5

Maya POV

Since the moment we stepped out of the car, Eliane was as tense as a stick. She was holding my hand the whole time. I could tell when we passed a pack member from the way she squeezed my hand. When we got inside the dinner, It was obvious from the way she looked at the young couple that she longed for her own kind. When they left, I could see her pain. She tried to act strong and I let her be.

It got worst when we walked inside the supermarket, most of the customers kept glancing at her from afar. They were mostly men, different ages, but It was obvious that they were all here observing us. Thankfully I could easily distract her from all the tension. All I had to do was talk about things I wanted to eat and she would get lost in all the ingredients she needed for the recipe. Or my favorite trick, putting random things in the cart, especially junk food, and she will go all nut trying to put everything back in it original shelves. It was working perfectly until one boy walked in. While all the others took turns to observe us, this idiot was plainly following us and didn't bother to hide it.

The way he was staring at Eliane, got me nervous. His stare was so intense, he was observing every inch of her body and his eyes turned black a couple of times. While I could glare down the others and make them look away, him? well, he didn't seem to notice my presence at all.

When we reached the vegetables and fruits aisle, Eliane was so engrossed in the fresh products mumbling to herself that she didn't notice him standing next to her. The little perv was sniffing the air around her and didn't bother to be discrete about it. Something was odd about him and I couldn't wait to get away from him. And then he leisurely cut the line to the cashier just to stand behind us, did I mention that the idiot was empty-handed. Really!!! is he that stupid or is it just his way to intimidate us.

He got on my last nerve when he, somehow, scared Eliane and made her stick to my side trembling. I moved her away from him and that did the trick. His gaze shifted toward me, and boy was he mad. He glared and glared back, we kept at it until I had to look away in order to pay. He kept glancing at her behind me and for a moment he looked like a lost puppy when she acted busy and ignored him til we left.

When he followed us to the car, well to his car too, I saw it. I saw how he glared at two other boys who were passing by. Whenever any male got near us while we were putting away the groceries he would make sure that their eyes don't linger on Eliane too long, or at all. And when no one was around, he would resume his intense staring, following her every movement. Could it be that instead of keeping an eye on us, he's just..........., noway right. So I decided to test it out.

"She's not allowed to date, so don't waste your time" I said out loud, "What???" they both said in the same time, "You've been staring at her like a perv from the moment you walked in, so I'm just informing you", I turned to Eliane, "Unless he's your mate". she looked at the boy startled and blushing, the boy blushed too when she finally met his gaze. Oh my, that was cute!!.

"No he's not", she whispered. He blinked a couple of times then tried to say something then changed his mind. He got in his car and drove away. "That was interesting" I mumbled to my self. Eliane was frozen in her place, her eyes following the car.

She was out of it all the way back. I stopped for a takeaway coffee, she followed me in and then back to the car without so much of a reaction. When I parked in front of the house, she unloaded the car and started organizing the pantry like a robot. I was watching her precise but absent-minded movements, I even called her I couple of times but nothing.

Was it too much of a joke? now that I think about it, we never had "boys talk" before, so I had no idea what was going on in that head of hers. I continued observing her until she regained her senses. She snapped at me and looked away, she was hiding something from me. "You tell me",....nothing....., "Is it the dating thing? you know I just said it so he would back off, You're free to date if you feel like it". did she take it seriously, I was teasing the boy. She looked at me and then she broke down.

***************************************

I felt drained. , lots of intense emotions in just few hours. She's usually so composed and level headed that I forgot that she's still a kid with many fears an insecurities. I would've never imagined that she thought so little of her self. I wish I could find better words to describe how beautiful and breathtaking she is, in and out. I am so proud of her, she's strong, caring and selfless. I'm sure if she wasn't busy looking down on her self, she would've noticed how the tallboy was looking at her, but still, he's an idiot for intimidating her that way. I really should track him down.

She was still sobbing in my arms, the music was still playing in the semi-dark living room. I was thinking about laying us down on the sofa when someone rang the doorbell. Instantly Eliane tensed, she looked up petrified. Guess it's showtime. I wish they've waited for tomorrow, we're both exhausted. I stand up and walk to the door while she stops the music and turns on the lights. I open the door and guess who's there? shitty boy from the dinner and shitty boy from the supermarket along with two men.

"Good evening Ms. Evans", said the man who looked like the leader, tall, blond hair, blue eyes, and very imposing.

"Good evening Mr......" I said while eyeing the group.

"Jacob Bloom, Alpha of the Northmoon pack", then gestured to the red-headed man next to him, "This is Rain Black, my Beta" he stepped aside and nodded toward the boys, "My son Luc and Rain's son Alex", so shitty boy from the dinner is the Alpha son and shitty boy from the supermarket is the Beta son, good to know. I crossed my arms and gave them the meanest glare I could master. I kept at it until Alex's eyes zoomed behind me.

