*Rubs hands togeth

er* Alright. I'm trying something new in the Ness/Jake world. Definitely OOC. Don't worry! I'm still going to update my other stories! I just wanted to put this up to see how well it would fare. So anybody familiar with my previous work should be warned that this is totally different than what we're used to seeing from our favorite couple. I'm just really happy with how this turned out, and my helper was pleased with it as well so I decided to put it up and test the waters. I figured that some of my readers might need a different view of Ness and Jake. I'm hoping that you'll like it, so I really do need reviews to know if I should continue! Oh, and not as much Jake POV in this story. Sorry, that's just how it's coming to me. Ness is a really strong presence in this one.

*Disclaimer*

RPOV:

The bell above the door jingled, alerting Renesmee Cullen from the back that someone had come into the store. It wasn't an automatic bell. Nope, the pack leader, upon moving into town had banned them because sometimes their pitches were too high and hurt the pack's sensitive hearing. She'd only seen the alpha male a couple times but had never interacted with him. A fact for which she was grateful. He was terrifying.

"Hello?"

"Sorry! I'll be there in a sec!"

Renesmee and her mother had opened a bookstore together. The library had long gone out of business and once the pack leader had moved in there was no coming and going as one pleased to Port Angeles to buy books. He'd gated off the whole town of Forks and the Quileute reservation quite literally. Tall walls lined the perimeter. And there was only one entrance and exit. The front gates. Supposedly, they were warded and nothing could get through them without some serious mystical help. So, her mother had petitioned the pack leader, the pack's king, to open a bookstore. Reading was important after all. He'd allowed it, but only allowing them to take from manufacturers he approved of. At least he wasn't a Nazi over what books they could sell.

At the moment, Ren was straightening up the overstock room, trying to make it more accessible. Climbing down from the ladder, she brushed her dusty hands on her jeans as she went out into the main room. A girl around her age was standing at the counter. Ren frowned. She'd never seen this girl before, which living in walled off small town was an improbability. Therefore, she was new around here.

"Hi," Ren said. "Can I help you with something?"

The girl sagged in relief. "Thank God. You seem nicer than the last guy I tried to ask for help."

She laughed a little. "Well I hope I am. I'm Renesmee. Most people call me Ren. What can I do for you?"

She smiled gratefully. "I'm Mindy. And I am looking for Jacob Black."

Ren raised her eyebrows. "You mean the pack leader?"

She nodded, the red streaks in her hair sliding in and out of sight. "I'm, uh, joining his pack. A transfer."

So she was a wolf, too. Instantly, Ren was spooked but she tried not to show it. "Uh, yeah. The pack is actually settled between here and the rez. Let me try to write the directions. I've never been there so I can't explain from experience."

Mindy nodded. "I understand. And you don't have to be scared of me. I'd never hurt anybody. That's how I was raised."

Ren looked up from the paper she'd pulled in front of her. "You were born a…?"

The girl nodded again. "Yeah. My parents raised me to be respectful of human life. After all, according to some legends, we originated from humans. The very first werewolves were cursed humans forced to live as the monsters they were acting like."

Feeling nauseated, Ren finished the instructions and handed them to the girl. "Well, that's what I know. There is a small store at the edge of town closer to the pack. If you get lost, stop in and ask them. They would probably know."

The girl looked down at the paper and smiled. "Thank you again. And I'm sorry if I frightened you."

She seemed genuinely nice enough. There were a few wolves from the pack who were friendly when they came in, but they still made Ren nervous. She smiled, though. "Maybe I'll see you around. If you like to read, we're the only bookstore around."

"I do like to read, so I will more than likely be back." She waved as she left the store.

Ren relaxed on the stool she'd collapsed on. Even though she'd lived around wolves all her life, they still made her uneasy. Especially the highly aggressive dominant wolves. They didn't seem to care if a woman said no. They took what they wanted, when they wanted. On that front, Jacob Black had made it an order to his wolves not to take unwilling partners. It was a law for them punishable by death at his or his enforcers' hands. The execution would be public so that the human residents had confirmation the menace was put down. She would know. She'd seen a handful of them herself over the past year or so that the pack had been here.

Another reason she was nervous around them? She could see them, as in tell them apart from humans even when they were trying to pass for human. It was like a flickering candle lit up in their skin, and she could see the wolf form silhouetted inside their human form. It was eerie as all get out. But it only worked on infected wolves. Not born wolves like Mindy, which was why she couldn't tell what she was.

