Page 13 of Forbidden Moon

Feminism might exist in the broader world for humans, but it hadn’t yet come to the shifter space for many packs, especially with pureblood female shifters in short supply. And everyone knew the strongest pups came from a mating between pureblood males and females. Maya was grateful she hadn’t been grounded because of her power and blood status.

Dirigo respected and valued a strong female wolf such as herself, not just as the potential bitch for breeding the next litter of strong males for the pack. She had a place in the pack and could serve, and not dinner or at the feet of the males.

This was the very question she had wrestled with over the past month since the mating bond had been revealed between her and Garrett. He came from that world, would go back to it. Was he secretly like his father and uncle? She honestly didn’t think she could live in Saranac under those conditions, but her heart felt torn apart just being away from Garrett for a month, and they hadn’t yet completed the bond. Was there any form of compromise?

Of course, then the attack happened, and it probably shattered any hope between them.

She walked up the stairs of the central headquarters, noting a few of her fellow enforcers gathered on the porch. They weren’t talking, just sitting numbly, staring into the night, eyes dead, shoulders slumped, opened but full bottles of beer in their hands or by their sides. There wasn’t any of the usual joking, camaraderie, or conversation. Yet they all needed each other for comfort. A few were even in wolf form, in a pack huddle, with a couple of pups, which was unheard of, but even the pups needed to be close to the enforcers to feel safe in this trying time.

One wolf looked up at her and he blinked, focusing on her, then he struggled to his feet. “Maya. You’re back. Good. We were getting worried.”

Giving in to her wolf’s need for touch, she went into his arms for a friendly hug that was more about comfort than anything else. “Matthew, I’m not late. I just finished patrol. Did something happen?”

Hope flared inside of her. Had they found their pups? He drew back and shook his head mournfully. “No, not yet.” Then he wrinkled his nose, a gold sheen rolling over his eyes. “You smell of something. Male wolf. Saranac?”

His lips pulled back from his teeth, and he snarled. The other wolves on the porch responded, turning their focus to them, eyes glowing gold and teeth gleaming in the dark.

“Settle down,” she ordered. “There wasn’t an incident. Nothing happened. But I need to talk to Isaac. Is he in there?”

Matthew had subsided to low rumbles, but he jutted his chin inside. “There’s been incidents all along the border. Lots of petty attacks.”

Her blood ran cold. “Prelude to war?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Everyone made it back. Patrols are now only with two. No one goes out alone.”

She nodded and pushed her way inside. Things were escalating quickly. Too quickly. And, if what she’d been feeling since she saw Garrett again was any sign of what she could expect, her life was about to get more complicated.

The very thing her family had feared back when she was a pup might be materializing at the worst possible time. An ache built in her chest with every step she took away from the clearing. A force trying to pull her back to Garrett, not letting her walk away. If she saw him again, it would only strengthen.

A fucking mating bond. With a Saranac wolf. What was once welcome was now a complete disaster. No one could know, especially now. Her life would be over.

* * *

Garrett puzzled over the interaction the whole way back to base. He headed straight for his father’s office, where he knew his uncle would spend most of his time. Before he could cross the into the office, a large body blocked his way. His cousin, Brandon, was a large, broad male with more brawn than brain, though he had enough to be known for his cruelty and his willingness to follow whatever directions he was given, and then take a few liberties along the way. The females of the pack avoided him, but he was rumored to have a mating ceremony coming up. Garrett pitied the female tied to him and he wondered if it was a true mating bond or if they were creating a witch bond, an artificial mate bond designed for the purpose of allowing wolves to have pups.

But in one area, Brandon was perceptive. Ferreting out other people’s weaknesses. If he sensed that Garrett had been with Maya or possibly found his mate, Maya would be in danger and the situation, which was already volatile, would explode and destroy everyone.

He deliberately relaxed his muscles even as his wolf growled to show Brandon who was stronger. “What’s up, cousin?”

“You’re late. We expected you hours ago. Out fucking around? Not that there are many worthy females.” He paused, leaned in and sniffed. “Unless you found yourself someone new.”

Fuck. But he kept himself relaxed. “Nah. Ran into a little trouble on the border. Handled it easily. Some female who thought she was strong.”

Brandon’s eyes glowed, but it wasn’t the wolf. It was a little bit of crazy shining through. “Those Dirigo bitches. Think they’re better than us, better than males. Hope you put her in her place. Under a male.”

“I didn’t waste my time. Just put her down and continued on my route,” he said nonchalantly, as his blood chilled. His cousin was on the cusp of being out of control, if not sprinting over it. Who held his leash?

“Is that Garrett?” His uncle called from inside the office. “Get in here. We’ve been waiting. Thought you got lost or something.”

Brandon sneered, but stepped aside for their uncle. “Or something.”

Garrett angled himself to walk past his cousin, keeping him in sight, but not letting him think he was afraid. Delicate line there. He didn’t dare turn his back. Brandon would think nothing of going for his back and claim might over right as an excuse, but if Garrett refused to turn his back, then it showed he was afraid, and he was weaker, which he definitely wasn’t. He’d forgotten how cut-throat Saranac pack politics were while he’d been away working with the Council.

His father was standing just to the right and a little behind his uncle, who was seated behind the large, ornate antique desk. Both brothers looked so much alike that they could have been litter mates. Both men were tall and muscular, a hint of silver at their temples that took nothing away from the strength radiating from them. They both still ruled their part of the pack with an iron fist. Garrett’s father managed the border with Dirigo and had since Garrett had been a child, while his brother, Linc, was the Beta to their Alpha, Victor Treadway. Between them, and a third brother who managed the western New York border, they controlled the Saranac Pack.

Garrett stopped across from the desk and fell into a military parade rest as he’d been taught in training. “Just took a little longer exploring the borders.”

“Met up with a Dirigo bitch,” Brandon offered, helpfully, from the doorway.