Lloyd was right. So was Cecilia. She made a point that no one could ignore. It was plain to see that the others either felt exactly the same way or had similar worries. I didn’t want Rikki to speak in my defense. I needed to speak for myself.
I met the gaze of as many of the pack as I could manage. “Look, I understand that I have not made the best impression so far. I’ve been willful, rude, and I haven’t given any of you a reason to like me, much less trust me. And with this…O-Omega business, I wouldn’t blame you if you asked me to leave immediately and not come back. But I am here now. I’m willing to learn what it means to be a werewolf. Part of a pack. So, if you can give me a chance to be part of this pack, I will embrace it.”
Lloyd shifted his weight. He scratched his beard in frustration. “We aren’t really considering this, are we? She is our death sentence. For fuck’s sake!”
I’d never seen Rikki move that fast before. She was a blur. He was several feet away and she was at his side in less than three seconds. Hands firmly around his throat, Rikki forced Lloyd to his knees. The room was heavy with silence.
“I have been patient with you. You were given the freedom to speak. Not many Alphas would be gracious enough to allow you to be so open.” Rikki’s voice was gravelly with rage.
Rikki shoved Lloyd on his ass.
She returned her attention to the rest of the pack. “We will vote. Majority rules. Does that seem fair to everyone?”
“Yes, Alpha,” a wolf who was Cecilia’s mate, Toni replied first. He looked to me. “I vote to accept Bonnie into our pack. We will be stronger together rather than apart.”
Cecilia was next. “Yes, Alpha. I vote to accept her into our pack.”
That surprised me.
Then Rosemary followed, then Tato, then sweet Greenly, and then many others. Some dissented, but I wasn’t angry. We all knew the dangers. There was no turning back now.
“Then it is done,” Rikki declared. She took my hand and squeezed.
I smiled. Hopefully convincingly. “Awesome.”
Rosemary laughed. “It’s all right to be a little freaked out. We all are right now.”
“Good, ‘cause I’m about ready to pee myself.” My joking attitude seemed to ease the tension. Hopefully.
Rikki hadn’t let go of my hand. “Next full moon we will perform the pack ritual and it will be official.”
“What about that rogue bastard?” someone asked.
The air of harmony was fractured.
Well, that didn’t last long.
“I think that we need to rest and regroup before we tackle that issue.” Rikki nodded her head once and everyone dropped their gaze in response. “Let’s meet back here later tonight.”
Rikki let go of my hand and walked over to the expecting couple.
“She’s going to have them stay here. It will be much safer, and we can monitor the baby’s progress.” Rosemary said casually as if she sensed the question before I asked.
I watched the room for a couple of minutes, observing muffled conversations between small clusters of wolves. I decided to go to the kitchen and get something to eat. It would probably be wiser to stay and try to mingle, but I hadn’t eaten since last night.
The refrigerator was stuffed with food, but regrettably, it was all junk food. Obviously, I would have to change that. I opened the freezer. Nothing. I groaned loudly.
“If you truly cared for our Alpha, you’d leave.” It was Lloyd.
I turned and nearly collided with his broad chest. His closeness startled me. I jerked backwards, managing to knock both doors to the refrigerator closed. He moved closer, his head and shoulders looming over me. I knew I couldn’t simply react whatever way I wanted to. I was in a new world with new rules…most of which I didn’t know yet.
He grinned. “Not so dominant now, are you? You want to call Rikki to come save you?”
“I-I don’t want…please, back up.”
He studied me, still grinning. “Or what?”
“Or I will snap your neck.” Cecilia appeared in the entryway of the kitchen.
Lloyd snarled. “You don’t like her either. Why protect her?”
“I never said I didn’t like her. I don’t know her. I don’t like what she is, because it scares me. It is a threat to the pack. But the choice has been made and we must accept it now.” Cecilia maneuvered herself between us, forcing him to back up a couple of steps. “I plan on letting our Alpha know what you have done. They aren’t mated yet, but it’s obvious to anyone with eyes how they feel about each other. It’s a death sentence to even touch an Alpha’s mate.”
