That was pretty damned impressive. I knew my pack weighed at least fifty pounds. His was just as big, if not bigger. And then add me? “How much can you carry?”

“Let’s just say a lot.”

I laughed. “Well, all the same, I think I’m going to be fine.”

“Of course you are. You just need a little bit of time to heal up.” He paused. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

I looked up at him, shielding the sun with my hand. “What?”

“After all this is over, what do you want to do? What are your plans?”

I knew what he was getting at. He wanted more from me. He wanted there to be an us. So, it made sense that he’d ask. But I didn’t have a great answer for him. “I don’t really know. I’ve been stuck on the compound for so long…” I stood up, bushing off the back of my pants. “I always dreamed that if I left, that I’d go to college. Travel as much as I could.” I shrugged. “And maybe go to some concerts.”

“Concerts, huh?” He took the water bottle back from me. “What kind?”

“Symphonies for sure. But besides classical, I’m not sure. I guess I’ll see whatever comes into the town where I end up.”

He took a long drink before picking up the packs. “And what do you want to study?”

What didn’t I want to study? “Everything.”

“Everything?” He bumped his shoulder into mine. “That’s ambitious.”

“I guess. I just want to know more. See more. I feel like my life has been so contained. So limited and controlled. I know I might not get to everything I want, but I figure if I shoot for the stars, I might just land on the moon.”

“College and travel then.”

“Yeah.” I hoped that wasn’t a bad thing. If he was Alpha, that meant he’d have to stick around here. Would I also be stuck here if I was with him? It wasn’t that I didn’t like Peru, but I’d been so confined—especially the last few years—that being tied anywhere wasn’t in the least bit appealing.

Could I really give up my dreams for a guy?

I wasn’t sure that I could. I’d given everything up for everyone in my life. I’d blackened my soul and was still paying the price to make up for that. Now that I finally had hope on the horizon, I couldn’t just abandon my plans to be mated with some pack Alpha.

Even if that Alpha was Mr. July.

“A thirst for knowledge is never a bad thing,” he said, breaking me out of my thoughts. “Neither is travel. It tells me that you’re wise.”