She Dances with Wolves

Chapter One

Katherine's POV

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I didn't feel it at first, but I did feel the kick of her foot as Tia Brown went past me during practice that day. It wasn't until the first drops of blood hit the ice that I felt how deep her blade actually got me and I fell down screaming. I've felt pain before then, it happens when you train from an early age and aim to go to the world stage of the ice skating world. The pain of training, the pain of falling, the pain of practice, and even the pain of breaking in new skates. But that, that was a different class of pain as I grabbed at my calf of my left leg. Tia was grabbed right away as others rushed to my side. I barely remember the ride in the ambulance to the hospital that thankfully wasn't that far away. Apparently, she barely missed my artery but got a major muscle. The doctor said I would be lucky to walk properly again but that my days on the ice were over.

        My whole world shattered then and there at those words. The one thing I wanted to do with my life and to get out of the family business was taken away from me. My rival Tia was banned from all ice rinks, competitions of all levels, and even from the Olympics themselves. They don't mess around with the kind of actions that she took but it didn't matter what they did to her, it would never give me my leg back. I've got a nasty scar on my calf now from where she cut me, and I wear long pants and leggings even in the warmer months just to hide it from everyone. Especially from my family as my mother still chokes up after three years whenever she sees it. I'm twenty now and this all went down when I was just seventeen, ready to perform my best at the competition that would name the American stars for the upcoming Olympics.

        My coach offered to pay my way to go this year so I can be there to watch but it's not the same. So here I am sitting behind the counter of the front desk waiting for the large group that bought up all the rooms for the week to show up while watching the opening ceremony on a little tv. Apparently, this same group does this every four years like clockwork. They buy up all the rooms for the week and split them up between girls and boys. They start off separated, but after one night they start to intermingle and some leave as couples. I always missed it before because I was doing a competition in another town or state. And they are always younger people from their late teens to the early twenties according to my older brother.

        My family business you ask? Well, Rodger's family were once a very well-off family owning a large mansion and land close to the mountains in Georgia. Then the 1920s economy bubble burst and they decided early on to turn their stately home into a hotel. It's an old-fashioned place on the outside with all the modern comforts on the inside. The pale grey stones were piled high to create the fancy, five-story tall mansion with four white marble columns that frame the front door. The first floor has all the family rooms, the kitchen, dining hall, theater room, and the back door leads to the large pool area and garden. The garden was modeled after the gardens of the Chateau de Villandry with stain glass-like work of hedges surrounding different colored flower beds with a gazebo in the center of it all. And beyond the garden were the woods with a few trails going through just part of them. The next four floors are all guest rooms with the King and Prince Suites at the top. The basement holds the laundry room and wine cellar. The front lobby has a grand staircase that leads up to the second floor with the original red carpet hugging the dark wood steps. And there I was sitting at the oak and marble countertop desk with the oldfashioned mailbox style slots with room keys behind me.

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Randolph's POV

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        I'm sitting in the back of the pack's car with my soon-to-be beta Edward driving at the wheel. My father's beta is in the back with me as I just stare blankly at my phone. "Now Randolph, I know this is your third time at the Full Moon Blessing but please have hope. There is a new batch of young ladies here this time and I'm sure your mate will be among them."

        I just roll my eyes at his comment because that is what he said four years ago. "Whatever you say, Phil," I sighed before going back to my phone looking at the picture of all the she-wolves that posted pictures of the big event we are all going to.

        The Full Moon Blessing is a ceremony that was started back about a hundred years ago, right around the 1920s I think when it started to become harder and harder for wolves to find their mates. The elders came up with the idea that young wolves from all the packs get together in one location to make finding their mate easier. And it worked, for the most part. There is still the odd number of wolves that go on without finding a mate and this has been my luck as of late.

        She'll be here this time, Fenrir growls in the back of my mind.

        Well, she better be worth the god damn eight-year wait then, I retorted back.

        All mates are worth the wait, and you'll be happy to see her.

        I just shook my head before looking up at the grand hotel as we pulled into the driveway. Phil checked himself and me in at the counter as I talked with Edward. He found his mate four years ago so he couldn't stay with me. Phil was there as acting alpha to kick off the ceremony tomorrow night. Plus, to make sure that all the rules are followed by the young and horny wolves. After getting the key I go up to the king suite alone as I'm the only male alpha's child here this time around. The suite took up half of the floor with a living area separated from the master bedroom and then the master bathroom having not just a tub large enough to fit six but those same six could shower together in the open-air shower. That's right, no wall or frosted door to divide between the shower and everywhere else. The carpet was a lush, midnight blue followed by pale, bluish-grey walls. The four-poster, king-sized bed was made from what looked to be cherry as both sheer and navy curtains are draped down and tied to the posts. All the furniture was either navy blue with silver or grey accents to them, cherry wood, or grey marble. The same was said of the living area with sunken floors where the couches sit. So if I didn't watch my step one morning I could fall flat on my face trying to leave the room in a hurry. There is nothing scheduled until dinner so I decided to put my things away before crashing onto the ridiculously soft bed for a quick nap.