Raised By The Wolves

Chapter Five

***Ezra's POV***

I am getting ready for the tour of the new hospital in the small town in New Moon Forest. I wonder what the name of the town is. It reminds me of the Twilight movies. Ugh that just makes me cringe. I hope Hera is nothing like Kristen/Bella. 

What am I talking about? Why am I worried about what she is like? I am supposed to just be going to view the hospital. Talk to the doctors and nurses. Check the equipment. I need to get this stupid haze in my head together. 

Levi just walked through the front door of my house. He is always dressed to steal someone's girlfriend. Dark black jeans, a deep grey t-shirt and his front laced boots. I told him the town was in a forest so I guess he is trying go for the rugged outdoorsman feel. Literal eye rolls are happening now. 

I decided on some dark grey slacks and dress shoes with a black dress shirt. I want to keep my golden brown hair a little loose. I have the sides of my hair shaved and the top of my hair a little long. I usually keep it slicked back but today I am letting is loose. That usually catches eyes.. Deep green eyes don't help either. I don't know why I care so much about how I am looking right now. I think I just want to impress the mayor of this small town so if she expands she can use our services again. Yeah that's probably it.

We get into Levi's black Toyota Tacoma. He had everything blacked out in it and it makes it look sleek. He said living next to the forest you should always have an off road vehicle to get around in. Especially, if you want any late night woods romances. 

We pull up to the entrance of the forest. Hera sent me a text this morning letting me know how to enter and that when I did enter we would be escorted in. Pretty professional but also kind of weird for a small town that ISN'T a cult. 

We made it to a long winding dirt road and started heading down and just as she promised we were stopped by a vehicle. Two huge guys jump out. One could've easily been a bear in my opinion. Big broad guy, with deep black hair but cool blue eyes. Covered in tattoos. In that sense we would match. I have two full sleeves of tattoos. Along with a few on my torso and my back. 

The other guy was still just as huge but with a little longer sandy blonde hair and the bangs were swept out of his face. They curled a little at the ends. They kind of remind me of how we all used to wear our hair as teenagers. With the flips underneath our hats like the bull riders we knew. This guy was just as big as the other one just a bit thinner. Not by much though. These two could probably take us both on. I mean we wouldn't make it easy for them but I don't think we would win. Not like we used to. 

Now we are hot shot business men who have our lawyers handle everything. Man we need to get back to our roots. They instructed us to follow behind them. We pulled up to a huge tent in the middle of a wide opened grassy field. The sun hasn't set yet but it's getting ready to start going down. It's casting a beautiful light over the field and accentuating the tree line and the houses lined up around the tree line. I see the hospital in the distance and wondered why we were made to stop here. 

 "Hey, where can I find Mayor Hera?" I asked the blonde one he seemed easier to talk to. The black haired guy heard me and scoffed with an eyeroll. What is his problem?

"She will be out here shortly. May I ask who you are?" Oh he must be her boyfriend or something. That kind of made my blood boil within me... What the f*ck is wrong with me?

"Sorry, I don't have my manners. My name is Ezra Cohen. I am the CEO of Cohen United Services. This is my bestfriend and C.O.O. Levi Blackwater." We stuck our hands out to both guys and they hesitantly shook them hesitantly.

"I am Rhett, and that is Damion. We are sort of like the body guards of the mayor." They both stifled a laugh.

"Yeah right man, like she needs one. At this point she'd kick both of our a*ses. hahahaha." The big one doubled over laughing. It was funny watching such a huge guy laugh. I mean he was big all over. We were all about the same height, and we were all pretty muscular. But Damion had us all beat.

"Man I gotta say, you could pass as a bear in these woods! You're huge man." Me and Levi and Rhett all busted into a fit of laughter. 

"That's exactly what I said when I met him." Rhett retorted holding his stomach laughing, and pointing his thumb at a laughing Damion. These guys are pretty cool.

"What are you two a*sholes out here laughing about?" I heard an angelic voice coming from behind Damion and Rhett. They were both still laughing and couldn't help it. I couldn't either hearing someone call them a.ssholes. I tried to hide my laugh.

