by Jade Royal
“What do you have that Kyra doesn’t?” Jaxson asked.
“A dick?” Niles questioned. Jaxson smiled at the kid.
“Because she doesn’t have a dick she’s not going to fight in the way that you’ll be used to when it comes to fighting someone with a dick. Figure her out in that way, and you can possibly beat her. Don’t let the fact that she’s the commanding enforcer’s girlfriend deter you from hitting her.” Niles visibly swallowed hard. Jaxson laughed at him and clapped him on the shoulder.
“Just joking kid,” he smiled. He walked away from Niles and allowed Kellan to take over from there. He motioned for both Niles and Kyra to stand in the center of the room facing each other.
“A challenge is to the death if you let it. Don’t let your pride come in the way of your life. Losing can either mean you live to fight another day, or you die from too much pride,” Kellan said.
“Jaxson, you need silver cuffs?” Jayce asked him. Since the challenge was with a male, Jaxson’s wolf might be too protective enough to let the challenge happen cleanly.
“I’ll be okay,” Jaxson said.
“Okay. Fight!” Kellan ordered, signaling the start of the fight. Kyra stood there unsure as to what her move was going to be. Like Jaxson said she wasn’t going to win using her strength. She just didn’t know what else to use at the moment.
Thinking he would get ahead he struck first, Niles ran hard at her and threw his knee up in the air, hitting her in the nose. She fell backwards clutching her bloody face. Jaxson stepped forward instinctively.
“Maybe I should wear the cuffs,” he told Jayce. Jayce readily cuffed him to keep his wolf down.
She’s down! What are you waiting for?! Mira said into Niles’ head.
ATTACK! Mira was begging Niles to win this one. She didn’t want him to just win though. She wanted him to decimate Kyra. Fuck tapping out; she wanted this challenge to be to the death.
Listening to her, Niles leaped on top of Kyra and punched her in the face repeatedly. Mira laughed watching Kyra try to cover her face from the punches Niles was dealing out.
“Get up Kyra,” Bliss whispered. Kellan was just as uneasy as his mate. He had decided to make Kyra an enforcer in the first place, and now he had to deal with one of the many challenges she might fight. He knew she was a good fighter and was capable of anything, but it was hard to just stand there and watch her get hit by a male.
“Submit!” Niles yelled down at Kyra. He had her beaten. She was bloodied by his fists and hadn’t been able to get from under him. Instead of submitting, however, Kyra punched him hard in the throat. He grabbed his throat immediately, choking on air and his own Adam’s apple. That second of him letting his guard down was all she needed. Since she was still under him, she grabbed onto his arm that wasn’t clutching at his throat and put her legs around his neck locking him into a triangle choke hold.
Kyra finally knew what she had to do. With his strength and speed, it didn’t make sense that she get up and try to fight it out with him. Putting him in the submission hold would knock his breath from his body. If you can’t breathe; you can’t fight. If in the hold long enough he would stop the flow of blood to his brain which meant his strength to get out of the hold would be gone. So either he was going to submit, or he was going to pass out. Still, he frantically tried to get out of the hold, but Kyra held on tightly. He tried to stand and still, she held her legs tight about his neck and let him lift her weight. Stupid idea on his part. The moment he got to his feet, he was falling on his ass because of both her weight and losing his oxygen.
No Niles! Get up! Do something! Mira was panicking in his head as he watched Kyra slowly taking the life away from him. Niles was ruining everything for her.
“Submitting or passing out? Which one?” Kyra asked him.
“Passing out is so much more embarrassing.” Niles tapped on her thigh hard and fast signaling his tap out. Kyra immediately let him go as the she-wolves cheered for her. Niles crawled away slowly on all fours trying to regain his breath.
“Why didn’t you just shift?” Mira asked him.
“Because there was no blood flowing to his brain,” Kyra said.
“No blood flow, therefore no wolf.” Niles looked at Kyra.
“You are evil,” he spoke gravelly.
“But you beat me fair and square.”
