Who knew a human would get along so well with a pack of Werewolves? Not that Emma was aware that her new friends were in fact, mythical creatures.
Chapter 1
Taking a deep breath Emma held the flimsy paperwork to her chest with one arm as she opened her car door with the other.
It'd already taken her over twenty minutes just to find the administrator's office on grounds. When she first worked up the courage to apply to Camp Lobo she hadn't realized just how large the grounds were.
It was three minutes from the back roads just to make it to the grounds themselves. Then another ten minutes trying to navigate the outer buildings and cabins before she found the main hall. Which turned out to be the Dining Hall, not the admin building, but other than a few curious looks the people there pointed her to the right place.
Now here she stood in front of a set of intimidating dark oak doors wondering if she should just turn around and go back home. Apply to a library, maybe be a waitress, after all she was just as familiar with those jobs as camp work.
Without warning the door in front of her swung open, a tall slender woman looked her up and down. Her black eyes and dark hair accentuated her long nose and sharp features. Her elegant countenance was nearly the opposite of Emma.
Choppy shoulder-length dark Auburn hair framed a heart-shaped face and blue-green hazel eyes. Her short, just a few inches over five foot, her frame pudgy and round. And with the way this woman was sizing her up, what little self-confidence Emma had wilted further.
First impressions matter, she told herself as she squared her shoulders.
"Hi, I'm here to apply for the event coordinator's position. I was told this is where the offices are?" She gave the woman her best smile.
The woman blinked, eyebrows raising in surprise. "Right."
Emma fought the urge to squirm as the woman continued to just stare at her. The emotions flitting across her face indecipherable. Her nostrils even flared as if she was smelling her.
'Did I forget to put on deodorant?' She wondered.
Trying to move past the awkward moment, Emma offered her hand. "I'm Emma by the way."
If their differences weren't emphasized enough, seeing the woman's carmal tanned hand, slender and delicate, gently take her own pink hued irish pale sausage fingers further made Emma shrink mentally.
It doesn't matter...she told herself. It doesn't matter because she's just a woman like me. Not everyone has the same taste.
It didn't stop her from thinking the woman lucky. But it was a mantra she repeated to remind herself not to despair over her own self image.
"Faye." The woman, Faye, shook her hand firmly. Very firmly.
Emma held back a wince and continued to smile through her discomfort.
"Well, hello Faye. This is where the applications are right?" She asked, double checking that this was the right place.
Had she gotten turned around? No, that couldn't be. This was the only place that could be considered the main house.
In an instant Faye's demeanor completely changed. Her shoulders relaxed and the judging gaze eased into a happy, relaxed expression. Not quite a smile.
"Yes, Lu-," Faye cleared her throat. "Yes, let me show you to the Be- the head administrators office."
Emma's smile dropped behind Faye's back as she led her to the head admins office. Filing the strange hiccup away, Emma figured it was a slip up due to an inside joke or nickname. Maybe it meant something, maybe it didn't, whatever the case it wasn't any of her business.
The house had an open feel to it. The foyer, kitchen and living room were all in one enormous open area. A single set of stairs led to the second level which was completely closed off for privacy. On the other side of the stairs was a long hallway with doors on either side, each of them closed.
Following her guide back into the house, Emma began rifling through her papers and documents making sure she had everything she needed. Her nerves were starting to rise again.
There's nothing to worry about. What are they gonna do? Say no? ...say yes?
She let out a breath as Faye pulled up to a door near the back of the hall. And when her guide turned her, her polite smile easily slid back on her face.
"Thanks for the help." Instead of stepping inside to let her in, Faye began her staring again.
"Um," Emma glanced between Faye and the door. "Do I knock or just...go in?"
Faye's head cocked to the side. "You go in." She continued to stand there.
"Right...ok." Emma resigned herself to her one woman audience as she mentally prepared herself to be interviewed.
Right, just...go in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rex finished denying the latest applicant. He set the paperwork down in the rejection bin a scrubbed a hand over his face.
Everyone was antsy trying to finish re-marking their territory and it didn't help that Alpha Derek, Luna Mae and Matt were still at the summit meeting with the other Alphas.
As Matt's Beta, and after his father passed, he was in charge for now. Under any other circumstances this wouldn't have happened. Usually one of the Alpha's family members, if not the Alpha himself, would stay behind and take care of pack business. But this was an unusual circumstance.
Because Matt hadn't found his mate yet. Everyone else in their age group had paired off between fifteen and eighteen. But Matt was twenty-four and still looking. That was part of the reason they were all at the meeting. Alpha and Luna Lobo were hoping that Matt would find his mate among one of the other packs.
Letting his head fall from his hands, it landed with a thud on his desk. He let out a low whine, itching to just run off for awhile. He swore the next person to walk into his office was going to get bit.
"Excuse me, are you the head administrator?" A soft female voice asked politely.
Rex felt a growl build up in his throat. ...the what? Lifting his head he aimed a glare at the woman.
To her credit, she didn't flinch under his stare. Just sat down across from his desk and gave him a sympathetic look.
"Bad day?" This human wasn't much to look at, he prepared himself to turn her down on the spot.
...and then he smelled her.
His shoulders drooped and he leaned against his desk tiredly. Even his wolf seemed to relax in her presence. She exuded calm and care.
Rex blinked and shook his head, he straightened up. Tell her to go away. She shouldn't even be on pack grounds.
"I can come back another day if that'll make anything easier." She suggested.
"No," He blurted without thinking. "That's alright. It just..." He let out a sigh.
He looked her over, confused about why this female human was different than the rest. Tell her to go away.
No, his wolf paced a little, uncomfortable with the idea.
The woman smiled gently, waiting quietly for him to speak. She went ahead and set her papers on his desk and folded her hands in her lap.
Rex sucked in a breath, ready to tell her he wasn't intrested in interviewing her.
"I'm not used to being in charge. This last week has been hell." He clicked his mouth shut. Why did you tell her that?
'She can help.' His wolf whispered.
"New to the job?" She asked.
"Not really, more like..." He bit his lip trying to figure out how to put this. "The boss and his whole family have been out of town and won't be back for another few weeks."
"And they left you in charge." She finished.
"Yeah," He grabbed her papers from his desk and glanced through them. "Oh, wow. You've...done a lot of different stuff."
