“I don’t know how much more I can hate this packhouse,” I state dryly.
“Makes you feel like a princess, huh?” Ari mutters, her eyes following mine as I scan the building.
“More like the crazy witch locked in the tower,” I point out.
Ari grins.
Jun looks at me thoughtfully. “Is it not to your liking, Luna?”
“Well, do you like it?” I ask in return.
He blushes. “I’m in no position to… I mean… it’s…” He pauses. “With a bit of color…”
“Fantastic,” I nod, figuring I can’t change his and the other pack members’ fear of higher ranks in just a few days. I need to make sure to listen to them, give them time, and make them realize I care about their worries and opinions. “We will start with that and renovate and modernize the outer wall. Thank you, Jun.”
He blinks, surprised. “It’s my pleasure, Luna.”
“Any other buildings here that need some fresh paint?”
He nods thoughtfully.
“Awesome, lead the way!”
Ari and I follow him through the pack. I’ve put on a sweater because the weather is getting a bit chilly already. It’s a beautiful time of the year, though…soon the leaves of the trees will change colors, bringing a stunning array of reds and yellows to the landscape.
While walking amongst the pack, both Ari and I notice that Red Claw’s pack grounds are structured well. “The pack grounds are well thought out,” Ari voices my thoughts aloud.
“I was thinking the same. It just lacks proper maintenance, and it needs to be modernized,” I say.
“What are you thinking?”
“We need to retouch the streets and paths. Also, we just walked by several empty spaces. I was thinking about a park for one, a playground for the kids, and a flower & herbal garden.”
“An open swimming pool would be nice,” Ari says.
“Absolutely. Liam and Dante are already working on the training grounds too. Liam told me they have gotten a few offers from construction companies already. Two pack members here are architects, well… were… before Marcus went crazy. But they are eager to help.” I pause. “We could use one of the empty fields as an outdoor playground… for the adults.” I grin.
“Football field, basketball and alike?” Ari beams.
“I knew you would like it. But first things come first,” I point out. “My top priority is to get the houses here retouched and renovated. Everyone will get modern sanitary facilities. We are going to look at the windows, floors, and the outer walls. And we need to move some of the pack members elsewhere. Some young families are living in tiny spaces. That’s not up for debate.” I pause. “And the packhouse.”
“When will the work on the packhouse start?” Ari wants to know.
I chuckle. “Next week. Liam wants you to take a look at his plans too. We will organize it similarly to Silverlake since it’s close to perfect. Flora really knows what she is doing.” I’m so glad she is still here. She knows her job so well that it’s so easy for her to bring forth plans for new houses, bungalows and cottages for the pack grounds; while redesigning the packhouse itself. I can tell she is really enjoying herself. It seems like she was just waiting for the opportunity to work on a big project again.
Jun has been listening to us talk about the plans in silence. Now, he looks at us with wide eyes. “Are you… are you going to do all that?”
“Of course,” I nod. “Let’s make this a place worth living. Also, giving some attention to the outskirts would be nice. I have heard there are some beautiful places here in the forest that only need a bit of maintenance.”
Jun beams. “Of course, Luna.”
“As the pack’s Gamma, Jun, you will need to move into the packhouse,” Ari tells him. “The top floor is the Alpha and Luna suite.”
“The floor below that is going to be for the Betas. The space is large. At least we don’t have to worry about that. The building is so huge. I’m getting a headache just thinking about it. Good thing Flora is here.”
“Dante and Ella will get the space on the left side?” Ari asks.
“Yes, it’s slightly bigger. Yours, however,” I smile “You will like it. Yours has an actual second floor, perfect for a little private gym and a balcony.”