Stolen and Forgiven (Branded Packs #1)(24)

Today, she’d be working with the submissives with canning and other food preparation. The submissives were the wolves who cared for the other wolves through calming and influential ways. They didn’t want to fight if they didn’t have to and would rather let their Alpha and dominants protect them, while they protected the dominants in other ways. Ariel was happy to hear that men and woman both made up the submissive group, meaning wolves didn’t segregate based on gender. Ariel wasn’t sure what kind of wolf she’d be, and Holden wasn’t letting on if he knew, but she wanted to learn as much as she could. She’d given up hope that this was all a dream, and it was time to learn to live in her new life.

Holden ran a hand down her back, and she looked up at him. “You ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied honestly. His nose always wrinkled when she tried to lie to him about how she was feeling, so she’d quit trying to make him feel better by lying about her nervousness. It wasn’t as if she’d been good at it anyway.

“Let’s go, then. I need to meet with the inner circle today, so I’m leaving you with Mandy and the others.”

Mandy was one of the few wolves she’d met. After her panic attack at the sight of the guards, Mandy had not only helped her then, but she’d come by every day to see if there was anything she could do. It was nice to be able to just talk with another woman, even if Ariel felt out of sorts. None of this made any sense if she truly thought about it, so she’d done her best to try and go with the flow. If she did that, maybe she’d figure out how to be the new her.

A wolf.

One who hadn’t shifted yet, but that was another problem in itself.

“I have no idea what I’m doing, Holden,” she said right as they made it to their destination.

Holden frowned and turned to her. He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, his finger brushing along her skin. She let out a sigh, holding herself back from leaning into his touch. She didn’t understand this connection between the two of them, but whatever had changed inside her wanted him.

And again, if she were honest, the old part of herself wanted him, too.

“You will figure it out. I can help you in only so many ways without harming your efforts. You will need to find your place within the Pack on your own, although I will be by your side along the way, if that makes any sense.”

She nodded. It did, but that didn’t make it any easier to stomach. Again, she had to push out all thoughts of what life had been like before her kidnapping because there was no going back. Only going forward and pushing her way through the chaos that was finding herself a wolf in a new land.

“Good.” He lowered his head and brushed his lips along hers. “I will be here when you are finished finding out how this section of the den works. Soren and a few of the others will be over for dinner later.” She widened her eyes and he winced. “They usually come over for a meal after a meeting like the one we’re having now. Should I have asked?”

While her life had changed dramatically, she needed to remember that Holden’s had changed as well. He was not only the leader of the Pack, but had lived for years on his own without having to worry about another person in his home. They were bound to misstep.

“Let me know what I need to do,” she said finally. “It will be nice to learn more about everyone.” If she kept trying to say the right things, then maybe she wouldn’t mess up as much. One day she’d probably f*ck it all up, and they’d have to deal with it; however, there were only so many changes in her life she could take before she fumbled it all.

He nodded and kissed her once more before leaving her on the doorstep. They’d both decided she would enter the place on her own as his mate. She might not bear his mark on her arm, but Holden said she smelled like him now and no one would dare harm her.

Only she didn’t quite believe things worked that way. This meeting would tell.

She made her way inside and stopped short at the sight of twenty or so men and women working on various stages of canning and boxing. Each person held a station and looked as if they knew what they were doing. Most had been in the middle of a conversation or laughing when she’d walked in. As they realized she was there, they stood or sat in silence, their gazes on hers. Two or three bowed their heads like she’d seen some do before, but others looked at her like she was an outsider.

Because that’s what she was. An outsider and interloper. She was the reason their lives were in jeopardy, if the humans found out what Holden had done. She was the reason things were changing since Holden had taken her as his mate. She wouldn’t back down, but she would find a way to blend.

From the looks on these people’s faces, she had a feeling things wouldn’t be easy.

“Ariel, you’re here.” Mandy walked right up to her and tugged her close for a hug.

Ariel wrapped her arms around the tiny woman and tried to smile. At least one person was happy to see her. God, she needed to stop sounding so whiny and lost in her own pity party. Once she got over herself, she might be able to actually fit in and become friends with these people.

It wasn’t as if she had anywhere else to go.

“Thanks,” Ariel whispered. “It’s good to see you,” she said a bit more loudly.

Mandy smiled as she pulled back. “It’s good to see you up and about. I know you had a few injuries that took a while to heal. Let me introduce you to everyone, and you can see what we do here. Once you’re able to shift, you’ll find where your dominance lies. Then you can figure out what job you do here.”