Chapter 2

 I couldn't deny my mom's recipes were delicious and the kitchen executed them perfectly. I took a seat next to some of the other pack members and joined in some light chatter. Mom and dad had wandered off to somewhere else, probably dads office. Jay and Christian were off to warrior training, which we were proud to note had several female warriors as well. Typically women were not warriors, however we had some show interest and we honed that skill, and in turn they became invaluable to the pack. Nina was known for her stealth and utilization of the element of surprise, she was a very small woman and could contort herself into all kinds of places if need be. She seemed pleasant enough with her blonde hair and brown eyes, always smiling with a kind word; but she was just as deadly as she was nice. Toni was tall, and built like a brick wall, cropped brown hair and a face a Greek Goddess would envy she had more muscle in her pinky finger than many warriors. She was sheer strength, an impenetrable wall of muscle and grit. Then there was Joy, who brought our enemies anything but, with looks like a supermodel her raven hair, green eyes and high cheekbones were deceiving. A bit of a smartass she played with her enemies like a cat does a mouse, agile, swift and efficient when she made her mind up she was not someone even I wanted to go up against. 

    Once I was finished with my lunch I made my way to the training area. Everyone was busy either with weights, cardio or hand to hand combat. Nick, my dads Beta stood in the center overseeing all the activity. Nick's a huge massive ox of a man, curly brown hair and biceps easily the size of my head. Nodding his head every so often was the only giveaway he was pleased with what he saw. Who could blame him, seeing all the warriors working so hard, sweat pouring off them, and rotating from area to area to hone their skills across the board would make anyone proud if they were in charge of that. I had half a mind to join them but I just ate too much, and probably wouldn't go so well were I to take a punch in the gut. And to be honest I liked my lunch where it was, in my stomach. Waving to Nick I headed off toward my place, may as well see what work I needed to get done.

    My place was not in the pack house, I had done that on purpose. I loved the pack and being with them, but I also needed my time apart and sometimes too many people was way too much for me, I was an introverted extrovert. Highly social, yet still needing my own time to recharge. The pack house was beautiful, large and brick; but in truth only house a few people, namely my parents and their Beta, Gamma and some of the upper kitchen staff. The rest of us either lived in assorted duplexes, condo's or small houses. The bigger houses were allotted to the larger families of course as there were plenty lavish houses on the lands too. 

    My own place was small, best described as a guest house size it was two rooms. The first room, where you entered, was an oversized living room with a mini kitchen on the back wall. The wall to the left of the door had a fridge, microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker and sink. No dishwasher as it was just me so I felt there was no need for one. Cabinets were above the appliances, save for a window directly over the sink. On the other side of the counter I had fashioned shelving of sorts as a pantry, to hold all of my snacks and drinks. I had a nice 3 seater couch placed in the middle of the room, with a modest TV and stand, there was a chaise lounge off to the side; which was where I liked to curl up and read. A small doorway, minus the door, connected the living area to the bedroom. My bedroom was also oversized, enough so that I had a comfy loveseat against the far wall, right under a window. My bed was on the opposite wall with my dresser on one side and a small bedside table (piled high with my books) on the other. The other side was where my bathroom and closet were. The closet was a nice spacious walk in, enough to hold most of my clothing, which being something of a minimalist, wasn't too extensive. Still, it was a nice size. The bathroom had dual sinks and a pretty good sized shower, and again was just enough space for me, something I enjoyed. My house seemed the perfect fit for me, and I liked that it was a bit tucked away from things so I could enjoy my privacy somewhat as well, without hearing the hustle and bustle of the pack house even after hours. 

    Washing my face quickly I grabbed my latest read, a romance novel of course because what girl doesn't desire some romance in her life? Even if it can only be found in the pages of a book. The cover displayed the typical damsel in distress in the arms of a rugged looking man, your usual romance trope if you will. Still, I could easily get lost in these sorts of novels for hours, fantasizing about a man I had yet to meet and wondering when I would. Not having a mate at my age (24) wasn't exactly a big deal, many people had already found their mate but not all. I knew some people thought it strange but if it wasn't my time so be it, I was not worried, part of me simply longed for that soul deep connection. However, I knew my self well enough to know that something like this wouldn't come easily to me. Curling up on my chaise with a bottle of water I delved into the novel, losing myself easily.

    A noise startled me awake, realizing I had fallen asleep while reading I swiped my hand across my mouth to remove the drool there. YUCK! I must have really needed a nap. I heard shouts, voices, and a damn lot of commotion outside. I quickly threw on my sneakers and ran out the door toward the pack house, where most of it seemed to be coming from. When I saw what was going on I stopped dead in my tracks, mouth agape, anger seeping through my every pore.