Alpha Assignment (GL) Epilogue (Early Access) (Patreon)

The doorstep of Quinn's spacious barn conversion often received visitors. These days, it was rarely Quinn greeting them. Even more rare they were visiting to see Quinn herself.

On this very special occasion that Quinn made it to the front door before Remi could scurry around her and intercept the delivery or neighbourly chat, she was surprised to find Isaac waiting for her. A thin girl was trembling at his side with a duffle bag that didn't appear even half filled.

“I have a friend in need of sanctuary,” he announced as a greeting. The mere sight of the tiny girl’s shivers told Quinn she didn’t need to check her no-entry list.

She nodded them in, no offence taken at the way the girl shied away from her with obvious fear in her eyes as she passed through the door at Isaac’s back. Instead of a gym routine, Quinn had gained back all her muscle mass and then some with work around the land that bordered her home. She knew she looked bigger (and scarier) than ever.

Isaac was familiar with the layout, and took a seat in one of the armchairs spread around the open-plan ground floor. He nodded kindly for the girl to take one, too. Quinn made tea and coffee (in pots, as the girl was too nervous to answer which she’d prefer) and brought a tray of milk, sugar and biscuits back with her.

The girl said nothing. Isaac gave a brief overview, skimming over any upsetting details but warning that their new friend was expectedly wary of alphas - a phrase Quinn had come to know well. She made sure not to show any offence at this, it wasn’t personal, and if any new visitor thought it was they’d be too scared to stay and seek refuge.

“I’m sorry to hear that you’ve suffered in your pack, but you’re very welcome here,” Quinn told her. “My mate would love to show you around.” And I would love to show my mate off, she added in her mind.

The girl nibbled at a chocolate biscuit and glanced to Isaac, uncertain.

“Alpha Quinn’s mate is like you,” he reassured her. Quinn allowed Isaac to use the title for her in front of new people, they’d found that a little familiarity to the old ways helped them settle into the new ways quicker. Too much change was overwhelming. And… she was still an alpha, it unnerved them to pretend otherwise. “She’ll understand what you’ve been though.”

“I’ll find her, you help yourself to more tea,” Quinn offered, putting aside her own coffee - it was never as good when she made it.

She felt the girl’s eyes on her until the moment the front door was shut, understandably untrusting. It was painful to think of Remi ever feeling the same way. Hopping down the single step up to hers and Remi’s home, she wondered where her precious mate could be. She was not at home, Quinn knew that much already. She wasn’t within smelling distance, although there were trails of her scent in all directions, overlapping one another. Quinn extended the bond…

Nothing.

What a complaint to have: my land is so large that I lose track of my own mate.

Stuffing her hand into the collar of her shirt, Quinn withdrew a pebble-shaped necklace. The round screen lit up, offering two rows of vitals, and she swiped across to the glowing dots page. Her land wasn’t mapped out officially, so it could only give Remi’s location in relation to hers, but that was all a wolf needed: a direction and a distance. From the looks of it, Remi was feeding the chickens… or letting them chase her while Wes patched up some wire. Quinn swiped back to the central screen, and then to the other side, opening up the messaging system.

Isaac’s here. Got a new friend. Small and scared. Coming to find you to give a tour. Don’t get your butt pecked. Again.

Remi sent back a thumbs up, and then a smiling face with blushing cheeks.

Quinn smiled at the little cartoon picture before swiping back to the centre screen again - one last check before she set off. Remi’s heart rate was elevated, normal for doing physical tasks, but not so high that she could be running for her (butt’s) life. All other levels were normal… a lovely healthy marked mate, all for her.

It was a decent walk to the next nearest building from Quinn and Remi’s, and Quinn passed it with a wave to a few Sanctuary seekers enjoying the return of Spring on the porch. They waved and smiled back, some still unsteady in her presence. This was their short-stay house, lodging for those that weren’t sure if they wanted to join their community, or just needed a few nights of respite, either way, they could find a bed there. The rooms were small, but many, and comfortable.

In the opposite direction, atop the hill that overlooked their vegetable gardens, they had a group of buildings for those that planned to stay long-term. They were growing rapidly, especially when the weather got warmer and drier - less risk in running out into the wilderness alone. There were other structures that could be renovated if needed, they simply weren’t allowed to build more. Luckily, their fantastic negotiator had got them a lot of money to spend, and a pre-stamped-and-signed Sanctuary order for wherever they chose to spend that money.

A year later, and she liked to think they had put their resources to great use. Remi was certainly pleased.

Nearing the orchard, she spotted Jordan and her mate curled up at the base of a tree. Ari was stroking her hair and offering her bites of a picnic, she waved at Quinn briefly before returning to her duties as a devoted mate. Jordan’s human eyes probably couldn’t tell who was passing with so much distance between them, but she wiggled her fingers in solidarity and Quinn chuckled.

