Fang Chronicles: Zenya's Story (12 page)

“It wasn’t a request.” He released a small amount of alpha power into the room.

Four chairs pushed back, they grabbed their plates, then changed places. When they settled, he spoke again. “Esta, until you make a decision, you are my second. There will be no challenges for thirty days. Troy, you are next. Then Nikka and then Bernard. Troy and Bernard, you are young, though I know you’ve fought in Afghanistan. Esta and Nikka know our enemy better than any of us. If you don’t like this arrangement you can challenge when the thirty days are up. Until then my word is law.”

“Yes, alpha.” Three voices said at the same time.

Nicolas turned to the silent Esta. “Speak now if you can’t handle the position.”

“You want a woman as your second?”

“I couldn’t care less that you’re a woman. I’ve seen you fight, you know our enemy, and you deserve a chance. I don’t know if you can keep the spot after thirty days, but if you can it’s yours.”

“Is challenge to the death?”

“Only for alpha. I can’t stop that challenge and there is no thirty-day restriction.”

“I don’t wish to challenge for alpha.”

“I’m glad to hear it. It would be a shame to kill you and miss out on your bad attitude.”

“I love her attitude problem.” All eyes turned to Talya.

“Sheeba, you’re in charge of Talya.” Nicolas said in exasperation.

“I’m blind.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t aware of that.” Nicolas deadpanned.

Everyone sat speechless and then Sheeba began laughing. Soon, they all joined in and a minute later the food continued making the rounds.

When they finished eating, Nicolas spoke. “I want everyone resting today, but tomorrow we’ll get time in the gym and I want to see each of your skills or lack thereof. We’ll work as human with weapons and then as beastkind. We need to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Madayah, you’re not exempt. I need to know that all of you can fight. If you need help in a certain area, we’ll train you. There are no exceptions. You walked through a jungle for days on end. I will make sure you can defend yourself and our pack.”

No one argued and they all began clearing the table and cleaning the kitchen.

“Can we take a walk and see what’s around here?” Talya asked.

“We need to learn the area, so now’s as good a time as any,” Nicolas said.

Madayah spoke up. “Would you mind if I stay here and plan the meals and see if there is anything we need, alpha?”

“No, but Bernard will stay with you.”

“Vorlyk sleeps close by.”

“I’m aware of that, but I prefer you have a wolf with you while he sleeps.”

“Yes, alpha.”

Nicolas knew all his battles wouldn’t be as easy as the ones he outlined this day, but it was important to set the tone. Vampires handled vampire business and the alpha handled the pack. A clan stayed healthy this way.

“Can we shift, alpha?” Talya no longer needed to keep a fast pace and her cat needed freedom.

“It’s up to you.”

Talya began dropping her clothes. Nicolas noticed Troy and Bernard watching. Nakedness was normal among beastkind, but it still bothered Nicolas for Troy and Bernard to take such interest in the young female. He knew saying something would only create more trouble in the long run but for now his low growl did the trick. Troy slipped out of his clothes and shifted. Sheeba did the same but Nikka and Esta stayed human.

His small group left the cabin; two mountain lions and a wolf walking side by side. Nicolas liked the look and feel of his new family and couldn’t wait to hunt together. It would be interesting to combine their skills and learn from each other.

The weather was perfect and it felt good to walk in woods that didn’t have undergrowth creating barriers every few feet. His own land was densely wooded, but more similar to this than the jungle.

He sensed Columbus’s wolves in the distance, but none approached. They walked out a few hundred yards from the cabin and then circled. There was a small one-room unoccupied cabin to the east. The door was unlocked. They looked inside the neat, clean space, then shut the door and continued their trek.

Nicolas watched Sheeba closely. She stayed a foot behind Talya, and used her ears and nose to guide her. She didn’t seem to have as much trouble navigating in cat form. He figured she was more comfortable in cat skin and her better sense of smell, along with heightened hearing, helped.

Nikka never used her voice. He whispered singularly into her mind and she looked at him with a question in her green eyes.

“Do you mind speak?”

She sighed and he thought she couldn’t answer.

“Yes, alpha, if I must.”

“Can you use your voice at all?”

“No. My vocal chords were damaged when I was a child. It was done to punish the she-cat who adopted me.”

“Has a doctor ever looked at them?”

“No.”

“I have no idea if anything can be done, but it’s up to you if you want to try and fix it.”

“Then I prefer to stay as I am. The male cats often ignored me and Sheeba because of our disabilities. I don’t mind keeping it that way.”

“The wolves won’t ignore you, especially with you being my forth in command.”

“Four of nine doesn’t put me that high.”

“Then fight to go higher.”

“Your acceptance of us is very strange.”

