by Siobhan Muir
Whoa back there, girl! I don’t do public sex!
A mixture of disappointment and jubilation swelled into the space of diminishing arousal. For a moment, Jeff had looked at her with predatory intent, as if he’d devour her with his whole being. But then he looked away, and she wondered if she’d imagined his intensity. His expression had resumed the bland friendliness he showed the world, and his eyes had returned to their sedate golden green.
Does he still want me?
Of course, he wants you. You’re his Mate! For once, Julianna was grateful for her inner voice.
Relief flooded through her, and her body relaxed. Sebrina and Tawny leaned back out of her peripheral vision, sharing some communication, but Julianna’s attention remained riveted on Jeff’s presence.
Julianna couldn’t look away. She didn’t want to look away. He’d invited her to the party, and she’d take full advantage of his invitation, even if it meant she stared at him all night. He was irresistible He always had been. And if she was nominated as a Luna candidate, then no one could fault her from enjoying the view of the prize as much as she chose.
“We’ll resume the festivities after dinner.”
The Alphas waved and sauntered toward Julianna’s table, her gaze never leaving Jeff’s form. She watched him walk toward her like a woman waiting for a big piece of chocolate cake she didn’t have to share with anyone. He was delicious, and she’d savor every little bit she could get.
God, he walks like sex incarnate! How the heck am I going to be able to sit here with him all night and eat?
Julianna knew the two open seats at the table remained for Jeff and his dad, and sweat trickled down her back as her excitement rose. Fortunately, Tawny sat on Julianna’s left and Sebrina sat on her right, curbing her urge to crawl into Jeff’s lap all night.
When Jeff and his father stopped at the table to pick up their plates, he paused and stared straight at her once more, his eyes back to the molten gold she’d seen earlier. She met his gaze boldly, knowing her nipples pushed against the fabric of her halter bodice like beacons. His nostrils flared, and his jaw tightened, but he retreated to the buffet tables. She watched his ass the whole way until Sebrina pulled her up from her chair.
“Come, daughter. Let’s not keep the betas waiting too long,” Sebrina remarked with amusement.
“What? Oh, yes, of course.” Julianna felt a blush stain her cheeks as she followed the older woman.
Only a few others joined them at the buffet. Brenda Solaris, the Winthrops, and the Cutters, and another young woman she didn’t recognize filed in behind them. It took Julianna a few moments to realize Tawny still sat quietly at the table, sipping her water as she chatted with another guest who remained. Julianna frowned. Why were the men eating before Tawny? Wasn’t she part of the ruling family?
She almost asked Sebrina about it until her brain kicked into gear.
Come on, you’re dining with werewolves. Think about it. The “alphas” eat first, just like in a traditional wolf pack, then the “betas”, then the “omegas”.
The pecking order had already sorted itself out behind her with Brenda Solaris in the lead, Cameron Winthrop and her parents next, Tammy Cutter and her parents, though her sister remained at their table, and the unknown woman taking up the rear.
Am I ahead of all of them because I’m higher ranking or because I’m with Sebrina?
Julianna watched carefully for protests to her position just behind Sebrina, but though the women glared daggers at her, no one complained, and the line of “alphas” moved quickly down the buffet.
Julianna picked carefully through the array of foods, reminding herself to take the choicest items available.
I have to play this role to be accepted. Anger burned for a moment. Why do I care about acceptance? This is not high school! But her rational mind caught up with her, dousing her fury. Because Jeff is the upcoming Alpha, and he’s worth it.
She filled her plate with rare and juicy meat, some fresh veggies and a roll. Jeff glanced back at her once and smiled with pleased approval at her position in line, warming her a little in the cold disdain she sensed from the others behind her. She smiled back at him before following Sebrina like a dog on a leash. Her inner wolf snarled, but she reminded herself of her inexperience, and screwing up now would hurt worse than taking a subordinate rank.
