Enforcing Boundaries (The Boundaries Series Book 1)

by Eva Harper

  The drive was shorter than the trip to town. Theo held my hand in his lap, stroking it gently as I watched the trees pass by us. Once we got close enough, I could see the packhouse was larger, by far than any structure I had seen.

  It was like a castle in its grandeur, standing several stories high with different wings and adjoining buildings that could house my entire old pack. We arrived in the back, where Gabriel stood on a podium, not speaking yet, and his pack surrounded the area.

  I wiped my forehead nervously. Theo noticed and moved to put his warm hand on my shaking knee.

  “It’s going to be fine, Margo. They’ll love you.”

  “But what if they don’t?” I asked frightfully. He smiled a little and kissed the side of my head as the driver parked alongside the building. We walked towards the side of the stage area with Theo mainly dragging me behind him.

  “Thank you for being here today,” Gabriel spoke through the microphone as we approached. “I called you all here for an important purpose. As you all know, we rarely call everyone together except in wartime, but this is not wartime, this is a grand occasion.” Gabriel smiled, glancing over towards Theo and me. Theo stood behind me, his hands on my shoulders to prevent me from running off.

  “As you are all aware, my brother Theodore has taken over the position of Enforcer. It is with great pleasure that I invite him up here to speak and introduce you to his lovely mate.”

  A roar of whispers and intrigue surfaced as Theo climbed the few steps, dragging me by my hand behind him until we reached the center of the podium.

  “Quiet,” he spoke sternly. The crowd hushed, staring at me. I stood next to Theo, completely exposed as he kept his hand firmly around my wrist. “Gabriel has called you all here today so that I would be able to introduce my wonderful mate to you all.” Theo smiled down affectionately at me. “Valkyrie Pack, please welcome, Margo. I trust you will all treat her with the same kindness and respect as you have always shown me and my family.”

  The crowd was silent for a few moments, taking in the news. I stilled while my heart continued its rapid beating in my chest cavity.

  “She’s human,” someone said loudly, slightly off-put and confused.

  “Correct,” Theo noted flatly. “Any other observations?” If I wasn’t so terrified, I probably would have laughed. I looked around the crowd some happy, some confused, others angry.

  “Well, I think it’s wonderful,” a woman’s voice shouted close to us, and the majority of the wolves gathered in an uproar of cheers, hoots, and clapping. I blushed and tried to hide my face in Theo’s arm. He chuckled, stroking the back of my head softly. Gabriel resumed his position after patting Theo’s back happily.

  “The reason we have gathered here today is to celebrate our previous Alpha and newest Enforcer’s happy news. We have also gathered to ask something.” Again, the wolves stilled. Gabriel turned his head towards me and placed his hand protectively on my shoulder. “I have only known Margo for a few short weeks, and I know for most of you this is the first time even hearing of her, but she deserves the same protection, respect, and love we show all our Lunas. I know Margo will find her place here, in time. Valkyrie Pack, Margo is one of us now, and we protect our own.”

  With his words, the wolves began to howl loudly, shouting into the air. Gabriel and Theo stood at my sides, staring into the crowd of wolves victoriously and joined in the howl. The pack dispersed around the grounds, many staying to introduce themselves to me, although I hid behind Theo the best I could.

  “So, Margo,” a girl a few years older than me greeted, holding my forearm gently with hers. “Has Theo been treating you kindly? I know he has to be a softie underneath all this brutish, steely exterior,” she said giggling, pushing Theo’s arm comically.

  “He’s been very accommodating,” I responded. She laughed, grabbing onto Theo’s arm more to hold herself from laughter.

  “Accommodating?” she howled. “I’ve known Theo since we were infants, and no one has ever described him as ‘accommodating.’”

  I glanced at Theo, who smiled down at the woman. “Margo, this is Albia James, Emily’s daughter. Our mothers are best friends. She’s practically my sister. Albia, this is my beautiful mate, Margo.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” I smiled softly.