Rex read down the list of previous employments. "Librarian, factory worker, fundraising coordinator, hostess and assistant cook."
She smiled and nodded. "Well, you're certainly qualified." But human..."Your help is needed pretty badly." But she's not a wolf...
...say no! This is going to get you in so much trouble!
Who knew a human would get along so well with a pack of Werewolves? Not that Emma was aware that her new friends were in fact, mythical creatures.
Chapter 9
Nathan and Ryan loped through the forest, trying to cover as much ground as they could manage. Alpha Derek had been kind enough to release them early from the Summit meeting to head back to the pack.
Originally, Matt wasn't supposed to come with them so that he and the other pups could practice running things for a while. But Luna Mae had suggested it in the hopes he would meet his mate. But from what they'd seen, they both agreed it was a bust. So they'd asked to return early.
Matt had also wanted to escape the disappointing environment, but Alpha Derek had insisted he stay. Poor pup was being accosted by all sorts of females. Ryan had been in favor of him coming home, if only to keep an incident from occurring.
They stopped for a break, panting in the afternoon sun that heated their dark fur. The river's water was cool and refreshing to drink. They took a moment to jump in as well to fight the heat.
They would need to find shelter by night, but if they could keep this pace they'll make it back into pack territory in another two days.
Hopefully, there won't be any major issues to fix when they get back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emma stretched out on the twin sized mattress in her new room. Everyone seemed really awkward as they led her over here to the girls' dorm. Well, they were calling it the female quarters, but it was the same thing.
She remembered when Faye had begrudgingly lead her to this place. It's a nice building and perfectly suitable, Emma had no idea why being here bothered her. And to her surprise, practically everyone else.
It had everything she needed. There was a communal bathroom on each floor with two tubs while each room had it's own bathroom with a toilet and sink. There were three floors, the upper two held the rooms while the bottom was sort of a common area with couches and a TV. There were only six rooms in total between the upper floors and while she had hers to herself, they were made to share between two girls.
Emma's room on the top floor at the end of the hall and she couldn't be happier with it. She was lucky enough to get the room by herself, but the bed was the best. There was something about a creaky half broken down mattress that just…it was hard to explain unless you grew up at camp. But this was exactly what she had been expected when they had first hired her.
She had taken only a moment to check out the room before she began unpacking her suitcase and backpack, all of her things finding their way into the dresser by her bed, the book she was currently reading was placed on the bedside table, she pulled out some sheets and her favorite blankets and made up her bed and then placed her pillow on top. She smiled, giddy at the thought of what was to come.
A lot of work, she thought to herself. That was what was to come…
But all in all at the end of a busy day of getting things done, it was the perfect place to retreat to. A pleasant little hideaway to relax after running her wheels off. Much better than that room that seemed to ooze extravagance.
A knock at her door drew her attention and she sat up. "Yeah?"
Brown hair peaked around the door frame, it took her a minute to identify who it was. Lacey was quiet the timid young girl, but she was cute and sweet.
"Um…Luna?" She called out quietly
"Yes, Lacey?" The girl seemed to jump in surprise because she spoke to her or remembered her name. Emma wasn't sure which.
"Um…we need…help." She admitted with a duck of her head.
"What happened?" Emma jumped up and headed for the door.
The young girl faltered for a moment as she ducked out of the doorway to make room for Emma coming through. She was the youngest here at fourteen while the rest of the girls.were at least eighteen and a couple were in their twenties.
"Sierra was trying to carry the laundry upstairs." Lacey scurried behind her. "She slipped on a step and her foot hurts too badly to stand."
Well that was a relief. A fall down the stairs could've been much more catastrophic than that.
Emma came thudding down the stairs and spun into the common room as fast she could. Sitting on the couch was Sierra, hissing in pain, and surrounding her were the other girls.
"Hey, Sierra." She called out lightly. "You ok?"
Sierra nearly growled at her, giving her a glare. She knew it was a rhetorical question, but her reaction to it was what Emma was looking for. Which was bad.
"Alright, where does it hurt specifically?" She sat at the other end of the couch and looked down at her legs, inspecting them for scraps, bruising or lumps.
Sierra didn't have to answer. Emma could see just how badly her right ankle was swollen. It was already turning dark in color.
"Alright," Emma released a breath. "Ashe, can you go get something frozen? Bag of veggies, anything, it just needs to be packaged."
"Yes, Luna." The brunette shot out the door.
"Lena, upstairs in my room is a bottle of ibuprofen on the dresser and I need the plastic bag of supplies from under the sink." Dirty blonde hair flew as she shot upstairs before Emma finished.
"Alright," She tried to sound soothing and calm. "We're going to take some of this swelling down and see what the damage is ok?" She made eye contact with Sierra, the raven haired girl was breathing hard and trying not to whimper but she managed a nod. "I need to warn you, it might be broken. But it also might just be a really bad sprain." Tears gathered in Sierra's eyes. "Try not to move, Lena will be back with my stuff I'll get you something for the pain."
Lena came a moment later, thrusting her items into Emma's lap. "Lynn, can you get a glass of water please?" She was trying to give all the stressed girls something to do. "Here, take these." She handed Sierra four ibuprofen and then the glass Lynn had brought back.
Emma winced as Sierra crunched the pills, as if she'd never taken medicine before, then downed the entire glass in one go.
Soon after Ashe came back with a bag of frozen shrimp. Good enough.
"You must be really fast, thank you." She remarked and the young girl blushed.
Trying to be gentle Emma laid the bag on Sierra's ankle and an inhumane sound escaped her, startling her. She managed to keep the cold item pressed to her skin through her clenching.
"You just need it until the swelling goes down." She assured the girl. Emm tried not to let her audience make her nervous as she cared for the injury.
"Whose the nurse on grounds?" Emma asked, but no one answered. "Do you guys have a nurse or some kind of medical staff?"
A few of the girls shook their heads. Emma frowned at them.
"What happens when someone on grounds gets hurt? What do you do?"
They shifted slightly and looked at one another but didn't say anything. Emma scowled further and a few of them winced.
Huffing a breath she turned back to Sierra's ankle to check it. Her indignation over the lack of proper medical regulations was forgotten for a moment when she pulled away the bag of frozen goods to find Sierra's ankle was no longer swollen and the bruising was starting to turn green.
