It's a clean crisp morning, thin delicate layers of ice stretch across puddles, easily broken by my wolf's pounding paws. She's on the trail of a rabbit, her nose to the ground, sniffing intently. The crack of a breaking twig alerts us to his presence.

He's never far behind, always in the shadows, stalking, observing.

His grey wolf, a beast of an animal, approaches slowly, showing no signs of aggression. He pads his way towards my wolf. The rabbit we were hunting hangs dead in its mouth.

Placing it on the ground, he tears it in half easily with his sharp teeth. He swallows down half, then picks up the other half of the rabbit and, deliberately slow, drops it in front of us, nudging it with his nose. He whines slightly, encouraging us to take his offering of food, but it's more than that.

Everything he does for us is a test. He's determining our acceptance of his wolf as a provider. He nudges it closer with his nose. Dropping down on his belly, his head rests on his paws. With no show of dominance or aggression, he just waits.

I let my wolf decide. Her golden eyes lock on the severed rabbit. Smelling it softly, she leans her head forward and, with a quick bite, it's gone, sitting warm in her belly.

Still, on his belly, he crawls closer, one slow slither at a time. His head bumps our side, and he rubs his cheeks against our fur, back and forth.

He lets out a whine, licking our neck, pressing his cheek against our cheek. I can smell him on us. He rubs his side against our side, his head rubbing under our neck.

He licks the top of our ears, grooming us. My wolf appreciates the contact as she appraises his wolf. She rolls over on her back, exposing her underbelly and his wolf licks our fur clean. He takes long sniffs by our tail and presses his nose against our strong smelling nature.

My wolf is basking in the attention his wolf is showing her. He bumps his head into her belly, rubbing his scent into her until we're both a cloud of male musk.

Getting up to his full height, he stretches lazily. My wolf fits comfortably under his chin, and she starts with her head, then lets her body glide underneath him, with her tail swishing and twirling around his jaw. She rubs her cheeks along his flanks, body bumping into his teasingly. She's smelling every inch of him. He parts his legs slightly as she inhales his manliness.

She's so proud this male Alpha wolf is our mate. She approves of him, just not his human.

Nipping at our neck, he playfully jumps at us, wanting to play. Crashing through undergrowth and dead trees, we race back to the house, my wolf slightly behind. I can feel her acceptance of his wolf, her appraisal of him, her desire to be with him.

Looking on while the Northerner takes on his human form, I appreciate what's in front of me in all his natural glory.

Turning towards my wolf, he sticks out his hand, trying to pet us. If it weren't for his quick reflexes, my wolf would've snapped his hand in half.

His justice is swift. Pinching the tip of our ear hard, he brings my wolf to heel. She yelps out her pain, and she's immobilized. The ears are the most sensitive spot on her body. Because of the continued pressure, she gives him her neck in submission. Easing off the pinch slightly, his other hand pets her fur, rubbing over her ribs, back, underneath her neck. She growls very low, baring her teeth slightly.

The pinch intensifies, bringing my wolf down at his feet.

"That behavior will not be tolerated from you or your wolf, Meela." His tone is threatening.

Once again, my wolf shows her neck, bringing her tail between her legs. His hand runs over our fur, scratching behind our ear.

"Good, little wolf. Was that so bad?"

She has to suppress her growl. She angles her head in a bow, eyes downcast as the pressure on her ear is eased.

"Go on inside. Sophie and Thomas are waiting to take you out shopping."

My tail thumps on the ground. I can't hide my excitement as my tail swishes back and forth.

He laughs at me and opens the door for me to go in. Running up the stairs, I shift into human form.

Thomas and Sophie are waiting downstairs, Thomas with the keys in his hand. "Ready, Meela?"

I'm beaming and nod my head.

"Meela, here's some money. Get whatever you want." The northerner hands me some cash.

I don't bother counting it, just shove it into my purse. "Thanks."

"Let's go." Thomas holds the door open for Sophie and me.

"Be careful with her, don't let her drink any whiskey," he yells, chuckling to himself.

Thomas looks confused but doesn't say anything. "I'll take good care of her."

We shop for winter stuff, with Thomas tagging behind as we browse through shops on the Main Street in town.

After purchasing some winter boots, scarf, hat and mitts, we decide pizza is in order.

Sitting at a booth, we pile all our packages into one corner, and all get drinks.

"Don't tell him I let you drink whiskey." Thomas laughs as he puts his arm around Sophie. It sends a smile to my face to see how much he loves her.

As the drinks keep flowing, Thomas stops, but us girls continue to drink, eating pizza like it's our last meal.

"So, Meela." Sophie gives me a devious smirk. "What about you and Grey? Is there any progress on the mating situation?"

