«cαυgнт вєтωєєи α ѕтяσиg мιиd, αиd α fяαgιℓє нєαят.»

–υикиσωи

Anna was a good person to keep around. I didn't think I'd slept that well since I was human.

"Sorry again. I'm still figuring out how to control it," Anna explained.

They had gotten me a sweatshirt as per request. I couldn't go long without a sweatshirt which was why I was having more frequent panic attacks. Sweatshirts gave me a—albeit probably false—sense of security.

I was curled up in the Marrok's chair with his sweatshirt and rocking to a song I had playing in the back of my head. Anna was by Charles' side and he had his arm on the small of her back. It was a possessive thing that I understood. I, rather my wolf, was just canoodling his mate's leg. Bran looked thoughtful and had this goofy loop-sided grin as he watched me get lost in my own little fantasy world.

"That felt rad, Anna," I assured her. "If anything you should be anticipating visits from me every night. I'd pay to get the kind of sleep you dished out."

She chuckled and her whiskey curls bounced. "Sure, Athena."

The Marrok cleared his throat and drew my attention. "I think you should join my pack." The way he said it made it seem more like an order than a suggestion.

My wolf and I had balanced back out so she wasn't influencing me as much anymore. I decided to try my luck with the Marrok. "I was thinking about lone-wolfing it..."

The Marrok didn't even take a breath before answering. "No. Females can't be lone wolves."

I frowned and pouted a little more than I should have. It would shrink my ego later. The Marrok grinned which ticked me off a bit so I let out my feelings on his answer. "That's sexist and mean and rude. I heard your son is a lone-wolf. Why can't I be? Are you worried I'll be able to take care of myself? Woe to all males," I said with sarcasm dropping off my tongue, "females can be independent. Poor men."

Charles smirked and turned to his father. "She should meet Mercy."

The Marrok shook his head. "I'd fear for us all."

I recognized that name. "Mercy...Mercedes?" I chuckled a little. "Peanut butter sandwiches. I heard people talking about her in my pack. The Marrok's adopted daughter—the coyote skinwalker."

"You've heard about the peanut butter sandwiches too?" Anna asked.

"Yep," I laughed. "Mercy tricked the Marrok into sitting on peanut butter to avenge her caretaker or something of the sort."

The Marrok wore his goofy smile again. "You can call me Bran, Athena."

I can't recall feeling this accepted and safe in a room with an Alpha in a very long time and that was unsettling. His innocent looks were amplified when I thought of him as Bran instead of the Marrok. The title makes him more intimidating and Alpha like. I believed the Marrok version of him—not the Bran.

"Bran, can I take Athena out to get some clothes?" Anna gave me a sympathetic smile. "I remember coming here for the first time without the proper clothes."

Bran sighed. "Yes, but then I am bringing Athena into the pack for her safety."

"For my safety?" I didn't buy it and didn't like it. "I was a lone wolf for the first few centuries of my life. I figured out how to do the werewolf jig on my own. The first werewolf I met—exempting the one that changed me—was after I left my home country."

Charles drew his eyebrows together and Bran pinched the bridge of his nose. They didn't look so relaxed anymore.

"Where were you changed?" Bran asked as he paced.

I couldn't talk about my human family without triggering some attack so I buckled down. "Charles be ready to pull Anna back if I start changing. Anna, please, be ready to do your Omega thing." I brought my legs up onto the chair and crossed them. My eyes fluttered closed as I started counting years in my mind.

1670. 1672. 1673. 1674. 1675. 1676.

I slowed my heart rate and enforced brutal control on my breathing. I heard Anna step closer. The sound of heavier footsteps followed behind her. It was most likely Charles getting ready for me to lash out. Submissive wolves aren't naturally violent but I've taken quite a beating in life and that had changed my instincts a tad. My wolf was ready to take over; she had better control when we panicked.

"Once there was a young girl who lived in a small town in a country called Norway. She often visited the ocean that lined the side of town..."

"Bye, mom!" I giggled as I grabbed my little sister's hand. We sprinted down to the ocean and stripped off our heavy gowns.

I had just gotten back from visiting my noble aunt in England. My mother and father decided I was to be shown off later that week at a town meeting to find a suitable husband. My travels had put a damper on my plans to marry. Now I was a bit older than the average eligible woman and most men my age were taken.

"Sissy, come on," my sister shouted from the water. I laughed and went to go in. Before my toes could touch the water a large blur of brown trampled me from the side. I had to watch as my sister was dragged off by another wolf. The sound of her screams echoed in the woods as the wolf tore into her. Her agony was something I would never forget.

The wolf on me began to rip at my body with his claws and muzzle. I tried hitting him off me but was weakened by the injuries he inflicted. I went numb and limp from the excessive pain. My blood sprayed from my belly and coated the surrounding area.

"...they didn't find my sister's body. It didn't take me long to change back to human. I was found wandering the woods naked a week after the accident. They assumed my sister was attacked by dogs and that their owner kidnapped me." The blood was pumping in my ears loudly and I felt dizzy. I vaguely saw Anna step forward and held out my hand in a motion for her to stop.

