The Wolf in Sheep's Skin

Chapter 2

The pack house sat in the mountainous range of Montana, amongst vast, lush forests and skyscraper mountains. Directly around the pack house were fields of soft yellow and pink blossoms that blew in the breeze. From the front side of the pack house, it was oddly exposed compared to our old pack’s.

Open to the fields and whoever might come down the road; the massive modern building was far from what I had imagined. But the house sat proudly in the field, and somehow it seemed oddly fitting for the pack we’d joined.

Maeve squeezed my arm as we neared the pack house. My heart raced and my eyes darted to everyone crowding around the building. Men, women, and child all dressed in their finest attire climbed the steps to go inside. The dirt parkway behind us crunched as more people arrived.

“Pretty fancy, right?” Maeve looked up at the building, but all I could focus on was the bustling inside. People shouting, talking cheerfully, and laughing made me regret saying no to going home.

But we were climbing the steps to go inside, and it was too late. People glanced at us. They knew we were here; they would ask questions if we left.

Behave yourself, Gwen. Calm, cool, and collected. I smiled at people walking past, nodding at them. I made sure to keep my head bowed, so they knew I meant no disrespect.

Dominance among wolves was a struggle, and the last thing I needed was to offend someone.

As we made our way inside, people watched us with curious eyes. I lowered my gaze to the floor, reminding myself not to challenge anyone with eye contact. Don’t make a scene like in the car. Get through today. Make a good impression.

Maeve and I squeezed closer together as we made our way through the entrance, past the gathered crowd, and into the main part of the pack house. Like most pack houses, this one had a restaurant sized cafeteria which had been decorated for today’s party.

The flooring was white and gray marble, and the furnishing was mahogany. The décor was classy, hinting at the status of the pack we’d joined. Nearby was a large open seating area, stuffed with people like sardines. Laughter came from that room, and I made a mental note to find somewhere quieter.

“Gwen, Maeve! Over here!” My mom’s familiar voice came over the crowd. I glanced at Maeve, who wasn’t paying attention. I Instead, she was focused on a group of men nearby, all dressed in fine suits.

She raised a brow at me; the corner of her lip turned up in a sneaky smile. “Do you mind?”

“No, go ahead. I’ll be fine.” I chuckled. That didn’t take her long. We unlocked our arms, and I watched as she left to go wreak havoc.

I lifted my head, finding my mother through the crowd, and weaved towards her. I made sure not to bump or shove anyone along the way, hoping not to offend.

Finally, I made it over to her. Her brows knitted together, and she pursed her lips, looking around me.

“Maeve got distracted.”

Her face lightened, and she left out a little laugh, barely audible over the crowd. Everyone in the family knew Maeve’s antics well.

“Never mind it, then. Gwen, this is Olivia.” My mom motioned to a woman next to her.

I stuck my hand out and gave her a closed-mouth smile, just like I’d practiced. Not too threatening. Be kind, Gwen.

Olivia’s eyes widened, and she stared at my extended hand. Anger flashed in her brown eyes, and my gut dropped. She put her hand in mine and squeezed it tight. My fingers screamed in pain, and she gave me a tight-lipped smile.

The scent of her rage reached my nose, and my arm tingled. F*ck. Is she the Luna? Why didn’t someone tell me?

My arm itched as she squeezed my hand and everything in me wanted to sock her in the mouth. Don’t hit her. Behave yourself. I lowered my head, staring at the floor, and did a small bow.

She released my hand, and blood rushed back into my fingers. I kept my head down and waited for my heart to stop racing.

“Hit her.” A feminine voice growled in my head. I internally groaned, and my hands clenched at my sides.

Go away.

“She thinks she’s more powerful than us. Teach her.” The voice taunted me.

I’m in control. Go away. I repeated the phrase in my mind, but she only laughed. It was a raspy sound, like that of an animal growling and snarling at the same time. She stopped arguing with me, but the knot in my stomach didn’t loosen.

Lilith, my wolf, hadn’t spoken in years. I always had her under control. If she’s talking, this is worse than I thought. I need to leave. My gut dropped at the thought of another incident happening here, at this place, with all the new wolves around us.

Fingers snapped near my ears, making me jump. Bridget, my brother’s mate, was frowning at me, one hand in the air and the other on her hip.

“Do you have cotton in your ears, or are you ignoring me?” She spat out; her words were sharp like knives.

“Uhhh…” Was all I managed to get out.

“Ava needs fed, her stuffs in here.” Bridget shoved a diaper bag into my chest. I glanced at the floor, where baby Ava was sleeping in a typical car seat carrier.

I opened my mouth to argue, to give her some lame excuse about forgetting to lock the shop’s back door. But I snapped my mouth shut when I saw the Beta’s mate’s expression. Her eyes were narrowed, and my skin crawled under their gaze.

She was watching my every move, analyzing me, waiting for me to mess up.

“Of course.” I sunk my head down and nodded. I grabbed Ava’s car seat by the handle and slunk off, looking for a quiet room. Wandering through the pack house, where the Alpha lived, was always risky. I couldn’t be sure if the rooms I found were off limits or not.

I slid through the crowd, moving into the back of the house, and found a hallway. Boisterous voices came from behind every door in the hallway, expect for one.

I don’t want Ava to wake up. I’ll just try this one. I cracked the door that led to the quiet room and peaked inside.

The room was cozy, with a lush couch and two puffy armchairs. A fireplace was at the end of the room, where I imagined a roaring fire would be going if it was winter. A window was on the far wall, slightly open. Curtains fluttered in the breeze.

The room was empty, expect for a single man lounging in one of the armchairs. He was sprawled out, with his head resting on his chest like a kid who’d fallen asleep in the car. An empty glass was still in his hand, and I could hear the rumble of his breath as he slept.

“Hello?” I called out and opened the door more, entering the room. He didn’t budge. I glanced down at Ava, who was frowning in her sleep. She was almost 3 months old, and hated loud, crowded rooms. Maybe I’m the one who hates them. I shook my head at my fumble with the Beta’s mate.

The quiet will do me good. Maybe I won’t need to leave after all. I closed the door behind me with an audible click and stomped to the couch. When the man didn’t move, I sat down.

I sat Ava’s car seat down next to me and searched the diaper bag for the ready-made bottle. Once I found it, I plucked Ava from her car seat. Her Hazel eyes flickered open, and her lips smacked.

Before she could cry, I popped the bottle into her mouth. Her eyes glazed over as she ate, and her hands gripped my fingers as I held the bottle. Tiny hands and feet, her sweet scent, and the content sounds she made as she ate washed away all my anxiety.

I sniffed her head, making the dark hairs on her head swish. My cheeks warmed, knowing I looked silly, but it didn’t matter. I was alone, other than the sleeping man, who obviously wasn’t watching.

Spending time with Ava made listening to Bridget worth it. A twinge of pain touched my heart, and I wished for the millionth time I had my own baby. My own child, my own family.

I’m 32 and still haven’t found my mate. If I don’t find him soon, my odds of ever finding him are slim to none. I thought of all the old wolves I knew, all the ones my dad told me about. If wolves didn’t find their wolf by the time they were 35, they normally waited decades before finding them.

And it was even longer for dominant wolves. My parents didn’t find each other till he was almost 200. I frowned at the thought. I can’t wait that long.