Sighing, Ren put her head in her hands. At least Mindy was pleasant. It might be nice seeing her in the bookstore. Ren didn't have any friends. She was too busy helping her mom with the store. Besides, practically everyone came here so she still got to interact. What would it be like to have an actual friend? Weird, she decided. Very weird.

JPOV

Sitting on the throne in the huge cabin created just for special events and meetings, Jacob Black grinded his teeth. Surprisingly, they didn't turn to dust in his mouth. He was irritated that he had to be here at all, but the alpha female, Odette, had called the meeting. She was a vicious bitch trying to force him into finding a mate. She wanted to be his wolf mate, had fought and fucked her way to the top of the females, and had expected to be taken as his queen. He loathed the female though he respected her ferocity in challenges. He recognized the same ruthlessness in himself. Hence the reason he was king. However, mating her was off the table. He'd never mate with a female wolf. It was not a chance he wanted to take. He'd killed a lot of people, wolves, but the prospect of killing his own young was not one he wanted put in front of him. Instead, to slake his lust, he often took willing human females from one of the two towns at times that they weren't fertile. Young from any female wasn't something he needed right now. Not with Odette blowing smoke up his ass.

"Odette, give it up," Adair, Jacob's second in command, was saying. "This is a dead horse. Jacob will take a mate when he takes a mate. And you know it will be a human. So whether he decides to mate now, it will not be with you, so why are you bringing this up yet again?"

The small French woman faced him. "He could always take a female wolf. It's not unheard of. Besides, he's been our king for well over ten years. He's not getting any younger."

Jacob's hackles raised, but he let them duke it out. His second in command could handle himself and had always had Jacob's back since he took the throne.

Adair crossed his arms over his massive chest. "And just why would you care if he has any young? You can't bear them for him unless you want to be the one to kill them."

She flinched, pain making her hunch into herself. It had been a low blow, but Adair didn't stand down. He was simply reminding her what would happen if Jacob did mate her and she were to birth a young. Children born to male and female wolf couples were close to sociopaths, functioning solely on instinct. They were born in animal form and stayed that way for years. If they could manage to shift to human form, they would only look human. Those young couldn't or wouldn't take orders. Even ordered not to kill under penalty of death, they'd still go through their urges, seeing the humans as food even in their human forms. None of those young were still alive. They'd all been killed by their own parents. Which explained Odette's pain. All anyone knew was she'd had to put down her own son after getting pregnant by her wolf mate. Only the most ruthless and heartless wolves took wolf mates. Even though wolves could sense fertility in other animals, sometimes fate just happened and a young came along. Jacob wasn't so ruthless to be able to kill a child, his own or otherwise.

After a couple moments, Odette pulled herself together. Lifting her chin, she looked out at the crowd of a hundred or so wolves. "It's true that as alpha female, I naturally want the strongest mate, our king. What female wouldn't? But it's not just about that. Our king has been good to us since he became our king. Shouldn't we want to see him mated? See him have his young?"

Jacob's eyes narrowed. It wasn't like the female to be generous. She made no bones that she wanted to bed her king, so why was she pushing for that king to be mated when she knew it wouldn't be her?

Unfortunately, there were murmurs of agreement among the pack. A lot of agreement. Adair looked back at Jacob with raised eyebrows. Though Jacob was king and the pack wasn't a democracy, what his people thought and their views affected his decisions. He wanted what was best for them and constantly listened to their opinions and suggestions. He could tell that if they did put it to a vote for consideration, over half would agree with Odette that it was time for him to take a mate.

"Not only that," Odette continued, "but mating a female from this territory would strengthen the ties, make this more our home. Sure, there are a number of us who have taken life mates from here, but our king taking one would unify us even more. We've been here for well over a year, nearly two. And he wants to settle us here. We all seem to be okay, even happy, with that. If we're to stay here, we need to create ties. The pack has. Now, our king should."

Now a louder agreement rose up.

Adair stalked up the two steps of the dais to bend down next Jacob's ear. "I can't argue with the second part of her logic, my liege. She has a point."

"You haven't taken a mate," Jacob whispered back.

Adair gave a wry half smile. "This argument is about the king. The king, I am not. Merely the second in command. But should you order me to take a mate, of course, I will."