If Emma had known the sheer amount of work that was waiting for her at this new job, she would've thought twice.
But she still would have taken it, if she was honest.
So the grounds needed work, and tasks needed delegating…and room assignments completed and gardening to oversee and meal planning to go over and a new row of houses needed to go up so supplies needed to be ordered and patches of trees felled and kids activities to plan and…
Oh boy
A lot of work needed to be done. It had Emma wondering just what was so important that the boss man and his family had to leave. Because she was starting to feel like they had left all these people high and dry.
Or they had more faith in Rex and Luke than was appropriate. Sorry guys.
Either way, by the time Sunday had rolled around, the time for her to phone in to her parents, Emma was surprised to find herself smack dab in the middle of a construction site as people began directing all their questions towards her about what to do.
It was Luna this and Luna that. Honestly she didn't know what to think about that nickname at first. It didn't really seem to fit in with the whole wolf theme. Until she realized it meant moon, and wolves howl at the moon, and right now all these people were 'howling' at her expecting her to know and/or fix everything.
And here I thought it was because I was pasty white…she grumbled internally.
The first time someone had called her that, she can't quite remember who now that everyone does it, Faye and Jade had practically glared holes into the poor soul's head. She wasn't sure what the big deal was. After all, having a nickname means she's one of them now, right?
When she said it was ok to call her that, everyone relaxed and seemed so happy about it. Further making her feel like she was missing some vital peice if the puzzle that was Camp Lobo. But Jade and Faye seemed particularly thrilled and called her Luna often. She was coming to really enjoy their company.
A tune began playing softly from her pocket, catching several people's attention. Emma pulled her phone from her jeans and answered it without looking. She knew who it was based on the song.
"Hey dad," She greeted, unknowingly perking interest around her as sensitive ears listened in. "What's up?"
"Nothing much, Jo and I were just waiting on your call."
Emma paused. "Right, sorry." She blew out a breath and motioned to the foreman that she was stepping away. "Everything's been so hectic since day one I haven't had a chance to do much but eat and sleep."
"So I take it you got the job?"
"Yeah, that very day in fact." Emma figured her dad would pick up on the oddities like she had. Only he'd understand them better.
"That day?"
"On the spot." Emma smiled as a few workers carrying insulation passed her. "You could tell he was in over his head."
"Bossman was that desperate?"
"He's actually acting boss." That was the kicker, and she knew her dad was thinking the same thing she has because he let out a long hum.
"Did he get permission from Bossman?"
Emma blew out a breath. "Not that I know of."
Her dad hummed again. "You do realize that could make you temporary hire."
"Yeah, I know."
"Do you like it there?"
"I love it, it's absolutely gorgeous. I'll take some pictures of the grounds when I get the chance. You and mom would love it here." She gushed, not realizing the people around her were smiling.
"Ok, camp rat. How's the food? Is it as good as your mom's?"
"Some is, some isn't. But I don't think anyone's gonna top her homemade bread."
"True-"
"Luna can you-" Just as the worker interrupt her a few of the workers around her shushed him.
"Someone calling you?" Her dad asked.
"Yeah, I'm literally in the middle of putting up the inner walls of the new building."
"Oh?"
"Hey man, I'm only overseeing the project and helping the foreman stay on task. Everybody already knows what they're doing."
"Alright, if you need any help give me a call."
"I will. Love you dad." She had already thought of calling him since he was a painter/contractor but the workers here had everything handled.
"Love you too-"
"LOVE YOU BABY!" Her mom yelled into her dad's ear. Not that it bothered him, he's half deaf. But it blared across her phone speaker.
"Love you too mom." Emma lightly rolled her eyes.
"Hey, before you go just…be careful and try not to step on any toes."
"That's the plan." She sighed again.
"Alright, love you baby."
"Love you too, bye."
"Bye."
Line Break
Fay and Jade stood aside and watched as Luna Emma spoke to her parents. The week had gone a lot smoother than they could've hoped. Except for the fact that everyone knows…
Faye was not the only one to apparently recognize her for what she is. On one hand, this made her transition into the pack rather smooth, on the other…they were never going to hear the end of it from Matt when he gets back.
"I think it happened this way for reason." Jade, like Faye, didn't take her eyes off of their Luna.
"And why is that?" Faye asked.
"Think about it. Not only did she come when we needed her the most, but do you think if Alpha Matt had met her earlier that Alpha and Luna would have accepted her?"
Faye frowned. "Why wouldn't they? She is our next Luna. Everyone can tell."
"Strange isn't it?" Jade continued. "That we would be able to recognize her?" Faye glanced at Jade. "You knowing is understandable. But the rest of us should just see a human. So why are we connecting with her so easily?"
Fay had no answers. Now that she thought about it too…it was more than odd. It was unheard of. But there had to be a reason.
"And then there's the timing." Jade pointed out. "She came when we needed her. Almost as if she's proving herself without the pressure of being ridiculed by those in power because she is the highest rank among us."
"You think Alpha Derek and Luna Mae would have rejected her." Faye swallowed thickly, she didn't like the thought.
Matt slammed his fist into the wall as he tried to swallow the growl in his throat. The female behind him mistaking this action thinking he was attracted to her, when she couldn't be more wrong.
Every female he's come across at this stupid Summit meeting has been wrong, all wrong. Everything about them. While he wasn't sure what his mate looked like he knew it was none of them. They were too tall, their hair was too light, others too dark. Their skin too tan, their figures too slim, their smiles too pointed and their scents…
Their scents made him sick to his stomach. Especially the ones who tried to hit on him hoping to become his chosen mate when they realized they weren't his fated mate.
The female behind him…Krista? She was relentless in trying to flirt with him the first week. Now she was trying to flat out seduce him even though he rejected her advances. Twice rather nicely and two other times he had told her rather pointedly that he was not interested, period.
Matt could smell heavy pheromones wafting off of her. A strong and cloying stench she thought would turn him on.
It made him want to puke.
"Come on Alpha." Krista said in a low voice trying to sound sexy. She really didn't. "I don't have a mate, you don't have a mate. And we look so good together. We could be such a strong pair." She placed a hand on his shoulder and Matt jerked backward with a growl.