Then from behind Rhett stepped the most gorgeous and small woman I have ever laid my eyes on. It sounded like she growled deeply. And said the word mine?...  Then she started coughing. 

"Are you okay Ms???? Do you need any help?"

She held up her finger for me to give her a moment. She took a few deep breathes and looked at me. I almost could see lust in her eyes. How is that even possible? I could usually see it on someone's face but not in their eyes like that..

"I don't believe I will be able to give you that tour of our facility. I will have to send my Be- I mean my assistant to escort you. If you will excuse me Beau."

She turned around to leave. 

"Holy f.uck. You're HERA??"

"Why do you sound so shocked?" Rhett said eyeing me up and down wondering what I meant. Our split second of playfulness is now gone and he is in full protection mode.

"I'm not trying to hit on your girlfriend Rhett, but when I spoke to her on the phone I didn't picture her like THIS..." I said gesturing to all of her.

She whipped her self around, at first she looked tense and then she breathed deeply. Rhett backed up a bit and out of her way.

"I don't know what world you come from Ezra, but just because you see a girl who looks like "this" I guess is how you put it, and an attractive male near her doesn't automatically mean she belongs to him. I do not belong to anyone, no matter my relations with them. If I saw you in public standing next to a pretty girl I would not assume that she belonged to you or vice versa. " Why is she upset that I called Rhett her boyfriend? So he's not her boyfriend?

"So he's not your boyfriend? You don't have a boyfriend?" I am smiling do damn deep inside. 

"I have never met a man who could handle me. Never looked for one either. I had to many things to focus on, and too many people to help. If that is all Beau, I will send someone to take you on a tour of the facility."

She turned to walk away but I didn't want her too. I have no idea what came over me but I shouted, "Wait, I am sure you have plenty of capable tour guides to help me, but I would much prefer you lead this tour. You are the mayor of course and I am sure you have more information here than anyone."

Her pretty blue grey eyes almost looked glossy of a second but she didn't answer me. 

"Alp- I mean Mayor Hera here would be honored Ezra. Please follow her we will be tagging along." Hera shot Rhett a scowl. I have this dying urge to ask Hera out. But I'd like to talk with her some more. It's nice to have a woman not be swooning the second she meets me. Especially one that basically just put me in my place.

We went on about a 10 minute walk to the facility. Levi was weirdly checking everything out. Looking around, keeping his eyes on the two guys with us. Looking into the woods and marveling at the houses. What the hell has gotten into him? And he's not ogling Hera? So weird. I got next to him, hoping I could whisper to him low enough no one would hear us.

"Hey man you alright?" He snapped his head to me and his eyes looked a little wild. I've never seen Levi act like this.

"Oh yeah bud, why wouldn't I be?"

"You're kind of acting weird and it's making me nervous. I have never seen you like this." I am eyeing him a little more suspiciously. 

"It's just a brand new place Ez. We don't know anyone here. Plus we are high dollar business man in a small town in the middle of the forest. The only person that knows we are here is Julianna. So if we go missing then no one will know for at least the weekend because you gave Julianna the day off and it's the weekend. I am just being cautious is all." He said in almost one breath.

"I understand man. But I am pretty sure if they wanted to kill us they wouldn't be leading us to a life saving hospital. Yeah we don't know them, but I have a gut feeling we are going to be fine."

I am walking directly behind Hera, she smells amazing. I need to know what perfume that is. Strawberry shortcake but better than I have ever smelled before. I keep sniffing the air behind her. Inflating my lungs with the scent. Like I need this scent to breathe.

"Hera, I know this is weird and you don't know me and it might me a creeper..."

"C'mon Ezra spit it out." She says with a small laugh. So f*cking cute.

"You smell like strawberry shortcake but better then I have EVER smelled that smell.." Her shoulders tense up, I am really f*cking this up for my self. 

"I am not trying to offend you or be weird Hera." 

She turned around and looked at me. Eyeing me with intensity. I'm used to being eyed but not like this.. This looks like passion... She smiles at me... Am I dreaming? I need to sleep better. 

