Treasure

Chase worked harder than when he was in Residency as they pushed to get the new Pack Buildings ready for occupancy before the summer began. Until they were able to be on their own, they really couldn’t do anything with building their Pack. They had nowhere to put them.

The plans for the Pack House were finalized by early January. It was a big, multi-purpose facility ideal for keeping people busy and in shape during the cold winter. The commercial kitchen was huge and new, and the dining room could seat 150 people comfortably. The dining room had a panoramic view of the lake, with three wings and lots of windows. It made great use of the strength of the structural insulated panels, which had ¾” plywood with over ten inches of foam in between. The metal framework allowed for the high ceilings and big windows, the views not marred by beams or supports. It was an impressive space, and the wings allowed for more intimate seating for normal Pack events.

The basement was huge, all insulated and poured concrete foundation. It was extra tall, giving plenty of room for utilities plus a large exercise room with weights and all the machines. It also included a theater room with comfortable seating for forty and a huge projection screen that doubled as the Pack’s safe room. The reclining chairs would double as beds, and storage areas behind the screen held storage for food, medical supplies and bathroom and shower facilities with a dedicated water supply. More bunks could be folded down from the walls, allowing for it to be used as a bunk house during big gatherings.

It was the indoor/outdoor pool and greenhouse area that really got things going. The big space had two pools, a small one with a splash area for small children, then an L-shaped pool with a section for laps, a deep end with a waterslide and an area that was just under four feet deep with basketball hoops. The walls were a mix of insulated concrete and glass panels; in the summer, the glass panels could be slid back on each other and a screen put in, while in the winter the area would be completely enclosed. The ceiling was made of a translucent material, which allowed a diffuse sunlight in while being much more energy efficient than a glass ceiling. There was also an area with plantings and a small koi pond with glass windows, forming a nice tropical dining area near a small kitchen for the pool area.

It was a big building and a big ask, but the general contractor had done everything he could to get it done. The ground had been covered with insulating blankets and heating coils thawed the ground in March, allowing the heavy diggers and blasting to start while snow still covered the ground. Getting the hole dug allowed for the foundation to be poured early, and by early April the steel frame was in place. The cranes and trucks made it in over the frozen roads, cleared in early November, and set the structural insulated panels in place in just two days. A week later, the roof was done, windows and siding were on, and the building was weather-tight.

Once they could get it heated, the inside work went quickly. A pool contractor was happy to come in and do the forms and the Gunnite concrete on the pool area, months before his normal season started. The off-season work meant they were able to get all the contractors they could handle, and by the time the snow melted in May, the building was completed.

They used the same tactics to get the first five houses on the Point weather tight. Rori and Chase’s house was huge, five thousand square feet per level on three levels and a full basement, but a mansion is what was needed for an Alpha pair.

Especially when the Alpha female was blessed to have baby after baby… it would be a big family, and they needed room for the guests they could expect. As a result, it had fourteen bedrooms, ten baths, a huge kitchen and a mother-in-law apartment in the basement. The pair had Omegas volunteering to be a part of the house, and they chose a woman for the kitchen and a pair for housekeeping, each with quarters in the home. Since construction wasn’t going to start on her parent’s house until June, they would stay with them when the baby came until it was done.

Keith and Coral’s house, as the Betas, wasn’t quite as big but it was still an impressive home. Their place had six bedrooms including a guest suite and was just over four thousand square feet of living space plus the basement. While the Alpha’s house had commanding views of the lake on three sides, their home had expansive southeastern views. Overhangs of the roof and an off-center peak allowed the home to catch late season sun yet remain shaded in the heat of summer.

On the other side, Beta Ron Carlson’s home was being built for him and his mate Teri. Ron had left the Bitterroot Pack and had no desire to return. He spent months traveling between Packs and seeking his mate with no luck, and dejected he contacted Coral to see if he could join their Pack. He respected her and her brother and wanted to help them succeed. The Alphas accepted him, but Coral and Keith already owned security, and Roadkill was going to run Maintenance. That left him with Operations, the day to day functioning of the Pack. He was going to own Finance, oversee the kitchens and housekeeping staff, and be responsible for planning Pack functions and hosting.

