It was morning, and I was in the ballroom helping things along. David said the children and parents would arrive by morning at the latest.
The cubicles with queen beds and dressers were complete. They each even had a nice rug on the floor that Angelica had ordered. Angelica was dressing the queen beds while I helped sand the last of the bunks smooth. We had thirty more to sand down, and the wood shop folks were working much faster than I. The mix of experience, and in some cases, vampire, wolf, or hybrid speed, made them supernaturally efficient. Once the wood was smooth, we would put on the mattresses and sheets.
We decided not to stain or paint the bunks due to time restraints, but it could be done at a later date. We planned to give the beds to the families of our new pack members once their homes were built.
The beds would all be ready by tonight. Only half of the mattresses had arrived, though. I thought we might want to go down to the sporting goods shop in town and get a bunch of sleeping bags, just in case.
The most remarkable thing was that Joshua had devised a fantastic solution for fitting all the bunks. He had lined up the head of half of the bunks along the walls with three feet between them. Then he had built a loft above them for the rest of the bunks.
The ceiling in the massive ballroom were thirty feet tall, and there was plenty of room to build up. It was all temporary structure, but it was sturdy and safe.
One of the ladies from the shop, Vera, had even built the loft to look like a giant, long treehouse with walls, a roof, and large window cutouts so the kids could look down into the ballroom. This was certainly the largest and best treehouse I had ever seen.
Another staff member didn’t want the kids on the first-floor bunks to feel bad so she, Lainey, had sewn cloth walls at the foot of each bunk that looked like medieval castle tent flaps and hung twinkle lights to look like stars along the roof created by the loft.
Since the bunks were only along the longest wall, and the adult cubicles were along a second wall, this would leave the entire wall of windows and the center of the ballroom empty for the kids to play. Most of the toys we had ordered were here already.
Amos, the youngest staff member from the wood shop, and his friends from the stables had built several stackable wooden toy boxes to hold the smaller toys. They’d even built a couple of bike racks to store the scooters and bikes we bought for the kids.
This was like a huge kid’s sleep-away camp paradise, or it would be when they were finished.
Lainey came over to me, took the sandpaper from my hands, and smiling, she said, “I’ll finish here, Luna. That way you can check on the rest of the house.”
I smiled gratefully at her, “Thanks, Lainey. I’m just amazed at all you’ve accomplished in two days!”
She replied, “All the cowboys, cowgirls, and ranch hands came to help and worked all night to make it happen. We have good people here.”
“I can see that,” I said, waving at her as I headed for the ballroom doors and down the hall.
I checked all thirty-four guest bedrooms in the house. Diane already made sure they had fresh linens on the beds with blankets and towels were placed in the bathrooms. That woman was worth her weight in gold.
Avery had driven down just after breakfast to supervise the dressing of the beds in the now clean and vacant staff cabins.
To my surprise, we had enough rooms for everyone. We would have six cabins to spare, and one of the bedrooms in mine and Tristan’s third floor apartment was also vacant, but we had dressed the beds just in case.
The children’s dorm idea was truly brilliant and made it possible for everyone to have a place when they arrived. After a couple of days of settling in and organizing everyone, we would break ground on permanent housing for each family.
A big surprise to me was that Gabriel was a full-fledged architect, among many other things, since he had lived so long. The house in which we now lived was his own design, and he’d overseen construction personally. Currently, he was busy working on dozens of plans.
I walked down to the study where Gabriel and Tristan were working together on all things pack planning related.
Tristan and I decided, with Gabriel’s guidance, the best thing to do would be to build a town square with some essential buildings and a small town. Gabriel had already designed the square and the road map. At the moment, he was working on designing all the buildings in the town square. The speed with which he drew across the paper baffled my mind.
We were going to have a separate pack house to office our pack leaders and host official events. The next building would be security central since the town would be built between our home and the property’s front gates.
The security facilities Tristan envisioned were a massive undertaking. He wanted cameras everywhere and for all the facilities in the square and our home to run on underground generators, so it would be very difficult for anyone to disable security.
The Pack House would have a large-scale kitchen, ballroom, and a brilliant dining hall. I had no idea how we were going to build all of this or how long it would take, but Tristan and Gabriel said it was going to be magnificent.
Earlier, when I asked them about the cost involved in all of this, Gabriel had chuckled. He’d asked if I’d checked the accounts that came with the property. I hadn’t, of course. Tristan had pulled up the banking app on his phone and showed me that there were twenty different accounts, and most had balances of more than a billion dollars.
One of the accounts had my name on it. I’d asked what it was, and Tristan had said it was my personal money and I could spend it anyway I wanted. I’d laughed at that. What in the world would I spend a billion dollars on?
Over fifteen billion dollars in funds were available to us and our ranch. I don’t think we could ever spend that all.
We were basically worth the same as a small social media empire. It was enough money to fund everything for generations. Additionally, the ranch continued to make a profit, which fed into the accounts.
In shock, I’d forgotten my manners and asked Gabriel how much money he still had, and he’d just shaken his head and said, “You don’t want to know. First Montana Pack is now the wealthiest pack in the world, though, so that’s something.”