  “It’s great to meet you, as well,” she gushed. “I’m sorry if I’m coming on a little much, but I had two too many cups of coffee this morning, and I’m a bit wired. I better go get a bagel or something to soak this all up. I’ll see you both inside?”

  Theo nodded and tucked me back under his arm. “What’s inside?” I wondered.

  “Your doom,” Theo said dramatically, walking us towards the door.

  “Is it your mother?” I guessed. He laughed loudly and opened the door for me.

  “Guess you’ll have to go in to find out.” He smirked.

  Scalding

  We wandered inside towards Theo’s brothers, who were huddled around a document. Theo leaned over Eli’s shoulders to examine it. His hand drifted out from my mine as I swiveled around and looked at the inside of the packhouse.

  After a few minutes, I took a few steps towards another room where people seemed to be gathering. I looked back to Theo, who was still staring at the paper, talking heatedly with his brothers, and then I walked through the opening into the next room. In the middle was a makeshift arena, just a few lines set down in tape on the floor, and people formed around the perimeter. Two men were in the center, grasping each other’s arms in the traditional greeting. A noise went off, and, in haste, the men began grunting, looking strained as they tried to force the other to the ground with the force of their grip.

  Eventually, the man on the right won, forcing his opponent to the ground, and suddenly Theo’s comment to Reese about forcing him to the ground with just one arm made sense. A woman and a man came into the square next; they were laughing and playful as they grasped arms. Again, the noise sounded, and they began sparing. The woman looked like she was exerting more of her energy, and the man laughed, humoring her. With one swift motion, the woman was on the ground with the man gently pinning her with his knee. He kissed her ear before standing and helping her up.

  I heard my name being frantically called. The room quieted as Theo, Reese, and Eli stormed into the room. Theo rushed to me, grabbing my arms and glaring slightly.

  “Where have you been?” Theo asked loudly. I opened my mouth like a fish repeatedly, not knowing what to say. “Margo?”

  “I was just watching,” I said. He sighed loudly, releasing one of my arms from his grip.

  “You can’t just run off like that,” he breathed, looking relieved. “I turned around, and you were gone. I was terrified, Margo.”

  “I’m sorry. I was just watching them,” I said dumbly.

  “I know that,” he sighed, strained like he wanted to stay calm, but his anger was bubbling just under the surface. “But you can’t just wander off like that. You’re human; you can’t defend yourself. What if something were to happen to you, and I didn’t know where you were?”

  “I thought that was the point of the marking bite?” I pointed out. Immediately, I regretted my words as Theo’s face relaxed into stone.

  “That doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. I can’t know if something has happened until it’s already too late, and you’re in pain, or you’re scared enough that I can sense it. It’s not a tracking device.”

  “Well, then what’s the point?” I asked, honestly. Again, guilt settled in my stomach, and I wanted to start the conversation over. I wasn’t trying to anger him or contradict what he was saying; I was just confused and anxious from the people around us staring.

  “The point was that we claimed each other as mates, Margo,” Theo hissed, dropping my other arm like scalding water. “Not for me to be your bodyguard whenever you’re in trouble. I want to keep you safe, but because you’re my mate and I care about you, not because it’s my job. I already have a job.
I don’t need you to be one, too.”

  I bit my lip and stayed silent, trying to retreat from this battle I didn’t realize I started.

  “Theo!” a cheerful voice called from the opposite side of the room. He looked over with a hateful glare. “How about a spar from our former Alpha, for old times’ sake?”

  Theo groaned, rolling his shoulders back, before pressing me firmly into his brothers. Eli steadied me with a hand on my shoulder while Reese leaned his elbow on my head. I pushed Reese off, and he ruffled my hair before tucking his hands in his pockets.

  We watched Theo play their game, sparing with a man who Eli whispered was the head of defense for the pack. Theo toyed with him, getting his frustration out before beating the man with one push. The crowd cheered while I looked around sadly, wanting to be anywhere else.

