I exchanged small talk with Raegan and his pregnant mate as we walked back toward the pack house. When we entered, his mate turned to me. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Abby... And you are Charlotte?"

"Just Charlie." I smiled, "but it's nice to meet you, too."

Abby had straight silver hair that went down to the middle of her back, which was strange for a Black Lupis Pack member. Her skin was also fair and light, with freckles dotting her naturally rosy cheeks. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, and, most notably, she was extremely pregnant.

Abby's kind smile faltered, and I realized that I had practically killed the conversation. In an effort to redeem myself, I mustered false enthusiasm. "So... When are you due?"

"Last week," She laughed in exasperation. "I am so ready for him to be out of me." Abby placed her hands on her stomach and looked down at it fondly.

Raegan smiled crookedly at his mate and gently leaned over to kiss her forehead after he set my bags down.

The simple yet sweet gesture made me look away in embarrassment. Would Nolan and I ever be like that? Don't kid yourself, Charlie.

"The pack is about to eat dinner together. It is a tradition on Sunday to be with each other... You are welcome to eat with us," Abby invited me kindly.

"Um, yeah, sure. That sounds great." How bad could a pack dinner be? My pack had them every night and they were always the highlight of my day, but this was not my pack.

I began to regret my decision the second I said it. This dinner would just remind me that I am an outsider here and unaccepted back at my old pack. If anything, I would be intruding.

But nonetheless, Abby and Raegan led me through the house into a huge dining room, where dozens of people had gathered for the dinner.

Each pack member was dressed in dark colors, with piercings and tattoos littering their bodies while power and intimidation radiated off of them.

The moment I walked in, I could feel every eye land on me, and my face heated up until it felt like it was on fire.

I bit my lip, deciding whether or not to smile at the frowning people in front of me. Any of my hopes of a warm greeting faded immediately.

Abby must have noticed my discomfort, "Everyone, this is Charli." Abby was so kind, so obviously she was not from the Black Lupis Pack. That explained her blonde hair and fair skin. She must have fate mated with Raegan and been forced to move packs.

Nobody said anything, until a familiar face popped out of the crowd, "Hey Charli, I saved you a seat!"

I let out a relieved sigh as Sophia beckoned me over to her. She was sitting at a table with a few other people who looked my age in the corner of the room.

Sophia smirked slightly when I sat down next to her, "That went well."

"Are you serious...?" I gave her an astonished look.

"Yeah," a girl sitting across from me smirked, "That was ten times better than when Abby was introduced to us. She came from the Celestial Pack and would not shut up. She was too damn peppy."

The girl had black hair with blonde highlights and numerous piercings across her pretty face. I did not so much as have my ears pierced.

"I'm Christina," she carefully looked me over before continuing, "Aren't Golden Walkers supposed to be super blonde and bubbly?"

I smiled half-heartedly. "I guess that trait skipped over me."

A boy sitting next to Christina laughed slightly at my comment but said nothing; instead, he inspected me with narrowed eyes.

"You know..." He shoved a piece of chicken into his mouth. "You kind of look like her."

Instantly, the mood around the table changed and everyone tensed up. Sophia glanced at me slightly before biting her lip and looking away.

"Like who?" Apparently, it was a dumb question, because Christina slammed her silverware against her plate. The glass shattered.

Christina glared at me, "Sarah. Alpha's true mate. And don't flatter yourself, because you are nothing like her."

She turned to the boy who was sitting next to her. "And you, John, how dare you compare this worthless transfer to my sister."

Every eye in the room was now watching our table, and I could feel my face heat up in humiliation. I even heard a few murmurs of agreement as people seconded what Christina said.

"Our new 'Luna' is weak. My sister did not deserve to be replaced by someone so unworthy," Christina's words held so much venom, and her blue eyes pierced me with such ferocity.

"Look at her! She can't even shift," a man added from a few tables away and several people laughed.

So everyone knew about my condition of not being able to shift at will?

The hurt and embarrassment was becoming too much to bear, so I looked to Sophia for some kind of help, but she just looked away shamefully.

Unable to take more of the dark pack's ridicule, I pushed my chair out and stood up, wanting to escape the room before anyone could see the

tears forming in my eyes.

As I stormed out of the room, Beta Raegan tried to stop me, but Abby touched his arm, as if telling him to let me go.

