“You should know everyone in the pack. Don, Evan, and Eric.” Ryder commanded. They all turned at once and Harper felt her face burn with embarrassment. “This is Harper, Harper, Don is on the left,” he waved. “Evan in the middle and Eric on the right,” they both nodded simultaneously. “They’re twins if you hadn’t guessed.” Ryder said. “The three of them came from a neighboring pack in Montana. They’ve been with us for about six years now.” He took a long drink from his soda can and set it back on the table. “After the kitchen is cleaned up, we’re going to run if any of you care to join.” Ryder announced.
The pack sprang up around her and hurriedly carried plates and silverware to the sink after scraping them. Each wolf loaded their own dishes into the dishwasher after giving them a rinse. The remains of the roast was quickly dealt with and the pack filed out the back door while Cindy wiped the table down. She winked at Harper who giggled. So running is a big deal to this pack. Her pack rarely ran as a pack when she was growing up and Bronson’s pack never did. There were smaller groups of four or five but she never felt welcome to run with them.
“I can’t wait to meet your wolf.” Ryder growled in her ear then stood. A shiver raced through her. She knew that she was supposed to go with them but she was wary of running with them. Bronson always said that she should stay home because she was so dainty and insignificant that she couldn’t defend herself. “Hey, none of that.” His finger curled under her chin and lifted it. He placed a chaste kiss on her lips. “We all need to get to know each other and I want to meet your wolf. Okay?” She nodded. “You’re safe with us, with me.”
Harper took a deep breath and steeled herself. She would shift and run with them this once. After this, he probably wouldn’t ask again once he saw how useless her wolf was. Since her old pack never went out of their way to ask her along, Bronson must’ve been right about her.
She went outside and let the wolf take her over. The rest of them were in the grass spread out and waiting for their Alpha. The magnificent black wolf came up beside her and sniffed her face then licked her nose. Harper’s wolf huffed at him then pranced away. Harper didn’t control her wolf. Some could and she knew that Bronson could but she never developed the skill. She was somewhere in the back of its mind watching nervously. If her wolf didn’t get along with Ryder’s Alpha wolf, she would find herself without a pack. Harper hoped anxiously that it would play nice.
He was beside her again and nipped at her ear. Harper’s wolf turned away and gave him her back. She was skittish, Harper could understand why; she was skittish with so many new wolves surrounding her. Harper could feel her panicking and grew more anxious. Suddenly the big black wolf was in front of her growling. Harper cried out in her mind but what could she do? She couldn’t control the beast, had never controlled it. He was a man again and holding her head. He was trying to soothe her. Harper calmed. Ryder. He would take care of her. He said he would protect her, that he would lay down his life for her, and that he loved her. He pulled her into his lap and rubbed her head and back. The wolf gentled and softened in his arms. She nuzzled his neck and he laughed.
“Easy girl.” Harper heard that and relaxed from her place in the shadows. The other wolves neared and sniffed her one at a time. The wolf took in their scents and when everyone was introduced she felt joy spread through her wolf. Ryder shifted back and she stayed at his side. He started away from the house at a trot with the pack yelping and yipping behind him but Harper stayed with him. She felt happy and light. It was going to be okay here. The pack accepted her and the Alpha wanted her. She could feel that even more now than when she was herself.
Ryder stopped half way across the open field with is ears perked and his nose up. Harper scented them too. Ellis, Jake, and Mike, they were alone. Usually Mike was following Sidney around but apparently not tonight. Shit. Harper worried. Her wolf may go to them. It would recognize them as pack.
She felt it growl. That was good. Ryder yipped at the wolves behind him and they flanked out. Strange wolves were in their territory. Strange wolves in the wrong territory would result in carnage. Eight large wolves went in the direction of the scent. She couldn’t remember seeing wolves so big. Bronson was larger than most wolves but he had been smaller than these were. By wolf standards, Ryder’s wolves were huge and he was the biggest of them all. She felt small and self-loathing. Dainty and insignificant would never be any truer than it was right now.