The packhouse came into view, although I really wanted to call the grey brick structure a small castle. The only thing it was missing was the moat – it even had a ramp disguised as a drawbridge instead of stairs!

Michael's eyes kept moving as he scanned the trees and the faces of everyone he saw. His mind swirled with excitement and tension, glowing brightly in my senses as the dormant matebond started to stir with the scent of his mate. It was influencing him much more than my aura was.

"I did let the available women know that a visiting rogue thought his mate was here."

"Thanks," Michael said appreciatively, relaxing fractionally at the same time.

It was a wise precaution on the Alpha's part since not all women might want a potentially rough-around-the-collar rogue as a mate, although if their mate was a rogue, it almost certainly meant that he would likely stay with her pack, so she wouldn't have to leave her family and friends. If he could adapt to pack life.

What no one would say aloud right now, was that if rejection was on someone's mind, they would keep out of sight. That was a good thing in my mind; if she rejected him, I would have a hard time keeping him from going feral again when he was still recovering from past events.

Branches crashing in the trees to the side made us look over as a russet colored wolf burst out of the foliage and charged right at Michael. The flare of a forming matebond hit my senses and temporarily blinded my ability to detect emotions. Michael simply stared at her like a blind man seeing for the first time, not even raising his arms defensively as she leapt through the air at him.

Josh quickly grabbed Amber's arm and pulled her farther away from Michael as the wolf's front paws slammed into his chest, knocking him off his feet. Michael hit the ground with a thud that made me wince, although his momentum sent him skidding across the ground on his back, still staring up at the wolf above him who began showering him with kisses as her tail wagged a million miles an hour.

The impact would have cracked ribs on the average fighter, but it didn't even wipe the joyful smile off his face. He ruffled up the fur on the side of her neck, possibly marveling at how soft and exquisite the matebond was telling him it was.

"I somehow don't think we need to worry about her rejecting him," Vera murmured in amusement.

"Really? What gave you that idea?" Josh replied sarcastically, although his expression was one of relief and happiness for his friend.

"I actually bit a stranger's arm at a party when he gave me a big bear hug from behind. Turns out he was my mate. The wind just happened to be blowing the wrong way for me to pick up his scent."

Josh paused for a long second. "The first thought to cross your mind was to bite a stranger who might have mistaken you for a friend?"

Vera tilted her head thoughtfully. "I was a bit on the feisty side when I was younger."

I figured there were more than a few stories behind that statement, although Josh just smirked and didn't reply. A few others listening to their quiet conversation looked like they were having a hard time keeping their comments to themselves.

"Katie," the Alpha kindly admonished the wolf, "is tackling your mate really the best way to introduce yourself? He's lucky he's wearing a leather jacket after sliding on the gravel like that. I still can't figure out how he's breathing with you standing on his chest."

I could actually see the words sink into the wolf's mind. She suddenly sat back on her haunches and shifted, kneeling beside him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, frantically patting down his arms and chest as she checked for injuries. "I didn't mean to hurt you like that! I wasn't thinking – I was too excited to finally find my mate. Are you okay?"

Michael managed to sit up with surprising grace, and even more impressively, without a wince. "Your name's Katie?"

From how he was still staring at her, as if he had found everything he was ever searching for, he didn't have any regrets about meeting her. Even if it involved being tackled to the ground – something he would have attacked anyone else for.

His temper had finally met its match.

"Yes, are you okay?"

He simply stared into her eyes, still entranced. "I've never been better."

"Uh, are you sure? I hit you pretty hard..."

"Very sure."

"Okay...What's your name?"

"I'm Michael."

Her eyes glazed over in adoration. "That is such a nice name."

The matebond was clearly taking them for a scenic tour as they continued to gaze into each other's eyes. Their minds overflowed with love and fascination, courtesy of the matebond's power. My senses hadn't completely recovered yet, and I was kind of glad of that detail. I shook my head and looked up at Anabel, who was still carrying me.

"I love it when people are happy," I told her, "but this reminds me why I tend to avoid new mates for the first few days. Their emotions are overpowering."

"How long will it be before they start talking like real people?" she whispered.

