Chapter 25

Ellie

I blinked in surprise when Daddy led me back outside. I cast a glance over my shoulder at the massive building we’d just left. I’d never really paid it much attention before, but it was enormous.

I figured it had to be, considering it housed a hospital and a home for Jason and Jasmine, not to mention the bedroom I’d woken up in.

Maybe other people lived there too.

“Is the party at Nana and Grandpa’s house?” I asked, curiosity piqued.

Daddy laughed softly.

“No, pickle, not everyone would fit in their house.”

I furrowed my brow.

“What do you mean? Everyone?” I asked, a hint of worry creeping into my voice.

Daddy halted and gently placed his hands on my shoulders, turning me to face him.

“Everyone who lives here is part of the pack. Now that you live here, you’ll be part of the pack too. So everyone is going to welcome you,” he explained.

I quickly scanned the area. There was the massive house, and a bunch of smaller ones scattered around.

Suddenly, it hit me that there would be a lot of people.

A wave of nausea washed over me.

Daddy must have noticed my expression, because he crouched down in front of me.

“Hey,” he soothed, “where’s my little warrior...everyone will love you.”

I swallowed hard, attempting a smile that ended up looking more like a grimace.

“Even Melissa?” I asked, recalling the mean nurse from when I first arrived.

Daddy chuckled.

“Yes,” he confirmed, “even her.”

He stood up and extended his hand. I quickly latched onto it. He gave my hand a comforting squeeze as we resumed our walk.

We strolled around the back of the big house, which he informed me was called the pack house. That’s where a lot of the pack lived, like Jason and Jasmine.

Erik lived there too, so he could be close to the hospital in case of emergencies. Like when I got shot.

That reminded me that Daddy was supposed to explain why it looked like I hadn’t been shot at all.

“Daddy...” I started, but my words died in my throat as I froze in shock.

We were behind the pack house, and there were what seemed like millions of people. There probably weren’t that many, but it sure felt like it.

I’d never seen so many people in one place before.

The worst part was, they’d all turned around and were staring at me.

I moved closer to Daddy, pressing myself against his leg.

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

“It’s okay, Ellie. Just show me what a brave little warrior you can be. Just look ahead, hold your head high, you’ve got this,” Daddy whispered, his voice full of encouragement.

What I really wanted to do was run. Run as far away from here as I could. Maybe I wasn’t cut out to be a warrior after all.

There was a gap in the crowd, and that’s where Daddy gently led me. I quickly glanced ahead and saw a stage. Standing on the stage were Jason and Murdoch.

They were both dressed really smartly in trousers and shirts. Come to think of it, Daddy was dressed really smartly too.

I wanted to ask Daddy why they were there, but my voice seemed to have deserted me. I was struggling just to breathe.

I tightened my grip on Daddy’s hand and focused my gaze on Jason and Murdoch.

Murdoch was smiling at me, and he winked as he mouthed the words ‘be brave’.

I took a deep breath and started to walk again.

“Good girl,” Daddy whispered, “make me proud.”

Before I knew it, we were at the stage. There seemed to be a lot of steps to climb to reach the platform where Jason and Murdoch were standing.

I slowly ascended the steps, focusing more on not tripping than on all the people I’d just walked past.

Once I was on the stage, I noticed a large table near the front. Daddy let go of my hand and I walked towards the table. There was a gap between Jason and Murdoch, so I stood there.

I could just about see over the table. As I looked, I saw a few chairs at the front of the crowd. Sitting on the chairs were Samuel, Jasmine, ’lijah, then Nana and Grandpa. They all looked smart.

Especially Samuel and ’lijah. A lot smarter than they had been at dinner.

’lijah was looking at me and grinning, so I lifted my hand and waved. ’lijah seemed to hesitate, but then he waved back.

That was until Jasmine grabbed his hand and scowled at him. She must have said something too because he looked down at the floor. Samuel smirked as ’lijah got scolded.

I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. I wasn’t the only one. Jason’s eyes suddenly went black, then a second later Jasmine scolded him as well.

Then I looked at Nana; she was smiling at me. I just wiggled my fingers in a tiny wave. I doubted anyone would scold Nana. She leaned towards Grandpa, and he looked at me and winked.

I couldn’t help but giggle. That was until Jason leaned over and gripped my shoulder.

“Stand still, Ellie,” he reprimanded.

I sighed and pouted. This wasn’t going to be much of a party if I had to stand still the whole time.

Then Murdoch leaned down and whispered in my ear.

“It won’t be long, little warrior. We just need to get the serious bit out of the way first.”

I looked up at him and he winked at me.

I’m not sure how Jason heard, but he shot Murdoch a glare.

