Claimed

Arrival

“Things will be chaotic when we first arrive to The Claim, Miss Conri,” the man in the car with her told her. Catherine was hardly paying attention— she was watching out of the tinted SUV window at the other cars next to her, all with blacked out windows, trying to decipher who was inside.

They were waiting outside of the checkpoint to enter The Claim. There were dozens of cars in the line on this side, and about a thousand feet to her right seperated by a grass median, was an even longer parade of cars— she assumed those were the males. The line for them was no where near as heavily guarded as the line for she-wolves. Guards stood ever fifty feet in between the lanes, with automatic assault rifles loaded with silver bullets and bulletproof vests.

“Why do they need guns?” Catherine asked, staring at the one outside of her window.

“For the safety of you and the other she-wolves in the claim.”

“Safety?” She asked, her eyes going wide. “What are they going to do, try to mark me on the sidewalk?”

He stared at her, his expression grave. “Desperate men do desperate things, Miss Conri. Each one of these men are fighting for the continuation of their bloodline. It is in our male DNA to claim a mate and reproduce, to create strong wolves to carry on in our stead. The scent of strong, unmated females can drive them to do things they would not normally do.”

A shiver traveled down Catherine’s spine.

“When we reach the gate, an armed escort will show you to your quarters. In an effort to keep you in a smaller and safer space that’s easier to guard, you will be housed five she-wolves per dorm. You will be housed with the four Beta females in the Claim this year.”

Catherine had heard millions of stories of The Claim from her mother and other pack members— but she didn’t remember them saying anything about huge, armed wolves in riot gear. Or— she peered out the window— the huge razor wire fence around the building in front of her, that she assumed was the female dorm. She wasn’t sure if they were trying to keep them safe, or keep them locked inside.

She eyed the seven story building with calculating eyes. Made of pale grey stone, it was elegant and she saw beautiful greenery and flowers peeking through the fence. It almost looked like a fairytale castle.. minus the ominously glinting razor wire sitting on top of the twenty foot tall fence.

She glanced to the side as the car in the lane next to her approached the front gate, and a row of five guards with guns all crowded around the car door, making a protective circle around the person exiting the car. She barely caught a glimpse of a wild mess of red hair through all of the men.

Her heart was in her stomach as her SUV stopped at the gate.

The driver in the front cracked his window to speak to the man at the gate.

“Catherine Conri,” he told the man. “of Silver Moon.”

Everything happened very quickly then. Catherine snarled in fear when her door was yanked open and she was pulled from the car. Huge men surrounded her with guns, forming a protective circle around her and shielding her from view as they pushed her towards the gate. She squinted against the blinding sunlight, seeing black spots, until they finally reached the shaded area by the gate and one of the guards keyed in a number on a pad.

A guttural snarl sounded in the distance followed by the snapping of teeth, and Catherine knew the males had caught her scent and a fight had broken out. She cringed, allowing the guards to usher her in the large building.

The large metal door slammed shut behind her, and inside the building, everything was much calmer.

Her guards gave her some space to breathe, but not for long. The sound of clicking heels approaching her had her snapping her head to the side with her lip curling up in warning.

A pretty brunette, probably in her mid-thirties, approached Catherine with bored and impatient eyes. She had beautiful green eyes that were almost cat-like and a figure to die for.

She was glancing down at the clipboard in her hands. “Maddox! Who is this?” She rapped impatiently.

“Catherine Conri, Luna Felicity. Of Silver Moon pack.”

Luna Felicity’s head snapped up in surprise as she met Catherine’s eyes. Catherine held her chin up, meeting the Luna’s eyes coldly.

“Miss Conri,” she greeted coldly. “I am Luna Felicity, of Black Forest pack. It’s an honor to be your dorm superior this year.”

Catherine raised an eyebrow. “Dorm superior?”

“A Luna from a well-regarded pack is assigned to each dormitory, to watch over and take care of the females living in it,” she explained. “A mother figure of sorts.”

Catherine snorted. “I don’t see my mother dressing me up like a steak on a buffet table.”

Rage flickered behind Felicity’s eyes, but she quickly controlled it and let out a forced laugh. “I suppose not. Follow me, Miss Conri. You are on the top floor with the Beta females. You have that floor to yourselves.”

Catherine followed behind Felicity, and she noticed the guards didn’t follow. She glanced back to see they had taken stance in the main lobby, standing by the windows and exits. They must have the building secure.

