I felt my beast stir when Dimitri called for it. To be honest, I want nothing more than to hunt the fucker that killed Andre. I want to kill everyone and everything that had a hand in his death. My prime suspects at the moment: several high ranking lycans and Sebastian. Andre went off to gather information on a total of five beings and died before he was able to relay what he found. I’m now positive that there is a traitor in our midst somewhere. I will carry on as usual as not to show my hand yet.
“Back to work everyone! The war won't win itself!” Everyone scatters and all that’s left is my mates, father, and Dimitri. I can tell by the way my father is looking at me that he knows something is on my mind. “Guys—dad, Dimitri, and I need to go talk about the old days. I want to learn more about my mother and the castle.” Jayce is the first to smile. He runs up to hug and kiss me. Dom takes his time and picks me up, kissing me passionately before setting me down. Sebastian comes to stand before me, attempting to lock eyes with me—almost in challenge. My beast wasn't having it and makes him turn his eyes away. I lightly grip his jaw and turn his head to face me.
“I love you. Please don't test me.” Sebastian smirks and kisses me, nipping at my bottom lip for good measure. Forever the wise ass. My father approaches and offers his hand to me. The minute I take his hand, I hear his voice in my head.
“I know something is plaguing you, daughter. Is this the reason for the walk?” My eyes turn to my father briefly and I barely nod my head. He squeezes my hand to let me know he saw my answer.
“Come on, Papa Bear. Let’s go!” I extend my hand to Dimitri, wiggling my fingers at him. He half laughs and takes my hand. I almost got him to smile.
“Ok guys, I don’t know if trying to talk to both of you at the same time is going to work, but here I go. We have a traitor somewhere here in the compound. I’m not sure who it is so don’t ask. I had Andre investigate four elders and Sebastian’s family.” My eyes drift between my father and Dimitri as we walk out the door and head toward the stream at the southern edge of the property. I know they heard me by how tense their bodies have become. As soon as we got out of range, I stop and stare at both of them. I let out a slow breath, looking at them expectantly. I can see the gears turning between the two of them.
“What made you come to these conclusions, Aurora?” Dimitri is the first to question me. All I can do is breathe in deeply.
“Some of the older lycans questioned my bloodline, and I overheard them mention Vladimir. They were speaking as if he’s still around. It kind of makes me wonder.” I look between the two of them and I see both of their animals surge to the surface. We stand there in silence. There were suspicions that the old alpha was possibly still alive. We still don't have confirmation, and Andre would have had that answer.
"Andre was bringing me his findings. I never got the answers I was looking for." I look off at the ground. I miss Andre so much. He was my confidant and a mother figure. My father nods slowly, taking in all that I've said.
"The elders could be old enough to remember the old alpha. Question is, where do their loyalties lie? Sebastian is a mate so I seriously doubt he would plot against you." Nico rests his hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. I force a smile as I look up at my father. .
“I was hoping you would say that, dad. So, we agree to focus on the Elders and try to figure out which of the four houses has it out for me.” My eyes lock on Dimitri and I watch him straighten up, his shoulders pushed back and chest puffed up. “Papa bear, I need you to watch and listen to the ones training. Someone might slip and say something. You know how pups talk.” I’ve never seen Dimitri with such a stern look on his face. He’s actually quite menacing looking.
“I will do it gladly, pup. Anything for you.” He wraps his thick arms around me and hugs me tightly to him. My arms band around his neck and I squeeze him back. I love my mates, but these are the only two that I can completely trust with behind-the-scenes things. I hate having to be suspicious of my people, but something doesn’t add up. Reluctantly, I let go of Dimitri and motion for us to head back to the camp.
“Dad, I have a question for you.” I turn to face him and tilt my head to the side, thinking about how to phrase the question. “Before the ascension, why was my wolf insanely jealous of Dimitri having a sexual relationship with anyone? She pretty much claimed him as hers, but didn’t physically claim him.” I watch Dimitri’s cheeks burn flame red from embarrassment. He wasn't the only one embarrassed, but I needed answers. After all, my animal’s possessiveness of Dimitri ended the minute she smelled Sebastian. Nico simply laughs. He laughs so hard he’s bent at the waist with his hand on his thigh.
