After lying restlessly in bed unable to sleep, Violet sat up with a quiet sigh. She hadn't slept well and had woken up to the wolf repeating mate in a horrifying mantra. It was like one of those things you don't want to see but can only keep visualizing, except for she really couldn't help it because of the other being living in her head.

Violet exhaled deeply trying to focus and prioritize. She needed to pull herself together so she could confront the situation properly. Inhaling deeply to gather her wits, that scent scattered her thoughts to the corners of the room. Not only was she in his shirt but it was as if he'd rubbed his scent into her flesh. She let something out between a groan and growl as her skin began to quiver again.

Violet didn't care who he was. That Alpha didn't have a right to touch her body without her consent. The wolf whimpered at the sudden anger toward her mate, but Violet could care less. He'd crossed a reasonably drawn line, and she didn't want him there, disturbing the peace she'd created for herself.

He couldn't just come into her life and take it over because he was her mate. It's what all mates did and expected, but she refused. Violet found the practice selfish, unfair even, and Maverick was affecting her life too much already. The delicate balance she had with the wolf was being disturbed, and the tell-tale signs of an approaching heat were already showing up. She had an unnatural glow to her, and the wolf wouldn't settle making her eyes glow like liquid silver.

Violet walked into the kitchen with her head high, shoulders back, footsteps hard, and breath held ready to refuse the Alpha and demand he leave.

"Good morning, Violet. You're up early," Kara was quick to address Violet as she searched the room. However, the person she was looking for wasn't present, making her deflate like a punctured balloon.

"Good morning, mum," she kissed each of Kara's cheeks. "Where is Alpha Maverick?" Deciding to sit at her usual barstool and waiting for her usual tea, she easily shifted into the morning routine she had while staying with the pack. After a silent deliberation, she resolved to talk to this Alpha privately about the matter or at least wait until the topic was brought up, handle it as diplomatically as possible. That way no one could say she was at fault.

"If you were properly trained, you would know how to sniff him out," her father mumbled from the head of the table. Violet paid him no mind. He always had a comment on her actions and choices.

"He's still in the guest room--"

"Guest room? You let him stay in one of the guest rooms?" Violet was astonished. He was an Alpha . . . who was her mate . . . who had been under the same roof as her all night. How did he stay away?

"Well, yes, he is your mate," Kara said unswaying from her decision, quickly glancing at her Alpha. "As I was saying, he had some pack business to handle over the phone, so we haven't seen him this morning." Violet hoped it didn't pertain to her. She wasn't going with him.

"Oh," was all Violet replied. Her body broke out in involuntary shivers all over again after a moment. She was still wearing his shirt.

"Are you cold?" Kara teased and placed a cup of chai tea in front of her stepdaughter. She'd made it just the way Violet loved it, with a little soymilk and honey.

"No," Violet mumbled with a quick "thank you" following it.

"Good morning twat," the twins said in unison as they walked into the kitchen--one dropping a half sleeping Lotty in Violet's arms and then both unceremoniously plopping into bar stools on either side of her. It seemed that no one was disturbed by their guest because everything was carrying on as normal.

"Good morning, Lot." Violet kissed the palm of the pup's small hand, and she smiled just a little before nestling herself into Violet's chest.

"You didn't say hi to anyone else," Skylar said, always trying to bother Violet in the mornings since the day she arrived. He was also always the noisiest of the twins. You could always tell the difference for that reason. Skylar had this apparent rambunctiousness that radiated off him in every sense. Whereas Aaron's dark, nearly black, hair was combed and styled neatly, Sky's hair had a natural messiness to it. His dark blue eyes were so filled with mischief because he was a thrill-seeker. He even had a motorcycle to go and explore the human world whenever he wanted to escape pack society and duties.

"Good morning," Violet said airily barely tolerating his early morning antics.

"You didn't say good morning to dad," Aaron added. He was trying to be respectful like he always did, but Sky, being who he was, would turn Air's comment into something agitating and purely manipulative. Air would more than likely go along with it, but even then he wasn't nearly as bad as his twin.

He gave off a completely different persona than Sky with this wounded guy kind of look, so the adolescent pack females could see it in his eyes. He wasn't necessarily mischievous in the traditional way, but rather always appeared uninterested in things, and only talked when necessary. He never came off nonchalant or as though he was ignoring you. He appeared to genuinely not hear a word you said, but Violet knew he always heard. She was his sister not one of the many pack girls trying to talk to him. She knew.