Jacob looked up at him with respect. Adair had been with him every second of the way since he'd joined the first pack, training him in the ways of the wolf. There had come a time when Jacob had saved Adair's life. When the other wolf had healed from his wounds, he'd vowed to follow Jacob wherever he went. And so he had. They'd jumped from pack to pack, finally landing in this one. They'd both fought their way to the top, Jacob taking on the previous pack leader and Adair taking the previous second in command, ensuring that Jacob would never be challenged again. Adair also played an enforcer when needed, but he didn't play leader. That was Zeke, who was currently standing back and to the right of the throne. The other enforcers were spread out among the pack.

Sitting back, he forced his expression blank. "Take one or don't. It makes no nevermind to me."

Adair lost his amused expression and bowed his head deference before stepping off the dais. Though he was the closest thing Jacob had to a friend, it didn't help him to show favoritism. Or to get close to anyone. The last time he did, it broke a part of him. He needed to protect what was left, otherwise he'd become the thing he'd killed to become king.

Standing up, he moved forward. "Silence," he called to the mingling pack. When they were calm, he looked out over the crowd. "It seems as though your alpha female has made valid points, one more so than the other. I have been your king for a decade and feel that I have ruled over you fair and just. You deserve to be given the safety you crave. Adair, send word out that tomorrow evening, the females of both the reservation and Forks should gather. I'll be choosing a mate tomorrow night."

As the pack cheered his decision, Jacob sat heavily on his throne once more thinking that maybe, just maybe, the weight of his crown would eventually crush what was left of his humanity.

RPOV:

"I just don't understand why I should have to look nice. If he picks me, it's against my will."

"Hush, Renesmee," she admonished as she finished tightening up the fastenings on her dress. Not quite a corset, but close. It had been special ordered by her aunt months ago, but she doubted she thought that this would be the occasion her dear niece would be wearing it for. "It would be a respectable position," she continued. "Do you know how many women want it? If you were picked, your father and I would never have to worry about you. If he picks you, then you will be willing. Do you understand? I'll not have my own daughter be the reason the pack punishes the entire town. We have a responsibility to them for their protection. You should be grateful."

Renesmee scoffed. "They're brutes, Mom. Even the females. I mean, have you seen the shape our men come back in after a night with them?"

Her mother turned her around to face her and started pulling her hair down and around her shoulders. "I've never heard one complain," she said with meaning.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's because they were probably threatened."

"I said, hush." Her mother's tone was crisp and sharp, indicating she was starting to get truly annoyed with her daughter. "So far, he and his pack have done nothing but protect us. What do you think the wall is for?"

There was a knock on the door. Dad. "It's time. All the others are gathering on the road. We're the last group to be looked over."

Like cattle, she thought to herself. Or slaves.

Her mother kissed her cheek. "It'll be fine, dear."

Ren walked away from her, not returning the sentiment. She stopped at her father's side in the doorway. "How can you be okay with this?"

His eyes turned regretful. He placed his hand on her cheek. "Ren, sweetie, it's not that I enjoy this. It's the price we have to pay for their protection. You know that. This is the only time the pack leader is choosing a mate. There's every chance it won't be you. This is a one-time thing unless the female dies."

With that pleasant thought, she roughly pulled away from her father and stomped down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she found that some of her bags had already been packed, just in case she was picked. A bad feeling clenched her stomach as she slid into her shoes. It didn't bode well. Whenever she'd gotten these feelings, they'd always turned out how she imagined them. Grinding her teeth, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and wrenched open the door. Luckily it wasn't raining, but it was a cool night. So cool that the breeze raised bumps on her skin. The skirts of her white dress fluttered around her legs as she went to join the line of other girls ranging in ages from mid-teens to late thirties. All willing females.

Yeah right. A lot of the young ones looked terrified. Of course they were. They'd probably been shoved into their dresses and forced out here just like she'd been. Probably had the same speech as well. None of these girls or women were attached. All were single, or at least not married.

The girl next to Ren was shaking uncontrollably, and something told her it wasn't the weather. Her name was Mary and lived not too far from here. Ren had seen her in the bookstore a lot. She was shy and quiet but always knew what she was looking for. Reaching over, Ren gripped the poor girl's hand, giving it a squeeze and what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