His mother raised a gentleman but if she couldn't take a hint he was liable to hurt her. The last thing he wanted was to betray his mate. He knew she was out there, waiting for him. She would be perfect. Soft, cute, kind, sweet, funny and most importantly, great with kids. Matt wanted a whole litter.
This female before him, was not her and she wasn't allowed to touch him. He wasn't hers, and he never would be.
"I will not say this again." He towered over the woman, who was wearing a slinky black dress and heels. Her blonde hair messy and eyes heavily lined in black.
Krista's eyes widened slightly as his intimidating presence washed over her.
"Leave. Me. Alone." He ground out slowly.
"But Alpha-" She reached out to place a hand on his chest and he grabbed her wrist.
Growling, Matt pushed against her shoulder, making her back up a few steps.
"I said. Leave me alone." His gaze was intense and commanding. "Do not try again to take what is not yours."
He stared at her until she submitted with a small nod. Once he got that out of her Matt turned on his heel and quickly walked away.
This trip, he realized, was becoming a huge waste of time. As Matt made his way through the Great Pack House he wondered if he could ask his parents to leave early so he could go back home. There was little point to him being here if none of the wolves present were his mate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emma couldn't figure out why Faye kept glaring at the couch.
Both Faye and Jade had come into the room the next morning to get her, for what or why they didn't say. Jade was a mystery since she seemed to always have the same expression on her face. Faye was more of an open book but just because Emma could tell she was annoyed at the couch didn't mean she understood why.
"We have an agenda for today." Jade started as Emma threw her hair into a clip. "So we'll need to head down to the hall for breakfast so we can get started."
Agenda? Emma paused in tying her shoe and glanced up at them.
Jade, seeing her questioning gaze explained. "We have things that have been waiting to get done since…Alpha left."
"And Luke put them on hold?" She guessed.
Jade nodded. "Usually Alpha's…wife would oversee these projects."
"Should I really be the one taking over then? Didn't you say they were coming back soon?" Emma felt like she was being set up for something, which was making her anxious.
"Of course not." Faye assured her. "These projects are your job now."
Emma was finding it really difficult to believe them. They seemed sincere but she still felt like there was something they just weren't telling her.
I mean, she thought to herself. No woman likes having their projects handed over to someone else.
"You're absolutely sure." Emma leveled them with a stare and to her surprise, Faye squirmed and even Jade twitched uncomfortably.
"Yes," Jade said, bowing her head. "The items on the agenda are now your responsibility."
Emma couldn't shake the feeling that something hinky was going on. But she decided to dwell on it later. For now, there was apparently work to be done.
As they walked across the grounds to the Dining Hall, Emma noticed that Faye kept eyeing her. Finally, before they entered the hall she spoke.
"Did you sleep well last night?" She asked.
Emma blinked. Did Faye know she slept on the couch? Is that why she was glaring at the thing?
"Yes," She answered. "I slept just fine."
Faye hummed while Jade kept quiet, merely watching the exchange between the two.
"Was the room to your liking?" Faye continued to inquire.
"The room is fine. Though I've been meaning to ask," Emma mimicked Faye's imploring tone. "Are you sure that room doesn't belong to someone else?"
Jade hid a smile behind her hand and went ahead of them both in line.
Faye's lips thinned. "No…"
Emma could tell she was lying. Which on one hand meant she wasn't earlier, but it also meant she was staying in someone else's room.
"Well," Emma began politely. "I would appreciate being moved into a room of my own then."
Under absolutely no circumstances was she going to let herself be the butt of a joke. That was the only reason she could think of as to why she was in another person's room. And a man's room at that.
Realizing she'd been caught, Faye winced and bowed her head. "How'd you know?"
"The closet." Emma said simply. "Can't use it if it's already full of someone else's clothes."
Faye nodded and pouted slightly, annoyed that her plan to scent Alpha Matt's sheets with Luna Emma's scent was foiled.
"I'll look into it." She promised.
"Thank you." Emma smiled at her. With that the three sat down to breakfast.
Dinner was a slow affair. The conversation was light and sparse as the atmosphere seemed heavy with emotion still. Almost as if her three, make that four, new companions were still scared as they sat with her. Though of what exactly, she wasn't sure.
Faye kept glancing at her with a frown, though she would smile softly when she noticed Emma looking at her. Jade, who was apparently Luke's wife, kept eyeing her and seemed puzzled by Faye's behavior. She was also a beautiful red-headed woman that looked like she stepped right out of a fantasy book. Emma couldn't help but wonder, surrounded by all these stunning people, if her self image would ever recover.
Both Luke and Rex seemed tense as they focused more on their food than the conversation, or lack thereof. Emma tried though, she really did, and usually small talk would be enough to help people relax a little but it didn't really seem to be getting her anywhere with these four right now.
Then she learned that Faye was Rex's wife. Which left Emma feeling a little awkward as she realized she was now the only single person sitting at their table. She smiled though and ate quickly, hoping to escape to get some sleep. Her social capacity was wearing thin and she needed some time alone.
When she rose from her seat Faye was quick to follow and Jade was barely a few steps behind her. It made her nervous as she wondered what their behavior could mean. But she didn't question them as they followed her to the main house, still quiet.
When Emma opened her trunk they each grabbed something and continued to follow her up and into her new room. Though she missed the surprise look that Jade had given Faye.
"Well," Emma let out a breath and turned to her company. "Thanks for helping me with those."
Faye merely inclined her head. Jade followed suit, then proceeded to watch Emma as she began unpacking a few things. She had only gotten out some pj's and her toiletry bag for the night but…
Smiling politely, Emma contemplated how to make them leave. Having them just…standing there, watching was irritating her. Why weren't they leaving?
"Uh, goodnight." Emma said with a wave.
"Goodnight," They both echoed. There was a long pause as Emma waited for them to move, but still they didn't.
"Are you…planning on sleeping here?" She asked slowly.
Faye perked up at that. "If you would like."
Emma frowned slightly and glanced at Jade. Her expression was neutral, almost impossible to read. But if she had to guess, she'd say that the woman would follow Faye’s lead.
"I don't think Rex or Luke would be very happy with that." Emma blurted out with a snort.
Both Jade and Faye seemed to tense, a snarl began forming on their lips.
"Woah," Emma raised her hands, worried she'd said something wrong and hit a sore spot. "I just meant that they probably don't want to sleep in their beds alone."
