Bonded (4 page)

Brandi yawned and
stretched before complaining over her shoulder to her roommate.
“Why would anyone bother explaining pack life in a text book
written for werewolves? Isn’t it just a tad redundant? I mean it’s
like explaining swimming to a fish! Why do we have to read about
something we’ve experienced every minute of our lives since we were
born?”

Spinning around in
her chair, she stared at her friend expecting a quick reply.
Tabitha was usually up for a good debate, but this time no response
was forthcoming. Long blonde hair hid most of the girl’s face as
she bent over her own textbook, her legs curled up under her as she
sat on the couch.

“Tabi? Don’t you
think studying pack life is ridiculous?” She issued the prompt
again and eventually Tabitha mumbled something, obviously lost in
her own studies of computer technology and not really
listening.

Brandi sighed at
the lacklustre response to her mini-rant. She’d really been hoping
for something to distract her, but it seemed nothing would be
coming from that quarter. With a slight pout, she turned back to
her book and began to read again.

The Alpha is
the designated leader and all other pack members look to him for
guidance. He assumes his title either by default from his sire or
by earning the position through a political voting process. On rare
occasions a leadership challenge might occur which usually results
in a fight to the death, however this is less common in modern
times. Political manoeuvring, even small campaigns within the pack,
are becoming more and more the norm when determining
leadership.

Brandi rubbed her
eyes and shook her head, trying to stay awake. The air in the small
apartment was stuffy and far too warm. She shifted in her chair,
adjusted the small fan so it blew directly at her, and sat up
straighter in the vain hope it would help improve her
concentration. For the past few days, her thoughts seemed to have
been racing in a million different directions at once, even
interrupting her sleep, and she couldn’t afford not to be at her
best, not this close to exams.

Once an Alpha
assumes his role, the mantle of responsibility weighs heavily.
Alphas are charged with overseeing all that occurs within the pack
from the approval of matings and naming ceremonies to the
conducting of departing services. They need to ensure that
sufficient sources of food and water are available at all times as
well as proper shelter from the elements. This entails obtaining
and maintaining a territory of suitable size to support the pack
and protecting said territory from outside threats.

One of an
Alpha’s greatest challenges is dealing with those rare Lycans that
are classified as rogues—a designation not to be applied too
liberally due to its severe connotations. A true rogue lacks the
proper pack mentality, is disruptive to the established hierarchy,
and can endanger the whole pack with its aggressive behaviour and
reckless ways. An Alpha must keep the well-being of the whole pack
in mind when contemplating the fate of a rogue and should employ a
variety of intervention techniques before resorting to banishment
or termination.

Brandi scanned
ahead a few paragraphs, debating about not reading them, but her
conscience pricked and she forced herself to plod through every
word. Finals were the following day and it would be just her luck
that they’d ask for an essay on the role of the Alpha. Propping her
chin in her hand, she continued to read, the hypnotic ticking of
the clock in the background making her eyelids grow heavy. Another
yawn slipped past her lips.

The Book of the
Law is an Alpha’s most important resource. It contains the entire
summation of Lycan wisdom and should act as a guide for all of the
Alpha’s decisions. Alphas need to maintain order within the pack’s
ranks and ensure that members are treated justly and equitably as
outlined under the Rights and Freedoms Act (revised Lycan Council
annual meeting, 1956).

It is important
to remember however, that the Book of the Law was written by the
ancient ones after years of persecution and near extinction of the
species. Harsh times called for harsh measures. However, Lycan
circumstances have improved considerably over the past few
centuries and as a result some laws and clauses need to be
interpreted with caution. Alphas need to reflect wisely on the
spirit and intent of a law, rather than the exact wording, before
enacting it. When in doubt, Alphas are encouraged to look to their
own Council of Elders or to contact High Council at Lycan Link
itself should clarification be needed...

