Enforcing Boundaries (The Boundaries Series Book 1)

by Eva Harper

  Caddy reached for Bodhi as he released me, pulling her towards a set of two chairs next to me. She reluctantly followed, although she glared at me the entire way.

  “Caddy, get your mate something to eat.” Theo threw his head towards the stove and leaned on the counter to eat with me. Caddy quickly stood up and prepared two plates of food, eager to show his mate he could provide for her. She smiled at the gesture, her thin mouth curving around her fork as she ate.

  Theo and I ate quietly, not wanting to interrupt the newly mated couple any more than we had already. Theo grabbed my dish when I was done with it and threw it in the sink. He came to my side of the counter and picked me up, climbing the stairs and setting me gently on the side of our bed. He knelt by my feet, peeling the thick socks I had on off my feet.

  “What are you doing?” I giggled as his nose skimmed my calf. He placed a firm kiss on my knee, looking me in the eyes as he did so.

  “I haven’t been giving my mate the attention she deserves,” he pouted, feigning seriousness. I nodded along with him. “I think I need to make it up to her.”

  “I think you should,” I agreed aloofly, looking off in the distance. A low growl brought me back to our bed and made me smile.

  We didn’t leave our bed for the rest of the night, giving Caddy and Bodhi plenty of time to get to know each other. I rolled over in the middle of the night and heard loud laughs from downstairs. My movement woke Theo up for a moment, and we smiled affectionately at the sound. He pulled me closer and kissed my forehead before we fell back asleep.

  Early in the morning, Theo woke me up by tickling my sides. I groaned and swatted him away, but he threw the covers off and jumped back on the bed. The movement jostled me, and my arms quickly shot out to make sure I didn’t fall.

  “Wake up,” Theo ordered. I grimaced and looked his way. I was not a morning person; he, however, was glowing with excitement.

  “Why are we awake?”

  “Because today is the gathering. You’ve never been to one, I’m excited to take you and show you off and see you all nervous and jittery around wolves again.” I heard the humor in his voice but ignored it and frowned. “My mom picked out a dress for you to wear, it’s hanging in the closet in a bag.”

  “I have to get dressed up?”

  Theo nodded and touched my side again before hopping off the bed.

  Theo’s mother had picked out a structured, navy blue dress that ended just above my knees. It was a tight material that hugged my thin frame, and I struggled to get the dress on while sitting on the stool in the closet.

  Upon sliding my injured leg in the dress, I toppled over the stool and fell to the ground. Within seconds, Theo was in front of me, frantically looking me over for injuries. I began laughing, loudly; eyes shut, tears leaking out, laughter. Theo froze and leaned back, confused.

  I kept laughing, leaning my head back to lay flat on the ground. Theo was fighting a smile, still concerned for my well-being. I slapped his knee closest to me, reaching for him to help me up. He grabbed my arm and put his other around me to prop me up.

  “I swear, you give me a heart attack every single day.”

  I smiled at the crinkles that appeared between his bright eyes. He shook his head and sat me back up on the bench, waiting until I was fully dressed and standing before walking away.

  I followed Theo to the bathroom and brushed through my hair with my fingers. Theo got dressed and helped me downstairs when Caddy and Bodhi were waiting. Caddy was sitting at the dining table, listening to Bodhi teeter on about her pack.

  “You both better get ready; we’re going to leave soon.” Bodhi’s face scrunched up hearing Theo’s words.

  “You think I’m going to change?” Her eyebrow hitched up along with her pursed lips. Theo glanced at her outfit: a pair of tight black pants, a black, sleeveless top, and a long, green vest. She eyed my dress and choked back a snort. Caddy had on a casual pair of dark pants with a gray, long-sleeved shirt.

  “You two have to look the part, we’re just guests,” Caddy reminded us in a teasing tone.

  “See, I could totally wear pants.”

  Theo shook his head at my suggestion and tucked his arm around my waist.

