The Mating Rules

Raelyn’s POV

Today is the day, and I’m so excited! Today one of our allied packs send their unmated of age male members to take part in the full moon claiming which is in three days time.

We have treaties with twelve other packs and each pack sends unmated wolves to another pack every full moon, a different pack each month until all twelve have been visited and then they start again. The idea is that if a warrior’s mate isn’t of age when they visit, they will return to hear the call when she does come of age.

If a wolf finds their mate at the claiming, and the visiting wolf is of a higher rank than the mate who belongs to our pack, then our member leaves us and returns with his or her mate to their pack. If the visiting wolf is lower than their mate from our pack, he or she remains here, leaving their old pack and friends behind.

It may sound a bit harsh, you get a set of teeth in your neck and suddenly you are no longer part of your own pack anymore just because your mate is higher ranked than you. That is the way it works in our world though and having seen the newly mated pairs after the full moon, walking hand in hand, so in love, I think it’s an amazing ritual.

I rub my duster over the large half circle shaped table that is set in the bay window of the drawing room. This room is usually used by the Luna when she hosts afternoon tea with some of the other high ranking females of the pack, or visiting Lunas who have travelled with their mates for pack business. She also has a monthly book club that she runs so I am tasked with dusting and polishing the room daily along with making sure fresh flowers are placed on each surface.

Leaning further over the veneered surface of the table, I stretch to reach the back edge that is pressed up against the wall as a crunch of gravel sounds outside of the window.

Looking up my hand stills as I watch four black SUV’s rolling to a stop outside the front of the pack house. The doors to the vehicles swing open wide, and high ranking male warriors step out, some chatting amicably, other looking around curiously, making me think that this might possibly be the first time they’ve been to our pack.

I move to the side, hiding at the edge of the window, my gaze roaming from face to face as each walks closer to the pack house doors that are situated to the right of the room I’m currently in. The final man steps out from the passenger side of the first car, his head tilted down, a hand up to his forehead shielding his eyes from the fading sunlight. My body stills as he looks up and I get the first real look at his face.

I stare at him, my gaze roaming over his dark brown hair and handsome face. I’m sure I’ve seen him before, there is a warrior that comes once every year to our pack for the claiming, he’s a high ranking member of one of our allied packs. I don’t know the names of the packs we hold peace treaties with, no one has ever mentioned where they come from when I’ve been nearby, and I’m always kept away from visiting wolves for my own safety. I’ve always been told to not let the visitors see or scent me, but I always try to find a spot to conceal myself, and watch them arrive from a distance.

I nibble on my bottom l*p, If it is him, it looks like he still hasn’t found his mate, I study him closely, the build of this man, the way he holds himself, it’s familiar, I’m sure it’s him. No one else commands attention like this particular warrior does, he demands respect, even through the glass I can feel his power.

I watch the tall warrior as his gaze sweeps the building with disinterest, it seems the shine of visiting another pack wears off after a while. This close, I can just make out the features of his chocolate brown eyes and sharp jaw. His dark brown hair is cut close to his head, and he has plump lips and the shadow of an indent to his cheek that I’m sure turns into a dimple if he smiles, a feature that no doubt has many females vying for his attention.

As I watch him from my hiding spot behind the thick curtains framing the window, I frown slightly. He looks different this year, his body language looks uncomfortable, rigid.

Studying his expression, I notice a sadness around him, almost a look of defeat and my chest aches as I wonder what has happened in the last year that has made him this way.

‘Raelyn! What are you gawking at?’ comes a stern voice behind me, making me jump as I swallow down a shriek of shock. I quickly duck my head, leaning over the table again and polishing the top of the table furiously until I hear an exasperated sigh. Mrs Wentlock, ou head Omega, chastises me under her breath as I keep my gaze focused on the table in front of me, before she walks away again.

There is the sharp snap of the door to the formal room shutting behind her seconds later, and I’m once again alone with my thoughts.

Abandoning my job for a second time, I straighten up again, sneaking another glance through the window, my face falling slightly as I find the area in front of me empty. The warriors are already gone and the four cars have pulled away from the front of the building, no doubt to park up in our visitors car park to the right hand side of the pack house.

I glance around me, and check the rest of the room, making sure that every surface is spotless and that I didn’t miss any crumbs on the floor before picking up my cleaning supplies and reluctantly heading toward the far door that will lead me through the back passages to the kitchen.

Stopping in front of the exit, I bite the inside of my cheek and glance back at the door that Mrs Wentlock left through, minutes earlier, the one that leads to the main entrance of our pack house.

I have strict rules, do not interact with the guests, do not hang around anywhere that I might be scented and absolutely do not under any circumstances, go into the main areas of the pack house when we have guests.

I look at the doorway in front of me, then back that the other entrance, indecision weighing heavily on me. Blowing out a breath, I carefully place my bucket on the floor and hurry to the door leading to the foyer. Placing my hand on the door handle, I take a suck in a breath before slowly turning the knob and cracking the door silently open a few millimetres.

Peering through the sliver of gap, I look at all the warriors from this month’s pack who are milling around our entrance talking to each other and members of our pack. Quite a few of the unmated she wolves are there, giggling and battling their eyelashes at the men. Some show interest and flirt back, others, predictably the older ones, brush the attention off, ignoring the females until they take the hint and move on to another target.

My eyes zero in on the back of the dark haired man again, he’s talking to Jasper, the Alpha’s son and his Beta, Ford. Jasper is laughing at something the stranger is saying and he reaches out to clap his shoulder good humouredly as Ford shakes his head in amusement.

The visitor shifts around slightly and suddenly I have a perfect view of his profile. My breath catches as I drink in his broad shoulders, the muscles that are well defined through his tight shirt, and his hands! Oh, my Goddess, his hands are huge! I have no doubt that he could pick me up like I weighed nothing. He has to be well over six feet tall which is absolutely giant compared to my tiny five foot five frame.

I should back away but the man is mesmerising in a way that I can’t understand, he’s . . . beautiful, there’s no other way to describe him.

As though sensing me watching him, the man turns suddenly, his eyes that are even darker chocolate brown than I thought, sweeping the room, narrowing slightly.

Squeaking in fear, I push the door shut and run across the room, snatching up my bucket and throwing open the door to the omega passages, slipping through and shutting it behind me.

Leaning my back against the heavy wood, my breathing fast, as I clutch my chest with my free hand, my eyes closed tightly. That was a stupid and reckless thing to do! I need to stay hidden; I can’t allow the visitors to see me, not if I want to stay safe. Scolding myself under my breath for allowing my curiosity to get the better of me, I push off the door and stomp my way down the narrow passage toward the kitchen. As I enter the hot steamy room filled with the scents of cooking, I place my bucket by the wall and head toward the sink to wash my hands, determined to keep my nose out of the business of the visitors and myself out of their sights.