Rejecting The Pack: I Need One Mate

Kala was not a wolf-girl born into this brutal beast world. Her soul had come from somewhere else - a world of high towers, surgical lights, and a profession called "doctor." In that life, she had been a skilled surgeon.

Now, the memories of her past life had faded like morning mist. She could no longer recall the feel of sterile gloves or her own name from before. But the deepest instincts of her soul had carved themselves into her bones. In this primitive land where raw strength and beast instinct ruled, she still reached for herbs and bandages. She had become the Silverwood Pack's healer - the one they called the Mender. It was not a choice. It was the pull of a soul remembering what it once was.

The night wind swept through the central square of the Silverwood Pack settlement, kicking up sparks from the bonfire. They hissed and died in the dark. Morwenna cleared her throat, the dry sound cutting through the crackle of the flames.

The cubs stopped their roughhousing instantly. They scrambled to sit at the feet of the blind elder's rocking chair, their eyes wide and eager.

Kala sat on the outermost log, away from the heat. She kept her head down, her fingers working automatically to strip the root from a pearl-grass plant. The sticky sap clung to her fingertips, smelling faintly of mint and clean soil.

Morwenna began her story, her voice raspy and low. It was the old tale, the one about the Beast Goddess who descended to the ancient world and took twelve mighty beast partners.

When the elder mentioned the giant beasts the Goddess commanded, the male cubs gasped. Their chests puffed out, imaginations already running wild with battles and glory.

Tabitha, a female cub with braided hair, puffed out her own chest. "When I grow up, I'm going to have the strongest warriors," she declared loudly. "They'll fight over me."

She turned to look at Zev, who sat beside her. Her eyes held a clear, possessive gleam. It was a look that said Zev belonged on that list.

Zev's face twisted in disgust. He shuffled away from her, putting a solid foot of space between them. "You're too prissy," he shot back. "You can't even skin a rabbit. You don't deserve a strong Alpha."

Tabitha's face flushed red. Her small hands grabbed fistfuls of her skirt, her knuckles turning white. "Take that back!"

Zev jumped to his feet. He wasn't done. He needed a weapon to crush her pride completely. His finger shot out, pointing straight at the edge of the circle.

At Kala.

"When I mate," Zev announced to the entire square, "I'm going to find someone like Kala! She's gentle, and she's the best Mender in the pack!"

Every head turned. The conversation died. All eyes landed on Kala.

Snap.

The pearl-grass root in Kala's hand broke in half. The sharp sound seemed too loud in the sudden silence. She slowly raised her head, a flicker of cold annoyance flashing deep within her eyes, hidden beneath half-lowered lids. The weight of the stares pressed against her skin like a physical force.

Tabitha's lip trembled. Tears welled up, spilling over her lashes in a flash. "You're a jerk!" she screamed at Zev.

She spun around and shoved her way through the crowd of cubs. Her bare feet pounded against the dirt path as she ran toward the dark edge of the forest.

The square erupted into chaos. Cubs whispered and pointed. Morwenna slammed her cane against the ground, the thud vibrating through the dirt.

Kala stood up immediately. She brushed the green bits of leaf from her skirt. She had to go after the girl. The forest edge was too dark, and the night predators were already waking.

But she paused. If she ran into the dark alone, her family would panic. Armond would tear the camp apart looking for her. She couldn't cause that kind of trouble.

Her eyes scanned the crowd and locked onto a chubby cub who was currently trying to shove three handfuls of berries into her mouth at once.

Pippa.

Kala walked over, her footsteps quiet on the packed earth. "Pippa," she called softly.

Pippa froze. Her cheeks bulged. She slapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide with the terror of being caught stealing snacks.

Kala reached out and gently ruffled the cub's messy hair. She slipped her hand into her small medicine pouch, pulling out a sugar-coated preserved plum and pressing it into the cub's palm. "Eat this now, and I'll make you an entire bowl of your favorite egg pudding tomorrow," Kala promised, her voice warm and low.

Pippa's eyes lit up like twin moons. She nodded so hard her whole body jiggled.

Kala pointed a finger toward the forest edge, where Tabitha's white dress had already vanished into the shadows. "Go bring her back. Make sure she gets to her cabin safely."

For egg pudding, Pippa became a cannonball. She shot off the ground and sprinted toward the trees, her little legs pumping furiously.