  “It’s time to go,” he said firmly and handed me the crutches that were leaning against him. We piled into the car, surrounded by the usual entourage of five other black vehicles. The time passed quickly, and we soon arrived at Gabriel’s packhouse.

  There were many other cars parked outside, intimidating men and women filing out of each and walking to the front door. There were guards stationed at the front of the building that allowed each pack entrance. It reminded me of the ball my old pack had when Dorian became Alpha.

  As we entered, the other wolves bowed their heads to Theo, showing their respect. He kept a straight face but, unlike last time, he walked next to me with his hand at the small of my back.

  Most of the furniture had been moved out of the main room to allow for extra space. The wolves in the room stayed towards the outer perimeter, leaving a large space in the middle. I kept glancing there, wondering what was going to happen.

  Theo led us to the other side of the room where his brother Reese stood. I looked at him, confused.

  “Bet you didn’t know I’m the Beta of this pack, did you Gimpy?” Reese teased. Theo growled at him for disrespecting me around other people.

  “I can’t believe they’d let you oversee important things,” I teased back. Reese just smiled and looked at Caddy and Bodhi behind us. A scowl painted itself on Reese’s face.

  “Why’d you bring her?” he asked Theo in disgust.

  “What? You didn’t miss me?” Bodhi sneered with a smile. Reese coughed in outrage but otherwise ignored her.

  “Quiet,” Theo ordered with a strong voice, startling the wolves around us. Gabriel entered the room and stood in the center. Theo began to move forward, gently guiding me along with him. I walked with him nervously, wondering why we were meeting Gabriel in the center of the room.

  “Quiet.” Gabriel echoed. Each wolf turned their attention towards us with hard eyes. “Thank you all for gathering here today. As many of you already know, a gathering is a time for us to communicate with other packs, share strategies and hardships. It’s time for us to re-collect ourselves and remember what is important. Our noble Enforcer-” A thump surrounded the room as each wolf pounded their right fist over their chest. It was a sign of respect for Theo. “Has asked us here today to bring light to our present danger. An Alpha, Reed Porter, has declared a war against the remaining human population and those packs harboring them.”

  As he walked around the circle of wolves, I noticed they were soaking in his every word. The Weston’s certainly had a way with words. They could control a room with one voice.

  “Many of you are aware that Enforcer Weston’s mate is human. So, this not only threatens good people and wolves, but it also threatens our rulers, our very way of life. We ask now that you evaluate where your allegiances lie because this battle won’t be for the faint-hearted. It will not be for the weak or the easily persuaded. It will be for the brave, the ones willing to stand up and fight for what’s just. So, if you are not willing to lay down your life for this cause, now is the time to leave. But, if you see a future like we do, a future of peace and prosperity, a future of progress, then you stand with your Enforcer and Luna Regina.”

  The same resounding thump echoed the room. I looked around at the wolves, wondering how so many people were willing to fight for a cause that didn’t even affect them. Then the wolves lowered their heads and bent down on their right knee.

  Theo tilted his head to whisper in my ear. “They cross their hearts for me, but they bow for you, Margo.”

  My heart swelled, and I wanted to thank them individually and promise them I wouldn’t let them down. The wolves lifted their heads but didn’t stand, looking to us for direction.

  “Then let’s get to work.”

  The Way We Are Built


  The wolves split into separate groups of Alphas, Lunas, Betas, and Warriors. Theo and I walked around to the different groups and observed the conversations.

  The Alphas were predominantly concerned with strategies that would lead to the least casualties. Alpha wolves are protective of their pack members, and they didn’t want to lose anyone if they had the choice. They were seated around a large circular table in one room while the Beta’s met in an adjoining room.

  The Beta’s main job is to monitor security around the pack, along with supporting their Alpha. Their discussions focused mainly on how they would keep their borders secure. They had gone as far as using figurines to demonstrate their border formations. The wolves who guarded the territory, or Border Patrol as many called them, were the first line of defense against an intruder.

