A/N: First I want to go ahead and thank Chaytons Angel for all of the wonderful comments thus far, you have inspired me to keep writing and making this story the best I can and I hope you continue to enjoy it.

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The scent of fear caught Adam off guard as he gently rubbed the face of the grey-blue werewolf at his side.

"It's not that bad, I promise." He told her gently.

She gave him a skeptical look as Honey came out with a sweat suit for her to put on when she returned to her human form. It wasn't that werewolves were in anyway body conscious, but this was a new wolf and she might still be a little modest.

"How about you transform so we can talk?" Adam suggested hoping that she could at least do that on her own. He could help her but it wouldn't be easy since he didn't know her very well.

There was some hesitation but soon she transformed into her human form. She seemed unfazed by the fact that she was standing in front of him nude. The fact that she transformed unaided was a relief to Adam, it meant she could initiate the change by herself.

Adam guessed she was in her mid-twenties her skin was dark and her hair was chocolate brown, though Adam had a feeling it might be dyed as her roots were coming out jet black, and hung down to the middle of her shoulder blades. Her facial features tended towards the Native American definition of beauty and he began to wonder what tribe her line came from.

"How long have you been a werewolf?" he asked.

"Less than three months," She replied.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Nicolette Garza,"

Adam noticed that she stood rigid straight in front of him.

"At ease…" he told her and she relaxed into parade rest.

"You're military aren't you?" he asked after watching her assume parade rest stance without being instructed to do so.

"Retired…" she replied.

"What rank?"

"Corpsman Second Class… I've only been retired eight months"

"How did you become a werewolf?"

"I can't tell you a whole lot about the moment the attack happened," she sighed as she put the sweats on. "I was blinded in Iraq when my Humvee hit an IED, that's why I retired so early had that not happened I likely would have made a career of the Navy."

Adam bit back a swear word as it was clear that she had been happy enough in the Navy and now, as a werewolf, she would never be able to return to that life. He then inquired as to her experience in a pack.

"I've never had one, I… I was transformed and once I healed I…" her voice trailed as her thoughts returned to the dark days that came after her Change.

"They experimented on you, didn't they?" he asked his voice compassionate but his eyes showing the promise of violence.

"Yes" she replied looking up only slightly at him "this guy claimed to be an alpha wolf but he was no more a wolf than I'm a Fae." She had abandoned her parade rest stance was hugging herself and rubbing her arms with her hands as if she were cold.

"So not an Alpha wolf," Adam assumed.

"No," she replied, "I want to join your pack but I 'm nervous."

"Don't worry about it; you'll fit in fine here." He said giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"You think so?"

"Yes," he replied as Mercy entered the room.

"Is this the new wolf?" Mercy asked.

"Yes," Adam replied then introduced the two women to each other then asked Mercy to make Darryl and Warren aware of the new member joining the pack in case something goes wrong.

Nicolette was nervous she had no idea what she would be expected to do to join the pack; she knew it was some form of magic but as far as how it worked she didn't know.

Warren was in the hot tub with Kyle when the call came for a pack meeting.

"Warren what's going on?" Kyle asked in concern.

"It's nothing to worry about, just a new wolf petitioning to join the pack." Warren replied as he dried off and dressed. Kyle watched him without getting out of the tub. His arms were rested on the edge of the tub as he waited to learn what was to come out of this call.

"So we're looking at something good not bad?" Kyle assumed but it came out as more of a question than a statement.

"Yes," Warren gave Kyle a quick kiss "I'll be back."

Warren arrived at Adam's house along with several other pack members. He figured this gathering would be large given the fact that it was a rather late hour meaning more wolves were free to come in for the meeting and greeting of a new pack member.

He got deeper in the house and his nose picked up the scent of the new wolf, which was marred with the scent of fear.

"What's wrong?" he asked her gently.

"I don't know… I'm just nervous…" she replied not looking at Warren's face.

