Julia's Pack.

Chapter 31- Parting ways

"All children and vunrable adults have to go. We're going to send them and hide them while we pretend to still guard them." Julia said it as Alpha-like as possible, attempting to make Alpha faces as she said it, and prepared herself for the arguements that were sure to come with this idea.

No one argued.

Julia expected arguements. Susan clearly did- she was all puffed upwhich might have been funny some other time but right now she looked much too sour to be teased. She still didn't like what Julia and Levi wanted to do.

The announcement made a few of the parents look a bit displeased but to Julia's surprise, no one looked that shocked or argued. They instead got that look she used to assosiate with people waiting in the dentist clinic for appointments- the grim 'Yeah, let's get this over and done with' expression that people tended to always have before a man with tools of torment tore at sensitive gums.

"So... um..." She was kind of taken back by lack of arguements. It threw Julia a little and she needed a few seconds to re-gather her thoughts. "They'll need clothing. Call the schools and let them know they'll have to stay here." Oh, that'd be a fun call to make. "We'll get them out soon."

"Very soon." Levi added, beside her, his arm brushing against her side. It might have looked accidental, that contact, but Julia knew him well enough to know it was anything but accidental. He was trying to comfort her and himself with that simple contact.

She resisted the urge to hold his hand and nodded, pursing her lips together. "Yeah, very soon. Randy and Tim are already getting fighters to do it."

"Can some of us go?" Someone piped up.

"If you're fighters." Levi met the man's face. He wasn't a fighter, Julia knew that, this werewolf was a healer. But it was how it had to be. "We want them fully defended."

"A healer could be useful." Susan muttered.

"All fighters have first aid training." Levi met his mother's eyes. "Susan, as Beta, will also be with them. So they'll be guarded. Volenteers?"

 Somehow it seemed to already be moving too fast for Julia. Hands were rising, people shifting and muttering amongst themselves, arguements breaking out. Nothing serious- most people in the pack were more or less on good terms with each other. But involve pups in it and it usually did involve some arguements.

The childish urge to be hugged drifted in and out of her system, a physical craving that had nothing to do with being Alpha and everything to do with needing her mates. Levi must have felt it, his eyes met hers, and he moved closer so that his arm was again brushing against hers. If anyone noticed they didn't care. It took barely five minutes before adults going was agreed on, pretty fast for something of this implication, and within two minutes all adults had vanished out the doors or downstairs to cart supplies to the boat, with  Susan giving them twenty minutes to get collected.

"I'll be at the boat." She informed Levi and Julia, her voice tense and sharp, face taunt with concentration. Julia had the suspicion Susan was already away, already on the journey, her mind already working on potiental problems that could arise. "Levi,you should direct what supplies we'll need."

"I can handle it." He nodded, then softer, reaching out to touch her arm. "Mom. I can handle that. You get the boat ready."

Where was Oliver? Julia couldn't remember. Dinner? Or had they already had it? She felt arms grasp around her and Levi leaned against her, the hall empty now, his chin against her forehead.

"You okay?"

She didn't bother to answer. Julia gritted her teeth and wrapped her arms tight around his chest. Sure, she could be badass, she could kick ass pretty good by now. That didn't mean she knew what to do all the time and right now, she had to admit, she wasn't competely sure it was the right thing. But if there was a fight it was the last place she'd want the kids. Anyone's kids. Images of the last clash with Kale kept flooding her head- years ago, when she'd been pregnant, when he'd attacked the Pack while it was in America. Kids hadn't been spared then either.