I lay down in the basket as I watched the forest around me. Andy was carrying the basket in his jaws at the moment, although they all took turns carrying the basket with me in it. They made much more distance in a day than I could on foot in a week.

It was a silent run, at least for me. They were probably mindlinking one another and their pack, but I wouldn’t be part of the pack link until the Alpha bound me to the pack in an acceptance ceremony. At night, they had me sleep in the basket while they curled up around it. It made me uneasy to sleep while so exposed, but I trusted them to keep any predators at bay. Most wildlife wouldn't tangle with a full-grown werewolf.

I was somewhat amazed that they never picked up the occasional scents of rogues who covered their scent with foliage odor, and we had crossed several such scent trails already. I was used to picking up the slightly out-of-place scents and detected them with the ease of practice.

Bruce had been surprised when I had mentioned the rogues’ scents. Then again, none of this group could even pick out my scent from among the scents of surrounding forest despite several attempts. Perhaps I had been a rogue for too long. Perhaps they needed their noses checked.

~

I learned more about the four of them over the week when we stopped in the evening and shifted to our human shape. They were actually on their way back from a meeting with a pack much further east than where they had found me. They had been stopping at most packs to see if one of the pack members happened to be their mates, although they hadn’t had any success.

They were a pretty laid-back and easy-going bunch. They were also endlessly curious about life as a rogue, although they didn't seem to understand most of my explanations. They just couldn't wrap their heads around such a different lifestyle.

I lifted my head and scented the wind, even from here I could pick up the Nightwind pack's boundary. It wouldn't be long until we arrived.

About ten minutes later, we crossed the boundary. And not long afterward, I picked up the scent of several sentries and patrols that had passed through as they protected the border from trespassers and ferals.

I looked up into a tree that was off to the side and saw a human sitting in a game blind amongst the branches. The sentry was watching us and seemed surprised that I spotted him so easily. I heard Andy chuckling above me and saw the other three glancing at me with somewhat impressed looks. I assumed that the sentry had mindlinked them when he noticed I had spotted him.

I am not sure why it surprised the sentry. His game blind didn't blend in that well, and his scent was entrenched in the area. A rogue lived in the forest and we were used to the forest’s natural rhythms. Anything even slightly different or amiss caught our attention like a neon sign at midnight in the middle of the desert. I didn't even need my Omega senses to tell me that he was there and watching me.

I had been using my Omega senses a lot more over the last few days as I tried to get back into the habit of relying on them. It had been years since they had been of any assistance, so I hadn’t used them. If I was going to be joining a pack, they would be helpful once more.

We kept moving, and although I didn't see any other sentries or patrols, I could still sense the occasional one if we passed nearby. About an hour later, the trees finally thinned and we came to what looked like a village. There were about thirty or forty various buildings and shops lining several central streets. I could see small cottages on the far side with dozens of trees providing a more natural ambiance.

No tree could help hide the huge pack house that stood among the oak trees like an earthy jewel on display. Its brown brick walls were softened by dozens of vines that climbed up all five stories. The sprawling building looked like it had been expanded a few times with various wings branching off to the sides. I had no idea how far back it went into the forest, but it could probably house the entire pack if needed.

The scent of the manicured trees in the town and the wilder forest around it were similar, but different enough that I knew that my scent would always stand out a bit regardless of which plants I found. I gave myself a mental shake; once I was accepted into the pack, my scent would start to reflect the pack I had joined. There would be little point in covering it up then. The thought had been a rogue's automatic thought, not something that a pack member would likely even think about.

Andy stopped and put the basket down before shifting so he could speak to me. He looked down at my wolf form and said, "We figured that you might want to enter the town on your own feet."

I jumped out of the basket and swiftly shifted. The other three had shifted seconds after Andy did, so they were human by the time I stood on two feet. They walked with me along the edge of the forest as we skirted the town. I could see that the main section of the town was fairly busy with people coming and going.

I inquired, "How many members are in this pack?"

Bruce shrugged. "About three hundred."

That was about average for most packs, and most of the members would be scattered about on various tasks. Some were fighters and scouts; while others would be cooks, storekeepers, or any other job that was required.

It looked like we were heading for the pack house, which made sense since that was likely where the Luna and Alpha were. I glanced at Bruce and asked, "Who are we going to see?"

"The Alpha is visiting another pack at the moment, so we are going to see the Luna,” he said. “She is in the pack house at the moment, and she is looking forward to meeting you."

