Chapter Text
Sylvie tossed her book aside and sighed. She was bored. And lonely. Mostly lonely, and it was strange. Ever since she had been Changed, she had been connected to someone. First it was her Maker, may he rest in peace. Then it was her first pack, which she was glad to be rid of, and then for that last twenty years, Zed’s pack. A sharp knot formed in her stomach thinking about her pack mates. Her former pack mates. Twenty-three of them gone, only three remaining, just like that. The knot tightened.
Resolutely, she straightened her spine and lifted her chin. She had made the decision to leave the pack. If Zed hadn’t done what he had done, if there were more than just her, Ted, and Ira left, she would have stayed. She hadn’t been perfectly happy there, what with the constant pressure to take a mate and being considered less than because she was a female, but it had been familiar.
Unwilling to re-hash the past and her recent decisions, she reached for her book when the doorbell rang. The hair on the back of her neck rose. She hadn’t heard anyone approach the house and that was rare. Werewolf hearing usually told her someone was there long before the person reached the door.
Warily and quietly she approached the door. She stood on tiptoe and looked through the peephole. Her mouth dropped open and she gasped. Samuel and Charles Cornick were at her front door. That could not be good news. Her mind raced; what could she have done to upset the Marrok? Charles was his enforcer, his assassin. No one wanted Charles at their doorstep. She winced, remembering what Charles had done to Zed.
“It’s okay, Sylvie,” Samuel said softly, clearly knowing she was on the other side of the door. “We just need to talk to you. There is nothing wrong.”
Sylvie blew out a heavy breath and turned the deadbolt and unlocked the door. Quickly, she pulled it open and stepped aside to let the two werewolves into her temporary home. With the easy grace that only a werewolf could master, the two entered the house and she waved them towards the small living room.
She closed the door and turned to face them. As true gentlemen they waited for her before they sat.
“Please, sit,” she said, and took a seat on the overstuffed chair where she had been not-reading. The brothers sat on the matching couch. Sylvie clasped her hands and put them on her lap, determined not to squirm even though she was sure they could hear her thundering heart.
“I’m sorry we startled you,” Samuel said. “I realize that for many people having both of us at the door is not a good thing.” He shot a look at his brother and grinned. “Especially him. He scares the bejeezus out of everyone.”
Charles arched an eyebrow at his brother. “You’re an ER doctor who spends his days in blood and guts. I don’t know that that’s any better.”
Sylvie knew they were doing the teasing banter to try and help her relax but it only made her more nervous. She wanted to know why they were here so that she could find a way to deal with it.
“Why are you here?” she blurted out and winced. She had not meant to be so blunt. “Is something wrong?”
“Yes,” Charles said. “It’s about Da.”
Sylvie swallowed. “Bran? Is he…? Did he…?”
“He’s fine,” Samuel said. “It’s complicated, but he’s not out of control. You are safe.”
Sylvie nodded, relieved. Everyone in the Marrok’s pack and, all visitors, had been told to go to their houses and stay there. Ever since Leah’s death a week ago, Bran had shut himself away inside his house, fighting to keep control of his wolf. No one was allowed to approach the house or to contact him. As far as she knew, Samuel, Charles, and Charles’ mate, Anna, were the only ones interacting with Bran.
“That’s good,” she said. She searched their faces. “Right? I mean, I don’t know Bran, but everyone knows his story. About the Berserker. I’ve stayed inside. I haven’t stuck so much as a foot outside.”
“Thank you, “ Charles said. “We appreciate it, especially since you are a guest. Obviously this was not what you expected when you, Ted, and Ira came here.”
“No problem,” she said. “I appreciate Bran letting me stay for a few weeks to try and figure things out.”
“You’re welcome here,” Samuel said. “When Da told you that you were welcome to join the Pack, he was sincere.”
She nodded but wasn’t completely convinced. Bran’s pack was made up of everyone from newly made to incredibly old wolves, several of whom were having trouble controlling themselves. He had a core group of strong, solid wolves, including Charles and Anna, but still, Bran was known for collecting strays.
“Have you thought about it?” Samuel asked. “Joining the Pack here?”
“Um…yes,” she said. “But, I’m not sure what I’m going to do, or where I want to go. There’s no particular place I have in mind, but I’m not ready to join another pack just yet. I’m still…reeling from what happened.”