  Gabriel entered the room, smirking as he looked at his brother. The wolves cheered as Gabriel stepped in the ring, smiling at his larger brother. Theo laughed loudly. The noise started, and they began pushing each other back and forth, bending each other as they gained the upper hand. Eventually, they let go of their arms, turning the battle into an old-fashioned wrestling match. After a few minutes, they conceded, lying next to each other on the floor, heaving in their tiredness.

  Theo returned to my side with Gabriel trailing behind him. I kept my head down purposefully. Theo made a quick comment to Gabriel, and the boys started laughing.

  “Oh, hey, I think Mom said she would be around here with Emily if you want to say hello,” Eli suggested casually. I groaned internally.

  “Yeah, thanks, we should see her before we leave,” Theo said carelessly. The boys began moving, and with my body in the middle of them, I went along too. They stopped when they saw a brunette woman next to Emily, the woman from the bakery.

  “Mom,” Reese greeted kindly. The woman smiled, put a courteous hand on Emily’s arm, and stepped forward to greet her sons.

  “Hello, my boys,” she said fondly. “And I hear we have a new little lady joining our family?” Eli pushed my back gently and forced me out in front of them. Theo’s mother smiled, bringing me into a tight, warm embrace. I hugged her back, cautiously. “Margo, it is so nice to meet you finally,” she spoke compassionately, taking my face in her warm hands to look at me. Her face turned into a perplexed scowl. “Dear, why are you crying?”

  I quickly tried to wipe them away. I could hear Theo move behind me, placing his hands on my back.

  “I’m fine,” I tried to assure her, painting my face with a grin. She scowled at Theo and then the rest of her sons.

  “What have you done to this poor girl?” she asked loudly.

  “Theo may have been a touch more callous than he intended earlier,” Reese said with a pained smile.

  “Theodore,” his mother scowled. “Have I not raised you better than making your mate cry?”

  Theo looked down at me, and I didn’t look up at him as he harshly said, “Mother.”

  “No, Theodore, listen to me. If I see that you cause this sweet girl any kind of pain, I promise you, no matter how high of a title you have, I will punish you more severely than anyone ever has. Is that clear?” She growled. I could instantly tell where Theo got his temper.

  “Mom,” Reese laughed uncomfortably.

  “Reese, darling, be quiet. This is between Theo and his mate,” she ordered.

  Theo sighed and touched my arm affectionately. I pulled away but turned towards him. He looked down, and his eyes flashed with sadness as he placed his hands on my shoulders. “Margo,” he pleaded. “I didn’t mean to sound so angry with you earlier; I was just scared.” I didn’t say anything. “Little one, please, I’m sorry.”

  I knew it was a great deal for him to apologize to me, he didn’t apologize to anyone else, and I also knew it was my fault for instigating the argument. “I know, Theo. I’m sorry, too,” I murmured.

  “We can talk more about this later,” he promised, gently brushing his thumb over my cheek. “I promise I’m not angry. I know you’re still confused, but I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

  His words were vague, not wanting to say too much in front of his family. I blushed a little at all the attention and the feeling of his thumb skimming the frame of my cheek. I nodded and stepped closer to him.

  His mother giggled. “I never thought I would see the day my eldest son apologized for his behavior.” Theo glared at her and began pulling me towards the door.

  “It was lovely to meet you,” she called, waving her delicate hand. “You can call me Sloane, or Mom, whatever you prefer! I’ll see you soon, dear.”

  “You too!” I yelled, my voice fading away as Theo pulled us across the threshold of the building. “Your mother seems nice,” I noted softly.

  “She has the best intentions,” he said pointedly, nearly laughing. “She’s the best, and kind of the worst at the same time. She lives for humiliating us with love. It’s like trying to hate a kitten who keeps biting your finger; it’s annoying but difficult to be mad.”

  “And your dad?” I asked as the driver pulled the car around. Theo got a sad look in his eyes, and he smiled a strained smile.

  “We’ll talk about him another day.”

  A Chilling Effect

  We sat silent for the entirety of the ride; I was still a little hurt, and he was probably still angry. We arrived home mid-afternoon, and he immediately retreated to his office. I found my solace in my new room. I hadn’t finished decorating yet, boxes of ordered belongings continued to arrive every other day. The boxes sat opened on the ground; my desk was in pieces.