“Sorry, daughter… That’s a very dragon trait. You were magically bound to Dimitri so your young animal confused it for the mating bond. It’s an honest mistake. In truth, without that bond, you probably would have gone insane and took me with you.” Nico slowly stands up and regains his composure, still smirking at Dimitri. “I know the stories you told me, old friend, and I’m sorry it happened. If I was able to be with my daughter from the beginning, that bond never would have existed.” Nico looks down after the words leave his mouth. He realizes what he said was a tad insensitive. “I am grateful for all you’ve done for us. I am sorry if my words were cruel.” Nico furrows his brows. I’m betting my father isn't used to apologizing when he messes up. Dimitri lets the comment roll off his back. It doesn’t even look like it phased him. He moves closer to my father then gives him one of those side bro-hug things with the exaggerated back patting and everything.
“We’re good. We better get back before the others get suspicious.”
I roll my eyes and start walking back ahead of the guys. I listen to the sounds of battle going on in the training grounds. Yup, that’s where I’m headed. Why not? I mean, seriously, I have three smoking hot mates who could potentially be shirtless. Shirtless and sweaty with beads of sweat rolling down their well-defined abdomens... Damn, I need to get laid.
I creep through the shadows, observing all the guys in their half-naked glory. Dom and Pete are sparing, using bow staves. Dom’s muscles elongating and flexing then tightening has me mesmerized. I am so lost in my own little wet dream, I don’t even notice when Elena comes up beside me. When I do notice, I scream like a little girl and claw half-way up the tree. I’m hanging from the tree by my talons when I look down and notice it's only Elena. She’s legit laughing her ass off at me. Dom is now also under the tree, trying not to laugh, along with several others. Just to be an ass, I let go of the tree and fall so Dom has to catch me. What a crying shame! He’s half naked and holding me. What’s a girl to do? Dom lets out a heartfelt laugh then kisses my cheek.
“Crazy wolf! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” He smiles and kisses my cheek again. His lips find my neck and he nips me gently. Then, Dom lets out a primal growl and starts to walk away with me. Our forward momentum is suddenly halted by Dimitri who steps in front of us, and my father places his hand on Dom’s shoulder.
“I know that growl, lad. I can’t let you follow your instincts. We need Aurora at full strength for this journey and the battles ahead.” Nico isn’t budging until I’m released from Dom's grasp. My feet hit the floor and I look between my father and Dom. Then, it dawns on me; that was a fast two months.
I step away from the guys, disappointed that I was denied dick. But, my father is right; I will slow everyone down if I am heavily pregnant.
“Elena, I need the tea again. Dad, Dimitri, Can you two watch over me?” They both smile and nod. Dimitri grabs my hand and starts leading me to his small cabin set off away from everyone. I didn’t know the shack he chose was so small. He deserves better. I make a mental note to improve his living conditions when this is all over.
Dimitri leads me into a room off the main one, and I freeze in my tracks. It was Andre’s room. I walk in slowly. There’s so many pictures of us over the years that I didn’t know existed. I stare in wonder, watching myself grow up in the pictures—
birthdays, holidays; they were all here. I quickly look back to Dimitri, who’s in tears like I am.
“He kept a photo album of you growing up. I know he would have wanted you to have it.” Dimitri reaches into a drawer, pulls out the album, and sets it on the table beside the bed. Elena’s in the doorway, listening to our exchange, with tears freely flowing down her cheeks. She can’t bring herself to speak, and offers me a cup of the special tea. I look down at the contents and sniff it. Something’s different. My beast surges to the surface and I shove the tea at her.
“You drink it!” I stare at her, my instincts on high alert. Something isn't sitting right. Elena takes the cup from me and sniffs it, and all the color drains from her face.
“Princess, no! I didn’t do this! Someone must have tampered with my herbs.” Dimitri’s bear makes his presence known as fur ripples down his arms and recedes just as quickly. My father comes up behind him and placed his hand on his shoulder.