"Never been part of a pack before," Warren asked but really it had sounded more like a statement than a question.

"No," she replied "I've only been a werewolf for a few months."

"Warren, can you go over the ceremony with her?" Mercy asked quickly as they were filling the other wolves in on what brought Nicolette to their doorstep and to petition to join this pack.

Warren guided Nicolette away from the rest and to a relatively quiet place to talk. They moved through the introduction rather quickly and he got to work going over what she was expected to do and say. Nicolette listened intently to what Warren taught her and found that it didn't seem as intimidating or complex in practice as it had seemed in her mind. She also noticed that the wolf in front of her had a way of setting her mind at ease.

Not too long after that Nicolette found herself standing in front of Adam, the edges of the room lined with members of the pack. The man to Adam's right, she assumed was his second, and she noticed Warren to Adam's left, he gave her a reassuring smile which calmed her nerves, if only marginally.

Other pack members noticed her nervousness but ignored it, this was common for wolves who had never been a part of a pack before. The magic was building in the room this was her moment. Mercy was standing nearby in case Nicolette forgot any part of her script.

"Look me in the eye with no offense taken or meant, Nicolette Ann Garza" Adam spoke.

"I see you, Adam Alexander Hauptman, Alpha of the Columbia Basin Pack"

"Will you join us, to hunt, to fight, to live and run?"

"Under the moon, I will hunt, fight, live and run with you and yours who shall be mine."

Nicolette could feel the pack magic building

"We claim you" Darryl said his sentiment echoed throughout the room as Darryl passed a small knife to Adam

"I claim you" Adam said "Alpha's flesh and blood you shall be, mine to me and mine, pack"

Adam cut a small piece of flesh from his arm and passed it to Nicolette and she had to remind herself that she was expected to eat that then her wolf helped her eat it.

"Yours to you, mine to me"

Nicolette could feel the pack bonds forming as she spoke the words that would tie her to the Columbia Basin Pack and make Adam her alpha it felt like a fire through her veins for a moment. To her surprise as the pain eased she began to feel something soothing in the bond as if some of the existing wolves were telling her to relax that they wanted her there. The wolves began to howl as soon as the ritual completed and she felt compelled to join them. Mercy gave her an encouraging smile before her coyote howl joined the wolves around her and Nicolette joined them. She had, momentarily mused at how unusual it was for a coyote to be able to freely 'sing' with wolves but this pack was unusual. She noticed the teenage girl on the stairs as the ritual ended. She figured that the howling had woke her up and wasn't surprised. She didn't think sleeping through a werewolf pack howling would be possible.

Nicolette was lying in her bed unable to sleep and her mind went over the events of the ceremony to join the pack. She had no clue what joining a pack would entail, but in her mind it was a lot more complicated than reality.

She had been grateful to Warren who sat with her and explained everything the ritual entailed, it had been a simple ritual, but to the uninitiated it seemed slightly disturbing as consuming of a bit of Adam's flesh was involved in the ritual. Going through it she had realized it wasn't nearly as bad as her brain tried to make it seem. She also learned that the same thing could be used to help her heal from life threatening injuries and secretly hoped that she would never have to experience injuries bad enough to require that.

Mercy settled into bed and was slightly surprised when Adam's arm slipped around her waist from behind her. It had taken months for her to get to a point where he could surprise her like that without her nearly jumping out of the bed or having a panic attack. Tim's actions had taken a huge toll on Mercy perceptions of what was safe and only recently was she able to shake the damage he had done to her.

She could vividly remember the first time she took that final step and had sex with Adam after her rape. She was desperate for his touch but it was obvious he was more desperate to feel her. The fairy queen had her for a full month by his perception and from what she heard from the pack it had been hard for him to deal with not knowing if he would ever see her again. When they had come together the passion had been intense and she couldn't help smile at the memory of that passionate night in Warren's guest bedroom.

"I love you, Mercy," he said sleepily into her ear,

"I love you, too." She replied.

To be continued…