Sanctum (Blackwater Pack Book 1)

by Hannah McBride

  I smiled, unable to stop the chuckle. "They seem happy."

  Zoe reached over and stroked my hair. "They are happy."

  "Are you and Michael...?" I trailed off, not sure if it was appropriate to ask.

  Zoe nodded, grinning. "Our bond actually snapped into place last year. We were all out on a pack run, and it just happened. Like being struck by lightning. Suddenly I was hyper aware of him. I could feel his emotions as if they were mine. I'll never forget it."

  "Are there a lot of true mates here?"

  She shrugged her shoulders. "In the pack we have about a couple dozen bonded mates. Considering the pack here is a bit over six hundred-"

  My jaw dropped. "Six hundred?" I sputtered.

  Zoe nodded. "We're definitely one of the bigger packs in the US." She motioned to the town below us. "It's why we have an actual town. We're our own community. Inside the pack territory we have zones that are watched by betas and deltas on the council, but ultimately, when it comes down to it, Gabriel is our Alpha. Michael is one of the betas and keeps an eye on the center of the town proper where we live and work."

  "It sounds too good to be true," I admitted, crossing my arms over my chest as a breeze blew cold air across us and sent a wave of multicolored leaves fluttering across the front yard.

  Zoe smiled at me sadly. "I know. I felt the same way when I came here from Long Mesa. Everything here is different. It isn't perfect by a long shot, but it's definitely better." She reached over and plucked a burnt orange leaf from my hair, arching her brows. "At least we have more than one color as the seasons change."

  I was still laughing as we walked inside to join the others. Maybe this would work. Maybe this could be home.

  "I need you to know that you're both welcome in the Blackwater pack for as long as you like," Gabriel started after we had finished eating. He pushed his plate back and glanced from my mom to me.

  Mom nodded, ducking her head as she pushed food around on her plate before setting her fork down. "Thank you, Alpha."

  "Gabe," he corrected with a wry half-smile.

  Mallory smiled at him, then mom. "We understand there is a time for formal titles, but a meal amongst friends isn't it."

  I forced myself to sip my water slowly, making sure I left some food on my plate. Mallory had piled it high with food - roasted meat, cheesy potatoes, veggies, and cornbread. I had quickly learned after the first meal mom and I ate outside of the compound that I needed to pace myself. I had eaten so much, amazed by the texture and taste of food that was hot and not expired, that I threw it all up less than an hour later. Neither of us were used to rich foods, or any kind of food really that wasn't prepackaged.

  Our bodies were trying to get used to a more normal caloric intake on a regular basis.

  "That being said," Gabriel continued, "we do have some questions about the Long Mesa pack."

  "You mean about Linden,"Mom murmured. She raised her water glass to her lips and took a sip.

  Gabriel exchanged a rueful smile with his wife before nodding. "Yes. Should we be concerned he'll come after you?"

  Mom seemed to consider the question for a moment before answering. "I honestly don't know. Long Mesa doesn't have the resources you do. And to come after a couple of omegas doesn't necessarily make sense."

  "But?" he prompted, resting an elbow casually on the arm of his chair. His blue eyes didn't miss a thing as he studied her.

  "My brother hates me. Hates us. He's driven by that hate, and by rage and paranoia. And I know you and he have a past." She lifted her eyes and met the Alpha's stare head on. "I don't know what he'll do."

  A muscle ticked in Gabriel's jaw and I held my breath, waiting to see what he would do. Maybe he would decide we weren't worth the trouble and send us packing.

  “Did Linden ever tell you what happened when we were younger?” Gabe asked.

  Mom shook her head.

  “I caught him slapping a young shifter who was serving us at a dinner during the Summit one year,” Gabe said frankly. “She jumped when he grabbed her inappropriately and spilled some water on him. He struck her before I could stop him.”

  I winced. That sounded about right.

  A brief smile drifted across Gabriel’s mouth as he spoke. “I forced him to apologize to her.”

