Chapter 2

As the guys and I started to walk home my mind couldn't focus on anything but Ivey. I knew I needed to speak with my father immediately. He's the Alpha of our pack and with me his heir and taking over in about a month everything I did not only affected us as a family but our whole pack.

Jared and Damien were busy talking about the pack party tomorrow night and which girls Damien was going to screw and it dawned on me I wasn't the least bit interested in any other girls. Actually the thought of any other girls now made my stomach churn. They didn't hold any interest for me now. Hell, I was known as our packs number one lady killer with Damien coming in a close second, and the thought of someone touching me other then Ivey actually made me feel a little bit sick to my stomach. I kinda laughed to myself at that thought.

Damien was the first to notice that I was being quiet and not joining in their conversation "Hey man, what's up with you? It's not like you to not be placing dibs on the girls before hand. This doesn't have something to do with that hot piece of a*s from the diner d..."

 

Damien didn't even get the rest of his sentence out before I had him up by his throat growling that he will never speak about her like that I unconsciously let my Alpha tone shine through, causing Damien to whimper and tilt his head baring his neck in a sign of submission pacifying Zeus enough for me to regain control again. Man this isn't good I thought. I knew he didn't mean anything he was one my best friends but obviously my wolf already held Ivey above all else, friends be damned.

"Hey man I'm sorry, she's a human I didn't think there's..... S**T.... she's your mate isn't she? I was kidding earlier when I made that joke in the diner but damn is she really your mate? How is this possible?" Damien started asking while pacing back and forth running his hands through his hair trying to digest this information. I knew none of us had ever heard of a wolf mating with a human before.

At this point Jared still hadn't said anything and we both turned to look at him. His face was priceless; it was a cross between happiness for me and a face that would constitute pissing yourself. These were my boys, they would become my Beta's when I took over so I knew this conversation would stay between us.

"Damnit man, what are you going to do, she's a human?" Jared asked his voice full of pain. Jared had a mate so he knew what it meant to find your other half and he knew what it would be like for me if she rejected our bond. I could tell he was worried.

"I don't know guys. I think I need to talk to my dad first, but I hate leaving here knowing she lives in this area, it's so bad." I said as I sat down and put my head in my hands. Even sitting on the concrete my body felt dirty. How can my angel live in a place like this, and why does she not have anyone making sure she was ok? Family was everything to us, even if not directly related to each other everyone in our pack were all considered family. I had so many questions running through my mind right now and not all of them were pleasant.

"Don't worry Max, go talk to your dad and I'll keep an eye out because I know Jared needs to get back." Damien said with such sincerity I knew he only wanted me to be happy.

"I'll hurry but if anything happens let me know and I'll be right here. Just don't let her see you though, she strikes me as the type of girl who wouldn't like it to much to have a bodyguard." I said to Damien via our mind link. I didn't want people walking by hearing that my mate was now being watched. Humans would think I was a stalker.

Not wanting to waste more time I turned and ran into the forest right at the edge of the road and shifting without even breaking stride, letting Zeus have free reign and ran home faster then he ever had before. I needed to talk to my dad and have him help me figure out what all this meant because all I knew now was that petite gorgeous girl was mine and if she knew how much I already loved her I had a feeling I'd be up s***s creek. I opened up my link to my dad and told him I was coming home and had to talk to him immediately. That way he could be ready and then I blocked off all links so I could just be alone with my wolf to think while we ran home.

As soon as I made it to the back of our yard I stopped. My family being the Alpha lived at the main pack house. It was more of a mansion then what some would call a house. Most people in our pack lived in houses peppered through out the forest, with our packs Beta's houses just outside our yard almost circling ours; a driveway connected all three. Some of the younger members and unmated males lived in the main pack house with us. The pack house is also was where we hold all pack meetings and any form of entertainment the pack could ask for.

Right now the outside of our house was full of activity. People were scattered around setting up for the party being thrown tomorrow night in Lila's honor. It was her 21st birthday. She was the she-wolf that most of the pack believed should and would ultimately be my mate and become the pack Luna. I knew even before I met Ivey that would never happen. I was one of the few wolf's that actually was looking forward to having a mate, the missing part of my soul. I didn't really understand the ones that didn't want to find their mate.