“Completely understandable,” Samuel said. “You’ve been through something horrible. It’s going to take a long time to process it.”
“Are you thinking about becoming a lone wolf?” Charles asked. She took in his expression and wasn’t sure if it was concern or disapproval. Maybe both.
“Yes,” she said. “I am thinking about it. I can’t stay here and mooch on Bran’s hospitality. I do not want to go back to Tehachapi. I don’t have any family, so I’ve just been thinking about where I want to go, and where I could find a good job.”
“Female lone wolves are extremely rare,” Charles said, slowly. “Any pack that you come in contact with is going to want to claim you.”
She knew that. As an unmated female, she was a hot commodity just because a mated male was more reliable and stable than an unmated one. The problem was, she was a dominant female, and that was not welcome in most packs. Typically, the female’s place in the pack was determined by her mate’s rank. A few packs, like Adam Hauptman’s in Columbia Basin had tossed aside that misogynistic view, but it was still the norm. She was actually wondering if Hauptman would be willing to add an unmated dominant female wolf.
She raised her head and met Charles’ eyes briefly before pointing her gaze over his left shoulder.
“I know that, but I was hoping that Bran would give me his…blessing? His protection? So that packs would know I am not up for grabs.”
“He could do that,” Samuel said quietly, “but there’s no guarantee that all packs will respect it.”
Sylvie shot a surprised glance at Samuel. “Are there that many stupid wolves that would defy the Marrok?”
Samuel chuckled. “Openly, blatantly? No, but it’s a big country, and there are lots of packs. He can’t know what is going on in each one all the time.”
“Like what happened in your pack,” Charles said, his voice ordering her to look at him. Their eyes met and held. “Until one of the wolves contacted Da, he had no idea that Zed was using witchcraft to try and stop wolves from changing during the full moon so that the females could carry a pregnancy. You could be dragged into a pack, and no one would be the wiser for a long time.”
She swallowed, imagining that very thing. But, she had given a lot of thought to this, and she thought she had a solid plan.
“I’m not talking about roaming all over the place,” she said. “I’m researching places I am interested in, where I could get a job, and then looking at the local pack, if there is one. I wouldn’t move somewhere unless I had Bran’s assurance that the pack there was trustworthy.”
“Even if they are trustworthy,” Charles said, “They are still going to pressure you to join them. Unmated females are few and far between, and you are an educated professional who brings even more to a pack.”
“I’m used to that,” she said, waving away his point. “I’ve been pressured since I was made.” She pulled her gaze from Charles to look at Samuel and then back at Charles. “I’m not a submissive or a weakling. I won’t be pushed into taking a mate to make someone else happy.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Samuel grin. Charles shook his head regretfully.
“I understand your point of view,” Charles said. “And I don’t agree with packs, especially Alphas, trying to pressure females into choosing mates, but it more common than not. It will be even harder for you with a new pack.”
“I know that,” she said firmly. “I’m prepared.”
“So,” Samuel said after a moment, and she looked back over at him. “That’s not what we came to talk to you about.”
“Okay,” she said, waiting.
“It’s about Da,” Samuel said, slowly, “and the Pack here.”
“My wife, Anna,” Charles said. “Is, as you know, an Omega. Her presence is helping Da’s wolf from…getting out of control.” He glanced at his brother. “Samuel and I are helping, as is the whole Pack, although Da is not pulling strength from the Pack as much as we would like.”
“He’s trying not to hurt anyone,” Samuel said. “Physically or mentally. That’s why everyone was told to go home and stay there.”
“Anna is helping his wolf a great deal, but there is a limit to what she can do,” Charles continued. “We have been trying to convince Da to pull strength from the Pack. There are a lot of strong wolves here, and they all want to help him.”
“Wolves all over the country want to help him!” Sylvie burst out. “He could draw on all of us, and we would help!”
Samuel smiled, and nodded. “But, at the same time, he is the Marrok, and he must not show weakness. Everyone is already on edge, waiting to see how he is going to handle Leah’s death. Many are expecting the worst. Some may even be hoping for it.”
