Orphan Alpha

            “Hannah, can you step into my office please?” Called Barb.            I sighed and turned around to walk back to her office. She gave me a gentle squeeze on the shoulder as I entered and sat down. Barb was a sweet woman; she had run the orphanage since before I had arrived. My eyes followed her as she took her own seat behind her desk, her glasses swaying on their chain around her neck. I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself at her appearance. She looked not a day over thirty, but she chose to dress like an elderly librarian from the fifties.       &

     I was waiting for Toby in the quad after finishing my last final exam when the scent of cedar and rain reached me. Our mate is near! My wolf yipped in my mind. Panic and desire began to war within me as my eyes scanned the empty quad. I knew Barb had spoken to Alpha Tristan yesterday, but that didn’t change the fact that I was still a rogue with Alpha blood. I screamed when a hand grabbed my shoulder.             “Shit Hannah, I think you burst my eardrums!” Toby exclaimed.            “You scared me, Toby!” I scolded, my heart

             The Iron Hide pack house was much larger than the rustic pack house of Silver Moon pack. It was obvious from the size of the place that the pack was both extremely large and extremely wealthy. I felt ridiculously out of place as Tristan led me inside.            He led me by the hand to his office, not bothering to stop for introductions to any of the wolves we met as we passed by. Their stares made me more nervous than I had been since the night I met him in the woods. I didn’t know anything about pack life, but it seemed odd that an Alpha wouldn’t stop to introduce his mate to the pack.        &n

My hands shook violently as I pulled on my clothes in the pack changing room. I wanted to run back to the safety of my room in the orphanage, but I knew that wasn’t possible. Cam watched me, the concern on her face plain to see. I felt guilty for screaming my fear into the minds of the entire pack, though Cam assured me that they understood. I was new to the area and had been threatened by a wolf I didn’t know. More than that, I was hurt that my mate had not come when my fear had been broadcast to the entire pack. I understood logically that he was keeping his distance until I was of age, but even I knew that a mate’s primary drive was to protect their other half. I didn’t need extensive knowledge of my species or experience as a pack member to know that.     &nbs

           Court was boring. Tristan had said I wasn’t required to be there, but the pack lawyers had recommended it. Appearing in person, rather than just sending lawyers would make me look like I had my shit together for the judge. We spent most of the day waiting outside of the courtroom for our docket number to be called.            Once it was our turn, things moved rather quickly. The judge swore me in, I attested that I had a place to stay and was able to support myself. It helped that they didn’t question where I got my money. I didn’t think it would look to good to tell them it all belonged to my mate. The judge looked over a few documents the pack lawyers had submitted, and my emancipation was approved. I couldn’t help wonderin