Page 12 of Banished From the Pack

I draw her hand toward my lips, intending to kiss her knuckles. When I feel her resistance, I flash her a warning glare. She relents, but I doubt the effect looks exceptionally loving. When I glance at my packmates, some give me sympathetic smiles, some appear confused, a few shake their heads.

As I release my grip on her hand, my anger starts to boil. It’s not like I’m asking to mate with her in front of them. The girl could chill the fuck out a little.

Adolfa, sweetheart that she is, comes to my rescue. Hurrying over to Luna, she smiles warmly and extends a hand. “Welcome, little one. You’re downright lovely. We’re all mighty pleased to make your acquaintance.

Luna smiles uncertainly and shies toward me. My chest swells with warmth.

“I’m Adolfa and those squealing monsters over there—” With her free hand, my packmate points to a group of children splashing in the saltmarsh through the trees. “Are my kids. Well, at least a few of them.”

Luna shakes Adolfa’s hand with solemn precision. “I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”

I turn and smile broadly at my pack. “My Luna is tired from her journey. She’s had a long day. Let’s all make her feel welcome.”

“Of course,” Lobo says, stepping forward. He, too, extends his hand to Luna and introduces himself and adds, “I’m Adolfa’s mate.”

Luna repeats her overly formal greeting, introducing herself to him.

Then, in turn, each pack member does the same. I stand by proudly, watching my mate meet her new packmates. When they’ve finished, Luna looks a bit overwhelmed, so I wrap an arm around her waist to comfort her. Instead of relaxing into me, she tenses.

“Let her have some breathing room,” Adolpha says, prying Luna from my grip. “I’m sure our new member would like some girl talk after a day with you.”

I growl low in my throat at the thought of being separated from my mate, but Luna’s grateful smile at the older female lets me know she welcomes the idea. With a grumble, I relent and go attend to some business with Hati. After all, if Luna is to be my True Mate, she’ll have to learn to be left on her own at times.

When I reach Hati, I glance back at Luna, who eyes me from a couple of yards away. I smile at her, and she pivots away, quickly following Adolpha. But she was looking, watching me. Does she already feel the attachment the way I do?

“Do you have all the needed weapons for our siege?” I say in a low voice to Hati.

Standing much shorter than my six-foot-six height, Hati draws himself tall and leans in. “Sure do, boss. Lobo and I forged wooden bullets. Enough to put the motherfuckers into the afterlife ten times over.”

“Good,” I say, frowning and squeezing the back of my neck to ease some of the tension from my muscles. “Then we’re set for the night of the full moon.”

“A month from now, we’ll be rid of the bastards.” He pauses and nods over to where Luna and some of the women are talking. “She’s the one, huh?”

“According to Starlina,” I confirm.

“You went to see that old witch?” Hati says with a shudder. “She scares the shit out of me.”

“She’s formidable,” I admit. “But I needed information, and she’s the one who could give it. That little sprout over there is apparently not just my mate, but my True Mate.” Smiling, I turn my head to gaze at Luna only to find her in a half-crouch, pivoting in a circle of females. Same as on the porch, she looks like she’s about to wolf out and launch into an attack.

“Stay back,” she hisses, holding out a hand in front of her as if to ward them off.

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, rushing to retrieve her.

“Ladies,” I say, nodding as I take Luna’s arm and drag her away from the others.

“Let me go,” she shrieks, wrenching her arm free and drawing the attention of some of the other wolves in the pack.

“What the fuck?” I growl.

“Th-they were getting too close,” she says, looking a bit chastised. “I was scared.”

Her big blue eyes blink up at me, her expression so lost that I want to comfort her.

“Guess I shouldn’t have left you to fend for yourself,” I say, my irritation melting. “Just stick with me through the rest of the evening.”

She nods mutely, allowing me to put a protective arm around her as I lead her back to the others. Second thoughts creep in. Could Starlina have been fucking with me? She could be wrong, or it could be a different woman named Luna. The pull I feel for this pup could be just pity and my own dumb hope that somewhere I’d find a True Mate. More likely, I don’t have one at all, like most wolves, and I should take a mate in whoever is most able to help me lead the pack.

It was a mistake to bring Luna before the pack so soon. I should have mated her first to make sure. My Second appears, sauntering from the woods, and my thoughts turn to her. Is she the one fucking with me? Is this her sick way of making a point, that just because someone is labeled a True Mate, that doesn’t make them a good match or able to lead. Ama has what it takes. If shewolves were Alphas, she’d be one. She’d certainly be an excellent choice to stand beside me against encroaching supernaturals—she’s cunning and strong and fierce.