He hugged me again. "If this doesn't tell you what I want, then I shall just have to wear you down."

His fingers traced my spine sending a shiver through me. "You want sex?"

He stared at me surprised. "You an odd person Duha."

"I am straightforward. It makes life easier. If I'm angry, I show it; if I'm hurt, I show you."

He smiled and drew closer. "To answer your question yes."

I nodded. "That is part of being your mate?"

"Unless you are uncomfortable with it yes."

I leaned into him. "I don't know if I'm uncomfortable with it."

"You don't see yourself as a woman do you?" His question took me off guard. Not really. I don't wake up and say I'm a woman. What is a woman anyway? Is it just what my body is? I know I'm physically a woman but am I just a woman? He ran his fingers down my spine again resting them on my hip. "You don't have to answer me."

"I don't have an answer. I don't know what it means to be a woman."

He lifted his hand from my waist to brush it across my chest. "You are you Duha, just as you always say. I will do this at your speed. You are the one that is finding yourself in this new place."

I stood straight and looked into his face. "You will stay?" He nodded. "For me?"

"For you Duha."

I looked at the ominous feeling and felt the death that seemed to hang over the village as Rat had mentioned. "Then we must decide who is the alpha of this pack."

He chuckled. "I think it has to be you. I think you would find me in charge of grating."

Alpha of my own pack. Thinking those words made me feel stronger. I have a pack! I looked over at Michi. He stood smiling at me now he had stepped away. Something changed in me that always did when I looked at him. His shirt was always straining against his chest and his arms were very muscled. He looked like he could handle himself in a fight.

He moved closer suddenly and pulled me into him. He bent and kissed me. I felt shock at first then when his hand found its way into my shirt again, the heat I felt rising in me grew.

When he pulled back and smiled at me that heat stayed. That's what happened last time when I ended up in his bed. "I think this is the first time I've seen you flustered Duha." I growled at him grabbing his hand and leading him away from the wagon. Michi looked confused as I pulled him along. "Where are you taking me Duha?"

I stopped walking at a place that was thick with trees and hidden from view on all sides. "There are things you need to know about an alpha."

He frowned as I stood in the dim space. "What is that?"

I looked him in the eyes. "I can't look weak in front of anyone...except my mate."

He opened his mouth to ask what I meant when I felt the fist tears fall from my eyes. He came closer to me and wrapped me in his strong arms. "I never meant to upset you Duha."

He stroked my hair like I had to Katja. "I'm not upset... I'm happy."

He smiled. "Alright then. You are happy."

"I thought I would spend the rest of my life alone. Then you want me to be your mate and make a pack with me."

I cried for the first time since my family had been killed. The tears I had forsworn for so long flooded out of me, the good and the bad all at once. In his strong arms, I allowed myself to be weak. Only with your mate can you be weak, only then can you show that you can be hurt. You howl into the sky to rid yourself of the bad, and then you hide alone. I'm not alone now. I can be weak.

I sat up panting and warmth surrounded me. "You are safe Pup." Duha's voice brushed my ears with softness.

I looked around me feeling dazed. The light of the sun drifted through the curtain at the front of the wagon. Michi moved the curtain back and looked in. "She's alright, Michi, just a nightmare."

He nodded and moved away. Since when did she use his name rather than his beast name? What did he want to talk to her about? "Come on, Pup, we need to eat, then find a new place to stay where I can watch over the village." Clinging to Duha's arm my words were stuck in my mouth. "You are shaking Pup. It's alright to need your... mum." She picked me up and put me in her lap. "You didn't have a childhood so you get to have one now. You are a Pup to me. If you need to be weak you can be without shame."

I turned my face into her chest as she rubbed my back. "Michi." I heard movement at Duha's call. "We need to move but Pup needs time. Can you get us to that place I found?"

"Of course Alpha." Duha stiffened at that word.

What does that mean? I looked up at Duha as the wagon started to move. She saw the movement and looked down at me her frown turning into a smile. I want to ask her but... I can't make myself speak. There are so many questions I have but my voice won't speak them. Duha stroked my head. "You don't need to be tortured by not being able to speak Pup. It happens to me too."

The gentle rocking of the wagon and Duha stroking my hair made me feel safe again after the nightmare of the village burning. I watched Michi's head as the wagon bumped along. "What does alpha mean?" My voice was small and cracked.

Michi laughed as Duha offered me some water. "It is what Wolves call a pack leader." She said as I drank the offered water.

"Why did Michi call you that?"

Duha sighed as Michi answered. "Because she is in charge." Duha growled, not in anger more like a complaint. Michi chuckled. "I take it now is not the time?"

"No." Duha said quietly but sternly.

What is going on with these two? "Mum, what is going on?" I couldn't keep fear out of my voice.