“Which we want to avoid,” Charles said. “We are going to have Da draw on the pack to help calm and heal his wolf. The more wolves we have, the better.” He paused. “The more female wolves we have, the better.”
The knot in her stomach burst into a searing ball of fire. Oh god. Ohgodohgodohgod. They wanted her to join the Pack.
Instinctively, she raised her hands, palms out, to them.
“No. No, I can’t just join the Pack,” she rushed out. “The Alpha, Bran, has to be the one to add me to the Pack, and he can’t do that now, and—“
“Da has temporarily handed over control of the Pack to me,” Charles cut in. “I can bring you into the Pack, even if he objects. Which, he won’t. His invitation was genuine. You would be a great asset to us.”
“Still,” Sylvie said. “I—I’m not ready. I can’t make that big of a decision now.”
“It can be reversed,” Samuel said quietly. “As soon as Da is back on his feet, Charles can release you.”
“But if Bran is back in charge—“
“I will release you before turning the Pack back over to Da. Even so, he would never force you to stay.”
Sylvie surged to her feet and started pacing between the diminutive dining area and the small living room. She always thought better when she was moving. Distantly she realized she was asking the men to trust her at their backs, but she doubted they would feel threatened by her at all. She ran everything they had said through her mind, and it just didn’t add up. She could not see why she would bring anything into the Pack. Just the idea of joining another Pack so soon made her throat tight. She wasn’t ready.
She stopped in front of them, and briefly met both of their eyes.
“I just don’t see how me being in the Pack makes a difference. I’m not an omega. I’m unmated, which usually causes more trouble, not less. I just don’t see it.”
“You’re right,” Samuel began. “Unmated females can cause stress within a pack; especially if there are unmated males. But, that’s because the males’ instinct is to compete for the females. In this case, Da doesn’t feel the need to compete. Charles is his second, and he’s mated. I’m mated. None of the unmated males here are any match for Da, and he knows it. He’s not threatened by them. So, you being a strong wolf, and a female, is all positive.”
“Anna says that female energy is different than males,” Charles said, and he raised his hand as Sylvie started to object. “It brings a sense of nurturing, of home, and safety. I know that sounds misogynistic, and it is a stereotype, but remember that our wolves are not caught up in human reasoning. To our wolves, it is all about balance, safety, security. Having males and females together in a pack makes it stronger, and our Pack is lacking in females.”
Sylvie stared at them in dismay. She was going to have to do this. How could she say no to the Marrok who had saved her, Ted, and Ira? If Bran lost control all hell would break loose among the American werewolves. There wouldn’t be any safe place for her to go. There would be no safe place for anyone. With Bran gone there was no guess as to how the American government and public would respond. She didn’t think it would make things better for wolves. Not at all.
She heaved a sigh, swallowed the threatening tears, and threw up her hands.
“I don’t have a choice. Okay. When do you want to do this?”
“You do have a choice,” Samuel said. “We are not going to force you to do this.”
“I can’t refuse the Marrok, can I? He sent Charles to Zed’s pack and that saved me, Ira, and Ted. If he loses control or doesn’t survive, then all hell breaks loose. I don’t think I’m going to make any difference, but if there is a chance that I can help, even in a small way, then I need to do it.”
She turned to Charles. “You promise me that as soon as Bran is out of danger, you will release me from the Pack? No matter what?”
Charles nodded.
“Yes, I promise, as the current Alpha of the Marrok’s Pack, that I will release you from our Pack bonds as soon as Bran is well, if that is what you wish.”
She nodded back at him and shoved all of her feelings aside. She had to do this.
“Okay. Now what?”
“There is a pack meeting tonight at 7pm at my house. Samuel and Anna will stay with Da. I will induct you into the Pack, and then all of us will talk about how to help him.”
Samuel came to his feet and reached out to squeeze her shoulder. “Thank you. I’ve been a lone wolf for years. It was something I had to do to keep my sanity. It was lonely, but it was also very freeing. I know how hard it is to give up that freedom, even temporarily.”
She gave him a half-hearted smile.
Charles also stood and she tilted her head back to look up at him.
“Thank you,” he said softly, and tipped his head to her briefly before turning and heading for the door. A chill zipped down her spine. She had a feeling that Charles Cornnick didn’t say ‘thank you’ to many people.