USELESS?

2

The next morning, the entire pack stands outside the door to our room, to see my mark. The pack laws state that the "morning after" has to be witnessed, and the mating mark verified. I wonder how many reluctant mates running away it took for them to establish that law...

I'm not used to so many pack members watching me. They usually ignore me, as I'm not allowed to train, read, or do anything outside the pack house. I'm an embarrassment to the pack, and my only job is to make sure I'm not seen, or heard, no matter what. Even the Omegas have jobs within the pack house, or even in town, and junior pack members go to school, but not me.

For as long as I can remember, I've been homeschooled, though I wasn't really taught much, just drilled mercilessly in pack law. Probably because they think if I'm allowed out of the pack house, I'd run away. They're right. This is my home, my pack, but I don't think I belong here. I don't know if I belong anywhere, honestly.

I don't know who my parents are. When I was ranked, Alpha Todd told me my parents were high-ranked wolves, but my mother died giving birth to me, and my father killed himself in grief over her death. They were both only children, and had no family, so I was left all alone. I guess someone took care of me, since I survived, but I can't remember who. If they gave me a name, I don't remember that, either. I've never been anything but "boy" or, once I passed normal shifting age without a wolf, "Useless."

Dale was so rough last night, coming to me three times after the first round, and I can barely walk this morning. I duck my head, trying to ignore the snickers, knowing looks, and leers from my pack as they watch me pass them on my way to the kitchen. It's the submissive mate's duty to fetch food for their mate during the mating period-another pack law. They even have special "mating rooms," each room set up like the honeymoon suite of a hotel, or so I'm told.

Newly mated pairs spend a week in a mating room, building their mate bond. The dominant partner is excused from all duties, and the only duty of the submissive partner is to see to the needs of their mate. During the week, family members of the mated pair move their belongings into a new suite designed for mated pairs, leaving the single rooms for unmated wolves. Since I have no family, I'll have to find my stuff after the mating week. If I'm lucky, it'll be packed into storage. If not, well...I may not have anything but the clothes that I brought into the mating room before our ceremony.

Thankfully, the kitchen is empty except for a couple of Omegas. I take my time fixing food, hoping the crowd will go away before I go back to the room. I find myself praying to the Goddess that this is all a mistake, a nightmare that I'll wake up from soon...but the Goddess has never seemed to hear my prayers. I wonder if she's really there, or if she's given up on me, too.

Hefting the fully-laden tray of food, I head back towards the room. The crowd is still there, though they part to let me pass. I guess they want to make sure I stay where I belong. Several people touch me as I pass, pinching my arms or my still-sore ass. I don't know who does it, but I don't bother trying to see. It happens all the time. When I mentioned it to Dale, he just laughed and told me to ignore it.

I reach the room, and struggle to grab the handle. Someone is nice enough to open it for me, and I mumble a quiet "thanks" before slipping through the door and leaning against the wood to close it. I walk slowly to the bed and set down the tray, retreating to a corner to wait for Dale to eat first. By pack law, now that we're mated, he comes first. I can't eat, sleep, or even bathe until he has done so or tells me I can.

Dale leaves a couple of pieces of bread, some fruit, and a wedge of cheese on the tray, but eats the rest. "Get your useless ass over here and eat," he says, pushing the tray towards me. "Then set the tray on the dresser and strip for me."

I quickly do as I'm told. It's not much, but it's food, and it's fresh. I don't get that much, since meals are based on rankings, and I'm ranked below even Omegas, or at least I was, before Dale claimed me as his mate 3 years ago, and I was given a presumptive rank as his future mate. I guess they want to ensure that the submissive partner is healthy enough to survive the mating week and bear pups quickly, so they have the presumptive rank law in place for Omegas and kidnapped human mates.

Even though I'm a male, as a submissive mate, I can still bear pups. I pray to the Goddess that no one realizes I've been sneaking into the pack's infirmary every month and giving myself birth control shots. If I get the chance to leave, I don't want a pup to hold me back. Although, now that I have been marked by my mate, I'll never be able to get away. He'll be able to find me, no matter where I go.

I finish eating, undress, and reluctantly climb back on the bed next to Dale, who immediately flips me so I'm on my stomach, ties my hands to the bottom of the headboard, and lifts my ass in the air, before pouring lube on my entrance and shoving his hard member into me yet again. I wonder if the pack is still outside the door, listening to my screams.

It's times like this that I hope the Goddess decides not to give me a long life. Werewolves usually have extraordinarily long lives, unless killed in battle, but I hope I am an exception. I'm too much of a coward to take my own life. Maybe I'll get lucky, and not survive the mating week.