“But why do we have to go to these meetings? I have already transformed.” Nova walked beside Amari. Sunshine and blue skies were rare and neither wanted to miss a moment of it.

  “We have a set of rules so to say.” Amari side-eyed the young girl. Every once in a while, she pointed them down another side walk. The walk to the council room was not far from where they parked.

  “Really?” Nova cocked a brow.

  “Keeps the fighting to a minimum.” Amari looked about for listening ears. With no one in sight, she pressed on. “It is a way for everyone to make a pitch to gain new blood for their pack.”

  “How many will I be meeting with?” Nova trailed her fingers along the rough brick.

  “A few, just the ones that wanted new blood.” Amari wished she had Diana’s ability. The cool mask of indifference bled only the slightest of tells.

  “Feels like adoption days.” Nova kept her voice steady.

  “Yeah. I am going to try and make this as painless as possible, but I want you to know you won’t lose me if you find another place where you feel more comfortable.” Amari stumbled on a root-raised block of cement. Chuckles broke the tension.

  “What does that mean? More comfortable? Why does that matter?” Nova scoffed.

  “It matters because you transformed.” Amari bit her lip.

  Nova’s expectant look spoke volumes.

  “Everything got so turned around. I didn’t think it was possible anything could neutralize the wolfsbane in your system. You chose to not transform, I was going to leave it at that and if you ever showed interest in allowing the full transformation, I planned to walk you through all that entails.” Amari slowed her pace, talking with her hands.

  “What don’t I know?” Nova pulled on Amari’s arm, halting her movement.

  “Well, you know there are Mutares that belong to a pack and those that are packless?” At her eye roll, Amari suppressed a smile. How many of those did Rema receive from her and Diana when they were being introduced to this world. Certainly more than Nova’s careful mask. “The packless chose to not put themselves under the authority of an Alpha and Beta.”

  “You told me this. What’s the big deal, they don’t want to be part of a group.” Nova stepped back nodding a hello to the passerby.

  Amari’s gaze followed the man and his dog, waiting another beat for the distance to grow. “For us, Alpha and Beta are not just titles for our leaders and packs aren’t just groups.”

  “What do you mean?” Nova pressed, her voice pitching up slightly.

  “There is an exchange that happens when you bind yourself to a pack.” Amari guided Nova down an empty pedestrian throughway getting them off the main street. Not many would listen in, but risk was still risk.

  “Bind?” The word stuck in Nova’s throat.

  Amari nodded and held up her hand to halt the question in Nova’s eyes. “It is permanent. Though I have heard of some people breaking it. Unfortunately it is becoming more popular. But it always comes at a cost.”

  “Then why would people bind themselves?”

  Amari full on smiled. She tilted her head, it was like looking in a mirror. Rema’s practiced words came out. “All members gain a boost from being part of a pack. As you have already experienced, your senses are heightened.”

  “No kidding, I am desperately trying to ignore what I can overhear.” Nova grimaced, eyes flickering up to a window above them.

  Amari debated when to tell Nova the whole truth. There were times that even with practice, her brain registered all her senses picked up. The slightly sick, overwhelmed look caused her to hesitate. “It takes time, but I can teach you to filter out the extra until you want it. Anyway, when you are part of a pack, you gain a bit more.”

  “More?” Nova squinted her eyes as her brows furrowed. “More?”

  “Usually in the form of a specialty.”

  “When does the weirdness end?”

  “Sorry, this should be the last loop-de-loop and the rollercoaster should level out.” Amari placed a hand on Nova’s shoulder. The shade of the leaves danced over her face. “It isn’t earth shattering but it is a good little boost.”

  “Then why doesn’t everyone choose to be part of a pack?”

  “Because of the trade off.”

  “There is always a catch.”

  Amari filed away the bitterness she heard. “You gain some power but you are under the authority of an Alpha and Beta. They can exert the extra, extra power they get to compel their pack members into an action or inaction.”

  “Like a puppet?” Concern bloomed in Nova’s eyes.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  “More like intense training. Like when an order is given to a soldier, it's like they move before they can even question it, especially if they trust their leader. Except with us it is bone deep, it feels near impossible to refuse.” Amari reflected, she never actually tried to disobey.

  “Other than these bonds and bonuses? Are there “Rules” to follow?” Nova curled her fingers in the air.

  “Well each pack runs their own way.” Amari turned them down a wide bright street. One side housed towering old buildings, the other a mix of older with facelifts and new cookie cutters. “We are a family, others are more business.”

  Nova swallowed hard looking up at the century old stone building. Colors and patterns added to the intensity and grandeur of the four story structure. Intricate mason work boasted the fortune spent. A black burnished historical society plaque stood on prominent display at the end of the walk.

  “You only need to hear them out today. Nothing needs to be decided.” Amari opened the ornately carved door to a billow of cool air.

