"Hey Izzie," you pull her into your arms for a quick squeeze. "What's happening?"
"Pizza!" she cries. "Pizza is happening!"
You nod. "Yeah. I can see that."
"Do you want some?"
"Sure."
You let her take your hand and lead you like a horse to the pizza table.
Apart from Isabella there are two other children in the pack. JiAn, who is also five, and Nik, who is three. Both of them are the spitting image of Minjo... though only JiAn has inherited his father's habit of turning into a wolf once a month. Nik is as human as his mother. That hasn't stopped him from growling and showing his teeth whenever someone annoys him.
They're in the corner playing with blocks. Watching over them, you spot Izzie's grandmother Elma and her wife Addie wearing their usual patched leather vests. Elma has fluffy white hair and horn rimmed glasses. Addie is as thin and sharp as a whip with close cropped grey hair and steely black eyes.
They're former strays, just like you, Marco, Vicky, and Ed. Everyone else in the pack is part of the Alpha's extended family. Aunts. Uncles. Second cousins twice removed. Honestly, their family tree is less of a tree and more like a tangled web of ivy. You're not sure how everyone fits together.
They smile at you as you grab a slice of pizza, but you can tell from the looks in their eyes that they heard you howling. They're worried about you.
They're pack. They want to protect you. You get it. But you're not a cub. You don't need them to save you from your bad dreams. You smile politely and move quickly on, not inviting conversation.
Next