  “In front of all of the Alphas?” Mom asked, amazed.

  He nodded. “And then the Council leveled a fine against the Long Mesa pack. You father was livid, but your brother was humiliated.”

  We were all quiet as that sunk in. I wished I could have seen that firsthand.

  "Everyone in Blackwater contributes in some way," Gabriel finally said. "Michael and Zoe have said you can stay with them until you're on your feet and find your place amongst the pack, but there is no rush."

  He looked at me. "The school year is a few weeks in session, but you should be able to catch up easily. What grade are you in?"

  I cleared my throat. "I'm a senior."

  He nodded again. "How are your grades?"

  "Good," I replied. Truthfully, my grades were awesome. Without friends or a social life, all I had were books to read, both for homework and ones that I got from the school library.

  "Straight A's," my mom added with a smile. "Skye's always been a straight A student. She'll have no problem picking up here, I'm sure. She could start school as soon as we're settled."

  "Actually," Zoe said, leaning forward, "the school here only covers elementary classes through grade eight. All the high schoolers attend a different school."

  "A different school?" I echoed, curious.

  "Granite Peak Academy. It's in Montana," Mallory explained. "The school was established as a way to help the upcoming pack generations begin to network. Several generations ago, they found that children raised solely on their own pack lands were more volatile and territorial as adults. Blood lines were getting too ... familial, since pack members only mated to other pack members. The academy has been in operation for nearly thirty years and packs have been thriving as a result."

  "We have twenty-two Blackwater pack members at the academy this year," Gabriel added "including our two oldest children, Remington and Katherine. The academy had students from twelve packs in the northern part of the continent, from Alaska to Maine, and several Canadian packs."

  "Twelve packs?" My mother asked, astonished.

  "Roughly two hundred and fifty students annually," Michael chimed in. "Each pack sends several members to teach and supervise the teens. A good amount of students return home and continue their education at local colleges and universities."

  "College?" I whispered the word that had seemed like an impossible dream for my entire life. Occasionally Long Mesa teens graduated and attended online classes, but we were told that it was best to keep to the pack and only interact with humans when absolutely necessary.

  Zoe smiled at me. "Yes. College. Part of the purpose of the academy is to help teens learn how to become one with their wolf, to control their impulses, so you can interact with the world as a whole."

  "We have quite a few pack members who work in nearby cities," Mallory told me.

  "How is something like that even funded? Doesn't the school have to be registered with the state?" My mom's brow furrowed as she tried to figure out the logistics.

  "All the packs have an equal stake. Each pack puts money into the school to aid with upkeep and such. And we're just like every other private school on paper ... we just happen to only select students from the same twelve cities around the world." Zoe winked.

  Gabriel pointed to Michael. "The original part of the school was purchased a long time ago. It was roughly thirty acres and butted up onto the Granite Peak national park. Michael here helped us acquire the surrounding four hundred acres about five years ago. We expanded the dorms, added new facilities and a few computer labs."

  Mallory cleared her throat, taking a drink of her iced tea. "Originally the school started with forty-two students and five faculty. As the school grew, pac
ks in the area began to thrive. We would love to eventually be able to offer the option to all packs to send their children. Expand the campus or even open a second school."

  "But I would have to go to Montana?" I looked at my mom. Leaving her wasn't something I ever considered. We had just gotten free, and now we were splitting up.

  "You come back for holiday breaks," Mallory promised. "And you can call and video chat your mom as much as you like outside of classes."

  "I don't have a phone," I murmured.

  Gabriel smiled. "We can give you one, provided your mom agrees you can have it.”

  I looked at my mom. I could see the indecision on her face. She wanted me to stay with her, but she wanted me to go and start living like an actual teenager. She met my eyes across the table, her gaze watery as she blinked away tears.

  "I think this would be good for you, honey," she said quietly.

  “Are you sure?” The idea of leaving her sucked, but I also couldn’t ignore the hope that surged at the idea of eventually going to college.

  Pressing her lips together, she nodded.