With the next breeze came whispers that the wolves were on their way. Girls lined both sides of the road, waiting. Mary gripped Ren's hand as if it were the only solid thing she had to grab in the ocean. Ren went up on her toes to try to see down the road. Something moved in the growing shadows. The alpha and his pack? Of course it was. A shudder and silence descended on the group as the tall, darkly handsome pack leader strode forward. He stopped at the beginning of the group, inspecting them all as one entity before narrowing his eyes. Honestly, he'd probably want a less dominant mate, one more easily controlled. He was a king, an alpha male. What male didn't want a submissive woman? Therefore, she made sure to keep her chin up, eyes away from the ground. As he came forward, she studied him. Again, he was handsome, looking no older than her own twenty years. But of course he was older. He'd been this pack's king for ten years, if the rumors were true. And he carried himself as an older, more experienced man might. A man who'd been through some shit only to come out the other side different, changed. Besides, he'd been infected as a teenager, so he had to be in his thirties, she guessed. After being infected, he would have had to have training, how to control the beast. Add a few more years of work experience to the resume and then the decade of kingship. Yep, thirties. Definitely.

He stopped at every female, closely inspecting her, but never touching. None of them would meet his eyes. At least he'd have his pick of females. And eventually, it was Ren's turn. She knew she was tall for a woman, five foot seven or so, but this mountain of a man towered over her. In his shadow, the air became cooler, making her shiver even more. Clenching her jaw, she held those shivers back by force of will and met his eyes defiantly. She wasn't weak. Never had been. Being a man's, human or otherwise, submissive toy was not on her to-do list. Under her glare, he cocked an eyebrow over his impossibly dark eyes that still managed to be brown instead of black. The most emotion she'd seen from him this whole time.

And then he couldn't seem to help his eyes skimming her body down to her feet and slowly back up before one more moment of eye contact. And then he was gone, quickly surveying the rest. Ren let out her breath and relaxed. Mary gave her hand a squeeze and a small smile. Looking back over her shoulder, she could see her parents waiting at the edge of the trees. Her father was frowning, clearly not happy that a man his age was checking out his daughter. Her mother just nodded once. Figured.

Still looking back, she saw the shadow cover her once more. Mary squeezed her hand urgently. Swallowing hard, Ren turned around to find the king standing before her once more. Her heart decided to take residence in her throat.

"How old are you?" he asked in a deep bass that rumbled in his chest.

Gulping, she answered, "Twenty."

He gave her another once over that she would swear she could feel like a finger being traced over her skin. A scorching finger. "And you're willing?"

She debated her answer, but in the end, she thought of her mother. And how right she was. Most of these other girls were terrified. Others were just horny and looking for a good piece of meat. This man was protecting them. What the hell had she been thinking, looking him in the eyes? Now it dawned on her that as king he'd want a strong mate for his mate. Someone who could handle the rowdiness of the pack. Dammit. She'd practically raised her hand, waved it, and said, "Pick me, pick me!"

But the man was waiting for an answer, so she took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm standing here, aren't I?"

He quirked that eyebrow again as the guy behind him choked on a laugh before hiding his grin.

She cleared her throat and said, "Yeah, I guess I am."

He gave one nod. "You, then."

Knees going weak, she forced herself to stand straight. No damn weakness. She couldn't let a poor girl like Mary end up with him. "I, uh, I need to get my bags."

"Adair will get them. You'll come with me." Then he turned back toward the road and walked off.

Immediately, the man who'd been laughing ran off behind her. Ren just stood there, looking around, things happening too fast for her to contemplate. The other women were moving away, either staying to talk about what just happened or going home disappointed.

"Now, female!" he barked.

She jumped before squeezing Mary's hand one last time. As she hurried down the street, she looked back at her parents. Her mother looked relieved, her father concerned. But he nodded to her as if proud, as if he'd known she'd accepted the position to protect the other girls. She'd always gotten along better with her father for precisely that reason. He knew her better than her mother ever would.

She hurried off until they were out of view and she caught up to his long-legged stride. "I have a name, you know."

He glanced over, seemingly uninterested.

"Renesmee, for future reference," she kept on. "Or Ren. Most people call me Ren."

He slowed down once they reached two massive males who looked positively terrifying. They each turned and followed as she and Jacob passed them. She couldn't help but keep an eye over her shoulder for the menace pouring from them. Now she let some of those shivers free, raising more goosebumps up and down her arms and legs.

Absently, he looked over at her. "You're cold."

Perfect. She could use that instead of letting him know that Thing One and Thing Two terrified her. It also helped that it was true. Lying to a werewolf was a bad idea. "Ya think? It's freezing out here and I'm not one of you. I don't have my own space-heater. Besides, there aren't any clouds out tonight to keep the warmth in."

