Seeking to Belong: Wolftale Series~Book 1

by M. Ekman

  The skin-suits were top of the line and crazy expensive, because the suits made it so that in human form you would be undetectable by scent. They were an amazing invention, but Ruth had never gotten to wear one since her old pack could only afford them for their top three: her father, Alpha Brax, and the beta.

  She quickly turned her head towards the buffet table so she’d stop drooling over the skin-suits. There were covered metal trays in a straight line along a 12-foot rectangular table with stacked plates at their head and glass pitchers filled with milk and orange juice after the last tray at the end. She opened up the first lid and a mouth-watering aroma hit Ruth square in the nose, eggs with jalapenos and cheddar cheese.

  “Don’t you think you’re forgetting something,” a voice mock whispered behind her.

  Ruth nearly jumped a mile spinning to see who was talking to her. “Cassie, you nearly scared me half to death.”

  The she-wolf gave her a half-cocked grin and held out a plate to Ruth, “Well I didn’t want you eating straight from the tray. I know we shape shift into animals but that doesn’t mean we have to behave like wild creatures.”

  Ruth rolled her eyes, but accepted the plate anyways, “Ha, ha. Very funny. So I’m guessing you’re also an enforcer?” Cassie was in the same skin-suit as the others, though, unlike the males in the room, she had her long jet-black hair pulled flush to her scalp in a tight bun.

  She gave Ruth a wink before proceeding to silently fill up her plate. Not to be left out, Ruth quickly followed suit and soon her dish was practically overflowing. Together the two women made their way to an empty table, and began to stuff their faces in companionable silence.

  Cassie wiped her mouth on one of the napkins placed around the table before speaking again. “So far I’m actually the only female enforcer in the pack. Though I was hoping that you will remedy that for me.”

  “Well...” Ruth began but was interrupted before she could come up with a response.

  Cassie had raised her hands to halt Ruth’s words, “You don’t need to say it. You’re new and you need to experience everything this pack has to offer. I get it. I was the same when I first came here, years ago. Just letting you know that there’s always a spot for you with us, especially after seeing what you could do last night.”

  Ruth tried to hide her blush, “Thanks. I’ve been in enforcer training my whole life, so I’m just not sure if I really enjoy it. It’s just all I’ve ever known, you know?”

  “Just be warned, if you keep eating like this without regular exercise or shifting, you’re gonna become a balloon in a matter of months,” Cassie spoke with such severe intensity that, for a second, Ruth thought she was serious.

  After a beat, both girls burst into laughter, which caused more than one head to turn in their direction. “You’re alright, Osbolt. I’m about to start on patrol so I’ll catch you around.” Cassie’s lithe frame stood to her six-foot tall height, and glided out of the room.

  Ruth waved goodbye to her newest friend conquest before finishing off her own plate of food. The she-wolf had left her dish at the table so Ruth did as well, figuring someone from the kitchen would come and whisk it away soon.

  Not in the mood to go exploring at such an early hour, she went back up to her bedroom to wait for Violet. Ruth could have just walked over to Violet’s place, but she didn’t want to wake up the chipper she-wolf since it wasn’t even seven a.m. yet. On her way upstairs Ruth didn’t run into anyone, which was odd since most of her old pack would have been up and running by now.

  So as not to disturb the silence, Ruth quietly crept to her room and plopped into the large, overstuffed chair in the corner. It was the same one she’d woken up in with Tyler not even a week before. Crazy how much could change in such a short amount of time.

  CHAPTER 13

  After seeing Ruth—her hair around her shoulders, and the hall light shining down on her like some kind of angel—Tyler went to take a cold shower. Why did he keep throwing himself at her, even in his sleep? His wolf needed to calm down. A relationship between the two of them would never work, at least not with his curse still in full force.

  Luckily Ruth had given him something to focus on other than daydreaming about her while trying in vain to complete his odious paperwork. He’d promised Ruth that he’d give her a place to belong and Tyler wasn’t one to break his word. He did everything in his power to prove that he was nothing like his beastly father.

