The pack had a ninety-nine hundred members. Mira rounded the number to an even hundred. The Council, he didn't count in that. At one point, before his father became Alpha it had been. Over the years, numbers had dropped. With their notoriety, they'd never rebuilt. There weren't any plans to.

Myles first recollection of pack meetings was weaving his way through the legs of others, playing tag with friends as the adults talked. That changed as he got older and began to pay more attention to what was being said. Gradually, more responsibility fell to him and and he took a more active role in gatherings, albeit behind the scenes.

Standing in the open field, he glanced around. The distant towering trees cast shadows over the damp, snow-patched grass. Familial groups stood together, kids kept close. He understood why even if he didn't agree. Mira was an unknown to the pack, a possible danger.

A misunderstanding that would be cleared up by tonight.

Mira came back from the bathroom block, skirting around a young child with a wary glance. Even amongst all of the pack, she was the one he was drawn to. Anxiety was written on the lines of her face; eyebrows pinched and expression downcast. Her arms were wrapped around her coat, holding herself together. Her heartbeat was beating at an unsteady accelerated pulse. Still, despite all that, she smiled, shaky as it was.

Myles wanted nothing more than to reach out when she was close and pull her into an embrace. He headed further towards the tree-line instead, Mira following him. It was as much privacy as they would be able to find under the circumstances.

"How are you?" he asked, pitching his voice low.

Mira's expression fell before she could guard the reaction. "Great."

The lie didn't surprise him. Mira wouldn't admit to any fear, not when the pack was around them. "There's boundaries in place for this, Mira, ones that haven't been crossed for years. I know it's a lot to take in but this pack is a family. A family you're now a part of. We support each other; stand with each other not against."

"Is that the reason I'm being glared at—as a welcoming gift?"

"That's our—my—fault," said Myles, guilt clawing at his gut. "In trying to protect you, we kept you sheltered from the rest of the pack. The distance is something that some have taken as an insult. Tonight is going to be a clean slate. A do-over. For you. For the pack."

She bit her lip, glancing back across the field warily. "Do they know about us?"

"That we're fated?"

Mira nodded.

"No. It's none of their business, either."

That wasn't the whole truth. Being so rare, fated mates were quick to announce their bond with others. Some threw a party to celebrate. Mira wasn't ready for that. If the pack found out, neither of them would hear the end of it. She needed time to heal from her trauma, not have others pressure her into a mating she wasn't ready for. No one dictated the terms of her life but Mira.

Tugging at the sleeves of her coat, Mira asked, "Will I have to challenge you, Myles?"

"I'll be one of the last," he said. "You'll have to submit. There's no other option."

The thought of it wasn't sitting easily. Mira was his equal. If anything, he submitted to her. Which was the problem. As the one who would step up as Alpha in the wake of his father, there was an appearance he had to maintain. Unless he announced their bond, which wasn't an option, he couldn't show any weakness.

"What about your parents?"

"Your Alpha accepted you into the pack. That's proof enough there was no challenge. My mother falls into that by default. My aunt doesn't, unfortunately, but I know she's spoken to you about it."

"And the kids here? Do I have to challenge them?"

"No one under sixteen."

"How many are under sixteen?"

This was information she should have known—had she not been raised in a pack where they'd ripped away so much from her. And she seemed so ashamed about the information gap which was entirely misplaced. He took a deep breath, fighting back the anger that rose.

"Twenty-three," said Myles, surprised by how calm he sounded. "That leaves sixty-five to challenge. A number of Sentry are required to opt out."

Mira swallowed, her pulse jumping. "That's... a lot. But manageable. They're family. Totally harmless. Right?"

"Right. Nothing to worry about," he agreed, finally caving then. When he reached out and she didn't flinch back, he pulled her into his arms, nuzzling the top of her head. "I'll step in if anyone pushes past what you're comfortable with. Dad might tear me a new one for it but that won't stop me. Hardly the first time it's happened—or the last."

Others seeing the display of affection didn't bother him. No one would read it into it beyond simple comfort between friends. It would deter anyone from trying anything, seeing them so close. Not that he'd been lying about boundaries being maintained. Normally. With Mira he didn't put it past some of the older, more traditional pack members, to push that boundary if it would go unnoticed.

Mira's breath ghosted over his shoulder. "You don't have to do that."

"I don't have to," he corrected, the words reminiscent of the one's he'd spoken at the club the other night. "I want to."

