An Alphas Love

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Hi everyone. Its nice to meet you." I said. Trying not to appear as nervous as I really was.

" Hi!" said a blonde girl as she came running up to me. "I'm Anna".

I held out my hand for her to shake, noticing how she looked to James before taking it when he gave her a small nod.

" I'm so excited to finally meet you, we've heard so much about you from the calls James has made home." she said smiling genuinely.

I looked to James, arching my eyebrow in question. ' what exactly did he say about me?' I wondered as I was ushered away from James by a small group of women, of course not before looking to James for some sort of unspoken permission. Reminding myself to ask him about it later, I allowed myself to be whisked away and into the kitchen where everyone dutifully started helping me prepare lunch for the rest of the pack.

" So Sam, where are you from?" asked an older woman who's name I had learned in passing is Sarah.

" Umm... New York mainly. But I have moved around a bit." I said. Remembering all of the places I had seen in my mission to escape...him. Just thinking about him made a chill go down my spine.

The conversation turned out to be light and easy as we prepared lunch. Obviously avoiding the elephant in the room, and the reason we were all here in the first place.

Oliver.

When we were through with lunch James called a pack meeting. Not able to avoid the topic any longer we sat down to discuss Oliver's funeral plans.

"After a lot of thought from Sam and I, we have decided to have Oliver buried here instead of back home." James said. Looking out to the shocked faces, and hearing whispers of doubt caused me to speak up myself.

" I know it must be hard for all of you, knowing that we won't be taking Oliver's body back to the pack grounds, but you have to understand that this is what Oliver would have wanted. To be laid to rest here, on his land. I have had the great privilege of knowing Oliver for the past three years. He was one of the only people I knew I could count on, and he became like a father to me." I said, choking back tears. " it will hurt me as much as you knowing that when I leave this place I will also be leaving him behind. But this isn't about me. Is about Oliver." I finished, the tears silently rolling down my cheeks as James tucked me into his side.

JAMES POV

It was at that moment I knew Sam had won the hearts of every member of the pack. Looking out at them as they listened to Sam talk about Oliver with such love and respect I could feel a change in the room. Their Luna had finally arrived in that moment and they all knew it. I held my head high with pride as I tucked Sam into my side, hoping to ease her pain.

" Any questions?" I asked. When no one spoke up I told everyone where to meet for the burial, and to say their final goodbyes to Oliver.

SAMS POV

I crawled into bed later that night, mentally and physically drained after today's events. Burying Oliver was one of the hardest things I had ever had to do. And without James it would have been damn near impossible.

I snuggled into James side, feeling the stress of the day melt away as his strong arms wrapped around me.

" Are you okay?" he asked me quietly.

" I will be. A long as I have you." I replied turning in his arms to connect our lips in a tender kiss.

" I love you." he said as I relaxed into him, letting my eyes close as exhaustion finally took over.

" I love you too."

Th next morning the house was buzzing with life. A few women from the pack helped me prepare a huge breakfast while the rest of the pack took the children outside to play in the newly fallen snow from the night before. As I worked scrambling eggs I watched out the window, seeing these people, my new family playing in the back yard was remarkable. Never in my life had I experienced such a sense of belonging and purpose. Such comfort and stability, and I had James to thank for all of it.