I nodded, although I was still surprised that they would accept a runt so willingly. I had been turned down by well over a hundred packs over the years. I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that they had brought forward the offer.

Even among rogues with excellent fighting skills, it was extremely rare for packs to approach them directly with an offer to join their pack; for a runt, it was unheard of. Although it was extraordinarily rare to find a runt living as a rogue, so it was hard to say for certain.

I saw a few children playing in a playground off to the side as we walked past several pack members who were also on the path. Quite a few glanced at me in curiosity, although they probably knew that I was the new member who happened to be a runt. Gossip vines in a pack spread any information like wildfire in dry grass.

It had been years since I had used my Omega senses in a pack situation like this. I was pleased to discover that the abilities had not weakened from lack of use. I was also relieved that I could sense no hostility from anyone, just curiosity.

We got closer to the huge building, and I extended my Omega senses with some difficulty. I could sense a bright soft aura in the pack house which would be the Luna. The pack house was pretty empty since it was mid-afternoon, but I could sense about twenty sparks in the same large room that the Luna was in. The shimmer would be the Beta female. Two were Omegas.

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I had no idea what the one was though - it was like a red-hot coal from the heart of a fire. It had an odd sense to it, like it was slumbering until something fanned it to life. The rest of the sparks were normal pack members, although I suspected that there was an Enforcer in the room from the ringing quality. He wasn't using his abilities, so I wouldn't be able to pinpoint which spark was his until he used them, or I saw him up close while using my own sensing abilities.

We walked slowly down the street as I admired the gardens on either side of the main walkway. It was like the forest had pulled back to form a clearing just for the pack house. The place was clean and well kept, and I couldn't spot anything on or around the pack house that looked like it needed fixing or maintenance.

Nothing super fancy, but it tied together with earthy tones that fit in beautifully with the forest around it. The whole town had a similar look; well-kept and tidy with plenty of ties to the surrounding forest.

We left the street and started walking up the main walkway to the entrance of the pack house. The big double doors ahead looked inviting, although I was nervous about meeting the Luna. I was a rogue - and a runt to boot. I was worried about being turned away once more, and this time, I would be in an unfamiliar area with no real resources or supplies that I had built up at my previous location.

The gentle breeze brought the scents of the lilacs and jasmine to my nose, with a strange undertone. I took a deeper breath, I had never smelled that scent before. I wondered which tree or plant it was. It reminded me of the rich smell of the deepest parts of the forest on cool nights. The scent practically demanded attention.

A runt I may be; but slow of wit, I was not. Scents of the forest could not demand attention in a rogue. I stopped dead in my tracks as I gazed at the door in complete disbelief. My disbelief swiftly turned to unease and worry as I realized I wasn’t mistaken.

The four walking with me were startled by my sudden stop. Andy took one look at my expression and noticed my sudden tension before asking, "Jade, is something wrong?"

At the moment, my oldest and strongest fears were at the front of my mind. It was said that runts rarely, if ever, got mates. And those who did would be rejected since quite a few regular werewolves would not want a runt as a mate. Wolves were often prideful creatures, and to be paired with a weak runt was a huge blow to both their personal and family pride, and most would simply not accept that. My biggest fear was to find my mate, only to have him reject me.

I didn't remove my eyes from the closed doors as my mind whirled around the lingering shock of actually locating my mate. My quiet voice shook slightly as I admitted my fears. "I can smell my mate, and I’m scared he’ll reject me. I don't think I could take that kind of pain."

Rejection was a terrible fate. I had met a few who had been rejected and had been able to sense the pain of their shattered heart, as well as feel the scars on their soul that had forever changed them, even years or decades after the event. It wasn’t an exaggeration or something you could just shake off. The pain of rejection was excruciating, and it drove many to suicide or reduced them to ferals. I had no desire to even contemplate going through such pain.

The four looked absolutely stunned, probably never imagining that my mate might be in their pack. I was highly tempted to run for the hills as opposed to risking such pain, but the temptation of finding my soul’s other half kept my feet from moving. That tiny bubble of hope kept me from fleeing, at least for the moment.

The scent was mesmerizing; although, until I actually looked my mate in the eyes, it was possible for me to turn around and leave to avoid the pain of rejection. I glanced at the four around me, checking their reactions.

All four had a vacant look to their eyes, indicating there was an intense mindlink discussion occurring. I could sense movement inside the house as three of the people headed out the back door while the rest gathered together not far from the main entrance.