  I looked at all the adults around the room before agreeing. "Okay."

  7

  Three days, two shopping trips, and one airplane later, I was getting into a car in Montana on my way to Granite Peak Academy. I had called mom after the plane landed to tell her I had arrived and promised to call again when I got settled in at the school. Both of us had been fighting tears for days. Now that I was actually in Montana, I wanted my mom in a way I never had before.

  I felt like I was going to get sick as the car pulled away from the curb. The driver, who held up a sign with my name near baggage claim - strange to think I was a girl who now had luggage - had introduced herself as Amanda. She was one of the teachers at the school and a member of the Blackwater pack. Since there were no classes on Saturday, she had offered to come and collect me from the airport.

  I sank into the leather seat as she pulled onto the highway. Montana was so flat compared to Washington. Similar to New Mexico except for the massive mountain range looming in the distance, the cooler temperature, and it had a more muted version of the fall colors in Washington. I was glad for the coat Zoe insisted I bring.

  Amanda hummed under her breath. "Looks like winter might start early." She tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear and then adjusted the red rims of her glasses. Her lips were painted a bright red to match. With her pale skin, dark jeans, and a leather jacket, the style seemed effortless and chic. I wished I could pull off anything like that.

  I looked out at the gray skies. "Snow?"

  She grinned at me and nodded. "I always love the first snow. There's something supremely magical about it. We always cancel classes for the first snow. The packs usually go out together for a run to celebrate."

  I tried not to show my unease at a pack run. The last few days, my wolf had gone back to her silent self. Mom had gone out with Zoe on a run the other night, letting her wolf get to know the smells and sights of our new home. They offered me to come and I declined, but not because I didn't want to. I couldn't get my wolf to come out and shift.

  Finicky bitch.

  "How long have you taught at the school?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

  "About five years now. My mate and I both teach. Ricky teaches math. I teach English. You're a senior, right?"

  I nodded.

  She beamed at me. "Fabulous. You'll be in my senior English class."

  I had always loved English, especially when we had assigned novels to read. Escaping into a world of fiction was one of my few salvations at the compound.

  "Mallory said you came from a pack in New Mexico?"

  I swallowed hard before nodding. "Yeah. We just transferred to Blackwater last week."

  Amanda snorted. "Bet you're loving this cold weather, huh? You came from the land of warmth and sun and now you're basically moving to the arctic tundra. Spring here is nice, though."

  "It’s different," I agreed as I forced myself to smile around the words.

  Gabriel and Mallory suggested that for the time being we not mention the Long Mesa pack specifically. Mom had eventually explained everything to Gabriel and Mallory, including exactly why we left.

  Mallory had cried. Gabriel had snapped the phone in his hands like it was made of toothpicks. Michael and Zoe looked physically ill. All of them swore they would let us stay in Blackwater for as long as we wanted, and Gabriel promised Zoe he would find Zara.

  "You'll definitely get seasons here," she agreed. "Maybe a little too much of winter, but it is gorgeous when everything is sparkly and white."

  "It sounds amazing." I looked around as the scenery passed by in a blur. There weren't many cars on the road at all. Nothing like in Washington. "How long does it take to get to the school?"

  "A little over two hours, but we'll be on the academy grounds in about an hour."

  "Alpha Gabriel said that you guys just bought a bunch of extra land a few years ago."

  A teasing smile played on her lips. "Alpha Gabriel? Clearly your last pack was super formal."

  "Oh. I .... Um-"

  Amanda burst out laughing. "I'm kidding. Seriously. But we do just call him Gabriel. The only time anyone uses his formal title is if they're at the Summit, an official pack meeting or trying to kiss his ass."

  My jaw dropped.

  She glanced at me and waved a hand. "Gabe's my cousin. I'm not being disrespectful to our fearless leader. But it's hard to think of him as anything but an older brother most of the time."