  Tyler pondered over what to do as he got dressed, brushed his teeth, and made his way to his office. Jason wasn’t there yet, so Tyler just sat at his desk with fingers steepled together puzzling over the best course of action for his ma—for Ruth. What was with him, she was not his...anything.

  Beta Jason chose that moment to open the door, but only took one step in before giving Tyler the look. His beta was worse than a mother hen.

  He threw up his hands in an exasperated manner, “I know. I know I look worse.”

  Jason shook his head but didn’t say anything as he headed towards his own desk. It wasn’t Tyler’s fault that he hadn’t been able to get a decent night’s sleep since he’d last held Ruth. Ever since she had arrived, his wolf was restless and would only calm down when she was near. Or rather, when she was near enough for any sort of physical contact.

  As was his tendency when he was frustrated, Tyler ran a hand through his hair, though this time he noticed it was getting a little shaggy. Usually he had it cut military style, close to the scalp, but he just couldn’t seem to work up the energy to care much about his appearance anymore. It’s not as if Ruth was—Enough! He needed to get out of this office and get out of his own head.

  However, Tyler was prevented from fleeing before his fingers even reached the gleaming doorknob as he heard soft footsteps in the hall outside. As impossible as it was he swore the scent of mint and cinnamon wafted toward him, though that should have been impossible. His office was designed with the best of soundproofing equipment, was bulletproof, and more, so there’s no way he should have been able to hear Ruth let alone catch her scent.

  His exhausted mind must be making it up, but Tyler was too chicken to see if his delirium theory was correct. If by some miracle she really was out there, Tyler didn’t know if he would have the strength to keep his hands to himself. It was getting harder and harder to stay away from her. Maybe if she didn’t respond so deliciously to his advances, well to most of them, it would be easier.

  Tyler leaned his head against the door but was unable to get his hand to let go of the doorknob he was suddenly gripping. He stayed like that for a few moments before he heard Jason clearing his throat abnormally loud.

  Tyler breathed out through clenched teeth a frustrated, “Yes?”

  “Not that I want to tell you what to do Alpha, but is there a particular reason you have decided to become a close acquaintance of the door?”

  Tyler snorted, before turning and releasing the hold he had on his new associate. “Well, you know I have always loved woodworking.”

  Jason let out a stunned laugh, “Yes, yes of course.” Beta Jason stood and made his way to his alpha putting a hand on the broader man’s shoulder. “Seriously though, Tyler. You are my best friend and I—”

  Jason was cut off as Tyler received a mindlink, “Oh Alpha, my alpha! I am in desperate need of money.”

  Tyler rolled his eyes before responding, “Violet, did you mean to mindlink your mate? I don’t believe you are privy to the coins in my pocket.”

  “I might not be, but Ruth is,” Violet chirped back.

  Having no comeback for that, Tyler remained silent until the door at his back hit him in the head. “Ouch! Geez Violet. Have you ever heard of knocking,” Tyler grumbled out loud rubbing his head.

  Violet slid into the room, smile still annoyingly in place with not a shadow of remorse anywhere to be seen. “Maybe you shouldn’t be lurking around the door. Ruth’s stipend please,” Violet said with hand extended.

  “Why would Alpha give you Ru
th’s money? Violet, you are going to waste it on something ridiculous she’ll never use,” Jason mock glared at his sister-in-law.

  “Oh, pfft don’t be silly,” Violet replied dismissively.

  “Violet,” Jason deadpanned, “should I tell Alpha about the hair—”

  Jumping to cover Jason’s mouth with her hands Violet hissed, “I can’t believe Bobby told you about that. My mate is dead when he gets home, and you will be too if you don’t keep your mouth shut.”

  Jason held both of his hands in the air and backed up until Violet’s hands fell away. Tyler watched the entire exchange with a look of bemusement on his face. He knew better than to poke the bear, so instead of teasing Violet about her secret he asked, “What is it exactly that you want Ruth’s money for?”

