The McNamaras pack up at the crack of dawn and give me hardly any time to say goodbye to my family. When I hug my mom, tears stream down my face.

"It's gonna be fine." She presses her cheek to mine. "If it gets too bad, call, and maybe you can visit us for a few days."

We both know the words are only meant to soothe me; there won't be any visits. Once a mated female leaves her native pack, she won't be coming back.

I expect Dante to let me slide into the truck first, but he signals with his head to the bed in the back. "Females don't ride with the males in the front."

I stare at him. Is he fricking serious?

"Come, sit with me, Raelyn." The Luna smiles as she pats the spot next to her on the wooden plank that must be our seats. "I got us some warm blankets and your mom made a thermos of hot tea. The ride isn't too long and we can take the opportunity to get to know each other."

I nod, still at a total loss why the females are not allowed to ride in the same cabin as the males. It's not that there isn't any space; the truck is a five-seater. My dad helps me climb into the back, he and my mom waving as we pull away. I wave back until their frames are reduced to small dots.

"I'm sorry." My smile is crooked when I finally focus on the Luna. Sniffling, I wipe my face dry with my sweater.

"Don't be. I was about your age when I left my pack, so I know it's hard."

"Did you grow up in Maine?"

"Oh, no, I'm from out West. My native's pack territory is in the most northern corners of Washington State."

"Then how did you get mated with Alpha McNamara?" I clutch my hand over my mouth; I shouldn't pry. "Sorry, but Dante mentioned your mating was arranged, so I was just curious."

"That's okay. We are family now." Her smile is slow and awkwardness settles between us. "My brother's true mate was part of the Scopan Lake pack, but the Alpha at the time didn't want to let her go because she was their healer. My father offered him our healer in return, who happened to be me."

So she was sacrificed for her brother's happiness. The thought leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I sip the hot tea she passes me, my gaze on the wooden fence dividing my old pack's territory from the main country road. Every morning, we had driven this way to school. Now it feels like I'm going in for the slaughter.

As we reach the town limits of Calina Falls, the truck slows. Riding down Main Street, the memories are crushing. In the year-round ice cream parlor, Eric had asked me out for the first time over an Oreo cookie milkshake we shared while working on a history project. The popcorn fights Megan and I had at the movie theater were epic. We pass the bookstore where I had spent hours just randomly browsing through the aisles until Mrs. Candler converted one of her large window corners into a reading refuge, complete with a comfy couch and a cappuccino maker. God, I'm going to miss her.

The town is busy with people rushing to work and mothers getting ready to drop off their toddlers at the daycare. As Murphy's Law would have it, Megan comes strolling out of Helen's Bakery with a paper cup in her hand. She almost drops it when she notices me on the truck, her mouth hanging wide open as she stares while the truck rounds the next corner. In the last second, she raises her hand in a "call me" motion. I battle the lump in my throat. There won't be any phone calls. Not having contact with my human friends was one of Alpha McNamara's conditions before agreeing to the mating.

"Was she your friend?" the Luna asks.

I nod. "Her name is Megan. We were best friends since middle school." A tear drops off my chin and into the tea.

"I can't wrap my head around how your pack can commingle with humans without repercussions. I mean, there's such a high risk that one of them might eventually discover the truth."

"Humans are not allowed on pack territory. We only meet up with them in town."

"But you also enter into relationships. How does that work?"

"Only females do that sometimes. Males are too volatile and might shift during intimacy, so it's a big taboo for them."

My former pack actually frowns upon any intimate relations with humans; my father grounded me for a month when he found out I was dating Eric, but that's something I choose not to share.

"It's an intriguing thought—living among them. Wouldn't work for our pack at all, though. We are very traditional."

"I noticed." I bite my lip. That was disrespectful.

"It might be difficult for you to adjust since your native pack was so liberal, so ask away if you have any questions."

I sip from the tea, my gaze on the back of Dante's head that's visible through the small window to the front. "Why can't we ride with them?"

"They might be discussing pack business. Females are not privy to that."

"But you are the Luna. Don't you have the right to know?"