Suddenly Brandi’s
whole body jerked and she sat up, hissing at the pain that radiated
from her neck and shoulders. For a moment she was disoriented,
wondering why she was face down on her desk rather than in bed,
then it all came back to her and she growled at herself for dozing
off.

Looking around,
she saw that Tabi was no longer ensconced on the couch and the
small apartment was quiet. Forcing her bleary eyes to focus, she
stared at her watch. Seven o’clock.

“Oh my gosh, I’ve
slept through half the afternoon!”

There was no reply
to her comment. Was Tabi even home? Scrubbing her hands over her
face, she stood up and padded about the apartment looking for her
roommate.

Nope, she wasn’t
in the kitchen or the bathroom either. A soft tap on the girl’s
bedroom door garnered no response, however there was a note on the
message board by the door. ‘You were sound asleep, so I let you be.
Gone with Brad. Back in the morning.’

Brandi frowned and
shook her head in disbelief. The night before exams and her friend
was out showing off her wide and varied appreciation of the male
form. Brandi stared at the note and pondered the name listed. Brad?
Was that the same one as last week? Or had that one been named
Ryne? Not that it mattered. Tabitha could sample the male buffet
all she wanted. Brandi had enough to do without keeping track of
her roommate’s love life. Too much was riding on successfully
completing this last set of courses.

Her stomach
growled reminding her she’d missed a meal, so she grabbed her text
book on the way through the living room and propped it on the
counter in the small kitchenette. There were still several sections
she needed to read over. With any luck she could get through one
while she prepared and ate a quick meal.

The position of
Beta follows that of the Alpha. Betas are charged with guarding the
Alpha as well as enforcing his edicts. Betas are protectors of the
pack. They must be strong and level-headed but also should possess
a nurturing quality and be prepared to assist pack members with
problems should the Alpha be unavailable.

While one Beta
is the norm, an Alpha can choose to have co-Betas should there be
suitable candidates within the pack. This can be especially useful
when a pack is very large and has extensive resources to manage,
whether they be land, money, or both
.

Brandi took a bite
of her sandwich while still reading, then reached for the can of
soda she’d set nearby without bothering to look up. Fumbling for
the container, she inadvertently knocked it over, and the brown
sugary liquid rushed across the countertop. Jumping to her feet and
cursing, she lifted her text book just a moment too late.

“Damn! This might
be the most boring book in history, but I paid a lot for it!”
Grabbing a dish cloth, she dabbed at the damp pages praying they’d
still be readable. After a moment of panic it appeared the book was
more durable than she’d thought with only the margins being
affected. Setting the book aside, she cleaned the counter with
efficient swipes and moved to the sink to rinse out the cloth.

A small window
over the sink gave her a tempting view outside. The sun was just
setting, faint tinges of orange and pink slowly spreading across
the sky while a slightly cooler breeze whispered into the small
apartment, fluttering the edges of the curtains, and cooling her
warm face. She longed to abandon her studies and make use of the
grassy, park-like area that was outside her dormitory. Trees,
benches, a baseball diamond, several tennis courts, and a running
track filled the space. Usually there were several students using
the facilities, but on this final night before exams it was eerily
empty except for...

Reno Smith. He was
out there again. Brandi squeezed the dishcloth in her hands, water
dripping between her clenched fingers as her heartbeat accelerated.
Every evening he went for a run at this time; had she
subconsciously brought herself to the window at just the right
moment? And did it even matter?

She bit her lip
and stared, drinking in each feature. God, he was such a hunk. Just
the sight of his hard lithe body glistening with sweat made her
feel weak at the knees. A dusting of hair covered his chest and
arrowed down to disappear under the low slung waistband of his gym
shorts, shorts that did little to conceal the interesting bits
beneath. Combine that with her memory of their close encounter a
few days earlier and she was the next thing to a puddle on the
floor.

