Fang Chronicles: Zenya's Story (25 page)

“You’re my second. Of course I want you.”

Esta looked around the table. “Three more weeks and one of you can challenge.”

Troy looked at her. “If it’s all the same to you, I like my balls and intestines where they are. I’m third and will happily remain until you can’t handle the job.”

“I can handle the job.”

“So you say now, but Aster will be here in a few days and he… you need to worry about him.”

“Who’s Aster?” Talya asked.

“He’s one crazy wolf.” McDonald actually twirled his finger around his ear.

“Not as crazy as our she-cats,” Reece stated proudly.

“I think it’s debatable.” Troy looked at Esta. “We sent him away because he was too dangerous to have around after our pack died.”

“He needs to stay out of my way.” Esta huffed.

Bernard joined the conversation. “He will for three more weeks.”

“I can’t kill him, can I?” Esta looked at her alpha.

“No, you can’t kill him. He’s always been crazy.”

“And mean,” said Troy.

“Vicious.” McDonald added.

Bernard put the icing on the legend cake, “Terrifying.”

“Is he your wolf boogeyman?” Esta asked with disgust.

“Something like that,” McDonald glanced away from Esta.

“If he’s so big and bad, why isn’t he alpha?” Talya’s voice sounded anxious.

“Nicolas thumped him soundly and became second to our old alpha,” Troy added with pride.

Talya’s voice held awe, “What happened to your old alpha?”

Troy ruffled the teen-cat’s hair with affection. “Nicolas killed him hundreds of years ago.”

Esta rolled her eyes, “So why isn’t Aster your second?”

Nicolas looked at the she-cat. “Aster decided to take over the wolf military training. He’s my friend, though, and occasionally he can be ornery.”

“Can he beat Esta?” Their youngest she-cat never knew when to stop asking questions.

Nicolas shrugged nonchalantly. “I doubt he’ll want the position.”

Now Talya sounded nervous, “What if he does?”

Nicolas looked to Zenya for help.

His mate smiled and stood. “You’re assisting me with the dishes, Talya. Let’s get started.”

“I can’t ask questions. I can’t date. I can’t kiss. Tayla do this. Talya do that. Is there anything I can do?” She interspersed growls throughout her tirade.

Multiple eyes looked at her and everyone said at the same time, “Dishes.”

“Fine.” Her stomping feet and angry eyes didn’t seem to bother any of them.

Halfway through the chore, which several of them pitched in on, Madayah came out.

Zenya smiled at Madayah’s ruffled appearance having no doubt what kept the she-cat in bed for an extended period. “There’s a plate in the oven for you.”

“Thank you.” She looked skeptically at the plate of pancakes. “Who cooked?”

Zenya’s lips tipped in a slight grin. “I did. They aren’t bad. Nothing like yours, but they’ll do.”

“I promise not to complain.”

“I think at least one day a week you need some time off from cooking.”

“You’ll be in cat form twenty-four seven in another week or so. I don’t trust anyone else to cook.”

“Okay—then after the baby.”

A soft wolf whisper entered Zenya’s head. “I’m taking a shower. You have two minutes to join me.”

“I know he invited you to do something naughty. Go ahead and join him.”

Zenya blushed, but didn’t argue, just followed her alpha’s direction.

She saw his bare leg and then the shower curtain closed. She shut the door, removed her clothing, and pulled the curtain back. A large erection greeted her.

“Wall sex?” Her wicked grin admired his length.

“No, but get in here.”

“You don’t like wall sex?”

“I don’t want to slip in this death trap and break my back.”

She laughed. “How about I kiss your back.”

“Get in here.” He pulled her under the cold water.

“It’s freezing.”

“I know. I was trying to relieve some of the pressure.”

She couldn’t stop laughing. “Turn the water warmer and I’ll relieve some of the pressure.”

“I thought you’d never ask, but I get to relieve some of your pressure, too.”

“And you’re so sure I’m feeling it.”

“You will be.”

They didn’t speak until the hot water ran out.

“It’s getting cold again.”

“Someday we’ll be back at my home and I’ll have extra hot water heaters installed.”

“I thought your home was destroyed.”

“It was, but Duncan, Columbus’s brother, is on the property, and I’m sending him instructions to have it rebuilt. I need to speak with Vorlyk. Fredrick and I shared the house and would have continued living there even after I mated. Would you prefer your own home?”

“I would have no problem living with Vorlyk and Madayah. She won’t be happy unless she has plenty of people to cook for and she’ll help run down our rascal of a child when he’s born.”

