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edge. It's where we usually have the ceremony because the moon is the biggest and brightest in

that spot on the mountain. The pack will gather in a circle around my father as he announces the

new members. You'll enter the circle once he beckons you and he'll tell you your position in the

pack hierarchy. Then you'll say the pack oath." Riley pulled a piece of paper from his front

pocket. Then he unfolded it and handed it to me. "I wrote down what you have to say. It would

be a good idea if you could memorize the oath before we leave at dusk."

My eyes scanned the words. It didn't seem too difficult to memorize. Riley diverted my

attention when he dropped a small stack of papers on the coffee table. I looked at him and he

flashed a mischievous grin.

"Those are photocopies of the pack laws." My eyes widened. "Read them, learn them,

and most importantly...remember to cover your arse if you break them." He chuckled.

I picked up the stack and scanned the handwritten cursive words. I started getting nervous

the more I shuffled through the papers. "I can't memorize all this before dusk."

Quinn chimed in. "You don't have to memorize the laws as much as get
familiarized
with

them."

I dropped the laws back onto the table. They could wait.

Then I looked at Riley, tenderness in my gaze. "So, when will he announce you've

claimed me as your mate?" I asked softly.

Riley smiled, his tone of voice matching mine. "He'll announce it after you're officially

inducted into the pack. After you say the oath, everyone will shift and approach you one-by-one.

We do this so everyone can receive your scent. Since you're human, all you have to do is hold

out your hands. After the last
Varulv
receives your scent, my father will say some words in Old Norse to Máni, asking him to watch over you. At that point, you'll be an official member. Then

everyone will howl in celebration. Usually we all run free afterwards, but he'll probably postpone

that part so he can announce my claim for you."

I sighed in relief. "Then what do I have to do?"

He scooted closer and took my hands in his. "First he'll make the announcement and then

I'll approach you and say something unscripted. We can say whatever we want to one another.

My father lets us speak from the heart, so it's very informal. I'll shift into a wolf, and you'll kneel Copyright © 2011 April Bostic

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so we can share a kiss. We have to kiss that way because it's part of the tradition, but usually it’s

two wolves licking one another. My father will give us his blessing and say he recognizes our

union. Then we can leave the ceremony, find somewhere private, and shag each other's brains

out." He laughed, and it was contagious because I immediately joined in.

I encircled my arms around him. "I can't wait...you have no idea."

He smiled and caressed my cheek. "Trust me love, I feel the same way because last night

I wanted to take you and---"

Quinn cleared her throat. "All right, I don't need to hear this."

Riley turned his head toward her and grinned. She rolled her eyes and got up from the

sofa.

Seconds later, I heard her voice from the kitchen. "What do you have to eat in here, Paige?

I don't smell anything."

I was lost in Riley's eyes while his fingers left pleasure trails across my face. "Probably

nothing," I said in a detached voice.

"I'm starving." Quinn reappeared in the living room rubbing her stomach. "You really

need to stock up properly," she said, hands on her hips. "What are you going to feed my brother once he becomes your mate?"

I shot her an affronted look. "I'm expected to cook for him too?" Call me a modern

woman, but cooking is not my forte.

Riley retorted back to her, "Why don't you go out and catch something? I won't tell Dad."

I expected her to chastise him about breaking one of the pack laws. To my surprise, she

asked, "Do you promise?"
I guess she's not a goody-two-shoe after all
.

I took Riley's advice and wore a bra and panties underneath my robe. The robe felt like a

sin to wear and I hoped it was mine to keep. I didn't feel I deserved to wear it. Riley's father

would probably agree, but I didn’t care. I was redeeming my ‘Get in Free’ card. I wanted to be

with Riley and I’d be a fool not to go through with the ceremony.

Standing alone in front of the bathroom mirror, I spun in a circle, laughing aloud in joy. I

felt like a Norse goddess, the way the fabric flowed and rippled like it was made of water. It

reminded me of the color of moonlight and suspected it wasn't by accident. After all,
Varulv
are children of a moon god.

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When I saw Riley in his robe, I discovered there were versions for each sex. The female

robe was off the shoulder that wrapped around and tied with a belt. The male robe looked like a

normal dressing robe. Because my neck and shoulders were exposed, I could understand why

Riley didn't want to risk having sex with me. If he left his mating mark on one of those areas, his

father would definitely see it.

Dirt caked the bottom of my sneakers and they clashed with the elegance of the robe, but

I had to wear them. I didn't have a choice because I had only packed two types of footwear. My

bulky hiking boots were a worse idea than the sneakers. I couldn't hike through the forest in the

high heels I wore to The Den, not unless I wanted to trip and fall, and ruin the beautiful robe.

That's when I had a thought:
Maybe Riley could carry me there. That way I wouldn't have to

walk or embarrass myself with horrendous footwear
.

Riley was eager to please when I asked him to carry me to the ceremony. Judging from

his beaming smile and joyous expression, he actually seemed honored.

When the sky had turned orange and indigo, the colors that signaled dusk had arrived, the

twins and I headed into the woods. My soon-to-be mate carried me nobly in his arms and I felt

like royalty. I gave him a few kisses of gratitude as his swift footing got us to our destination

within minutes. Quinn followed behind barefoot and had no problem keeping up with her brother.

