by Gena D. Lutz
“A challenge has been issued. Are you going to interfere? Go against our most sacred traditions and protect your little whelp from me?” She asked Ember, not switching her gaze.
I wasn’t very well versed on werewolf traditions, but I was learning about this particular one pretty quickly. It seemed that I was pretty fortunate that Ember showed up when she did. I had no yearning to fight. Tingles began to radiate through my body like before and I had to choke down another errant growl. My wolf obviously didn’t agree with my cowardice thoughts.
Ember’s laugh took me off guard. And so did the arm she wrapped around my neck. A sly smile spread across her beautiful face. The gesture made her freckled nose twitch. I couldn’t help but wonder what she was up to.
“I plan on doing no such thing,” she said, bringing her hand to her heart with a drawn out sigh in mock defense to Paige’s accusation. “What I do plan on doing however is this.” Ember pulled a crisp hundred dollar bill from her pocket and slammed it on the table before us all. “I have a bill that says Roxanne will annihilate you.”
She looked around the room at all the shocked faces in the crowd, mine included. “Do I have any takers?”
Ember’s words had me in a complete mind freeze. I had mistakenly thought that she was here to save my ass from the psychotic she-wolf who wanted my head. I didn’t expect for her to throw me to the lions, so to speak, instead.
The entire atmosphere in the room switched gears. The ramped up adrenaline pulse that had been assaulting my nerves like a battering ram instantaneously morphed into a more anxious feel of what could only be described as gambling frenzy; the likes of which you would find in an off track betting establishment. Harper was in the middle of the melee, taking bets and shouting out odds over the heads of anxious-to-see-me-torn-apart werewolves.
Nathan took my hand and guided me away from the irritatingly jovial wolves who were all but celebrating my impending doom. Before I knew what was happening, I found myself in the wreck room, pushed up against a pool table and wrapped in the bulging arms of my mate. My mouth was agape from a failed attempt to form words. My nosed crumpled against a stone chest, muffling all protests. I blinked, blinked again, the heavy weight of my eyelids slowing the process down. I was in shock. Everything was moving so fast.
“I will find a way to fix this,” he said, trying in vain to calm me. He palmed the back of my head and pressed me closer. “I had no clue she would take it this far.”
“There really isn’t anything you can do to stop the challenge,” said a voice in the distance.
I turned my head and peaked around Nathan’s arm. Parked on the floor in the corner of the room, Sadie and Dane were sitting companionably in the middle of a sea of Legos. They were building a castle and doing a rather fine job of it. I was impressed with the three foot structure.
“And judging by the bets I’ve been overhearing, Paige is a 3 to 1 favorite,” she added.
“You’re not being very helpful,” Nathan hissed.
“I’m not trying to be helpful, per say. Rather more like informative.” She said with a shrug. “If it’s any consolation, I agree with our Alpha. My money would be on Roxanne to win.”
I stretched my neck even farther around Nathan’s arm in an attempt to steal a better look at Sadie. I almost tipped over and fell in the process, being as that his girth was so massive compared to mine. I gave up, righted myself, and simply walked around him and over to her before I fell and made an even bigger fool of myself. I wanted to tell her how absolutely crazy I thought she was, wanted to explain to her how I had no flippin’ clue how to fight a werewolf let alone an alpha wolf. Instead, I found myself staring at her mutely. A few seconds ticked by before I was able to form a coherent thought. When I did, I didn’t like the reality my conclusions had so harshly laid out before me. I was going to have to fight Paige. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Challenges were common place in this new world I found myself in, and if I was going to survive in a pack setting I was going to have to embrace the pack mentality.
“You do realize that I have never fought another werewolf before, right?” I explained to Sadie.
Her large mocha eyes that were only a shade or two darker than her perfect complexion, were full of compassion when they fell on me. She reached over and ruffled Dane’s mop of hair before pushing herself off the toy peppered ground.
“I will be right back, little man. Stay in here and play. Don’t go traipsing underfoot in the kitchen. Your parents are in the middle of pack business.”
