The Packless Wolf

Chapter 12

Two things the Blue Ridge pack are good at; ceremonies and decorating. Tonight was no different.

Reika’s breath was taken away when she stepped outside for the joining ceremony. Stringed curtain lights hung from the towering oak trees. Chairs faced the porch that was used as a stage and lights wrapped around the bottom of the porch. Larger lights connected to the base of the porch and higher up on the pack house. Each member carried their chairs outside.

Reika sat in the front row and watched as the alpha cut the palm of his hand and held it in a fist over a lapis lanzuli and chalcedony chalice. Filling it, he let some of his blood drip down. He took the cup to Merrick. As he handed Merrick the cup he recited, “with my blood, I, Alpha Eric, bind you, Merrick Black, to the Blue Ridge Pack.” Merrick took the cup and lifted it to his lips, taking a sip and handed it back to Alpha Eric. Eric then pushed his alpha aura out and commanded Merrick to submit. With a pained face, Merrick bowed down to one knee. Reika felt the bond open up andshe wondered if each pack member could feel it or if she could just feel it, since she was the alpha’s daughter.

The alpha continued down the line of the new members. Each taking a sip and submitting. Each time a pain looked painted on their face. Reika had heard submitting that way was painful. You were breaking the bonds of the old pack and creating the new bonds. Plus, the human side did not want to submit.

After Tobias completed the ritual, he cut his palm and allowed a drop of blood to fall into the cup, then Sonya followed the same steps, her face grimaced in pain. Reika noticed that the cut had started to heal, not as fast as a wolf, but not as slow as a human. She wondered if it was due to her carrying a pup. She looked to be full term. It had taken nearly 2 hours, but Alpha Eric had finally made contact with a pack in Africa that had a similar situation 100 years ago. The pack's alpha had translated what was done, but there had been some concerns for mistranslations. The alpha informed her dad that due to Sonya carrying a pup, and due to being mated before joining the pack, she had to complete the ritual. If she wasn’t, a ritual wasn’t needed, as a human mating to a pack member would create the bond naturally. Alpha Eric reassured her that it would be painful to submit, that her instinct would be to either fight, run or freeze, but the pain would only last until the command was submitted too. He recited the words as he did many times before. Sonya’s face contorted in pain as the command to submit was given, but she didn’t do anything as fear had gripped her into place.

“Sonya, you have to submit,” Alpha Eric stated gently, not letting any of his aura lessen. “The pain and fear will pass,” he added.

With wide eyes, Sonya nodded her head and slowly started to bow and kneel. As soon as her knee hit the ground, Eric closed his aura off. Sonya gasped for air and her face began to relax. Reika felt 2 bonds snap into place. “You did very well,” Eric said, taking her hand and placing his other hand under her elbow, Tobias did the same on the other side and they lifted her up.

“Did it work,” Sonya asked, looking between Tobias and Alpha Eric.

“Yes,” Alpha Eric confirmed with a gentle smile.

“Thank god,” she said, “I do not want to do that again.”

Alpha Eric laughed. “Well, let me be the first to say, welcome to the Blue Ridge Pack,” he smiled, looking between Tobias and Sonya. “I think I speak for all of us when I say I can’t wait to meet the little one.”

The alpha turned to look over his pack. “Alright everyone. You take your chair back to the dining room and Beta Alex and I will start the bombfire.”

~

The rogues were invited to join the bomb fire. It was almost like a wedding. There was a ceremony, food, and a party. Jasper concluded joining a pack was like a wedding, joining a new soul to a family.

Jasper was with the other rogues as they talked with Tobias and Sonya. The mates shared their experiences with the other rogues and attempted to answer any questions. Jasper’s breath was taken away when his gaze landed on Reika. She was dancing around the fire with the new female members and the mates of the new male members. The crackling flames seemed to dance in rhythm the women danced to as the drums that the alpha, new male members, and the mates of the new female members played. He watched. Jasper noticed that all the women were wearing dresses, except for Reika. She was wearing black pants and a plum-colored button-up top. And while she stood in the glow of the light it was really her beaning smile that lit up her face. Jaspter longed to be the reason she wore that smile. The drumming stopped along with it the women also stopped, and for a moment, Reika’s eyes met Jasper's, her smile not faltering, and her hand lifted, offering him a small wave. Jasper smiled back.

She truly is made to lead, Cyfrin said to Jasper. Jasper nodded in agreement.

Jasper’s mind drifted to worry as Reika walked in the opposite direction. He wondered how many warriors were on patrol. Ambrose had told him when their families attacked the pack there was a ceremony going on and there were only a couple of warriors patrolling. He would not allow an attack to take away the chance he was given to win his mate's heart and trust. Not wishing to take any chances, he told his band mates he was going for a stroll, and he left. He used a spell to disguise his scent and he spent the night putting wards up around the pack perimeter. The wards were only temporary and would only alert him if there were any unwelcomed guests that entered, but it was all he knew. He'd have to look into stronger wards for the future.