After a few more days of bed rest, and I am as good as new.

I'm not sure how I feel about Mark leaving. I think I might actually miss him.

After I shower and dress, I head downstairs with Mark at my heels.

"You know," I say as we go down the steps. "I was thinking."

Mark smiles. "You were thinking? Now what have I told you about that, your going to hurt yourself!" He teases, making me smile and I shake my head.

"I was thinking that we should have a big cookout or bonfire so our packs could meet, you know, before you go back."

"Well, I could agree with that." He says, as we walk into the kitchen to find my father, I smell him in here.

"Daddy," I say, and he turns around, his big brown eyes going soft when he sees me.

He turns to engulf me in a hug, his big arms nearly hiding me all together. "Oh, hey honey, are you feeling better?"

I nod and wiggle away so I can breathe again. "Yeah, thanks. Actually, I had an idea. Since Mark has to go, I sagest that we have a cookout or bonfire with both packs." I lower my gaze as I add, "Also, I was thinking, that even if we don't accept each other, we could still combine packs, couldn't we?"

My father tilts his head slightly, a strange action for a big man, his dark eyes glinting. "Well, I suppose that could be done, but the strain of being so close and Unaccepted might be very hard on the both of you."

I look up at Mark, looking into his eyes as I speak to my father. "I think we could handle it. Your a little to old for me anyways." I tease him during the last part, and he cracks a smile.

"What's wrong with a 6 year difference?" He jokes, then laughs.

Our ages are a little far apart in my opinion

"And you would be comfortable with this?" My father asks, looking at both of us.

I nod, and he looks at Mark, and he hesitates only for a moment, then nods as well.

"It would be best for both of the packs." Mark says, looking at my father with his alpha-ness kicking in.

I agree.

~_~_~_~~_~_~_~_~

We planned the gathering for Saturday, that way, if anyone in Mark's pack works, they would be able to attend.

The day of the party came, and I change into a white sundress, slipping on my sandals and hopping down the stairs. I leave my ebony hair down, letting it flow down to my waist, and I put my makeup on carefully this morning.

"Morning daddy!" I say, Standing on my toes to kiss his cheek. He's currently standing over the stove, frying some eggs. There are about 20 eggs on a plate that he had already finished.

A few pack boys, Jase and my brother among them, flock around, reaching over my small frame to grab the eggs, not bothering to get plates.

They scatter, following my brother out of the room, all of them laughing and hooting like hyenas. Very mature.

I roll my eyes and Uncle Luke walks into the room, doing it as well.

We walks over to me, his crystal blue eyes shining. "Hey princess," He says, ruffling my hair.

I push him away playfully, shoving his hands away. "Stop it, your gonna ruin my hair!" I laugh.

He smiles and chuckles, pulling away and goes to stand next to my father.

"Are we inviting the Rose Mountain pack?" I ask, hoisting myself up on a barstool at the table, swinging my legs.

My father turns to look at me over his shoulder. "I already did. I figured you would want to see Dylan." He says, smiling and turning the stove off.

I smile and hop off the counter. "I really do!" I miss my gay friend!

~__~_~_~__~__~_~_~

"DYLAN!!" I squeal, running to him and jumping up to hug him as he climbs out of a silver Chevey Avalanche.

He lifts me up, and hugs me tightly. "Omigosh I forgot how beautiful you are!!" He cries, twirling us in a circle before setting me down to look at me. "Lyra, isn't she stunning?"

The small, timid girl climbs out of the car that Dylan had been riding in, and nods, her brown curls bouncing. "Oh yes, but I never got to see you in person, only as your wolf! But you are VERY beautiful!"

I smile, blushing a little, and wave my hand. "Oh, thank you, but that's an overstatement!"

Dylan starts to argue, but I clamp a hand over his mouth, smiling at Lyra, and take his hand, pulling them up to the porch.

After situating them with glasses of iced tea or lemonaid, I tell Dylan and Lyra about Mark and I's situation.

Dylan nods. "Well, I can see that, and it might be the best choice for the both of you." He says, very soulfully taking a sip out of his cup. "Oh, this is fantastic!" He exclaims "Did you make it?"

I laugh and shake my head. "No! That was Rose." I say, pointing to her through the crowd of wolves. She's talking to a few boys and a girl from The Rose Mountains.

She's dressed in a pretty peach colored skirt and a white t-shirt, and her long hair flows past her shoulders.

I look around and noticed that there is a large group of guys sitting around the un-lit camp fire. Actually, that's un understatement. There are about a hundred men standing by the large pile of wood.

They must be Mark's men. Speak of the devil, he looks over at me from we're he was speaking to my father, and smiles.

I smile back and wave him over.

"Hey," He says. "Something wrong?"

I point over to his pack. "Your guys seem to be a bit stiff over there. Go tell them to lighten up a little and mingle! This is a party, not a funereal!" I say smiling up at him.

He swallows, as if I'm making him uncomfortable, and then smiles and nods. "Sure thing Belle."

I still can't help but shiver when he says my name.

"Oh. My. Gosh. Is THAT him!?" Dylan squeaks like a 12 year old fan girl, clinging to my arm.

I sigh, my smile still present. "Yes, Dylan, that's him. And no," I cut him off as he opens his mouth. "He most certainly isn't gay!"

He looks disappointed, and states after Mark like a sad puppy. "Aw... That's too bad, that's one fine hunk of meat!"

After their alpha reaches them, the guys stand straight and turn their attention fully to him.

I hear his voice carry, but I can't understand what he's saying to them, but they nod when he is finished, and they follow him over to the porch, some stopping at the lawn to mingle with the other packs.

One of the guys, a handsome young kid, maybe a year or two older than me, has his eye caught by Megan, and stops to talk to her. Poor soul.

Mark comes back over to me, dragging a kid behind him that I recognize immediately as Frederick.

He tosses him in front of me, and he rubs the back of his neck were his Alpha had grabbed him before looking up at me.

"Fred has something to say to you." Mark says to me, then glares down at Frederick.

He flinches under his gaze and then lowers his head. "I am sorry. For, er- challenging you the other day."

I make a face at that. "For challenging me? I don't find that a problem. I love a challenge. But thank you, I accept your apology. "

Mark swats the back of the boy's head, and he scurries away, back into the crowd.

I try not to laugh as I see Dylan checking Mark out. He doesn't seem to notice.

Someone yells to turn the music up, and as soon as the music is up, I see why.

I gasp as my favorite song comes on, and I smile, hopping off of the deck table, setting my drink down.

Mark sees this and smiles, and shocks me by taking my hand. In my shock, I follow we're he leads me to the middle of the deck.

I see Zael and Jase step forward from were they leaned on the wall of the house, but stop when they see that his touch doesn't hurt me.

Mark spins me around to face him, and starts dancing, me following his lead.

"Ho- how am I- how am I okay?" I ask, looking down at his hand in mine as we move to the music, me mechanically.

He smiles and rests his forward on mine, making me blush at the proximity. "I accepted you."

My mate, accepted me.