God my land really was beautiful, I thought as I was crossing the yard. It sat on the edge of a beautiful lake. The kind of place you could go and sit and think and become one with nature which is funny if you think about it. One with nature, hell we were wolfs. Living at the pack house also sometime posed a problem though when you wanted to have a private conversation. Due to our animal senses we all had excellent hearing. I ran around to the back door to avoid running into anyone - right now I just needed my dad.

"DAD DAD DAD" I yelled as I pulled on a pair of basketball shorts I kept outside for emergencies. I ran directly inside bypassing a few pack members that were calling my name in the kitchen and living room but I couldn't be bothered right now I had something more important to deal with.

"Yeah son, where's the fire?" he called down from his office. I took the stairs two at a time not wanting to waste a second. My dads office was one of the few soundproofed rooms in the house due to the nature of some of his businesses, he couldn't afford our heightened hearing to overhear sensitive conversations. My dad took one look at me and walked over to the door and shut it, locked it and told me to take a seat."What's this all about son, you look like you've seen a ghost."

"I FOUND HER...." was all I could get out. I was so scared because I knew the rules - no human must know we exist. It was the one rule ALL supernatural creatures followed. It was our strictest rule of all. The supernatural council had no tolerance for the breaking of the rule. It was usually easy to uphold the law due to no wolf, vampire, fae, you get the picture had ever mated outside of the supernatural race. The humans wouldn't understand, hell they even have stories told to children that cause nightmares about werewolves. That we are horrible scary and violent creatures. That couldn't be farther from the truth but humans have a hard time believing in the supernatural.

"You found who son?" dad asked cautiously looking at me with concern.

"My mate" I said softly with my head down.

My dad jumped up from behind the desk and grabbed me into a big hug. "I knew you'd find her son. Who is she, when is she going to be moving in, your mother is going to go crazy she has been praying to the goddess for this since you were a pup, will she be the perfect Luna when the time comes, oh and think of all the grand kids you will have to fill up this house, this is wonderful. We have to get mom!" my dad bellowed as he fired off all these questions not once stopping to take a breath or realizing that my head was bowed.

That's when I finally got the nerve and whispered "She's a human" and then I braced for the backlash that sentence was sure to cause, only I was met with silence. I slowly looked up to steal a peak at my dad who was already moving toward the door before I said that.

He stopped dead and slowly turned back away from the door his face had gone white and he just sat back in his chair. "Are you sure son?" He spoke slowly "Are you positive she is your mate?"

"Yes, I'm sure and I don't know what to do. Dad she is the most amazing girl. She lives all alone and she works in this crap hole of a diner just so she can pay for an even crappier apartment. She has so many layers I don't even understand. She is a spitfire and she is the most gorgeous girl I have ever seen but there is so much pain in her eyes, she tries to hide it but I could see. I honestly think I would kill anyone who ever laid a hand on her."

I was still rambling trying to get it all out before I lost my nerve under my Alpha's stare, because that's who my dad was. "I touched her hand today and there were these sparks that I felt all the way down to my toes and when I made her smile I felt like I could do anything. Her scent, it called to me stronger then anything I have ever felt. Even my wolf was taken aback by the strength of her scent." To even push my point across to him further I forced my emotions on him letting Zeus come forward so he could replay every scene from today, when I met her, touched her, smelled her through our mind link so he would have no doubt that she was definitely my mate.

"So yes, you see dad I'm sure she's my mate, but what do I do, she's a human. How is this even possible?" I looked up at my dad, my eyes bearing all the emotions I was feeling. I just wanted him to say it was no big deal it would work out, but no that would be to easy.

Feeling what his son had shown him there was no doubt this human was his son's mate and just looking at his sons defeated face it was all this Alpha could do to not wrap his arms around his son and comfort and protect him from what was sure to be a bumpy and possibly heart wrenching ride.

"Son, I didn't know it was even possible for a wolf to take a human as a mate especially for that wolf to be an Alpha, there has to I think somewhere in her bloodline have been a wolf, but it is up to the moon goddess who they deem fit to be your mate. But I will tell you though, it's not going to be easy." my dad began I could see pain behind his eyes as he began to tell me the things I would need to understand in order to have my mate. As well as some of the problems we might face. Which all was a bit scarce because honestly dad wasn't even sure exactly how the mating rules would affect Ivey.

