I glared at Jenna through the mirror as she zipped up the back of my… her dress. It was a nude tone and hugged every curve of my body, a metallic zipper running up the back, over the curve of my butt to the hem.

When she saw my glare she gave me a smug grin and bent down to rest high, red, devil- may-care heels. “Don’t you dare give me that look; this dinner tonight is for you.”

I rolled my eyes but kept silent, stepping into the heels. I practised walking around the room with them at Jenna’s pushing and was glad that I had impeccable balance and coordination. She’d also done my makeup and hair which fell in loose waves just past my shoulders. My makeup was natural but helped cover the few small scars on my face. I also wore dangling earrings and a chunky gold ring. “I will hold you responsible for anything that happens tonight.” I warned her.

I could feel that tonight was not going to be easy and honestly I would’ve been happy having dinner in my room with my dad’s. It wasn’t meant to be obviously as Jenna had come into the room with the force of a hurricane and tossed Hansel and Ace out before making me her doll; choosing my clothes and doing my hair and makeup. I guess I was glad that she’d taken control and helped me out as I’d never had much of an interest in fashion or makeup and I would’ve happily gone to dinner in my jeans. I however, refused to take of my dog tags no matter how hard Jenna argued with me; you couldn’t see them though, but the weight was comforting.

“Noted; let’s go.”

I walked over to my back and bent down, pulling out of one my smaller knives and strapping it to my inner thigh with its sheath so that it wouldn’t be seen. Ever since the night the base had been under attack I had vowed never to be unarmed; though my fists and knowledge of the martial arts were more than enough, I liked the feel of a weapon, be it a gun or a knife.

Jenna gave me an offended look; probably because I didn’t trust the pack, but I ignored her and walked to the door. My hips swayed with each step I took, descending down the staircase to the living room where a few pack members loitered. Even without supernatural hearing I knew that most of the pack was packed into the dining room as I could hear the sound of their loud chatter.

The males lounging around grinned at me and gave wolf whistles. I ignored them and walked with Jenna into the dining room. We walked towards the slightly bigger table at the front of the room where the higher ranking pack members sat. Jenna took her place at the head of the table with Klaus to her right and as her guest of honour; I was seated on her left.

The chatter continued as copious amounts of food were bought out, serving Jenna and her table first. I piled my plate high with meat and vegetables as the delicious scent of the food enticed me. I could feel the curious glances from many of the pack members as I ate, but to be honest I didn’t care. In a room full of hundreds of werewolves, the food didn’t last long and soon everyone was done.

Jenna stood and silence descended over the room as they alternated between looking from her to me. She gestured me to stand and the screech of the wooden chair was the only sound that filled the room. I stood tall, squaring my shoulders and surveying the pack. There were many faces I recognised; they however, did not seem to recognise me.

“You may be wondering by I have welcomed a human into our mists.” Jenna began. No one spoke but many nodded. “However, many of you already know this woman; think back to seven years ago when Beta Hansel and Delta Ace’s daughter walked out after mistreatment from this very pack. I never thought that she would return, thankfully however, I was wrong.” She growled, her fists tightening. There were murmurs as they began to piece together what she was saying and all gazes were focused on me. “May I re-introduce you all too Eve Holt.”

The dining room was silent as they all stared at me, seemingly waiting for something. My eyes searched the crowd until I found the group of people who’d made my life hell. Lani sat with the same friends she’d had years ago and they couldn’t have looked more shocked.

I said nothing but I knew that the look on my face would be enough to make a grown man run. I kept my piercing glare on them for a few more seconds before I shook my head and sneered at them. They weren’t worth my time and I knew that, but something in me wanted them to hurt like I’d hurt. If it hadn’t been for the love of my fathers and their friends, I wouldn’t be here today; I probably would’ve taken my own life.

Some old wounds never heal and as much as I wanted to be the bigger person and say that I’d forgiven and forgotten, I hadn’t. It hurt to look at those people and remember all the times they shunned me, the times they made me feel lower than the dirt they walked on.