I've been in a family that were like this... they were not nice to each other and I ended up back with the old woman that ran that home. "We are adjusting to our new roles." Her voice was soft and calming when she spoke to me in contrast to the way she spoke to Michi.

Watching her chest rise and fall with her breathing was carming. "Do you have more questions Pup?"

I nodded but kept quiet not wanting to share right now. Duha kissed my forehead and I smiled. I do feel like a child in her arms. It's like she is trying to give me what I didn't get when I was younger. I'm happy to let her.

The wagon stopped and then rocked as Michi climbed down. "Are you ready yet Pup?"

I shook my head. No...this is warm and nice. I let Duha pick me up and walk over to the bed. She sat down on it leaning back against the wall. Michi climbed back in and gave us a warm smile. He sat down pulling food from the bags next to the small cooker in the corner. After a little while of cuddling, I shifted and Duha let me up. I moved back to the floor where I had made a bed.

Duha watched me with a curious expression on her face. Michi brought me a plate of food then took the other two and sat on the bed with Duha.

Michi put a plate on Duha's lap. Something has happened between them. I watched him as he took her hand, and she let him, still watching me. "We need to talk to you about something Pup." Here it comes... We have found each other and now we would like to start a family. There isn't enough room for the new baby and you. We love you but now we have one on the way... All the things people had said to me before flashed across my mind and I braced for impact. "It looks like our pack is getting bigger again... if you are alright with this that is."

My brain stopped for a moment as the words sunk in. I frowned feeling confused. Me? If I'm alright with it? "I took you in Pup. You and the boy, now... Michi wishes to be in our pack. I told him last night that I.." She stopped talking and looked at him. "I told him I would accept him as a mate if you are alright with it."

Nodding I looked at the plate in my lap. "You can do what you want.... mum."

"No Pup." Her soft tone made me look up at her. "You have a choice in this. This is your pack too."

I frowned again. "My pack? You're not making me leave?"

Duha shook her head at me. "No Pup. You are my Pup, Wolves don't abandon their Pups." My vision became blurred Duha moved her plate and came to me. She scooped me up putting me in her lap. "No need for tears Pup. I won't reject you like the others did." Michi came over, too, and took my hand. "I know what happened to you child. Being pushed from pillar to post and always handed back to that old witch that ran that home. You don't need to go through that again."

"I have... a... family." My tears made my voice waver.

Duha smiled and kissed my head. "Then you accept this pack?"

I nodded. Michi hugged us both and kissed Duha. He let us go and fetched the breakfast Duha had left on the bed. Duha held me while Michi fed me. Then they ate their breakfast.

Duha struggled slightly with me on her lap but she insisted on me staying put.

After our meal, we started our day. Duha spared with me, while Michi looked over the wagon for damage and tended the animals. He then started tidying things.

This was what we did for the rest of the daylight hours. When the sun set Duha walked off to watch the village. I waited for her on the edge of our little clearing. I will wait in case she needs help. I thought staring into the deep shadows of the trees. "Pup." I turned to Michi. "Go to bed. I will watch for her."

"Are you sure?" He nodded and hugged me. "Alright... Dad."

He smiled and let me go. I walked back to the wagon and laid down on my makeshift bed on the floor. I was drifting off when I heard Duha's voice. "She went to bed?"

"Yes an hour ago." I moved and peeked out under the curtain. Duha and Michi stood close together. I saw her kiss him, Michi put his arm around her waist. "So, what is happening?" He asked.

"Nothing... let's go to bed... I'm feeling dizzy."

As he took her hand and headed for the cart I laid back down. Duha climbed in and sat down next to my bed. "It's time for you to sleep Pup." She stroked my hair as Michi climbed in and went to the stove.

"I will make us a hot drink so you can take your medication."

"Thank you." Duha replied softly.

Soon, the silence in the wagon and Duha's hand on my head finished the job that boredom started, and I fell asleep.

Michi made the hot drinks and I sat on the bed with him. "So nothing is going on?" He asked softly.

"It looks like they are cleaning and making the place comfortable. I didn't see Dragon or Rat, and their wagon was being left alone, and it was dark. I think they have gone somewhere." He nodded finishing his drink.

He looked at Katja and sighed. "I suppose we should sleep then."

I frowned at him and moved closer. Lowering my voice I asked. "What's wrong?"

He eyed me and shook his head. "Let's just go to bed."

Laying on the bed made him give me a surprised look. This whole time I had spent on the floor with Katja. He is surprised I will share a bed with him now he is my mate?

Michi laid down behind me and put his arm around me. "This takes me back."

I rolled over to face him. "To when I was wounded?" He nodded. "Although you did hurt my feelings a little running off after sharing a night with me."

I smiled. "You were not my mate then."

He squeezed me. "I am now."

I yawned. "We will get to that soon. For now, I need sleep."

He nodded yawning after me. My eyes felt heavy and soon I was falling asleep.