Awkwardly, he wrapped a heavy arm around her shoulders. Where his skin touched her neck, it burned. But in a good way, like hot water in the shower. Her skin tightened with the feeling. And surprisingly, the warmth spread to cover her entire body.

"Thanks," she said.

He just grunted.

Since it didn't seem like he was going to say anything else, she asked, "So, how does this work exactly?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, do we go to Pack HQ, have a small ceremony, and then I get to go back home until it's time to…you know 'mate'?" This was best case scenario. She was praying for best case scenario. Because that would give her some time to get used to the idea that she was going to have to sleep with a guy who was her father's age. Blech.

Frowning, he shook his head. "No. Well, we do go back to the camp and have a ceremony. But it won't be for a couple days so you can adjust. But you don't go home, Renesmee. I picked you. You're mine. Therefore, you stay with me."

Her heart was back in her throat as panic started to choke off her air. Being impressed with the fact that he'd remembered her name after hearing it only once wasn't enough to calm it. "You mean live with you? And the pack?"

He nodded gruffly. "And we're to 'mate' after the ceremony. The union has to be cemented."

Well there went her plan of getting used to the idea. In only a couple days, she was going to lose her virginity to this man, this…brute. That's what she had to remember. He was the king. The most aggressive and violent of the entire pack. Would he be gentle with her? What if he didn't care that she was untouched? He was huge, which meant that there was no way Mother Nature had been so cruel as to not endow him to match his frame.

As Jacob led her toward the camp, the other male, Adair, came running up to them, her bags in his hands. Shrugging out from the arm that had become uncomfortably warm and tight, she went for the bag that had her jacket in it. Pulling it out with relief, she tugged it on, reveling in the familiar scent of mint and honey, the scent of her shampoo. Jacob and Adair spoke in low tones, leaving her lost in her thoughts. For the rest of the walk, all she could think about was what was going to happen to her in a couple days. She'd never even been kissed before, let alone all Jacob had implied was going to happen.

Off the main road was a dirt path. It was partially concealed. The wolves liked their privacy. Nobody went onto their land without being invited unless it was the police like Ren's maternal grandfather, Charlie, who was Chief of Police in Forks. The dirt path had two ruts in it from vehicles going back and forth. It was slick and muddy from the earlier rain. Every time she slid in her flimsy shoes, one of the large men behind her would steady her. In the dark with no streetlights, these woods were creepy, and she could swear that she felt eyes on her, even saw them in the dark shadows before disappearing. She moved closer to Jacob. Eventually, they made it to a large fence with a wide gate. Jacob pulled her close to him again.

"Hey, just because I volunteered for this doesn't mean you get to manhandle me. Get off." She pushed at him but he just tightened his grip around her waist.

Growling, he pulled her tight to the side of his body and leaned down to her ear. "I am your king now and this is your home now. Period. But that doesn't mean there won't be aggressive wolves waiting to see what sort of fresh meat I've brought back. Stay close to me and you just might make it to my cabin."

Eyes thrown wide, she jerked back to stare up at him. His eyes were utterly serious. "You can't protect me?"

At that, his growl grew. "Of course I can. But if you don't stay close to me, we could get separated. If that happens, I might get to you too late."

Dammit. She knew she should have found a way to attach her silver-bladed dagger to her body somewhere. Her uncle had given it to her as a birthday present. Silver was expensive, and made into a blade? A small fortune.

Jacob's fingers dug into her hip. "Do you understand?"

Shaking again, she nodded. "Yeah. Roger that."

Adair opened the gate and in they went. Ren gripped Jacob's shirt, making sure her body moved with his. As soon as they were through the thick trees, she gasped at the huge clearing with several cabins. Groups of wolves walked and talked, gathering around fires outside of some of the cabins. In the center of everything, a bonfire burned like a giant monster rising from the wood and brush keeping it going. At their entrance, the groups went quiet, watching them with stony expressions. She gasped as her "gift" got its groove on. With her eyes scanning the wolves, several lit up here and there, showing that eerie glow and silhouette dance of human flesh and wolf within. She gripped his shirt tighter but still met their eyes. She was scared but not weak. One of the females snarled, lips curling over her sharpening teeth. Ren was positive she'd seen her before in the store. Her name was Odette. And with her breaking the eerie silence, other wolves started to move toward them, trying to get a good look at Ren. As they moved closer and closer, Jacob moved faster, practically dragging her along the dirt path. The big guys behind them were ordering the other wolves back and not to touch her.

