Meadow’s p.o.v. “Where did that mind of yours go, Meadow?” Makay asks when I look at him. “I called your name a few times, but you didn’t respond at all. I was so far away in thought that I didn't hear Makay call out my name and he had to shake my arm to get my attention. “Back in school.” I answer Makay and for a moment he just stares at me. “We were just discussing the difference between an order and a warning and your thoughts go back to school, that doesn’t make any sense to me.” Makay replies. “I was remembering a discussion I heard when I was in school, it was on a similar topic. This was a discussion started by one of the teachers, he apparently overheard the conversation or a remark on females being able to defend themselves. I don’t remember who the students were, if they were both males or a male and a female. What I do remember is that both of them had very strong opinions and one of them even mentioned rejecting their fated Mate if she wanted to run border patrol. I have tried to understand that opinion for many years, but no matter how I turn it, I can’t see how to find a valid argument for someone to reject their fated mate just because she wants to protect her pack.” I say to Makay. I know that Makay’s problem is with a mated female that fights, preferably on the front lines. I know it is a cheap shot, but I want to understand where his attitude is coming from. What triggered it? “I believe that our Goddess sometimes makes a mistake when she pairs two Shifters together, not every male wants a Mate that goes looking for danger.” Makay says as he gets up and before I can respond he is out of my room and he has closed the door behind him. What the hell was that about? No one in their right mind goes looking for danger and gender has nothing to do with it.I always take every precaution I can to guarantee my safety and that of my team members, I don’t run off without a solid plan and the right person in the right position. Makay has seen how my team operates, he knows that we don’t run off halfcocked. Maybe this is part of the problem for Makay, he might feel as if he is forced to accept his Mate while he has no idea what type of person she is. Makay might be one of the few Shifters who dislike how the Mate-bond works. You meet your Mate on a Full Moon, the pull towards one another is there and you are marked and mated by the time the sun comes up. I have always assumed that our Goddess knows what she is doing and maybe on the day I find my second chance Mate I will change my mind, but at the moment I need to believe that the Goddess paired me with Rufus for a reason. Maybe the Goddess needed me to leave the territory, maybe she wanted me to find out the truth about my Mother and for River to get confronted with the past. There are so many things the Goddess could have planned for me and without Rufus taking Stella as his Mate, I would have stayed in Gold Moon Pack. Damn, why did my mind have to wander in that direction? There isn’t much I miss about Gold Moon territory, except for my friends and our private training field. The only place in the territory that holds happy memories for me, I learned some of my best moves there and I had the perfect sparring partners to practice with. I miss the late night talks I had with Brooklyn or the cooking classes I got from Madison, the fashion tips I got from Dakota, not that I use them much, or the make-up lessons from Florence. They are my family by choice and so are their Brothers. Will I ever have that kind of a relationship with River? Or did our Father do more damage than meets the eye? Do I even want a relationship with River? Yes, to the last question. I do want a relationship with my big Brother and from what Alpha Lincoln told me so does River. “Let’s go see Uncle Major. Talk to him, maybe he can help you to find some answers.” Rebel says in my head. I have barely set foot in his territory when I get knocked over by Arion, he stands over me with his head lowered and I cover my face with my arms when I see his intention. “No, Arion.” I growl softly, but it is too late and I feel his tongue lick my arm from the elbow to the wrist. “Eww, that is gross. Don’t do that again, Arion.” I say with my arms still covering my head, not that it helps much because Arion pushes his snout between my arm and my neck. His drool sliding from the front of my neck to the back of my neck and I feel disgusted by the feeling. Rebel starts growling at Arion, but it seems to encourage him to continue with his assault and a second later I feel his fur tickling me under my nose. So, instead of getting angry with Arion or Uncle Major, I have tears rolling down my face from laughter. Dawson used it on me every time I bested him during our training sessions, he hated it when I was able to dodge him in Human against Shifter training. And again my mind is back in Gold Moon territory, but at least these are happy memories. Arion feels the shift in my mood and I hear him whine softly next to my ear, he doesn’t like my sadness. “Meadow, Sweetheart. Are you okay?” I hear Uncle Major asking through our mind-link. “I am fine, I just got reminded of Dawson and how his Lycan would do this if I had beat them during training. Most of my childhood memories aren’t good or happy, but my family by choice has replaced a lot of those memories.” I tell Uncle Major and Arion.“I came here to talk to you about your Nephew, River.” I say, before I tell him about the conversation I had with Alpha Lincoln and Beta Lennox.