Marcel Conway is fresh on the market for a new year of the Mating Season: a sex auction masquerading as a Peace Trade to keep the packs from going to war. But she's gritting her teeth and digging her heels in, determined to come home to her small bu...
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☽☾☽☾☽☾
My dad didn't speak to me when I came home that night.
The itinerary arrived two days later with everything I needed to pack for the Mating Season and I finally collapsed in my room with a panic attack, hyperventilating and sobbing as I realized this was actually happening. I was being sent away and I would live with a man, a stranger.
I felt so helpless, so damn helpless. My dad still hadn't spoken with me but had left instructions with Gray to make sure he took me to all of the meetings and seminars I was required to go to in preparation. And just like a good, obedient little dog, I did as I was told.
My wolf howled in agony for the pain I was feeling as I still hadn't let her run free in days now.
Grayson and I were sitting in my room, packing all my clothing and belongings in brown boxes. I picked up my yearbooks from Highschool and stacked them neatly in the cardboard box and accepted the throng of golden track medals from Gray.
"You think you ever got enough of those?" Gray joked and I rolled my eyes.
"Not if I can run my way out of the Mating Ceremony," I sighed, fingering the cold medals as I fondly thought back to the nostalgic moments I took first place in the track meets...every single time.
"Don't do it, Marce," Gray warned. "I heard about the article, the girls were talking about it when they came back from the bonfire and they think you'll do it just to spite Alpha Daniel."
"I 'ought to," I scoffed, setting my awards in the box. "But what good will it do? Sister Edith and everyone else seems to think I'm just a problem child."
Gray was quiet for a moment as he packed away my video games neatly in the box. My brother would also be attending the Mating Season, for the third year in a row, to choose a mate since he still was mateless and I took a bit of comfort knowing my brother, though I wouldn't be able to see him, would be there with me. He gave a hefty sigh before folding his arms across his chest.
"I don't like that," He said flatly. I looked up at him startled.
"What?"
"That!" He gestured to me. "You just...giving up...shit, maybe you being a problem child is 99% of your charm. I don't know, but you aren't the kind of person to belly-up to anything or anyone. Come here," He clambered to his feet and snatched me up by my hand.
He dragged me over to my floor length mirror and posed me in front of it.
"Look at yourself," He told me.
"I look like hell," I moaned, using my hands to smooth my wild blonde hair.
"Yes, you fucking gremlin, I know that, but would you just take a good hard look at yourself for once?" Gray responded hotly, his eyes narrowing.
