Phoenix Maplewood mine mine mine

Luke is right, and he doesn't even have to say anything except those two words. Much as Saena wants to pack up and be out of the woods and out of the taiga by next nightfall, the pups are yet too small. She doesn't even feel it's the right time to let them out of the den yet, let alone bring them on a journey. "No," she sullenly sighs, "but as soon as possible."

Luke's declaration is easily accepted by Saena. Not only is it the way of wolves in the wild to challenge and ascend the hierarchy, but it's Saena's firm belief that the Alpha pair are partners. Not just work partners, but life partners. While she isn't ready to move into such a commitment with Luke now, she knows from her willingness to allow him to mount her once before and how she'd been on the cusp of leaving the woods for him that he may well stand with her as a life partner someday. There are no more suitable wolves in the pack—Esaro is far from ready and Casmir is a relative who would make a good Beta, perhaps, but not co-Alpha. Luke is the one destined for it and the only eligible male in the pack for the position.

"I don't want to fight these Dragons to the north anymore," she tells him, "and that Reek would do this to you... on our own borders..." She doesn't dare to voice the thought that he could return and do more damage, but it remains a looming threat in the back of Saena's mind. More than anything, she wants that vile wolf out of her life and wants to start over, away from Reek and his influence. She can no longer trust that that's possible in her beloved maple wood.