Nicolas turned off the now-cold water and stepped out, grabbing a towel to dry his mate. “You’re so sure it’s a boy?”

“I don’t know, but that’s what it feels like. After Victoria killed my daughter, I never thought to feel this again. But, this feels different.”

He stopped drying her hair and lifted her chin so she looked at him. “I’m sorry about your daughter. Our child will be safe or we will die protecting him.”

“Thank you.”

“He’s my child, too.”

“No, thank you for understanding. I don’t want to live through the death of another child.”

“I always keep my word.”

“You talk in your sleep.”

He began drying himself. “I do.”

“You’ve also lived through the death of children.”

“Never again.”

Chapter Thirty-six

The pack resumed their training. Everyone fought like their life depended on it. More and more of Columbus’s wolves joined in. The resentment over the she-cats was almost non-existent. Word of their kills spread. Nicolas’s wolves proudly described the hunt and slaughter. The other wolves realized they could learn from the cats.

Nicolas didn’t say anything when Zenya left for her daily run with Esta and McDonald. He saw the bruises from her not so secret training. She never complained and he knew in another week or so she would shift to cat and there would be no training in human form until after their child’s birth.

Columbus’s pack wolves began hanging out more and more at the cabin. Several fights broke out over the women. Five days after Fredock’s death, Aster arrived.

His large body filled the door of the cabin. While his imposing figure was bulkier than Nicolas’s, he was a few inches shorter. Maybe twenty pounds separated them in human form, and Nicolas realized he was thankful for Madayah’s cooking or the other wolf would outweigh him.

The wild in Aster’s eyes penetrated the room, and the she-cats immediately went into defensive mode.

Nicolas walked forward slowly. Aster took two steps inside, and then fell to his knees. Nicolas could see his shoulders shaking and his hand went to Aster’s back. “I’ve missed you brother.”

Aster’s shoulders didn’t stop trembling and he didn’t speak.

Nicolas reached out and placed his hand on the wolf’s head. “We have a new pack and they’ve been waiting for you.”

The huge man wiped his eyes and looked around the room before gazing back at Nicolas. “They wouldn’t let me stay and search for you.” He touched his heart. “I knew in here that you lived. I wasn’t crazy.” He lowered his eyes.

“I know, Aster. Nicolas removed his hand but pushed out a part of his alpha power to soothe the distant wolf. “I’ve always known you weren’t crazy.”

The calming power had an instant effect and Aster’s voice strengthened, “With cats in our clan, will I be able to kill other cats?”

Esta stepped forward. “We can kill cats together, wolf.”

Aster looked to the she-cat standing slightly behind Nicolas. “Who are you?” He didn’t sound angry but his eyes drilled into hers.

“I’m the alpha’s second.” Her eyes challenged.

Aster smiled and it was cold enough to freeze water. “Not for long.”

Before Nicolas could interject Esta spoke again, “You can try.”

“Two more weeks until anyone can challenge.” His alpha power spread out to encompass all of them.

Aster looked at Nicolas, and then lowered his eyes. “I don’t understand, alpha.”

Nicolas put his hand out toward Aster and the other wolf took it. His bicep tightened as he pulled Aster to his feet. “You will.”

Aster turned back to Esta. “Are you available, cat?”

“How cute. Aster and Esta.”

All but two sets of eyes turned to Talya.

Aster’s and Esta’s eyes glinted at each other.

Talya smiled silkily, “Well, I think it’s cute.”

With a long suffering sigh Zenya ordered, “Dishes for the rest of the week. All three meals,”

“But, Reece has punishment duty, too. You gave it to him yesterday.” Talya whined.

Zenya wasn’t giving in, “You just got him out of it.”

“Argh.” Talya flounced away. “I hate being the youngest damn cat,” she muttered.

“Talya!”

The teenager turned with no look of repentance.

Zenya’s eyes glinted. “Do you want to do dishes for the rest of the month?”

“No.” It was a huff.

“Then don’t swear.” Zenya turned her back to the bratty teen and noticed Esta trying to stare down the new wolf. It wasn’t her normal angry stare, though strong irritation was there.

“Let’s go for a run Aster.” Nicolas grabbed the wolf and pulled him out the door.

They removed their clothes on the porch, shifted, and then ran through the trees. Several hundred yards from the house, Aster spoke. “She didn’t answer me. Is she taken?”

Nicolas tried not to let his exasperation come through in his voice, “If by taken you mean is she single, yes, she’s single.”

“Good.” The one word held complete satisfaction like the outcome was already set in stone.