As she sat at her table, she realized just what her place in line meant. She ate with the Alphas before all the other candidates. She’d been marked as the favorite. Dread slid through her. Great, now, not only do the others think I’m an interloper, which I am, but they’ll hate me because the “prince” favors me above them. Could they just paint a target on my back and get it over with?
When you win the “prince” and take your rightful place as his princess, you’ll be too busy mating to worry about the others.
Julianna damn near spit the water she’d sipped across the table with her Sister’s remark, but she clamped her lips together and gave Tawny a reassuring smile as Jeff’s sister rose with the betas to visit the buffet.
Sheesh!
There were far more betas than alphas, but still more people waited before empty plates. Those were the omegas, the lowest on the totem pole of packmembers. They’d serve themselves last. The obvious caste system distracted Julianna from her lascivious thoughts. She hated the unreasoning disdain of the “higher” ranks and the unbalance of the few receiving the best, while the majority picked through the leftovers. The others around her didn’t seem to have a problem with it, and she kept her teeth closed around her disgust.
Reminding herself the caste system now applied to her, she waited until Richard and Jeff started eating before she dipped her fork into the food on her plate. Jeff’s gaze slid her direction, and his lips curved into a satisfied smile.
Satisfied because I’m sitting here? Satisfied because I waited for him to eat? Gah! Will I have to do that all my life with him? Eat second because he’s Alpha? Grrrrr!
She smiled back absently, fighting with her indignation at playing second fiddle.
That’s the way it’s done among wolves. And I’ve been one among them for, what? Five minutes? She knew so little about his people or her own. Jeff thought she knew how the game was played. He didn’t know just what a rookie she was.
Some water went down the wrong way. Julianna coughed hard, and everyone at the table looked at her with concern. She tried to wave them off, gesturing she was all right, but the coughing wouldn’t stop.
“Are you all right?” Tawny asked, her face bewildered.
“Y’s,” Julianna choked out, “just tried to prove that you could breathe the O in H 2 O. Guess the experiment was a failure.”
Sebrina thumped her on the back as everyone else at the table laughed at her joke, and she was grateful she had a snappy comeback to hide her uncertainty. Fear tried to push its way back into her mind, but she ruthlessly shoved it away. She didn’t have time to panic.
Evidently, her Sister agreed. Okay, enough of the pity party. Suck it up and show them who you are. It’s just an act tonight, like when you were introduced to Terence’s bitches. Act like the alpha female everyone thinks you are. You can freak out later.
The conversation swirled around Julianna, and she answered when spoken to, but she hardly knew what she said. She was too busy making sure she appeared relaxed and self-assured. This was supposedly her night. If she appeared a little anxious, that was to be expected. She raised her chin, trying to smile and act confident.
At last, dinner was cleared away by the serving staff and Julianna scented not only their curiosity, but their omega status as well.
I had no idea I could smell someone’s rank.
She smiled at the woman who offered her a choice of coffee or tea and the server ducked her head shyly. Julianna allowed herself to get lost in the scents of rich hazelnut coffee and jasmine tea filling the air beneath the tents. She closed her eyes to savor aromatic splendor and heard a deep chuckle. She bl
inked her eyes open and stole a look at Jeff.
He grinned at her as if she’d surprised him. She answered with a self-conscious smile. The world faded from her awareness, leaving nothing but Jeff and his delighted grin.
“I see you like coffee.”
“Yes, I do. But I’ve never smelled hazelnut coffee with jasmine tea before. It’s a surprisingly good combination.”
“It was my mother’s favorite.”
Richard and Jeff rose to their feet, and the world suddenly resumed its normal flow, jolting Julianna back into the present. She watched their progress to the podium and wondered if everyone else had heard their small conversation. Given the exceptional werewolf hearing, they all must have heard. But when she looked at the others seated around the table, no one showed any sign of it. Everyone focused on the Alphas in the spotlights. Their eyes glowed like stars, and Julianna wondered if hers would do the same.
Are we all just wolves in human clothing?
“Good friends, tonight we have some very special guests who’ll be introduced to you soon,” Richard boomed out over the assembled Moon Singers. “But first, before we can proceed, we must induct a new member into the pack.”
