The three men took a little step back and averted their gazes from me. Except for the one guy who pinned me to his chest. He was gaping at me, clearly surprised. "You're… You’re a girl!”

The guy beside him coughed while I blinked slowly at his sudden realization. They probably assumed that I was a male like most rogues in no man’s land. He looked away in embarrassment when he realized that his surprised expression was too obvious and his statement sounded a lot more frantic than shocked. He looked to be in his early twenties and was a bit slimmer than the other three guys.

He rubbed the back of his hair as he mumbled, "Uh, sorry about that... Didn’t know you are a girl."

I nodded slowly in acceptance of his apology; my senses told me that it had been sincere – my Omega senses are still open, just in case they are planning something dubious. The fourth guy stepped forward, and I shifted my weight uneasily to turn and face him. He is the one with Beta blood.

He cleared his throat before he spoke, "Please accept our apologies for what happened. We thought that you were an orphaned pup, lost in this forest. None of us has seen a runt before and the possibility didn't cross our minds. We truly did not intend to harm you."

All of my senses told me that he was telling me the truth. I relaxed a bit and nodded again. I was curious though and asked, "Why would you think a young pup in the middle of no man's land would have to be an orphan?"

He looked and gestured to the east. "Last night, we heard a bunch of howling and arrived just in time to help the eastern pack fight off a dozen feral wolves.”

Dozen? The thought of dozen feral wolves roaming close to where I hide sends shivers to the back of my hair. Dozen feral wolves have been waiting to ambush the eastern pack, that’s quite a great number… after all, feral wolves are wild and would do anything to kill everyone that stands in their way.

Then he continued, “We caught a whiff of smoke from the west and came out to ensure that no one else had been injured. We came across a camp, although we didn't see anyone around. We checked the area, but it was empty. On the way back, we caught a glimpse of you and thought that you were a pup. We waited to see if you were calling your parents or group in with your companions. When no one showed up after so long, we thought that they may have been caught by the feral wolves which would have left them as an orphan. We decided to catch you and make sure that you got adopted into a pack."

The guy who had pinned me shrugged as he added his own explanation. "It didn't seem right in our minds to leave a pup all alone in no man's land. We just didn't realize that you weren't a… uh… a pup. Sorry about pinning you like that, by the way. But I have to say, in my defense, that you have extremely sharp claws and teeth..."

He looked amused, and I grinned slightly in response as I regarded the dozens of minor lacerations on his wrist and forearm. They weren't serious and would heal by this evening, but it did look like he had grabbed a wild barn cat by the tail. I did sharpen my claws so I could climb tree branches easier and hunt small animals.

I commented idly, "You could have tried talking to me while you waited or saying your intentions much earlier before you started digging the burrow. It would have saved you a lot of trouble.” It would have been much easier for me as well. They obviously were not used to dealing with rogues.

He made a wry face and then smirked. "I will keep that in mind next time."

His friends had walked over to stand by him so they were no longer half-surrounding me. I appreciated it, as a runt and rogue, I was more cautious than most. Being surrounded made me uneasy, even if they claimed to mean me no harm.

One of the others inquired, "What are you doing all the way out here anyway?"

I was pretty sure the speaker was the black wolf. I shrugged as I said, "Most packs will not adopt a runt because it makes them look weak."

His brows raised and he was taken aback by my statement. "I never thought of that. How do you manage to survive out here?"

I scanned the surroundings and replied, "Mostly hunting small animals and gathering edible plants for my food. And occasionally trading for things I can't make on my own."

The one with Beta blood looked intrigued as he inquired, "What do you trade?"

"Usually, whatever I can find that they want. Berries, mushrooms, occasionally precious stones, and some other things I deemed to be valuable."

"Hmmm..." He got a faraway look in his eyes that meant he was having an intense discussion with someone via his pack's mindlink. Considering the other three didn't have that look, he was probably speaking with someone else in his pack. His eyes refocused on me. "I just spoke with the Luna. She is quite surprised that you have done so well out here and wishes to invite you to join the pack. She also has a soft spot for mushrooms."

The offer was sudden, I was stunned by it and was suspicious, to say the least. People usually did not just approach rogues, in their case, chase a rogue because they assumed I was a pup, and throw an invitation card to offer me a place in their pack, especially to a runt like me. I mean… that’s not how it works. I had been turned away by dozens of packs that I had approached. I carefully assessed his expression and said, "There is something that you are not telling me."