Since they were still on Oxbow Lake lands and there wasn’t much to supervise yet, Rori assigned him to do the initial screenings and interviews for wolves who were seeking admittance to their Pack. “We can’t take just anyone, especially given the situations some of our females have survived,” she told him. “Include at least one of them in the interviews and look for people who have a good fit. We need to fill out the middle of our Pack; warriors, workers, trade skills, computers and such. We can’t live forever on the Pack treasury, we need people who can build our businesses and start bringing money in too.”

The system he was designing was a proven one from other Packs. Adults in the Pack could work full-time for the Pack in some capacity, or work outside the Pack and contribute towards its upkeep. A good mix was required so the books would balance.

One day in early March, Ron was at a hotel room in Two Harbors for a series of meetings he had arranged. It was easier to do them interviews on neutral land, because bringing them onto Oxbow property required permission from two Alphas, plus they would be escorted, and that was if they were from a friendly Pack. Packless wolves weren’t allowed on Pack lands often.

Teri Onaka was the fourth interview of the morning. She had been born outside the Pack structure and had grown up and lived in the San Francisco Bay area. Her parents had escaped Japan in the mid-1800’s and emigrated to America, as their Pack was being wiped out with the wild Honshu Island wolves. Her father had died in World War II fighting in Italy, and her mother had passed away a few months earlier. She had nothing to tie her to the area, and the lack of open spaces and increased pollution made her want to leave.

Teri was almost two hundred years old but looked like an executive in her thirties. Over the phone, she talked about her desire to join Pack life and hopefully find her mate. Her job as an application developer could be done from anywhere, and she loved the plans for the small Pack.

As soon as she opened the door, his wolf came forward and rushed towards her. The door barely shut behind her before she was pinned against the wall, and a minute later their clothes had been torn off each other and scattered across the room. They marked each other during a frenzied first mating, their wolves and human sides each thrilled to find their other half. They got dressed in time to finish his afternoon interviews, then he drove her to the Arrowhead Pack lands and they completed the mating in wolf form after the sun set.

They were madly in love, and everyone loved the hard-working and friendly Japanese woman. They built their house on the other side of the Alpha’s house, and Teri took over all technology for the Pack. Their basement held a dedicated server, and she was able to wire all the new homes with the latest technology. Her computer experience was a Luna-send for Coral’s efforts to set up electronic surveillance and security of their Pack lands.

The next two houses down each side from the Beta houses were for the unmated Pack members who weren’t working in the Alpha or Beta houses. Designed to be comfortable, the homes were built with spacious sleeping areas and bathrooms, smaller private sitting areas, and large common rooms with a kitchen. Eventually, they hoped the houses would shift to hold a few families instead. The seven homes were the only ones that were ready to move in before Memorial Day; some of the other mated were still having their smaller cabins built along the lakeshore they owned.

And now it was time to move the Pack in, two days before the start of Memorial Day weekend. The permits and inspections were completed, utilities were in, and trucks had moved the Pack’s belongings into their new houses. Rori and Chase rode in the lead SUV, her parents in the back seat, as they led the procession of trucks and SUV’s down the new road that wound about a hundred yards from the lakeshore. Alpha Michael and Luna Margaret were in the SUV behind them, followed by the Betas of both Packs and the entire Arrowhead Pack.

“Oh my God, it’s beautiful,” Rori said as they made the turn out of the woods and the lake and the point came into view.

“Wow,” Donna said as she looked at the cedar-sided buildings with river-rock faced foundations and dark green roofs. Roadkill was flying up tomorrow for the party, while she had arrived a week ago to help her daughter with her pregnancy. Rori had been placed on limited duties as her pregnancy progressed, much to her annoyance. The twin Alpha children inside her were growing bigger each day. Moving was becoming a struggle as her due date neared. A single baby would have been due in early July, but they were hoping the twins would make it another two or three weeks. The two started pushing around for space as they came to a stop in front of their new home.

