The Reluctant Alpha (West Coast Wolves #1) - Susi Hawke Page 0,28

when Matt reached over and pulled my chair out. After I gratefully sat down, I groaned, realizing I'd forgotten my juice. Dropping the napkin, I went to rise, but Matt was on his feet before I had a chance to move.

"What did you forget? Let me get it for you. You've been on your feet long enough. It's time for a break."

My heart fluttered again, and I blushed as I motioned toward my glass. "Thank you. I need my orange juice. Oh, and I buttered the toast, but there's apricot preserves in the fridge, if you want some. I canned them myself last month, so I can vouch for their yumminess factor."

"Homemade apricot preserves? Yes, please." Matt snagged the jar out of the fridge before setting both items on the table. I waited until he sat down to answer his question.

"Back to the topic of the town, yes, I'm aware of how much needs to be done. There are a lot of abandoned homes also. From what I've heard, over half the pack have moved on in recent years. Between Horace's bad temper and poor management and how hard it is to live in the desert anyway, a lot of people petitioned for transfers to packs up north or back east."

"Really? I’m not surprised. I wonder if those homes are habitable? Sounds like something I should put on my ever-growing to-do list."

Nodding, I swallowed the bite in my mouth. "It’s why I brought it up. It occurred to me how after you challenge my father, you will be in the same position as he is right now—an alpha with two packs to either merge or manage. A lot of the people in Newberry Springs seemed to be happy enough where they are. But if you give them the option, I know of at least a dozen families who would jump at the opportunity to settle in here at Lucerne Valley. It would be good if we had houses for them."

"Good idea. I hadn't thought about taking on a second pack. I'm sure I would've got there eventually, but I've been a bit preoccupied over the last couple days. If memory serves, the pack members can choose to rent or buy their home from us. When they leave, they have to sell it back to the pack for current market value. Which means we own those houses, don’t we?"

"Yes, you understand exactly how it works. So we need to take responsibility for fixing up the empty houses before they can be rented. If people want to buy them as-is, they can pick them up themselves and still save money on the property. I know it's early days to discuss this, but it's definitely something to keep in mind."

Matt dangled a slice of bacon in front of me, playfully bouncing it up and down until I nipped at it. For half a second, I thought he was going to play keep-away, but he surprised me with a satisfied smile, as if feeding me pleased him. Then he winked and popped the rest into his own mouth. He finished chewing and took a swig of coffee before continuing our conversation.

"Yes and no on the whole early days thing. It's crazy how time will fly before we know it. Best to have a plan in place, especially with so much to be done. I asked Jared to look into the cost differences between wind turbines and going solar. Given our unique location, wind and sunshine are both plentiful. There’s always the option of getting the power fixed, but I like the idea of being off the grid and remaining self-sufficient. Not because I'm afraid to have humans around—quite the opposite. They’re welcome to come, for all I care. But I’d be interested in saving money for the pack, and paying for power we could get for free isn’t going to accomplish my goal."

Being appreciated by an alpha and included in his planning felt so good. I was still surprised by how modern Matt was, but having him treat me like an equal was mind-blowing. I'd never known an alpha could possibly be so open-minded and fair. Rubbing my belly, I couldn't help but thank my lucky stars for Matt.

Any other alpha would've been within their rights to cut my pup right from my belly and force me to shift and heal so they could impregnate me themself. Instead, Matt told me he would love this pup as much as any future children. It could’ve