I did not know where I was going; all I knew was that I had to get out of the pack house.

Soon, the cold winter air pricked my skin as I trekked through the forest surrounding the pack house.

The sky was already darkening, and I knew that being out alone at night was dangerous, especially with the new threat of hybrids, but the tears streaming down my face reminded me that I could not go back to the house.

I just wanted to see my family and friends, the ones who loved me and cared for me. They never judged me on my inability to shift at will.

I missed their constant voices in my head, constantly joking around and lovingly mocking each other. I missed the way Lizzie would go after any cute boy we saw, the way my brother and I would rough-house each other in our small living room, and the way my parents said they loved me every night before I went to bed.

Most of all, I missed having a friend.

Suddenly, between sniffles, I heard a low growl from the bushes nearby, and I immediately tensed.

"W-who's there?" The shake in my words betrayed me, and I backed all the way into a large tree.

Something in the darkness shifted, and, like a shadow, a huge, black wolf appeared.

My breath caught in my throat as I saw the animal standing in front of me. It was the wolf that jumped in front of my car.

His fur was dark and shiny, with rough patches where the skin had been torn away from numerous fights. His claws were long and stained, indicating that this was undoubtedly a rogue.

But the wolf's eyes made my heart skip a beat. They were sharp yet gentle orbs that swayed like the ocean on a sunny day.

His presence made my senses awaken in an adrenaline rush, and, instinctively, I turned to run away from the creature, as if I could actually escape from him.

Before I could run away though, a small whimper escaped the wolf's mouth as he did the strangest thing.

The mangled wolf bent down, and practically laid on the forest floor in front of me. Was it an act of submission?

"Who are you...?" I found myself taking a few steps toward the wolf until he was directly in front of me.

He was huge, just like any other werewolf, so his head almost came up to mine when he stood back up again.

The beautiful eyes stared back at mine, as if trying to tell me something, and, before I could stop myself, I brought my hand up to the fur on his neck.

The rogue that once jumped in front of my car now pushed his body in to my hand, so that I could feel the warmth radiate through my skin.

It was then that I noticed how cold I was. My teeth were chattering and goose bumps rose on every inch of my body; he must have been trying to heat me up.

Heat was not the only thing waving off of my new acquaintance, power also radiated off of him; but it was not like the kind that came from Nolan being an alpha, this was completely different.

"Who are you?" I whispered again as my hands threaded through his fur.

The rogue shook his head, unwilling to give up his name.

"Well then, what are you doing here? Don't you know what these people do to rogues like you?" I thought back to all of the stories I had heard as a child about how the Black Lupis Pack tortured rogues that trespassed on their territory.

"They are monsters," I muttered the last part to myself, my hands still twined in the powerful wolf's fur.

The rogue let out a raspy bark, almost a laugh, but his head nudged my shoulder as if to say, 'Don't worry about me.'

I sniffled slightly, my tears from earlier now drying up.

Suddenly, from the pack house, I could hear someone call my name, beckoning me to return.

Although I did not want to go back, I knew that staying outside was a risk to both myself and my new friend.

He seemed to understand this as well and backed away from me.

"Thank you," I muttered quietly, knowing that, even though he spoke no words, he had helped me in some way.

He huffed out a smoky breath before nodding and turning to run back into the deep darkness, leaving me with an empty feeling in my chest.

I had not wandered far from the pack house, so I reemerged from the forest within minutes to find Sophia and Raegan on the front porch waiting for me.

When I reached them, neither scolded me for wandering off on my own, instead Raegan smiled at me warmly, "I would like to apologize for Christina's behavior. Her sister's death took a great toll on her and it is still a touchy subject among the pack. I know they all feel great remorse for what was said."

I had nothing else to say, so I just nodded, "I understand. It must have been really hard for the pack to lose their Luna."

Raegan smiled in relief, "It was... but I know that someday they will love you just like they loved her."

I wanted to say, 'Raegan, let's not lie to each other. You and I both know that I will never be accepted in the pack, and, quite frankly, I do not want to be.'

But instead I just smiled feebly, "Thanks... I think I am going to bed."

I walked inside of the warm house and turned immediately for the stairs leading to my room, but before I ascended, I turned back to Raegan, "Will you please make sure that Nolan does not punish Christina for saying those things? I don't want her to hate me..."

He nodded. "Yes, I will. Goodnight Charlie."

I did not reply.