***Hera's POV***

I got the mindlink from Rhett that Ezra and his friend were here to tour the hospital. I have to do this quickly, and make sure everything is ready for the arrival of Andreas. Before I ever even walk out of the tent Rhett mindlinks.

'This man is linked to you somehow Hera. I'm not sure how yet but he is.'

'What are you talking about Rhett? I don't have anymore family. You know that. I've told you the stories. How is some human CEO linked to me?'

'He's not just human. I don't think Damion can tell. I also don't think this human hybrid knows he is a hybrid or of werewolves or any other supernaturals either.'

'How can you tell that?' I know Rhett has some special abilities but how can you tell what someone knows about themselves?'

'You already know I have abilities Alpha, but you don't know the extent of those abilities but that is one of them. I can sense connections, I can sense other supernaturals presence before meeting them and what kind after meeting them and I can sense if they know they are supernaturals. OH and I can sense if someone is lying a little bit better than a normal werewolf. But it's been like this every since I got Cash.'

'Alright, well let's see how I am connected to this Ezra then.'

I walked out of the tent listening to the guys joking about. 

"What are you two a*sholes laughing about?" I stifled a giggle. I could smell Ezra before I could see him.. The smell of wet oak and freshly ground coffee. It's like exactly what you would want to wake up to each morning.. 

WAIT!!!!!! That means!!!

'You got it baby, our MATE!!' Elaina is ELATED!!!

I walked around Rhett and my eyes fixated on the most handsome and gorgeous man I have ever seen. Atleast 6'4". Golden brown hair and deep forest green eyes. That mesmerizing green was already my favorite color, but in his eyes it was even better. Elaina came forward a bit and we both said "MINE". I had to quickly recover, I held up a finger when he called me Ms and asked if I was okay. Sweet. 

If my mate was a human, or a human hybrid as Rhett said, then he's not going to know what this is. And as much as I'd love to claim this gorgeous giant man, I can't not until I can control Elaina, and keep her under wraps long enough to introduce him to this world.

'Awe my baby girl wants her mate, TOLD YA.'  She said snickering in my head.

'I don't know what I want and what would be good for our pack Elaina. All I know is that even if I did decide to accept this bond there are things we need to find out about our mate. What he is a hybrid with? What would it mean if we marked him? What his reaction would be to being a supernatural creature and if he would even accept us when he knows?' 

She whimpered a bit and quickly straightened us up. ' By the way he is looking at us honey, we would accept us.'

I told Ezra I wouldn't be able to give him the tour and that I would send someone just as capable in my place. I need to go and research this. 

"Holy f*ck , You're HERA??" He said with a lot of shock in his voice.. 

Rhett started to take over the conversation. Asking Ezra why he was shocked that I was 'Mayor Hera'.

Hearing him apologize to Rhett saying "I'm not trying to hit on your girlfriend Rhett, but when I spoke to her on the phone I didn't picture her like THIS..." Gesturing to all of me. Is something wrong with me? Did he not like what he saw? That saddened me. 

I whipped my self around. I'm a little pissed, I belong to NO ONE. 

"I don't know what world you come from Ezra, but just because you see a girl who looks like "this", I guess is how you put it, and an attractive male near her doesn't automatically mean she belongs to him. I do not belong to anyone, no matter my relations with them. If I saw you in public standing next to a pretty girl I would not assume that she belonged to you or vice versa." I don't know why I got so angry at the thought of being Rhett's. But because he was my mate I needed to put him in his place. Even if we both found a way and accepted each other. He would not run me, no one will ever run me. 

"So he's not your boyfriend? You don't have a boyfriend?" I can feel the happiness rolling off of him. That makes Elaina howl in my head happy that he is concerned that we don't have someone in our life. 

"I have never met a man who could handle me. Never looked for one either. I had to many things to focus on, and too many people to help. If that is all Ezra, I will send someone to take you on a tour of the facility." I am really trying not to overstep my boundaries and keep it cool. I have to think about this and the best way to approach this. 