"Good morning dad," Violet bit out. Couldn't they just leave her be this one morning? Today was not the day. She had had a very set track of mind with a mate to deal with.

"You didn't say good morning to Nan," Sky kept taunting.

"Good morning Nan." She weakly smiled at Nan who was helping Kara cook. Violet's resolve was cracking.

"You didn't say good morning to me," a deep voice hit her hard in the chest, causing her bones to quiver.

No, she mentally groaned as she was forced to take a backseat to her nature. Her stool was turned until her eyes met a hard shirtless chest. The missing shirt in question was on her. She breathed in again, causing an involuntary whimper to pour from her, pure wolf.

Gathering herself and shoving the wolf back down, she exhaled and let her eyes flit up to meet his. She could see his wolf's eyes staring at her. A liquidated gold, calculating and analyzing his mates every movement like a predator.

"Good morning," she said smoothly, giving nothing away in her tone. Her eyes meeting his unwilling to move.

"Violet," her father reprimanded. Alpha Maverick was not Violet's equal despite her being a first born. Her meeting his eyes was a sign of disrespect and confrontation. She didn't care though.

"It's fine," Alpha Maverick only smiled, looking like the animal he really was. The more she stared at his toothy smile the more she could see beyond it to the beast that was barely below his skin, and nothing about it seemed nice. He seemed like wolf intent on devouring her. "Good morning," he added quickly. "I'm Maverick," he held his hand out like a human.

"I know who you are," she said staring at his hand in slight distaste. I'm not going to shake it if that's what he wants, she thought before she broke out in shivers all over again at the closeness of his presence. He gave her a nod, his lips downturned in amusement. She turned her stool around uncomfortable with the interaction.

"Mum, what's for breakfast," she asked not really paying attention to the answer to come. Her mind was still on Maverick. He looked like a stereotypical werewolf to her. He had that attractive lumberjack look to him, all scruffy faced, slightly unkempt, muscular literally everywhere. He was tall and just . . . huge with broad shoulders and wide pectorals. The contour and curvature of every muscle were visible, and his hair was long and dirty blond like he was too animal to cut it. She'd never seen anything like him, and part of her just wanted to stare at him as if he was some beguiling anomaly.

Focus, Violet, she said to herself as Kara began to speak. " . . . deer sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, blueberry waffles, blueberry pancakes, sliced avocados, oats, and fruit, peaches, nectarines, plums, and berries." Kara began to set the table.

"So Maverick," one of Violet's doofus brothers started. "You're my sister's mate, huh?" Please, please, don't, she mentally begged, knowing what was to come.

"Yes," he hadn't moved from his spot. She could feel the heat radiating off his skin and couldn't stop shivering. She had this sudden need to just touch him, something compelling her to just lean back a little.

"Have you ever had a mate before? I hear you're old as dirt," Sky said.

That thing instantly cut through Violet's mind, as her jaws snapped at Sky. "Shut up." The words came out a growl between canines as the wolf spoke. She was mentally screaming at it, trying to force the wolf to stand down.

"Violet," her father barked. Authority ranging in his tone. Her back hunched with the snarl that wanted to come out. Her nose crinkled in preparation. Charlotte's whimper is what stopped her. The protective feeling that washed over Violet let her take control again. What just happened? She thought to herself.

"May I?" Alpha Maverick asked Violet if he could hold Lotty. She looked at him oddly, no longer on the defensive. It was all becoming a bit too much for her, the hostility she could all taste in the air, her wolf, Alpha Maverick.

"May he, Kara?" Violet looked at her.

Kara seemed to be actually considering it. Violet looked at her incredulously.

"That's if Violet is willing to give her to you." Kara smartly threw the ball back into Violet's court not wanting to get in the middle of any tension.

"May I, Violet?" His hands reached out touching the bar on either side of Violet. He couldn't help himself. He wanted to touch her so badly as he asked Violet quietly in her ear. Maverick didn't expect for her to become as stiff as a board.

"Do not touch me," Violet said her voice as even as possible. He had gone beyond his boundaries. She didn't know him, and therefore, he had no right to touch her.

"My apologies," he mumbled respectfully, still testing her boundaries.

"Well, maybe if you weren't such a baby hogger, the wolf wouldn't have to get so touchy," Aaron snorted, enjoying his sister's discomfort. She glared at him harshly, causing him to recoil just a little.