“The male cats’ loathing of females is beyond comprehension to the wolves.”

“I could feel the looks from Samson’s team. Not all of them will accept us as readily as you.”

“No, they won’t, but if they want to harm any of you they will go through me and also Troy and Bernard. More of them than you think will open their hearts. It helps that you’re females.”

“Did they all open their hearts to Zenya?”

“Marcus’s clan eventually did. If the other clans had more time with her they would have, too.”

They stopped when they saw another mountain lion approaching in the distance. Two cubs followed in wolf-skin; their small bodies covered in soft baby fur. A few grown wolves, obviously their guards, stayed back as they drew closer.

The cubs showed no fear and ran full tilt into their group. It was frustrating to not be able to communicate with Zenya, but it didn’t seem to bother her.

Talya and Sheeba rubbed against the two children scenting them. Sierra, the bigger rascal of the two, nipped Sheeba on the nose. A large cat paw came down on the little hellion and rolled her to her back. Sheeba proceeded to lick the child, ignoring her small yips of distress. Finally, Sheeba released the scamp and nudged her bottom, sending her flying a few feet away. Roland carefully made his way to the cat and sniffed without using teeth. Sheeba gave him one long lick, but didn’t hold him down. Talya followed Sierra as the young wolf began exploring a fallen tree and what lay beneath the branches.

Zenya nonchalantly placed herself between Nicolas and Nikka as they walked, but stayed several feet from Nicolas’s reach. It made him smile, because he sensed she might be a little jealous and that was good. He hadn’t liked her sitting beside Samson. With that thought, he stepped closer and ran his hand over the fur on her back. Her cat eyes looked up at him with pique. He smiled and she glanced away.

Chapter Nineteen

They slowly made their way back to the cabin. Esta provided Zenya with clothes and she changed in the bedroom.

The children changed to human, but quickly shifted to wolf again. No one even tried to put clothes on them. It was a complete waste of effort.

When Zenya came out, Nicolas approached, whispering in her ear, though he knew the other sensitive beastkind ears could hear every word. “Walk with me outside for a moment.” He didn’t wait for an answer. It wasn’t a question.

He closed the front door behind them and took her hand, leading her to the side of the cabin. She didn’t resist. He turned, stepped into her body, causing her back to make contact with the house.

He didn’t give her time to say no. He couldn’t stop his lips from taking hers. Letting her breathe completely or complain was also not an option. Her exotic taste flowed through his body, igniting small electrical charges.
Mate.

She sighed and gave in, kissing him back. His arms went around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He went instantly hard when the juncture of her thighs pressed against him. He had her arms trapped, but her small hands found purchase on his hips, squeezing, then relaxing.

He finally pulled back without releasing her. “Thank you for not saying no.”

“You didn’t give me a chance.”

“Good.” And he kissed her again.

This kiss lasted longer and they both gasped for breath when he pulled back.

He looked into her beautiful eyes, now sparked with yellow. “I don’t like you sleeping so far away.”

“It was hard being away from everyone this morning.” She placed emphasis on the word “everyone.”

“Move in with us.”

“My place is with the children.”

“They sleep at night and you can sleep with us.”

“No.”

“I don’t like that word.”

She smiled and he couldn’t help kissing her again. He pressed his body firmly against her so she couldn’t miss his large erection. Traveling from her lips, he placed small kisses on her cheek and jaw, moving to her neck and inhaling deeply. He loved her scent. “I want you.”

“You want to get laid.”

“Yes, I do, but not just any cat will do. I want you.”

“It’s not right.”

His head came up and his eyes sharpened. “It’s not wrong.”

Her chin dropped, which bothered him more than her saying no. He kissed her nose then lifted her chin. “There is nothing wrong with us being together. I am alpha of a house full of she-cats. Do you want me with one of them?”

The heel of her foot came down hard on the top of his.

“Ouch.” He couldn’t help his smile. “If you won’t come to me, I’ll be at the main house to get you tonight at midnight.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Be waiting downstairs or I’ll come up and get you.”

“Nicolas, please.”

“That’s what I want you saying tonight.”

“You’re crazy.”

“For you.”

“Argh, that’s sappy.”

“Yes, I’m a sappy alpha when it comes to you, but I’m also a stubborn one.”

They heard the front door open and then two high-pitched wolf whimpers.

Zenya disengaged herself and hurried to the cubs. “They need a nap and we should get back to the main house.”

He grabbed her hand and gave her one last kiss. “I’ll see you tonight.”

She didn’t say anything, just collected the cubs and started making her way back. Nicolas noticed her guards following and realized they had seen them kissing. Now they would all know she was spoken for, and he couldn’t help his grin when he walked back inside. Crying met his ears and he looked around for the source.