“Please don’t,” I blurted out. “I really don’t want Rikki to… Just let him go.”
Cecilia’s ignored me. “Be wise and go.”
He exchanged strained glances with both of us, scoffed, and then stomped away.
Cecilia balked and rolled her eyes as he disappeared around the corner. She turned to me. “You are part of the pack now.”
I still didn’t know what that meant, but I appreciated her help. “Um…thank you. Really.”
She smiled and we departed the kitchen together to rejoin the others.
The pack.
I smiled a little despite the fears I had about trusting everyone. Cecilia showed me that my initial opinion of her could be wrong and that gave me hope, even for Lloyd.
Chapter Fifteen
Showered, fed, and relaxed, I was ready to catch up on a good book to read. I sat in the bed ready to indulge in a lesbian werewolf, romance novel. It fit the theme of my life now. The pack came to me throughout the day with questions despite Rikki telling them I was as clueless as them, if not more so about the fact that I was an Omega. There was a lot I needed to learn. They wanted to know all I could do. After the expecting couple came up to thank me for the fourth time, I was ready to hide in my room for the rest of the day. My room. I was already too comfortable.
“Meet me outside in 10 minutes,” Rikki instructed. “And wear something comfortable.”
She was about to leave when she realized I wasn’t leaping up from the bed immediately at her command. I narrowed my eyes and snorted.
“Oh please, milady, won’t you join me outside in 10 minutes?” Though she had a biting tone, one corner of her mouth lifted.
I shrugged. “Better.”
I put my book down and got up. I sauntered past Rikki to the closet.
“Midnight Hunt,” I heard Rikki whisper from a distance. My enhanced hearing was kicking in.
I chuckled, knowing she was reading the title of the book I was reading.
After putting on some yoga pants and a white tank top, I headed outside. I suspected the hunt was a training exercise. It was a bit disconcerting to know that this training was not simply meant for my assimilation, but also to ensure that I could defend myself. The rogue wolf and his thuggish pack were out there somewhere. A confrontation was on the horizon, rumbling in the distance like an oncoming thunderstorm. I shuddered.
Rikki stood in the small clearing in the yard, her arms crossed over her chest.
“Are you ready to hunt?”
I made no attempt at sincerity. “Oh, yeah. I’ve been waiting for this moment my entire life.”
Rikki arched her brow. “Do you want to learn how to protect yourself?”
I groaned. “Yeeesssss.”
She eyed me severely. “This is serious, Bonnie. You know that? Reading a fictional book won’t help you.”
“Yes, I am aware that this is serious. Give me a break, Rikki. This is all happening so fast, and I am not in the right headspace to shift.”
“Relax. We won’t be shifting today. Today is just about learning to control and strengthen your senses.”
That seemed way more doable. I nodded.
Rikki closed the distance between us, and I blushed. She smelled so good. “May I?”
She stepped around me to face the back of my head. “I’d rather not have you brushing your hair out your face a hundred times
.”
As she spoke, she freed my messy hair from its loose ponytail. When her fingers combed through my raven locks, I stifled a moan. Every nerve ending in my body could feel each stroke of her fingers. I shivered when she spoke close to my ear. I might have prematurely orgasmed without warning. I wasn’t sure. Being werewolf, every touch seemed more profound and purposeful.
“You are stubborn. And challenging me isn’t wise. I want to help, so work with me.” Her fingers curled into my hair and her grip tightened. This time I did moan, both my hands shooting backwards, pressing my palms into her thighs. I arched my chest forward, exposing my neck. This time, I knew my panties were soaked. My clit throbbed painfully.
