Wanted!

Chapter 2: A New Pack Life

The way that Mason runs his pack seems so different from the way Alpha Dylan runs everything. Alpha Dylan is so strict about his rules. If anyone broke a rule, no matter how tiny, we were sure to be punished soon to follow. Everyone had a job once they shifted at the age of fifteen, and if you did your job wrong, then you would have to answer to him or my dad. Either way it was scary. We weren't allowed to really do anything. We went to school, went to do whatever we were supposed to be doing that day, and then had to be home by curfew. It was hell. I guess I didn't realize just how bad it was until I got here and saw how different it is being here with Mason.

Mason has rules and he's strict with what goes on inside his territory, but he isn't as cold as Alpha Dylan is. I can see by just looking at my mate that he loves his pack and everyone in it. I wouldn't doubt for a second that he would put himself in any danger to protect his people, as an Alpha should. It's going to take some getting used to not having to be so careful about what I do, but I've only been here for a short time and I prefer it here already. Being a Beta's daughter back home, if that's even what I should call it at this point, caused me to have to appear almost perfect in the eyes of the pack. It was not easy making friends, that's for sure. My dad's title was a hard thing to live up to... and I obviously wasn't cut out for that job.

"Where's your head at?" a deep voice rings out from behind me. I turn my head away from the view from the bedroom window to see Mason standing in our doorway watching me with a small smile on his face. He has his arms crossed over his chest as he leans against the door frame. It's just not possible for someone to look that mouthwatering. He doesn't even have to try.

"Just thinking about how different it is here," I answer him before turning back to looking out the window. I hear him push off the door frame and I soon feel his arms wrap around my waist as he molds his front to my back. I relax into his hold and enjoy the feeling of the tingles running over my skin. There's no place better than being in Mason's arms. I feel safe here. It's a welcome feeling considering what I've had to live with for the last year. My wolf starts to purr at the attention we're getting from our mate. Taking things slow isn't going to be easy with her howling every time he gets anywhere near us. If she were to get her way, we would have already completed the bond and mated right then and there in the woods where we found him, regardless of who was standing there.

I'd been here now for only three days, but in those three days I'd been officially welcomed into the pack, but I hadn't yet been introduced to the pack yet. Mason wasn't kidding about wanting us to be mated first. I wasn't upset by this because even though I was happy to be here, I'm not sure if I'm completely ready to take on the role of Luna. Most of the pack members know I'm here, or at least that Mason found his mate, but he's managed to fend everyone off until I'm ready.

"How is it different?" he asks quietly, pulling me out of my thoughts. I feel the pressure of his mouth as he presses his lips onto the side of my head. I sigh out and lean further back into his hold.

"Alpha Dylan was so strict with everything that went on in the pack. We even had a curfew that we had to abide by. Whenever someone was caught out after curfew, they had to answer to him or my dad. As you can guess, it never ended well for that person. Most of the time the punishment wasn't that bad, but there were times I heard it got worse depending on if it was the first time that rule was broken." I shiver at the thought of what happened to those people. I had never seen it firsthand, thank God, but I had heard people talking about it around school before I graduated and people around the pack talking about it. There were a few times I would see someone who had gotten in trouble, and you could just see there was something different about them. It wasn't something I wanted to go through, that's for sure.

"What, am I now strict enough for you?" I can hear the teasing in his voice, but I know he was also being somewhat serious. Alphas don't like it when people judge the way they run their pack, even if the person judging them is their mate. I turn around within his hold and tilt my head to meet those amber eyes. He smirks down at me and tightens his hold on my waist. "I could always fix that if it bothers you so much." I shake my head at him with a frown on my face. That's the last thing I want. I like the freedom and security I have here. I don't want a repeat of what I escaped from.