Dane looked up from his task of building a very realistic bridge. The red walkway ran from the castle gates and over a half built mote. The young boy’s eyebrows were tight with concentration and without a word, he nodded at Sadie. He dismissed us all with a turn of his head and with nimble fingers, once again became consumed by his project.
“Let’s talk over here.” Sadie suggested as she walked by me.
I turned and followed her as she made her way across the room. When we stopped, we were in front of a huge fireplace. It was built out of large lake stones that gave off a familiar smell, so I knew that they were foraged from the Adelphi pack’s land. The hearth was spacious and the area inside, tall. All three of us could fit inside of it comfortably with plenty of room to spare. I sat in one of the sturdy wooden chairs that filled the space in front of the fireplace. Its armrest and back brace flowed together in one piece with dark green cushions lending a soft texture to the harder base structure. The legs bowed and curved elegantly into clawed feet. The seat was comfortable when I lowered myself into it and I instantly relaxed against the much needed comfort of the thick cushions. Nathan sat down in the matching chair next to mine.
“So here’s the thing,” Sadie began.
She was seated several feet in front of us, her legs tucked up underneath her on top of the coffee table. The table’s frame looked just as sturdy and oversized as the rest of the wood furnishings in the room, almost swallowing up her petite form.
“You’re no doubt wondering why no one is overly concerned about your impending fight against Paige.” She commented.
“The thought has crossed my mind a time or two, or ten since it happened, yes. It’s like you guys think I can fight as well as Ember, Harper, or even you for that matter,” I said, exasperated.
The smile that slowly spread across her face had an irritating effect on me and I wished that she would get to the damn point already. She shook her head, her long dark ponytail swishing back and forth, lightly slapping the sides of her face. Her nose was also small, tipped up slightly at the end. Her overly large eyes took up most of her face, a face that was flawless. She reminded me of a Hispanic Barbie.
“It is Paige who should be worried about you. Regrettably for her, she doesn’t have a clue who, or more accurately, what you are.” Sadie looked at me as a confused expression washed away her smile. “It seems as though you don’t fully understand either.”
“You’re right. I don’t understand,” I whispered.
Nathan settled a hand over mine, halting their nervous fidget. I hadn’t noticed I was doing it, but my fingers were busy knotting up the hem of my blouse, fraying the ends and wearing a hole in the thin material.
“It all boils down to this. You are a white wolf. The white wolves are very rare and also happen to be the strongest among us. Only Prime wolves can compare in strength and speed. So you see? You should have no problem winning this challenge.”
Nathan squeezed my hand. “Well fuck if she isn’t right, Rox. I forgot all about that,” He said with unveiled excitement.
I thought about what she was implying for a second. I even let myself be comforted by the possibility that I might actually live through my impending battle with Paige. But just like always, my mind went into overdrive, conjuring a million thoughts to the contrary.
“Have any of these white wolves ever started their lives out as human?” I asked Sadie.
That question had caught her off-guard. Her mouth s
crunched up as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. I could tell she was deep in thought. Sadie clamped both her hands together, then unclamped, rubbing them against her bare legs.
“Nope. Not that I can recall,” she said stumped. “However, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been any.”
“There has never been a sired white. Not documented anyway,” Nathan said. He didn’t look at all pleased with the fact.
“How can you be so sure?” Sadie asked.
He stared out over the lounge area. We lost him for a second. After a slight shake of his head, he glanced Sadie’s way.
“When you are in constant competition with a brother, or say cousin, throughout your entire childhood, you try and learn all you can about why the asshole can best you at everything.”
Sadie nodded in understanding. “And this sibling or cousin you refer to is Collin, I take it? The highly regarded Adelphi leader and also extremely powerful white wolf?”
“One in the same,” He answered with a shake of his head. “I love the fucker, but it would have been nice to whoop his ass just once.” Nathan chuckled.
I cleared my throat and sat up a little straighter. “Do you happen to know how much time I have before the challenge?” I asked them both.
“You have until tonight. It is customary to fight under the light of the moon,” Sadie informed me.
I stood with a nod. “Well then, I haven’t much time.” I said.
“You haven’t much time for what?” Nathan asked, standing up as well.