Loosening her hold on me, Rikki went back to combing my hair for a few more minutes before pulling it into a tight ponytail. My body went cold, disappointed from the loss of contact. Whatever happened just now, had never happened to me before. Maybe it was because she was a werewolf. Maybe it was a skill honed over a long life. Maybe it was her ancestry. I could at least admit to myself now that I cared for her more than I had realized.
“You ready?” she asked, stepping back into my line of view.
I swallowed with some difficulty. My skin flushed. “Soooo ready.”
I rushed past her and into the woods.
*
Our hunt was well underway. Sweat married dirt and rented spaces all over my skin. I was hungry. Definitely tired. The forest canopy shielded us from the worst of the sun. Most of the morning was spent refining my agility. Racing after wild hares was difficult enough, but stalking sinewy bucks was terrifying. Rikki was as feral as the wildlife surrounding her. Life exploded from each stretch of her muscles. Rikki growled, tossing a hare back into the bush.
Another 30 minutes had come and gone as I lingered near a tree. I was amazed at how well my body performed. Not once did I have to stop. I was stronger and faster than I imagined. I watched in stunned silence as Rikki caught a cougar with ease.
Jesus.
Rikki growled, pinning the cougar’s head to the ground as it struggled against her grip. She was magnificent and strong. I kept my distance, not interested in getting to close to such a powerful creature. My fingers clawed at the bark of the tree when Rikki called for me to come closer. My legs would not move. I hugged the tree tightly when Rikki called to me again.
“I can’t!”
“You are a werewolf, Bonnie. This cougar…” she lowered her head to look at the still struggling beast. “Let go of that human notion that tells you that you can’t do this. You can.”
There was an edge to her tone that suggested I didn’t have too long to grasp the skills I needed. I had to push myself hard, not only for myself, and not only for the pack, but for her as well. Something was happening between the two of us, and while I wasn’t exactly certain I was ready for a mate, I was convinced of my feelings for her. She was something special. Strong and untamed. But there were things that were necessary for me to figure out first. The most pressing of those was what to do about the rogues who were after me.
My legs found strength and I moved away from the tree.
“Come here,” Rikki said. “I have it.”
The cougar whimpered but did not end its fight to escape.
I swallowed. There was nothing pleasant about being near a hungry cougar.
“Kneel,” Rikki ordered.
I reminded myself to trust her. Rikki wouldn’t let the cougar attack me. I hoped not. Slowly, I went to one knee.
Rikki looked as if she was barely using any strength to keep it in its place.
“Look in its eyes.”
My forehead crinkled in confusion, but I went along with it.
“Though it can smell you are different, you want to let it know what you truly are.” As Rikki spoke, I followed her directions.
This was not the time for me to be a smartass or to argue. I thought Rikki was going to catch another deer, not a fucking cougar. It was perhaps for the best that she didn’t tell me beforehand. She probably knew I wouldn’t be okay with hunting cougars.
Instead of pretending to do what Rikki asked I was going to take this seriously. Narrowing my eyes on the hungry feline, I blinked repetitively, and I tried to straighten my trembling shoulders. I shook my arms loose and found the courage to fix my eyes on the animal steadily. Its orange eyes peered into mine. Its nature was primal. Ancient.
All I wanted was for it to stop resisting and to not harm me. After a few seconds, my body relaxed. My chest tightened as if something wanted to push through my sternum. Somehow, I knew it was my wolf demanding control. I raised my hand in front of me and spread my fingers apart. They were shaking. I forced my fingers into a fist and shook them roughly. The entire process felt like an eternity.
The first contact between my fingers and its fur sent a shockwave through my body. It was as if we were greeting one another in an archaic language known only to animals who were deeply connected to the prehistoric energy of the earth. It purred its approval and shut its eyes, accepting me. Accepting the wolf. We were kin.
I smiled involuntarily as I let my fingers explore the snout and neck of the cougar. I was exhilarated to be so near to such a powerful creature – to have an understanding with it. Rikki released her grip and I thought the cougar would flee, but it did not. Instead, it rose to his paws and brushed its body against mine.