He blinked in surprise before sighing in defeat. "Our Luna... She is unable to have kids. When we originally thought we had spotted an orphan pup, she had asked us to double-check if it was an orphan and to bring it back if it was. Even though she knows that you are not a pup, your small wolf form is still kicking her Luna instincts into action. The Alpha has no problems with it either. If you are good at foraging and

harvesting, you could be an asset to the pack."

I listened carefully, relying on my Omega abilities that would allow me to detect a lie. It was a complete truth though. Their invitation also made sense now; Lunas had a tendency to protect any in their pack, as well as any child. Even though I was an adult, my tiny wolf form made disturbed her Luna instincts.

It wasn’t unusual for most wolves to treat runts somewhat like pups if the runt was part of the pack. I often used a few puppy-like behaviors when in wolf form around other wolves since it made them more laid back and tolerant. Even when I had visited other packs, it was just a small number of prejudiced or biased individuals who caused difficulties. The average individual was tolerant enough.

There was another wolf rank that had the small size of a pup, called a Comforter, but they never lost their puppy features. They were only found in about a third of the wolf packs, so they were almost as uncommon as runts. They were usually kept away from outsiders, although I had spoken with one once. She had told me that she considered her rank as the most important task in her pack, and that is comforting others. Her tiny size and puppy features made the pack members want to cuddle with her. My small size gave me some leeway, but I looked like an adult, just in miniature. I also lacked the calming abilities that the Comforters had, so I needed a different approach.

I had been trying to get into a pack for years with no success and I did kind of miss being part of a pack, although I wasn't sure how well I could fit into a pack after so many years as an independent rogue. I glanced at the others as they waited for me to decide.

I asked, "I think I would like to try. Which pack is this?"

"Starblood pack."

That was not one I had heard of or had encountered before. I tilted my head as I said, "I have never heard of it, so there is a good chance that it is not anywhere nearby. And If it’s too far, I am not exactly a fast runner and won’t be able to keep up with other wolves easily..." I trailed off, waiting to see how they would respond.

The Beta looked deep in thought. "It is about a week's journey to the west. Hmmm... If we can get a picnic basket, would you allow yourself to be carried in it?"

At least he didn't suggest that one of them carry me by the scruff of my neck like a pup for that kind of distance. It was equally obvious that I would be unable to keep up on foot. I didn't see any problem with the solution he was offering.

I nodded in acceptance. "I have no problem with that, although I would like to let the pack to the east know that I am leaving."

"Well, that is easily accomplished. Another member of our pack will be stopping by there in a few days." His eyes got a faraway look for a few moments before he refocused on me and said, "Done. He will relay the message. Now, all we have to do is find a basket."

Considering we were in the middle of no man's land, that task was easier said than done. I glanced around; my wild run hadn't covered too much distance, so I knew exactly where I was. I did a quick inventory of where I had hidden various baskets and bags.

"If someone is willing to run back to where you found me," I said, "there was a big basket in the raspberry patch beside the smoker."

One guy said, "I'm on it." He promptly turned around and started to run back. He jumped over a log and shifted into his tan wolf mid-leap. I blinked as he disappeared from sight and glanced at the one with Beta blood.

He shrugged. "Crazy Luigi will always be crazy Luigi." He held out his hand to me, saying, "In case you didn't catch it, I'm Liam."

I shook his hand and gave him a flat smile. "I'm Etheral."

He nodded and gestured to the others. "The one to the left is Mel, and the other one is Yap."

I shook their hands, still a bit uneasy and unsure in the presence of these strangers, but doing my best to hide it. My senses finally allowed me to tag a name onto the wolves that had previously chased me. Mel would be the black wolf, and Yap was the dark brown one.

We waited for Luigi to return with the basket. I was a bit nervous about accompanying these strangers, but the chance of getting accepted into a pack was too tempting to pass up.

The basket, well, similar to the burrows I slept in, it matched my size and unlike the burrows, there are tiny holes where light and air could peek in. Luigi is currently carrying the basket in his jaws and they all took turns carrying the basket with me in it. They covered more ground in a day than I could in a week on foot. I bet we are almost halfway to their territory.

