Chapter 38

Sasha made a bold choice in selecting Harold as the head of construction for the hotel project. Harold was a formidable bear-man whose presence commanded attention the moment he entered a room. When I asked him to shift from his bear-man form to his human form, I braced myself for the transformation. What I encountered was entirely unexpected. Harold became a human who kept the essence of a bear—heavily muscled, with a noticeable, padded gut. Standing well over six feet tall. His stature conveyed authority, ensuring he would command respect on-site while also fostering camaraderie among the workers—a vital quality for a project of this scale.

“Did Sasha mention why he chose you over the others?” I asked.

“Ah, well,” Harold began, his voice a low rumble filled with sincerity. “There were two of us at the last interview. Sasha told both of us we had similar levels of experience, but there was a crucial distinction. The other candidate—Mark, I believe—had never tackled a project taller than five stories. I have built skyscrapers in both New York and Chicago, many of which soar well above the height of this hotel. So, the simple answer is that I bring more experience in constructing taller buildings,” he concluded, a hint of pride edging his tone.

Something was reassuring about the way he expressed this, balancing confidence and humility. His words carried weight, reflecting his experience.

“I have a young architect, Kenzo, redesigning the hotel’s façade,” I said, my enthusiasm tempered with caution. “He’s talented, and I’ve heard he’s received accolades for his designs, mostly in Asia. I’m not doubting him, but please review his design when he presents it. If it doesn’t meet your standards, we can stick to the original blueprints.”

“Sure thing,” Harold replied with a nod, his deep voice rumbling. “You know, I was a building inspector before I took on my role as a builder. Granted, it was years ago, but it gives me a solid eye for detail. I should mention, though, that if Kenzo’s design is significantly different, we’ll need to reapply for project approval.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that,” I replied, feeling a wave of trepidation. “You’re officially in charge of construction now. If Kenzo presents an idea with real potential, I’m determined to convince Karl to pursue it. Just remember Asia considers Kenzo a prodigy. Also, I need to ask—will Mark be one of your higher-ups on this project? Or is he involved at all?”

“I’ll be assessing all the personnel from the list you provided to Sasha,” Harold said, his brow furrowed in thought. “Mark will definitely be involved in some capacity; whether he’ll be in a leadership role or just another builder will depend on my discussions with each of them.”

“Thanks. That’s exactly what I needed to know. Make your decisions based on who you think is best qualified.”

After I gave my approval to Harold, I joined Jesse for the official naming of our Co-op. Some woodworkers had volunteered to create a sign for our entrance. Jesse believed it would unify both sides, since nearly half of the woodworkers were bear-type men, while the rest belonged to the Pack—wolves and similar creatures. The sign would read either Den/Pack or Pack/Den, depending on contributions from both factions. It needed to be high enough to accommodate commercial trucks.

As we approached the entrance to our property, I noticed that the rough dirt road leading up to the mountain had transformed. They upgraded it to a rocky surface—similar to cobblestone but built with closely fitted stones from the mine, creating a stable path. Vehicles can now travel at a leisurely fifteen to twenty mph without damage. The stone road stops right where they will plant the sign.

Four large wooden piers were already in place, carved like totem poles. On the public side, two of the poles depicted the major animals of our Den/Pack—wolves, bears, bulls, boars, foxes, and coyotes—with the larger animals at the bottom and the smaller ones higher up. On our side, there were mythical creatures: werewolves, dragons, griffons, and chimeras.

The sign we were about to unveil lay on the ground, covered to conceal its words and artwork. Additional poles, arranged on our side of the totem poles, forming a makeshift ramp. After scanning the area and realizing there was no crane, it finally dawned on me: we were going to lift the sign using only manpower. Workers climbed the totems, rigging more poles until they reached a height of over ten feet above the tallest totem. A large beam was hoisted into place by a swarm of workers and attached to the highest poles.

I stared at the entire setup, absolutely convinced it wouldn’t hold the sign, let alone support the men who would hoist it up there. The structure appeared shaky, at least to me.

‘This was all planned carefully,’ one omega interjected, pulling me out of my thoughts. ‘We’re positioned five miles from the main road and nearly two miles from the junction toward the mine. Anyone hoping to witness this spectacle will need binoculars; the structures to lift are primarily symbolic,’ he explained.

‘Are you saying your kind will actually lift the sign?’ I asked.

‘Oh, not quite,’ Ursus’s Omega replied. ‘We’ll be fortifying the supports, reinforcing the ropes, and ensuring that every component is ready for the task. The sign weighs over three tons, and soon, enough members will be present to lift it as a cohesive team.’’

As I glanced at the horizon, I noted that the sun would dip below the mountains in about an hour, yet we hadn’t even pulled the sign up. Jesse approached me, his expression eager. “They said both of us will perch atop the sign as it rises. Once it’s in position, we’ll have the honor of unveiling it by tearing off the covering,” he said.