“Come on, now. You are going to get hair all over me.” I giggled gleefully.
Rikki chuckled at our interaction and watched as the cougar meandered off into the forest.
In an instant, her arms enveloped me. Her honeysuckle musk was dizzying. I pulled away just enough to meet her gaze. Hazel eyes met mine.
I cleared my throat. “Thank you for helping me.”
Rikki’s eyes remained fixed on mine in response. Her hand brushed the waistband of my shorts, and then gooseflesh appeared on my skin. I shuddered. I shut my eyes, desperate to regain control of myself, but my center was pulsating with excitement.
“It’s impossible to keep a clear head around you.” Apparently, Rikki was struggling as much as I was.
I tried to wriggle free of her arms to help us both maintain composure, but as I moved Rikki moved with me.
“I want you.” Gold flickered in her eyes.
I wanted the same thing. But I wasn’t ready.
“I want you too. I hope you know how I feel, even though I’ve not been so great at making my feelings clear. It’s…well, you know, everything that is happening…changing now, and all at once, it seems.”
She hugged me so tightly I thought our bodies might merge.
Her heart was pounding.
Mine was too.
“I understand. And I’m glad that you feel the same way.”
Chapter Sixteen
Because of an angry outburst due to hunger the night before, I needed to go buy a new phone. It was a perfect chance to get away from the constant company of wolves. The errand only took a few hours to complete, so I was heading back to the house much sooner than I planned to. I had to drive a stretch of Highway 22, and on the way back, I was suddenly seized by overwhelming nausea. I pulled off to the side of the road.
The trees that lined the highway were so thick you couldn’t see past them into the woods surrounding the area. Vomit gurgled in my gut and I realized immediately where I was – the scene of my attack. I swallowed air with great effort and stepped out of the car. I needed to end this fear. I couldn’t let this control me.
I heard the familiar rumble of a motorcycle half a mile down the road heading toward me. I watched as it slowed to a stop in front me. I stiffened, worried that it could be him.
The helmet was raised to reveal Lloyd. He winked when our eyes met. “Hello, darling. Are you daring your wolf master to come claim you, standing out here alone?”
He was trying to provoke me.
“Following me?” I asked.
“How did you know?” He wasn’t trying to hide his contempt.
If I could punch him without repercussions, I’d do it. I was getting better with training, but I wasn’t yet good enough to fight with Lloyd, and it probably wouldn’t be a good thing for the pack for us to be at odds.
I’d make him pay one day.
“What do you want?”
“I’m on babysitting duty. What I want is for you to head back to the house.” He leaned forward on the handlebars of his bike.
Goddammit, Rikki. She had this prick following me.
I suppressed a snarl. “With pleasure.”
I stormed off to my car with a new plan in mind: I was going to give Rikki an earful.
*
I blew across the backyard like tornado, full of destructive energy.
“You ass! You had me followed all freaking day and by that fuckface!”
I hadn’t noticed that there were others of the pack gathered around the patio table. Rikki sat in between several wolves, providing me with one of her famous glares. If I avoided eye contact with the others, I could pretend they didn’t exist.
“Well?” I asked impatiently.
Rikki stood from her chair, grabbed her glass, and downed the rest of her drink. By the sweet scent, it was wine. “Tato, would you please continue for me?”
“Of course, Alpha.” Tato glanced at me. “Always a pleasure, Bonnie.”
I stormed into the house.
I didn’t wait for her to say something. “I get why you had me followed. But, why couldn’t you tell me? And why did it have to be him?”
Rikki raised her hands defensively. “If I told you someone was following you, you would only get upset and cause a scene. And Lloyd was the only one available at the time to watch over you. He wasn’t my first choice.”
“The last thing I need you to do is piss me off right now, Rikki. You have to stop trying to manage my life!”
“I’m not trying to manage your—”
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