“You better hope my face heals back perfectly or I’m coming after you,” she threatened. Satisfied with his fearful look, Kyra ran over to Jaxson and hugged him tightly just as Jayce had taken off his cuffs. Everyone was congratulating Kyra until Rita let out a shrill scream.
“What?! What is it?!” Jayce screamed at his mate, clutching her in his arms. He checked her whole body, but there was nothing wrong. She put a hand over her plump stomach.
“I don’t sense anything is wrong with the pup,” he said.
“Nothing’s wrong,” she said tearfully.
“It’s a girl. She just showed me her pretty face.” Jayce held Rita’s face in his hands.
“A girl?” Rita nodded wildly.
“A girl!” She screamed excitedly. Jayce looked at his brothers.
“I have a daughter!” Jayce cheered, but then his face grew solemn.
“Oh my god. I have a daughter. Who’s gonna go through periods, and heating cycles and horny shifter boys sniffing all around her. Oh no.” Everyone cracked up at his facial expression.
“Good luck with that,” Kellan said hitting him on the back.
“You know what,” Gemma spoke up.
“I think we should celebrate this.”
“Celebrate that Kyra just kicked Niles’ ass,” Bliss added.
“Since we didn’t celebrate before, I say we should celebrate Kyra and Jaxson marking and claiming each other!” Rita clapped.
“So what should we do?” Kyra asked.
“Let’s open the lounge again tonight!” Selena exclaimed
“We can have us a ladies night.”
“Absolutely not,” Tristan shook his head.
“It’s too dangerous.”
“Oh come on,” Gemma said elbowing her mate.
“This fight with the human hunters is a war we’ll have to deal with for years. So does that mean that for years we’re going to stop our lives and hide because of them?”
“No, but-” Gemma held up her finger to silence Tristan.
“We’ve all been training. Plus, I wouldn’t feel safer out with anyone than Kyra. I know everyone else will agree with me.”
“That’s very true Gemma, but Kyra shouldn’t be left to protect all the she-wolves alone. She needs back up. That’s just standard enforcer code,” Jaxson said.
“What if we went with them?” Zander asked.
“Me and Niles could be there for backup. Once he starts breathing right of course. But we won’t get in the way of the ladies’ celebration.”
“See,” Rita said.
“It’s perfect. Plus, Bliss needs a night out without Kingston. Give her time to be a woman again and not just a mom.”
“She was being a woman this morning,” Kellan said.
“A very dominant one at that.”
“Shut up,” Bliss laughed at her mate.
“I do want one night with just the ladies.” Kellan crossed his arms. He thought long and hard about it.
“What you guys think?” Kellan asked the rest of the men.
“I don’t think we have a choice,” Tristan mumbled.
“Agreed,” Jayce added.
“But please Rita, please make sure you stay in the VIP section, so no one hits your stomach.”
“You know I will,” she smiled.
“Looks like we get a fellas night in,” Kellan said.
“You just pump enough milk for Kingston’s greedy behind.”
“He gets it from you,” Bliss mumbled with a smile.
“Let’s go find some outfits!” Selena cheered. Each she-wolf kissed their mate before hurrying off through the tunnels together.
>
“One second Kyra,” Kellan said, stopping her. Kyra stood in front of her alpha with her beta and two other enforcers flanking him.
“I’m letting Bliss be out of my sight only because she’s going to be with you. I trust you to keep her safe. Hell, I trust you to bring each of our mates back here unharmed. Please. Do not make me regret my decision.”
“You won’t regret it,” Kyra pledged. She bowed and walked away.
“Are you going with them?” Kellan asked Mira who was standing over Niles trying to help him up.
“No. I’d rather be by myself,” she replied.
“Those she-wolves will be there for you Mira if you just open up and let them. Be real with them, and they will welcome you.”
“So you say Kellan. Either way, it doesn’t matter. My heart is too broken to be partying.” She looked at Jaxson as she said that. He gazed at her clearly sorry for making her hurt but not knowing what to do about it. Mira wasn’t going to sob about not going out to the lounge with them. She was going to use it to keep true to the threat she’d given Jaxson. Happiness was going to be nonexistent for the both of them if she couldn’t be happy too.