Without incident, they finally made it to what was easily the largest cabin other than one that seemed to be a gathering hall. Jacob unlocked and opened the door, ushering her inside before taking her bags from Adair. Once the door was closed and locked, she breathed easier and was able to look around at her surroundings. The living room, one huge room that had the kitchen in the corner separated by a bar and bamboo sheet curtain, was utterly cold. Sparsely furnished. And what was there was all in cold colors. A couch and plush chair sat in front of the massive fireplace, which was cold at the moment. Wrapping her arms around herself, all she could think about was how different this was than her own home.

But wait. This was her home now.

Spinning around, she faced Jacob, who was leaning against the door, silently watching her. "Earlier you said that I couldn't go back home. Does that mean I can't even visit my parents? I mean, I still have to get the rest of my stuff. And what about the bookstore? My mother can't run that by herself. She doesn't understand how I've set it up or anything."

Those dark eyes narrowed. "The pack can get your stuff. As for visiting your parents, of course, I'll allow that. But not often and not immediately. I don't want you to think you can slowly move out and spend all your time there. You belong here now. And the store? Your father can help your mother. No mate of mine will ever have to work. We have the funds for you to buy whatever you wish, no working necessary."

"But-,"

"No 'buts', female."

Indignant, she crossed her arms over her chest. "You really think you can just start controlling my life and I'll go with that? I am not a door mat. I won't let you walk all over me."

Before she could even blink, he was on her, gripping her hips. Turning them around, he forced her against the wall. Bending down, he put his nose to the side of her neck and inhaled deeply. "I can smell your fear, female. You may have been willing, but you know what we are, how dangerous we are. You would be wise to remind yourself of who and what I am. I am the king of this territory and you are now my mate." He moved so that his lips hovered just over hers. "So, yes, I control your life. Do you understand?"

Swallowing hard, she nodded but said, "That doesn't mean I have to like it."

As fast as he was on her, he moved off her, picking up her bags. Breathing ragged, she watched as he went for the stairs across the way. "I would imagine you don't, a strong female like you. But whether you like it or not, you will do as I say because I doubt you'll like the consequences far less than obeying in the first place." He got to the middle of the staircase before turning to her. "Well, do you want to see where you'll be sleeping? I can sense your exhaustion."

Irritated, she followed him. As she followed him up the stairs, she had to admit that he did have a nice ass, even through his baggy jeans. To the right of the top of the stairs was an overhanging balcony that looked out over the living room, kitchen and dining area in the far corner. It was a huge space, but there were no cobwebs or dust that she could detect up in the darkness of the ceiling. The stairs opened up to a large hallway with doors on both sides. Just how many rooms did this building have? It was more like a hotel than a house.

She followed Jacob's broad shoulders down to the last room on the right. He led her through the largest door, one fit for a king. Shocking. It was actually double doors, intricately carved, heavy wooden doors. Shouldering on open, he stood to the side, letting her go inside in front of him.

Holy crap, she thought. Like the living room, it was sparsely decorated, typical bachelor pad. But what had her gaping was the huge bed against the left-hand wall. Way bigger than king size. Now she understood the term orgy-sized. The walls were painted a deep, dove grey. The sheets and blankets on the bed were black. Of course they were. The carpet under her feet was plush and a few shades darker than the walls. Two doors also framed the bed. One she assumed was a closet, the other a bathroom. Two huge armoires stood against the wall across from the bed, framing another door. There was no TV or other means of entertainment in the bedroom. He meant it for sleeping…or other activities.

Moving past her, he went to drop her bags in front of one of the armoires. He opened the doors to show that it was empty. The mirrors in the doors threw her startled reflection back at her. She was pale against the white dress, her copper hair the only splash of color against her skin. Even her freckles had paled. Lips and eyes were dull. She probably needed some food, but right now, she just couldn't muster up the energy to be hungry.

"This one is yours," he said. "There's also room in the closet for when your stuff arrives."

"I don't get my own room?"

Silently, he shook his head.

"So, does that mean that we have to…share a bed?"

Longer than she wanted, he stared at her, studying her face before roaming her body again. Then he jerked his head toward the mystery door. "Look in there." It wasn't a request.

