"Holy shit, Emma. It's like we walked in on one of those old shows your dad watches. The Twilight Zone or some shit."

Kate whispered the words into Emma's ear as they all sat around a large table to eat. There really was no need to whisper, no one would have heard her if she'd shouted it.

The large picnic table was full of people, a celebratory dinner was being held in honor of their arrival.

After their initial greeting Elam, the very tall, blonde man who had first welcomed them on the rise just outside of the small village, had led them down the hill and into this large clearing. A few huge, obviously handmade, wooden picnic tables stood in the clearing, surrounding a bon fire.

Emma knew they were handmade, because she'd never seen store-bought picnic tables this large before. They were built to hold tall, muscular people, and lots of them.

People packed most of the tables, and a few large wolves were also in attendance, walking around, mingling with everyone like this was an everyday occurrence.

Looking around, Emma guessed that for them at least, it was.

Even her dad seemed comfortable here, laughing and talking with people, like a wolf hadn't turned into a man right in front of them, just a few minutes ago.

"We've been waiting for you. Father probably won't be joining us. He's not doing well." Elam spoke that part to Henry as they all settled into a place around the table, and then turned to the girls to explain.

"Thomas, our Alpha and my father, is old. He ordered a welcome celebration for your arrival, but I'd be surprised if he put in an appearance. My brother, Galen, went to let him know you've arrived."

"Your brother?" Kate asked him. "Does that mean you can do what he did? Change into a wolf?"

Elam answered her question, but his eyes were locked on Emma instead.

"Yes, I am a wolf as well. Most of us are." He looked Emma over as he answered Kate, his eyes taking in everything about her.

"Is he seeing anyone?"

At that question, Elam's eyes did swing to Kate.

"Galen? Is he...? Oh, I understand. Yes, he is seeing a few of the females, but he is not mated yet. So if you meant is he still available, yes he is."

"He's never...mated...before? Is that what you call it out here? He's a little old to be a virgin, isn't he? And a little too hot, as well."

Elam laughed out loud at Kate's comment, throwing his head back with confident, genuine amusement.

"Well, you would certainly give him a run for his money. Galen is no virgin, trust me. He is next in line to be Alpha, though. And, with Thomas's health, that might happen sooner than later. No, he has lain with females before. He just hasn't, how do you humans say...committed. No one carries his mark. He needs to choose relatively soon, though. Thomas isn't long for this world, and we prefer our Alpha's mated. We need cubs to continue the line. I'm sure he will choose soon."

Kate seemed like she was about to ask what the position of mate consisted of, but Henry jumped in first.

"It has been decided, then? There will be no challenge?"

Elam answered, "I hope not. I'm not really interested in a challenge. But, no it has not been decided, just...assumed."

Elam then turned his attention toward Emma.

"Has your father told you much about us?"

"No. Nothing really. He has never been willing to talk about my mother. I've asked, but... And he has certainly never mentioned this place before."

Elam raised an eyebrow at Henry, a million questions burned in his eyes.

"Reine wished it this way." Henry said, speaking of Emma's mother.

Elam just nodded, slow and thoughtful.

"Reine. That is a name not often mentioned around here, until lately. Lately, it has been spoken often, as the cub is approaching her second decade. Has she...?"

"No." Her father answered, his voice firm.

Something in his tone made Emma look hard at him. What had that meant? The cub, approaching...?

"Wait, you mean me? I'm the cub? Does that mean that mom was a wolf as well?"

"Oh, she was not just a wolf. Oh no, she was the wolf. Really, Henry? She knows nothing of her heritage?"

Someone brought over a fresh hunk of meat from the spit revolving over the fire, plopping it onto the large serving plate in the middle of their small group and continuing on.

"So, you cook your meat?" Emma asked, changing the subject, not quite sure she was ready to hear what the wolf meant, in relation to either her mother, or herself.

Elam smiled at her, sending flashes of heat running through her body at the direct eye contact. She tried to shake it off as nerves, since nothing about roasted meat should have made him look at her with quite the intensity he had in his eyes as he answered her.

"Yes, we cook our meat. At least, we do when we are feasting in human form. My wolf form though, does appreciate a fresh, raw kill. We also grow vegetables, and we bring in other things, milk and sugar and such. It's not all dead deer, all the time."

He seemed like he was about to say something else, but was interrupted when a low, feminine voice spoke.

"This is Reine's cub? I knew she had a female, but no one said she was so..." She said it dismissively, with a quick, fluttery wave of her hand.

If Emma had had hackles, they would have risen at the tone in the woman's voice.

Before Emma could respond, the woman turned on Henry.

"You didn't sire any others, you and Reine? Ah, I guess it is just as well then, that she left. I mean, could you imagine? This pup as..?"

"Why do you speak to my father this way?" Emma stood as she spoke, unfolding herself from the table and facing the woman.

The woman came to Emma's chest, a small slip of a thing. Emma expected her to shrink under her gaze, as most women did once she pulled herself up to her full height.

But she didn't shrink. In fact, she did the opposite. The tiny, rude little woman faced Emma with righteous indignation, but continued to speak to Henry as she stared Emma down.

"I see you didn't teach the whelp any manners, Henry. Why am I not surprised?"

With a disgusted sigh, the woman gave Emma the once over, which would have been comical to watch from afar, the petite fury bowed up to someone twice her size, and then with a dismissive shake of her head, the woman walked away.

Emma watched her wind her way through the crowd, around tables, through men and beasts twice her size. As she disappeared into the crowd Emma noticed that everyone, the entire crowd, was watching her, not the woman who had insulted not only her, but her father and mother as well, all in one very quick confrontation.

She met all of their eyes, in turn, wondering why she was the one being looked at like she had done something wrong.

Slowly, everyone turned back to their meals and their conversations, and Emma sat back down, confused and angry.

"Who in the hell does she think she is, talking to us like that?" She addressed the table as a whole, and her small group, specifically.

"That would be Ziva. Thomas, the Alpha's, mate." Henry answered, quietly.

Elam added, looking at Emma with a wry smile and another heated gaze, "And my mother."