I nearly spit my drink out. "No. I...we..." I can't form words. It's too intimate a question.

"Listen Meela; you need to get this show on the road. I have two hundred riding on you. And we're almost a month in."

I'm shocked. "Well, I'm not too fond of him at the moment."

Sophie's eyes grow serious. "You won't be too fond when Grey takes you in front of everyone, will you?" She starts to pretend to gag.

"If everyone feels so strongly against this ceremony, why is he doing it?"

Thomas clasps his hands together. "He thinks that by denying the mate bond until the ceremony, other packs and ours included will believe he's a powerful leader, able to endure and overcome great struggles."

"He won't get too close to me. On occasion, he will touch me, but nothing serious. It's like he's purposely trying to avoid direct contact with me."

Sophie pipes in. "All you have to do, Meela, is be persuasive. Show a little skin, touch a little, stay close to him. It wouldn't hurt to tell him how strong a leader he is, gives his ego a pat on the back."

Sipping the last of my drink, thinking of a plan to put in motion, so I don't have to endure that horrid ceremony.

Once home, closing the door to my room, I have a slight warm buzz from the whiskey I've consumed. I know he will be in shortly to check on me as is his routine. I slowly peel my shirt and jeans off, standing in nothing but a pair of black panties and a bra. I will swallow my inhibitions and take the bull by the horns.

If there's something males like to see, it's their females branded with their pack's mark. They want to see their flesh; they want to see our desire for them.

It's in their nature to dominate, to overpower, to make their mate bend to their will. Hearing the door creak open, I start to put my plan in motion.

Standing in my bra and panties on tip toe, I inspect my brand in the mirror and turn in different angles to see it better. It's completely healed, just a pink thick outline of the letter N, I pull the fabric on my underwear down slightly, so my brand is fully seen.

"Beautiful." I can't help flinch from his husky voice. A sly smile comes to my face, and I try to hide it with a surprised look.

He comes to stand behind me, facing the mirror. Eyes of silver meet mine, the color intense. "It looks good on you." His fingers start tracing the edges of the brand.

My mouth goes dry, and I shiver from his touch. Soft lips start kissing my shoulder. I continue to watch him in the mirror. Goosebumps ascend all over my body.

"Do you like it when I touch you?" Nodding my head yes, I suppress the unease I feel. He's looking at me thoughtfully, his eyes changing from silver to grey.

I can feel my heart racing as his fingers trace the back of my neck.

"Look at me, Meela."

I do as he says. Our eyes lock and hold. His fingers slowly wrap around my hair, holding my head in place.

"You are mine." It's spoken without any doubt, without regret, with pure possessiveness.

A hardness comes over his features, his muscles tighten, and the grip on my hair becomes painful. I reach my hand up to try and release his grip on me.

"Do you think this would work on me? Do you think I would fall for this?" The look he gives me stills my body with shame.

He's raging mad; I see the tremors consuming his body as he loses control of himself. His hands turn to fist, white knuckles trying to break free of the skin.

"How dare you try something like that on me? Do you think I'm one of your assignments, that I could be swayed so easily by....you?"

I'm starting to feel fear as his voice grows louder with each word. He's agitated, stalking back and forth in the small room.

"I'll always be ahead of you, Meela," he snarls out. "If it weren't for me, your old pack would've been destroyed, wiped out." Pointing a finger at me, it's while saying this.

"This is how you repay me? Undermine my decisions? You know how I feel about the Ceremony, how I want to show everyone and myself that I can do this." He takes an aggressive step towards me, baring his teeth. "And here you are, trying to lure me into breaking my word to my pack."

His voice is so low and controlled; it frightens me. I'm shocked. I've never seen him so mad.

He grabs me by the arm and drags me down the stairs. I'm trying to keep up with him, but I trip on my feet.

As he approaches the place I was collared, I start to try to break free of his grip.

"No...I can't do that again!" I'm digging my feet into the hard earth, trying to break free of him, but he's much too strong. "You promised me, never again." I'm hysterical with the thought of going back on the chain. I can't even breath.

The wild panic sets in deep.

"This is how I feel when you decide to deceive me, Meela. Do you like this feeling? The thought of betrayal, the thought that your mate, who is suppose to be your soul decides to betray you?"

Frantically, I trying to break his hold on my arm.

"Let this be a lesson. If you ever do something like that again, I'll collar you until the Ceremony."

Letting go of me, he jumps into the air and shifts easily to his fighting form. Not looking back, he races towards the woods, and disappears in the dark.

I'm shaken up. I feel hopeless at this moment.

Everything in my life is a mess and I feel powerless to change it.