"Enough all of you," Kara spoke sweetly despite the clear command in her voice. She was a true born Luna. "It's time to eat. Come sit." As Violet got off her stool, no one missed the way she'd barely brushed passed Maverick. They were all smart and chose not to say anything. Her nature made her want to touch him even if it was just microscopic hairs against skin.

"Violet, do you want me to feed Charlotte," Kara questioned.

"No, I can manage." She rocked Lotty in her arms trying to lightly wake her. Lotty was like Violet when it came to sleeping, liked to wake up when she wanted to with no interruptions while she slept. Violet lightly brushed her hands through the pups dark hair, and Lot practically purred as her silver eyes blinked open. Lotty was different. Her eyes were always silver. They should have been dark blue or hazel like everyone else's in the family, but they glew silver like the moon instead.

"Mummy," she whined at Violet, but Violet shook her head.

"No Lot. It's Letty." Violet kissed Charlotte's forehead, feeling eyes on her. She looked up to see Maverick watching them. She immediately went back to Lotty when their eyes met. The pup was staring up at her with big silver eyes.

"No mummy," she whined and tugged at a piece of her sister's violet hues.

"No Letty." Violet tried to get her to settle down before it turned into a full out tantrum. This was why they avoided waking her.

"Mummy," the pup began to cry, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and stare at the two of them.

"Lotty, stop it," Violet tried reprimanding her softly, but it was getting worse. "Excuse me," she dismissed herself with a wildly crying Lotty.

"Violet, do you want me to—" Kara started.

"No," Violet shook her head, letting Lotty's head rest on her shoulder as she kept crying. She swiftly took the steps two at the time to get to her own room. When Lotty was first born, Violet had been the only one allowed in Kara's den. Thinking back on it, it didn't help their current predicament. Her room would be best right now.

"Mummy," Lotty was wailing.

"Mummy's downstairs," Violet quickly reminded her, but she only tugged on Violet's hair. Violet ignored the harsh grip of the pup and began to rock her to sleep, singing her lullaby. Back and forth she rocked in the rocking chair by her window. The sun was rising in the sky chasing away the dark with orange and purple hues.

Moments like these filled Violet with peace. She liked when it was just her and nature interacting, and the pup in her arms was always a welcome addition. Charlotte seemed to add to Violet's serenity.

She smiled lightly at the pup in her arms as the sky greeted her. Her voice dancing with the tempo of the creaks the rocking chair was making until Lotty drifted back into her slumber, releasing the hair in her small hand. Violet kissed the palm softly before laying the pup gently in the bassinet in the room. This was the end of her little moment of peace. She sighed and slipped out of her room and back down the steps with an unremovable smile.

"Is she okay?" Kara asked like any concerned mother as Violet entered the kitchen.

"Yes, she's perfectly fine," Violet said. "I put her to sleep."

"Just like that," Nan doubted.

"Yes, I sung her a lullaby," Violet took account of where everyone was sitting. Her father at the head of the table. Kara and Nan on either side then one of her doofus brothers by each of them, and then at the other end of the table Maverick, leaving two seats open on either side of him. She picked the lesser of two evils and sat by Aaron.

"Charlotte's Lullaby," Sky mumbled to inform Maverick.

"It's this song that Vi made for Lotty," Air added.

"May I hear it," Maverick asked.

"No one has ever heard it."

"You're just like everyone else here so no point in asking the lass to hear it still," Nan said in that wise way like she knew something no one else at the table did due to her years. She took the words right out of Violet's mouth though. The only difference is that if Violet had said it, teeth and claws would have come out at the table. Because Nan said it, there was only silence.

Violet noted that someone had taken it upon themselves to fix her plate. Her family would have waited and let her get it herself as they always had. She knew it was Maverick's doing. She looked at the plate warily but continued as normal.

"So, Alpha Maverick," Violet spoke as she took her seat. "How long are you staying?" Violet still wouldn't look at him.

"I asked him to stay," Violet's father offered, and she shot a silver look his way, sending a warning. This was her interrogation of the Alpha that didn't belong their table.

"So you weren't planning to stay yourself?" Violet continued on with her inquiries, wanting to know how long until he was out of her hair. If he was already planning on leaving, why ask him to leave?

"I had been planning to stay," he studied his mate. Just wanting to take her in.

"Why?" She could feel his eyes on her.

"To unite the packs," her father interrupted again, but this time Violet was so shocked she couldn't pretend to be nonchalant.

"Unite the packs how?" She was trying to keep her voice even, but she could hear the emotions gushing from her words. Smell the apprehension. Feel her carefully balanced world tipping too far.