Margaret was there as Chase opened her door, and the two women helped her as Chase led them to the door off the garage. “Step aside, Luna, there’s a tradition to keep here,” Chase said as Michael moved to hold the door open. Rori squealed as he picked her up, carrying her a few steps across the threshold into the mud room. Although Chase had been onsite almost every day, this was the first time Rori had seen their home since it was framed in.

The big mud room had cubbies for coats, boots and gear, and a laundry room with three sets of washers and dryers and a big table for folding was next door. It had a stairway to the basement, and another door they took led into a huge kitchen. A large formal dining room with a table that sat twenty was on the other side of a large walk-in and Butler’s pantry, and the main living area was farther on. “You did a great job, guys,” Margaret said as she took in the spacious home. “I’m jealous.”

“Look at these views, I knew they would be amazing,” Rori said as she waddled over towards one of the bay windows on the east side of the living room, on each side of the large picture window looking over the lake. It was as wide as a single bed, with pillows and a small bookcase nearby. “I’ll be spending a few mornings here with a book.”

They moved to the stairway by the formal entryway, it climbed two stories. “The top level is all guest rooms, while the second floor is ours,” he said as he helped his mate up the stairs. Turning towards the lake, he took her into the master suite which had commanding views of the lake on three sides. There was a sitting area, a large closet for each of them, hers with a dressing table, and his and hers bathrooms with a large shower and Jacuzzi in between. The tub had a window looking out over the lake, and a gas fireplace would set the mood at night.

“I’m in love,” Rori said as she ran her hands over the quartz vanity top in her bathroom. “Mostly I’m glad I don’t have to deal with your guy stuff in my bathroom anymore.”

“Come on, there’s more.” The wing had a nursery that connected via a door from their room as well as having a door to the hall. One more bedroom was on their side, and four on the other. They poked their heads into the rooms, they had beds and dressers but not much in the way of decorations yet. “The basement has a sauna, exercise room, home theater and my man cave,” he said. She raised an eyebrow at him. “It’s got a bar, snack kitchen, poker table, pool table and pinball machines.”

“Sounds great, honey, the Steel Ladies will love coming over to play cards,” she teased. “I’m too tired to go down there now, though.” She held her hands over her stomach.

“Why don’t you rest for a few minutes before we go up to the Pack House,” Chase said. He helped her into the rocking chair in the sitting area, then went to a hidden mini-fridge and got her some water.

They talked and looked out over the lake until it was time to go. They took their time, Rori was moving slow and the uphill didn’t help. They finally made it to the entry area, where the whole Pack and guests were waiting. Rori was quickly sat next to Coral, who was almost as far along but much smaller. “How is your house,” she asked as she rubbed her back.

“It’s amazing, I can’t wait to show it to you.”

“Not tonight, my back is killing me.” They watched as Chase stood with the General Contractor before the red ribbon that went across the double doors.

He said a few words, then the two cut the ribbon. “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Arrowhead House!” There was a cheer and clapping, then they all moved inside as the men held the door. Keith and Donna helped the two inside, where they followed the tour to the pool area before ending up in the dining room.

After the contractor left, Chase welcomed the Pack to their land and helped Rori stand up before he thanked Alpha Michael and Luna Margaret for all of their help the last seven months. “A thank you doesn’t seem like enough, nor does it recognize the deep ties we have with your Pack,” he said. “We don’t want you to be far from us, so with that in mind, the Arrowhead Pack would like to give you this.” He handed them a folder with a bow on it; opening it up, Michael saw the deed for five acres of land, right on the border where the road started around the lake, and two hundred feet of lakeshore. A set of plans and a computer-generated picture of a large cabin overlooking the lake was there. “The land and the home will be yours, a little piece of Oxbox Lake territory next to ours. I hope you and your Pack find enjoyment in it, and our alliance only strengthens as time marches on.”