So she did as she was told. It was a small order, nothing life threatening. It ended up that there was an entertainment room on the other side. Directly across the way was another plush couch, bigger than the one in the living room. In front of that was the fireplace. Above the mantle was a massive flat screen television. On the mantle was the cable box and dvd player. On the left-hand wall were two floor to ceiling bookshelves that were lined with movies and games. Looking back into the bedroom she found that yes, she'd looked over the massive picture window that was covered by thick black drapes. Apparently, the man was allergic to color. Well, since he was adamant about her living here, Ren would just have to fix that, because she was certainly not allergic to color.

"You said unlimited funds, right?" she asked over her shoulder.

He nodded.

She smiled brightly. "Good."

Those dark eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Waving it away, she went back to join him in the bedroom. "So why did you make me look in there after asking if we were sharing a bed?"

"Because even though you're willing, I suspect that this is all overwhelming. I wanted you to know that you have a place to escape. If the doors are closed while you're in there, I will know to give you your space. It's a big adjustment."

Gee, ya think? she thought. But then she noticed he hadn't said anything about sleeping separately. "Wait a minute, we still have to sleep in the bed?"

His expression tightened, going rigid. "Yes," he bit out. "Couches are not for sleeping on, especially that one. You will sleep in the bed with me, as is custom."

"Okay. Well then I guess my next question would be is it custom to…you know, before the ceremony?"

Between one second and the next, the rigidity was gone. He was once again stoic as he went to the bed and sat down, pulling off his boots. "You know, for a dominant female you sure have an aversion to the words 'sex' and 'fucking'."

Her body tensed, both wanting his answer to her question and not. But she crossed her arms under her breasts and glared at him. As a virgin with no friends, she had no reason to use that kind of language with her parents. Apparently, that wasn't the case with this man. "Fine," she snapped. "Is it custom to fuck before the ceremony?"

His hand stopped unlacing his other boot as he looked up at her from under surprised eyebrows. Using the pad of his other foot against the heel, he kicked off the other boot while never taking his eyes off her. "No," he said, finally. "I am not to take that liberty beforehand."

"Liberty?" she demanded, unable to believe she was hearing this.

He gave her a look. "Yes, liberty. I picked you as my mate, which means mating will be involved." Standing up he came to tower over her. "Don't forget that I am the king. I can take what I want. Once the ceremony is complete, you will be mine to do with as I see fit. And the pack will need evidence that the union has been consummated."

Horror washed over her as an image of members of the pack standing in this room watching him do with her as he saw fit flashed in her mind. Bile rose up in her throat, threatening to burn her. "E-evidence?" she choked out.

He motioned behind him. "The sheet. It will have our scents and mixed fluids. The elder females will take it to be put with other…collectables…attesting to my reign as king for the records. And you as my mate."

"Collectables?" she demanded. Now that pissed her off. Her virginity wasn't something to be locked away to be studied and stared at. It actually meant something to her. "Really? Is that all this is to you? To add trophies to your chapter in the history books? This is my life you're messing with, you-,"

In the blink of an eye, he was on her once more, forcing her against the wall. His big hands came up to either side of her face as he leaned his massive frame into her. With a low growl, he said, "Don't ever presume to tell me about my own motives. You know nothing about pack ways. Trophies are not my interest. I didn't want a mate, so don't flatter yourself that you're here because of some instant connection or your bravery. You're here because you were the strongest female out there. Don't think that you are in any way important to me. After the ceremony, we will fuck so don't think you can smartass yourself out of that one. It has to be done. I won't dishonor my pack by skirting around your delicate sensibilities." After a long moment of staring her down, his eyes went to her breasts and the ample cleavage showing above her dress. "Although I can at least say the act won't be as distasteful as it could have been with some of the other females. At least I know I'll enjoy it. But don't worry," he said, catching her look of fear, "I promise to make sure you're ready for me." He dropped his hands to her shoulders. "Now turn around."

"Why?" she asked in a breathy voice. She was forced to turn with his steel-like grip on her shoulders forced her to move.

"Like I said earlier, I can sense your exhaustion. You need sleep." It was a moment before she felt his fingers start to untie the lacings of her tight dress.

Gasping, she clutched her hands to her chest as the dress loosened. "What are you doing?"

He growled. "Do you want to sleep in the dress?"

"No, but I can take it off myself, thanks." Asshole.

"Just shut up and let go of it."

"But you said-,"

His fist slammed into the wall next to her face. "I'm aware of what I said," he said with a snarl. "And though I can't have you yet, I am allowed to look at what's to be mine. Drop your hands and the dress. Now!"