Tabi’s attempt to
fix her up with the man had been utterly ridiculous. Reno didn’t
need to hit on co-eds; certainly not ones like herself who were a
bit too well-rounded and not into physical fitness. She was lucky
he hadn’t laughed in her face at her pathetic attempts to ‘attack’
him in class. Thankfully, he hadn’t been an instructor a year
earlier when she’d taken her mandatory self-defence course. Brandi
suspected he wouldn’t have passed her out of kindness like her own
instructor had.

Closing her eyes,
she relived the moment Reno had pinned her to the floor. She could
still vividly recall every second. His scent, the weight of his
body, the wild look in his eye. And that brief moment, when he’d
leaned in closer... How could the brush of his nose over her cheek
be so erotic? A shiver ran through her at the memory and she licked
her lips, the tip of her tongue tingling as if she could actually
taste the saltiness of his skin. What would it be like to hear a
rumble of desire rise from his chest and to feel his hard body
pressed intimately against her core? Her breathing quickened and
for a moment she was sure she could actually hear his breathing,
laboured from exertion.

The memory faded
and a new image took its place. Reno was staring down at her. She
could feel the touch of his fingers as he ran his hands through her
curls. She swore she could hear him murmuring in her ear, telling
her how soft she felt beneath him, how much he wanted to stroke her
creamy skin, explore her body, cup her curves and thrust...

The daydream faded
and with a start Brandi realized that she was rubbing her hands up
and down her own thighs. God, what was she, some kind of a pervert?
She licked her dry lips and then swallowed hard, pushing the erotic
thoughts from her mind yet unable to force her gaze from the scene
below. Instead, she leaned even closer, pressing her heated cheek
to the cool glass of the partially opened window so she could
continue to watch his progress around the track.

The very first day
he’d been at the Academy, she’d noticed him. An aura of power and
suppressed danger had seemed to surround him, immediately drawing
her attention and causing others in the hall to step to one side
giving him clear passage. Tall and lean but obviously packed with
muscle, his short brown hair had a messy just-out-of-bed look, and
the beginnings of a beard had shadowed the lower half of his face.
Some might have found him intimidating with his strong chin and
nose, however she thought he was fascinating. So strong and
confident, a dominant male.

He’d passed right
by her that day. Their eyes had met for a second and she’d noticed
how he’d quickly looked her over. Her breath had caught in her
throat and she’d given him a small encouraging smile. For a moment,
she’d thought he’d curved his lips in response as well, but his
stride hadn’t faltered and he’d passed on by.

She’d turned to
watch him, admiring his rear view and the way he’d walked. It
wasn’t cocky like so many of the cadets, just self-assured, as if
he knew exactly who he was and understood the purpose of his life.
She liked that; knowing what you wanted and where you were going
were important to her.

For herself, she
knew she wanted to help keep her people safe. Her vivid imagination
made her exceptionally well suited for fabricating the stories that
were used to hide Lycan existence. Building scenarios, looking for
flaws and loopholes in stories, blending fact with fiction, and
creating rumours—most Lycans had no idea the exacting tasks that
Damage Control involved. It was hard work but extremely satisfying
as she’d found out during her apprenticeship this past year.

Brandi watched
until Reno was out of sight. Her wolf whimpered as he disappeared,
begging that they go after him, rather than staying inside. She
sighed. The creature had no understanding of why academics were
important.

“Mooning over an
unattainable man isn’t going to help me pass my finals, you
know.”

“
But the male
is—”

“Out of our
league. We need to put him out of our mind and concentrate on
what’s important.” She finished the thought before the wolf could.
“If we don’t pass, our chance at a career is over. We go back to
Kolding’s Pass and end up mated and stuck in the kitchen for the
rest of our lives. Is that what you want? To live and die in a
pokey, old mining town?”

Her wolf shuddered
at the very thought and begrudgingly subsided.

With a final look
of longing towards where Reno had disappeared, Brandi returned to
her books. Since Tabi had abandoned the sofa, Brandi dropped down
on it and arranged herself comfortably before starting to read
again.