Normally mating is easy every wolf has there own mark and when you see your mate it's instantaneous; the attraction, the want; you crave her in every sense of the word, your wolf wants to immediately lay claim on her and mark her with your mark therefore changing her mark to match the one the male has, thus telling all unmated males stay away and that female had been claimed, this usually happens within minutes of meeting your mate so already there was a difference with Ivey being a human and not knowing what we were she bore no mark so I would have to scar her delicate skin.

After the marking you must complete the mating process which is sex and with the marking the female begins her first heat roughly 20 days after she is marked, this sometimes happens sooner when the mate is an Alpha, meaning you must complete the mating process fairly soon because a females first heat can be very uncomfortable as well as dangerous due to the hormones she puts out. It calls to every unmated male within a 50 mile radius and Ivey being human it wasn't exactly known how all this would play out.

This is also the time when a female wolf can finally become fertile enough to carry a pup. It's what's ingrained in our wolf to lay his seed to create a pup. Which is probably why the heat, which lasts for seven days has been described as a all out sex buffet. The female is insatiable until the 7 days are up or until they get pregnant. The final stage in the mating process is completed at the end of the first intercourse at the time of climax, where you each mark the other which in turn combines not only your heart but your soul to one another for eternity. I don't know how this will work for us because Ivey being human couldn't technically mark me.

At that point the males mark will change to reflect a combination of both mates mark. The females mark will appear in the beginning when she's claimed. There's also a few other traditions thrown in there but nothing that isn't considered not very romantic by even human standards. If that wasn't enough to worry about there was the other fact that being my mate she would therefore become the Luna of our pack. Would our pack accept and respect her? I mean I could banish anyone who didn't want her but I really didn't want my pack to not love my mate. Could a human even handle being an Alpha female?

Hell, how am I going to explain all this to Ivey, that I have to bite her and claim her. That's after I tell her I'm a damn werewolf and that she's actually going to go into heat like a common dog. Anyone hearing my thoughts right now would think I was off my rocker, but unfortunately it's just me and my thoughts. Thank God I had put up blocks in my mind link because I needed to think but I could feel Jared and Damien trying to check in.

She's going to run screaming the other way. Another issue is once we meet our mate our wolf wants more then anything to claim his mate so I know I will have to be extra careful with Ivey so I don't take her by force because if I do I'm pretty sure she would hate me forever. I hope Zeus can understand this will take patience because she isn't like us and we don't want to hurt her. I think he will settle for now just to be near her. Already in the short time we've been separated he has been crying out for us to go find our mate and be with her. He needs to see she's ok. But I'm so scared to come on to strong but my human side also craves to be with her. God here I was a playboy and in about five minutes I am completely whipped to no end.

I had completely forgotten I was still sitting with my dad talking when I went off onto my little daydream. When I finally looked up I smiled sheepishly to my dad while he was sitting on the edge of his desk eyes smirking like he knew exactly what I was thinking. S**T he probably did know. I forgot to put back up a block in our mind link when I shared my emotions and the days events over Ivey with him so I'm sure he heard the whole conversation I had just had with myself. Damn that's embarrassing.

"Son, I know this is a lot to take in but I have faith in you. Take it slow get to know her and let her know the real you. In the meantime I'll do some research and see if I can find out why this is happening. Also if she does have some diluted wolf in her blood there may be a way for her to change, if she wants." he said cautiously

WAIT... Did he just say change her? I jerked my head up to look my dad in the eyes.

"It will work out son, she's your other half you just have to show her." he said as he patted me on the shoulders. "She sounds like she's had a hard life and is a survivor so I'm sure we'll love her, and when your ready I'm sure the pack will love her also. You know you can come to me for anything, ok." Dad said as he patted my back which was also his way of dismissing me. I certainly had a lot to think about.

So I did the only thing I could think of. I went and relieved Damien from his guard duty and I planted myself outside her apartment for the night so I could make sure she was ok but also because I knew I could be alone and I had a lot of thinking to do.

######

Finally, back in the safety of my apartment. I was so confused. What the hell just happened out there. Am I going crazy? That has to be it I am mentally insane. Well Ivey I wonder what padded rooms look like because I seriously think that's where were headed. I said out-loud as I laughed at myself. 

"AAARRGGG" I cried as I threw myself down on my bed. Why me?