I wasn’t sure where Daddy had gone, but suddenly he was behind me again. He reached over and placed something on the table.

I looked as he moved his hand away.

I gasped. It was a knife, but the handle was really pretty. It looked like it was made of wood, but it had a wolf’s head carved into it.

The blade was really shiny, and there were marks etched into the side of it.

I reached out—I just wanted to touch it—but Murdoch gently grabbed my hand and pulled it away.

When I looked up at him, he just smiled and gently shook his head.

Daddy bent down and pulled something from under the table. It looked a bit like the stool that Daddy had in the bathroom.

“Step onto that pickle,” he encouraged.

I did as he said, and suddenly I could see the entire table and all the people. Part of me wished I was still on the platform, hidden from the crowd.

My father stood behind me, and then he began to speak.

“Today,” he started, and the room fell silent, “we gather for a joining ceremony to welcome Ellie into the Crescent Moon Pack.”

I glanced up at my father and he gave me a reassuring smile.

“Ellie managed to escape from the other side of the border. She was treated poorly by the humans, especially because she is half werewolf.”

A gasp echoed through the crowd. I wasn’t sure if it was because my father revealed that I had escaped, or because I was mistreated, or if it was because I was half werewolf.

They didn’t seem mad, just a bit taken aback.

“I have officially adopted Ellie as my daughter, and today I will perform the blood ceremony in accordance with pack law,” he finished.

I watched as my father picked up the ornate knife, and he sliced into the palm of his hand.

“Stay strong, pickle,” he whispered as he took my hand.

I clenched my eyes shut as I felt a sharp sting in the palm of my hand.

My father pressed my palm to his. I could feel my entire hand grow wet as the blood from his hand seeped onto my palm.

“By sharing our blood, I welcome Ellie into the pack…as my daughter and with the rank of Alpha female!” he declared.

The crowd gasped again. I wasn’t sure why.

I opened my eyes as my father held my hand up to the crowd and did the same with his own.

When he released my hand, I looked at the blood on it.

Jason handed my father a cloth, and he gently cleaned my hand.

I frowned—there was no cut. Then he cleaned his own hand and there was no cut there either.

He held up my hand once more, presenting it to the crowd.

“Now join me in welcoming Ellie to the pack,” he encouraged.

Suddenly, everyone stood up and began to clap and cheer.

I rubbed my head. Suddenly, I felt dizzy. I felt my father’s arms wrap around me.

“Daddy...I don’t feel so good,” I murmured.

My father scooped me up and rubbed my back.

“It’s okay, pickle. Just give it a moment and it will pass,” he comforted.

I closed my eyes, then my head began to throb.

“Daddy, my head hurts,” I complained.

He placed his hand on my forehead and hummed.

“Ok, pickle, let's go and find Nana and Grandpa,” he comforted as he carried me off the stage.

As we descended the steps, I saw Nana and Grandpa rise and walk towards us.

“Oh, what a brave little girl you were,” Nana gushed.

I looked at Nana and pouted.

“Nana, my head hurts,” I whined.

Grandpa stroked my hair and looked at my father.

“Is it starting?” he asked.

My father nodded, “I think so.”

I frowned, and Nana picked up the hand that my father had cut with the knife. She examined it closely.

“Amazing,” she marveled as she ran her finger across where my father had made the cut.

Then I looked around. I was sure I heard someone call my name.

Ellie... I’m here.

“Where?” I shouted, scanning the room for the voice.

“What is it, pickle?” my father asked.

I looked around. I didn’t recognize the voice, but maybe if I saw their face they would let me know.

“Someone called my name, but I can't see them,” I explained.

Ellie, I’m here with you.

I whipped my head around, still searching for the mysterious voice. I was starting to panic. What if the bad men sent them?

“Daddy, I’m scared. I can't see them, but I can hear them,” I whimpered.

My father walked over to one of the chairs and sat down, placing me on his knee.

“It's ok, Ellie,” he comforted, “it's not a person, it's your wolf.”

I frowned, “but I left him at home.”

My father chuckled, “not your furry wolf, pickle. Your real wolf. The part of you that makes you a werewolf. She's inside of you.”

I looked down at my stomach and touched it.

“No, sweetheart,” Nana comforted. She touched my temple, “she’s in here. She’s the one that helps you heal, and she’ll help you do so many other things.

“Just think what you want to say in your head, and you can talk to her.”

I looked at Nana and pouted.

“She’s giving me a headache.”

Grandpa looked at me and chuckled.

“Your Nana sometimes gives me a headache with all her chattering. You’ll get used to it.”

Nana scowled at him and hit his arm, which made him laugh even more.