The Packless Wolf

Chapter 2

Angry and worried chatter about the concert being cut short, surrounded Reika as she followed the crowd outside. She passed the doors and headed down the steps. She turned right towards a side street where their car was parked. The most amazing smell hit her nostrils. Odd, it’s not supposed to rain, and I don’t see any clouds, she thought to herself. Maybe it was a candle? Reika shrugged.  A hand grabbed Reika, quickly pulling her between 2 buildings. Her back hit something hard, and a firm arm hugged her into place. An ecstasy of tingles danced where her and her capture's skin touched.

“Now, I know for a fact you felt the bond. I saw your mouth move,” a husky voice whispered in her ear. The smell of rain with an undertone of rotting flesh hitting her nose.

Mate.

Reika swatted his arms away. She turned around and took a couple steps back. Her eyes swept up and down. She tilted her head. He looked perfect, and she didn’t just mean that. It’s like Michelangelo had chiseled him from stone. Reika stood at 6’, her mate was about 6’4”. His olive tone skin was flawless. His brown hair was tied in a bun. He had black geometrical shapes that were tattooed along his arms. She had always heard humans got tattoos and usually they had meanings, she wondered if they meant anything. Black eyeliner framed his blue eyes that pierced into her soul, like he was searching for something. Maybe some truth she was unaware of.

Conri hopped around happily chanting mate. Reika thought it was weird. He had never once hinted at wanting a mate or being attracted to anyone. Usually if she hinted that she someone thought was good looking, either male or female, he would scuff at her.

“I’m sorry”, Reika’s face twisted in pain. No, Conri growled at her. “I’m doing this for your own good. I, Reika M-“

Conri pushed forward. Reika struggled to hold him in. Her eyes flickered between amber and black, finally settling on black. Curiosity spread across the lead singer's face.

“This is not ideal, but I will make sure she cannot reject you,” Conri said, the pitch of Reika’s voice became deeper.

Don’t you dare, Conri. It’s supposed to be special when it happens. Reika screamed at Conri, trying to fight for control back, mental fist pounding against the invisible wall Conri blocked Reika with. Haven’t you ever heard of consent?

“Hmmm,” Conri thought. “If you do not wish this, say……. Raisin.” Conri stalked towards the man in front of him. Stop…. Reika continued to yell. Conri grinned, showing his protruding canines. He reached the singer and leaned up into the man’s neck, licking down to the soft spot, between his neck and shoulder. A moan escaped the singer's lips. Conri bit down, marking him. After a second, he released, licked the wound clean and stepped back. He wiped their mouth with their thumb and looked at the singer through hooded eyes, stepping back. “Come to the Blue Ridge Pack. We’ll be home in a month.”

Conri released the walls, giving control back to Reika. Her amber eyes glazed over in terror. She turned and started running. Fiona, I’ll meet you back at the apartment, Reika mind linked. I need to go for a run.

Is everything ok? You sound panicked. Fiona asked.

Reika didn’t respond. She continued to run back to towards their apartment.

~

The rest of the band stepped out from the shadows, surrounding the lead singer. “Did she just mark you,” the bassist, Tobias Summers, asked?

“I didn’t say raisin,” the lead singer, Jasper Crests chuckled.

“Wasn’t the Blue Ridge Pack the one our parents’ attacks,” the drummer, Ambrose Ridges asked? His face scrunched up with worry.

“That it is cousin.”

“Isn’t the alpha unforgiving towards rogues,” the guitarist, Roland Verbinski panicked. “Won’t he kill us”?

Jasper turned towards his band mates and best friends. They may have been a group of rogues, but in a way, they were their own small pack. All of them had lost family when Jasper’s uncle, Ambrose’s father, convinced a large group of rogues to attack the Blue Ridge Pack 13 years ago. Just a handful survived. Since then, the 5 of them have lived on their own.

“Well, there are still laws. We just have to follow them. Also, I don’t expect you join. She is my mate after all”, Jasper replied, trying to reassure the panic his friends had.

“Nope, where you go, we go”, the keyboardist Bruce Parker declared. “You are our lead singer after all”, he continued, waving his hand dismissively.

A grin spread across Jasper’s face. “Right then,” he started, heading back to the theater. “We’ve got some calls and packing to do.”

Our mates are going to be a handful, Cyrin noted to his human counterpart.

That they are, Jasper replied, shaking his head.