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Penzance was crawling with police when I arrived, and the reason became apparent once I'd been escorted to the stationmaster's office. Aunt Tempe had betrayed me, but not by choice - Faith's cohorts had been unbelievably harsh with her, and she'd had no choice but to succumb, lest Dad and my brothers suffer in her stead. I didn't blame her for giving in - Faith was ruthless now that she had control of the pack. Therefore, once the officers had finished telling me the story, I asked for their help in breaking my ties to the pack. Jordan, one of the werewolf officers, immediately offered himself as proxy, much to my relief.
It was a much more painful process than I'd thought, however, but Jordan lent me his wolf's strength, and despite Faith's rage, I was able to complete the process. Faith screamed in the back of my head as the ties were severed, but soon she was gone, and I let out a long sigh of relief.
That didn't mean I was out of the woods - my family was still prisoner, and now that I'd broken free of Faith's control, she'd likely take her rage out on them. As my escort formed up, ready to take me to the packhouse where I'd be staying, I had a horrible feeling she wasn't going to let this go, and that an ultimatum was likely to follow today's decision.
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Two days later, after I'd settled into the White Arrow packhouse, a message came in the form of Cherry and Honey. How they'd found me was anyone's guess, but Lindsay, the alpha, met them at the door and told them they weren't welcome. "Mercedes is no longer yours to torment," she told them. "I have no idea how you found us, but you are going to turn around and leave before I get angry."
Honey looked sick, but Cherry refused to give in. "Mercedes is her cousin," she said smugly. "The little bitch can't hide from her family, and if she wants to see the other family safe, she's going to come with us. Or we'll send her some severed heads as a present."
"Why does she still want me back?" I demanded
"You're her cousin," Cherry said, speaking as if I was a person of little intelligence. "She never gave you permission to leave. And if we have to drug you and drag you home by your hair, we will. Your new friends won't be able to keep us from you, and no matter where you go, we will always find you. Just make it easier on yourself and your precious family, and come home where you belong."
"I'm not going home to be abused again," I said firmly. "If I have to swear to Lindsay's pack, then I will."
"Over my dead body," Cherry warned, taking a menacing step forward.
Lindsay stepped between us, growling. "That can be arranged," she said, her tone making it a very clear threat. "Mercedes stays where she is. You and your friend need to leave."
Cherry growled in frustration as she backed down. "This isn't over," she snapped. "You can't keep Mercedes here forever. We will come back, and we will take her home where she belongs, and if we've got to kill every miserable mutt here to do so, we will."
Lindsay snapped her fingers. As if by magic her Luna, Roger, and her Beta and Gamma, Julie and Julian, all appeared, arms folded, glaring at Cherry and Honey until I was surprised to see them not burst into flames on the spot. "Leave," Lindsay said. "I don't care if Mercedes is your alpha's goddamned mate! No one threatens my pack members, and if you two aren't gone by the time I count to ten - look at that," she said brightly, as the door slammed shut behind Cherry and Honey. "I guess they didn't want to stay. Pity about that. Oh well. Mercedes, you're now a member of our pack, for good or ill, god help us all." She said this last bit with a wink, and I sighed in relief as I felt the new bond spring up in my mind. 81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KWFcxXD1g
"Thanks," I said gratefully. "But that's not going to stop Faith."
Roger snorted. "You're our packmate," he told us, giving my hand a friendly squeeze. "Be damned to that crazy bitch for thinking she has a say over you, and be damned to us if we let harm come to you."
"Fair enough," I agreed. "But is Faith really my cousin? Or was Cherry blowing smoke?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Lindsay said. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. As Roger said, you're a part of us now, and I'd take his word over anyone else's every day and twice on Sundays. Now, let's get something to eat; I'm starving, and it's all Roger's fault."
"Hey!" he protested, laughing as she gave him a playful thwap. "No one was holding you down and making you have sex with me."
"No, I think I was the one holding you down," Lindsay agreed, and I smiled as their playful banter turned a bit raunchy.
It was good to be in a pack that gave two shits about its members. And since George's sabotage had died with him, I was free to go wherever I wished, without fear of being given the cold shoulder. I had no plans to do so just yet, not until Faith and her pack were dealt with, but at least it would be waiting for me once she was safely out of the picture.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3vpVvNzKY
