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She ignored all the other shifters in the room, focusing her attention solely on the man on the throne. She kept her shoulders well back, her spine straight, and flared her nostrils.
She heard a lot of growled disapproval because Zane was right; she’d broken protocol and now felt the displeasure of the community. She knew the shifter population of Swanicott numbered over a hundred thousand, and those present represented the leadership from all over the realm.
When she was within fifteen feet, the Alpha’s features told its own tale, and might have been the real reason Zane had pushed for this meeting. She knew by his blond hair, green eyes, and the general look of him that this man was family. She also knew instinctively he wasn’t her father. But he was definitely a relative. Cousins, maybe?
She wished now she’d spent a little more of her Realm Internet searches on the shifter world instead of almost exclusively on Zane.
She took two more steps then dropped to her knees and bowed her head. Slowly she stretched her body forward until she was on all fours with her chin touching the floor.
She said nothing else, but waited.
The creaking of the boards that led up to the throne told her the alpha approached her.
The room was completely silent.
Luther spoke in a loud, booming voice, “Shifter, Olivia, why did you not present yourself when you arrived in our realm? I understand you had knowledge of our protocol and knew what was required. Our community demands an explanation.”
She didn’t say anything yet, sensing it was important she remain silent. She saw his heavy boots as he marched in a circle around her.
“You may rise and give your answer.”
She stood slowly, her heart pounding so hard in her chest she only wondered why it didn’t explode. As before, she pulled her shoulders back and stood as upright as she could manage. But she didn’t look at Luther, though he drew near and stared at her. Eye-contact would have been a mistake, so she focused on his forehead as she answered. “I have never been part of any community. The idea is foreign to me, as foreign as Swanicott when I arrived.”
“You insult us.”
Surprised, she asked. “How? The difficulty is mine, not yours.”
“You may look at me, but I wish to know what you want from us now.”
She met his gaze and unwilling tears filled her eyes because it was like looking in a mirror. She saw herself in this man and for the first time in her life she thought maybe she would finally belong.
“I want to be here now. I want to serve in whatever way the pack wishes me to. I have no other desire.”
At that, the severity of his features softened and he nodded. He narrowed his eyes, however, and drew closer still. He sniffed her on either side of her throat, then he smiled. “You are more than you seem, Olivia.”
He stepped back several feet and held his hands wide, turning to the four packs as though embracing them all. “Watch and see what the Goddess has sent us in this lost soul.”
He began to pace and every fourth step, he slammed his foot hard on the wood floor. The sound reverberated through the building. He continued to pace. Step, step, step, boom. Step, step, step, boom.
Back and forth.
The shifters picked up the rhythm, but not just with the foot. Some clapped on the fourth beat, others gave a shout.
And Luther paced.
The rhythm began having an effect on Olivia. Something about his pacing and his movements struck a deep chord within her. She started pacing with him, back and forth, joining in with all three expressions: stomp, clap, shout.
She made several passes and her fur began to sprout more heavily on her chest, her hands and her feet.
The wolf within took over and she began to shift. Luther must have known this would happen because he double-timed his pacing and stomps. The moment she completed her shift, she began to race and bound around the tall, almost cathedral-like lodge, just as she had at the beach. And every fourth beat, she slammed her hind paws into a beam or a wall, pushing away to bound through the tallest points of the room.
Luther kept urging the speed to increase and the packs kept up with him, faster and faster until she finally landed once more in front of him, panting hard.
All noise ceased. Suddenly the packs howled as one and cried out in expressions of ecstasy. Breathing hard from the exertion, she flowed from her wolf form back into her upright shifter-human form and turned to watch her fellow shifters united in expression. She was stunned.
Zane was watching her, his blue eyes on fire, his scent swirling around her. But he made no move to join her. This was for her, though she didn’t understand what exactly was going on.
“Olivia.” Luther’s voice was strong and very calm.