It was a silent run and quite relaxing in my case. Now I felt bad for letting them carry me in a basket. They were probably mindlinking each other and their pack, but I wouldn't be a part of the pack link until the Alpha bound me to the pack in a ceremony of acceptance.

When it was already dark, they made me sleep in the basket while they curled up around it in case wild animals ambush us. It was unsettling to sleep, but I trusted them to keep any predators away. Most animals wouldn't mess and challenge four full-grown werewolves.

I was surprised that they didn't pick up on the scents of rogues who covered their scent with foliage and forest odor, despite the fact that we had already crossed several scent trails. Maybe because I was used to picking up on slightly odd scents and detecting them with ease. When I mentioned the rogues' scents the next morning, Liam was taken aback. Maybe I'd been a rogue for too long. Or maybe they needed to have their noses checked.

Over the course of the week, I learned more about the four of them when we came to a halt in the evening and shifted to our human form. They were actually returning from a meeting with a pack much further east than where they had discovered me. They'd been stopping at most packs to see if one of the pack members was one of their friends, but they hadn't had any luck.

They were a laid-back and easy-going group. They were also insatiably curious about my life as a rogue, despite the fact that they didn't seem to understand most of my explanations. They couldn't get their heads around such a different way of life.

I lifted my head and smelt the wind; I could smell the Starblood pack's boundary from here. We are close. What would the pack think about me? Me entering their territory? A runt and rogue.

We crossed the line about ten minutes later. Soon after, I picked up the scent of several sentries and patrols that we had passed through as they guarded the border against trespassers and feral wolves. I looked up into a nearby tree and saw a human sitting in silence – a game blind – among the branches. The sentry was watching us and seemed surprised that I had found him so quickly. I heard Luigi chuckle above me and noticed the other three looking at me, somewhat… impressed. I assumed that the sentry had mindlinked them when he noticed I had spotted him.

I'm not sure why the sentry was taken aback. His game blind didn't blend in well, and his scent was strong in the area. We were used to the forest's natural rhythms

because it was a home to us, rogues. Anything that was even slightly different or out of the ordinary drew our attention like a neon sign at midnight in the middle of the desert or a strong smell of pack members running in the distance. I didn't even need my Omega senses to tell me that the sentry was watching me right now.

I'd been relying on my Omega senses a lot more in the last few days as I tried to get back into the habit of doing so. I hadn't used them in years because they hadn't helped me in a long time. If I was going to be joining a pack, then they would be helpful once more.

We kept moving, and after about an hour, the trees thinned out and we came to what appeared to be a village. Several central streets were lined with forty or fifty different shops and buildings. On the far side, I could see small cottages with dozens of trees providing a more natural ambiance. However, no tree could help hide the massive pack house, which stood like an earthy jewel on display among the oak trees. Its brown brick walls were softened by dozens of vines that could climb all the way up the entire pack if necessary.

The scents of the plants in town and… And oh! Mushrooms! I mentally shook myself; once I was accepted into the pack, my scent would begin to reflect the pack I had joined. Covering it up would be pointless at that point but I’d like to try and see if rogue tricks would work. That thought had been a rogue's automatic thought, not something a pack member would consider doing. Would it be weird to cover your scent? I think not, self-assurance has always been at the top of my head.

Luigi came to a halt and placed the basket down before shifting so he could speak with me. He opened the basket and looked down at my wolf form curling inside the basket. He said, "Etheral, we figured that you might want to enter the town on your own feet."

I leaped out of the basket and shifted quickly. The other three had shifted seconds after Luigi, so by the time I shifted, they were human. They were on my side as we walked along the forest's edge, skirting towards the town. I noticed that the main street was fairly busy with people coming and going.

"How many members are there in this pack?" I inquired.

Liam shrugged and narrowed his eyes. "Two, three… About three hundred. That was the average for most packs, and the majority of the members would be spread out on various tasks. Some were fighters and scouts, while others worked as cooks, storekeepers, or in any other capacity that was necessary.”

I nodded and focused my sight toward our destination. We appeared to be heading for the pack house. "Who are we going to see?" I asked, looking at Liam.

"The Alpha is currently visiting another pack, so we'll see the Luna for now," he explained. "She is currently in the pack house, and she is excited to meet you."

I nodded again, still surprised that they would accept a runt so willingly. Over the years, I'd been turned down by well over a dozen packs. I couldn't get my head around the fact that they'd made the offer. Even among rogues with exceptional

fighting skills, packs approaching them directly with an offer to join their pack was extremely rare. Even for a runt, it was unheard of and extremely rare.

