Mate

On a phone call, Serena and Misery discuss Serena’s DNA results. Serena doesn’t know how to process what she’s learned. She has very few memories of her childhood as it is.

Koen shows up, interrupting the call. He transports Serena from the safehouse to his private cabin. Serena wants to return to the safe house she escaped from because she left behind letters she wrote and a stuffed penguin she likes to sleep with. Koen doesn’t want to turn around.

Serena and Koen arrive at Koen’s cabin in the Den, or what Humans call Olympia. Serena is delighted by the place, which smells strongly of Koen—a scent which comforts her. After settling in, Serena and Koen further discuss being mates. Koen reveals that he has no interest in having sex with her and will be sleeping outside.

Serena is disappointed. She considers telling him more about her feelings and her condition but decides against it. Instead, she asks Koen if she can stay in a place where she’s entirely secluded. (She is worried that her condition will worsen, and she’ll jeopardize others’ safety.) Koen says he’ll only agree to this arrangement if Serena can beat a Were named Brenna in a fight.

Koen introduces Serena to Brenna, another Northwest Were and one of Koen’s exes. Brenna is rude to Serena while they are fighting: She doesn’t like that Serena is hybrid and thinks she will threaten the pack’s safety and stability. She also insists that Koen is never going to be intimate with her but doesn’t explain why. Brenna wins the fight.

After Serena loses the fight, Koen escorts her back to his cabin. He gets nervous when they discover a package for Serena outside; inside the box, they find a necklace and a note signed by Serena’s alleged mother.

In the house, Serena tinkers with the piano and shows Koen how to play a few notes. Then the two share a passionate moment where Koen tries to help Serena remember how to shift. She enjoys the closeness.

In the morning, Serena finds Koen on the porch with a wolf dog, whom Serena instantly falls in love with. They chat about their upcoming days and playfully banter.

Koen takes Serena down to the shore, and she is overwhelmed by the beauty of her surroundings. Then he takes her to buy new clothes; she has been wearing Koen’s since her recent escape. Being at the store reminds Serena of her past, as she hasn’t worried about her appearance at all in recent months. Throughout their shopping trip, she and Koen chat about the Weres, the history of the Northwest pack, and about how people see Serena.

Afterward, Koen drops Serena at the cabin so that he can go meet with someone to discuss the necklace she received. He still hasn’t determined its origin. At home, Serena discovers that Koen bought her everything she wanted while they were out.

That afternoon, Weres, including Amanda, Colin, Elle, and Saul, come to the cabin. Serena cooks for them until Koen returns. Brenna’s brother, Boden, shows up and starts insulting Serena for being a hybrid. Koen returns and intercedes on Serena’s behalf.

Alone later, Serena and Koen discuss what happened. Koen assures Serena that he will protect her. They tinker around on the piano again. Sitting beside Koen, Serena wants to kiss him, but she fears acting on her impulse because of her prognosis.

In bed that night, Serena can’t fall asleep. She lies awake mulling over her conversations with the Weres earlier. She realizes that Koen must have been just 15 years old when he became Alpha. Curious to know why and how, she texts Misery about Koen’s background; Misery doesn’t respond.

Serena wakes up with another fever. She is achy, sweaty, and shocked to discover that she sleepwalked into Koen’s room. She realizes what a mess she’s made of his space and scurries to clean it up before he finds out.

Amanda stops by, and she and Serena spend the morning together. Amanda offers Serena more insight into the Northwest pack, Weres, and Koen. She reveals that head Alphas in the Northwest are “asked to honor a celibacy covenant” (175). This means that Serena may be Koen’s mate, but he isn’t allowed to be romantically or sexually intimate with her.

Serena asks more questions about the covenant, and Amanda explains its origins. The covenant is meant to guarantee the Alpha’s loyalty to the pack. Some packs did away with the tradition, but the Northwest reinstated it after encountering problems; they blamed Koen’s parents’ relationship for past divisions in the pack.

Juno shows up to talk to Serena about her DNA test, interrupting her and Amanda’s talk. She reveals that Serena’s mom was from the Rocky Mountain region, but Juno has yet to trace her paternity.

Serena contacts Misery, eager to know what happened in the Northwest 21 years ago. She has heard talk of an event in which Humans were involved in the deaths of innumerable older Weres. Misery promises to ask Lowe about this.

Koen returns home and notices Serena is wearing one of his shirts again. He urges her to hurry up and get ready so that he can take her somewhere. Serena is excited and intrigued.