Page 193 of Claimed

“We don’t know him,” a man I vaguely recall from the barracks calls out. “Should we just appoint some stranger our alpha when we only just met him?”

“He saved us. Pulled us out of that shit hole. Literally,” Adelaide snaps from the back corner where she’s sitting with several other girls. “You think he’s doing it because he’s got a scheme in mind? What could he possibly gain from taking all of us on?”

Brody’s eyes zero in on her I can feel the crackling energy between them.

They’re in an eye lock for a long moment and the electricity is such that no one seems to want to interrupt.

He’s still got that edge about him. And I see no mating mark on her throat. So they still haven’t officially mated.

Fuck, Brody. How?

“Do we need to lockthemup in my cabin next?” I hear Ty mutter to Riley. Riley’s shoulders shake with silent laughter. And because you could hear a pin drop in this place and Ty isn’t exactly soft-spoken, everyone would’ve heard.

It’s obviously more than just me that just noticed the lack of claiming mark on her throat.

“Does someone else want to put their hat in the ring?” Brody asks. “I want you all to have choices. You all, every one of you… deserve that,” His eyes are still on Adelaide.

“What about a trial period?” Patsy calls out. “If we have a trial run with Brody and set a date to make our permanent decision?”

A blonde female sitting beside Adelaide who was rescued from the massage parlor speaks up. “This alpha is willing to put all his own money into a property and develop it for us, saving us from the literal shit show back home and we’re what… going to take him up on his generosity but not commit to anything? He’s going to make a place for us and we’re going to just use him and maybe change our minds later? How is that fair?”

Brody wags his finger in correction while shaking his head. “Iamputting my own savings into it, but the Arcana Falls alpha council has agreed to finance the rest and hold the mortgage. Since they insist on doing that interest-free, I’ll be looking to all members of the pack to help me in ways that include contributing labor to whatever we get into so we can pay that down as fast as possible. Like I said, there’s a building suitable for a number of business opportunities on site and I have some ideas. But there’s no rush; we won’t go hungry while we establish our pack and business. What I’m tryin’ to illustrate is this is an opportunity for me as well. And I’m buying that property to set up a pack and want to get into the black on the books as soon as possible. The way I see it, if you all decide to leave after a few months to go on and forge a different path, that’d be acceptable. I’ll be puttin’ word out that we’re open to families and able-bodied individuals applying to join us, starting with sending that bulletin out to those on the waiting list to move here to The Falls. I’m not holding any one of you prisoner. All this has shown me I’m ready to do this, so if you all choose to come with me… provided that they accept my offer… you don’t have to stay unless you want to. If this works out long term, we’ll consider buy out options for your homes, too. I don’t intend it all to be justmyland.”

“That’s what you say now,” an older woman mutters.

“Thatiswhat I say,” Brody responds. “I’m not planning on a bait and switch situation. The main house and twenty-five acres will be in my name as that’ll be my home for me, my mate, and our future family. I may want the majority share of the business in my name with the pack as my partner. Arcana Falls council members might also have some equity. It’s all to be determined and we’ll outline all that. The rest will be in a company name I set up and once it’s built and working well, we can talk aboutstocks or profit sharing for whatever business we start for the pack. Do I deserve a stake in it as the one who put up the risk, the money, and the sweat into it? Yeah. That’s fair, isn’t it? Arcana Falls council is backing this project because it’s me and because of Stacy Blackwood’s connection to you all. They’re doing it also for all of you because of the shit you’ve been through and I know they want your pack to be able to stand on its own feet. This is who we are here in The Falls, plain and simple. We help.” He pauses, then adds, “Though I can appreciate apprehension after what you’ve all been through with your previous alpha, I’m happy to outline something in writing with accountability. Accountability for not just me but also for all of you. A pack is only as strong as its people and this hasn’t been a functional pack in a while. It’ll be blood, sweat, and probably a few tears getting everything going but it’ll also be very worth it to build something great together. Something we can all benefit from now as well as set things up for our next generations. So we can be the sort of pack that helps others, too. Pay it forward.”

Conversations are now buzzing through the space and there’s excitement.

“Guys…” Malachi calls out, then blows a wolf whistle, which has the desired effect of halting the conversations. “Maybe we should deal with the vote for Wyatt’s fate here and now, and we can talk more about the rest after we all get some rest. It’s been a big day. I like Patricia’s idea of a trial period. It sounds like Brody isn’t holding us to anything and his generosity is something we can show appreciation for. He showed me the property listing and it’s… you guys, it’s absolutely awesome. A hundred times better than what we had. There are ponds full of fish, there’s loads of forest, even a trickling waterfall coming from a spring. An actual spring, you guys. The property has artesian wells, too. How much have we all yearned for cleanwater the last decade? And he has a list of improvements he wants to make so if we all do our best to help him build the property into a great community then we’re not just freeloaders. Once everyone is in and settled and contributing, you’ll pay your own way. We’ll contribute to pack money matters. We’ll have a bookkeeper and the books will be open to anyone in the pack to see them. Based on everything Brody’s said to me, it won’t just be a tribute paid to someone who uses it however they want. Those who invest in the business Brody sets up with their sweat equity could have a stake in it.”

“What if we’re too old to work?” an old man asks.

Malachi looks at Brody.

“The elderly in a pack are treasured and revered for their wisdom and their contributions to the pack, whatever those are,” Brody tells him. “It’s not all about manual labor. Though anyone who can work will be expected to. We can talk it all out and address all concerns. We can have weekly town hall meetings until things are running smooth and then we can have them monthly, quarterly, whatever. Every voice matters.”

“Seriously?” an older woman calls out.

“Seriously,” Brody says and flashes a big, probably disarming smile.

“That’s amazing!” the young female called Misty who lived in Stacy’s trailer calls out. “When can we see the property listing?”

“Tomorrow,” Brody says, “I’ll get the projector set up in here and we’ll show everyone.”

Malachi claps his hands together. “This all sounds good, Brody.”

“This sounds like a good plan,” Eloise says and there are others chiming in their agreement.

“I think you should be our alpha,” an older woman calls out. “I’m ready to vote.”

“Why don’t we consider tabling the leadership conversation for tonight?” Brody suggests. “I’ll show everyone the property listing tomorrow and we can talk more if you want, but I think we should revisit all the logistics in a few days after everyone has had a chance to catch their breath and by then I’ll know if they’ve accepted my offer on the property and when we can move in. Take time to catch our breath. And of course, after we’ve all moved on from what we’re here to do right now.”

There are calls of agreement.

“He’s rousin’,” Joel announces from behind me. I turn and see him look down to the floor at Meadows before he says, “Rise and shine, princess.”

Meadows is just inside the doorway, groaning. His mouth is taped and his eyes are closed but he’s obviously feeling pain.

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