Blinking, their expressions slowly softened before they both nodded to her.
"Thank you-" Faye said, sounding like she cut herself off.
Finally, with that they left, leaving Emma even more confused than before. Why was Faye acting like this? And now her friend Jade?
It didn't quite make her feel uncomfortable. More than anything she wanted to understand the odd behavior. But it did make her wary, after all. People don't do things without a reason and she'd gotten the feeling during dinner that there was something they weren't telling her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You could smell it too." Faye glanced over her shoulder at Jade, a frown on her face.
"Yes." Jade said simply, tucking a lock of her red hair behind one ear. "It's a good thing she found us."
Faye growled slightly as she stared at her Luna's car. Her scent was clinging to the backseat far too strongly. Which meant she spent hours at a time laying back there.
"Calm yourself." Jade warned her. "She is well and healthy."
"Yes," Faye agreed. "And she will get the respect she deserves."
"While I agree with the sentiment," Jade crossed her arms. "She can only be Luna so long as she is recognized as Luna. And even if Alpha Derek and Luna Mae were to do so, there's no telling if she will stay of her own accord."
Faye eyed her, displeased with the idea. "What do you mean?"
"She's human." Jade stated simply. "She will not feel the same bonds, instincts or inclinations that we do." Faye's eyes fell to the ground, she knew Jade was right. "She may be acting as Luna now, but there is no instilled loyalty to the pack."
"Then we'll forge a bond with her the human way." Faye blurted in determination. "She would not have been gifted to us for no reason."
"But can she even forge bonds with us?" Jade asked.
Faye thought for a moment. She didn't know much about humans. Everything she assumed to know was through movies and t.v. and even then she wasn't sure what to believe. But one thing always seemed to hold true.
"Humans will do anything for their family." Faye held Jade's gaze. "So, we become her family."
"Alpha and Luna will be back in two weeks." Jade gave her a look. "Do you really think you can become that close with her in such a short amount of time? That she will become attached to the pack?"
"I don't know." Faye admitted. "But I have to try. After all, the Alpha ensures the safety of the pack…"
"...but the Luna ensures its future." Jade finished.
"So," Faye leveled Jade with a serious expression. "Will you help me ensure the future of the pack?"
Jade smiled. "Of course. My job as Lambda is to provide counsel to my Luna for the good of the pack. I was just making sure you understood the predicament we've found ourselves in."
Eyes narrowing, Faye resisted the urge to huff in annoyance. It would be just like Jade to endlessly question every aspect of an idea despite being in agreement.
"One last question." Jade ignored Faye's irritation. "How long will we continue to lie about what we are?"
Faye sighed. "Until Alpha Matt and his parents come back to give us permission to tell her. We have no other choice."
"Careful how you address them." Jade warned. "They are still our Alpha and Luna."
Jade herself was not offended over Faye's slip of the tongue, but her reminder was as she said. A warning to be careful. As far as both of them were concerned, they now had their new Luna. But if they weren't careful, she could just as easily be cast out for what she is.
How hypocritical. Faye thought.
"Luna Emma." Jade mumbled. "I like the sound of that." She looked back up to Faye as they both ambled back into the main house. "I can't wait to see the look on Alpha Matt's face when he gets back.
"If he doesn't maim us for meeting her before him first." Faye grumbled.
"Then let's make sure to become her best friends." Jade said with a smile.
Emma hummed along to the radio as she made her way back to the truck stop she'd been using one last time. Hopefully she'd be able to tell Sheryl, the late night cashier, that she finally had somewhere else to stay.
Absently, she wondered what she'd be having for supper and if the camp's food was any good. She was used to eating her mother's and grandmother's camp food, so her standards were unfairly high. Her lunch this afternoon had been two sandwhiches, a banana and some chips. So she was looking forward to testing out what her meals were going to be like from now on.
Of course, there was also the fact that she'd have to find a table to frequent. Preferably somewhere where she could eat in relative peace without butting in on the usual groups among the workers. Not everyone liked sitting with someone new during mealtimes and Emma had attended enough camps to know people were generally the same. They liked predictability and familiar faces.
She supposed from the start that Rex, Faye and probably Luke were going to be her meal companions for now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Faye paced nervously, her wolf whining to be let out so they could track down their Luna. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out what had gone wrong for her Luna to leave in such a hurry.
Rex was still processing what he had heard his mate say. Luna? Emma was their next Luna? It was shocking, but he had no reason not to believe his mate. After all, he was the future Alpha's Beta, that made his mate the future Luna's Omega. A prestigious position as she would look after the Luna and make sure she was safe and cared for in the Alpha's absence.
Of course she would know why Emm- Luna Emma was different. Faye was probably hesitant to tell them because she was worried about the news getting out. If the whole pack knew before Alpha Matt...
...his wolf wouldn't be very happy about that.
"What's wrong?" Luke came around the side of the house, pausing in concern as he saw Faye's distress.
"Emma drove off." Rex stated numbly.
"...ok?" Luke blinked. "She'll be back won't she? Why is that a problem?"
Faye growled and turned on him. "Because she left alone! Without me!"
Luke held his hands up and tilted his head back, exposing his neck to the distraught female to keep her from pouncing. He glanced over to Rex to see if he would give him any more info on this...peculiar situation.
Sure he liked the human too, but Faye seemed too attached. What about that woman could possibly make Faye this riled up?
"Emma...she's..." Rex seemed stunned as he dragged a hand down his face, trying to spit out the words. "She's Matt's Luna."
"...what?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emma waved goodbye to Sheryl and left the truck stop still drying her hair. She tossed the towel in the back of her car letting it land on her duffel in the back. Her stomach rumbled and she looked at the clock on her dash before putting it in reverse to leave.
Dinner was at 6:30. It was 6:27 and she was about 10min away from the campground. She shouldn't be too late...unless there were strict attendance rules in place...
'There shouldn't be though...I'm an adult, there shouldn't be a problem with me being a whopping 10 minutes late to dinner…' she thought.
Still, she couldn't help but feel nervous. A nagging feeling in her stomach was telling her that she was missing something.
Emma thought back to all the strange things that had happened earlier in the day. The room was lush and looked like it already belonged to someone. Everyone seemed oddly ok with her taking control. Faye hung around her just...staring at her oddly...as if they were old friends and Faye hadn't seen her in forever. And then there was that slip up when they first met but...
