Chapter 16

Colette rose to her feet, her movements slow and cautious as she approached the front door. Her heart pounded in her chest, the unknown identity of the person on the other side of the door causing her anxiety to spike. Unfortunately, the peephole was too high for her to reach.

She pressed her ear against the door, straining to hear any sounds that might give away who was on the other side. To her surprise, she heard the sound of two women arguing.

“I told you,” one voice said, smooth and calm.

“Just wait a moment,” the other voice retorted, raspy and impatient.

“We have things to do,” the smooth voice complained.

“~You~ don’t do anything, Mika,” the raspy voice shot back. “Besides, I can hear her heartbeat.”

Colette gasped, her hand flying to her mouth to muffle the sound.

“Hey,” the raspy voice called out, softer now. “We know you’re there. We’re here to help.”

“And because we’re nosy,” the woman named Mika added.

Colette heard a slapping sound, followed by a yelp from Mika.

“We’re going around back. Meet us there,” the raspy voice instructed.

Then, silence.

Around back? Colette wondered. Did they mean the way Sorin had gone?

Her question was answered by a soft knock at the back door.

Colette spun around, her heart racing as she rushed to the back door, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.

The back door was a large set of sliding glass doors. Two women stood on the other side, both incredibly tall.

One woman stood with her hip jutted out, her beautiful face marred by a look of irritation. Her hair was a warm brown that faded into blonde, perfectly curled.

She was dressed in a revealing outfit. A piece of fabric draped across one shoulder, covering her breasts. A long piece of fabric covered her backside, attached to a golden belt. Another piece of fabric hung in front of her.

Beside her stood a tall woman with fiery red curls and intense golden eyes. Freckles dotted her small nose.

This woman was dressed in black pants and a T-shirt, with a heavy cloak draped over her. She was staring at Colette with a serious expression, mouthing for her to open the door.

Colette hesitated, but eventually opened the door. The women stepped inside, quickly closing and locking the door behind them, peering out the glass to ensure they hadn’t been followed.

The brunette turned to face Colette. “Shemika,” she introduced herself, gesturing to the redhead. “Ylenia.”

Ylenia turned around, a look of relief washing over her face. “Mika heard from Nelu that Sorin brought a woman back,” she began.

Shemika moved around the living room, settling onto the sofa. “Nelu wasn’t ~supposed~ to tell anyone, but he’s loyal to me,” she bragged, inspecting her long, pink nails.

Ylenia shot Shemika a hard look. “Ignore her. Just tell us why you’re here,” she said, taking Colette’s hands in her own.

Colette looked between the two women, opening her mouth to respond.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Shemika interrupted. “She smells like a human. She must have seen Sorin shift.”

Colette nodded. “He killed a white wolf to protect me.”

Shemika frowned. “What’s so special about you?” she asked, skepticism clear in her voice.

Colette shrugged, unsure of how to answer.

Ylenia guided her to the other sofa. “In this pack, we look out for each other. If you need anything, let us know.” Before Colette could respond, she added, “We can’t help you escape or break any pack laws.”

Colette fell silent, unsure of what they could possibly help her with. “Are you…werewolves?”

Shemika burst out laughing, quickly covering her mouth when Ylenia shot her a glare. Ylenia turned back to Colette, rubbing her arm in an attempt to comfort her. “Uh, yes, honey.”

Colette nodded. She had suspected as much. What other creature could shift from human to wolf? “I don’t know what you want me to say,” she admitted quietly.

“Told you this was a waste of time,” Shemika grumbled from across the room.

“You’ll need friends to survive in this pack,” Ylenia warned.

Shemika sat up quickly. “What I don’t understand is why Sorin would show his wolf to you, and why he was protecting you. He doesn’t even know you,” she said, her tone accusatory.

Colette shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess because he wants to have sex with me. He’s also really possessive.”

Shemika frowned. “What do you mean?”

“He wants to have sex with me, so he says I’m ‘his.’ I’m sure if I put—”

Ylenia and Shemika’s attention snapped up.

Ylenia spoke carefully. “He said you’re ~his.~ Like, ~you’re~ ~mine~, in a creepy way?”

Colette nodded.

Ylenia and Shemika exchanged a heavy look.

“On that note, I’d say you have a little wolf in you… I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name.” Ylenia paused.

“Colette,” she offered quickly. “My name is Colette.”

“Hmm… okay, Colette. Well, I’m the pack’s designated witch, and Mika here is a lazy tramp.” She shot the she-wolf a dirty look.

“Witch?” Colette echoed.

Ylenia nodded.

Shemika spoke up suddenly. “Since she is a wolf, you might as well update her on the she-wolf situation.” A dark look crossed her pretty features.

“Um…” Ylenia hesitated.

“I heard she-wolves aren’t being born or something like that,” Colette filled in.

Ylenia gave a nod. “You’re not wrong, but there’s more to it,” she began, her voice slow and measured. “A few centuries back, mates became a rarity.”

Colette was about to interject, but Ylenia silenced her with a simple wave of her hand.

“Mates are a complex topic. There’s a lot of history there.”

“Can we talk about it later?” Colette asked.

Ylenia nodded. “The odds of conceiving with anyone other than your mate are slim to none. And in some cases, it’s downright impossible. The werewolf population is on the decline, and the chances of having a daughter are even slimmer than having a son,” she explained. “So, every man here is on the hunt for a woman.”

Colette nodded back, but her expression was skeptical. “I’ll just reject them, then.”

Across the room, Shemika let out a scoff, finally joining the conversation. “Reject them? These men are starved for a bit of attention. It’s against pack law to sleep with any species outside your own, and the packs are so hostile towards each other that all they have are the women in their own pack. And each one of them wants us. They won’t hesitate to take you by force, mutt,” she hissed, her words laced with the bitterness of personal experience.

“Like…rape?” Colette whispered. She’d been brought up in such a sheltered environment that the thought of something so horrific had never even crossed her mind.

Shemika gave a curt nod, but before she could say anything else, Ylenia cut in. “Most of the time, no. But it could happen. You need to avoid traveling at night, stick to crowded areas, and never let them bite you.”

“Bite me?” Colette echoed.

“Yes, marking.” Ylenia pointed to the long line of her neck. “That’s one of the few things that can deter other men, if you’re marked. They believe that if they claim you physically, you’ll have no choice but to stay with them.”

“Okay, so what exactly are mates?” Colette finally asked.