could. Many had an air of wealth about them, dressed in flowing, light maxidresses or flowery sarongs. Freya considered her own attire: tan, drawstring cargo pants and a white, overly stretched wifebeater with Timberland boots. She had never felt so alien and out of place.
This was a stupid idea, she thought. Warriors don’t need fancy soirees to breed. They steel themselves for what is and what has to be done! her mother might have said. But then Geraldine was from the old world. Freya wasn’t ambivalent; she knew that the Sohons were responsible for uniting a great many of the werewolf packs, and that in turn, they had cultivated the rising nobility and strength of their breed from feral, fearful beasts to cunning, powerful bloodlines. The Sohons extended aid to those packs in need and connections to those who wanted to make their place among humans in the New World.
Freya didn’t begrudge them as she moved forward in the line, but domestication was nothing she could swallow easily. As soon as Bun was born, she vowed to spend a week or two in combat with her males. Can’t wait to spar again, she thought, in a real fucking match.
“Well, well. Ms. Daniels. It’s good to see you back among us and so soon.”
The matronly, accented voice snapped Freya from dreams of wrestling holds. At the front of the line, Freya discovered Helena Sohon, the very same silver-haired were who had accepted Freya’s contract with Fenris and Rayne some seven months before. “Never left you apparently.”
A wry smirk creased Helena’s lips, and she raised her chin with a prideful arrogance. Typing away on a keyboard, Helena looked to the monitor built into the panel. “You’re working with us as far as I’ve heard.”
Freya glared at the elder were, wondering what secrets the Sohon databases held. Probably have my birth certificate, favorite whiskey brand, and bra size . “Every werewolf works for you, as far as I know. You’re the fucking mafia.”
“We don’t do bounties, however,” Helena replied. She placed a decorative card with a pregnant woman silhouetted against a full moon into a small coder on the desk before handing it to Freya. “We don’t take out contracts or extort the unwilling, but then neither do you at present.”
Freya drew back, ready to curse the woman to nine shades of hell and back, but Helena was swift with a diversion. She slapped a thick folder onto the counter and slid it toward Freya. She pointed at the card. “That is your room key. Inside your packet is a map of the facility, itinerary along with descriptions of the events, listings and coupons from the vendors who will be in attendance.
“Your gift bag will be in your room, 120, which is in the Palm Wing on the first floor. To get there, you just head down the hall to the left and make another left,” she instructed with her well-manicured hands. “You’ll be sharing a room with the Eversham matriarch.”
“Excuse me? Sharing a room?” Freya asked, hoping she had heard wrong. The entire trip she had been thinking of how good it would be to have a room all to herself. “I didn’t hear anything about sharing a room.”
“Actually you’ll be sharing it with Melissa and her twins. It’s part of the whole immersion experience that we’re focusing on here. You are about to become a mother yourself. Best you know what you are in for now rather than later.”
“That was not in the brochure.”
Helena snickered. “Of course not. That too is a means of preparation that we provide for you. As a new mother, you have to be ready for anything. You’re a fighter. You understand.”
Freya stood her ground even as the woman behind her attempted to move forward. Suppressing the urge to reach across the counter and smack the shit out of the grinning Sohon, she knew her anger at that moment had very little to do with hormones. She inched forward, and her stomach brushed the counter. It served as a reality check. Realizing where she was and
This was a stupid idea, she thought. Warriors don’t need fancy soirees to breed. They steel themselves for what is and what has to be done! her mother might have said. But then Geraldine was from the old world. Freya wasn’t ambivalent; she knew that the Sohons were responsible for uniting a great many of the werewolf packs, and that in turn, they had cultivated the rising nobility and strength of their breed from feral, fearful beasts to cunning, powerful bloodlines. The Sohons extended aid to those packs in need and connections to those who wanted to make their place among humans in the New World.
Freya didn’t begrudge them as she moved forward in the line, but domestication was nothing she could swallow easily. As soon as Bun was born, she vowed to spend a week or two in combat with her males. Can’t wait to spar again, she thought, in a real fucking match.
“Well, well. Ms. Daniels. It’s good to see you back among us and so soon.”
The matronly, accented voice snapped Freya from dreams of wrestling holds. At the front of the line, Freya discovered Helena Sohon, the very same silver-haired were who had accepted Freya’s contract with Fenris and Rayne some seven months before. “Never left you apparently.”
A wry smirk creased Helena’s lips, and she raised her chin with a prideful arrogance. Typing away on a keyboard, Helena looked to the monitor built into the panel. “You’re working with us as far as I’ve heard.”
Freya glared at the elder were, wondering what secrets the Sohon databases held. Probably have my birth certificate, favorite whiskey brand, and bra size . “Every werewolf works for you, as far as I know. You’re the fucking mafia.”
“We don’t do bounties, however,” Helena replied. She placed a decorative card with a pregnant woman silhouetted against a full moon into a small coder on the desk before handing it to Freya. “We don’t take out contracts or extort the unwilling, but then neither do you at present.”
Freya drew back, ready to curse the woman to nine shades of hell and back, but Helena was swift with a diversion. She slapped a thick folder onto the counter and slid it toward Freya. She pointed at the card. “That is your room key. Inside your packet is a map of the facility, itinerary along with descriptions of the events, listings and coupons from the vendors who will be in attendance.
“Your gift bag will be in your room, 120, which is in the Palm Wing on the first floor. To get there, you just head down the hall to the left and make another left,” she instructed with her well-manicured hands. “You’ll be sharing a room with the Eversham matriarch.”
“Excuse me? Sharing a room?” Freya asked, hoping she had heard wrong. The entire trip she had been thinking of how good it would be to have a room all to herself. “I didn’t hear anything about sharing a room.”
“Actually you’ll be sharing it with Melissa and her twins. It’s part of the whole immersion experience that we’re focusing on here. You are about to become a mother yourself. Best you know what you are in for now rather than later.”
“That was not in the brochure.”
Helena snickered. “Of course not. That too is a means of preparation that we provide for you. As a new mother, you have to be ready for anything. You’re a fighter. You understand.”
Freya stood her ground even as the woman behind her attempted to move forward. Suppressing the urge to reach across the counter and smack the shit out of the grinning Sohon, she knew her anger at that moment had very little to do with hormones. She inched forward, and her stomach brushed the counter. It served as a reality check. Realizing where she was and
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