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had to think like them and adapt to their way of life.

Copyright © 2011 April Bostic

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With a reluctant heart, I pushed Zoë's death out of my mind. Then I sighed and said,

"Okay, I'll see the doctor, but I want something to eat first. I'm starving, so let's go back to the diner."

Riley smiled and gathered me into his arms. That's when Dominic approached us. He

smiled too, his voice friendly. "Do you mind if I tag along? I'm hungry too."

Riley turned toward his stepbrother and scowled. "Piss off. Go gnaw on a fucking deer. I

don't want anything to do with you."

Dominic's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say a word. I didn't get a word in either because

Riley pulled me along as we left the station.

We had a quick meal at the diner and then headed across the road to the doctor's office.

The doctor was busy with an elderly patient, but Quinn offered to help. She seemed to enjoy

being my nurse and impressed me by how quickly she stitched my wound. She was bandaging

my arm when Riley finally decided to share the latest news.

"I ran into Dominic at the station."

Quinn paused and looked at her brother with a grim expression. Then she set her angry

gaze on me. "He's not welcome in our house," she said in a hard voice.

I gave her a confused look. "But his mom lives there, and your father is inducting him

into the pack again."

Her eyes widened as she yelled, "What?"

"Yeah, he is," Riley said calmly.

Quinn stood abruptly, her face clearly upset.

"Why do you hate Dominic so much?" I asked. "Why is it so bad he challenged your

father? Is it wrong to challenge the pack leader? Dominic said he fought for change, and that

your father is stuck in the old ways. He said the pack needs a younger leader." Suddenly, Quinn

started to cry. "What's wrong?"

A second later, she turned on her heel and ran out of the office. Unlike what happened at

The Den, I followed her because I wanted to find out the cause of her severe dislike for her

stepbrother...who once tried to be her mate.
Ewww
…
talk about an awkward relationship
.

When I got outside, she was already halfway down the road and seemed to be heading

home.

"Quinn, wait up!"

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She stopped and turned toward me. Even in the distance, I could see her blazing yellow

eyes. "I don't want to talk about it!"

When I reached her, I was out of breath. "But you can talk to me. We should have girl

talk. Tell me what's wrong."

My words seemed to calm her. She sniffled, and her tear-filled eyes returned to blue.

"Girl talk?"

I put my arm around her shoulder and held her close. "Yeah, let's talk," I said soothingly.

She gave me a small smile. "Okay, we can go to my house."

When we arrived at her trailer, Dominic was standing in the living room. He looked at us

in surprise, and in that same second, Quinn growled and flashed into a wolf. Her clothes tore and

fell off her body as she attacked him. She was no match for Dominic because he laughed and

pushed her off easily. She landed on the carpet and flashed back into a human.

Celia walked in from the kitchen and yelled, "What's going on?"

Quinn's voice cracked. "I don't want him here!"

Celia stood over her, anger etched into her face. "He's my son! I'm not going to tell him

he's not welcome in his own home!"

Dominic stood silently and looked down at Quinn in amusement. He licked his lips as his

amber eyes raked over her naked body.

Quinn shot back, "But this isn't his home!"

Celia's lips spread into a thin line as she glared at her stepdaughter.

I knelt beside Quinn and tried to offer some comfort. I wanted her to know I was on her

side. "Let's go to my cabin." I helped her to stand and shielded her from Dominic's leering eyes.

"Get dressed and then we'll leave." I spared a glance at him and he smirked. I returned a seething look before Quinn and I entered her bedroom.

I could tell Dominic had shaken her up because her hands trembled as she put on her

clothes.

I followed her out of the room, but before we left the trailer, she gave Celia a nasty look.

"Bitch!" Then she slammed the front door and marched angrily around the trailer and into the grass clearing. She headed toward the forest, so I had to assume we were walking to my cabin.

During our walk, I decided to start our girl talk. "So, tell me why you rejected Dominic."

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She scoffed. "Do you need to ask? He's a wanker." I laughed, but Quinn didn't share my

amusement. "When I rejected him, he got angry because according to the old pack law, I had to

accept. I didn't have a choice. I went to my father about it and he asked Xavier to change the law

for females to give us a choice in our mates. Xavier didn't agree, and felt insulted I didn't want

his son. He and my father had a major row."

"A major
what
?"

"Row. Argument." She gave a short laugh.

"Oh. Sorry, some of the words you and Riley say are confusing."

"Yeah, he told me. No worries, we understand. We're the only Brits here, so we're used to

explaining what we're saying. Anyway, then my father decided to challenge Xavier as pack

leader. When he won the fight, Dominic was infuriated."

"Riley said your father challenged Xavier because he wanted humans in the pack."

"Yeah, that too, but Dominic took his anger out on me."

When I didn't hear her footsteps alongside me, I stopped because I realized I had walked

ahead of her. I turned around and saw she had stopped walking. She wore a distraught expression

and stared at nothing. I stood in front of her---quietly and patiently---because I knew she was

going to say something.

Her lips trembled, and she wouldn't look at me when she whispered, "He raped me." Her

eyes darted toward me. "But he didn't get a chance to mark me because I escaped."

Her confession shocked me to the core. My voice was lost in the air, but I gathered her

into my arms. She had grown to become my sister and I wanted to protect her although I didn't

possess the physical strength to do it. She sniffled, and I pulled back to look at her face.

