Life slowly returned to normal. The days with the pack were spent hunting as well as tending to the gardens planted throughout the forest, washing clothes and seeing to a myriad of other chores that required attention. All the women worked together to see that the system of alcoves and tunnels that made up the pack’s home were kept clean. In some respects their lives were very primitive, their meals limited to what they could hunt and gather. There was no television or radio for entertainment however books, magazines and other literature was brought in from the outside along with clothes and medical supplies.
A few of the older male and female pack members were appointed to watch over the younger children during the day. Their education included traditional, human lessons as well as the more important lessons of survival. It was Sam’s responsibility to oversee most of these activities while Nafarius spent his days making sure they were safe from humans as well as the other packs in the area.
As leader it was Nafarius’ responsibility to train the members of the pack and not just the men. The women were also trained to fight and protect. There was a constant threat of humans as well as danger from neighboring packs. There were rotating patrols throughout the day and night and no one was allowed to stray from the clearing alone.
Sam quickly realized that there was a well-organized way of doing things within the pack. There was a sharing of duty among the men and women that crossed over from one group to another. There was also a hierarchy between both groups. She quickly came to understand the pecking order among the women and men individually as well as between the two. There were those women that were dominant over the other women but submissive to certain male pack members. There were also male pack members that were submissive both to the men and some women. In the end, a person could be both dominant and submissive within the same pack.
Once she had the order of things down Sam realized that there were some things she didn’t care for within the pack. Nafarius had already told her that as his mate and the most dominant female in the group she was free to make any changes she wanted; as long as it didn’t run counter to his way of doing things. That was fine with her, Sam realized that there were certain areas that were not within her domain and she respected that. But there were things she could change, starting now.
It was hot within the mountain. Summer was full upon them and while the forest remained blissfully cool the mountain had grown stuffy. The heat made for a rise in tempers as well and Sam had her hands full. There were several women within the pack that resented her. They were single women that had hoped to be chosen as Nafarius’ mate and having been passed over for an outsider were understandably upset.
Early on Sam had decided to give these women time and space to come to grips with the situation but her patience had long since run out. Most of the women had come to accept her as dominant and as their mistress and were quick to offer her their respect and loyalty even when Nafarius wasn’t around. However, there was still three or four that continued to give her a hard time, refusing to take orders and ignoring Sam when she spoke. Unless Nafarius was around, then they were all smiles and nods of acceptance.
Sam was in the process of trying to come up with a new way to win them over when the decision was made for her. Despite her good intentions, Maddie still suffered at the hands of the more dominant females. Having openly given the young woman her protection seemed to have made matters worse. Maddie was now considered the mistress’ pet and Sam watched as the other women openly excluded her. Sam was quick to realize that these were the same women that still resented her as Nafarius’ mate. She knew she couldn’t force them into accepting Maddie. It was the way of the pack that those weaker were treated with less respect. However, Sam drew the line at physical cruelty and abuse.
Gertrude, the leader of Sam’s nemeses, was preparing the evening meal when she ordered Maddie to go and fetch some mushrooms for the stew. Maddie, who had been helping Sam put away the laundry, looked to her for her approval.
Sam nodded. “Be sure to take one of the men with you.”
Gertrude smiled when she saw Maddie make a wide path around her in order to get to the entrance of the mountain. “Only a weakling needs a guardian.”
Despite orders Sam knew that there were a few of the women that in order to save time went out into the forest without an escort. However, none of them were as beautiful as Maddie. The petite blonde would tempt any male from one of the other packs and Sam wasn’t willing to risk the young woman’s safety. Stepping to the entrance she made sure that Maddie didn’t leave the clearing alone.
Sam had just finished putting the rest of Nafarius’ clothes away when a loud commotion caught her attention. Stepping out into the common area she quickly assessed the situation. Maddie laid sprawled out on her back, one eye already red and swollen and blood seeping from her split lip. Gertrude towered over the young woman, her hands fisted at her side panting, not from exertion but excitement.
Sam was on her in an instant already in animal form. She stood, her front and hind legs pinning the woman to the ground gripping her throat in her teeth. She had already broken through the skin and was wrestling with the desire to ripe her larynx out when she felt Gertrude starting to change. Unconscious of how she did it, Sam reached out with her power and found Gertrude’s animal struggling. Mentally Sam grabbed Gertrude’s wolf and held on preventing the woman from changing.
No one moved.
Gertrude, unable to change struggled in human form to dislodge the large black wolf. She was terrified but even her enhanced human strength was not enough. She was dying; her body still in human form could not sustain the amount of damage done to her. In a regular human the wound would already have been fatal. Had she been allowed to change Gertrude would have been able to heal herself. If Sam didn’t let go soon she was going to bleed to death.