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I had no idea there was an alpha residence, having not really explored Sanctuary fully. It was a huge place at the back of the fenced-off area where the gate was protected, close to the centre of town, yet set apart.

“You needn’t worry about us living on top of each other here,” Ophelia said as we got closer. The big military vehicle seated me, Kelly, Ophelia, Sylvan and four of the guys, Jack still at work and Brandon off to collect our gear. "You'll have your own wing."

I bet we would. As we drove through the gates, past the thick wall of trees along the fence line, the grass covered grounds spread out before us. I'd seen regional hospitals that weren't as big as this. As a long building with several stories, it was insanely huge.

"It used to be that the alpha's entire family lived here," Ophelia said as I stared at the house. "It's also the point of last resort if the community comes under attack." She nodded to the men patrolling the perfectly mowed lawns.

"I'll move my stuff out of the main bedroom when we get in," Kelly said.

"No need, dear," she replied, patting Kelly's knee. "All my men have moved on to the next world, and I am in no mood to break any of the younger ones in. I'll take the dowager suite."

Well, that wasn't awkward. Then, I turned to look around the car and saw that Slade, Finn, and Aaron all stared at Sylvan with a steady hostile gaze.

Hawk reached over from where he sat beside me and took my hand, and it was the only warm thing in this car.

When we stopped, I was glad to get out and away from the suffocating air within the car.

"Your belongings will be brought soon, but come, let me show you where you'll stay," Ophelia said.

She was a disorientating person to be around, all perfect hostess with us, straight after cutting her daughter's legs out from under her.

I shook my head and followed her inside the massive steel-reinforced doors.

"What the fuck has happened?" Slade hissed as we walked.

"Later, once we're settled."

"I think this wing will suit your needs," Ophelia said. "I'll have some of the staff come and air it out and replace the linens, but it will be a good fit. You have separate rooms for all of your men, if they want them, and a spacious main bedroom for you, Julie."

"Mmm... this is positively orgy sized," Sylvan said, throwing himself on the main bed. He spread himself out like a star. "So much nicer than the bloody concrete I've been forced to endure."

"Not gonna happen, mate," Slade said with a growl as he stepped forward. "If you've gotta stay here, you can bunk somewhere else."

"Are you trying to get between me and my new mate?" he replied, tracing a circle on the soft mattress.

"Yeah, that bond is vetoed," Slade said, and then looked to the others. "Agreed?"

"Absolutely," Finn said, crossing his arms across his chest.

Aaron didn't reply, still being a petitioner, but he loomed between the two of my mates and regarded Sylvan with a steady stare. It was Hawk's hand that went to my shoulder, rubbing small circles there.

"Not convinced he shouldn't still be in his cage," he said.

"Then allow me to convince you," Ophelia snapped.

Every head in the room jerked around to face her.

"Sylvan has provided us with invaluable information about an imminent attack on Sanctuary.

In an hour, I'll be meeting with department heads and commanding officers to put a withdrawal process into place.

We will be closing the gate and reverting to martial law until the threat of the Volken is neutralised.

What I saw, we saw, was shocking. The black wolves have never tried anything like this before, and we would have been completely unprepared if not for Sylvan.

Finn, your fathers, they're using them as breeders and as intel against us.

If we do not start working together and putting petty alliances to one side, you will all be doing the same.

Sylvan stays and will be treated with respect. "

She turned to me, her eyes softening.

"I apologise, Julie. Sylvan's attack on you was unprovoked and no doubt traumatic, but right now, we need his help. Can you make this work?"

I met his bright blue eyes, sparkling with some kind of devilish humour. "No more Jedi mind trick?" He looked confused. "No more mind control, no more psychically induced orgies? You keep the hell out of my life, and then when this is done, you fuck right off, yes?"

"Fair enough," he replied with a nod. "We'll just let the orgies develop organically then, shall we? But, Julie, know this, your pack is an important part of stopping this attack. It's time to stop prevaricating and start making a decision about who's in and who's out."

"Something I will want to hear much more about," Ophelia said. "Now, I must make some calls."

If the mood was previously frosty, it was positively glacial when she swept from the room.

I sighed, shook my head, and then shot Hawk a grateful smile as I pulled away, wandering around the wing until I found a bathroom.