I sunk back into my seat, taking a sip of wine as desert was bought out. Everything was delicious but I honestly just wanted to go to my room. I came here to see my dad’s and Jenna; not converse with the pack, attend fancy dinners or become their latest spectacle. I came to reconnect and spend time with my family. I loved Jenna but I felt like she was trying to make up for all the years lost and the treatment I’d received from the pack with fancy dresses and dinners in my honour; I felt like she was trying to pay me off.

I turned to Hansel as I laid down my fork, the food beginning to taste sour. “Excuse me.” I muttered, pushing back my chair and standing. I didn’t like it when people tried to buy or bribe me and I despised people who compromised their morals to accept bribes.

I narrowly avoided tripping on a table cloth as I stood and I cursed under my breath. I gained my composure and kept walking past the numerous tables. I had almost made it to the door and bent to slip off my shoes when I felt a pinch to my butt. Slowly I stood as the man’s friends urged him on, clutching the red heel in my hand as I kept my cold gaze on the man who’d decided to ‘be the man’ and harass me. He was only a few inches taller than me and had a very square head. He had piercing blue yes set below dark eyes brows that matched the neatly quiffed hair on his head. His pink lips were upturned in a smirk as he listened to his friends jeers.

His eyes raked over my body before he licked his lips. This was nothing new as I’d seen the way the males of the pack acted but I’d never had it directed at me; funny how people change when you lose a bit of weight.

“Touch me again.” I told him. “I dare you.” My voice was close to a snarl as I stared him down.

He grinned and when he reached towards me again I dropped my shoe, grabbed his arm and manoeuvred behind him. Using his own momentum and body weight I forced him to his knees and tucked his arms behind him, driving it towards his shoulder blade. He growled and began struggling, trying to use his strength against me but I used his body against him.

“Submit or I will pop your shoulder.” I hissed at him. He didn’t listen to me but I guess the pain got through to him when I shoved his arm upwards and a loud pop stopped his struggles. I always made good on my threats; otherwise no one will take you seriously. “Are you going to stay still and leave me alone now?” I asked sweetly as he growled and cursed at me.

“Yes fine you fucking bitch; you dislocated my shoulder!” He yelled, glaring daggers at me as he stood, cradling his injured arm. “Why’d you do that?”

I squared up to him as he stood and glared at him. “Because just because I’m human doesn’t mean I’m a pushover.”

I could see his shoulder begin to swell and I knew that it would hurt him more the longer he waited. “Go get your shoulder popped in.” I told him. “And don’t mess with me again; it won’t end so well next time.”

He frowned and looked around. “Can anyone pop my shoulder in?” He asked his friends. I saw many of them shake their heads so I grabbed his hand and without warning pushed his arm back into the socket with a sickening crunch. He howled in pain but I rolled my eyes and walked out.

-

I groaned as I pushed the weighs above my chest with shaky arms. Sweat dripped down my face, my gunshot wound pulsed in time with my heart beats and my muscles ached but I kept going.

I had a high tolerance for pain but I knew that I couldn’t push my body until I collapsed. I pushed the heavy weight bar backwards until it was back in the holder. I sighed and slowly sat, laying a hand over my bullet wound.

“We have some numbing gel if you want it?”

I looked up at the tall male with eyes like melted chocolate and thick wavy hair that stood before me and shook my head. “Thanks but I’ll pass.” It really hurt but I knew that was because I’d have a hole torn through my body and the muscles were just really weak. If I numbed it I knew that I’d use it as an opportunity to hurt myself by pushing too hard.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?” He asked and I could detect a faint French accent. He seemed genuinely interested so I pulled down the collar of my shirt and moved my bra strap out of the way so he could see the bright red scar.

“I got shot in Afghanistan.” He seemed impressed as he sat down on a nearby weight bench.

“So you’re Eve then?”