"Have you ever told anyone?" I asked softly.

She shook her head, her eyes watery and bloodshot. "No. Dominic threatened to kill me if

I did. I was afraid of him. He was still angry about the death of his father and that his mother

mated with my father."

My eyes widened at this new revelation. "His father died?"

"Yes, my father killed his during the fight." She continued walking, but I kept stride with

her. "That's how you become the pack leader. Either you kill the Alpha Male or he gives up his

rank and names you his successor. I don't know why Dominic thought he was a match for my

father. I don't know why he's back, but I
do
know he has an agenda. He'll always resent my

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family." She stopped again, but this time she grabbed my arms with her small hands. "Don't tell Riley about the rape because he'll go after Dominic, and I don't want them to fight." She

loosened her grip and her voice wavered on the verge of tears. "I don't want Riley to get hurt."

Without hesitation, I nodded. "I promise I won't tell him."

I solved the mystery and finally understood why Quinn hated Dominic, but now...I hated

him too.

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Quinn and I spent hours talking and hanging out. It was the first time she had ever been

inside my cabin. I enjoyed spending time with Riley---immensely---but sometimes I desired

female company. Quinn’s entire mood seemed to change while she was with me. I showed her

around, and she told me how I could redecorate each room. I just smiled at her because I felt

happy to offer a distraction from Dominic.

Once we settled into the living room, Quinn confessed she didn't have a boyfriend or

anyone interested in filling the role. We lounged barefoot on opposite sides of the sofa and

sipped hot tea from mugs.

"So are there any guys you
do
like; someone with whom you wouldn't mind being

submissive? I know it's hard for you, but relationships are about compromise."

She shook her head. "Nope." My mouth dropped. Before I could reply, she said, "Well,

there are a couple males I find physically attractive, but their personalities are horrid. Why is it

always the good-looking blokes who have nothing of quality to offer?"

My hand shot up. "Now, wait a minute. That's a generalization because Riley is good-

looking and doesn't apply. Your brother is amazing and a total package." I stared at the sofa

cushion and my vision unfocused. "He's witty and smart, sensitive and caring, yet fearless and

brave." I think she chuckled, but I was lost in my thoughts of Riley. "Not to mention, he has the body of a Greek god." I looked at her and lifted an eyebrow. "Or should I say
orse
god?"

"Don't forget cheeky," she added blandly.

Ironically, the subject of our scrutiny walked through the front door. "I'm not cheeky."

Riley's lips curved into a smirk.

My eyes nearly bulged and my face flushed with heat.
I wonder what else he heard
. He

approached the sofa and flopped down on the middle cushion between us. A grin replaced his

smirk and I saw humor dancing in his eyes. I sipped my tea to hide my embarrassment, but when

I moved the mug from my lips, he stole a kiss...and it was definitely hotter than the tea.

Quinn's voice brought my attention to the garments on her brother’s lap. "Where did you

get those?"

The fabric looked like silvery white satin with soft undertones of periwinkle and lavender.

He unfolded one, which turned out to be a long robe. "I got them from Dad."

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I had to touch the clothing marvel. The fabric wasn't satin, but more of a polyester-cotton

blend.

"What is this?" I asked in amazement. "It's beautiful." The fabric shimmered when the light touched it, and had an iridescent quality I've rarely seen. Working for a fashion magazine,

I'd seen almost every fabric imaginable. "I don't think I've ever seen fabric like this."

"These are our robes for the pack induction ceremony," he said. "You can only get these from one place."

Intrigued, my eyes widened. "Oh yeah? Where?"

"The birth place of
Varulv
." Riley paused, and my eyes grew even wider with

anticipation. "It's now called Sweden." I pursed my lips and he grinned. "There's a full moon tonight, so you'll be inducted into the pack." His spoke bitterly when he said, "And so will that knob Dominic."

I looked at Quinn. She frowned and her brows furrowed. Suddenly, anxiety washed over

me because I couldn't believe I would be an official member of a wolf pack in a few hours.

"Tell me what I have to do for the ceremony."

Riley placed the robes beside him. He turned toward me, lifting one leg onto the sofa. His

gleeful expression told me he was glad I asked. "Before we leave the cabin, you'll put on a robe.

We usually walk to the ceremony barefoot, but you can wear trainers."

"What do I wear underneath the robe?"

He gave me a confused look. "Uh, nothing."

"What?" I yelled, my eyes round. "I have to be naked?"

Riley still looked confused. "Well, yeah...we'll all be naked underneath because we have

to take the robes off when we shift."

"But I
can't
shift," I reminded him. Suddenly, my brain pressed the rewind button. "Wait, so I'll see everyone
naked
?" My breath hitched.

He shook his head, amusement in his voice. "What is it with you and nudity? I don't

understand why it bothers you so much." I cast my gaze down. "Do all humans act this way

when they have to see other people without clothing?"

I scoffed. "Uh,
most
of us. We don't walk around naked in public unless we want to be

arrested." I gave him a pointed look.

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Rolling his eyes, he said, "Wear a bra and knickers underneath if it makes you happy."

With a sigh, he continued. "Anyway, we're meeting less than a mile from here near the cliff’s