I picked up my counting out loud. "1698. 1699. 1700..."

"Da, she does this to cope," Charles said quietly. I heard some noise come from Bran.

"...1722. 1723. 1723. 1724. 1725." I inhaled deeply getting myself back to the present. I slipped on a smile even though I was falling apart inside. The wolves noticed which bothered me but they didn't bring it up.

Anna was the first to speak. "You skipped some years."

I smirked. "Ah, yes. A word of advice, if you allow? Do not fight in any wars no matter how good of an idea it sounds," I warned. "Our bad memories last much longer and can make us more dangerous than anything they could do to a human."

"Go on to gather Athena some clothes," Bran said. "I'm going to have a look into your past, Athena Marie Harlow."

"Thank you," I said as I got out of the chair. A sudden thought occurred before I stepped out of Bran's office. "Do you have a mirror?"

Bran pulled out one from his desk and handed it to me. I used it to remove the blue contacts my last Alpha insisted I wore in public. I smiled at seeing my real eyes and looked up at Bran, Anna, and Charles. Worry wafted from Anna while Charles pulled her back. Bran stayed unmoving and watched me with calculating eyes.

I sighed tiredly and explained my weird eyes. "With no Alpha to guide me I had to figure out how to find equal footing with my new nature. The wolf and I share the same amount of control. Sadly, that shows in my eyes. I guess it's okay now since humans know about us." Charles was watching me skeptically. I pulled at the hoodie strings nervously awaiting their reactions.

Bran walked to me slowly and cupped my cheeks in his hands. I grimaced and he let go. Alphas and I had a bad track record. He looked over my eyes and finally spoke. "Interesting."

I was expecting more but that worked. My eyes were a mix of blue and gold. The colors weaved around my pupil in a way that reminded me of a galaxy.

"I'll teach you how to control your wolf," Bran said as he let go of my cheeks.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "No, thank you. I have lived this way since 1670 and I'm not that accepting of change. I am an older werewolf. Change is a no-no." Bran looked ready to fight me on this so I pointed out that I haven't gone on a crazy killing spree yet.

He let me go with Anna after that.

"Since I only really talk to three others wolves here I don't have a lot of options of where to get you temporary clothes," Anna said shyly as she stopped in front of one of the cozy homes. It had a swing on the railed porch that called to me. I love swings.

Anna didn't even get a chance to knock on the door before it swung open. A handsome man with middle eastern features stood in the doorway without a shirt. He was wearing a very hot smirk though. His hair was midnight black and hung to his shoulders.

"Anna, hermosa. What brings you"—he flashed me a sly smirk—"and this stunning woman to my house?" He asked with an accent that leaned toward Spain.

I switched my language to Spanish finding good memories in the language. "My name is Athena. I was just brought here by the Marrok's son, Charles. Anna said that you may be able to help me with a problem."

His eyes looked very old compared to his body. It was a reminder that wolves don't appear their age. He smiled and stepped back to motion us into his home. His home was a bit bare but still comfy. He stepped into his kitchen and pulled out a kettle.

"You learned to speak in Spain?" He asked keeping the conversation in his native tongue.

"Yes, it was a beautiful place so I stayed for a bit and picked up the language."

He nodded and put the kettle of water on the stove. The muscles on his chest and arms tightened a bit dramatically as he leaned against the counter. His posture was relaxed and very open.

"Athena?" Anna was watching me watch the man. He was attractive and I wasn't trying to hide the fact that I thought that.

"Hmm?"

She smiled softly. "This is Asil the Moor."

My jaw dropped. The Moor was almost, if not as old as the Marrok. People said they had lived for over a thousand years. He was rumored to be brutal and dangerous. I had heard magnificent stories about him in my time in Europe but never stumbled upon him.

"Anna," he said going back to English so she understood more, "you know I do not like that naming."

Anna shrugged and sat on his counter. "I thought it might help her figure out who you are." She grabbed an orange from next to him and tossed it in the air.

I finally managed to cool my fascination that they were ignoring and put together a coherent sentence. "You're smaller than I imagined."

Okay, maybe not the best choice of words to tell a world renowned murderer but the grin on his lips told me he found my comment humorous.

"So, Lobita, what is the problem you need help with?"

"Well," I said with my voice getting a bit deeper as my wolf took control further, "there is a problem with my clothes that you could help solve."

His lips pulled back into a full, seductive smile and he walked around the counter to me. Asil traced my jaw with the back of his hand and watched with amusement as I tried to catch one of his fingers with my teeth. I wasn't good with dominant wolves unless it included sex.

"Now, now, Lobita," he said bending over slightly so our faces were closer. "These fingers could please you greatly but only if they are attached to my hand."

"Fuck. No. Get off of me!" I tried releasing myself from the werewolf. Of course the first werewolf I meet in America is an absolute pervert.

He growled and used the same hand I tried to bite to smack me. I kneed him in the crotch and gripped his shoulders to bring his head in harsh contact with mine. Too bad he was trained to fight as well.

"Listen—"

"Count, Athena," a soft voice lulled.

1670. 1672. 1673. 1674. 1680. 1681...