“Old friend, we will just have to keep Aurora isolated, that’s all. I will try to put her into a frost slumber. It's a state of torpor that some ice dragons use to leapfrog through time. If it doesn’t work, I’ll turn this house into one huge ice cube.” My father shrugs his shoulders like it was no big deal. Then again, to him, it probably wasn’t a big deal.
“Before I sleep, father, I want to try something for Dimitri.” I look to Dimitri and he nods, moving closer to me. “Please sit, Papa Bear. My blood healed Sebastian quickly. I’m wondering if it would do the same for you. Perhaps slow the progression of time.” I watch the idea process quickly behind my father's eyes. His dragon surges forward just before he runs out of the room. Either I had a stroke of genius or he doesn’t want to witness what I’m going to do. When my father returns, he’s holding a goblet, a bottle of vodka, and a spoon. Okay, I’m really puzzled now.
“My brilliant daughter, I completely forgot about the blood bonding. Dimitri, we can bond you to the two of us. It should stop the aging process and possibly reverse it some.” Nico pours about four shots of vodka into the goblet, bites his own wrist, and bleeds into the goblet. He licks his wound, sealing it, before he looks at me. I bite my right wrist deeply and hold it over the goblet, making sure the majority of the blood makes it in. Carefully, I pick up the goblet and hold it out to Dimitri. He bites his wrist and bleeds into it—about the same amount as my father did. Nico looks between Dimitri and me then decides to explain.
“I know you’re wondering, Why the vodka? It keeps the blood from clotting and it makes the blood taste better.” His eyes turn to Elena. “Knowledge of this does not leave this room, am I clear?” Elena nods slowly. She’s obviously still frightened and sad that she almost assisted in killing me. Since I’m still holding the goblet, I drink about a third of the contents. I immediately feel the power of my father’s blood in my body. Carefully, I pass the goblet to my father and he drinks half of what’s left.
Finally, Dimitri gets the remaining blood. He smiles at me quickly before drinking the rest of it. The surge of power that goes through him knocks him to his knees, and I rush over to keep him steady. I feel his muscles tense under my fingertips as they become thick and solid. Almost twenty minutes pass before he lifts his head and looks at me. It’s as if I dunked Dimitri in the fountain of youth. He’s absolutely handsome. I never noticed how beautiful of a man he was until just now.
“Aurora, please don’t look at me like that,” Dimitri says softly. He stands to his full height and stretches his heavily muscled body. He’s a mountain of a man. I know part of it has to do with his bear, but damn. Maybe my wolf isn’t fucking delusional for thinking of Dimitri as her’s. Maybe it's my heat talking, maybe not. I would have to revisit this subject once my heat passes.
I laugh softly to myself and turn away from Dimitri to look around Andre’s old room. He held onto so many little things that I brought him over the years. All the small animal skulls litter the shelves in his room. Looking at them, I start cracking up. My father comes to stand beside me in front of the shelves of skulls. He starts chuckling to himself.
“I guess you took after me more than I thought. I’m guessing, by the size of these skulls, you were a little one when you started this collection.” He tilts to head look at me, the liquid mercury of his dragon’s eyes focused on mine. I nod slowly and look back at my collection.
“At first, it freaked Andre out that I was bringing him my trophies. After a while, he began to look forward to seeing what I would bring him that day.” I pick up a cougar’s skull and hold it in my hand. “I was ten when I killed the cougar. The guys were out hunting when it came into our yard. I had chores to get done, so I was in the garden when it attacked me. I guess it didn’t or couldn’t smell what I was. I felt its teeth sinking into the back of my neck as its claws dug into my ribs. Something came over me, and my body went into its first full shift. Before that day, most times I was only able to shift my hands and canines. It released me and tried to escape, but it didn’t get far before I caught up to it and ripped it to shreds.” I start laughing as I look over to Dimitri, who’s definitely having a proud Papa Bear moment. “Poor Andre had to deal with not only a freshly shifted she-wolf, but cougar parts all over the yard. You know how jumpy Andre could be. He tried so hard to fight his instinct to run. In the end, Dimitri had to watch over me until I shifted back.” Dimitri laughs for several moments before regaining his composure.