Well if I'm crazy and going to the nut house I'm at least going to indulge in an exorbitant bubble bath first before they take me away. I giggled to myself as I gathered my toiletries. I lit candles all over my bathroom, got the tub water nice and hot and began adding just the right amount of my favorite scented oils before I sank down into the tub to shut my eyes and try to figure out what was going on.

You see people like me just didn't have happy endings. I have been taking care of myself since I was 14 years old well actually since I was about 5 but I've only been living on my own for 6 years. I've lived in this crap hole for five of those years. I won't think about that one year in between it was one of the most horrible of all my years. I've had to fight every day against some scuzbags trying to make a pass at me, and everything I do have I earned through both blood and tears literally since my dad vanished.

Why couldn't I have that dream man who loves me and a white picket fence. Why, because I was a nobody. Hell I couldn't even make the people who created me love me. I knew this so why was I letting the fact that a totally gorgeous guy paid me attention affect me like this. I'll tell you why, I argued with myself.

"Because Ivey, he's yours" A voice I sometimes hear in my mind spat at me.

WHAT!!!! I sat straight up in the tub why on earth did I just have that thought and it wasn't just a thought it was like my brain screamed at me that this boy was mine he was made for me and only me. But how is that possible. People aren't made for you. I knew I was always a little odd but this was certifiable. First thing tomorrow I'm going to make an apt with my doctor and get check out. I resigned to myself as I settled back into the hot steamy scented water. I decided I was done thinking. I shut my eyes and willed my mind to go blank and I fell asleep

How did I get here, I wondered. Looking around at my surroundings I never go into the forest. Ever since my dad left it had always frightened me, there are things in there that you don't want to mess with I knew and not just your average animals. No one had ever told me that it was just another one of those oddities about me that I just knew. So seriously I asked myself why was I here.

Well I wasn't going to get home by just standing around so I started to walk quickly in the direction that seemed to make the most sense "Ouch" I looked down and realized I was barefoot, that's weird and I had stepped on a branch and cut my toe. Crap I can't even dream without hurting myself. I really was a mess. Wait was I dreaming? Everything seemed so real I could even smell the moss and dirt, I could hear birds chirping and animals scurrying around the ground. I wondered if I was dreaming maybe if I pinched myself really hard I'd wake up.

"Okay one, two, three... Awwww damn it nothing just a nice bruise." Am I really talking to myself out loud I thought as I rolled my eyes. Ok Enough! I'm tired of this I want to wake up or at least get to the part of the dream where I'm at least happy. So I guess I'll just walk, it really wasn't as scary as I thought it would have been, actually it was kinda beautiful. Something about it seemed familiar almost as if I had been here before or walked this same way once before. There were moss covered trees, bright flowers, and small animals. I was so caught up in everything around me that I didn't here the slow heavy thumps walking up to me.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of my neck began to rise and I got goosebumps and I knew I wasn't alone. "Oh god, please don't let it be a murderer." I thought

So, against my better judgment because my head said stay but my body decided to turn around slowly. What I saw standing before me should have scared me to the point of passing out but my scream seemed to be trapped in my throat. There before me was the biggest, most beautiful midnight black wolf I had ever seen and its eyes were blue so blue they were like crystals. They actually reminded me of Max's eyes. "Wait that's sooo not possible." I stood frozen just staring. Something tugged in the back of my mind but I couldn't seem to pull the thought forward. Why wasn't this wolf attacking me. It just stood there watching me like it was trying to decide if he should come closer. Suddenly it lowered it's head and then his body so he was laying on the ground and made a sound almost like a soft whimper like it wanted me to do something. I should have been running for the hills but since this was a dream my stupid body had a mind of its own so before I could stop it my feet slowly began making there way to the wolf. When I reached to where it laid he raised his head, it was so big that all I had to do reach straight ahead and he pushed his nose into my the palm my hand as if telling me he wouldn't hurt me.

"AAAHHHH" I screamed as I flew out of the tub. That was one hell of a messed up dream. Only I couldn't shake the feeling it was more then a dream that it was almost like a premonition suddenly I was so cold the bath water had turned ice cold so I got out and dried myself off and threw on a pair of ratty sweats and went to heat up some soup so I could sit and try to figure out what was going on.

Author's Note

If I miss any grammarical errors please don't hesitate to point it out. I will try to update regularly. this is Book 1 of a trilogy so I really want honest opinions and any ideas you think could make the story better. all critism is definitely appreciated