We arrived in a wide grass clearing with large Evergreens lining the perimeter. A few

yards away, I could see the cliff’s edge and mountain peaks on the horizon. The sky had

darkened, but silver light shone brightly as if it were day because the moon peeked over the

mountains. I gaped openly and stared in wonder. I could actually see its deep craters. In the city,

a full moon was the size of a ping-pong ball, but in the Colorado Rockies, it resembled a small

planet.
How was this possible
? Perhaps it was the mystical work of Máni.

I stood beside Riley and looked around at the other pack members. After a quick count, I

estimated at least a hundred
Varulv
---men and women, young and old, of different races and

complexions. The adults and teenagers donned the silvery white robes. A few women carried

small wolf pups in their arms. Some pups ran around freely, jumping on each other and playing.

One of them ran up to me and sniffed me.

Within seconds, a young woman snatched the pup into her arms. "Not yet, Brandon. It's

not time to sniff Paige." She flashed me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, he's just excited."

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I smiled in return. "It's okay, I understand." I rubbed the top of Brandon's little head

before she walked away.

Quinn stood alone off to the side and fidgeted her hands. Most of the pack chatted among

themselves, but some of them paced, shifted on their feet, or hopped up and down. I wondered if

they were anxious because of the ceremony or full moon. I remembered Riley told me the full

moon makes
Varulv
anxious to shift.

The chatting had quieted when Aidan appeared in the clearing. He walked barefoot with

his broad muscular shoulders squared. The robe made him appear regal and his presence

commanded respect. It was obvious to anyone he was the leader.

Celia walked closely in tow, a serious look on her face and her hair flowing down her

back. Dominic followed behind her. He walked with confidence, his eyes looking forward, but I

detected the smugness hidden beneath his aloof exterior.

The pack assembled into a large circle, but some had to round up the smaller pups. They

were too busy having fun to realize the importance of tonight's event.

Riley touched my shoulder and gave me a warm smile. "I'm going to stand next to my

father. Quinn will stand next to me, and you need to stand next to her."

I nodded, and followed him as he took his position in the circle. As I looked around again,

I noticed everyone's focus was on Aidan. The night was nearly silent except for a few pups

yipping and yowling. The women holding them tried in vain to calm their excitement. Regardless,

Aidan began the ceremony.

"Good evening brothers and sisters. Tonight we have gathered to welcome two members

into the Black River pack." He walked forward and entered the circle. "The first member is a brother you know well. He is my stepson and was born into this pack twenty-five years ago." He

turned and faced Dominic. "He was banished from the pack, but tonight I am inviting him back

home with open arms. Whatever animosity you or I held in our hearts for this young wolf, I want

put aside and buried deep within the earth. For tonight, Dominic Elias Black is our brother, and

as one of our own, he deserves our respect, protection, and love."

Quinn stiffened next to me. I looked at her and she was grinding her teeth. Then I looked

at Riley. He wore a deep frown and his brows furrowed.

When Aidan beckoned to Dominic, he walked quickly into the circle and knelt before

him. The sheriff lowered his voice. "I'm not going to lie to my pack. When you arrived in Black

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River, I did not want to induct you back in. I have never allowed a banished member to rejoin

my pack. However, your mother Celia---whom I love dearly---had convinced me to give you

another chance. I like to think I have a forgiving heart, so I listened to her plea and agreed to let

you rejoin." He stepped closer to Dominic, and suddenly his voice turned hard. "But do not take my forgiving heart for granted. Your induction comes with a special stipulation. Once I officially

induct you into the pack, if you disobey my laws, you will forfeit your life. Do you understand?"

Dominic nodded immediately. "Yes, I understand."

Aidan stepped away from him. He set his intimidating gaze on me next, and I froze like a

deer caught in a wolf's path. He beckoned to me but my feet failed to cooperate with my brain.

My knees felt weak and I was on the verge of collapsing. Suddenly, my head swam and I thought

I would faint. I took my eyes off the sheriff for a split second, only to see everyone looking at me.

Instantly, I broke out into a sweat.
So this is what stage fright feels like
. Even the pups stopped making noises and all I heard was nighttime insects.

Riley whispered, "What are you waiting for? Go on."

"I can't," I said in a strangled voice. He gave me a worried look. "I can't move."

Aidan commanded me. "Come here, Paige."

Riley spoke in my defense. "Dad, she's a bit nervous. Do you mind if I...?"

His father threw me an exasperated look. Then he nodded and waved his son over. I had

no idea what was going on, but yelped in surprise when Riley lifted me into his arms. He walked

swiftly and put me next to Dominic who was still kneeling.

I glanced at him, and his amber eyes looked up at me, his lips twitching in amusement. I

tore my eyes away and trained them on the sheriff. Gulping nervously, I stood rigid like I was in

a military line.

Aidan’s heavy hands clamped down on my shoulders and forced me to kneel before him.

I didn't dare resist. Then he stepped away to walk around the circle and speak to the pack again.

"Brothers and sisters, for the first time in Black River history, the pack will have a human

member." Almost on cue, the whispering started, but it stopped immediately when he continued

speaking. "Until now, I have not given you a reason for my decision. As your leader, it is my

responsibility and duty to tell you why. I am fully aware that by letting a human join us, I am

breaking two of my own laws. I have allowed her to know our secret and witness our true nature.

You have known me to be against allowing humans to live among
Varulv
. But there is a power

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