I glanced at the massive tub—big enough to hold at least ten people—and then turned to the sink and splashed some water on my face.

I rested my forehead against the glass after I wiped it clean with a towel, just taking breath after breath.

Those jaws clamping down on my shoulder, the pitiful scrabbling of my body under the black wolf's as I tried to fight him off.

My hand went to the bite on my neck, the scar throbbing for a moment as the memories swamped me.

"Hey."

My head whipped about to see Brandon standing in the doorway.

"Oh my god, how the hell did you get here so quickly?" I said, throwing myself into his arms. When they closed around me, something inside eased a bit. I buried my nose in his neck and breathed in his scent.

"Tried to go to the house, ended up driving the truck at warp speed over to the compound only to find you'd already left. The fellas told me what happened, sort of." He reached up and stroked my cheek. "You gonna be OK with having the black wolf here?"

"Sylvan, his name is Sylvan."

"Right, so you OK?"

We walked together into a nearby room, settled down on the bed, and he cradled me in his arms. I closed my eyes for a second, just feeling the weight of his body, scenting the smell of him around me. It was much more preferable than remembering the attack.

"I don't know. In some ways, it helps he wasn't in human form at the time. It’s like it was someone else, something else that bit me.

But, Brandon...it hurt so fucking much. I've never experienced pain like it.

" I rolled over and looked into those grey eyes.

"Now he's my mate, and apparently, I need to sort out my pack ASAP because reasons. It's all a bit much, y'know?"

"Then stay here for a bit. Rest, give yourself time to adjust. From Ophelia's bustling, she's got this."

"I just have to have sex and make mate bonds," I said, my head dropping to his chest as I ran a hand across the soft cotton of his shirt. His hand covered mine, squeezing it for a moment. "Mating for the cause. Fucking for our freedom."

"Is that such a bad way to spend your time?"

I lifted my head to look into his eyes. His tone was light, almost.

"I'd make you my mate right now, if that's what you want. You are already, the bite's just a formality at this point."

"But it’s not, not to us," he said, though I saw the rush of pleasure in his eyes. "Everything happens when it’s supposed to. Don't let this or anything else rush it."

I kissed him then, slowly, quietly, with respect to the mood in the room.

It was fragile, we were fragile, so I kissed him like he was made of glass.

He warmed quickly, his hands moving restlessly over my back as our lips melted together.

For once, he felt so, so soft, like he was something I could fall into and not stop.

"Jules, your stuff is—oh!"

I turned around to see Hawk in the doorway, Buddy wagging at his heels before launching himself at me.

"Hey, crazy pup! Buddy, down, down!" My dog finally settled into a sit beside the bed. I leaned over Brandon to rub the soft fur on his head until he curled up on the carpet. "Come in, Hawk, you don't have to stand there, unless you want to."

"He looks like he's missed you," he said, sitting down on the other side of the bed. The distance between Brandon and I and the other man seemed deliberate. Was it from respect? Was it nerves? I wasn't sure. Hawk was a big lump of mystery to me.

"The dog is obsessed with her," Brandon said. "Doesn't like being more than five feet away from Jules. God help you if you try to shut the door on him. Thankfully, he doesn't stare at your lily-white butt when you're smooching with his mistress."

"Knows his place, does he?" Hawk glanced over the side of the bed, past the two of us to where Buddy lay. He looked a little wistful as he watched the dog settle in for a nice nap.

"And you don't."

"That was very perceptive," Brandon said. I elbowed him in the ribs. "What? It was."

"Yeah, and what's your take on this situation, Doc?" I said.

"You really want that?" His eyes were filled with good humour and something else.

It would be easy to describe his intelligence as cool and calculating, but I didn't see it that way.

Rather, it seemed very... focussed, and there was a kind of narcissistic thrill to being the subject of his interest.

"You're always free to say what you think."

He chuckled at that. "Yes, but that's not what we're talking about here, is it?" His eyes slid over to Hawk and back. "You want this?"

"Look, mate, I heard you were a bit of a head-fucker, but I think you'll find I'm a pretty straightforward kind of guy," Hawk said, getting to his feet. "I've got more than enough games to deal with on the home front."

"Sit."