Emma didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. Camp Lobo was an amazing place with wonderfully friendly people set on a beautiful plot of land. It was like paradise to her. Like the perfect home. So what if they were strange. She was plenty weird too.
She shook off the feeling, assuming it was just her nerves and anxiety making her question things too much. Especially since she'll be staying in a new place surrounded by new people.
Pulling into the gravel driveway she sighed, trying to get her nerves to go away. Everything will be fine, these people had seemed to genuinely like her. Nothing was wrong. She'll go in for supper, eat and chat, then head back to her temporary room and crash on the couch. She'd inquire about room assignments tomorrow.
The moment she stepped out of her car she spotted Faye marching toward her like a woman on a mission. The fierce look on her face was frightening, making Emma feel like she was in trouble.
"Luna!" Faye finished pulling her out of the car, surprising Emma with how fast she was. "Are you alright? You didn't run into trouble did you?"
Emma would've been a lot more uncomfortable with the attention if concern hadn't been practically dripping off the woman. Such a strong psychological response had her wondering if perhaps Faye had been through something difficult, and had attached herself to Emma. With the way the woman had been worked up, slowly relaxing now as she looked her over...it reminded Emma of some of the foster kids she would help with at the specialty camp she volunteered at sometimes.
Those kids would pick out adults they'd think they could trust, then risk having a breakdown if they couldn't find that adult. It was a telling sign of abuse...
...Rex didn't strike her as an abuser...it could've been well in her past...but she'd keep an eye out for any more problems just in case.
"I'm fine Faye." She gently laid her hand on the taller woman's shoulder. The simple touch worked wonders as she relaxed before her eyes.
The key to calming someone down is being calm first.
Faye let out a breath. Behind her Rex and Luke approached carefully, looking equal parts concerned and wary.
"Are you sure?" Faye asked, calming down now.
"Yes, I just wanted to head out and grab my things and take a shower somewhere familiar before coming back for supper." Emma gave her a gentle smile. "I hope I'm not too late...?"
"No," Faye shook her head vigorously. "No you're fine."
Again she seemed to wait on Emma to make the first move and it was starting to make her wonder how Faye was used to being treated.
"And here's your room." Faye opened the door for her. Emma stepped into her new room, expectations set low.
After Luke had welcomed her to the camp, she'd been given a rundown of the everyday tasks she'd be expected to accomplish. It was a lot more loosy goosy than she expected. Basically, she was supposed to oversee the daily chores and activities of the other workers. Much more of a management job than a coordinator's...and a lot busier too. But after meeting everyone, and they were just so friendly, she decided to stay.
The sun was beginning to set by the time they finished and Faye had suggested giving her a room so she could freshen up. Rex had then asked how long it would take to move her in. Not long, she assured them, one car ride and that's all. Emma didn't want to admit that she'd been sleeping in her car for the past two weeks.
"This is my room?" Emma asked in surprise. Faye had brought her back to the main house and showed her upstairs to the second to last door at the end of the hall.
The room was huge. It looked like a hotel suite. Especially with the jacuzzi sitting just off from the open bathroom in the back right corner. The bed was king size with a canopy and a sofa was set at the end of the bed facing the TV. The very large TV.
"Is this ok?" Faye asked softly.
Emma turned around and gave her a smile. "Yeah, of course. I'm just surprised is all." She laughed nervously. "You didn't kick anyone out to give me this, did you?"
"No." Faye said flatly, missing the jibe. "Dinner's in an hour. I'll meet you downstairs and walk you over."
"Okay..." Emma wondered if Faye was a literalist...or if she was just lost in thought. At lunch they had carried on a normal conversation, but here- like before- she stood there staring like she was waiting for Emma to...do or say something.
"I'll meet you down there in a bit." Emma hoped Faye would pick up on the hint to leave. Her staring was starting to become uncomfortable. Thankfully after a moment the tall woman nodded and left her to her own devices.
Emma stood in the middle of the room and sighed, wondering what to do. She didn't have any of her things with her, so the suggestion to freshen up wasn't an option. Instead she decided to walk over to the enormous bed and flop onto her stomach.
As her body hit the duvet it made a light puh sound before she sunk into the plush mattress...perhaps too plush. If she sleeps on this thing she might wake up walking sore.
The couch on the other hand was definitely an option. She stood up and tested the sofa out to see if it was any better. Laying down across the two seater she let out a tired sigh. This was better; soft and supportive.
Emma let her day replay through her head as she thought over everything that's happened. Man, everything had happened so fast...way too fast…
Everyone had seemed really happy to let her take control though, it was weird. She had expected with the way Rex had practically said 'fix this' that she would have stepped on a few toes. After all, weren't there other people for these jobs?
And what happens when the boss gets back? Would she get fired on the spot? Yelled at for interceding and changing things? Rex had given her little too much authority. Was it his ignorance or did it come with her job?
Emma sat up with a groan and rubbed her eyes tiredly. She was thinking too much, better find a distraction before her anxiety gets the better of her. Grabbing her keys she decided to slip away and get her things before Faye or Rex decided to come with her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Faye sat waiting for her Luna...her Luna. She smiled at the thought. Matt had run off to find his mate, and here she was finding them. And just when they needed her too.
The moment she had smelled her, her Luna, she knew...her wolf knew...she would protect her with her life as her Omega.
"What'cha thinking about?" Faye turned at the sound of her mate's voice. Rex stood just inside the door to the main house, gazing at her lovingly. "Thinking about me, right?" He grinned.
"Usually."
"Usually?" He pouted as he walked over to her. "But not now?"
Faye licked her lips and squirmed a little in her seat on the couch. Grinning, she looked at him. "How was she with the pups?"
Rex cocked his head to the side, curious about what she was thinking. "Great. The little ones loved her and the young wolves fell in line. She didn't take any of their flack. Gave as good as she got."
Pleased with that news, Faye wondered whether or not to tell Rex that they had found their next Luna. On one hand she knew she'd have to convince him not to say anything, except to Luke and Jade of course- Jade was going to be over the moon!- she wanted Luna Emma and Alpha Matt's relationship to come naturally.
"What is it?" Rex asked.