I was going to just walk away but he shouted out to me. 

"Wait, I am sure you have plenty of capable tour guides to help me, but I would much prefer you lead this tour. You are the mayor of course and I am sure you have more information here than anyone." So he doesn't want me to leave.

'He likes you Hera. Why are you trying to run away from your mate?' I got wide eyed looked at Rhett.

'Rhett, if he is a human hybrid and doesn't know he is supernatural, how can I introduce him to this world, to the pack. I have to research how to find out what kind of supernatural creature he is. I need to be able to know the consequences of marking him as a werewolf. I know that if he's my mate it should work but I need to be certain. And what if he finds everything out and doesn't accept the bond.'

'Any man would be a complete i***t to turn you down Hera. Sh*t, if you decided you wanted me I'd take you as my chosen mate.' he said as he chuckled in my head. 

'I will help you Hera.' He finished with a smile.

"Alp- I mean Mayor Hera would be honored Ezra, please follow her. We will be tagging along." I shot Rhett a scowl. But maybe I shouldn't have since he is going to help me figure this out. I wonder what he is a hybrid with. 

He is following behind me and whispering to his friend. I can hear him asking him why he's acting so weird. His friend is smart. He's going on about they don't know us and they should be cautious, that the only people who know they are here is Julianna. Who the hell is Julianna?? That kind of ruffles Elaina's fur up. I can hear Ezra sniffing the air behind me it's causing me to giggle silently. Whatever he is mixed with he has a nose that can tell my scent. 

"Hera, I know this is weird and you don't know me and it might me a creeper..."

"C'mon Ezra spit it out." I laugh. 

"You smell like strawberry shortcake but better then I have EVER smelled that smell.." I tensed a little. Just him talking about my scent like that has me aroused. This is so weird for me. I have never been with anyone, never been this attracted to anyone. Maybe the Moon Goddess intended for me to be a virgin for my mate. Who knows?

"I am not trying to offend you or be weird Hera." I looked at him a bit passionately because that is what I was feeling and I smiled at him and he kind of melted.

"I am glad I smell good. Can't show my self in front of a hot shot like you not strutting my best perfume." I said with a giggle and an eyeroll.

"How long have you been the mayor here. It's a beautiful little town. I've never heard of there being a town here."

"We like privacy, we accept almost anyone who doesn't have bad intentions against our citizens.. But to live here you have to go through Rhett, Damion and my self. The three of us together are the best judge of character. I promise you that."

We walked up to the front door of our pack hospital. I wanted to strike a little jealousy in my mate and see what happened. Maybe that could help me determine what he was mixed with. 

I stuck my hand out to his friend and batted my eyes at him sweetly. "I apologize, I didn't get to introduce my self to you. I am Hera Lockwood. And you are?" Ezra has this fiery death stare in his gorgeous green eyes looking at his friend and I shaking hands. 

"The pleasure is mine Hera, I am Levi Blackwater. Best friend of Ezra and C.O.O. of Cohen United Services." He leant down to kiss my hand and just as I was about to recoil my hand Ezra pulled my hand from Levi's. HHMM. Possessive. Kind of sexy.  

"Is there a problem Ezra?" I said eyeing him cautiously. His eyes haven't changed but the emotion in them is clear. 

So he could be a werewolf, bear or lycan. At least that narrows it down. If he were a vampire hybrid it wouldn't have mattered if he was half human his eyes would've changed. Honestly, I don't care if he was whole human I'd want him. My grandma raised me to believe in the mate bond. And I do. I just never seeked it out because of the things I was taking care of. 

He snapped out of his haze and gazed at me. Then he softened a little and let my hand go. I immediately missed the warmth of him holding my hand and the small baby fireworks dancing on my skin where his calloused palm brushed against my skin.

"I am so sorry. I have no idea what just happened." He looked at me apologetically and put his hand in his pockets like a child who had done something wrong. So cute. 

We walked into the facility, I could hear Levi and Ezra talking. 

"What was that all about Ezra?"