“That makes me wish we’d chosen a better name,” I’d said.
“We still can once everyone is settled,” Tristan had replied.
When I walked into the room today, I said to them, “I know what I want to do with some of my money.”
“Oh yeah?” Tristan said as he looked up at me and smiled.
“Yes,” I nodded decidedly, “In addition to the ranch hands, we’ll have 509 new pack members. They left everything behind to come here. They did it because of us: Avery, Angelica, you, and me.
“I want to give every pack member $50,000 to furnish their lives. The wolves traveling from far, and the ones here on the ranch that will pledge their loyalty to us. And everyone that joins going forward, I want to give it to them, too.”
“If we’re going to be the wealthiest pack in the world, not a single person who lives here should be poor or lack anything they need. The money should be enough to meet those needs, but not so much that they don’t want to work with us on our community.”
Tristan got up from his desk and walked over to me. His face was full of emotion as he put his hands on either side of my face and whispered, “Best. Luna. Ever.” Then he kissed me deeply.
When he pulled away, he was beaming at me with adoration and pride. I smiled up at him with so much love that Gabriel started clearing his throat.
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“Sorry, Gabe,” I laughed and then walked around to the drafting table he was sitting at along the wall of bookcases.
“Once your pack arrives, you take their info: names, birthdates, etc. Add their files to the filing cabinet behind Tristan’s desk. That’s where the ranch employee files are, also. Once you have all the names, you can take them to my bank manager in town and have him create bank accounts for the adults and trust accounts for the children,” Gabriel instructed as he continued to draw.
“Your bank manager?” I asked.
Gabriel grinned but kept his focus on the drawing, “I own the bank.”
“You own USEU Bank and Trust!? The International bank that’s in every city and town in all Americas and Europe?”
“Mmhmm,” he replied.
Gabriel was probably the most important vampire in the entire world by any standard you could think of, and I hadn’t known it before. He was important to me, but he was just Gabriel.
He felt like a beloved grandfather who saved my life and made all my dreams come true. Maybe I should call him my Fairy Godvampire.
He chuckled at that, clearly reading my thoughts.
I stood beside him silently for several minutes while he continued to work, and watched the plans appear beneath his fast-working fingertips.
“What’s this?” I finally asked.
“I’ve completed the city planning and the designs on the Pack House, Fire Station, Security facilities, Training facility, and the schools. This,” he continued, “is a sound-proof apartment building. Each apartment’s ceilings, floors and outer walls will be sufficiently insulated so that those who choose to live here will have privacy from supernatural hearing.”
“That’s brilliant!”
“It was your mate’s idea. He wanted the unmated adults to have a place to build friendships and a sense of community. Normally this is the function of a pack house, but the large scale of our pack at the start presents some unique challenges as we can’t house them all inside the pack house.”
I smiled proudly at Tristan, who was also busy working on something.
I walked over to him and looked over his shoulder. He turned his chair and pulled me into his lap to show me his work.
“This is a contract with one of the largest residential architecture firms in the country. We’re paying for the families in the pack to go to their catalog of architectural plans and pick out the houses they want to build. They’ll also receive custom alterations to the plans included in our contract.”
My heart felt so full. Tristan is such a caring and considerate Alpha. Providing for his pack in every way possible had already made him miles above his father.
In less than three days here, he had mated, met the entire staff, taken over the accounts, and started designing an entire city for our pack. All while considering the security, well-being and happiness of each wolf, human, and vampire, too.
He was the most beautiful, most sexy, most incredible being I would ever have the privilege of meeting, and I could see through his eyes that he felt the same about me. It was humbling and it made me feel warm in the depths of my soul.
Tristan signed the contract with the architecture firm and stood, still holding me princess-style.
“We have something to go do, and we better get it done before everyone starts arriving.”
“We do?” I asked.
He carried me to one of the trucks parked in front of the house and buckled me in the passenger seat.
He climbed into the driver’s side, and headed towards the direction of the barns that serviced the cattle. I hadn’t been out there yet. I was curious about why the something we had to do was near the barns.
Tristan flipped on the radio as we drove with the windows down and started singing along with the song playing. I closed my eyes and reveled in my other senses. The sexy baritone of his voice made my skin tingle as I listened to him sing.
The wind blew my shoulder-length hair around, and the cool air felt refreshing. I loved the smell of the outdoors on our ranch. It smelled like leather, grass, fresh-cut wood, and wildflowers.
Tristan’s rich voice washed over me, and the sunlight felt warm and friendly on my face. This is happiness, I sighed in contented bliss.
We pulled up in front of one of the barns, and he turned in his seat to face me.
“Two things,” he said, “One, Gabriel needs to feed tonight, so you’ll have your first feeder session since the contract was signed. I will be there with you in case you’re nervous, so don’t worry.”
He paused to wait for my response.
“Ok, thank you,” I smiled.
He nodded and continued, “Two, remember how I told you that you’ll see about marking me?”
I looked towards the barn and then back at him, “Am I going to brand you like a piece of cattle?” I joked.
“Yep,” he said, grinning.