"It depends. The immediate impact will fade in a few minutes, but they'll be feeling the matebond very strongly for a week or so."

Alpha Benner cleared his throat. "Michael, do you wish to continue with us to the dining area, or would you rather have Katie show you around on a tour first?"

Michael finally looked away from Katie. "If she doesn't mind, I'd like Katie to give me a tour."

"I don't mind at all," she murmured, blushing as she continued to stare at him.

The Alpha nodded, although none of us were surprised by their words. They likely needed some space and time to get used to the new matebond and let it settle.

Michael rolled his shoulders and stood up, holding out his hand to Katie. She took it and let him pull her to her feet. She didn't relinquish his hand once she was standing, and Michael seemed to prefer it that way.

Katie shook her head and finally looked at their audience. Sprigs of jealousy and fear flickered in her mind as her eyes lingered on the unmated females in my group – mostly instigated by the matebond.

Lightly tugging his hand, she said, "Come on, I'll show you around the forest. There is a waterfall and a big pool of really clear water not far from here."

He looked intrigued and readily followed her. Two steps later, he paused and gazed back at us uncertainly.

"We can talk later," Conrad reassured him. "Go with your mate."

Michael sent relief and thanks down the packlink as he shifted into his wolf form and bounded ahead of Katie into the trees. She quickly shifted and gave chase.

"That went well," the Alpha commented with a smile. "Why don't we go inside?"

We continued walking toward the packhouse, and I mindlinked Alpha Bennet.

"You might want to make sure that nobody tries to test Michael's limits while the matebond is settling. He can be a bit...fierce, and if the matebond pushes him, he might bite first and ask questions later."

"They'll probably catch up later on," he said, as if speaking generally to my group. "We've welcomed in rogues before, and since he found his mate, it shouldn't be too hard of a transition for him."

"Michael might be a bit touchier than your average rogue," I commented quietly and vaguely, keeping my words for him alone. It was up to Michael if he wished to reveal that he had once been a feral.

Alpha Bennet nodded and didn't seem worried.

I sat in front of Michael's shoes and wagged my tail while trying to hide my grin. "Are you sure I can't have your necklace?"

"Very sure," he replied absently, mostly focused on the woman in his arms who had just taken off her necklace and put it on him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He leaned his head against hers and closed his eyes.

"Very sure?"

"Yes."

"Can I have your shoe?"

"Yes."

"Awesome!" I bounded forward.

"Wait- What?" He finally opened his eyes and looked down in complete confusion.

His mate started laughing at how I had caught him off-guard; although, considering how distracted he was by the woman who had stolen his heart, it wasn't terribly surprising. I jumped on his foot and began trying to wrestle the straps loose.

He lifted his feet out of my range as I tumbled off. "That's my shoe."

"I know! You said I could have it!" I bounced underneath his ankle in my attempts to reach it.

The woman on his lap fell sideways in peals of laughter, forcing him to catch her shoulders so she didn't roll off the couch. From how his eyes flickered between us, he didn't know whether to marvel at the beauty of his mate's laughter or focus on the fuzzball trying to steal his shoe.

I scampered to the side and began pushing a low footstool over. Clambering on top, I finally pinned his shoe against the stool and began trying to figure out how to undo the straps securing it to his foot.

"How is this thing done up? Did you sew your shoes onto your feet?"

My comments only sent Katie into more laughter, and even Michael was grinning. I finally found a hidden clasp on the back of the shoe and gleefully freed the straps. Wrestling it off his foot took me a bit longer, and when it finally popped off, I rolled off the stool.

I shook my head and pounced on the shoe. After grabbing the straps in my mouth, I trotted out of the family room. My appearance interrupted the discussion between Vera and a resident pack member who were standing outside the doorway.

"Why did you steal his shoe?" Vera asked in amusement.

"Did you not smell this thing? I clearly need to escort it to the laundry room before his mate passes out from the fumes. Which direction am I going?"

More laughter erupted from the room behind me; Michael's mate either had a good sense of humor, or she had gotten a whiff of his socks earlier and knew the truth when she heard it.

The woman beside Vera smiled. "I can show you the way."

"Thanks!"

I trotted after her, still carrying the shoe, while Vera followed behind.

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