Instead of saying anything to Mira Jaxson left the cellar to catch up with Kyra. She was just through the tunnels when he did catch up with her.
“Just because you want to make everyone safe doesn’t mean you should kill yourself doing it either Kyra. Even if running is the pussy shit to do, sometimes you just have to do it.”
“Why? When I can fight?” she asked.
“Because in the fight for you to save the woman someone loves; I may end up losing the woman I love. I’m not ready to suffer that kind of loss.” He held the side of her face before kissing her slowly and deeply.
“Understand what I mean?”
“Perfectly,” she smiled. Kyra realized then that it wasn’t just about pride and knowing how to fight. Now that she was an enforcer it was important for her to think smart and do what was best for the entire pack — not just herself.
“Don’t worry baby. I’ll be coming back to you.”
“You don’t have a damn choice,” he laughed.
“Now go on. I won’t keep you from finding an outfit to wear tonight and still taking hours to get dressed later on.” Kyra rolled her eyes at him as she walked away. She could feel his eyes on her ass as she walked down the tunnel, so she smacked her butt hard and looked behind her back, tossing him a wink.
“Tease!” he called out.
***
This time at the lounge, the women were carefree as they danced endlessly and drank liquor that had no effect on them. Rita of course only drank apple cider, and though liquor couldn’t get shifters drunk, it still carried qualities that was not healthy for their bodies so would not be healthy for a growing baby. Since they knew they would be at the lounge since breakfast, Jayce was able to arrange for a shifter who did worked as a DJ in the human world to play music at the lounge. He also sent alerts to spread the word that the lounge would be open again for the night.
If they wanted to keep the lounge open on a day to day basis, then they were going to have to hire some shifters to work the place for them. With Bliss’s father being dead she was reaping the benefits of all the money he left behind, and that was helping to keep the place open and stocked with all necessities.
“Selena look at that young wolf staring over here,” Rita said. All the women turned and looked at the young shifter. It was the same shifter that Selena was dancing with the night of the opening.
“You better go get you some of that,” Bliss told her, pushing her towards the large dancefloor.
“Just stay in sight,” Kyra warned her as she went off to join him on the dancefloor. He swooped her into his arms like he’d been waiting for her to run to him all night.
“Let’s all hit the dancefloor, I wanna be in the crowd!” Gemma said. She left the VIP section with Bliss, but Kyra stayed with Rita. Niles and Zander were in the corner of the lounge doing their own thing but still paying attention to the she-wolves.
“I’m so happy for you! A girl! I can’t wait until she’s here!” Kyra beamed.
“I can’t wait until you pop some pups out too,” Rita teased
“With you, it won’t be so hard but Gemma? I don’t think I’m going to convince her to have pups any time soon.”
“She wants to be young and live life. I don’t blame her,” Kyra shrugged.
“Hey back off!” Gemma shouted, pushing at a male wolf. Kyra immediately perked up.
“Stay here,” she ordered Rita as she leaped into the crowd. She reached Gemma in 3 seconds and stood in front of her.
“Is there a problem?” Kyra asked the male.
“Just wanna dance that’s all.”
“Well, I’m sure you can smell that she’s fucking mated!” Kyra looked at the man up and down and realized something was off. With all the scents around her and sweaty bodies, she didn’t notice his scent at first.
Everyone to the safe room. Right now. He’s not a shifter.
“KYRA!” Bliss screamed. Kyra looked towards the sound of Bliss’s voice to see her hoisted above another man’s shoulders being carried off. The man in front of Kyra laughed and ran off. He was the distraction. They had planned to snatched someone up. They were hunters.
Zander, Niles; make sure all the girls get into the safe room NOW! and shut this place down!
Kyra bolted after Bliss. Kellan had claimed to trust her. She was not letting her alpha female be snatched up by some human. The hunters ran out the back door, but Kyra quickly caught up to them with ease. She grabbed a large rock from the ground and flung it hard at the second human hitting him so hard in the head; it exploded open. He fell to the ground lifelessly. His shirt lifted revealing a pack of arrows.
