Hit Me...

Introduced.

Shayde

Well that didn't take long. A whole thirty minutes!  I knew it wouldn't last too long. That's sort of a blow to my acting skills though. "How did you know?" My voice is defeated but unsurprised.

Olivia just shrugged. "It made sense. That and Seth has only looked at one person like that in his life. I had a feeling you two were mates ever since we were kids."

Before I could blush, I covered it. I have never blushed in my life. I'm not starting now. Seth just laughed. Olivia stood up and hugged me. I would probably accept it, except... I have a hole in my shoulder. I flinch, and Olivia's eyes widen. "Oh god, your shoulder. I'm so sorry I forgot. Here sit down. Morgan, go get my medical kit. Seth, help me get her hoodie off. " The boys quickly get to work. They act like I'm dying. It's quite funny actually.

"Pack doctor? You always did have a thing for helping people. Your parents would be proud." Olivia froze for a minute at the mention of her parents.

"How did you know?"

"About your parents? I may be the only one left of my pack, but I haven't forgotten the laws and customs. I was to be Luna as well at some point remember. " Seth looks at me and I see the pity. "This idiot couldn't be alpha until the previous one died or passed it on. Take no offence, your father was a kind and fair alpha but he was too proud to do the latter. Much like his son." Olivia laughs, and Seth pokes his tongue out. Child.

The two pull my hoodie off. Both treating me like a china doll. I'm not sure whether to feel offended or grateful for that so instead I just shut up. Morgan comes back with a red bag with a white cross on it.

"This might sting a little." I can guarantee I've had worse. Olivia wipes the wound with alcohol to disinfect it. Luckily the bullet went straight through and missed everything important so no need to go digging around. Olivia stitches me up and starts to wrap me in cloth.

When she finishes, I thank her. She and Morgan leave the room. I turn to Seth. He straightens his wandering eyes and I smirk. His green eyes have gone a few shades darker. He pulls me into his arms and I wrap my good arm around the back of his neck.

"See something you like?" I tease.

"Yes." I laugh and he smiles a genuine smile. I have missed him so much. He rests his forehead against mine and our noses touch. I close my eyes, and for the first time in years, possibly a decade, I relax. My mate's scent surrounds me, much more prominent than my own. Spearmint and chocolate. Enticing. Addictive. His.

When I'm with him, I forget who I am. What I am. What they made me.

Seth makes me think I'm not a monster.

I'm not going anywhere.

***

An hour later, Aria and Rhydion have left for the cabin, everyone has gathered in the garden; the same garden where less than two hours earlier roughly fifty men were on their knees at gun point. Women, children and men now gathered here in hopes of good news from their alpha; my mate.

The garden truly is beautiful. The grass and forest surround the modern, yet hidden, pack house. The early morning sky, a refreshing blue contrasting against the grievous events tonight. A light breezes passes through the forest, overwhelming my senses with the scents.

I watched from afar as everyone settled down and sat on the grass with their families, old and young, big and small. I remember when our pack had meetings not too dissimilar to this one. Our pack however, had smaller numbers compared to the hundreds of men, women and children, of all ages, gathered here today.

This pack hosted a variety of personalities, races and backgrounds as not everyone was born to this pack. If members of another pack left their pack in search for another, they could although it would be a painful process of severing relations and bonds that could affect each Lycan differently, mentally and physically. Hence why the process was rare without good reason. The process was harder and more painful the higher in command or closer to the alpha you were.

Drifters is the term used for Lycans who left their pack and couldn't find or didn't bond with another.

Seth comes into view as he stands over his pack. Power basically radiates off him. Honestly,  it sends a shiver down my spine.

Where are you, Shayde? I need you up here with me.

Mental conversations. I'm still getting used to having mental bonds again. I haven't had them in a decade.

I'm watching from a distance. Seth looks around covertly.

Great. Just means a dramatic entrance. And like that he finds me in my view point; in a tree; twenty feet from the ground. Then he winks. Winks! For his sake he better have an unlikely eye disorder cocky little-

"Hello everyone." All conversation across the garden stops. "The events of tonight are memories none of us will ever forget.  We lost someone last night. Someone who didn't deserve to be lost. Poppy was a beautiful, young girl who was kind and smart. She made everyone proud and happy. Her parents don't deserve this loss. No parents deserve this loss. " A heavy silence passed. No-one spoke.

"Today, we remember the past and we move forward. Sometimes there are things in life that we don't want to happen, that we have to accept. There are things we don't want to know, but we have to learn. There are people we can't bare to live without; but we have to let go. Today is a new day.  "

After a long silence, someone amongst the pack started to clap and one by one, everyone joined in. I sit in a tree, twenty feet above the ground and watch as people grieve, but I see the hope their alpha brings them and that scares the hell out of me. He brings people together whilst I tear them apart. I forgot how to be an alpha female a long time ago.

Eventually the clapping stopped, and Seth began again. Time for my 'big entrance'.