Though she wanted nothing more than to cower with fear, she swallowed it down. Clenching her jaw, she moved her hands to her sides. Jacob brushed the straps of the dress over her shoulders so it dropped around her to pool at her feet. She was in a simple white bra with half cups to accommodate the dress and white lace panties. Instead of hunching in on herself, she stood straight, square shoulders, and stared at the wall.

This time when he growled, it was low and warm, as if he couldn't help the sound coming out of him. He picked up the heavy weight of her long hair to rest it over her shoulder. A moment later, she felt his hot fingers skim down her back over the line of her spine, right down to the waist of her panties. Never had any boy or man ever touched her like this. The most was a shake of the hand and kiss on the cheek. Jacob was a lot of man, even without the wolf. He was an aggressive male, nothing passive about him. He could indeed take what he wanted, even if he was human. Every woman would gladly strip for him to touch them this way. Ren was the lucky lotto winner this time. However, she didn't know if she wanted her prize. She hadn't been lying when she'd thought that he was terrifying. With surprisingly gentle hands, he gripped her shoulders and turned her around. Luckily her hair was fanned out across her chest covering her barely covered breasts. Daring a look up at him, she found that his eyes had darkened to black, amber starting to leak over as he studied her. It was his turn to swallow hard. Unfortunately, standing there in nothing but her underwear, it was easy to feel small under that gaze.

He swallowed again before rubbing his fingers over his mouth. And then he turned, hurrying for the bathroom around the other side of the bed. The door closed firmly behind him. She breathed out a sigh of relief and let the tension go from her body. Wanting to not be so revealing, she shut off the lights, welcoming the darkness to wrap around her. Now that he wasn't all up in her space, she was freezing. So, she pulled the black comforter down from the pillows and climbed into the cool sheets, yanking the blankets to her shoulders. On her side, she rested so that she faced the bedroom door, her back to the bathroom where he would come out.

While he was out of the room, she pressed her face into the plush pillow and allowed herself a few silent tears. She kept reminding herself that she was doing her duty. Not for the reasons her mother made up, but for those girls. The girls like Mary. Ren was a dominant person, she knew that. She didn't take crap from people. Her Uncle Jasper had been in the military and had seen to it that she could take care of herself. Although her training hadn't really been for defending against werewolves, but at least she knew the basics and could work from there if she needed. But it wasn't as if other women couldn't handle the position. So why did she feel like she needed to do it? Because he'd picked her? If she hadn't been forced out on that road, he would have picked the next dominant female that he was attracted to. Probably someone much closer to his age. But again, why didn't he skip her and go to the next woman? Well, that was obvious. He was very attracted to her. It was a little creepy because he was so much older, but at the same time, Ren couldn't deny that she was attracted to him. He was everything a woman could want. Strong, sexily dominant. It also helped that he was a looker. Built like a mountain. Tall with broad shoulders. Naturally tanned skin since he was from the rez. Pitch black hair and dark brown eyes. Muscles in all the right places. Jacob Black was every woman's wet dream. Until he became scary.

Behind her, the bathroom door opened. Trying to be nonchalant, she wiped the tears from her face as the bed dipped on his side. Of course, the bed was big enough, and she was on the edge on her side, that it barely jostled her. She frowned when she felt him move, and then the heat at her back. He also picked up a lock of her hair, inhaling deeply, hinting that he'd lifted it to his nose. Then he leaned up and reached over her to turn out the lamp on the bedside table. Complete darkness surrounded them. She stayed tense, taking shallow breaths, convinced he was going to try to cop a feel or something despite his words of no touching. Minutes passed without incident before she finally took a deep breath. His breaths were deep and even, but he did snore a little. Rolling partially onto her back, she studied him. No moonlight came through the thick curtains, so she had to wait for her eyes to adjust a bit more. Asleep, he was much less scary. The tension left his body. No lines at his eyes or mouth. Those perfect lips partly opened instead of pressed into a tight line. The skin between his brows was smooth instead of pulled down into a scowl. Like this, he was incredibly handsome, almost normal.

But that didn't change anything. Tomorrow, he'd just go back to the fierce king he'd been today.

Lying back down, Ren asked herself if she thought she'd ever get used to it. Unfortunately, there wasn't a voice that could give her a sure answer.

Okay so this isn't all I have written. This is just a piece of what I wanted to present for inspection. Another thing I didn't mention up top was that I'm obviously trying my hand at writing in third person so if you see any "I, me, or my" I apologize. I'm new to third person. Again, I would love feedback on whether I should continue this! Thanks!