  We drove several miles in silence, the radio playing an unfamiliar song in the background. I snorted softly to myself; almost all songs were unfamiliar to me. At one point we had a radio that got one station, but it broke when I was nine. There had never been a replacement. Occasionally I would hear music at school playing from phones or portable speakers, but I didn't usually hang around long enough to catch any lyrics.

  "Are you nervous?" Amanda asked suddenly. "I mean, starting a new school, leaving your friends ..." She trailed off and slapped a hand over her ruby lips. "Shit, I'm making it worse, aren't I? Also, sorry. I shouldn't curse around a student."

  I couldn't help but laugh at her rambling. "It's fine. Cursing doesn't bother me." I shrugged, tugging at the hem of my long sleeved shirt, curling my hands inside the sleeves and tugging them down over my knuckles. "I didn't really have many friends."

  She stared at me for a beat before turning her eyes to the road. "A girl as pretty as you? I bet you had boys lining up at your door."

  I was glad she was focused on the road so she didn't see the jolt that physically rocked my body. I shuddered, remembering every time Cassian, Preston or Marc touched me. Every time they managed to corner me.

  If I had stayed in Long Mesa, I would have had boys lined up at my door, but for all the wrong reasons.

  "Hey, you OK?" Amanda reached over and touched me. "Jesus, you're shaking!" Her wide blue eyes looked back and forth from me to the road. "Are you carsick? Do you need me to pull over?"

  "No, no," I stammered, trying to calm my racing heart. My wolf stirred within me, sensing the impending wave of panic rising in me. I kept reminding myself I was half a continent away from my former pack. My former life.

  "You're scaring the shit out of me here, Skye," Amanda pressed. "I can pull over-"

  "Seriously, I'm okay. I swear." I met her eyes and forced a smile on my lips. "I promise. Just a minor panic attack."

  "Was it something I said?" Amanda looked completely horrified at the thought she did something wrong.

  "No. It just ... happens. Sorry if I freaked you out." I ducked my head. God, I was a total basket case. I considered asking her to turn the car around and take me back to the airport. How the hell was I going to survive a world of new people asking me completely normal questions without losing it?

  But I couldn't do that.

  The last three days, my mom had smiled and laughed more than I remembered in my entire l
ife. Her bruises were almost completely faded, and she was planning on starting to work at the café Zoe owned in town. She was happy, and she deserved time to simply be by herself.

  It was only a few months until Thanksgiving break when I would see her.

  I could last two months.

  "Well, we are now officially on academy grounds," Amanda said. She waved a hand in front of us with an exaggerated flourish. "All this? Academy grounds. There's a perimeter fence around all of the property so you’ll know where you can and can’t run. It's one of the reasons we expanded - more wolves meant more of a chance at being caught. About ten years ago a farmer reported seeing a massive wolf on his property. A bunch of other farmers, worried about their cattle, decided to hunt the wolf down."

  "Oh, God." My eyes went wide. "Did they catch the wolf?"

  "Nah," she said. She glanced over and winked at me. "We’re smarter and faster than that.”

  Another forty minutes of driving and we pulled up to an impressive gate, flanked by two stone and wood guard houses. The sun was starting to set in the mountains in the distance. A shifter stepped out of one of the guard houses and approached the car.

  Amanda rolled the window down with a smile. "Hey, Paul."

  "Amanda," he greeted with a nod. He looked past her to me and smiled. "This must be our new student."

  "This is Skye Parker," Amanda explained, glancing at me.

  Gabriel had suggested we use a name other than Markham for my mother and me. When we couldn't figure one out, Zoe mentioned that Mallory's maiden name had been Parker, and we adopted it, both happy to be free of the Markham name. Parker was a common enough name that no one would think twice.

  "Welcome to Granite Peak," Paul said with a grin. "The whole school has been buzzing about your arrival since yesterday."

  A tendril of dread crept up my spine. So much for staying under the radar.

  "We don't get a lot of new students, plus the vast majority are male," Amanda explained. She rolled her eyes at me. "I'm afraid you're going to be a bit of novelty around here for a while, especially with the boys."