"So, want to explain why you're seeking refuge in a pack and not a clan and where the... father of those children are and why he is not with you?" Thatcher questioned me there was a pause as he asked for the father of what he presumes to be my children.

"Cubs not mine. Clan was wiped out by the elephant herd after matriarch killed their baby. I escaped with three cubs, I was babysitter." I try to explain in broken English. Its going to be difficult explain everything with me lacking many words.

"The cubs aren't yours?" the relief in his voice caused me worry they were mine now I wouldn't be leaving them I hope he accepts that.

"They are now. Mine."

"Of course, I will help you raise them if that's what you wish. You're my mate and my wolf is slowly accepting them as my pups." The smile from my face was ripping at my cheeks id never felt so warm and wanted as I did in the second, he said his wolf was accepting the cubs. "So, you are the clan the council was talking about, we heard there was a complete wipe-out of a clan due to the death of a child. I'm glad you got out along with the cubs you saved. None of you had done anything wrong but the elephants are not known for having many children and so the loss of one is greatly felt."

I nod not knowing what to say. I felt great sadness at the loss of a child and have shed many a tear due to the actions of my previous clan. I have never been able to forgive the matriarch for her actions, but I cannot hold them against her children.

"Her kids. Only allowed to reproduce. Don't blame them." I cry at him making sure I'm being completely honest but firm that they are just children and my children at that.

"I would never hold it against the children they had no part in the murder and completely innocent. There will be no harshness from myself or the pack if you decide to tell them if anyone says anything come to me and I will sort it out immediately. You are my mate, and these are my children okay? I won't let anyone think different or otherwise about you. We must however tell the council it was not a complete wipe-out there were survivors."

"Why?"

"You will be the survivor and thus the leader of that clan and can choose to mesh our clan and pack together or rule and choose to live with close proximity but not as one pack. "

"Want to be with you Thatcher."

"We can discuss that at a later date, love don't worry okay. Nothing has to change right now."

"Okay Thatcher."

"For now, let's just work on you walking and speaking." His smile was radiant as always.

"Okay."

I reach out and hold his hand looking down "Still want to be mates?" I had to make sure I would either be heartbroken or unsure unless he answered the question. "No rejection?"

"No little one of course not I wasn't ever even thinking of rejecting you. Don't think like that I've waited 6 years to find you and now that I have, you're not going anywhere okay?" he pulls me onto his lap, I snuggle into him happily. I was with my mate and my children were happy I was feeling a safety id never felt before.

This felt so right my hyena decided it was the best time to laugh right out of my mouth very, very loudly. I clasped my hands over my mouth not believing that had just happened. Thatcher glanced down at me one eyebrow cocked in question, I in turn shrugged my shoulders.

"Species habit." I try to explain.

"Of course." He laughed back. "How about I show you and the cubs around the pack lands so they know where you guys can and can't go?"

I nod and stand up calling the small ones over too me heading towards the door with Thatcher in front of me. He led us out of the alpha suite, down the stairs through the kitchen and dining room explaining the need for each room and what they do along the way the cubs weren't really listening, but I was trying to lodge it all into my memory because if I was to stay here I'm going to need to know what all these rooms are for. The school room was downstairs in the basement which was a large decorated room with many childish things.

We headed out of the house and down a path away from the centre of the town where the pack house is located. Around the packhouse were several smaller houses that Thatcher explained were for the couples and families who didn't want to live within the pack house or for creatures who prefer their alone time such as tigers and bears. I had never met shifters of those kinds before and was excited at the prospect of more friends. We continued around the town and were shown the guards that patrol the borders and the many trees that surrounded the large territory. There was a makeshift park for children and when we walked passed, I saw several children playing and my heart burst at the sight of children my kids age for them to bond and play with.

Lastly we were shown a hole in the ground that led down to their jail area we were explicitly told by thatcher that we were never allowed to go down there unless he was there, I quickly steered as away from that area not wanting to be in danger. We took several short breaks because I still wasn't able to walk that long without the breaks. Legs were difficult.

We started to make our way back to the pack house as it was lunchtimes and the cubs were hungry, I was carrying the two smaller ones as Zar was walking beside me in human form wanting to walk like a big boy.

Thatcher was continuing to tell us about the heritage of the pack grounds but I had kind of zoned out there was so much knowledge running around in my head I was overwhelmed and dizzy.

We were back at the pack house before long and went to the kitchen, Thatcher was making us food and trying to convince us to try cooked meat. The cubs and I were sceptical.

"C'mon just try it I promise its good Cassius."

"No. meat freshly killed or oldly killed all good but cooked?"

"Its like roasting it on a flame did your clan never do that?"

"No? ate straight from body?"

The look on his face said he was slightly disgusted at our old clans' ways I guess this pack doesn't hunt. I wonder where they get their food from, do they find it? Are they also scavengers?! Although that is a misconception of my species, we are not just scavengers' hyenas can hunt larger pray we just don't let anything go to waste either we are the cleaners of the lands.

