Page 60 of Wulf's Pack
Alpha Grant nods to Leia, and she steps forward to open my cell. Skylar rushes in to hug me. I wrap her in my arms. “I’m sorry,” we say at the same time.
Skylar giggles and pulls back. We head upstairs and Luna Grant is in the kitchen with Quinn, Ben, and Isabella. “Hey!” she chirps. “Come sit down and eat!”
The smell of biscuits and sausage fill my nose, making my stomach grumble. I pause when I realize I’m looking at breakfast. “What time is it?”
“Not quite 8 a.m. You were out all night.”
Leia clears her throat. “My fault. We use really strong tranquillizers.”
We all sit down to breakfast. I have no idea what to say. I feel so stupid and weak. I feel broken. Skylar slips her hand into mine. “Stop beating yourself up,” she says. “It’s not entirely your fault. Your wolf is struggling with all of this too.”
“We talked a lot about your situation,” Alpha Grant says. “Leia had some useful insights.”
As the mate of an omega, it makes sense. I look to her, praying she has something helpful. “I was never as bad as you,” she says. “Quinn is quite a bit older than me. I was still a teen when he joined our pack. I felt the urge to protect him since the day he arrived, but when my wolf took interest in him as a mate, things got complicated. I became a bit of an obsessive stalker.”
Quinn chuckles and throws his arm around the back of Leia’s chair. “Not in a creepy way,” he says. “It was more like she became my permanent shadow. A constant bodyguard.”
Leia nods. “I couldn’t challenge my alpha. I wasn’t nearly strong enough for that, but I did all I could to make sure Quinn was as safe as possible. I trained and moved up a few ranks. Eventually, I demanded the position of chief enforcer.”
My brows lift in surprise. Alpha Grant chuckles. “She earned it,” he says. “And she’s every bit as vigilant as she was the day I gave her the position. But she relaxed a lot after she was secure in his safety.”
“Thank the moon goddess,” Quinn teases. “She was driving me insane.”
Leia shrugs without shame.
“I settled down when I was sure he was safe, but I think what helped me the most was completing our mate bond.”
I stop to consider this. Would that help us? I know wolves get possessive and protective when they claim mates. They can be a bit overbearing. They instinctively do a little nesting before the mating ceremony too, preparing to provide for their new mate. I didn’t get that chance. My poor wolf got hit with everything all at once and was not the least bit prepared for it. Suddenly, I feel for the guy. I’ve been annoyed this whole time, but I’ve never stopped to consider that he must be struggling too.
“It makes sense,” I admit. “Our connection was instant. I wasn’t prepared for a mate. I wasn’t even looking for one or considering the possibility. My wolf was as shocked by it as I was. It must have thrown his instincts into overdrive.”
“No doubt,” Alpha Grant says. “For a true lone wolf to find a mate is always unsettling at first. There’s an adjustment period while both man and wolf learn to deal with new instincts.”
Luna Grant nods gravely. “Add to that the fact that she’s your true mate, and your bond is only half complete.”
“And she’s an omega,” Isabella says.
Leia pipes in next. “And she was hurt when you found her and had just escaped an abusive situation.” I’m surprised she knows our history. They must have talked about a lot while I was out.
Skylar squeezes my thigh. “And there’s the immediate danger from Victor’s pack.”
“Frankly,” Alpha Grant says, “you’re lucky your mind hasn’t fractured. It shows your true strength that your wolf hasn’t taken complete control. With the amount of pressure you’re under, you could have lost yourself to your beast entirely. I’ve seen wolves break from less.”
I gulp. Every shifter fears, on some level, losing themselves to their beast. We walk a fine line, balancing our human nature with our animal selves. We have to know when to give and take. It’s a constant battle and a compromise. I’ve been afraid since the first time my wolf took control and almost claimed those rogues. I’d not felt that since I was a pup learning to share my body with my animal. And it’s been easier for my beast to take the reins each time since. If I can’t do something, I might lose myself.
Calm floods into me, making me realize I’m on the verge of panic. I shudder as the sensation washes over my whole body, relaxing my muscles and slowing my racing heart. I clasponto Skylar’s hand like she’s the only thing keeping me from drowning. “Honestly, I think it’s all Skylar,” I admit. “She’s kept me focused, calm, and grounded through this whole mess.” I meet my mate’s eyes, and emotion clogs my throat. “I swear you’re the only thing keeping me sane.”
Her eyes are shiny with unshed tears. The sadness in them breaks my heart. I know it’s only sympathy for me, but I can’t help feeling like I’m letting her down.
“You’re probably right,” Alpha Grant says. “Her omega influence and the mate bond you share might be the only things tethering you to your humanity.”
“You said your bond is incomplete?” Isabella asks.
Skylar and I both nod. “It’s hard to explain,” Skylar says. “It snapped into place when we met. We’re connected, but the link isn’t whole. I think we still need the magic of the bite to fuse our souls. I can feel a little of his feelings, but they’re hard to discern. My soul feels like it’s almost complete, but not quite. My wolf is waiting for that bond. She’s restless.”
I jerk my head back in surprise. This is news to me. “She’s restless? How come you didn’t say anything?”
She smiles softly. “We’ve been a little preoccupied, and I—” Her face turns scarlet. “Well, we just met. I didn’t want you to think I…”