"Why is she crying? What happened?" Alex tried to push between the Alpha and Beta to get to her. His action made Eliane hide behind me.

"Are you kidding me? What happened to her? YOU SHITTY BRAT WHY DON'T YOU ASK YOUR SELF AND THE OTHER SHIT STANDING NEXT TO YOU?" I yelled so hard that my head started throbbing

"I didn't...I don't ......." he seemed at loss, guess me yelling took everyone by surprise, he looked like he was trying to figure out what I was implying, then he turned to Luc, his eyes accusing him "What did you do?"

"I..I..." luc put his hands up in a surrender pose, he kept looking between Alex and me.

"Ms. Evans" the Alpha cleared his throat, "How about we continue this discussion inside?"

"I don't want them inside my house" I said in a final tone looking at the two idiots.

"But..." Alex tried to complain but was cut by the Alpha, "As you wish"

I reached Eliane's hand and pulled her at my side. We stepped aside to let the two men in, then closed the front door.

"Sorry for the mess, we are still unpacking, so....., excuse me what Am'I supposed to call you? Alpha and Beta?"

"Jacob is fine" he answered with a smile but I could tell he was tense

"Rain is fine too" the beta had a more relaxed posture.

"Then please call me Maya" I gestured for them to sit and they did, "And this gorgeous girl is Eliane",

"Alpha, Beta" she said with a small hoarse voice. She started blushing when they too their time observing her, not in a mean way like the boys but as if they are evaluating the risks.

"Would you like something to drink, we have...." I looked at Eliane since I wasn't paying attention during the shopping.

"We have coffee, fruit tea, apple juice and water"

"coffee, thank you"

"coffee for me too gorgeous", Eliane disappeared in the kitchen relieved to be away from them.

"So gentlemen, how can I help you?", the Alpha cleared his throat and glanced toward the kitchen.

"We would like to.... know more about the two of you?"

"Fine" I looked at them and they seemed to hesitate, they stayed silent for few minutes and it started to get on my nerve.

"Jacob, look,... we have nothing to hide, so please feel free to ask your questions"

"Well, you are Human, She'is not, .." His tone was accusatory.

"Your point?" I came a bit aggressive and I kind of regret it when his blue eyes became darker.

"Nothing" Rain tried to ease the tension, "We want just to understand how you two are related"

"She's my niece"

"We already know that. We know you became her guardian six years ago" Rain looked at Jacob who nodded for him to continue, "Before that, there is no record of her and you.." he paused when Eliane came back with three mugs of coffee and water. She served them, then gave me mine and sat next to me.

"Me..." I urged him to finish.

"Well, Maya Evans appeared out of thin air fifteen years ago"

"Again, your point is...?" they glanced at each other, "Look, Jacob, Rain, we're really exhausted and I'm having a migraine, so if you want your answers, you need to start asking questions".

"Then who are you? both of you, and why did you come to my town?" Rain rolled his eyes at the frustrated Alpha.

"I'm Maya Evans, I've been Maya Evans for more than fifteen years, before that,....I had another name, another life, that has nothing to do with you or with your... community in general. I walked away from all of it when I was twenty years old and never looked back. I started over my life and I've been moving from one place to another for years"

They listened to me with no comment, taking in every word I said. Jacob nodded toward Eliane.

"We met few years ago, precisely six years ago, I......" I looked at her asking for her permission to continue, when she smiled, I looked back at them, "I found her....next to a dumpster,....She was half-dead, bloodied, she had black and blues all over her body and a deep cut in her back, she.." I loud growl from outside followed by a thud interrupted me, Is one of the boys trying to get in?

Rain stood up and walked outside, I heard him talk to his son calling his name many times but it didn't stop the growling. Eliane was shaking next to me, they managed to scare her again. Jacob stood up after few minutes and walked out too and the growling stopped instantly. They both walked back in and closed the front door.

"He won't come in or hurt you, I give you my word", Rain said to Eliane who was eyeing the front door.

"Please continue," Jacob said while sitting back

"I wanted to call an ambulance or the police but she kept begging me not to, she said that they will find her" I kept telling the story and rubbing Eliane's back in the same time. "I was about to make the call anyway when she shifted in front of me".

"It can't be!!! six years ago she was what? seven? eight?" Jacob cut in

"I was twelve!!!" Eliane replied outraged, I tried not to laugh at the shocked men in front of us

"How old are you?" this time it was rain asking

"I'm eighteen!!"

"Almost!" I couldn't help it

"Fine!! in a couple of weeks, I'll be eighteen" I couldn't hold it anymore and started laughing at her cute pout and the dumbfounded men. They started drinking their coffee without looking at the sulking girl.

