Dominic watched one of the most powerful Alphas in the world shake his head after the head facilitator and doctor reported on the care of Dom’s people. Paul arrived with him; Paul stood there looking uncomfortable. It didn’t take long for Dom to learn Paul’s discomfort came from guilt. “I’m sorry Alpha Jones. I gave the facts as I know them. Your Pet withheld information that would help her treatment.” “Why would she do that?” “Loyalty is my guess.” Dr. Graves jumped in. “This member of your pack is rather concerning for me. If I see someone like this, they’re a lone wolf or rogue. They end up here because no one knows what to do with them.” Dom could feel every eye on him. “I would say it’s circumstances of her creation, but I’d be fooling myself. I can’t get her to tell me why she won’t give up on the wolf who made sure our pack would hate her. Don’t ask me to give up on her. I won’t. Before you ask, I made her my Pet because I was afra

Raven awoke with a slight start. Someone placed a kiss on her forehead. The lightness almost caused her to miss the gentle touch of the warm lips. Eyes snapped open, meeting Alpha Jones’s gaze. She yearned to gaze into his eyes, but as his Pet or an unranked wolf, she couldn’t. Raven averted her face away from him as soon as she could. “I’m sorry Alpha, and I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I’ll prepare to leave right away. She felt stronger and if she moved with slow, determined motions, she’d be ready without too much fuss. She knew he’d feel unhappy about her delaying him. “What are you talking about Pet? I haven’t commanded you to do that. Are you presuming what I want?” Alpha Jones put out his hand to stop her and keep her from leaving the hospital bed. Nothing felt right for Raven. It felt like someone had wrapped her in cotton or she felt trapped in a waking dream. It didn’t feel real and someone else controlled her actions within that dream. The

Raven didn’t know what to make of Luna Wolversen, Aireka, as she insisted Raven call her. She ignored all protocol and spoke to Raven like she was teaching a catch-up class in summer school. Raven assumed this since she had only movies to go by and no experience. She’d dropped out of school before graduation. No one noticed or cared. She recalled telling the Alpha’s sob to mind his own business. Now she wondered if he’d done that because he didn’t want an uneducated mate. Aireka’s words held advice, insights, and answered her whys. Raven felt a little more confident now. It helped when Aireka gave her a way to call for help from other Lunas in the area. They have a chat group. Who would’ve thought! They insisted Raven join the chat group to fix her pack issues and educate her as a Luna. Or as one Luna named April said, she’s about to write the standardized on-the-job training manual. The conversation discussed creating standardized lessons or a lesson plan for

[AFTER BEING KICKED OUT OF ALPHA JONES’S LIVING QUARTERS] Hilary found herself pulled from the room and her goal of inciting Alpha Jones into biting her. She’d heard those healing drugs could cause a wolf to go into a temporary form of false heat. Hilary desired the false heat. Once she wore his bite, then she’d be the Luna of the Humber Valley Pack. She had to suffer being his mate, but she’d sacrifice her freedom for that. No one believed in fated mates. They were pleasant stories to tell little pups and foolish she-wolves. “Can you be a sweet and loyal wolf? I’m sure this will be cleared up when the Alpha awakens. The Beta is mistaken, that’s all. After all, it’s me, and everyone knows I’m special to the Alpha. The Beta is just jealous of that. I’ll be sure to give you favorable treatment when I’m Luna.” Hilary knew this enforcer well. He hadn’t been an enforcer for long, but his father sided with her mother, and she was sure he’d side with her.

Dominic, Paul, and three Delta wolves joined forces with trackers and hunting parties from their Pack to ensure the safety of Kelsey and Hilary. He feared discovering their bodies abandoned in a ravine or ditch, left for wildlife to devour. So far, they’d found nothing, which he’d count as a win. Then everyone’s packs went off as their phones received notifications at once of an attack. They were far within the Pack’s territory. They are nowhere near the Pack house or the invaders’ location, as mentioned in the messages. Now, they had to return in their current state. At least, they carried their gear in case they encountered trouble here, but who would expect this right now? “Raven.” Paul’s only word to Dom before all shifted to their fur to head back to help defend their pack. Dom’s heart stuck in his chest. What if they ignored her again? What could happen to her if no one protects her? That had his enormous paws hitting t