  Warriors, as you can imagine, are constantly preparing and training for battle. The warriors that came to the gathering with their Alpha and Beta were predominantly Head Warriors who controlled the group of warriors. They had taken their place outside on the grass, sparring, and sharing tips and tricks they had learned in combat. Although the wolves looked fierce while fighting when they were done, they patted each other on the back and complimented each other.

  The Lunas of each pack gathered in the main room where we had originally stood. They were all dressed similarly to me in dresses and classy shoes. Theo left me to speak to Gabriel when we came back inside, kissing my cheek as I stared at the group of women. I limped over the outer circle the women had formed. Although there were female Alphas, many still preferred to take the classic role of caring for the children of the pack.

  As I approached, one wolf stepped back and let out a small gasp.

  “Luna Regina, you shouldn’t have to walk around on that leg of yours, it’s simply dreadful. Let’s get her a chair, shall we?” She waved her hands, and two other women looked around frantically.

  “Don’t worry about me.” I gave them a small smile. “In fact, I’d rather like to stand, Theo has me sitting all day long. And please, call me Margo.”

  They chuckled strangely, probably perturbed by me referring to their Enforcer by his first name.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt you all,” I apologized quickly, seeing that their conversations stopped.

  “You didn’t,” the woman with blonde hair next to me said kindly. “We couldn’t be happier to have you with us.”

  “What were you all discussing?”

  “Healing,” the blonde woman smiled at me kindly.

  “What do you mean?” I asked curiously.

  “As a human, you may not know this, but when we become Lunas, things are passed down to us the same as Alphas. Some are tangible things like jewelry and dresses, but there are a few things that are given to us that you cannot see.”

  “Our mates are so concerned with our packs safety, sometimes they are too preoccupied to know how much power our bodies have,” another woman stepped forward. She had red hair, braided, and pulled to the back of her head. She was older than me by some five years or so. “As leaders, our bodies were built to rule those around us.”

  “Our ancestors believe that our bodies were formed out of magic,” the woman next to the red-haired woman came close to me and held out her wrist. “There are certain things our bodies can do that your human body cannot, apart from shifting.”

  I could see the veins on her wrist grow darker and darker as she spoke. She closed her small eyes and began to concentrate. I watched as the veins underneath her skin all became visible and dark purple. My wide eyes amused the Lunas around me, they giggled and came to circle around me.

  “Our bodies can promote faster healing, our hands can heal a broken heart, our voices can soothe a child to stop crying. There’s a reason most of us don’t take Alpha positions. Our bodies were not built to protect, they were built to heal.”

  “In fact,” the red-haired woman smirked coyly. The women around her smiled mischievously and gathered around me. I staggered back, and their smiles grew. “It usually takes a few of us to heal a wound this large, especially since you’re human, but there are a lot of us here now.”

  “Do you trust us, Luna?”

  I glanced at each of their faces, maybe fifty of them around me. I nodded sincerely, feeling my heart clench as their eyes filled with happiness. One woman gently took my crutches from me, and my arms shot out to grab onto something.

  Two women held my arms up, and the other woman moved a small table over. They helped me onto the table, lifting my legs so that my back was flat. The red-haired woman and the brunette with small eyes stood on either side of me. They locked eyes and smiled before placing their hands on my ankles.

  The woman behind them began placing their arms on the other’s shoulders, forming a web of arms. I began wondering what they were doing, and while I was lost in thought, my injured leg began to tingle. I gasped and lifted my head, someone pushed it back gently. The tingles in my leg grew, it was now buzzing like it was numb.

  I closed my eyes and tried to relax. One of the other Lunas took the cast off my leg and placed the pieces on the ground. My skin felt like it was moving, but it wasn’t painful. A few moments later, the feeling stopped, and I opened my eyes. The Lunas lifted their heads and nodded their heads proudly.

  I sat up and looked down where my scarred, mutilated, fleshy wound once lived. In its place was smooth skin. I ran my fingers over it, barely grazing my fingertips over it and yelped. It was as if the wound was never there.