Bruce turned to me, meeting my eyes as he said, "I mindlinked the people inside. There are several who don’t have a mate yet. Anyone who had possible thoughts about rejecting you has left the house through a different exit. The rest are waiting eagerly. They know you’re a runt and are currently a rogue, and it doesn't bother any of them."

I examined his expression carefully. He was telling the truth and had likely closely questioned each eligible wolf inside. He was close enough to me that I could also tell he was irritated or unhappy with those who had left. I nodded and looked at the doors with trepidation.

That doorway was a cross road, if I passed the threshold and met my mate, there were two possibilities. One path led to a potentially happy mate bond filled with love; the other path was rejection that would leave me crippled.

Rejection was rare, but not unheard of. It mostly occurred to those who were rogues, Omegas, or runts. The average werewolf would have flown through that door to find their other half once they caught the scent. As a runt, I had a huge chance of getting rejected. Thankfully, those odds were down due to Bruce's intervention. It was the only reason I took a slow and cautious step towards the front door.

The formation of the mate bond required eye contact, and until I was sure I wasn’t about to be rejected, I was going to be watching my feet. My plan was to approach this situation carefully and use plenty of caution.

I slowly walked forward and dropped my eyes down to the ground as Terry opened the door. I was very nervous, and they would undoubtedly be able to see it. The alluring scent was stronger in here, and it made it hard to concentrate. I hesitantly followed Terry and Andy as they led the way. Bruce and Phil took up the rear, possibly to keep me from bolting in fear. I shook my head to try and clear it, but it didn't work.

My Omega senses weren't working properly, and it made me even more uneasy. All I could sense was that coal. It had started glowing once I had entered the house, and it was overwhelming any other information my senses might have given me. I couldn't sense anything else.

The now-smoldering coal must be my mate; our proximity was slowly rousing the potential mate bond from dormancy. He was around the corner. I could hear whispering, although none of the voices belonged to my mate - they lacked the pull that his voice would hold.

"Hey, Eric. Smell anything yet?"

"No, just the four guys and a foresty smell. Nothing overpowering."

"Yeah, me neither. We will have to ask her later on how she cloaked her scent like that. That is so cool."

I nervously followed Terry and Andy as we rounded the bend, ensuring I kept my eyes down. It was hard, my rogue instincts made me want to look around to evaluate the situation and find possible escape routes since I knew there were over a dozen people in the room. The smell was driving me crazy. I wondered what someone would look like with that kind of scent. Nothing could ever beat it; I loved that smell...

Silence reigned as I entered the room. I felt the coal glow brighter, like a fanned ember. A few moments later, I heard a set of heavy footsteps slowly begin to approach me. I heard a couple of them inhale in shock.

One of the earlier voices murmured, "You have got to be kidding me..."

I stopped where I was and shifted my weight uneasily at that comment. My presence had not surprised them - they were shocked by the identity of whoever was walking towards me. It made me very nervous, to say the least.

My worry and caution made me want to look up to see what had them so astonished, but my mind knew I would almost certainly make eye contact, and the risk of rejection was not easily dispelled. I kept my eyes down as I sensed my mate approach me in silence. I trembled slightly with nerves and fear as he drew near.

My reading ability was unable to pick anything up from him to explain why the others were shocked. The glow of the coal in my mind was far too strong as it flickered with tiny flares of fire - it completely overwhelmed everything else in my senses.

A pair of heavy boots entered my view as he stood right in front of me. The boots looked as if they had seen hard use. A deep voice spoke softly, "Will you raise your eyes?"

The voice gave me goosebumps. He was definitely my mate. My long-held fears were not so easily silenced though. My voice shook as I quietly responded, "Are you sure you won't reject me? If you aren't sure, I can leave to give you more time..." I trailed off, I didn't want to leave. I would miss that intoxicating scent, and his voice would haunt my dreams despite only hearing it once.

I saw a large hand slowly enter my view. His hands had callouses that showed he was no stranger to hard work. His hand slowly moved until two fingers gently touched the bottom of my chin. Sparks exploded from his touch as he slowly lifted my face up. My green eyes met his amber ones, and time stood still.

My senses were flattened as the flickering coal burst into an intense flame. I felt a powerful, blinding wave of energy cascade through my senses and body as the mate bond took root in my heart and mind. Sensations and feelings I couldn't even name flooded my mind before settling.

Sparks flared up once more as he gently brushed his thumb across my cheek. His eyes held nothing but love. He gazed down at me with a soft smile. "I will never reject you."

Both the forming mate bond and my slowly recovering Omega senses assured me that he told the truth. My fear of rejection finally dissipated like morning mist under the rising sun.