Michael was staring down at the papers in awe. Packs normally didn’t give up land if they weren’t forced to, and no one wanted to share a boundary with another Pack. To give them this meant more than any piece of treaty paper. Margaret jumped forward, hugging Rori then Chase before Michael did. “Thank you,” she said.

“Thank you, Auntie,” she said as they both cried.

“Now, it’s time for us to return to our new homes. Take the rest of today to settle in, because tomorrow will be all about preparing to host the many guests who are coming as we relaunch the Arrowhead Pack on our ancestral lands.”

Two days later, over a hundred werewolves from across America and Europe arrived on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend for the festivities. The new Pack was strained to the limit, all of their rooms in use and the Oxbow Lake Pack volunteering to host the overflow. Rori did the best she could in her condition, but Donna and Colletta were there to help her with everything. Both were staying in the guest rooms, along with her grandfather Charles, Alpha Martin, and Council Chair Coffey. Coral was hosting her brothers, Alpha Carson, and Alphas Sawyer and Ashley, along with the remaining Council members. The vehicles were kept busy picking people up from the airport, while the jet skis and boats got a workout on the big lake.

Dinner that night was a formal black-tie dinner and reception in their new Pack House. “I look like a blimp,” Rori complained as she stepped into the silk maternity gown. “I should just take the drapes down, put in a few pins and call it good.”

“You look lovely, my dear,” Chase said as he came over in his black tuxedo. He put a white gold necklace around her neck, a diamond-studded set of brushes on an onyx palette was his Valentine’s Day gift to her.

Chairman Coffey pulled them aside before they walked up to the party. “This is all for you,” he said as he handed him an envelope. “It took half a year, but we finally unraveled all the hidden accounts and money trails. Alpha Sawyer helped as well, finding the Council IT supervisor was Craig’s mole broke it open. The money that belongs to his Pack has been returned, the rest belongs to you and the women who were abused and enslaved. If they have moved on, we’ve given them their share.”

“How much is here,” Chase said as he looked through the papers.”

“Eight point seven million, roughly. Use it well, Alphas.” Chase left it on the table as they walked out of the house.

They didn’t stay long as the dinner turned into dancing and socializing, and he brought her back home and put her to bed. “I love you,” he said as she tried to get comfortable around her belly.

“I love you too, baby.” He wrapped his arms around her from behind and they went to sleep.

She woke up at four, feeling the liquid between her legs. At first she thought she had peed the bed, but the smell was off. “Chase, wake up,” she said.

“What?” He smelled it too, and sat up quickly. “Your water broke.”

“Yep. Help me into the shower.” He did, sending mental messages to Keith and his staff. By the time she was cleaned up and changed, the first contraction hit. “Grab my bag,” she said.

“Keith is bringing the car, Colletta and Donna will be coming with Roadkill in a different car,” he said. “Doc is ready, and Alpha Michael has been informed we are coming.”

“Great timing, eh, babe?” The babies decided to come early, during the busiest weekend of the year, but that was life.

Beta Ron took over at the Pack, making sure the celebrations continued while Rori suffered through fourteen hours of labor. Chase rubbed her back and encouraged her through the hard labor, while her Moms did all they could to make it easier. Their son was born just before six at night, followed ten minutes later by their daughter. Rori may have wondered if she would be a good mother, but as soon as they were laid on her chest, she overflowed with love for them. They had a little bonding time alone while the Moms went out and told everyone the news. The next morning, after Rori had a chance to rest, they started seeing visitors.

“Have you decided on names,” Margaret said as she held the little girl in her arms.

“Her name is Cheryl Joanna, after the woman who saved my life and my mother,” she said. “His is Mark Charles, after my adoptive father and my grandfather.”

“Beautiful,” Donna said as she rocked a sleeping Mark.

Rori relaxed back into the bed, holding Chase’s hand as she thought back to how much her life had changed in the past year. She was truly happy and greatly loved.