  Violet rolled her eyes as if the two men before her couldn’t be denser, “That girl came to this pack in nothing but pajamas. I am fine with her borrowing my clothes but don’t you think she’d want some things of her own?”

  Jason cut in, “It’s odd that she didn’t ask Alpha Brax to bring her any of her things from home before he left.”

  “Maybe in the heat of things she forgot,” Tyler mused but then paused before shaking his head and continuing, “but I don’t think that’s it. From the way she described her home the night we met I don’t think there was much of anything she’d want to hold on to. She was so unhappy there.”

  Jason shook his head in pity, “Makes sense. Which means, unfortunately, Violet’s correct. Ruth should be taken shopping.” Jason said the last word with a shutter of dread.

  The she-wolf shot daggers at her brother-in-law while Tyler chuckled and made his way to the rows of grey filing cabinets behind his desk. There were seven columns of cabinets all built into the office wall. He crouched down and reached for a bottom drawer located on the far right, though instead of pulling the handle towards himself he turned and pulled it up to reveal a safe lock. As he began keying in the code his hand stilled.

  From his crouched position Tyler turned his head behind him to look back at Violet who’d remained by the office entrance. “Earlier Ruth asked me about finding a pack job. I don’t know what she would like best, do you?”

  Violet took on a serious expression, “Honestly, I’m not sure, especially since she’s been so sheltered, in a way.”

  “Hmm, then might as well have her try them all,” he muttered to himself before turning to speak to Violet. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll give you her new pack member stipend to take her shopping and a bonus for you to use for yourself if you can get a signup sheet going. Go around to various places you think she’d like to work at and see if the wolves there are interested in training her.”

  Violet was beaming again, “Of course!”

  She went over to the third and vacant desk in the office, which was reserved for Alpha Female, not that there would be one until Tyler stepped down. Violet fished a piece of paper out of one of the drawers and jotted a few things down.

  Tyler re-keyed in the safe code since he’d waited too long before inputting the final numbers and pulled out a roll of bills. Taking the rubber band off of the roll Tyler counted out enough for the girls “outing”, and the bonus he promised Violet, before returning the rest.

  By the time Tyler stood up, Violet was practically bouncing over top of him in her exuberance. The excited she-wolf snatched the money, “Thank you, Alpha! Ruth’s going to be so excited. I’ll hurry and go find people to sign up right now.”

  “Whatever works for you. She said she’d be happy with an answer to where to place her by the end of the day.”

  “Pfft. I’m not making my best friend wait until the end of the day,” Violet declared in mock sternness turning on her heel to make her way out of the office.

  Tyler shook his head as he moved back towards his desk. As he reached for the first paper on top of a large stack Tyler was interrupted by another one of Jason’s fake coughs. “What is it now, Beta?”

  Jason pulled his chair out from his desk and placed it next to Tyler’s, “Alpha, we need to talk.”

  Restraining an eye roll, Tyler responded, “I am busy.”

  Jason wasn’t deterred in the least, “Tyler, you either talk to me or I can get Violet back in here.”

  He shuddered at the thought. Violet was anything but gentle when it came to getting information out of someone, especially if that someone was Tyler. Reluctantly, the alpha turned to his beta, “Fine Jason. You win. What is it?”

  “Is there something going on between you and Ruth?” No beating around the bush for Jason, he was always one to get straight to the point.

  His eyes flashed for a moment before Tyler was able to force out a simple, “No.”

  Jason sadly shook his head at his alpha, “Your curse—”

  At the word ‘curse’ Tyler gruffly shoved himself out of his seat and went to the bookcase to put distance between him and his beta. “I know. Don’t you think I know that? I don’t—I can’t fathom what is happening. My wolf constantly whines for her. I reach out to her without conscious thought. I have to physically restrain myself from following her around like a lovesick puppy.”