Kala watched the cub disappear into the gloom. A breath she didn't know she was holding escaped her lungs. She turned back to her log, ready to sit down and fade back into the background.

"Kala."

The voice was dry, heavy, and absolute. It carried the weight of stone.

Kala stopped. She looked toward the rocking chair.

As Kala shifted her weight, her heel snapped a dry twig on the ground. The faint crackle was barely audible, but Morwenna's head snapped toward the sound instantly.

Morwenna's clouded, blind eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness, locking onto Kala's exact position. The white film over the elder's eyes seemed to glow faintly in the firelight. The old woman's chin was raised, her posture rigid.

It was a command. Kala was not going to sit down.

Kala stopped walking. She took a slow breath, pushing down the spike of irritation in her chest. When she turned around, her face was a mask of perfect, gentle compliance. A soft smile curved her lips.

She walked back toward the rocking chair, her steps measured and slow. When she reached the elder, she lowered her head slightly, showing the proper respect for a pack elder.

Morwenna's hand shot out. Her fingers were like dry twigs, cold and rough. They clamped around Kala's wrist with surprising strength.

A sharp sting shot up Kala's arm. The old woman's grip was iron, her nails digging into Kala's skin. Kala kept her smile in place, but her jaw tightened. She did not pull away.

Zev and the other cubs went dead silent. They held their breath, their eyes darting between the elder and the Mender.

"Go," Morwenna barked at the cubs. "To your cabins. Now."

The cubs scattered like leaves in a windstorm. Within seconds, the square was empty. The only sound was the pop and hiss of the bonfire.

Morwenna's thumb pressed against the pulse point on Kala's wrist. The old woman slid her finger back and forth, feeling the rhythm of Kala's life force.

"You have passed your maturity ritual," Morwenna said, her voice dropping to a severe whisper. "Yet you have marked no one. You take no partners."

Kala kept her voice soft. "I am focusing on my new hemostatic herbs, Elder. I have no time for other things."

Morwenna scoffed. Her cane struck the dirt again, hard. "Herbs do not breed the next generation. Herbs do not keep the pack strong."

The elder leaned forward. The firelight carved deep shadows into her wrinkled face. "A lone female without a strong family to protect her is the weakest prey when the deep winter comes," Morwenna warned, her voice low and threatening. "You are wasting your heat."

Kala frowned. A muscle twitched in her cheek. She hated this. She hated the way they talked about females like they were breeding stock or resources to be claimed.

"My father and my family protect me," Kala said, keeping her tone even.

Morwenna laughed, a dry, rasping sound. "Armond is the strongest Alpha in this pack, yes. But he cannot stand guard at your bed forever. He cannot scent away every male who circles you."

The old woman's grip tightened on Kala's wrist. The nails bit deeper, close to drawing blood. "The young unmated males are already restless. Your scent drives them mad. They pace outside your door like starving wolves."

A wave of nausea rolled through Kala's stomach. She swallowed hard, fighting the urge to gag. The thought of those eyes watching her, sniffing the air for her scent, made her skin crawl.

"If you do not choose by the next Full Moon," Morwenna said, her voice dropping to a lethal whisper, "the Council of Elders will choose for you. We will assign your mates."

Kala's pupils contracted. Her heart dropped into her stomach like a stone. Forced matching. It was the one thing she swore she would never allow. It was slavery dressed up as tradition.

She forced herself to breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. She was a Mender. She had control. She would not panic.

Her mind raced, finding the only leverage she had. She looked at Morwenna's chest, noting the slight wheeze in the elder's breathing.

"Elder," Kala said, her voice shifting from submissive to professional in an instant. "Your breathing is labored. There is a rattle in your lungs. The chill of the night is aggravating your old illness."

Morwenna blinked. She hesitated, caught off guard. A tickle hit the back of her throat, and she coughed twice, a wet, hacking sound. Her grip on Kala's wrist loosened just a fraction.

That was enough.

Kala slid her wrist free and took a smooth step backward, putting distance between them. "Come to my clinic tomorrow morning," Kala instructed, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I will have a fresh lung-relief potion ready for you. Do not skip it, or the coughing will worsen by the week's end."

Morwenna opened her mouth, but the authority in Kala's medical advice silenced her. The elder was old, and her body was failing. She could not afford to anger the only Mender who could ease her pain.

Kala bowed slightly. "Goodnight, Elder. I must prepare the herbs."