Luna Emma was human. Which meant that Alpha Matt would have to put in the work to bond with her the human way, without any advantages of a mating bond. Without a wolf, he'd have to woo the woman alone.
She didn't want this getting out to the whole pack before Alpha Matt got back though, so discretion will be important. Alpha wouldn't be happy to be the last to know since she was his mate.
But… It was important to tell her mate…just in case. She opened her mouth to do just that... when the sound of a car, Luna Emma's car, starting up, caught her attention. Where was her Luna going? There's plenty of clothes in her closet... dinner was happening soon... she said she liked it here... Why would she leave without telling her where she was going?!
"She's leaving." Faye gasped out.
Shooting out of her seat Rex followed after her as she ran outside. They made it just in time to see Luna Emma's car pull out and onto the gravel road.
How had she missed her? When did she sneak past them? Did she go out the back? Why wasn't she taking Faye with her?!
Who knew a human would get along so well with a pack of Werewolves? Not that Emma was aware that her new friends were in fact, mythical creatures.
My Fair Luna
Who knew a human would get along so well with a pack of Werewolves? Not that Emma was aware that her new friends were in fact,
Chapter 3
Luke was not having a good day.
You could even say he wasn't having a good week. A couple rogues had been spotted along the eastern edge of their territory. The harvest was coming soon and several maintenance issues kept popping up. The patrol rotation was getting sloppy, young wolves kept questioning his and Rex's authority and the pack was starting to get irritable.
He understands why the Alpha and his family were away and he was honestly rooting for his future Alpha to find his mate but as Gamma he wasn't meant for this.
He would endure though, for his future Alpha and Luna. If he could manage to find her.
Matt's been mooning, no pun intended, over the mental image of his mate in his head for years. Sometimes he wondered if he was pining after the idea, rather than the person. Some Alphas didn't have mates, and that was ok. It wasn't fun, or liked, but it was ok.
Luke was glad he wasn't Matt right now and that he already had his mate, Jade. He was also thankful that he wasn't Rex right now. Nope, he was perfectly happy being Gamma and taking on Rex's patrols. Beta can have all the paperwork. That didn't make graveyard shift anymore fun though.
Pulling his shirt back on he walked into the main grounds and made his way toward the packhouse. He needed to check in with the next group to patrol before crashing for a couple of hours.
Tiredly he lumbered through the door and into the kitchen to grab a drink. He ran a large tan hand through his mop of sweaty blonde curls and down his neck to scratch an itch. As he filled a glass with water voices from the den, just a room away, caught his attention.
"Seriously, and I missed it?"
"I thought humans weren't supposed to even be here. How'd she get on grounds?"
A human...on grounds? Luke paused to listen.
"I don't know. But Beta brought her in here and just said 'she'll fix it' and left it at that."
Rex did what?
"You're kidding. What does she know about room assignments?"
"Actually..."
"No way, dude. Don't tell me you let her pair up the roommates!"
Rex let a human assign rooms to the new pups?!
"What was I supposed to do?! Beta was standing right there and I mean...it's not like she did a bad job-"
"Oh, c'mon. Don't tell me you have a crush on a hum-Gamma!"
The three teenagers jumped off the couch they were on and stood at attention. He glared at each of them in turn, trying not to let his ire oit on the wrong target.
"You pups better be ready to go by six o'clock sharp, understood?"
"Yes, Gamma." They echoed back.
"Trent," the young wolf flinched slightly. "Where is the human now?"
"At the dining hall, with Beta and Miss Faye."
With a growl he stalked back out of the packhouse and stomped over to the dining hall, ready to rip Rex a new one. What in the name of the moon goddess was he thinking?!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The minute Rex saw Luke come through the door, he knew an argument was brewing. No doubt word about Emma finally made it to him and he marched all the way over here to give Rex a peice of his mind...and teeth.
But he was ready to defend the woman. His wolf knew something about her that he couldn't put his finger on. And after watching her handle pack business he was absolutely certain that he made the right choice in hiring her. Now he just had to figure out how to keep the whole werewolf thing a secret.
His mate looked up and caught sight of Luke as well and understood immediately. "Hey Emma, walk with me?" Faye asked and though she seemed confused, Emma stood.
"Sure? I could use a walk."
Not three seconds later Rex could feel Luke glaring daggers into the back of his head.
"What were you thinking?" He growled lowly.
"She's practically made for this, besides," Rex turned and stood to face Luke. "You haven't even met her yet. There's something about her...I just couldn't say no-"
"So you weren't thinking."
"Look, just meet her okay? Everyone one else who has says the same thing. She's different I just don't know why?"
Luke gave him an incredulous stare. "What is she, a Disney princess?" He asked sarcastically. "This isn't some movie where all of our problems are fixed by some perky well wishing little girl. We can't just let her work here." He dropped his voice just in case, he had no idea how good a human's hearing is. "We're monsters. Remember? What happens when she finds out? What happens if other packs find out?"
Rex opened his mouth, looking for something to say. After a moment he closed it again and let out a sigh.
"Tell her to leave." Luke insisted.
"I can't."
"What kind of answer is that? Tell her to leave."
Rex growled. "You tell her."
Luke stared at him hard, wondering just what it was about this female that had him acting like this. Rex already has a mate...and Faye was completely relaxed and happy around the human...what the he-
"Hey, what's up dino man?" The human walked up to them with a smile.
Holy moonshine...she's tiny...
Both Luke and Rex towered over her by more than a foot. Their heads dropped as far as they could just to look at her head.
...dino man?
He glanced at Faye behind her, who had her lips pursed nervously. Not even Faye was on his side?
"Uh, Emma," Rex smiled back at her and Luke could practically see his proverbial tail wagging. "This is Luke. Luke...Emma."
Emma smelled like...home. Her scent was calming and he felt the growl building up in the back of his throat relax into a huff as his shoulders drooped and his eyes grew heavy. The fatigue from before came back full force as his anger was soothed away.
...what??
"Luke," She offered her hand and he shook it without thinking. "Shouldn't you be Charlie?"
"What?" He blinked, his sluggish mind trying to follow her logic.
"Everyone seems to call you Gamma, Rex is Beta and the big boss is Alpha."
Luke grit his teeth and saw Rex tense beside him from the corner of his eye.