Placed in front of me was a plate of cooked meat, it smelt worse than dead and I was hesitant to try it. I poked it with my finger, it was warmer than fresh kill so maybe it would not be too bad. The cubs were looking at me to make sure it was safe they were trusting me to feed them and care for them, so I placed it in my mouth and tore off some beginning to chew. It wasn't too bad I still preferred not cooked but it wasn't as bad as I thought.

"It's okay..." I nodded at the bundles of fur on the floor in front of me signalling that they could eat the meat which they immediately dug in too. There were mumbles in our family link, but they weren't going to pass up the opportunity to eat they knew sometimes we wouldn't eat for two or three days and they haven't quite figured out that this is where we will stay from now.

"You'll get used to it or we can leave your meat uncooked but if you remain in your human form too long it may make you sick so let's try to have a balance yeah?" thatcher said at the thought of being sick I nodded, sick was dangerous, sick got you killed so I nodded and continued eating the cooked meat.

"What is the meat?" I questioned it didn't taste like anything id ever eaten.

"It's beef."

"What animal is that?"

"Cow." Thatcher explained slowly, I was still confused I had never heard of a cow before.

"Never heard of cow, it tastes okay though."

"You've never heard of a cow? I forget that you aren't from around here and have lived in a traditional pack for your whole life. What did you used to eat?"

"Antelope, zebra stuff like that?"

"That's pretty strange to me, I've never even seen those creatures before."

"Not shifter cow yes?" I was worried I was eating a shifter and suddenly the meat didn't feel to good in my stomach.

"Goddess no Casius we don't eat shifter, no pack around here does that's against the councils' laws."

I nod happy to know the thing I'm eating doesn't have a human soul.

The cubs were now finished eating and were sleepy asking to go back to the bed through the link. I inform my mate of this and ask if I can take them to have a sleep. He agrees quickly getting up to take us back to the bedroom. Along the way waving to the pack members we passed and greeting all of them. I tried to do the same and several of them greeted me back as luna.

We were now back in the bedroom and I helped the kids onto the bed, Zar was in his human form snuggled amongst the blankets and his siblings. I knew that the shifting day for the other two was approaching swiftly and I would have to talk to Thatcher about helping me guide them through their shift.

I tell them to message me through the link when they wake up. We exit the room and go to a sitting room. I make myself comfortable on the plush area and yawn.

"Sleepy?" Thatcher asks

"No, just still a little overwhelmed." I smile softly at him. "There is something I need to talk to you about though." Thatcher nods and gestures for me to continue. "My two youngest are nearing their shifting moon and I was wondering if you would help me guide them through it?"

"Of course, love, I guide many pups through their first shift, and I've helped quite a few other animals so a hyena should be no different."

"I was also wondering if you would help me name the youngest male?"

"He doesn't have a name?"

"You aren't used to traditional packs, are you? We don't get named until after our first shift that's why Zar has a name he can shift as he pleases now. I have decided to call my daughter Aria. So maybe that would go with that name?"

"I will think about it for now why don't you go take a rest with our kids and I'll do some paperwork for the pack, I'll come get you if you're not awake for dinner?" I nod and head back to the room with the cubs and lye down to rest. I need to catch up on all the sleep I've missed out on.

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I was shaken awake startlingly. I jumped all but out of my skin. What was happening?

"Casius, love, its time to wake up, its dinner time."

That was Thatcher he was shaking me. I look up at him processing him words. It was dinner time. I had slept from just after noon till dinner. I must have been a lot more tired than I thought. I look around and the cubs were nowhere to be seen that put me on high alert.

"Where are they?"

"Who? The cubs? They are downstairs eating already they've been up for just over an hour, I came and grabbed them so they wouldn't wake you up. They're fine." Thatcher says in a very calm voice.

I must have been in a very deep sleep to not notice the cubs are awake I am a bad parent. I rise from my place on the bed and start to head back to the food room to find my kids, the mama hyena in me needed to know that they are safe. We head to the dining room in comfortable silence, I'm still half asleep and my stomach is yelling at me that it is food time.

We walk into the dining room to find my cubs eating with others their age. I almost cried. They were getting along so well with others. Zar was eating with a wolf pup and a tiger cub whereas the younger two were with several pups and a human formed child with very pointy ears.

I looked up to my mate with tears in my eyes so happy that my kids were accepted into the pack and the pack mothers thought they were safe enough to have their own children around. "They accepted them" I whisper to him as he wraps his arms around me.

"I knew they would." He whispers back.

I look over again and can't help but smile. I finally felt home and that was a beautiful feeling. I went with Thatcher and we gathered our own food I was once again eating cooked cow because that was what the kitchen crew had prepared. We sat at the long table and began to eat even as we did so I made sure to keep an eye on each child of mine and others.

This was beautiful, this was amazing this was home.