"Levi, I'll explain later. Just please, not her okay?" He looked over at Levi pleading. 

"Okay man, of course. I would never try to get involved with anyone you were interested in. You know that. Just gotta give me the heads up okay?" Ezra breathed a sigh of relief, and nodded.

'He's extremely interested in you Hera. Not even just from the conversation. There is a power deep within him and it's calling to you. I'm not sure what he is a hybrid with yet, but it has been dormant all this time and your mate bond could wake it up.'

'That's why I will need your help Rhett. To help me figure this out.'

'Of course Alpha.' He said with a smile 

We toured the pack hospital. He inspected every bit of new equipment we had delivered. He spoke with the doctors, all the nurses watched him with hearts in their eyes. I mean he was eye candy but he was MY eye candy and mate.  

Rhett mindlinked everyone to keep their eyes forward and that no one here was allowed to flirt with the humans. Thank goodness. I'm glad he is handling this better than me. My mind is mush which is uncomfortable for me cause I am never like this. 

He wrote things down that were still outdated but weren't broken, told me he would cut us a very good deal. 

"I don't like handouts Ezra. We haven't replaced those things because they aren't broken. When it is time we can replace them." I hate people even think they can give us handouts because in the end they will eventually want something in return. 

"I am not doing that because you can't afford it Hera, I would like to help. Hospitals are something I get really interested in. I like to help all hospitals get updated equipment. It helps the patients and the doctors more than the money coming in. But I am sure you aren't worried about the money coming in. Just worried about helping the people."

"He has in the passed also paid for lower income hospitals to get complete renovations and new equipment on his own dime and never once billed the hospital for it." Levi said proud of his bestfriend. 

"That is quite thoughtful. I would like to have a meeting though before we get this equipment. I have ran- a board of council I guess you would call it. We sit and discuss things like this. We are all very in tuned with what happens in our uhm- town. And I'd like for you to explain the equipment we just had delivered and the new equipment you would like to have us purchase." Ezra lit up. His beautiful pink lips spread into a huge smile. Gorgeous pearly white teeth. AND DIMPLES! Goddess!!!! 

"I'd love a chance to do that. When is good for you? I can clear my schedule any day?" He said cheerfully. Oh boy it going to be very hard to keep Elaina under wraps. Sh*t, my self control is hanging on by a thin thread too. F*ck. 

"Well, tonight we would like you to stay. We are having a bit of a party for singles in the town and small surrounding towns in our area." He tensed a little bit. 

"I don't usually enjoy partying, mayor. But since you are asking I will come. Would you like to be my date to this party?" Wow. Shy and forward. That's cute. I blushed a little but tried to make it to where he couldn't see it. But everyone saw it. 

"I would like that." I can't say no to my mate. But damn, I probably shouldn't have invited him to the WOLF party. I started to look a little panicked and Rhett and Damion mindlinked me together. 

'Don't worry Hera, we will make our wolves and the visiting wolves aware of the non educated humans attending the party. ' Explained Rhett. Calming my nerves a bit. 

'Yes we will, we will let them know they will not be allowed to shift unless they are in the woods within our borders. Out of view of the humans.' 

'Wait Damion, you can tell too??'

'Girl, the way you have been eyeballing this man and biting your bottom lip is all the confirmation I needed.' He said laughing in my head.

'As.shole.' I said rolling my eyes and laughing.

"Well, I don't know if you guys wants to change, or if you are okay with going as you are. But I will need to leave to go help get things set up. And to get my self ready for this party. It's 6pm now. Party starts officially at 8:45pm. So you can go back to your houses and get ready or I can see if we can find you something to wear here. I believe Rhett might have something nice in your size Ezra. And Levi you are about the size of Juan. I can have him give you something to change into." I offered. They looked down at themselves and then at each other and busted out laughing.

"I think a change of clothes would be in order. Levi looks like he might go hiking and I look like an overworked businessman. So yes please Rhett. If that is alright with you." Ezra asked Rhett but not taking his eyes off of me.

Lord have mercy it's going to be a tough evening.