Ms. Emma led Chris and Eli into the living room, while Xael linked Adam.
'Where are you?!'
'Almost home, you okay?'
'Uhhh, Chris and Eli are here'
'Okay?'
'Okay!? Hon, they don't know and are currently freaking out!'
'...shit'
Xael could hear the truck coming down the road and went to help try to calm her brothers.
"Okay you two. Uggh, Adam and I have changed."
"Well no shit sherlock! He sounds like the voice of God Almighty on the phone and here you are with gold eyes and two wolf cubs."
"Okay, first of all, the pups are from Gunner and Moose!"
"Stoooooop!" Eli was still having a hard time with this. "Wolves, don't give up their pups sis."
"Well they did. Look you guys are about to find out somethings in the next few minutes that are going to be hard to digest. So I just need you to breathe and please try to relax."
Chris and Eli looked over at Grams who could only smile at them. Chris looked at Tank who hadn't taken his eyes off of him.
"What are you looking at little fur face?" Tank began to wag his tail after sensing the Alphas meant no harm.
"You can put him down Grams." Xael put Dozer down also and the two pups rushed over to check out the new Alphas. Dozer put his front paws on Eli's knee to beg for pets, his little tail just wagging away.
"Well they're friendly little stinkers."
"Yeah, they're so sweet."
"These are going to be some huge wolves sis, just look at their paws!"
"I know! Ok so when Adam gets here, just know that he's the same Adam he's just more. Ugh, you'll see."
Perfect timing because in walked Adam and Skylar. Skylar patted Adam on the shoulder as he entered the living room. Both Chris and Eli stopped what they were doing, stood up and just stared.
"Holy shit, you're huge!!"
"What's up with you guys and these funky eyes!?"
"Uhhh, you guys need to have a seat." Adam went and stood by Xael while Skylar went over to Ms. Emma, sitting on the floor, the pups were both in his lap trying to lick his face. Chris and Eli returned to their seats. "So, what I'm about to tell, please don't go telling anyone else. If they don't know, we'll tell them ourselves."
"Okay?"
"I'm...I'm a Great Alpha."
"Ha ha haha ha yeah right! Okay! Okay! Jokes on us you two!"
"You two are good! Way to go Grams for being in on it. You had us going there sis, you guys can take those contacts out now."
Adam growled and that was all it took as the other two Alphas quickly came to attention. For Adam to be able to command them like that and so easily, they stopped laughing. Chris looked over to Grams who nodded that Adam was telling the truth.
"Holy cow...You're serious aren't you Adam?"
"Yes."
"Jesus. A real live Great Alpha. Hell I feel like we should bow or something."
"Oh god please don't do that, this is weird enough as it is." Xael had a pleading look on her face as Adam put his arm around her shoulder.
"Yeah, please don't bow, I'm not royalty."
"You kinda are Adam." Skylar was right. Great Alphas were nothing to take lightly and they were like royalty to Wolfen. They were able to command anyone, even humans and they were the most dominant of all, next to the Spirit Wolves; which were still considered a myth.
"All right, all right. We're all family here, no ones better than anyone else and you two are still our Elders, regardless of what we are now."
"Wait, so, you're a Great Luna sis?"
"Yeah."
"Dude! This is so crazy!" Chris was shaking Eli like a rag doll as the puppies stumbled all over the place to join in the fun by jumping all over them.
"Ow! Knock it off you freak!" Eli was trying to fight off Chris but it was no use.
Chris erupted in a joyous howl, Tank and Dozer joining in with the cutest puppy howls ever. Adam and Xael just stood there and let them have their moment, all of them. Xael could tell that Adam was quickly getting over it but everyone had pretty much the same reaction.
Adam let them have a few minutes more. "Are you two done yet?"
"One more!" Chris gave one more howl with the pups right there with him. After they had calmed down, they sat and talked for about another hour. Skylar wanted to get back to the station to have a talk with Beau and Adam wanted the guys to get started on the work they had to do to the cabin.
Everyone got busy with their day. The pups got in one of the beds, the excitement from earlier wore them out as they snuggled in with each other and went right out. Chri and Eli busied themselves unloading the trailer to start on the work they had ahead of them. Skylar unloaded the two bags of bones in the kitchen for Xael. She told him that lunch would get going shortly and should be done around 1 if him and Beau were hungry.
Adam went to change to do some work outside. Grams started on getting the bones ready to cook down in the pressure canner. That freed Xael up to start up the gas grill. With the stove being used it would just be easier to toss something on the grill for lunch. Porkchops and chicken breasts for the grill with whole potatoes wrapped in foil. There was just enough room left on the stove to fix some mac and cheese. Once the grill was going, Xael went back inside as Adam was walking past with a chainsaw.
'Be careful out there hon'
'I will, link me when lunch is done'
'K'
Potatoes wrapped in foil, meat seasoned it all went on the grill.
"You feeding us to sis?"
"Yup! I'll let you know when it's ready."
"Woo hoo!"
Everyone was busy pretty much the entire day, only breaking for lunch. Adam managed to get all the downed trees cut up into manageable pieces and the logs stacked near the back deck off to the side. His new and improved strength really came in handy with hauling wood and he would rent a log splitter that weekend. Chris and Eli got the patio door replaced along with the sections of rotted wood. The windows were easy and didn't take them long at all. Xael and her Grams got all of the bones cooked down and the marrow out of them. Ms. Emma brought her large mortar and pestle over and Xael ground the bones down to add to the homemade puppy food. The bones yielded 23 half pint jars of bone stock with marrow for the pups. Unfortunately, there were no meat scraps to be had. She would have to see if any of the grocery stores in the city had meat on sale. She would use that to make the puppy food.
Around 5pm, work was done and Xael paid Chris and Eli in cash. It's how she liked to pay for independent contract work. Xael had cooked enough earlier that her brothers could take a plate with them for later along with her Grams and Skylar. Her Grams was particularly happy as that meant she didn't have to cook dinner. Ms. Emma took a couple jars of the bone broth for later and Xael cleaned up the kitchen. With their guests gone and home back to being quiet, Xael started a fire. Adam gave her a kiss and hopped in the shower. She woke the pups up to take them outside for the night since they didn't go out after eating.
She sat out there for a bit as the pups played off some more energy. Adam came outside to join her; sitting next to her he put his hoody around her.
"Oh, thanks hon." Xael so badly wanted to tell him the news but felt it best to wait to make sure things were permanent.
"I'll watch them babe."
A kiss and Xael went to shower, the bedroom was still kinda chilly even with the fireplace going. That meant another night of sleeping in front of the fire. Adam brought the pups in and they went right to one of the beds.
"It's getting chilly out there babe."
"I know, we're sleeping in front of the fire again, that bedroom is too chilly. I'll have to get a fan to pull the warm air back there."
"We'll deal with it this weekend. I also want to get a bigger wood bin. I'll see if Chris and Eli will build one."
"Were are you going to put it?"
"That space by the patio door."
"Ah, sounds good babe."
The two of them got their 'den' ready for the night. They were both going to work tomorrow so they went to bed a little early. As usual Adam went to put his hand on Xael's abdomen to continue his healing but it was no longer necessary. Not wanting him to find out just yet, Xael took his hand and held it against her heart.
"Let just rest for tonight, hm?"
"Okay babe."
A nuzzle and a kiss and they went to sleep.