  “Welcome, welcome.” A boisterous older gentleman walked quickly around the long table in the grand dining room. The whole other end of which held a platform and microphone. Tall windows filled the room with soft light and ambient warmth. Deep reds, purples, and oranges of the massive Herati patterned rug covered polished dark wood.

  “Alpha Kerin.” Amari bowed her head before offering her hand.

  “Ms. Spesy, good to have you home.”

  “Thank you.” Amari opened her arm. “This is Ms. Nova Roa. Our newest Mutare.”

  Amari’s eyes flickered to the corner as someone mumbled ‘That we know of’ under their breath.

  “Ms. Rao. I am glad you chose to join us in full transformation.”

  Amari subtly shook her head and Nova nodded. “Yes.”

  Alpha Kerin waited a second too long. “Well. We will get started. This will be a little like speed dating. Each Alpha or Beta representing their packs will lay out a little about themselves and what they are all about, they will give you their cards. If you find you are interested in knowing more, you can set up a more in depth tour or meeting with them. If none are to your liking or if you should choose to be packless…”

  A murmur filtered through the crowd. Nova looked around confused.

  “We will honor that and add it to our files.” Alpha Kerin smiled tightly. “Any questions?”

  “Is that food for free?” Nova pointed over his shoulder to the long table.

  “Yes my dear, we brought a few snacks for between meetings.”

  “Awesome.” Nova subtly pumped her fist. Her gaze connected with Amari. “I mean thank you. This is very kind of you.”

  “Certainly.” Amusement filled his features. Alpha Kerin walked with her to the end of the table and handed her a plate.

  “Fancy seeing you here.”

  “Benjamin Morningstar, you are neither Alpha nor Beta what are you doing here?”

  He leaned down. “I knew you would be here and Nova would be busy. I figured I could get a few uninterrupted moments.”

  Amari looked over her shoulder. Nova sat at a large round table, nervousness evident in the way she kept her hands busy with food, drink, or napkin. “I can’t leave the room.”

  “I think a corner will do.” Benjamin led the way to the opposite corner. Pulling out a chair, he smiled. “She’ll always be in your line of sight.”

  Amari sat and crossed her ankles. Elbow propped to hold her head. “What could you possibly want to talk about?”

  “I think it is time we caught up.” Benjamin angled his chair towards her.

  “Oh, you wish to divulge what you have been up to these last few years?” Amari smiled knowingly. Her siblings, not to mention the old bitties she kept running into, had painted her a pretty good picture of what happened since she left.

  “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” Benjamin leaned in.

  Amari flickered between his eyes. Softness made the dark brown come alive. Familiarity wrapped around them, like they were back in the back of the classroom whispering during a lecture.

  “You are the exact same.” Benjamin’s eyes darted around her face.

  “I am sure there is a wrinkle or two.” Amari quirked a brow. His tone caught her attention. Not quite flattery or not completely. There was something else there in his voice. She wished she had Diana’s gift.

  “You look beautiful and you know that is not exactly what I meant.” Benjamin leaned back in his chair, the corner of his mouth turned up. “You changed your mind, but you are still you.”

  “Perhaps a bit wiser… a bit more bold, sometimes.” Amari slowly drummed her fingers in a pattern on the smooth white linen.

  “You still do that.” Benjamin smiled and nodded his head towards her fingers. “You always did that when you were thinking about something.”

  Amari breathed deep. Unused to the attention, her mind focused on the unasked question in his eyes. “What do you want?”

  “A clue.”

  “To what changed my mind?” Amari pulled her lip between her teeth. The soft plea in his eyes pulled at her heart. “It doesn’t change anything for us.”

  “Perhaps it could. Either way, I would still like to know. Maybe even thank the guy.”

  “Ric.” A wistful smile pulled at her lips. Asseric walked right up to her and started a conversation. That first afternoon over a cup of tea at the Bountiful Feast Coffee and Tea. A budding friendship grew as they showed up at campus events. “There were no towering family, social, or…personal expectations around my Absintere status. He just was there. When I studied, when I ran, when I sang and danced badly to my 90s playlist. He asked questions and we talked out all my fears until there was none.”

  “Sounds like an amazing guy. Why did you leave him?” Benjamin's lips thinned.

  “It was never like that.” Amari raised her brows. “He is a good friend, like one of my brothers.”

  “Oh. Did he encourage you to come back?” Benjamin shifted forward.

  Amari searched his face. He was clearly searching for something specific. “He gave me the courage to.”

  “I definitely need to thank him then.” Benjamin winked.

  “I have a job to do Benjamin.” Amari looked over his shoulder. Nova sat across from Alpha Sosinic still nibbling on her full plate.

  “But you could use a little bit of a personal life to balance your jobs.” Benjamin inched his fingers under her hand.

  Amari turned back to him suppressing a smile. “Oh really?”

  Benjamin placed his other hand on top of hers, looking straight into her eyes. “I officially offer my services in whatever capacity you are ready for.”

  “You don’t give up do you?”

  “Not how I was raised.”