Darkest Before Dawn

Chapter 4

***kidnapping

The next couple days went by like that. I got up went to the campground, the wolves particularly Ace and Dax would loiter around my office making small talk. And at night we hung out and partied with them. The day before they left they were gone all day signing all the paperwork for the alliance they had come there to forge. It was obvious the first night they were following traditions in doing the alliance, pack leadership on both sides seemed to be very good friends.

As we sat around the fire on their last night there something seemed a bit off. Like there was something unspoken sitting in the air.

"You guys have asked us all kinds of stuff," Ace suddenly plopped down next to me handing me a shot and a beer, "Can we ask you guys somethings?"

"What could you possibly want to know about our boring species?" I drawled back at him.

"Come on you guys aren't boring," he playfully shoved me.

"Comparetively," I raised my eyebrow, "We obviously are, but ask away."

"Are you and Ryan dating?"

I choked on my beer as Ryan and I both burst out laughing.

"No," I managed to get out, "Absolutely not."

I didn't see his alpha's broad shoulders drop in relief.

"You guys don't have mates right?"

Cora answered this time, "Not like you guys. We have to stumble around and go through a million people who aren't right for us before maybe finding the right one, and even then sometimes we choose wrong."

"How can you choose the wrong mate?" Ace seemed utterly confused.

"We just have to guess. We don't have a bond or anything to tell us someone is our other half, we just guess and hope it works."

"That sounds terrible," the normally silent Levi muttered.

Right, most of these guys have mates, they know that bond.

"Do you choose wrong a lot?"

"Me personally, no," Cora replied, "But a lot of us do."

"Then why be so upset when your soulmate shows up and wants you, guaranteed?" Ace cut in.

"It's scary, ok, I'm sorry but you guys aren't human. For the first ten years of my life you guys were stories. Now you guys are very real and let's face it very intimidating. And it's scary being taken from our homes, our families, our friends with no choice or recourse if we are unhappy."

The wolves all nodded and something crossed Trish's eyes for a moment as she watched me speak but it was only fleeting.

"The human mates that are taken really do end up very happy," Trish spoke up.

I quirked my head at her.

"As Luna I travel most places with Kain and have met human men and women who were taken, as you say. Once their mates aren't scared of them leaving they do speak to and see their families. Some packs even let the human families stay with them on their lands," she gazes lovingly at her alpha.

I hadn't known that, we were always told those taken were never heard from again.

"I didn't mean to sound harsh, just my perspective."

"We understand our cultures are very different," Kain replied, "That's why making friends is important. And in the spirit of that Dawn, you and your friends are welcome on Harvest Star territory at any time."

"And Blood Stone." Dax added.

Ryan and Devin thanked the alpha's perfusely, but I could read the girls thoughts. No way they were risking that even with all we had come to know.