“Won’t it just heal?” I asked, “You’re a wolf.”
“Normally, yes. But this ranch, under Gabriel’s ownership, developed a wolfsbane-infused metal. It’s infused with many things that are lethal to all sorts of supernatural beings. Because it was developed by the ranch, it now belongs to us.”
“Wolfsbane infused metal?! The implications of that is enormous, Tristan. A wound made with that on a wolf wouldn’t heal properly. It would create a permanent scar. That could be very dangerous in the wrong hands,” I frowned, now worried.
“You’re right. It could be, and that’s why the only people who know about it are Gabriel, Emma, me, you, and the wolf scientist who created it with Gabriel.”
“Who is that scientist, and where is he now?” I asked.
“He’s the only wolf staff Gabriel had here on the ranch. He’s the head chef of the chow wagon, Wolfgang. He’s also the newest member of our pack. He gave his pledge yesterday afternoon when Gabriel introduced us.
“I thought I felt another bond forming. Wolfgang, you say?” I giggled.
“He said he’s older than that other chef of the same name, so he’s the original.”
My grin suddenly became a serious expression as I considered what he’d revealed, “Tristan, we won’t use the metal, will we?”
“We won’t use it unless there is something massive that requires it. That would have to be something like a world war.”
“I’m not going to let anyone get their hands on it,” he continued.
“Once the security facility is built, it will be kept in a special safe room that Gabriel, Wolfgang, and I will personally build in secret. Only I, you, and Wolfgang will be able to open the door via biometric scanners. The three of us and Gabriel will be the only ones that know of its location.”
“But we’re going to test it now?” I asked.
“Yes. Gabriel told me about it when we were alone before boarding the plane back east. When you asked how you were going to mark me, I immediately thought of this,” he finished with a smile.
I smiled back. He never forgot anything I expressed concern over, always considering my happiness.
He got out of the truck and came around to open my door. I hopped out, and we walked into the barn together, holding hands.
Wolfgang was waiting for us near a large metal security door behind a huge wall of hay bales.
“Wolfgang, this is your Luna,” Tristan introduced us.
Wolfgang put his hand to his heart and bowed his head low, “It is an honor to meet you, my Luna.”
I had only seen the very oldest of wolves use this gesture towards their Alphas and Lunas. Wolfgang must be ancient. I knew wolves could live a very long time, but a scientist under Gabriel’s care could literally be any age and not surprise me.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Wolfgang,” I smiled at him.
Wolfgang turned and placed his palm on a scanner pad near the metal door, causing a light to blink, and then the door popped open.
He held the door and let us in, not coming with us.
“When you are finished, there is a similar pad on the inside wall that will open the door to exit the room, and either of your handprints will open it,” he told us.
Bowing, Wolfgang closed the door behind us once we had entered.
“A wolf of few words,” I said.
An automatic light lit up the space. It was a long, narrow room the length of the barn. One side had countertops with a sink at one end. Two stools against the wall could be moved up to the bar-height countertop or left against the wall and still leave room for the occupants to walk the length of the narrow space to a bathroom at the far end.
On the countertop, just a few feet inside the room, was a short-handled brand being heated in a small electric box of some kind.
Tristan pulled a stool up to the counter then removed his shirt and sat. He picked up the thick glove lying on the counter next to the small box. Pulling my hand to him, he kissed my palm and then gloved my hand.
“The brand handle will be hot, so this will protect your hand so you can use it,” he explained.
Once I was gloved, he leaned against the counter and tilted his head away from me to expose that soft, tender spot that joins the neck to the shoulder.
I stood silent for a moment. My mate and Alpha was baring his neck to me. Normally, to a wolf, this was a sign of submission. It felt as though I was walking on sacred ground.
I lifted my hand to grab the brand and pulled it from the box. The brand on the end was only about two inches wide and glowing red with heat.
I stepped closer to Tristan and lifted my hand.
“Ready?” I asked.
“Yes, love. Mark me,” he replied in a deep, sexy voice full of emotion.
I pressed the brand to his neck with a decent amount of pressure, left it there to the count of two, and then removed it. The smell of burning flesh filled the room, and I was expecting Tristan to flinch or hiss or make some sort of sign that it was painful, but he didn’t. He sat perfectly still and quietly received my mark.
I placed the brand back in the box and took off the glove. I looked up at his neck to inspect the burn mark. There it was two inches wide. In small, neat letters of angry red and a little bit of charred black was the name, “JANE MARIE MARTIN.”
Tears filled my eyes. I felt overwhelmed, loved, sorry I hurt him, and happy he wanted me to mark him.
He stepped down to the floor and pulled me to him. We stood like that, hugging quietly for a long time.
After a while, he pulled back a little and lifted my chin to say, “Look at it now.”
I looked. The burn had already scabbed over. Normally, something like this on a wolf would have healed by now, but it would scab over and scar him because of the wolfsbane-infused metal.
“Tristan, you amaze me every second of every day. I love you,” I whispered.
“I feel the same about you,” he said before claiming my lips with his own.
It was a long time before we left the narrow safe room at the back of the barn hidden behind the hay bales.