Catherine stepped into a plush black and red elevator behind Felicity. “The Delta, Gamma, and Omega females will be arriving soon. I’d like to have my girls of pedigree situated before they arrive. I have a lot of information to give you in a very short time frame, Miss Conri, so I hope you listen well.”

Catherine was silent. Her wolf, Tala, was going postal in her head, snarling and rising on her hackles. Kill her, her wolf snarled at her. Rip her prim little throat out. Disrespectful mutt.

Catherine tried to tune out the snarling in her head as they reached the top floor. The elevator doors opened to reveal a short hallway, and directly in front of them were a set of steel doors with another keypad on it.

“You are allowed to move freely about the building without an escort,” Felicity told her. “There is a small kitchenette and living area downstairs, although you have a full kitchen in your dorm. You are not to leave the building unless granted permission by the elders, and an escort will be arranged for you, unless the events are otherwise planned ahead by the council.”

Venom filled Catherine’s mouth. “The code to your door is four-seven-three-seven. Do not give this code to anyone, for the safety of yourself and the Beta females living with you.”

Felicity punched in the code, and the double doors made a heavy click before she opened them.

She gestured for Catherine to head inside, which she did slowly. “Welcome to your home for the next two weeks, Miss Conri.”

The apartment Catherine was standing in was grand. Blue-speckled marbled floors shined under the light of a golden chandelier, and a plush navy blue rug spread out across the foyer, welcoming her inside. She could hear chattering in the other room— hushed voices.

“Girls!” Felicity yelled shrilly. “Come here.”

Catherine watched with cautious eyes, claws nearly extended, as four women rounded the corner.

Catherine noticed the twins first. She’d heard of them— the twin daughters of Beta Lucian from Moonlight Valley pack. They weren’t at all what Catherine was expecting. Both girls, identical twins— had raven-black hair, silky and straight. The girl on the left had let her hair grow long— almost down to her waist— while the girl on the right had hers cropped just below the shoulders. Both of them had gorgeous, amber-colored brown eyes with hues of orange and black specks in them. They were taller than Catherine, more regal, but slender.

The girl behind them caught her eyes next. She looked wild— untamed. She had red curls that curled like weeds around her pale face. She had brown-green eyes, and a smattering of freckles across her delicate nose. She was built a little bit more muscular than the twins, and her eyes made her look feral and unpredictable.

Someone cleared their throat, and Catherine’s eyes darted over to the velvet navy blue sofa to her left, where a leggy brunette was sitting.

She was probably the prettiest out of the four. Her long, tan legs were crossed gracefully as she examined her fingernails, her electric blue eyes bored. Her long, chocolate brown hair fell in voluminous waves down to her hips, curving over her large breasts. Her rose-colored lips turned up in a smile as she regarded Catherine.

“Judging by the look on your face,” her voice was raspier than most women. “You must be the Alpha female.”

Catherine resisted the urge to growl. “Catherine Conri.”

“I’m Josie Fox,” she smirked. “Of Lunar Mountain pack. The twin idiots over there are Jade and Opal of Moonlight Valley. The crazy redhead is Augustine, she’s from Scarlet Moon.”

“Now that introductions have been made,” Luna Felicity snapped. “I need to go over your itineraries for the next two days.”

“You all have fittings with designers this evening at 5pm, before dinner. You’ll be fitted for your gowns for the following two weeks and gear for The Claim. Tonight you will have dinner with the Elder Council. After dinner, you will be formally introduced to the males entering this years claim that have already had their applications approved, so they have a chance to see you and decide whether or not to stay in your Claim.”

“Tomorrow you will be given a list of top contenders for your claim. The elders have ranked them based on skill, experience, and the likelihood that they will successfully claim you. You will select one, and they will get the honor of the First Spar. This is important, as sparing with one of them will give you an opportunity to show off your training and ability to defend yourself.”

Catherine scoffed. “It also shows them our weaknesses in combat.”

Felicity scowled at Catherine. “I’m going to go welcome the other girls in. Be dressed and ready to go by four thirty. Do not be late.”

Catherine scowled as Felicity turned on her heels and pranced out the door, shutting it firmly behind her.

“I’d be bitchy too, you know,” Josie grinned. “If Killian Black had entered my claim.”

Catherine’s heart stopped.