Ari was a beta, although like Quinn she didn’t take that role in their community - even if the untitled wolves frequently looked to the pair of them for leadership. All that mattered to Quinn was that Jordan wasn’t pressured into a power dynamic with a titled mate… According to Jordan the only time Ari showed any of the dominating qualities of her title were in the bedroom, and she was very pleased with this. Sometimes she wondered if Ari was aware of just how much Jordan shared with Quinn and Remi…

Maybe that was expected, they spent a lot of time together on runs - and the conversations took interesting and unexpected turns during the repetitive car journeys. As their only human, Jordan had become the most valuable volunteer in their Sanctuary community, because she had true freedom and protection from the Assembly. Quinn and Remi were second place for immunity as an alpha (who had every right to be out in the world alone) and an alpha mate (who had every right to do anything she damn well pleased, as far as Quinn was concerned). They paired up to loop between their Sanctuary, Quinn’s previous house, and Jordan’s house (approved as an addition to the Sanctuary lands nearby, it made a perfect safe house), dropping supplies and collecting werewolves in need of medical assistance or long-term respite. No one would be starved out like Remi or left to die like Wes as long as the three of them were alive.

Quinn had taught them both to drive on the dirt track that looped through the centre of their land, although she still did the majority of the driving on runs while one of them talked her ear off in the passenger seat. Very occasionally, when things were going very well at home or very badly in the outer world, they ventured out as a trio. When tag-teamed by two of her favourite people, Quinn found they ended up in restaurants, bars, and cafes at least once per trip… and those were the best runs. Huddled around a bottle of wine, a trio of iced coffees (with two adorned with creams and syrups), or a selection of appetizers, and listening to Remi and Jordan natter was Quinn’s happy place.

Anything they couldn’t make themselves, they bought in the human world. Anything they couldn’t do themselves, they paid a human to do. Anything they didn’t understand, a human would probably teach it in a class.

For example, Remi was learning to be a nurse in order to support their singular doctor - who had spent the best part of three months healing himself after he was collected from Jordan’s attic. How he had gotten up there in the state he was in had become the stuff of legends - if he can survive that, you could survive a couple of stitches.

Despite the human-world qualification not being relevant to their community - it was the knowledge tha mattered, not the piece of paper - Remi was passing all of her tests and Quinn couldn’t be prouder. Her mate was so incredible, Quinn couldn’t keep from beaming into the distance - the chicken coops were just over the next hill.

She spotted her mate from the crest, surrounded by bustling balls of feather and flinging her arm out in all directions. Wes was doing the same at the other end of the coop. The boy had gotten bigger.

Quinn hurried to close the gap with long strides downhill and extended the bond out to greet her lovely little mate. Remi’s topknot perked and she spun in a circle, seeking out Quinn’s appearance after feeling her presence. They grinned at one another and Remi shook her butt from side-to-side: no holes pecked out of it.

They left Wes to finish the feed distribution and Remi received a piggy-back all the way home. In exchange, Quinn received many temple kisses and a story about someone who fainted at the sight of blood on Remi’s course. Quinn plopped her down in front of their guest and let her mate do what she did best.

With the new girl being led around by Remi’s rambling tour, Quinn took the opportunity to check in on Isaac as she walked him back down the winding drive. He rarely had time to stop and rest.

“Things still going well for you… in the cult?” she tried to sound light-hearted and teasing, but she genuinely worried for the man. He’d stuck his neck out so many times, for so many people, that Quinn wondered if he was just waiting for the axe to fall. The Assembly would pick their time to strike, no doubt making an example of him in the process. Today, though, he still stood tall-ish in his uniform, badge finely polished in his lapel.

“I keep telling you, Alpha, you don’t need to worry after me.”

“The Assembly-”

“Thinks I’m a bumbling fool.”

“One day,” Quinn murmured ominously.

“And when that day comes, I’ll be pulling my own suitcase up your driveway.”

“Please do, we always have applications open for bumbling fools.”

They smiled at the hills ahead and walked in silence for some time.

“His appeal was denied.” Isaac didn’t need to say the name. Remi had been pretending nonchalance over her uncle’s appeal for weeks, Quinn almost wished they’d never been informed. “And he’s got no grounds for further appeal.”

“So that’s it?”

Isaac nodded and Quinn sighed with relief.

“Fucking finally.”

“The others- your list-”

“Any luck?”

“It will be difficult for much to come out of it, but a few were very forthcoming when they thought they were in trouble… If we get one punished then we’ve set a precedent…”

Quinn pressed her lips.

“We’ll do our best, Alpha.” He would do his best. And that was all she could ask for.

“Thank you, Isaac.”

She waved off his car and took her time wandering back. Despite his assurances, she would keep worrying over their Assembly agent angel until the day he did take up Sanctuary with them. Remi had already painted his portrait for their ‘pack gallery’, all with the same forest green background wash as hers and Quinn’s. It was still a small collection, but it had plenty of time to grow.