  I looked at the red-haired woman in awe. She looked at the other Lunas, nodding her head softly.

  “How?” was the only word that left my mouth.

  “Our bodies were built to heal, Luna,” she said firmly, strongly, pleading with her eyes. “Please, please, do not forget this fact.”

  They helped me sit up, and I gradually put pressure on my legs. The bone was healed as well as the flesh, and I yipped in surprise.

  I heard Theo’s heavy footprints as he approached. The Lunas parted the crowd, and he made his way straight to me.

  “I heard you yell, are you okay?” His face was stone, as it always was in public.

  “Theo, look.” I lifted the hem of my dress and showed him the pale skin that replaced the injury. He dropped to his knees and lifted his hand up to touch my leg. As he did, he had to hold in a gasp. His face was sad but joyful in a way. He was happy that his mistake wasn’t causing me any more pain.

  He stood up, and as he rose, he grabbed me around the waist and lifted me to his height. He kissed me twice, quickly, and turned with me in his arms. I laughed and threw my arms around him.

  He looked around at the women. “Thank you,” he said gratuitously.

  “We may not always be on the front lines of battle, Enforcer, but we are useful.”

  “Absolutely,” Theo said back with meaning. He set me on the ground and lowered his head slightly to thank the other Lunas. He began to lead me off, but I yanked my hand out of his and turned back.

  The Lunas were watching us leave. I thanked them, trying to find each one of their eyes. Just as before, the Lunas sunk to one knee, bowing their heads to me. It was still such a strange feeling, but Theo pulled me along before I had time to comprehend.

  I turned one more time as they raised their heads. Their eyes held fire behind them, the kindness still in their faces, but they were ready for this battle. Not every fight is physical.

  Noose

  The gathering continued for two more days after the first. The last day was more of a celebration than a meeting, and all of Gabriel’s pack was invited. Familiar faces flashed in the crowd, Emily, Sloane, Eli, Albia.

  The red-haired woman came and introduced herself to me formally. Joella and her mate, Felix, were from the Audacia Pack. They lived around ten hours to the south of us, high up in the mountains. They liked the solitude.

  Many other Alphas, Lunas, Betas, and Warriors came and introduced themselves to me. They had met Theo when he visit
ed their packs previously but were eager to make a good second impression. They shared stories of their pack, the landscapes around them, and past battles. A few of them had made it a game to see who could make me laugh first.

  Theo smiled proudly as I met each one of the Alphas he oversaw. I stayed close to his side, although I felt comfortable being around these wolves.

  Caddy and Bodhi found us after we met with another Alpha. I smiled widely as they approached, ignoring the scowl on Bodhi’s face.

  “Look at you, back on your feet and ready for some action,” Caddy hollered. I gave him a twirl and showed him the spot where my bite used to be.

  “Fully functional and everything.” I smirked happily. Caddy clapped his hands dramatically and then placed them back around Bodhi’s waist.

  At the end of the day, the other packs left, and we returned home with Caddy and Bodhi. Caddy’s Beta, Finn, insisted on leaving the same night instead of staying one more day like Caddy. Finn was strict and quiet, the opposite of Caddy.

  We had a small dinner and careful conversation before bed. In the morning, Caddy was set to return to his pack with Bodhi and her fourteen other wolves in tow. They had agreed, on a trial basis, to integrate their packs and mutually oversee the wellbeing of all the wolves.

  As Caddy said his goodbyes, I got emotional and held his hug longer than I should have. I sniffled and wiped my nose before I ruined his shirt.

  “Margo, I’ll probably see you in a few weeks,” Caddy said, ruffling my hair. I nodded sullenly and shrank back to Theo’s side. Each time Caddy left, I felt empty, like my past was gone with him.

  Bodhi and I gave each other a polite smile and a short nod of our heads. We had tried to mend our differences, but it was only something time could heal.

  Theo and I settled back into our lives; he was busy with work most of the day, and I read most of the time. I yearned for something to give me a purpose, some sort of work or hobby but I hadn’t found it yet.