Here it comes. She straightened her shoulders.
“Many of you knew her when she grew up with the human population of Callowwood, but she left us to find her fortune in faraway places. She explored many paths and learned many lessons, which she brings home for the benefit of our pack. She moved to Reno, where she attended UNR and received her bachelor’s in anthropology. Later, she moved to Fresno, California, to attend the University of California for graduate studies. She earned her master’s in Native American mythology from UC Fresno and has recently returned home to attend the funeral of her human father. She’s come home to stay and now must be welcomed into her people. I give you, Mistress Julianna Morris.”
Applause erupted, and Julianna rose to her feet, hoping she appeared graceful. The applause continued, and she smiled at everyone, but when it didn’t end, she stared at Jeff, puzzled. His grin broadened, and he beckoned her toward the podium with a subtle wave. Inclining her head graciously to the crowd, she strode to the podium, trying not to giggle nervously. She prayed it wasn’t obvious she had no idea what she was doing. Who was she trying to kid?
Everyone, me included.
The one thing that kept her steady was Jeff’s gaze on her. He watched her approach with an intensity that stole her breath. It was lust. It was desire, and it fired her blood until she could barely hear the applause over the thunder of her heart. Richard’s face remained impassive, but she suspected he saw much more than he revealed.
When she reached them, Richard took her hands in his and whispered, “This may seem strange at first, but all you have to do is repeat after me and trust that I’m not trying to hurt you, all right?”
Julianna took a deep breath and smiled. “Okay.”
He nodded sharply before releasing her hands to face the crowd once more. “Mistress Morris has come tonight to swear fealty to the Callowwood Pack and to take her rightful place among us.”
His eyes glowing fiercely in the beams of the spotlights, he grasped her right hand and drew it toward his chest. He pressed her palm against his chest over his heart and placed his larger right hand above her left breast, making an unbreakable circuit of energy. She felt his strong heartbeat thumping under her hand, and she knew he sensed the clatter of her heart through his. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she thought she saw the corner of his mouth twitch in amusement, but his voice was steady.
“I, say your full name.” Richard’s eyes bored into hers, buoying her up with his strength.
“I, Julianna Sarah Morris,” Julianna repeated.
“Do swear to protect and serve the Callowwood Pack...”
“Do swear to protect and serve the Callowwood Pack…”
“With tooth and claw, blood and bone, heart and mind…”
She repeated this, feeling the other part of herself rising beneath the surface of her consciousness.
“I swear to hold the People of the Lady Moon sacred and guard their secrets against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. I swear to see to the welfare of the whole pack over that of the individual but also to leave no packmember behind. I swear to defend all the pack’s children as if they were my own and to stand shoulder to shoulder with my Mate at such time as I take one. I swear to uphold the laws and protocols that govern the pack and keep it safe in a world of intolerance and fear. I do so solemnly swear as a member of the Callowwood Pack and as surely as my name is Julianna Sarah Morris.”
Richard removed his hand from her chest, taking her right hand off his and pulling it to his mouth. She watched him with wide eyes as he quickly bit her finger so blood welled out of the tiny wound. She didn’t even move as he licked the blood from her finger before holding her wounded hand loosely in his.
“As the Alpha of the Callowwood Pack and by the blood you have offered, I now pronounce you a full alpha female member of our pack and welcome you to your people.”
A roar went up from the crowd, led mostly by the beta and omega members, as Richard held Julianna’s hand aloft and turned her to face the audience. While the other alphas clapped politely, Jeff’s eyes shone with fierce joy, and Sebrina’s face held a secret smile. Their jubilation infected Julianna, and she wanted to sprint toward Jeff and throw herself into his arms, but she forced herself to return to her seat. Her heart tried to beat its way out of her chest, and she could hardly stop her ecstatic laugh.
“Now, the part of the evening that you’ve all been waiting for,” Richard intoned, raising his hands to calm the crowd.
