Temperance

The pack house is bursting at the seams as more wolves flood in. It’s a sight to behold, considering our entire pack barely fits into this massive house. This can only mean one thing: other packs are joining us.

Surveying the yard, I see young wolves mixing, dancing, and feasting. The older ones, on the other hand, stick close to their mates, engaging in light-hearted chatter.

“Hey, gorgeous.” A tall, muscular male saunters over to me, his friends snickering in the background.

I can’t help but roll my eyes internally. He’s the tenth guy to approach me tonight, either hoping we’re mates or just looking for a quick score.

I thought my growl at the last one would send a clear message, but it seems to have only made me more desirable.

“What’s a pretty little thing like you doing here all by yourself?” He leans in, his nose brushing against my neck as he takes a deep breath. His body language betrays his disappointment when my scent doesn’t match that of his mate.

“I suggest you head back to your friends before I cause a scene.” My growl is low, but firm.

Timber, my wolf, is growing increasingly irritated at these males’ audacity.

They seem to think they can touch us just because it’s the norm in this society. As if being a female means any male can stake his claim for the night or do as he pleases.

“You smell like you’ve just shifted,” he announces, his voice a bit too loud for my liking. “Your wolf must be so fucking horny.”

“Get off me!” I shove him away as his hands slither around my waist.

He laughs arrogantly, stepping closer to me again. I notice everyone around us is deliberately ignoring the situation, as if it’s perfectly acceptable.

“What do you think you’re doing to my pack member?” A voice booms over the crowd, which instantly quiets down at the sound.

The male turns, and I see Alpha Xavier towering over him, his aura radiating danger. His massive build makes the muscular male in front of me look puny, almost like an omega.

“A-Alpha Xav—”

Before he can finish, Alpha Xavier’s hands are around his throat. I quickly move behind Xavier as he motions me to. His protective presence wraps around me like a warm blanket.

“You dare touch my family member?” Xavier growls. “Isn’t that a death sentence?”

“Honey, let’s not do this here.” Luna Holland, her arms gently encircling me, intervenes. “Temperance is already upset, don’t you think?”

Holland’s embrace is comforting, much like a mother’s, while Xavier’s protection is akin to a father’s. They’re our pack leaders, and we look up to them like children to their parents.

It’s only natural that I feel drawn to them. Now that I have a wolf, I understand this bond more deeply.

“You’re lucky your Alpha is one of our most valued allies, Gregory.” Xavier drops the male like a sack of potatoes before turning to me and Holland. “And that you’re his only heir.”

Holland guides me to the kitchen, and Xavier clears the room while I collect myself. Holland sits across from me, holding my hands, waiting for me to speak.

“Th-Thank you, Alpha.” I bow my head slightly. “And you, Luna.”

“Ah! Temperance, call us by our names!” Holland grins. “As Xavier said, you’re our family now.”

“B-But—”

“Your wolf is quite something.” Xavier places a cup of water in front of me and takes a seat beside me. “I’ve never seen a female stand up for herself like that. I’m proud of you.”

A wave of calm washes over me. Is this what it feels like when your Alpha and Luna approve of you?

“Temperance!” My parents burst through the kitchen doors and rush over. Holland and Xavier step back to let them surround me.

“I’m fine.” I brush my parents’ hands away and roll my eyes. “Xavier and Holland were there to help.”

My father raises an eyebrow before looking at our Alpha. “You allow her to call you by name?”

“All of your family is allowed to, Darius.” Holland smiles. “You’re family. Although you might want to wait until after the ceremony.”

“Temp?” Liam and Chase burst in, Serena trailing behind them. She wraps me in a tight hug as my brothers assess the situation.

“We heard a wolf from another pack tried his luck.” Serena growls. “These males think they own everything they touch.”

“I’m fine, guys.” I sigh. “This whole wolf world is still new, I guess. But it’s done and over with. We should get back before they miss you. I’ll catch up.”

Everyone looks at me with concern, but they do as I ask. The last thing I need right now is to be seen like this.

Timber feels as exposed as I do. She wants to tear the male’s head off for making our family worry, but she also wants to hide from the embarrassment of causing such a scene.

“Quite a mess we’ve gotten ourselves into, huh, Timber?” I mumble to myself before letting out a small giggle. My wolf seems puzzled by my reaction but lets me be.

I can’t understand why I’m so angry. Before my wolf, I would let things slide. I was always the calm one while my brothers would tear up the house as toddlers.

My emotions are like a jack-in-the-box, slowly winding up until…

POP! My temper flares, and we have a new broken window. Of course, the pack has insurance for home repairs of this caliber, but I don’t want that to be on me.

I miss my normal human emotions. The ones that weren’t so intense and demanding. I can’t wait to see what I’m like at work.

“Temperance?” Nora’s voice floats in as she gently pushes the kitchen door open. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

“Nora, I thought you’d be back later.” I quickly swipe at my tears. I’m not sure why I’m letting my guard down like this. “I’m sorry you have to see me in this state.”

“Oh, my dear girl, it’s okay.” Nora pulls me into a comforting hug and brushes away my tears. “I heard about your recent shift and I wanted to check on you as soon as I could.

“But I didn’t realize the young men at this gathering would be so…unpleasant.”

“Alpha handled it.” I give a nonchalant shrug. “It’s all in the past now.”

“Oh, Temperance.” Nora wraps me in another hug. “I know my assistant well enough to see that you’re hurting, confused, and probably a bit peckish.”

Right on cue, my stomach growls loudly, and we both burst into laughter.

Nora and I have always shared a strong, unspoken bond. We’ve only had a few conversations outside of work, but they’ve always been meaningful.

“I’m not sure I want to face the crowd alone.” I offer Nora a weak smile before dropping my gaze to the floor.

Nora gently lifts my chin. “I’ve already taken care of that.”

As she speaks, a tall man enters the room with Nora’s mate. Nora rises to greet them, but I’m captivated by the newcomer.

His dark brown eyes meet mine. His light-brown hair is neatly slicked back, and his eyebrows are perfectly groomed. His white dress shirt and black pants accentuate his broad frame, and he easily towers over me at six foot two.

The air between us seems to crackle and pop as he takes me in, his mouth slightly agape. Timber sends a wave of confidence through me before I can start to feel self-conscious.

“You’re Temperance, right?” He smiles and casually slips his hands into his pockets.

“Temperance, this is my son, Osiris.” Nora introduces us.

“U-Uhm.” My knees feel weak as Osiris steps closer. His scent, like fresh pine after a rain, completely envelops me, and Timber purrs in satisfaction.

“Well, this is certainly an interesting turn of events.” Nora hugs her mate tightly, tears streaming down her face, as her son wraps me in a warm embrace.

“Nice to meet you, my mate.”

Interesting, indeed.