  Jason simply stared for a moment before continuing, “I’m not blaming you. You’ve always been so careful with other females. But perhaps keeping her so close to you will only make it more difficult. Let’s move her from the bedroom next door into one of the unmated female rooms.”

  “NO!” Tyler spat whirling on Jason, eyes aglow once again.

  Jason didn’t so much as flinch at Tyler’s reaction, he’d always known how to keep his emotions in check when dealing with an angry dominant wolf. It came with the territory of growing up with Tyler’s father as alpha.

  He slumped into a small chair beside the bookshelf he’d retreated to. “I know in my mind that you are right, but my wolf repels the idea of any more distance between us than there already is.”

  Silently Tyler sat with his hands gripping either side of the small chair feeling as if he was seconds away from breaking it into splinters. His eyes went back and forth between glowing amber and brown. Jason said nothing as he watched the struggle that took place.

  Tyler’s next words could only be uttered through clenched teeth, “Move her. But make sure I’m not anywhere in the building.”

  It was Tyler’s curse, well really his father’s curse, which made any relationship impossible. Curses like Tyler’s—ones that were given by the Great Luna—cannot be broken only removed. Sadly enough, while receiving a curse was rare in and of itself, removing one was nearly unheard of. No matter how good Tyler’d tried to prove himself to be, nothing changed.

  Jason broke through his thoughts with, “I’m sorry, Alpha.”

  Tyler smiled bitterly, “It’s fine. It’s my own doing that’s led me here. Let’s get to work.”

  With that Tyler buried himself in his papers, effectively cutting off the protest Jason was about to make. He didn’t want another lecture on the all that he’d done since becoming alpha. Nothing could ever undo Tyler’s past. All that mattered was making sure his pack was happy and safe as long as he remained on this earth.

  CHAPTER 14

  An incessant rapping sound eventually caused Ruth to startle awake. Groaning at her uncomfortable position, having fallen asleep in her armchair, Ruth went to her bedroom door. She smirked at a practically bouncing Violet in her doorway.

  Not bothering with pleasantries the smaller girl grabbed Ruth’s wrist as she started babbling. “You ate breakfast, right? It’s nearly 10:30, so we only have time for a quick shopping trip. You have training at 1pm with—”

  Ruth raised an eyebrow, “Training with who? I told Ty—Alpha I wasn’t sure about being an enforcer again.” She really had to stop being so informal with her alpha; it wasn’t going to help matters in the least.

  Violet looked back at Ruth when she was interrupted. “Didn’t Alpha tell you?”

  She gave Violet a look that roughly translated to “that ma
n can’t stand to be in my presence for more than 10 seconds, so of course not.”

  “Men,” the she-wolf grumbled, “you are going to spend a few days training in each pack position we have open to see what you like best. Everyone is super excited, and we already have a huge sign-up sheet.”

  Violet pulled a sheet of paper out of a pearlescent white handbag slung over her shoulder and waved it in her face. Ruth snatched the paper from Violet’s fingers and began scanning the document. Her eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets when she saw that no less than 30 wolves had signed up to train her in their various jobs.

  “Don’t you have to go to school to be a pack doctor? And no offense, but cooking? I don’t know a kettle from a pot.”

  Violet laughed, “Well, everyone wanted to spend time with you and get your perspective of the outside world. We are pretty cut off out here. See it as a bonding experience. You obviously don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, but I would still spend time with each person that signed up, or some may think you’re playing favorites.”

  Ruth rolled her eyes at Violet’s peeved expression. “Alright, I will train with you, but I warn you it will most likely be a disaster.”

  “Pfft,” Violet waved her off as she led the way down the stairs and out the pack house’s front door.

  Ruth could already tell that the next few hours, or rather, make that the next few days, were going to be long. Before she could get too worked up about it though, Ruth found herself walking down the pack town’s main street. All of the buildings looked brand new with bright fresh paint in a variety of colors, from canary yellow to electric blue. In addition, each of the store windows had beautiful painted murals that depicted their wares.