I rolled my eyes and stretched my arms. “Don’t sound so surprised; you knew who I was the moment you walked in.” After all, I am in the only human in the pack house and he would be able to smell that; he would have also been there at dinner.

He shrugged and grinned. “I know; I’m trying to get the conversation ball rolling and you’re not helping.”

I laughed and stood, holding out my hand. “Eve Holt, and you are?”

“Pierre Fontaine at your service.” He said, laying a kiss on my knuckles; definitely French and very gentlemanly. “So what are you doing here at three in the morning?”

I shrugged and walked over to a rack that held dumbbells and picked up a pair of forty pound weights. “I had too much energy to sleep.” It was a lie; I desperately wanted to sleep the whole night but I couldn’t, the nightmares terrified and drained me. I found that they occurred in the deepest stages of sleep so I simply slept periodically before my mind could play the horrors I’d experienced in a horrifying montage. “What’s your excuse?”

“My parents just had another baby and my little sister constantly cries; she’s adorable and I love her but she’s so loud for such a little thing.” I laughed at his description of his baby sister and nodded.

“I guess it’s a good thing that Jenna had the rooms sound proofed otherwise the rest of the pack would agree.” I went through a series of exercises that made my shoulder ache but I knew that it would only do me well in the long run.

We exercised in comfortable silence until an hour had passed and Pierre approached again. “You handled Tom pretty well at dinner and I’m sure that you’ve got other moves up your sleeves so do you want to spar?”

“Sure; but no using super strength.” I warned. I knew that I’d probably lose but it would be fun to have a challenge. I knew that he would try to use my aching shoulder against me but I’d noticed that he had a weaker ankle so I could use that if he got the upper hand; you didn’t survive by fighting fair after all. He must have broken it and it had healed rapidly which meant that it had to be re-broken and probably not at the correct angle either so it was a bit weaker than the rest of him.

We messed around for a bit, finding other weaknesses and learning how the other fought. I made sure that he began to underestimate me until we were half an hour into our match and I made my move. I kicked his bad ankle from underneath him and knocked him to the ground face down when he was unbalanced. Jumping on his back I immobilised him with the same move I’d used on the foolish wolf at dinner.

He immediately stopped struggling and I stood as he rolled over and pushed himself up.

“Eve what are you doing?” Both our head whipped over to see my dad, Ace, standing at the door with a few other enforcers, Klaus and Jenna. “Why are you not in bed?”

“I couldn’t sleep so I came down here and met Pierre; we were sparring,” I paused and crossed my arms over my chest. “It shouldn’t matter anyway; I’m a grown woman.” I knew that he was probably scared that I’d leave again and I know that the news of my supposed death had torn him and Hansel apart.

I saw Jenna frown before she elbowed her way through the men. “Eve, the problem is that you are in a house full of unmated male werewolves who either want you as their mate or warming their bed; and will have no qualms with taking what they want.”

I pulled out my dog tags and pulled up the bottom of the oversized shirt I wore; one of Jack’s. “I have had three years of training with the military and four years of experience; I am a captain in the… British army and I never go anywhere unarmed. So tell me again that I can’t protect myself.” If I’d been a wolf I would’ve been growling and snarling like crazy. “Did you seriously not see what I did at dinner? I don’t think that many want to touch me after that.”

Jenna looked like she wanted to hit me as she rubbed her forehead. “I swear sometimes you are too thick head for your own good.” She mumbled before resting a hand on my shoulder. “Eve you are a beautiful, young, fertile woman and that display at dinner did nothing to warn them off; in fact, it probably made them want you more. You’re a challenge for them and some may not be able to control themselves; I’m just glad you ended up with this dork instead of someone else.” She said gesturing to Pierre.

“You wound me my fair lady.” He said, resting his hand over his heart.

Jenna rolled her eyes and they began a back and forth banter. I walked away, grabbing a towel and rubbing my sweaty face and chest. I pushed past them all and jogged up the stairs to my room. I had a shower and then set my alarms to go off every two hours before climbing into my old bed.