The Pack's Doctor by Cooper

Chapter 90

Harold

“What are you expecting to find when we get there?” Farrah asks me as we drive to Quinton’s old pack. She and I are taking it very slow, mostly for her but also partly because of Henry. I want him to accept Farrah, not as a replacement for his mother, but as a mother figure in his life. It’s something he hasn’t had but has desperately needed. I’ve done my best, but there’s a reason that an Alpha needs a Luna.

I’d noticed that Henry had accepted Farrah’s touch when we’d watched Warren execute Simon. I’d seen his shock at the state that Simon was in when they brought him out. I was glad that Warren had spoken to him ahead of time, letting him know that this isn’t the norm for his pack. Farrah’s instinct, the instinct of a Luna and a mother, had been to help support him while he watched. My heart had soared with my pride in both of them, at her offer of support and his acceptance of it. Now that Farrah has accepted me as her Alpha, she’d felt the emotions in me. I don’t close my mind to her, wanting her to feel everything that I’m feeling so she understands me and learns to trust me. Her eyes had come to mine and I’d seen the hint of a smile.

Slow means that I get to hold her hand while I drive. It makes both of us feel calmer. And while we were in Warren’s pack, she agreed to sleep in the same room with me, which had ended up being the same bed. Nothing happened, but being able to sleep wrapped around my mate felt amazing. And based on how well she slept and with no nightmares, I think it did wonders for her too.

“I know the pack is gone. Beta Charlie attacked them while Quinton was attacking Warren’s pack. Since we also know that Simon was there, and Warren’s warriors indicated that there were dead bodies littering the ground, I’m going to assume that they haven’t had a chance to burn their dead yet. We should all be prepared for the stench of rotting bodies when we arrive. That’s going to be first. Then, I’d expect that Quirin will fight leaving. I’m not sure about Luna Yasmin, but I’m guessing after Simon’s assault, she must realize how exposed she and her son are out here by themselves. I’m counting on both of you to help me get through to them. Farrah, you can speak to Yasmin, woman to woman, and Henry, you can speak to Quirin, Alpha heir to Alpha heir.”

“Is he still considered an Alpha heir, Dad?” my son asks.

“He is the son of an Alpha. His pack may no longer exist, but knowing Quinton, he owned those pack lands which means that when Quirin comes of age, he could start his own pack again.”

I look in the rearview mirror and watch my son as he thinks through what I’ve said. “What if he ends up trying to steal some of our pack members?”

“Well, what I would say to you is this. All Alphas are different. Sometimes, people choose one pack over another because they prefer the way a certain Alpha leads versus another. And that’s okay. However, I would also say that if it’s more than that, if it’s more than a simple preference, you, as an Alpha should consider what you aren’t doing or giving to your pack members that has them wanting to leave your pack. As a leader, your pack comes first, or at least a close second to your family and your mate,” I say smiling at Farrah. I love that blushes when I say things like that.

“If your pack members start to leave, you need to think about what you, as their leader, aren’t giving them. Why are they leaving? What do they need that you aren’t providing for them? You can only be a leader and an Alpha if you have a pack to lead. It’s not always just about being strong and protecting the pack. Just like you need more than a father who is strong, your pack will too. If I were the type of father that made sure you were safe, fed, and educated, but I never gave you any of my time, you wouldn’t like it, would you?”

He thinks about that. “No, I wouldn’t. I enjoy our time together.

“Exactly. The pack is exactly the same. Even if you protect them, it wouldn’t be enough because you aren’t fulfilling their emotional needs, and maybe not even all of their physical needs Does that make sense, Henty?”

“Yes, it makes sense,” he says, turning back to the window. I know my son enough to know that he’ll think through what I’ve said and if he has questions, he’ll come back and ask me about them later.

When I refocus on the road, I feel Farrah looking at me.

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“What?” I ask her.

She smiles, shaking her head. “You’re a good Alpha.”

“I try. I don’t know that I always succeed, but I do try.”

She smiles and looks out the window. While I keep my mind open to her, she doesn’t always do the same for me. It’s times like these that I’m practically desperate to know what she’s thinking. But I don’t push. I want her to come to me on her own

terms.

sure if she feels what I’m thinking or not, but she turns to look at me, opening her mind to me. What I feel has my heart soaring. She’s wondering how she can resist a man who is such a good Alpha, who she knows is a good mate, because she knew me

be physical yet, Harold, but I

take as long as you need. I know you’ve been through a lot.

He smiles and turns back to looking outside. He’s already noticing

could move into your

would love

we pull onto Quinton’s pack lands. Even from here, the smell of rotting

says, covering his mouth. “How can they live here? It’s

may not feel like they have another choice,

to pass bodies in

offer to help them burn their dead. Even if they don’t want to come with us, this will attract predators and could put them into a

She stops

out of the car, as do

We’ve come to talk to you and to offer our assistance in cleaning up

do you want to talk about?” Quirin asks.

and your mother are not

he says defiantly.

Luna Yamin and raise my eyebrow. “You

snaps to his mother.

nothing,” she says, raising her

hadn’t arrived when they did, it would have been

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Chapter 90

says, stepping forward.

“Mother?” Quirin asks.

weren’t here when Alpha Simon showed up and attempted

her teeth.

“Mother?”

I didn’t want to

lot happened,” he growls, then turns back to me. “How

5

morning. Alpha Warren and I are concerned about you, but he didn’t feel that you would listen if he offered you sanctuary

mean,” Quirin

turn those good qualities into something that is not good. I’m sure you know that he intended to take Alpha Warren’s mate from him. Believe me, if he did, he wouldn’t have had the simple execution that he had. You didn’t see Alpha Simon. Your father was not tortured before his death. He was

grits his teeth. “What do you want?”

Alpha heir, but without a pack, you are at risk. I’m assuming that your father

We found the paperwork,” Yasmin says.

as is Henry. You are nearly the same age and I would teach you, as I’m teaching Henry how to

thinking about it, not sure what the right answer might