The group moved through the aisles of the latest tech instruments and printers, tablets and smartphones lined the wall, and everything in between. If they were looking to start an office somewhere, this would be the place to buy everything they would need.

Safara walked up to a woman who was standing behind the customer service counter, and looking at her name tag said politely, "Hello, Nnenia. Do you know me?"

Nnenia looked confused for a moment and shook her head, "No I don't, I'm sorry. Have we met?"

Safara stepped aside as Furaha came up to the counter, "I am Furaha and I want you to come with me."

Nnenia laughed, "I'm sorry but I have work to do and you're taking my time away from my customers." She motioned to a young man who had walked up behind them.

Furaha tilted her chin in the young man's direction as Aasir stepped in front of him and guided him away from the customer service counter.

Nnenia said, "Ok, folks, I don't know what this is all about but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Furaha put her hands on her hip and faced the other woman with an even stare. "I don't have time for this and I won't take no for an answer. Nnenia, you will come with us."

Nnenia met the other woman with an even stare of her own, "No, I won't. Now are you going to leave, or do I call security."

Furaha stood where she was. This was not something she was used to. Even other Bultungin's couldn't resist her when she made a command, but here this woman was, not only resisting but not effected or impressed with her at all. This was not supposed to happen… this could not happen.

Refocusing on the girl, she stared and opened her mind to her. Forcing the inner wonders of the heavens and the blood and the earth, mixing it together in an awe-inspiring kaleidoscope of feelings and emotions mixed with servitude and subservience, swirling it, forcing those feelings along with images, commands, and wonders into the other woman's mind as she gazed deeply into her light brown eyes.

Nnenia met her gaze evenly, "It's time for you to leave." She picked up a phone and dialed a number. Furaha stood there dumbfounded. Her abilities had never not worked, how could this be happening? Furaha was stunned. She couldn't move and she couldn't bring herself to accept that what just happened had happened. How could this, this… girl resist her, and so easily. It wasn't right, something must be wrong, maybe it was all the time she had spent with these werewolves that had somehow weakened her natural leadership and abilities.

"Ma'am, please, we don't want any trouble," Malikah said as she stepped up to the counter, her light brown hair hung behind her in a loose ponytail. Her green eyes softly pleaded with Nnenia, "We only want to speak with you."

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Nnenia hung up the phone without finishing dialing the number she had started. She said, "Ok, we can talk, you have two minutes. If you're not gone by then, I will call security."

Malikah nodded and smiled, "Thank you for at least hearing us out." Nnenia returned the smile with a small one of her own.

Acharya stepped up to the counter, softly brushing past the stunned Furaha, "Ma'am, my name is Acharya. My pack and I are here to ask for your help in meeting with your Matriarch."

Nnenia's eyes narrowed, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Safara stepped up and said a few words in her native language, Nnenia responded. The two conversed for a few sentences back and forth. Nnenia replied with cool and composed answers while Safara was getting more and more agitated.

It was Tara that stepped in, "Nnenia, we know that you are Bultungin. How else would you have been able to resist Furaha?" This stopped Nnenia as she regarded the group with cool indifference. Tara continued, "Our home was destroyed, we are some of the only survivors. We came here to ask your Matriarch for help. We are asking you to join us, so we can pass the riddle of her guard."

Nnenia scoffed softly, "What makes you think I would help someone who the first thing she tries is to dominate and take what isn't hers?" She shot a hateful stare at Furaha.

Acharya answered carefully, "In a land where allies are the only thing that matters, gaining allies where you can, seems the better option than to go alone."

"Then you should choose your allies more carefully," Nnenia spat, "Now get out." She picked up the phone and dialed a number quickly.

Acharya knew there was no way to save this situation. Nnenia had made her choice, and under the circumstances, he couldn't blame her for not wanting anything to do with them. He gathered the group and made their way out of the store.

They walked down the street, not really caring where they went. Furaha was lost in her own dark thoughts and wouldn't say anything. Safara walked with her husband in silence and the werewolves walked around Acharya, Asclepius padded in front of the group.

"Well, if the Bultungin didn't know we were here before a few minutes ago, they sure as hell do now," Tara said.

Acharya nodded. He should have known that Furaha would put her foot in it at some point. She had done nothing but act like a spoiled brat since they met. She had always gotten whatever she wanted, and when she couldn't get something, she took it. The big fish in her little village pond. She wasn't ready for the ocean of the big city and they were now paying the price for it. Was he partially to blame for this? Could he have said something to her? Maybe helped her to understand that trying to take things wasn't the way things should be done? Somehow, he knew that she wouldn't have listened to him, no matter what he said. Now, Nnenia had shaken her, her shoulders were slumped and her steps were sullen. This was turning into a hell of a first day in the big city.

"Safara?" Acharya asked, "Can you find us another potential recruit? We started off on the wrong foot here and if we delay too long, there won't be a Bultungin in the city that will want to help us."

Safara looked to Furaha for any sort of guidance. The alpha Bultungin said nothing and continued to stare in front of her.

Safara nodded to the werewolf alpha and stopped. Her eyes lost their focus and to Acharya it looked as if she was listening to the city around her. After a few moments she nodded off to their right. The group followed her as she led the way down a main street sidewalk.

Acharya was amazed at how hot it was in the city. He guessed it was because of the lack of wind. He figured that the city wouldn't have been as hot as the desert that they had been traveling through, but he had obviously been wrong on that assumption.

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