“The way I see it, my only chance to survive this is to learn how to use my only weapon to its best and full advantage. And who better to teach me to handle my white wolf than your cousin, Collin?”
Nathan’s sudden intake of breath was the first indicator that I had upset him. The scowl that rushed across his face like a turbulent river was the second. Even upset, my new mate was absolutely magnificent. His nostrils flared the dance of an inflamed beast. His fists clenched at his sides against his swollen thigh muscles. I watched his chest rise and fall under his t-shirt, the surface bulging with bumps and ridges from the breadth of his muscular build. I couldn’t believe that I was getting hot, considering the life and death situation I was in. But with Nathan standing before me like this, bulging in all the right places, I couldn’t control myself. I took a peek lower, and yup, he was bulging there too; how was I supposed to concentrate on anything else? This man fascinated and infuriated me at times, but one thing was for certain: There wasn’t a moment since the first day I laid my eyes on him that I didn’t want to jump his bones.
When I heard Sadie’s voice clearing, I remembered where I was. My cheeks flushed. I tore my eyes from the bulge in his jeans and brought them to his face. I was pleased to see that my momentary lapse of propriety had settled his jealous beast some. He was still heated, but for different reasons now. The intense protective streak that a bonded male had for his mate was just another thing I was going to have to adjust to. And so was this penetrating need we had for each other; a need that never went away, just rode us hard underneath the surface of everything else.
“I can teach you how to fight in wolf form,” Nathan huffed. His arms were crossed against his broad chest, a chest he was currently puffing out like a proud peacock.
I could tell this meant a lot to him. To be honest, I probably should have asked him first. Shit, it was pretty damn insensitive of me to infer that I had more faith in his cousin than I did in him to protect me. Especially after he had just admitted feeling bested at every turn by him.
“Would you please?” I countered. “I would feel much better if I was somewhat prepared for this fight.”
His face immediately softened. Gone was the hurt I unwittingly placed on his face with my tactlessness. Before I knew it, I found myself wrapped protectively in his arms.
“I will turn you into a weapon of mass destruction.” He whispered in my ear.
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” I panted out. I had found myself once again in the training facility. However, this time I wasn’t confronting a couple mutated wolves. I was flat on my back, on a workout mat, with Nathan’s hand shoved down my sweats. “We are supposed to be working here. Not screwing around,” I chuckled.
“My hand slipped,” He said with a sexy grin.
“Oh did it now? And I suppose you just tripped and fell on top of me as well?” I countered.
“Now that you mention it, yes…that’s exactly what happened. I have been feeling rather klutzy lately.”
I extended my neck, and with great will power, placed a kiss at the tip of his nose. I wanted to throw caution to the wind and ride the hand rubbing so deliciously against me. Oh man did I ever, but I forced my body to roll out from underneath him instead.
Nathans forehead hit the mat, and with a low groan, he rolled over onto his back. He looked up at me with lazy lids, heat filling his eyes. My heart thumped so hard that the beats echoed in my ears. He was laid out before me half naked, the long outline of his passion filling the front of his workout shorts completely. His ripped stomach and chest glistened with sweat. I watched as he pulled his hand from behind his head and held it outstretched toward me.
“A little help up?” Nathan asked me, his voice laced with passion.
“From the looks of it, your she-wolf has helped you up enough.”
Nathan sprung to his feet. I twirled around and found myself face to face with the princess of the water nymphs.
“What is it now?” I barked.
Ariel’s delicate brow lifted and a wide, blue lipped smile took up most of her pale face. “I have news about the vampire, Tyson.”
I shook my head and walked over to my gym bag. After a few moments of rifling through it, I pulled out a towel and began to wipe the evidence of a hard workout off my body.
“You should be taking this information to Ember or Collin,” Nathan remarked. “Instead of constantly bugging us with it.”
“Maybe,” Ariel shrugged. “I find myself drawn to you two. I’d rather deal with the people I feel most comfortable with if it’s all the same to you. How’s my dragon doing?” she asked, looking around the room, most likely searching for the dragon in question.
