<span style="font-family:Carme">Safe!? <br/>
<br/>
Holly’s eyes deeply and intensely scrutinized Okomi for his choice of words when he described their current location. They were among a bunch of people who could spontaneously turn into wolves, who were holding her captive, who wouldn’t even let her call her family or her friends and who had somehow managed to save her from the near certain death that Holly would’ve almost preferred over her current situation. This place was anything but safe in Holly’s eyes. Sure, it looked like an ordinary home, but that was just a disguise in her eyes. Her eyes alone upon him certainly made up for the fact that she didn’t necessarily say anything on the subject matter; at least, she didn’t say anything directly to him about what she thought of this place. <br/>
<br/>
Maybe if Okomi chose to stay, it would make the whole pack less inclined to keep her around. Holly knew it was a very improbable hope, but it was a small hope for her nonetheless. She clung to it as Claire tended to her wound and as the woman tried to convince her to behave  for the time being. All Holly managed to do in reply to Claire and Okomi’s comments was roll her eyes. She didn’t imagine she would get very far right now even if she tried to escape again anyway. There were too many members of the pack wandering around right now and she’d learned that they all knew to grab her if she seemed like she was trying to run. <br/>
<br/>
All she could do was watch as Okomi followed Claire out of the room that was hers for the time being. She did, however, get up and shut the door after they both walked out. If Holly could have some privacy at the very least, she wanted that. <br/>
<br/>
Meanwhile, Claire didn’t lead Okomi very far into the maze of hallways before she stopped him and decided it was as good a place as any for their impending conversation. <br/>
<br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:lightsteelblue"><b>“Now, I don’t believe I’ve formally introduced everything about myself to you. Although I have given my name, I haven’t given everything. This house, this pack, this… family… it’s mine. I protect it, I keep it safe and I alone am responsible for any strays that wander into or out of our territory.”</b></span> Without using the term at all, Claire divulged that she was the alpha among them. <span class="fixed-color" style="color:lightsteelblue"><b>“However, when the presence of a stray might endanger my family, I have to prioritize.”</b></span> And then her eyes started scrutinizing him, just a bit, just enough to show that she was trying to determine whether or not he was a danger to the pack at all. <br/>
<br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:lightsteelblue"><b>“Our pack’s land is being encroached upon and our neighbors aren’t the friendly kind. They’re the ones who turned Holly, I’ve just discovered, and you don’t even want to hear about how bad she looked when we found her.”</b></span> Her eyes grimaced at even the brief memory of the sight. <span class="fixed-color" style="color:lightsteelblue"><b>“And as this happens, you show up. I’ll give you one opportunity to fill in the gaps for me and after this, I’ll fill in what’s left with what keeps my pack safe.”</b></span><br/>
<br/>
Most alphas would’ve just gotten rid of him right away because the situation was already sketchy. However, Claire was giving him a chance to explain and that was a lot for someone in her shoes to give.</span>