Emma continued. "Alpha, Beta, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot then Gamma. Unless there's people I'm missing...?"
They had no idea what she was talking about. Looking to Faye she merely shrugged.
"Uh, no?" Rex wasn't sure how to get out of explaining this. "It's more like...nicknames."
"Oh! Dummy me." She smacked her forehead. "Lobo. Wolves. I gotcha." All three glances around at each other. "So the head boss is Alpha, second in charge is Beta and third go to is Gamma." She chuckled. "That's cute. Keeping with the whole wolf theme of the camp."
"Right." Rex nodded. "We've done it for so long I forget other people don't do that." He turned to Luke and smacked him on the shoulder, grinning wide. "Luke here had something he wanted to tell you."
Emma smiled up at him, neck craned back as far as it would go, waiting for him to tell her to leave.
His wolf whined at the idea...they really did need her help...and she wasn't...aweful. But rules are rules and they could get in a lot of trouble when Alpha Derek comes back.
Who knew a human would get along so well with a pack of Werewolves? Not that Emma was aware that her new friends were in fact, mythical creatures.
My Fair Luna
Who knew a human would get along so well with a pack of Werewolves? Not that Emma was aware that her new friends were in fact,
Chapter 2
Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Uh," She blinked. "Cool, when do you want me to start?"
"How about now?" He blurted out.
'NOW?!' Her eyes widened at the thought.
She tried not to let her panic show. First she walks into this behemoth of a man's office, all tall, buff and brooding- enough to scare her away normally- and now he wants her to start working today?
Not just today, now apparently.
"If that doesn't work, how does tomorrow sound?" He asked hopefully.
Emma had to remind herself that this guy needed help, but he also wasn't the boss apparently. You could get fired as soon as the head honcho comes back, this guy is saying yes way too soon.
...but look at him. The poor guy looks like a kicked puppy. He probably has no idea what he's doing...
"Today's fine. You just surprised me is all." This is a dream job. Great pay, a place to stay...not to put all her eggs in one basket but this was ideal.
Even if she gets fired, at least she'll have a bed and food and some saved up money for another place. That was better than what she currently had going for her. Sleeping in her car and showering at the truck stop. If they stuck her in the most broken down cabin on the grounds it would be an improvement.
The obscenely tall man smiled. "Awesome! Let me show you what needs to get done."
Standing up he moved quickly to the door leaving Emma to scurry after him as fast as her fat little legs could carry her.
Their first stop was the dining hall, located a half mile down the road. And they walked the entire way. Emma tried not to appear out of shape, controlling her breathe as best she could, but it was hard keeping up with daddy long legs here.
Her guide turned around and she nearly crashed into him, a sheepish look on his face.
"I'm Rex." He flashed a small smile before noticing her huffing. "You alright?"
"Yeah," She puffed and waved him off. "Just...short legs."
Rex's chin was pinned to his chest as he looked down at her. "Right." He blinked a few times before starting back towards the dining hall...slower this time.
"Thanks...I'm Emma." With the slower pace she was able to keep in step with him a little easier.
Soon they approached their destination, a large log cabin style hall with a wrap around porch. Large varnished tree trunks made up the pillars that held the overhanging roof. Emma was loving this camp aesthetic, everything about these grounds and buildings just felt so much like home.
He opened the door for her and she took in the enormous hall. Dozens and dozens of solid wood picnic tables lined the room. At either end was a serving line, and behind those was a beautiful industrial kitchen. Her mother would be jealous, when she had cooked camps they did everything the hard way.
Rex led her back past the kitchen and into an office where an older blonde woman sat behind a desk. Her white streaked hair was twisted and clipped back and her kind face smiled at them as they walked in.
Until her gaze landed on Emma...
"Beta?" She asked, confused.
Emma kept her polite smile. Of course as the new girl, not everyone is going to like having a new boss...
"This is Emma. She'll set up the food order." It was practically a command and Emma fought the urge to squirm.
Rex turned to her and stood out of her way, leaving her and the other lady to stare at each other.
Emma glanced at him and then back at the lady. Nobody said a word. Was this a test? Did he want to see how she'll handle this?
"Hi," She stepped forward and offered her hand. "I'm Emma."
The woman stood and shook her hand. "Linda."
They both sat back down and after a moment of collecting her thoughts Emma began asking questions. What does your menu look like? What do you usually order? How many people were on the grounds? Were there any events or special occasions that needed to be accounted for? How often does an order need to be placed?
Linda pulled out her files and the two poured over the invoices. Then her projected numbers, budget and meal plan. After rattling off a few ideas to help save on leftovers they worked up an order for Linda to call in.
"So we'll switch from three hundred pounds of various cuts of meat, to two hundred and substitute a hundred pounds with various ground meats. Then we'll switch from pre-made pastas and baked goods to an increase of wholesale ingredients. Is that good with you?" Emma looked up from the papers scattered all over the desk to check and see what the head cook thought. At least she thinks Linda is the head cook.
She felt bad for being put in the middle of what should have been her job. Unless the boss set it up this way, cause in that case it made a lot more sense why Rex seemed so lost. Unless you've worked with food order sheets before the whole process can be rather difficult.
"This is...fantastic." Linda gave her a relieved smile. "With this we can save up some money for special occasions."
"Well, I'm happy to help." Emma smiled back just as relieved she hadn't offended the woman.
Rex had remained silent through the whole conversation even as the women stood and said their goodbyes. He did stand and follow Emma out of the office though and took the lead as they walked back outside.
Once outside Emma turned to him with a grin. "So, how'd I do?"
He laughed. "You're kidding right? You did great!" She basked in the praise for a moment. Until he started walking away again.
"Wait, where are you going?" She rushed to catch up with him.
Seeing her run he slowed down immediately. "To the packhouse."
The what? She'd never heard of a packhouse before...but then again this wasn't Wisconsin. Maybe North Dakota does things differently...
The rest of her day was spent trying to keep up with Rex as they went from building to building solving problems and helping to set up for various activities. Most of the people Rex took her to meet kept giving her weird looks ranging from bewilderedment to glee.
The kids in particular seemed to cling to her, giggling and asking her to play. And ok...she couldn't say no. So she spent an hour chasing them. It was one thing after another as they traipsed all around the campgrounds and Emma continued to fall in love with the place.