I didn’t know if I should feel honored or horrified that the nymph had formed some kind of attachment to us. She wasn’t too bad to be around I guess. Now that I thought about it, I had formed a unique tolerance toward her myself. When did that happen?
“Harek is back at my house,” Nathan answered, not offering any more information.
“That’s a shame. I was rather looking forward to another visit with him,” she huffed.
An image of Ariel in Nathan’s living room, throwing Harek flirtatious looks, played out in my head. She hadn’t tried to hide her attraction toward him, even though he had made it abundantly clear that his heart belonged to another. That fact, it seemed, hadn’t derailed the nymph at all.
“I bet you were,” I murmured.
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Anyways, things have escalated over at Camp Vamp. Tyson, it seems, has made at least twenty more of those mutant wolves. And it doesn’t look like he is going to be slowing down production anytime soon.” Ariel explained.
“Fuck.” Nathan reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. “We need to do something about this shit, like now.”
Nathan was right. The issue with Tyson and the wolves couldn’t wait any longer. The sun had risen a couple hours ago. It was the perfect time to invade a vampire’s lair because they were at their weakest.
I stretched out my achy muscles and grabbed up my gear. Training would have to wait for later.
“Let’s go break the news to the Alphas,” I said.
***
I sat still, saying nothing as Ariel explained the situation to Ember and Collin. We were back in Collin’s office, sitting in the same chairs we had occupied before. Ariel was standing off to the side, in front of us, closer to the Alpha pair.
Collin slammed his fis
t on the desk.
“My thoughts exactly,” Ember said, in answer to her heartmate’s outburst. “It looks like we’ll be paying an old friend a visit today.”
“It seems so. Who should we bring with us?” Nathan asked.
Ember gave a humorless half smile. “Harper is out of the question. It’s full daylight.”
“So, we use a full company of wolves, then?” Collin thought out loud.
“Are you aware of how many vamps and magically altered wolves we will be dealing with?” I asked Ariel.
The water nymph turned her attention from the Alphas and focused it on me. Her otherworldly appearance gave me goose bumps. I would probably never get used to those color changing eyes of hers, or her beautiful pale face and light blue lips.
“Through the water witch’s eyes, I was able to see only a fraction of the underground camp. I can tell you that we are dealing with about thirty altered wolves. I haven’t a clue about their vampire numbers,” she explained.
“Well, then we will take a group of Adelphi and Prime wolves with us for this operation. We can’t take them all. We need to leave a safe amount here to protect Dane and the rest of our young,” Ember explained.
An overwhelming compulsion overtook me. I closed my eyes and let everyone and everything in the office fall away, and focused instead on my power to locate my pack mates. A fog rolled over the inside of my eyelids and when I reopened them all I could see was a grey background. Painted on the front of the smoky canvas was the silhouette of everyone who was in the room. Ember, Collin, and Nathan stood out boldly, their forms registering inside my brain as red outlines of themselves, their bodies filled in with a deeper colored red. Ariel’s outline was muted, fully composed of different shades of murky blue with a mossy green patch that flashed in between the area where her eyes would be. I had no clue what the color flash meant; maybe it signified a power pulse. It was the only explanation that made sense to me, and as soon as I completed the thought, I knew I was right. I just felt the trueness of it deep in my core. Once I establish a connection with my ability, I pushed it out from my immediate surroundings and let it flow throughout the compound. It wasn’t long before I pinpointed every single one of my pack mates. There were six of them still on the premises, four less than before. The missing wolves must have gone back to Ash Island to reunite with their wives and children at the Prime wolves pack house. One of the red outlines grabbed my intention over all the others. It was fading in and out, like it was struggling to hold its life force. And again, I knew without a doubt that that was exactly what was transpiring. That wolf was in trouble. I focused harder on him. My hands flew to my head when a fire bolt of pain jack knifed through my link with Declan and traveled at lightening speeds over it and through my skull. Whatever or whoever was attacking him had sensed my intrusion and was now turning the attack on me. I must have blacked out for a moment because the next thing I knew, I had awoken on the floor next to my chair with Nathan gently lifting me up to rest half my limp body in his lap.