She sighs. "Oh, child, you have lots to learn. In our pack, females don't get involved with pack leadership. We are there to nurture the young, make a home for our males, and ensure that everyone is fed and has a clean bed to sleep in. There isn't much else."

"So you don't go hunting?"

"Of course not. That's what the males do."

"What about training?"

She shakes her head.

"Then how do I defend myself if a wild animal like a bear attacks me while I run in the woods?"

Her lips purse; it's the first time she obviously disapproves of my question. "You're not allowed to roam the woods without an escort. Dante or the Alpha will have to be with you when you run, so there isn't any danger."

I turn to hide the shock on my face. Fuck this. Running the woods alone has always been my outlet—the one thing to keep me sane when things were bad. Now they will even take this from me.

We continue the journey in silence, the Luna with an odd smile and I with a clenched jaw that prevents me from screaming out my building frustration. The woods thicken the farther north we go, the country roads narrowing as we drive through curvy terrain. We pass Masardis before reaching Longthorne Ridge, the last town before my new pack's territory.

As we roll down Main Street, I crane my neck. The village is significantly smaller than Calina Falls, but otherwise, not much different, at least from its structure. Without exception, the people glare at us with unease; there isn't even one smile or a small wave. The Luna has her hands folded on top of her lap with her stare fixed on the hem of the blanket around her waist. The only sound is the crunching of snow under the truck's tires and the low hum of its engine. It's spooky.

When we leave the buildings of the village behind, I let out a silent sigh of relief. "How often do you go to town?"

"Four times a year to buy the few supplies we can't make ourselves."

"The people didn't seem too friendly."

"They are not. The town folks consider us freaks, but in reality, they're just jealous because we own all the land around the lake. In the past, a few came out during hunting season and asked if they could shoot deer on our territory, but the males chased them off. Now, no one bothers us anymore."

I grimace. Doesn't sound like they are having good neighborly relations.

"This is where our territory starts."

The truck comes to a screeching halt in front of a big metal gate. A tall meshed wire fence with barbed wire on top stretches out for miles, signs with "Keep Out" and "Private Property. Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted" attached to every pole. The hell. This territory is like a prison.

"To the north, south, and east, the territory goes far beyond the fence, but everything within belongs to us even under human laws." The Luna's smile is full of pride. "We kept the lands through generations without the greed that corrupted so many other packs. Money might bring progress but ultimately, it's just trouble down the line."

It's a direct stab at my father. Two decades ago, he sold a few parcels of land to human developers after ensuring he could still roam the territory without much interference. The money was used to modernize the packhouses and car fleet.

"Most packs follow unofficial territory lines without owning the land flat out." As far as I know, it has never been an issue.

"It ultimately makes you weak because you are giving up your safe harbor."

Another stab at my old pack. Having to watch out for human hikers and hunters made our fighters more susceptible to the attacks of the Scopan Lake pack. Maybe she has a point after all.

The truck rolls through the gate and we enter pack lands. The road is narrow and badly maintained, the tires hitting the inside of the rim whenever we pass through a pothole. I'm getting sick from the constant up and down. The Luna has her eyes closed. It's almost completely dark in the thick woods with the sun only slicing through the treetops a few times. The wind howls with a bitter coldness. When we finally pull up in front of a few log homes, my teeth chatter at a speed that my jaw hurts. I wish I could shift, but the fear that this might infuriate Dante is unsettling. Hell, I'm starting to be scared of my own shadow with all these new rules.

The pack gathers around as we get out of the truck. Without exception, they take the knee and bow their heads at the Alpha. He steers toward the largest building without acknowledging them.

Dante grabs my duffle off the back. "This is the main packhouse. That's where we'll live."

He follows his father and the males are back on their feet as soon as he passes while the females keep their gazes directed at the ground. Only after Luna Harla has reached the steps that lead to the front door of the house do they raise their heads again. I catch a female look at her mate. He nods, apparently the signal that she's finally allowed to stand. Fuck this. These customs are taking submissiveness too far.

"Raelyn, come inside." Dante's voice is impatient and he glares at me from the threshold of the cabin.

Trying to avoid the quizzical looks, my steps turn into a jog to get to the house faster. Yet, the stares of my new pack burn into my back like daggers. Dante should've made some type of formal introduction. I feel like an outcast already.

