Mazelina and Turk were eating with Anju and the other five. They were talking with Turk softly, not being too loud inside the enclosed space since noises tended to bounce off the walls. Mazelina was finished before everyone else and sat back with her legs up underneath her as she listened halfheartedly to the conversation.
Suddenly, she heard a voice in her head. "Are you alright?"
Mazelina blinked. She noticed Turk was looking at her with raised brows. Feeling stupid, she tried to respond mentally. "I'm tired."
"Do you want me to send them away?"
"No. I like having them here. I like listening to your voices. It's nice to my ears."
Turk answered something Rudi said to him, then told her, "It's because you're part of the pack. You will always feel comforted in their presence. They feel the same when around you."
"Really?"
"Whatever else you feel around them, it's because your wolf recognizes its pack. It recognizes who you belong to and who belongs to you."
"Is that why I did what I did yesterday?"
"Partly. Most of it was just you. But a bit was instinct telling you to not let anyone or anything hurt your mate."
Mazelina took that in and nodded with a small smile. "I like the feeling."
"Good."
The next day was all in and out of the car. By nightfall where they entered a territory for the fifth time that day, Mazelina was irritated and ready to split her head open. Luckily, Turk's and the other's voices soothed her enough to relax and eat dinner. She was pleasantly dreary by the time they had finished their food.
On the fourth day of their journey, Turk had her talking to him through the bond, getting her used to the sensation of hearing his voice in her head. By the time they had stopped for the night, she had Anju and Rudi's added in her mind. She found that Rudi and Anju were also mates and the latter was as funny as her mate. Mazelina just didn't realize how exhausting it was talking to them that way. Because by the time dinner arrived, she was already asleep.
Turk set Mazelina in the car for the last bit of driving to his pack. He said he'd be back, then went to Rudi and Anju. "I want you to go ahead of me. Make sure the pack understands the situation going on before we arrive. I don't want her overwhelmed."
"Of course," Rudi said.
"Anju, can you make sure her belongings are put away quickly. She isn't going to want to be around anyone just yet."
"Not even the rest of the warriors?" Rudi asked.
Turk shook his head. "I have a feeling she's still getting used to you six. Not to mention, she's only added the two of you into her mind. She needs time to adjust."
Anju dipped her head. "We'll see to it, Turk."
Turk nodded and went back to the car and began to drive. Beside him, Mazelina was staring out the window, her eyes bright with curiosity. He said, "When we get home, the pack is going to want to see you. They'll be cheering and begging to meet you."
Mazelina turned to him and tilted her head to one side. "What if I'm not ready?"
"That's why I've arranged for you to set up in my house, away from all of them. Of course, they'll still try to get a peek because they're eager, but you do not have to meet anyone until you're ready."
"I want to meet them, but I just don't think my ears will be able to take it."
"I know. I am trying to figure out a way for you to get accustomed to all the noises again. It's going to take time, especially since you have only spent time with a few packmates and only have two of them completely bonded to you. But in time, all this will get easier."
Mazelina nodded and spent the rest of the trip gazing out the window. Turk didn't try to talk to her, knowing she was anxious about what was coming. He knew that everything was so new to her and she needed everything to go a bit slower, but that couldn't happen until he got her safe into his home inside pack territory.
They finally arrived midafternoon into Turk's grassy pack territory where mountains spread out ahead and snow began to fall. Mazelina began to get a little excited about finally being at her mate's home and wondered in awe over the beauty of the place.
Turk drove the car into a tunnel where faint lights were lit on the ceiling. He drove for a minute before entering a large cavern where several more cars were parked in a line against one wall. He parked in a space and turned the car off. Turning to her, Turk tried to make out her reaction, but couldn't see her face well enough. "I'll be right back. I'm going to see about the pack, then come back and get you."
She nodded and he got out and left. She couldn't see where he went but sat silently for a while. When ten minutes passed and he still didn't show up, she began to get fidgety. Mazelina didn't like sitting and waiting in a dark place, but she also didn't know her way around the area.
Sighing, she opened the car and got out. The shutting of the door echoed loudly in the cavern. "Turk?" she called and flinched at the loud echo.
No answer came.
Hugging herself, she began to go out the way they came in and into the bright, cold, sunshine. Snowflakes fluttered down from the sky lazily and the area was silent. She wondered where the pack was and how come no one was appearing to welcome her. She knew Turk had asked them to not overwhelm her, but this was ridiculous.
Mazelina wandered out into the forest and found a set of prints that were large and dog-like. She followed them, only to have them end near a tree. Looking up, she found a treehouse. "Woah!" she breathed. Looking around, she saw more and more treehouses throughout the treetops. It was amazing and they blended in with the branches so if one weren't looking for them, you'd never know they were there.