“What the hell? Are they trying to kill me? I’m terrified of heights!” I exclaimed, panic creeping into my voice. Just then, both Omegas appeared beside me, their expressions calm and reassuring.

“Do you two have a death wish? What if people see you?” I stammered, disbelief threatening to overwhelm me.

‘We will ensure your safety; it will feel as though you’re standing on solid ground. There’s no way for you to get hurt—not with both of us here to guard you,’ Ursus’s Omega assured me.

‘You should know this by now, Master,’ Stone’s Omega added, his tone serious. ‘If we become visible in public, only you and the members can see us. In this instance, it’s just you. Remember, show no fear, and your followers will elevate you higher than ever before.’

I swallowed hard; did I truly have the strength to confront this?

‘Do you really think I want to be seen as better then them? I just want them to treat me as an equal,’ I thought to the two Omegas.

“It looks like they’re hooking up the sign; we better get ready to climb,” Jesse told me.

“Ohhh, okay, I’m coming.” I added, ‘I will hold you both responsible if I fall, understand?’

_ _

‘Yes, Master,’ the two Omegas replied in unison.

As I got close enough to climb on, I felt two sets of hands lift me. They held me steady until I was stable on the sign. I looked at the two men, who were grinning from ear to ear. They were large, towering over me at what seemed like over seven feet tall. Others around us were slapping them on the back.

“They just got to you first. I saw plenty of men fighting for the honor of helping you up,” Jesse remarked, glancing at the men grabbing the lines that formed two huge ropes.

A crowd of men surrounded us, and some climbed the ropes to counterbalance the weight of the sign and us on top. As the sign rose higher, more rope dangled below us. The lighter climbers moved towards the back of the line to create space for the heavier men, who continued to ascend the taut ropes.

“Get ready; we’re about to hit the support poles,” Jesse warned. I braced myself, grasping whatever I could to keep my balance. When we struck the poles, the men below paused their efforts to raise the sign. The bottom leveled off, allowing it to slide between the four totems. They gradually lowered us as those on the totems slapped the sign from both sides, vibrating it into place within the wooden pins.. After several attempts to settle the sign, the men started rocking themselves in different directions to sway the poles, which did the trick.

They handed me a small rope and gave another to Jesse. “Sir, hold on to the totem next to you and stand on the hood of the snake,” he instructed, pointing to where I should stand. Complying, I watched as the smaller man climbed lower. “When you’re ready. Pull on the rope with Mr. Jesse, and the covering will tear away.”

I turned to Jesse, who seemed focused on another man, likely explaining the same instructions. Standing on the shoulder of an unseen animal, he signaled to me, ‘One, Two, three.’

We pulled together, and the covering tore away, dropping to the ground as cheers erupted around us. Men began climbing the totems. “I think your ride down is coming for you,” Jesse shouted over the cheers from below.

“What? I don’t think I heard you right!” I yelled back, but Jesse was already climbing down, the men heading up parting to make way for him.

“Sir, give us your hand, please.” I turned to see four hands outstretched toward me, close enough to grab me, yet none did. They were waiting for me to take one or two. Since they all were larger and showed no fear as they swayed on the totem, I grabbed one hand. Once he had a firm grip, I let go of the totem and took another hand. They swiftly lifted me off the sign and lowered me down, nearly sliding me along the bodies of the men who gripped my feet or any other accessible parts. The same two men who had put me on the sign were there to lower me carefully to the ground. I heard one of them say, “Thank you for this honor, Sir.”

Jesse approached me. “Told you your ride was coming.”

“So, you really said that! I thought I didn’t hear you correctly, but you were already heading down.” I playfully punched him in the shoulder; he didn’t even flinch.

“It’s a beautiful sign. You need to look at both sides.”

I stepped back as the men moved aside, allowing me to see the entire sign. A smile spread across my face. It was truly beautiful—not just the relief carving on this side, but the sign read, “Leaving Heaven on Earth. Come back anytime.” Still smiling, I walked with Jesse to the other side. A feeling stirred within me as I read, “Welcome to the Oasis: What the World Could Be.” The word Oasis much bigger than the others, the image depicted a small body of water surrounded by lush growth, encircled by barren land, suggesting that the plants were reclaiming the desolation. I thought to myself, we have some incredibly talented members.

‘Indeed, we are fortunate to have found Jesse, who brought you to us. All this from a man so humble,’ Ursus’s Omega said to me.

Jesse pulled me into a big hug as applause erupted around us. “There’s a party waiting. The men need to get inside so others who weren’t as lucky can see the official sign. Your edict, remember?”

I began to tear up. Both factions had worked together, and the sign showed no evidence of my fear that the two sides were drifting apart. If the sign meant more than just a physical marker, then we were uniting as one. “Jesse, we will be known as The Oasis. No more Den or Pack. We will not say I’m heading to the Den or you go back to the Pack. Let’s replace Den and Pack with Oasis.”

‘It will be so, Master.’ The voices of both Omegas rang as one.