Page 2 of Anders
That’s a yes,Anders confirmed.Though, I reserve the right to complain about the paperwork.
Granted,Malcolm said with a smile.
Then the moon’s pull crescendoed, and the ripple that preceded transformation writhed beneath Anders’s skin.Around them, pack members were already beginning to shift, human forms blurring, twisting, and re-forming into wolf shapes.
Enjoy the run,Larissa said, stepping away to strip off her clothes and fold them neatly before beginning her shift.
Anders let his own shift take him, bones and muscles rearranging themselves with practiced ease.As his senses sharpened into wolf form, he saw his packmates through new eyes—not just as friends and family but as charges to protect.
He picked out potential vulnerabilities in their standard running formation.His ears cataloged the unique gait of each pack member, creating a mental database of normal patterns versus potential signs of distress.His nose mapped out the complex web of scents that made up pack territory.
Priority assessment: Establish new security protocols.Implement regular training rotations.Review emergency response procedures.
Malcolm and Larissa, now in their wolf forms, took up positions at the head of the pack.Their movements were perfectly synchronized as they prepared to lead the run.
Anders fell naturally into a flanking position, automatically calculating optimal defensive formations.He noticed Conall and Quinton, the twins, similarly adjusting their positions.Good.They’d make excellent deputies in the new security structure.He’d need some strong enforcers.
The younger wolves were practically vibrating with excitement, eager to run.Anders made mental notes about their positioning—who showed natural protective instincts, who needed work on spatial awareness, who might have potential for future security roles.
A young female wolf—Dana, he remembered—was staying close to her younger siblings, naturally shepherding them away from the edge of the mesa.Interesting.Worth watching for guardian potential.
The thought of training new guardians led naturally to considerations of pack dynamics, which somehow triggered a stray thought about potential mates.Anders dismissed it immediately.He had far too much work ahead to even consider that particular complication.
Priority list: Security first.Pack healing second.Personal life…file underfuture considerations.
Malcolm lifted his head and howled, the sound clear and strong.The pack responded, a chorus of voices rising to meet their alpha’s call.Anders added his own voice to the symphony, feeling the vibrations in his chest.
Then they were running, a coordinated flow of fur and muscle streaming down the mesa.Anders kept pace easily, his stronger wolf form moving with efficient grace.His position gave him a clear view of the pack while maintaining optimal reactive distance for any threats.
The desert night was alive with scents and sounds—sage and juniper, rabbit and deer, the distant cry of a hawk.Anders processed each input, categorizing potential risks and advantages.Old habits died hard, and in this case, they would serve his new role well.
He watched Malcolm and Larissa lead the pack through a series of practiced formations.Their leadership style was impressive—Malcolm’s natural authority balanced by Larissa’s tactical precision.The pack responded instinctively, moving as a single unit.
Assessment: Strong foundation for new security protocols.Pack cohesion improving.Morale high.
As they ran, Anders began mentally drafting plans for improved security measures.The territory would need new patrol routes, taking advantage of natural defensive positions.Training programs would need to balance necessary vigilance with the pack’s need for healing.Trust would need to be rebuilt, procedure by procedure.
A younger wolf stumbled slightly on loose rocks.Before Anders could move, two other pack members had already adjusted their positions to support their packmate.The action was instinctive, natural—exactly the kind of pack behavior that needed to be encouraged and protected.
Note to self: Pack instincts remain strong despite previous trauma.Build on existing bonds rather than imposing artificial structure.
The moon rode high above them, bathing the desert in silver light.Its pull, the primal connection to Anders’s wolf form, made everything sharper, clearer.In this form, protecting his pack was as natural as breathing.
The run continued, the pack moving together through their territory.Anders maintained his position, alternating between watching their surroundings and observing pack dynamics.His mind continued to work, planning and analyzing, but underneath the tactical considerations was a deep sense of satisfaction.
This was where he needed to be.What he needed to be doing.The pack had been wounded, not just by Vincent and Percy, Gregory and Hannah, and all the others who’d supported the old pack structure, but by the breakdown of trust those wounds had caused.
Rebuilding that trust, redesigning security to protect rather than control—this was how Anders could help heal those wounds.
Mission parameters: clear.Time frame: indefinite.Priority level: maximum.
As the pack circled back toward the mesa, Anders allowed himself a moment of quiet pride.His packmates were strong, resilient, and despite everything they’d endured, still capable of joy.He watched them run, play with their cubs, share their strength with each other.
Primary objective: Protect this.All other considerations secondary.
Romance, mates, personal entanglements—all that could wait.For now, he had a job to do.A purpose to fulfill.
The moon continued its arc across the sky, and Anders ran with his pack, already planning for the challenges ahead.He had accepted a sacred trust tonight, and he would honor it.The pack needed a guardian who would protect without controlling, guide without dominating, serve without expecting submission.
