Chapter Two

I wasn't the only one deeply sniffing the scents being carried along by the light breeze. Several of the young men lined up were also leaning their heads back and taking deep breaths, trying to pick up kn whether the new comer was their mate.

My wolf yawned in my head nothing.

I would live for another day it seems.

I smiled and joined my parents behind them as they walked to the host Alpha family.

Alpha Godwin was in his sixties and was old fashioned. "Thank you for having us," my dad introduced us, "This is Lauren our Alpha heiress and soon to be college student " i smiled and gripped his hand firmly as i had been taught.

"pleased to meet you Lauren, you are as striking as your mother. This is my son Felix  and his mate June, and this is my other son Ezra."the older ones made a cute pair while the other one looked at me like a piece of fresh meat on the grill. I was polite but gave Ezra the not interested look i had perfected in High school." Have you found your mate yet young lady?"

" No sir, "i tried to look dis interested

They continued making small talk with the rest of the Alphas.

" I hear you are going to coege next fall? What are you planning to study?" the Alpha's voice was deep and powerful.

" Business, i plan to work in our pack business after graduating sir"

"Excellent," he said smiling 

After alot of small talk and eating lunch we all  pulled up into the parking lot at the boat ramp. Ezra was just parking his truck after putting the speedboat into the water. They packed and got their stuff out of the back and headed down the boat. When we got there Carol my best friend and her big brother David were pulling away in the big boat with Ezra and his sister Valerie. Carol got the boat fired up as i changed into my wetsuit. I would be the first to ski this afternoon. 

Once i was ready, Carol stopped the boat and jumped in the water. I floated on my back, feet forward and ski tips up, while she slowly moved the boat away and took out the slack in the towline. When taught, she waited for my thumbs up before gunning the engine. The twenty foot speed boat roared to life, pulling me forward as i leaned against the rope. I popped out of the water and immediately cut left to pick up speed. 

The next forty minutes went by like a blur, it didn't take long for me to get comfortable, and soon i was jumping the wake and spinning a full 360. It took a few tries and a few wipe outs, but eventually i was able to land on a back flip to the cheer of my friends. 

"Your turn" i asked carol

"Nah, am more here for the sun than the water." she pointed at a small island about half a mile away from where we were "There's a small beach there, how about we pull up and catch some sun while we eat what is in the cooler" 

"oh, yeah, i could use a break," said Valerie , still working her way out of the wet suit. Carol made sure the skis equipment were stowed before heading over to the island. 

"Dad what's going on? How are the talks coming?" 

I could feel his frustration through the link "slow honey, they are very interested in you, despite me warning them off. They are pushing an arranged mating as a way of  cementing a relationship with their packs" 

I started to growl in my chest 

" i am starting to get worried they won't take no for an answer, are you okay?" 

"Yeah am okay, out with some friends we are headed for the beach now" 

"All right, take care of yourself and have fun" i felt the link shut down as i thought about what he just said. 

We got to the island pretty fast. Carol raised the motor and let the momentum carry us to the sand. Valerie jumped off and ran to tie the boat off a tree. I helped  Carol with the blankets and cooler, then went off to scavenge dry wood. By the time i got back with an armful kf dead branches, they had the blanket set up and a buffet on top of the cooler. 

I got a fire started, warming us all after the cold water. Carol handed me a solo cup with greenish liquid in it "Diet slice and vodka" she said "no one even knows it has alcohol" 

I gave it a taste, it was pretty good. Booze metabolized quickly in a werewolf. So we weren't going to get drunk fast enough, but if we drinked fast enough we could get a little buzzed. "Thanks for this girls, am glad we are not stuck with the boys back at the pack house, i was starting to feel like meat on display" 

I laid back on the blanket, letting the sun warm my skin. I relaxed into the blanket, suddenly feeling tired. More tired than i should be. Mu wolf raised the alarm first, she could feel her power being sucked away. 

I had beem poisoned. 

"Dad something is wrong, am getting weaker by the minute." 

"we are leaving now, can you get somewhere safe?" 

"am not sure, am trying not to let on, I think Carol slipped something in my drink, i can't feel my fingers or my toes" 

I opened my eyes Carol was standing over me, "am sorry it had to be this way Lauren" 

"What the hell did you do to me?" i was furious but mostly scared. My friend was setting me up, and whatever plan she had wasn't good. 

"Just a little muscle relaxant. We don't want you running off or doing something stupid." 

I sat up, I was dizzy, and i knew i didn't have much time. I swept carols leg knocking her on her butt as i jumped to my feet. I kicked her in the ribs, causing her to cry out in pain and roll on the ground. I ran past her the best I could heading for the boat. I was too slow and before i left i was tripled by Valerie. 

I fell down and Carol jumped on my back, I was trying to roll her off me when it felt like my chest was being ripped off. My wolf howled out in pain, and i couldn't breathe for a moment, i reached out for my father but their was nothing anymore the link was gone, my father was dead. 

I screamed in pain and anger, now desperate to get away. I twisted my upper body aiming my elbow at carol's face. There was a satisfying crunch as i knocked off hera few of her teeth. She fell unconscious on my side. 

I tried to get up but it just wasn't working, the poison was moving faster to my system. I crawled to the water trying to reach up for the rail of the boat but came short. 

Valerie grabbed my left leg and started pulling me back, dropping my face back into the water. I tried to kick myself free, but the motions were weak and ineffective.  My face was scraping against the sand when the second bond broke. "Mom" i screamed through the bond, but it was gone. I felt the Alpha power of ny parents flow into me. I cried as it happened, not wanting to believe they were both gone and i was now leader of my pack. 

My headache was incredibly painful, my eyes were squeezed shut, my wolf was trying to push forward, she wanted blood. My teeth started to shift and some fur started to emerge but the drugs were stronger. My wolf gave up panting in exhaustion. 

I did have the strength to scream anymore, the tears were coming fast. I closed my eyes as Valerie dropped me and the boys surrounded me. 

I was rolled into my back and taken into a pair of very strong arms that lifted me out of the water. I looked up to verify what my wolf already knew, it was  Alex turner. 

He held me to his broad chest as he walked back to the blanket with me as tears rolled down my face. The drug had almost paralyzed me by now. I couldn't feel my legs at all. 

He set me down  and his brothers felix and Ezra each took an arm and held me in a sitting position. Alex kneeled in front of me between my limp legs "Just relax Lauren, it will be over before you know it" his canines started to elongate as he leaned forward. 

"Don't do this, I will never forgive you, I will kill you for this " 

He laughed "the bond forgives all sin Lauren, you won't hurt me " 

Alex fully shifted his teethand Jaws snapping them in front of my face before lunging forward. He bit down on the juncture where my neck met my shoulder on the right side. I screamed in pain, the bite burned from within as he placed his claim on me. 

Blackness took me and I sagged to the ground.