"Anyway, I was about to run away and leave her behind when I heard howling. I thought they were her friends but her wolf was whimpering and trying to run away. She couldn't take two steps without falling. I don't know what I was thinking, next thing I know she was laying on my bed"

"Who were they?" Rain asked Eliane

"Rogues."

"What about your parents?"

"They died in a car accident when I was ten"

"Your pack?"

"I don't know, we lived in the city, I went to a human school and my parent never mentioned anything about being part of a pack.

"If they died when you were ten, how did you go through your first shift?"

"My parent had a big collection of books about werewolves and I've read them all before their death" she took a deep breath, "When I felt my shift approaching, I sneaked away from the foster home and went to the woods and I ...shifted" Her parents, her first shift are still a sensitive topic for her and they could sense it.

"Fine, why are you here?, you mentioned to one of our pack member and assault" the Alpha thankfully passed to the next question.

"Almost assaults, I had a close encounter with rogues twice. They were following Eliane's scent and they got too close. So we packed and runaway. I honestly thought that no rogue will dare following us to Northwood"

"mmmm" The Alpha was looking at his mug nodding his head.

"Anything else we should know" Rain asked while Jacob was lost in his thought.

"I'm only asking for a couple of months"

"What do you mean" Jacob asked confused

"Coming here was a last-minute decision, I know you don't like having us here on your lands but we are not looking for trouble, I just wanted a safe place. So I'm asking you to let us stay here for a couple of months, I'll figure things out and we'll be on our way as soon as possible. Just please don't chase us away, we'll abide by all your rules". They exchanged a look and then glanced at the front door.

"I think there is a misunderstanding. True, you coming here uninvited is something I don't appreciate but you're a human and you don't know the protocol for visiting pack lands. Besides, being under your guardianship and the fact that she never lived with a pack, I can't blame her either. That being said, we didn't come here to chase you, we came because we needed few answers........since........ before...mmm." they exchanged another look, Rain seemed to be pleading with him.

"Before what?" I started to get nervous

"Before inviting you to dinner?" Jacob rolled his eyes at his Beta answer

"Inviting us to dinner?" I didn't expect this one, Jacob sighted

"Well, tomorrow we'll hold a pack dinner and you are both invited. We'll introduce you as a guest to ease the tension around you. And we'll see what happens from there."

"A dinner with all the pack members? how many exactly?"

"Around five hundred" Eliane's face paled

"Thank you for the invitation but, no offense, that's not a good idea", They both noticed Eliane's reaction by now, "As you said, she never lived with a pack before, meeting few pack members today was very overwhelming for both of us. I don't want to imagine what could happen when meeting the whole pack."

"How about my place?" Rain spouted instantly, "Dinner at my house, it's located away from the packhouse. It will be a small dinner party, just my family and the Alpha's. How about it?". I want to say no, but considering our situation and their weir fixation on this dinner, I had no choice.

"Fine, we'll be honored to come. But a fair warning, if any of your boys give Eliane any attitude similar to the one they showed us today, I'm not responsible for my actions"

"They'll behave, you have my word" Jacob promised while standing up, his Beta following his lead.

"Alex will pick you up around 6:30 and you....." Rain stopped when he saw the look in my face, is he serious, sending his son to pick us up, "On second thoughts I'll be the one to pick you up" good boy

They walked to the front door saying their goodbyes, the two boys were standing on the driveway waiting for them. Eliane looked everywhere except their way, and Alex couldn't tear his eyes from her. When I was about to close the door, she stepped out "I forgot to ask him", ask what?, "Alpha Jacob, Beta Rain" her voice was above a whisper but the men heard her and came back, "We will bring the desert with us, do you have any preference", Rain smiled tenderly at her and patted her head. "Thank you princess but you don't have to", she blushed at his endearment.

"I insist Beta Rain, we can't visit you empty-handed. If you don't personally have a preference maybe you could tell me the preference of another family member" Rain looked behind him and then back at her.

"Jacob and I prefer salty treats but I have a sulky child who's fond of caramel brownies, is that helpful?"

"Yes, thank you Beta Rain, see you tomorrow". she walked back inside with a smile. I'm glad her mood improved.

After that we sat in silence, trying to figure out what could be the next move. I can't help it but think that the visit of the Alpha and Beta is a bit strange. We expected a confrontation but not one that ended with a dinner invitation. But we were glad that they were nice toward us. Eliane told me that some times, high ranking wolfs tend to intimidate newcomers in order to assert their superiority. Anyways it didn't mean that we'll put our guard down, we still need to be cautious and avoid troubles or troublesome situations. But the most important thing is that they let us stay. True, It's a temporary acceptance but it's better than chasing us away.

We went to sleep early that night feeling safer and hoping for a better tomorrow.