She turned and walked away from the bonfire. Her steps were quicker now, her long skirts swishing against her legs. The cold night air hit her back, and she realized a layer of sweat had soaked through her shirt.

She reached the main path of the settlement. She needed to get home, into the safety of her family's walls.

A sound stopped her in her tracks.

From the direction of the main gate, a heavy, mournful wolf howl ripped through the night. It was followed by the thunderous thud of heavy footsteps and the clatter of armor.

The hunting party was back.

Kala turned toward the main gate. The wind blowing from that direction carried the thick, coppery scent of blood and the damp smell of disturbed earth.

The heavy wooden gates groaned open, the wood grinding against the stone floor. A line of massive figures strode through the gap. They carried enormous carcasses over their shoulders, the fur of the prey dark and matted with blood.

Kala scanned the line. She found him instantly.

Armond Padilla walked at the front. He was a head taller than the warriors around him. His arms were bare, the muscles slick with the blue-purple blood of the magic beasts he had slain. Despite the gore, his stride was steady, radiating a suffocating, top-tier Alpha aura that made the guards at the gate lower their heads in submission.

Beside him walked Evan, Kala's younger brother. Evan was dragging a massive boar monster by its tusks, his face flushed with excitement and youth.

The knot in Kala's chest unraveled. A genuine smile touched her lips, softening her features. She picked up her skirts and hurried toward them.

Before she could take more than a few steps, a tall figure stepped out from the side of the hunting party. He moved with fluid grace, cutting directly into her path, blocking her view of her father.

Caleb Quinn.

He was one of the pack's youngest and most elite warriors. His chest was bare, his honey-colored skin gleaming with sweat. Shallow scratches from claws marked his torso, drawing attention to the hard lines of his muscles.

Caleb's dark eyes locked onto Kala. There was no subtlety in his gaze. It was a look of pure, predatory hunger.

"Kala," Caleb said, his voice a low, vibrating rumble. He took a step closer, shrinking the distance between them. "I've been looking forward to seeing you."

Kala's mind flashed back to Morwenna's threat. Caleb Quinn was one of the males the elder had been pushing. He was considered a prime candidate.

Alarm bells rang in Kala's head. She took a half-step back, her body instinctively rejecting his proximity. She quickly rearranged her face into the polite, distant smile she used on difficult patients.

"Hard work today, Caleb," she said, her tone cool and professional. "That scratch on your arm looks deep. You should get it treated immediately."

Caleb's eyes lit up. He mistook her observation for concern. He leaned forward, eager to close the gap again. "It's nothing. You could check it for me-"

A low, dangerous snarl ripped through the air behind Caleb.

Armond had dropped his kill. He stood right behind Caleb, his massive frame casting a long shadow over the younger warrior. Armond's narrow, phoenix eyes were slits of pure ice, locked onto the back of Caleb's head. The killing intent rolling off him was so thick it felt hard to breathe.

Caleb went rigid. His body locked up, his muscles seizing under the crushing weight of the higher-ranking Alpha's aura. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His beast instinct screamed at him to submit, to bare his throat.

Evan threw down the boar and charged forward. He planted himself directly in front of Kala, his hackles raised like a defensive wolf pup. Kala watched his reaction, a brief thought crossing her mind: He really needs more training. He still can't even control his partial beast transformations when his emotions flare up.

"What do you think you're doing?" Evan yelled at Caleb, his voice cracking with teenage aggression. "Stay away from my sister!"

The temperature around them plummeted. The other warriors froze, their eyes darting nervously between the standoff. A fight between Alphas was bad; a fight involving Armond Padilla was a bloodbath.

Kala didn't hesitate. She stepped forward and slid her arm through Armond's thick, muscular one. She pressed herself against his side, leaning into his solid warmth.

"Father," Kala said, her voice soft and sweet, stripped of all the professional coolness she had used on Caleb. "I've been waiting for you. I'm so glad you're home safe."

The effect was instantaneous. The terrifying killing intent radiating from Armond evaporated like mist under the sun. His rigid muscles relaxed. He looked down at his daughter, his eyes softening from lethal ice to warm amber.

Armond pulled Kala into his side, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders. He didn't even spare Caleb a glance. Without a word, he turned, guiding Kala and Evan away from the gate and toward their home.

Caleb stood alone in the dirt. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, his knuckles white. He watched Kala's retreating back, his eyes darkening with a complex, obsessive shadow.