As soon as the door closes behind me, he cuts into me. "What was that? You're expected to stay by my side when we're in public."

"I thought you'd introduce me to the pack."

"That won't be happening until the official pack gathering tomorrow night."

"Oh, okay."

Dante's anger spills out at me and a growl resonates deep within his throat. He shows his teeth. Instinctively, I cower back. Why is this such a big deal?

"She didn't know, Dante. Let it go." Alpha McNamara steps in between us.

"She has been disrespecting me from the get-go." Another growl vibrates in Dante's chest. His anger is choking me.

"Not here, in front of your mother." The Alpha's words are sharp and a clear warning. His smile brings out his teeth.

Dante's jaw quivers in rage, but he lowers his gaze when his father keeps glaring at him.

The Luna's smile neither makes me feel welcome nor eases the tension palpable in the air. "Come. I'll show you your room."

Before I can move a muscle, my mate grabs my wrist and drags me behind him, almost tearing my arm out of its socket. I stumble up a set of stairs, and a row of doors on the second floor rushes by in a blur. He halts at the end of the hallway; a door squeaks on its hinges as he shoves it open. One push transports me into the room. My head collides with the wall. Before I can even shake off the sudden spell of dizziness, he towers over me.

"Let's set some ground rules, shall we? From here on out, you won't leave my side without permission. You will not speak, hell you won't even look me in the eyes, without my say so. Clear so far?"

"You must be out of your goddamn mind. I'm your mate. Respect goes both ways."

His punch hits me square in the mouth. Blood splatters against the wall; searing pain rips through my skull. My vision blurs, but my tears are driven by pure hatred. Rage rolls in my chest, threatening to tear me apart.

"Did you just seriously run off your mouth, female?"

"Fuck you."

His backslap takes me off my feet. My wolf decides to fight back and I shift. With a low growl, I bare my teeth, and crouch low to the ground, ready for the attack.

He laughs. "Really? You wanna be a tough she-wolf? Shift back before you regret it."

His ridicule drives me over the edge. I leap forward, but before I can go for his throat, his wolf is on top of me. When his teeth cut deep into my shoulder, the pain is blinding. His jaw locks and he shakes and tears until I howl out in agony.

"Dante, that's enough!" The Luna's shout is like a surreal buzzing in my ear.

Teeth nick my throat and my body stills in a desperate attempt for survival. Whimpering, my tail curls between my hind legs. Dante has me immobilized on my back, his dark eyes burning into mine. I lower my gaze. Another whimper begs for mercy.

His teeth delve deeper into my throat. I yelp. He's going to kill me. My bladder and gut give way and the stench of feces fills the room.

"Dante, we said it's enough!" The snarling voice of the Alpha is like thunder in the otherwise silent room.

Dante finally releases me and shifts back into his skin. An unbearable smirk plays on his lips. You'll do what I say, his eyes warn. The deep satisfaction of victory radiates from his soul.

The Luna covers me with a blanket. When she strokes over my head, tears sparkle in her eyes. "It's going to be fine. Don't shift back. You'll heal quicker in your wolf form."

I whimper, the pain making it impossible to move.

She carefully examines the wound. "I'm going to give you an injection. That will knock you out and later help with the pain."

Anything to make this torment stop. Dante watches me from the door, his arms folded across his chest. That smirk is still on his lips. He relishes in my misery with every beat of his heart.

Jos pokes his head around the door. "Are you guys—?" His eyes go wide. "The fuck. What did you do to her?"

"This doesn't concern you, brother. Go back to your room."

"Hell, you could've taken it easy on her. It's her first day." Jos steps fully into the room. The worry in his eyes is like a caress.

"She needed to be taught a lesson." Dante glares at him and back at me. His snort releases a new wave of anger.

The Luna tucks a blanket closer around me. "Sleep now, Raelyn. Tomorrow will be a better day."

A needle pierces the fur just above my injury, drawing darkness into my mind. When exhaustion washes over me, the agonizing pain finally carries me away.

~~~~~

© Sally Mason 2018

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