“She was stuck as her wolf for almost four days. That little white hellion was like a force of nature hell bent on testing out her talons, and her new found strength and speed. Hell, Andre was the only one fast enough to keep up with her when she went hunting.” My father beams with pride as he listens to our story. He begins to walk around Andre’s room, picking up different pictures—basically catching up on the last two hundred some odd years.
Nico holds up a picture that I hadn’t noticed. I walk over to my father and lean over his shoulder to look at it with him. It’s a picture of Sebastian holding me as a baby. I wonder how long Andre hid this picture from me. Sebastian looks so enamored with me, like the sun rose and set with every breath I took. I take out my phone and send my baby picture to Sebastian. I manipulate the photo to have a heart frame with the caption: “awe.” Within a matter of seconds, he sends me several heart emojis and asks where I am. I tell him that I’m in Andre’s room and that I’m being quarantined until my heat is over. He sends me several sad faces. I shake my head and put my phone away.
My father is now on the bed sitting next to Elena, and they’re both looking through the album. She tells him about the night of my arrival and the three months we spent with her and Sebastian. My dad thanked her profusely for caring for me and providing us shelter when we needed it most. I watch the exchange for several minutes until my phone went off again. It’s Jayce, and this time and he wants to video chat. I walk to the corner of the room and sit in Andre’s rocking chair.
“Hi love,” I say when I see his smiling face. The video changes. He must have casted it to the smart screen in the office. “Hi everyone! I’m currently grounded because of my heat.” The guys nod and all start speaking at once. “Whoa! Settle down. First off, I need to let you know someone tampered with Elena’s herbs. I was almost poisoned today." The guys start yelling back and forth, threatening to rip the compound apart. “We don’t need to go that crazy. There is a traitor here and we’ve been aware of that for quite some time. I want you to spread the rumor that I’m very ill and you’re not sure if I’m going to survive.” I watch the guys ponder what I just said.
Sebastian speaks first, “Are you sure that’s wise? I mean, they could attack and we aren’t there to protect you.”
“Positive. I have protection, don’t worry about that aspect. Besides, I’m in heat not fucking dead, Bash. Give a girl some credit here.” Dimitri prepares to step forward and I raise my hand to stop him. I don’t need my secret weapon revealed quite yet. I look back at the guys. “Any questions?”
The twins look
at each other then back to the screen.
“We’ll patrol outside to keep appearances up. We need to keep this as legit-looking as possible for it to work.” I agree with them and nod slowly.
“Do you want me or your father to make the announcement to the packs?” Sebastian is the next to speak. I bite my bottom lip, pondering what he said. There are very few who know about the tea’s existence and he’s one of them.
“I think it’s best if you and my father make the announcement together. The king and the first mate standing together makes for a stronger, united front. Say very little about what happened; just that I was somehow poisoned and your mother is working around the clock and trying everything she can to save me." Sebastian nods then smirks.
"I'll keep the pack and the boys in line until you’re able to return." He looks over at the twins and gives them a look I really don’t like.
"No need, love." I state flatly. "It would be far better if my father oversees everything. After all, he is the Dragon King. Who in their right mind would oppose him?" I watch Sebastian's face contort a dozen ways before he reigns in his emotions.
"As you wish, princess," Sebastian says with a mild inflection of a venomous tone. I keep my eyes steady on him until he leaves the room the twins are in. I signal the twins to watch each other's backs. I carry on with casual conversation as I start writing messages to hold up to them. I'm not sure how far away Sebastian is and I'm concerned for the twins' safety. I end the video chat and stare at Elena.
"What family do you have left in Romania? Who was your sire?" Gut instinct tells me she’s related to Lycan Alpha Vladimir. My heart hopes I’m wrong. Elena's bottom lip quivers as she looks at me. She starts shifting from foot to foot, showing her nervousness. I can scent the fear in the air—it's rather acrid. Dimitri blocks the door behind her as I wait patiently for her answer; well, as patiently as I can.
Hunt Little Wolf: The Aurora Marelup Series Page 12