"By a union of course. It's only natural now that Maverick is, in fact, your mate," her father said eerily calm. Would he have done this without them being mates?

"I'm not mating with anyone," Violet said just as calmly.

"We're not asking you t—"

"How else are you supposed to unite the packs? Why would you even want to unite the packs?" She questioned. Part of her not believing this turn of events. This was not the thing she was expecting to deal with when she woke up this morning.

"Well," her father paused and looked at Maverick. "We were th—"

"You were thinking," Maverick interrupted in absolute control not worried about the disrespect he was showing. He wasn't afraid of the other Alpha. Now, Violet was really looking at him, taking as much of this male wolf in as possible, trying to really see him. Alpha Maverick looked younger than her father. "I don't agree with his views." Gold eyes met her stare like he was trying to reassure Violet, like both he and it believed she was 100% capable of leading any pack.

"As you were saying," Violet asked her father with a cocked eyebrow hoping to gain some ground in her sudden tribulation.

"I don't think you are strong enough to be the sole leader of a pack. I was far more developed as a wolf and had been trained my entire life to be Alpha," he paused to read his daughter's facial expression. "Second," he started a bit bitter. "You are a female. You aren't meant to lead the pack." A wave of angry energy washed over Violet. Something completely animalistic replacing her usual human-like demeanor. Her wolf was snarling, growling, and baring teeth at her father, her Alpha.

"Before anyone continues," Alpha Maverick started, trying to bring some peace to the situation—mostly his distressed mate. Everyone was on the edge of their seats with how the wolf's silver eyes were unwavering from their Alpha's. "She may be young, but she is mature beyond your years. She is very powerful. She's just missing the years of being wolf, which can be easily learned with a bit of effort from both her and you," he said, eyes on her claws that were digging into the table. He wanted to lay his hand over hers, but she didn't want his skin on hers.

"I'm almost two centuries old," he stated, trying to catch Violet's attention. Her eyes never strayed from her father's, but she knew instantly that she wasn't Alpha Maverick's first mate. "From what I've learned and from the times I've come from . . . I don't believe a mate is anything like what lycans and werewolves make it out to be," he seemed slightly displeased. "Your mate can be in love with you. That's all well and good, but that's not my job." Something in his voice made Violet look at him. Silver touching Gold. "Being her mate doesn't imply that we marry or even as a male that I lead her pack," he addressed his mate's father sounding completely in control of the situation, dominant.

"I understand your views, but she's only half wolf," Violet's father continued to ignore what he felt to simply be his daughter's antics. "She's not normal. The girl can't do things that most are able to do. She can do things that most shouldn't be able to do. That thing inside of her can speak. She's too radical, not normal enough. Her strength in areas is equivalent to that of an omega." That omega comment prodded an already bruised spot. Feeling threatened, she pushed the wolf down again.

"Normal," Violet said in a soft sad voice. "Half the things humans believe about 'werewolves' are wrong and the other half right. What does any species know about normal? A year ago being a lycan wasn't normal to me. No one in this family is normal. You basically just called your mate and every one of your kids degenerates. If being part human disgust you so much, then you can kiss your precious pack goodbye because without your part human kids and luna you have no way to run this pack." Violet stood and walked away leaving just the sound of her fork clattering against the table.

The air around the table changed again. Everyone realizing the depth of what was happening and how right Violet was.

"She's right," Alpha Maverick said after a moment staring at the other Alpha. "She's completely correct. If pack law worked by your judgment and views, your pack would be seen as completely illegitimate. The way you think, your views, don't work for your pack.Our Pansélinos doesn't abide by bloodlines." There was somewhat of a leer on his face. "It doesn't matter what species you are. Your mate can be anyone. If you fail to find an heir fit to your standards, than you fail to have a pack or even pack leaders.

"I feel no shame in knowing that my mate is half human, but from what I've heard you do feel so about your Luna, and Kara, I have sympathy for you because you are a beautiful female," he said sincerely to Kara, and then turned back to the other alpha male, "so now that you've established your views, what do you suppose you do, because the way I see it, right now, is you're out of an alpha, a luna, and a family," Maverick counted off. "I'm not trying to press you, but you really do have a situation on your hands if that's the way you see things. What do you suppose you do?" He stared at the supposed alpha and so did everyone else.

"I didn't say those things," the other Alpha stood abruptly, denying it. "But I don't deny the fact that I don't believe a half human—a female—is fit to run a pack." He walked away from his family.