Frank stops at the edge of a river, he turns and looks at us.
"You should know something else before we meet your grandma."
"Is everything alright?" I ask worried.
"Everything is fine now, but she has a large scar running across her face now, from a bear." Frank explains and I sigh.
"Well at least she's ok."
"Scars add character anyway." He jokes and I nod. He jumps up onto the nearby cliff and starts back off on our trek.
"When's the last time you saw your grandma?" Chloe asks, sliding up along side me.
"Been a few years, I was raised here with her till I was about eight, then we moved down to barden." I explain and Chloe licks my cheek.
"Well I'm glad you get to see her again." She offers and I grin at her.
"Beca?" I hear my grandmother's voice as she steps out of the dense woods. "Dear god you've gotten so large. You are double the size I would expect from such a small girl." She says and I roll my eyes as I step up to greet her.
"Gran, it's been too long."
"It has, and look at that beautiful Beale you brought with you." Gran quickly sidesteps me and walks up to Chloe, who lowers her head slightly in submission.
"Chloe ma'am." She offers a timid wag of her tail and Gran just shakes her head.
"Dear there is no need to be so nervous." She smiles at Chloe, who smiles back. "I see you've met Frank, over there is Dustin, Adam, Eric, Sasha, Lilly, and River. Around here somewhere would be Stone and Star."
"Those with nature names are older generation pack, with human like names including Lilly are all hybrids of the younger generations, they still will shift back and have human life, sometimes." I step up explaining, Chloe nods.
"So they are all older or much younger than you." Chloe asks and I nod.
"The youngest is Lilly, she's my cousin's daughter."
"Star is my mate, while Stone is the male alpha, mated to Gran." Frank adds as he looks around at the large group.
"There are many more whom come and go, mainly family, so of your older, much older relatives, and a few other walker families from over the years." Gran rambles on and Chloe's eyes go wide.
"My family?"
"Well you wouldn't expect us to mate our own family would you?" Gran jokes and Chloe shakes her head.
"How many families are there Gran?"
"Oh I'd have to say hundreds." She said and I was a bit shocked.
"We have a deep history with the Beale family, however you would be the first to actually find a sutable mate in one of them." Gran says and then jumps. "Oh dear, I am so sorry, I mean no offense, what I meant was our families for some reason have never crossed this bridge before."
"None taken, have you met my family? We are insane." Chloe grins as Gran laughs.
"I like this one." She winks at me. "Now correct me if I'm wrong but your father would be the strong Edmure would he not?"
"Yes that is my father."
"That man owes me five hundred dollars still for medical bills, he singed my tail fur off when he was still a hatchling."
"Can we hang on a second, why don't I know about the other families?"
"Dear are you sure you want Beca? I could point you in the direction of some of my smarter children and grandchildren." Gran offers and Chloe chuckles but shakes her head.
"No, I think I'm pretty happy with this one."
"Suit yourself." Gran turns to me. "Beca, did you really think that your mother and father were blood?"
"Well… I don't know… they grew up here together."
"Your mother is from a family up in Canada, you've met that side of the family."
"Star is from that family Becs." Frank offers and I just shrug.
"Silly girl." Gran walks over to the group of wolves who sat patiently for us to join them. "Everyone, you remember Beca, meet her mate Chloe." Gran introduces us and soon my family is surrounding me, all speaking at once.
"Beca are you going to get Maya off our land?" Lilly asks putting her small paws on either side of my muzzle.
"What do you mean Lilly?" I ask and look up at Gran.
"Maya has left our pack, splintered off saying she should be alpha."
"Blood has nothing to do with our lines, we aren't the British royalty." I scoff and Gran nods.
"Well she is missing that memo."
"Anyway that twig can't be strong what so ever. Sorry Frank but you and Star aren't the strongest wolves."
"None taken, it's why we are scouts, we don't have the power to attack." He agrees as Star walks up to him.
"Offense taken." She grinned bumping her forehead off mine.
"Oh sure Star." I smile back and she stretches out.
"So great soon to be leader, what are you planning on doing while you're here? Besides getting into trouble?" She asks, everyone else perks up and I roll my eyes.
"Oh there will be trouble." Chloe smirks, she's got me a bit worried.