She stepped out of his embrace, narrowed gaze meeting his. "I can defend myself. I'm not some damsel that's needs rescuing."

He knew that. His instinct to protect her remained, all the same. "If you're in danger, I won't hesitate Mira. Otherwise," conceded Myles, "you're on your own. Better?"

In answer, she raised an eyebrow. "Much. Thank you."

Over by the fixed podium, a murmur picked up. One of the voices was his father, issuing instructions. Leandro was another. Being Second, his role during pack gatherings was to maintain order. For this one specifically, he eased pack members into the ring that formed around the challenge area.

A ring for Mira to stand in the centre of, no way of hiding from the attention. The unrelenting witnesses, he suspected, would be the hardest part for her to handle. In comparison, each challenge would be easy.

"We should head over," said Myles, "before we're personally escorted over."

Mira nodded, scuffing the toe of her boots into the grass. "Now or... well now, I guess. Never isn't exactly an option, is it?"

*

Myles found a spot right by Leandro, rightfully theirs as one of the last to challenge Mira. His parents stood on the podium that completed the pack ring, tight to each others side—a sign of solidarity and individual strength wrapped into one. Mira knelt before them both on a strip of excess wood—and a blanket above that—which had been placed there to shield her knees from the wet ground.

His father cleared his throat. "We gather today to formally acknowledge a new member of our pack. I speak for us all, when I say that we celebrate the opportunity for the growth and prosperity you may bring to this pack, Mira Renaat. On behalf of the Hylfalk Pack, I welcome you with open arms."

Stepping forward until she was at the end of the podium, his mother reached out a hand. Mira had been briefed on the process and she grasped what was offered, letting herself be pulled up to her feet. She didn't glance up, half submission and half deflection from the pack watching on.

It was their play-by-play. His father was the hard-ass. His mother was the voice of support and reason. On the surface at least. Reading a little deeper told a different story.

His mother smiled softly. "We are a family. Together, we foster an environment where we celebrate the strengths, weaknesses and differences in each other. We trust and accept each other explicitly."

"Step into the circle, Mira Renaat, and we'll begin," said his father. "Marcus, you're first."

There was a moment of hesitation where neither Mira or Marcus—an older, greying shifter who worked on construction projects when he wasn't minding his grand-children—moved. Then baring his neck, Marcus murmured to the silence, "With all due respect Alpha—and with your permission—I withdraw any challenge. I willingly submit."

Mira, who'd been able to step away, finally lifted her head, staring wide-eyes at Marcus. Myles realised then that he'd left out some key information when explaining this to her: a challenge didn't have to be laid out each time. There were pack members, like Marcus, who cared little for power posturing and were secure enough within the pack to forgo any attempt.

Depending on pack member being welcomed, there was a varied number of pack member who would opt out of the challenges. Estimating how many would decide that option against Mira wasn't straightforward.

"Permission granted, Marcus. Rachael, step forward."

Rachael stepped out of edge of the circle, but she didn't move to the centre. Instead, she moved as close to the podium as she dared, inches from where Mira was staring on in disbelief, frozen to the spot. Head bowed, she she said, "Alpha, respectfully, I wish for the same as my mate. There is no challenge. I submit willingly."

"Granted." His father glanced to left. "Alexander and Vincenzo, do you choose the same forfeit?"

Rachael's other mates glanced between each other. It was Alexander who spoke. "With your permission, Alpha."

"I'll allow it. Amalia, do you choose to make your own challenge?"

"Respectfully, I'll forfeit, Alpha."

That voice, Myles knew, although it took him a second to place where from: the club. His sight-line was blocked by the podium but he knew without a doubt it was the bartender from other night. By the waver in her voice, she'd recognised Mira. Although it was Myles, Ciaran and Vara who had issued any warning, she was clearly wary of Mira as well.

Myles didn't know if she was right to be in all honesty. He'd left the subject alone because Mira had given no indication she wanted to talk about it.

"Per—"

"Alpha, I'll challenge."

His father narrowed his eyes at being cut off. "Pardon?"

The shifter next to Amalia didn't hesitate to step out into the circle centre. "I will challenge."

"Is that a request or demand, Colton?"

Colton, who had been busy glaring at Mira, bowed his head then, long dark hair falling over his face. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, jacket long forgotten on the grass. "A request, sir."

His father said nothing—letting Colton sweat no doubt.

Which took a matter of minutes. Colton's heart rate picked up. He was looking around the circle for support even as his head didn't lift. "Please, Alpha."