  I began putting it together, loudly clanking boards and dropping screws noisily on the wooden floor. I thought Theo would come upstairs to see what the noise was, but he never did. I figured out how to attach the sides, but when I stood it up, it was lopsided.

  I groaned and began taking it apart, oblivious to Eli watching me from the doorway. He snorted, giving himself away, and I dropped one of the legs.

  “Theo asked me to check on you. I had to drop some paperwork off from Gabriel,” he explained. I smiled invitingly, and he walked in. “What are you doing? Or trying to do?”

  “Attempting to put this desk together,” I said apprehensively, holding up a metal leg. Eli chuckled and sat down on the ground next to me. He grabbed the directions and helped me attach the sides. We made small talk about my friends-or rather a friend-back home, his family, what the Valkyrie Pack was like.

  “So, when you and your brothers were little, what did you do for fun?” I asked.

  “Well, we all had to go through Alpha training when we were really young, I think when each of us was five, in case something happened to our parents and we needed to know how to act. I mean, we messed around and wrestled and played pranks on people. It was a lot of hard work being Alpha’s kids. We had to go through more training when we were teenagers because Dad had to hand down his title one day.”

  “So, your dad handed his title to Theo, and then Theo to Gabriel,” I pieced together, then paused. “What’s your dad like?”

  Eli’s chin hit his chest, and he grinned somberly. “He’s the best,” he said, with some finality. We finished the desk quickly, and he stayed a while longer to help me build a small bookcase. As we stood it up, Theo slid the door open fully and stood in the frame with his arms crossed, watching us silently.

  Eli situated the bookcase and wiped his hands on the back of his jeans. “Well, I should be on my way,” he said kindly, grabbing my hand softly and giving it a squeeze before brushing past his brother.

  I grabbed a few books and journals from a box and filled a shelf, trying my best to ignore Theo’s staring.

  “Margo,” he beckoned after he got tired of waiting for me to acknowledge him. I turned to him and raised my eyebrows. “Talk to me. Are you still angry?”

  “Angry that you yelled at me in front of the pack the first time I met them while I was just trying to understand more about shifters and our bond? No.” I
shook my head subtly, stacking more books.

  “I didn’t yell,” he mumbled, looking at his shoes.

  “Spoke very loudly,” I amended. “I wasn’t trying to say that I’m your job, Theo. I was just trying to understand more. I’m not a shifter; I never got to go to school like you all did. I don’t know how the bond works or how mating works or the ins and outs of shifting. Caddy told me some stuff, but he’s not so much an academic.”

  “I know,” he nodded. “And I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you more anxious than you already were. I know today was a big deal for you and for us.”

  “Well, you didn’t need to get snippy,” I murmured, biting my lower lip.

  “And you didn’t need to wander off,” he shot back. “We’re both at fault, can we just forget about it?”

  “I didn’t wander off. I was twenty feet away from you while you and your brothers ogled over some piece of paper.”

  Theo glared. “It wasn’t some piece of paper, Margo. It was a very important letter that was directed at you if you must know. One of my guards probably leaked the information about me finding my mate, and the information got to some very bad people. Remember a few weeks ago when we first met, and I said I wanted security measures in place? It was for this very reason. That’s why I got scared when I couldn’t find you.”

  “What was the letter about?”

  “It’s nothing.” He slumped against the wall. “Don’t worry about it for now.”

  “Don’t worry about it?” My voice scaled a few octaves. “If it’s a letter about me, I deserve to know what it said. Let me read it.”

  “You don’t need to worry. I’ve got it covered for now.”

  I set the last book down and walked closer to him. His arms were tucked across his chest, and he regarded me with wary eyes.

  “If there’s a threat to me, I should know,” I spoke slowly.

  “Do you not trust me?”

  “Well, I’ve known you for three and a half weeks now, so no, not really,” I said between clenched teeth. “I trust that you care about me and that you probably won’t kill me, but that’s about as far as my trust goes.”