One down, one more to go. Kyra leaped over his body, grabbing the arrow that was attached to a pack strapped to his back and ran for the last hunter. Bliss was elbowing him in the head and neck, but he clutched onto her tightly. Knowing she only had one shot, Kyra stopped running and focused. She lined up the arrow and threw it. It speared through the darkness, traveling straight into the hunters back and through his heart. He stumbled on his feet before falling. Bliss fell with him but quickly scrambled away, running back to Kyra. She showed Kyra the silver cuff he had slapped around her wrist when he’d snatched her up. Kyra’s phone rang immediately. It was Kellan. Since she was too far for him speak into her mind and because he probably sensed the cut off he had from Bliss, because of the silver he knew something was wrong.
“Where’s my fucking mate?” he growled into the phone.
“And what the fuck happened to her?”
“She’s fine Kellan I promise.”
“So where the fuck is she?!” Bliss grabbed the phone to talk to her mate while Kyra led her back to the lounge.
“I promise I’m fine Kellan. Trust me. We’re coming back to the caves right now….no you don’t have to come here. I’m coming right now.” Bliss hung up the phone and gave it to Kyra.
“Yeah, we need to go,” Bliss said. Kyra nodded.
In the safe room, the rest of the she-wolves were anxiously waiting. Kyra gave them the update but knew the first priority was getting back to the caves.
“You two stay and lock this place up. I’m taking them home,” Kyra said to Niles and Zander.
“By yourself?” Niles asked.
“Yes. Two of you need to make sure this place is cleaned out and sweep the place for any weapons. Two hunters got in here tonight, and we don’t know how. Kellan is going to want to know. So get to it. Ladies lets go.” No one questioned her orders after that.
Chapter Nineteen
“What happened, do we need to go out there?” Tristan asked.
“No, Kyra said it’s all fine. They’re coming back now,” Kellan spoke tightly. The moment he felt his bond to Bliss sever he felt like someone had snatched his heart from his chest. Kingston had cried uncontrollably feeling the loss of h
is mother. Kellan consoled his pup as much as he could, but his fear was uncontrollable.
“I don’t like this at all,” Jayce said nervously.
“I talked to Bliss on the phone; she insists that everything is fine but I-” Kellan took a deep breath as Bliss’s essence poured into his body slowly. Their bond linked together, restoring Kellan’s calmness. Kingston stopped crying, feeling his mother’s bond return to him.
“What?” Jaxson asked.
“I can feel her through our bond again,” he sighed.
“Thank goodness.”
I told you everything was fine baby, Bliss spoke into his mind.
Thank goodness, he breathed.
Hold tight. We’ll be back home soon enough.
“Everything is okay,” Kellan said.
“I’m going to try and put Kingston back to bed. We will talk when the women return.” With his baby in hand, Kellan retreated to the bedroom he shared with Bliss. The rest of the males parted ways as well to wait for their mates to return.
They were just having beers and talking when Kellan had felt the connection to his mate cut off. Jayce and Tristan could immediately reach out to their mates in their heads no matter the distance because of their mating bond. Jaxson was very jealous because the only way he could mind speak with his woman was when she got close enough to the caves for them to be in range. It sucked that there would be no mating bond between them, but still, Jaxson wouldn’t give Kyra up for the world. If the women were saying everything was fine, that meant Kyra handled her business correctly. He was proud of that.
Back in his room, he laid down in his large bed on his back. For the few weeks that he and Kyra had claimed each other, they still kept their separate rooms. He was ready to ask her to move into his room with him. Most nights they shared his large bed, and whenever she wasn’t in his bed with him, it was going to feel lonely. Just like it did at the moment. Sighing, Jaxson rolled over and closed his eyes ready for his woman to come back home to him.
Mira listened outside of Jaxson’s door as his breathing went heavy and he began to lightly snore. She’d been paying close attention to him all night, and this was the moment she was waiting for. She realized that her control on his mind would never work while he was awake. He just had too much of a connection with Kyra. But now that he was asleep? His mind was hers for the playing with. She knew she would never get to be with him, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t do what she had to do to get what she wanted in the first place and to see that the happy couple no longer be happy.