His baritone voice sent a shiver of awe through Julianna, followed quickly by the balm of comfort. Instinctive recognition flooded through her, and her tension faded. Soothed by his presence and encouraged by the confidence he showed, Julianna realized she’d become connected by the blood she’d shared with the Alpha. She could look to him as a protector as well as a leader, and she felt relief for the first time that night.
“Jefferson has accepted the position of Successor by right of the Three Tests of Strength, Honor, and Humility, and he was the victor in the Ceremony of Combat.”
A cheer went up, and Jeff nodded with his customary half-smile, but his eyes blazed. The air under the tents thickened with anticipation, and out of the corner of her eye, Julianna caught some of the young women in the crowd licking their chops.
“There only remains the necessity of the balance of an alpha pair, the female to his male, that he may have the opportunity to lead wisely and justly. Thus, he must have a Mate strong enough to stand with him, compassionate enough to show him mercy, and wise enough to direct his fury. She must be able to bear him pups and be willing to serve both her Mate and her pack as the Guardian of the Stories.”
Julianna looked at Sebrina, mouthing, “Stories?”
Sebrina winked and smiled gently at her, but returned her attention to the Alpha.
“Tonight we have five candidates for Luna, and they are among the finest alpha bitches ever to have graced our pack.” Julianna suspected that was said each time a ceremony like this occurred. Of course they were the finest bitches. He had to stroke the egos of the women and their parents. “In order of rank, and, ladies, please stand so that we may all see you; Brenda Tiffany Solaris late of Los Angeles, California, now of Callowwood, Nevada.”
Julianna saw Brenda rise to her feet from a few tables away with a haughty smile as she pushed her shoulders back to display her generous breasts. A spotlight swung to her, and she shimmered like a star in her silver dress.
It must be her connection to Lily Waters that makes her the highest ranking candidate. Julianna spotted her mother’s rival beside Brenda. No wonder Lily didn’t challenge Mom for Dad. He was human and she isn’t.
“Cameron Elizabeth Winthrop of Callowwood, Nevada.”
The young woman in gold rose gracefully to her feet, and Julianna had to admi
t she was a glorious sight in a spotlight of her own. Her smile bloomed quiet and confident, and she stood straight, her bearing regal. Clearly, she was a match to Brenda.
“Mischa Irina Wolensky of Leland, Nevada.”
The woman who rose to her feet was very tall and slender. Long red hair hung straight to her butt in a long silken tail gathered at the nape of her neck, falling as straight as the front of her pale blue sheath dress. Her breasts were small, hardly breaking the line of her gown, and her expression had all the liveliness of marble. She was beautiful, like a cold, remote queen ruling from on high, but not a user-friendly leader.
“Tamara Jasmine Cutter of Callowwood, Nevada.”
The Cutters’ oldest daughter jerked to her feet and straightened her black, sequined top over her tube skirt. She grinned widely from under a mop of thick brown curls held back from her face with a wide, black sequined headband. She twitched and fidgeted in the light, but Julianna could scent her pleasure to be in it.
“And finally, Julianna Sarah Morris, late of Fresno, California, now of Callowwood, Nevada.”
Euphoria flared inside, and Julianna focused on toning down her grin as she squared her shoulders and stood up. She balanced her weight on both feet and raised her chin, staring at Jeff as the spotlight took away her sight. She tried to make her expression calm and light, a hint of a smile without grinning outright. She hoped she presented the appearance of a confident, serious, compassionate female who’d be the best choice for Jeff’s mate.
That’s because you are the best choice, her Sister insisted.
Who are you trying to kid? Hell, the giggling teenager probably knows more about this whole governing pack thing than I do.
Maybe, but she can barely govern herself, a weakness for the pack.
“The five Luna candidates for the Callowwood Pack.”
Applause thundered around them all, and Julianna fought against the urge to leap into the air with excitement. She focused on standing still in the spotlight and remembering to breathe normally.
“Each of these candidates will be subjected to the Seven Leadership Tests of the Luna: Courage, Tolerance, Generosity, Respect/Humility, Honor/Diplomacy, Strength/Calm, and Secrecy.”