As we walked past several pack members who were also on the path, I noticed a few children playing in a playground off to the side. Many people looked at me with interest, even though they probably knew I was the new member who happened to be a runt because gossip vines in a pack spread any information like wildfire in dry grass.

I hadn't used my Omega senses in a pack situation like this in years. I was relieved to discover that my abilities had not deteriorated due to inactivity. I was also relieved to notice and sense that there was no hostility from anyone, only curiosity.

We got closer to the pack house, and I struggled to extend my Omega senses inside it. But once my senses got through, I can sense a bright, soft aura, which I think is the Luna. Since it was mid-afternoon, the pack house was fairly empty, but I could detect about twenty sparks moving inside. I sensed one spark coming from a Beta female and two Omegas in the same large room where the Luna was.

And there is another spark I couldn’t describe. I had no idea what it was; it was like red-hot coal from the heart of a fire. It had an odd feeling to it as if it was dormant until something fanned it to life. The rest of the sparks were regular pack members, but the ringing quality made me think there was an enforcer in the room. He wasn't using his abilities, so I wouldn't know which one was his unless he used them or I saw him up close while using my own sensing abilities.

We took our time walking down the street, admiring the gardens on either side of the main walkway. It was as if the forest had retreated to create a clearing just for the pack house. The place was clean and well-kept. Nothing fancy too, but it was tied together with earthy tones that blended in beautifully with the surrounding forest.

We crossed the street and began walking up the main walkway to the pack house's entrance. Although I was nervous about meeting the Luna, the large double doors ahead, draped with vines and flowers, looked truly inviting and kind in my eyes.

Sighs, I was a rogue, as well as a runt. Those two words kept bothering me and trampling my confidence. I was afraid of being turned away again once she sees me up close. And if the Luna rejects me, I would be in unfamiliar territory with no real resources or supplies that I had accumulated at my previous location.

The gentle breeze carried the scents of lilacs and jasmine to my nose but with an odd undertone. I took a deeper breath; I'd never smelled anything like this scent before. I was curious as to what kind of tree or plant it was. On cool nights, it reminded me of the rich smell of the deepest parts of the forest. The scent practically demanded that I pay attention to it.

I was a runt, but not a slow thinker. Scents of the forest could not compel a rogue's attention. I came to a complete halt and stared at the door in disbelief. My disbelief quickly turned to unease and concern as I realized I had not been mistaken.

My sudden stop surprised the four men who were walking with me. Luigi took one look at my face and noticed my stunned expression before asking, "Etheral, is something wrong?"

My oldest and most powerful fears were at the forefront of my mind at the time. It was said that runts had the lowest possibility, close to zero, of getting a mate. Those who did find their mate would be rejected right away because many regular werewolves would not accept a runt as their mate. Wolves were often proud creatures, and being paired with a weak runt was a huge blow to both their personal and family pride.

Damn this, I can’t do anything about this. My heart is destined to be broken no matter what. I have found my mate’s scent but only to approach him and have him reject me.

I didn't take my gaze away from the closed doors as my mind raced around the lingering shock of finally finding my mate. The scent was enticing. As I confessed, my quiet voice trembled slightly. "I can smell my mate, and I'm afraid he'll reject me; I don't think I can bear that kind of pain."

Rejection was a terrible fate, and I knew it wasn't an exaggeration or something you could easily shake because I'd met a few people who had been rejected. I could feel the pain of their broken heart as well as the scars on their soul that had forever changed them, even years or decades later. The agony of rejection drove many people to commit suicide or to become feral wolves. I had no desire to even think about going through such agony.

The four were completely taken aback, having no idea that my mate was among

the people inside. I was tempted to flee to the hills rather than stay here, but the desire to find my soul's other half kept my feet from running away. That speck of hope kept me from fleeing, at least for the time being.

I looked around at the four people around me to see how they were reacting. All four had a vacant looks in their eyes, indicating that an intense mindlink discussion between them was taking place in front of me. I could hear movement inside the house as three people exited through the back door and the rest gathered in a large room near the front door.

"I mindlinked the people inside. There are several who don't have a mate yet. Anyone with possible thoughts about rejecting you have left the house through a different exit. The rest are waiting eagerly for you. They do know you are a runt and are currently a rogue, and it doesn't bother any of them," Liam said, meeting my eyes.