The tension didn't lift, not until his father said, "I'll allow the challenge."

The change in Colton was instantaneous. One second, he was bent in supplication. The next, he had pressed right into Mira's personal space with a low growl. He gave Mira no warning. Watching, Myles felt a growl of his own building in his chest, especially as Mira was backed into the podium with nowhere else to go. The sour fear in her scent burned his nose. Where she'd knelt before, Mira now collapsed back, arms braced over head head.

As if to duck from a physical strike.

Myles was seconds from intervening, when his mother stepped off the podium, shielding Mira's crumpled form with her own body. Tone glacial, she ground out, "She's submitted. Back off. Now."

Colton did, so quickly that he stumbled over his own feet. "My apologies, ma'am. I overstepped."

The lack of sincerity in his voice was transparent. Colton wanted recognition from his Alpha and he saw Mira as an easy target to achieve that.

With deliberate callousness, his mother's gaze swept the circle. "Let this be a warning to the rest of you. In this pack, we respect each other. We protect each other. That has not changed. And it will not ever change. If you take issue with that, find another pack."

What followed was stunned silence.

Myles' mother, pretending she didn't notice, crouched in front of Mira. Low enough that Myles could barely catch the words, she murmured, "Mira, do you need this to stop? We can postpone this until you're ready."

"I'm okay," whispered Mira, her voice stronger than he expected to hear. Her arms dropped away as she glanced around. Although she was shaky, Mira stumbled to her feet, his mother helping steady her. "I can do this, Mrs Ashford. Don't worry about me."

That wasn't going to happen. Not when it came to him mother.

Or himself, for that matter.

When Mira stepped away from his mother, he wasn't sure what to expect. For her to head into the circle centre wasn't his first guess. Like nothing had just happened at all, she stood there, her shoulders set and her arms relaxed at her sides. Nothing aggressive in her stance, but nothing outwardly fearful either.

The next pack member stepped up to her when his father gave the go-ahead. There was no confrontation this time. The challenge last less than a minute. The second the shifters stepped anywhere near Mira, she backed off.

The next ones happened much the same.

Mira didn't attempt to challenge a single pack member. Myles wasn't sure what to make of that. Out of self-preservation? Instinct? A lack of a threat?

Things became interesting when Leanne was called into the circle to make a challenge. Since he'd last seen her, she'd dyed her hair dark red and cut off some length. She stopped just shy of Mira's personal space, eyeing her in silence with a pinched expression. When her gaze shifted over to him, Myles stared back unflinching.

While the other pack members may have picked up on a scent on Mira's that didn't match up and thought nothing of it, Leanne was a different story. She knew as well aquatinted with Myles' scent as well as he was with hers. In an instant, she'd pieced everything together about the reason he'd ended things between them—and the Mira was at the centre of it all. The silver lining was that unlike Colton, Leanne wouldn't be stupid enough to try anything, regardless of how much she was itching to.

Without breaking eye-contact with him, Leanne shifted into fur. On two legs, she was taller than Mira. On four, her tan-coloured cougar barely reached Mira's knees. Shaking out of her fur, she sat, staring at Mira.

Waiting.

Like Myles was. Mira had yet to reveal her second form to him. Despite his curiosity, it was a boundary she'd set and one he hadn't tread over. This would be the first time he found out, alongside his pack.

Only she never shifted.

Mira stumbled back instead. Her heartbeat ceased altogether for what felt like hours. She stared down at Leanne, ashen, like she was horror-struck.

Leanne barked, head cocked in wordless question.

Myles' own confusion quickly flipped to concern, when Mira started to waver on her feet. He wanted to rush forward, but a part of him held back out of respect to the promise he'd made to Mira earlier; Leanne wasn't a danger.

He regretted that decision, when moments later, Mira collapsed.

Myles didn't hesitate then. Neither did his parents. As they all ran over, Leanne made herself scarce. His mother was the first the reach Mira, lifting her off the grass. Myles was there a second later, reaching for her closest arm to check the pulse on her wrist. It was regular, thankfully, even if her skin was clammy.

"Take her back to the pack house," came his aunt's voice from the left. "I can check over her there."

"Myles, come with us," added his mother. "Chris—"

"I'll handle this here. Go, my love."

Briefly, he wondered about the explanation his father would give to the pack. A medical episode, probably. Mira's past wasn't information to be given out freely, so it was the closest thing to the truth he could offer.

Whatever that truth was.