I paid close attention to his expression. He was telling the truth and had most likely interrogated every wolf inside. My mate was close enough to me that I could tell he was annoyed or dissatisfied with those who had left. With trepidation, I nodded and looked at the doors.

That doorway was a two-way road. If I walk through it and met my mate, I had two options. One is to have a potentially happy mate bond. The second is rejection, which would cripple my entire being.

Rejection was uncommon, but it was not unheard of. It primarily affected those who were rogues, Omegas, or runts. Once they caught the scent, the average werewolf would have flown through that door to find their other half. As a runt, I stood a good chance of being rejected. Fortunately, Liam's intervention reduced those odds. It was the only reason I moved slowly and cautiously toward the front door.

The formation of the mate bond required eye contact, and I was going to keep an eye on my feet until I was sure I wasn't going to be rejected. I was going to approach this situation with caution and care. I… I don’t want to go insane once the rejection is done.

As Yap opened the door, I walked forward slowly, my gaze fixed on the ground. They would undoubtedly notice that I was nervous. The enticing scent was stronger here, making it difficult to concentrate. Yap and Luigi led the way, and I followed hesitantly. Liam and Mel trailed behind, possibly to keep me from fleeing in terror. I shook my head in an attempt to clear it, but it didn't work.

My Omega senses were malfunctioning, which made me feel even more uneasy. All I could smell was coal. It had begun to glow as soon as I entered the house, and it was overpowering my Omega senses. I couldn't pick up on anything else, only the strong scent.

The now-blazing coal had to be my mate. Our proximity was gradually reawakening the mate bond. He was only a few steps away. I could hear whispering, but none of the voices belonged to my mate. He’s silent.

"Hey, Reed, have you smelled anything yet?" a random guy asked.

"Nothing overpowering, just the four guys and a foresty smell.” And that must be his friend, Reed.

"Yeah, neither did I, but we'll have to ask her later how she cloaked her scent like that. That is so cool."

I nervously followed Yap and Luigi around, making sure to keep my eyes down. It was difficult because my rogue instincts made me want to look around to assess the situation and look for possible escape routes, despite the fact that there were over a dozen people in the room. The scent was driving me insane already. I wondered what someone would look like if they wore that scent. Nothing could ever compare; I… I adored that scent.

As I walked into the room, there was complete silence. A few moments later, I heard a set of heavy footsteps approaching me. I heard a couple of them exhale in surprise. "You've got to be kidding me," one of the earlier voices murmured.

At that comment, I came to a halt and shifted my weight uncomfortably. My presence had not surprised them; rather, the identity of whoever was approaching me had. To say the least, it made me nervous.

My fear and anxiety made me want to look up to see what had them so taken aback, but my mind knew that I would almost certainly make eye contact. As I sensed my mate approaching me in silence, I kept my eyes down. The glow of the coal in my mind was far too strong, flickering with tiny flares of fire, and it completely overpowered everything else in my senses. And when he stopped in front of me, I trembled slightly with nerves and fear.

“Can you look me in the eyes?” he said, softly. His voice was deep and it tickles my heart just to hear his voice, how much more if I look at him?

“I can’t… I can’t take it,” I mumbled, shutting my eyes close. Then I opened them with a sigh. “If you plan to turn me down, then do it now.”

A large hand slowly entered my gaze below. His hands were calloused, indicating that he was no stranger to hard work. His hand moved slowly until two fingers gently touched the underside of my chin. As he slowly lifted my face up, sparks erupted from his touch. When my blue eyes met his amber eyes, time seemed to stop.

My senses were numb as the flickering coal burst into a raging flame. The mate bond took root in my heart and mind, I felt a powerful, blinding wave of energy cascade through my senses and body. I fell unconscious of the surroundings; my mind was filled with sensations and feelings I couldn't even name.

As he gently brushed his thumb across my cheek, sparks flared up once more. His eyes were filled with nothing but love. With a soft smile, he looked down at me. "I will never turn you down."

The forming mate bond, as well as my slowly recovering Omega senses, both assured me that he had told the truth. My rejection anxiety eventually dissipated like morning mist under the rising sun. He didn’t reject me. My mate didn’t reject me.

And I can’t believe the happiness exploding inside my heart.