by Jenny Frame
“You won’t. Caden and Lena and their new cub will be at your mating ceremony in a few weeks.” The pack had been preparing for Ripp and Kyra’s mating for weeks, and Caden and the elite wolves had been helping Ripp build their den.
Dante needed to distract the young wolf. She needed an occupation.
“Ripp, I need you to do something for me,” Dante said.
Ripp immediately dried her eyes and stood to attention. “Anything, Alpha.”
“Lena would feel better if the Mater and your mate Kyra were here with her, but I don’t want them traveling here alone, not while we have a Lupa mystery on our hands. I need you to go and pick the Mater up and bring her here with Kyra. I think Stella was with the Mater, so she will watch our cubs, I’m sure.”
“I’ll go right away—you can count on me, Alpha.” Ripp thumped her chest in salute.
Dante smiled. Since Ripp was newly transformed to a were, she had all the insecurities and struggles of controlling her wolf that a teenage wolf like Dion did, but in an adult body. She looked in the direction of the Lupa wolf’s room and thought about how much they had to protect now. She wouldn’t let anyone come in the way of that.
* * *
Kenrick paced the hospital room, barely able to contain her worry. Zaria was hooked up to all sorts of machines and IVs were giving her fluids.
It was not usual to see a wolf in this condition. Any injuries they could shift and cure, but not when they had silver in their system. She ran her hand over her dreadlocked hair, then scratched her shaved scalp above her ears. She couldn’t imagine any dominant shooting a submissive with silver or attacking them in the first place. It was the height of cowardice.
For the last ten minutes Zaria had been murmuring in her sleep, and Kenrick could scent her fear and stress. She wanted to wrap her arms around her and make her feel safe, but that wasn’t her place. She didn’t even know this wolf, or if she had good intentions, but her intuition told her Zaria was not a threat.
Zaria suddenly started to throw her arms out, as if struggling with an imaginary foe, threatening to pull out the wires and drips she was attached to. Kenrick just reacted without thinking. She hurried over and grasped her hands, trying to keep her lines from coming out. She saw the welts on Zaria’s wrists from the silver shackles and her anger burned deep inside.
Zaria cried out, “Don’t, don’t touch me. No, no!”
Whoever was frightening Zaria in her dreams, Kenrick wanted to scare them away. She put her hand on Zaria’s cheek and whispered, “You’re safe, Zaria. No one will hurt you. You’re safe, I promise.”
After repeating this a few times, Zaria’s body started to calm. Then Zaria’s eyes fluttered open. She looked at Kenrick for a few seconds, then scrambled off the other side of the bed.
“No, don’t, you’ll hurt yourself,” Kenrick said.
Zaria huddled in the corner of the room and shouted, “Stay back. Don’t touch me.”
Kenrick stayed where she was, not wanting to seem like a threat. “Zaria, you’re safe. You’re in Wolfgang County Hospital. We just want to help you.”
Zaria, shaking and panic-stricken, started to pull out her IV lines roughly, and blood ran down her arms.
Kenrick said, “No, you need those. You have silver in your system.”
The wolves guarding the door burst into the room, apparently hearing the commotion. Zaria looked like she was trying to shift to protect herself from this new threat, but the doctor had said she wasn’t strong enough to shift yet. It could be dangerous.
Kenrick had to get control of the situation. She pointed to the guards. “You two—out now. I will deal with this.”
They hesitated, and she gave them a hard stare. “Go now.”
Yielding to her dominance, they nodded and walked out. Kenrick turned back to Zaria, who was still trying to shift. “You can’t shift, Zaria. You’ve had silver in your body. It’s too dangerous.”
Zaria just growled.
Kenrick tried to think how she could quickly show Zaria she wasn’t a threat. Then she had it. She would approach her like any wounded animal.
She walked around the bed, and Zaria walked further into the corner. “Get back.”
Kenrick dropped to one knee, put her head down, and held out her hands. “I’m not going to hurt you, Zaria. We found you injured on the road and brought you back to Wolfgang County. You’re safe now, but you need to rest and you can’t shift. The silver is still in your system.”
* * *
Zaria’s struggle to shift seemed hard and futile. She growled in frustration, then through her fear she saw the wolf who had been guarding her, on her knee, in apparent submission. This shocked her to her core, and her breathing started to calm. The wolf was big, very dominant, and powerful, yet she had her head bowed in apparent submission to her.
Never in her life had she seen a dominant wolf give a submissive posture to a submissive. In the Lupa pack no dominant would ever lower themselves to do that. Could she trust this wolf, or was it a trick? She didn’t sound like a Wolfgang. She had a lilting Scottish accent.
Zaria tried to calm her breathing and asked, “Who are you?”
The wolf slowly inched her head up from the submissive position, and Zaria saw those dazzling blue eyes that had caught her breath when she woke up.
“I’m Kenrick of the Scottish Wulver pack. I’m here visiting my cousin, the Alpha. We found you on the road when the Alpha was picking me up from the airport. You are safe—I give you my word.”
Zaria found herself captivated by Kenrick’s gentleness, despite her size and her obvious strength. But if this wolf meant her no harm, then why was she under guard?
It was then that she felt the pain from ripping out the IVs. She looked down at the blood dripping down her arms. She was a mess. How had her life been turned upside down in twenty-four hours?
“If I am safe, then why am I under guard?” Zaria asked.
“I’m sorry about that. It’s just a precaution. We guessed you were from the Lupa pack, going by your pendent, and the Wolfgangs were recently attacked by the Lupas.”
Zaria gulped and closed her eyes. She knew only too well what had happened and felt shame that she had failed in her promise to her sister—to protect the one thing that was precious to them both.
Kenrick moved forward a few steps and held up her hand to Zaria. “Take my scent. You’ll see I am no threat to you.”
Zaria was frightened to bend her head in case it was a trap. Dominants had never showed her gentleness and she didn’t trust them.
Kenrick lowered her head again and put her other arm around her back. Why was this wolf trying so hard to convey she was not a threat? It was strange. But maybe if she could make an alliance with this wolf, she could get out of here, and then she could make contact with the wolf who meant more to her than anything.
She lowered her head and gasped when she inhaled Kenrick’s scent. It conveyed strength, power, but gentleness, and underneath that the fresh scent of a lush forest after a rainfall. It was beautiful.
Kenrick raised her head and Zaria looked in her eyes, and her heart fluttered. No wolf had ever done that. She found herself reaching out to touch the mane of soft dreadlocked hair Kenrick had on her head and felt an urge to scratch her claws along the shaved sides, but she pulled her hand back at the last second. What was she doing?
“I’m going to stand up slowly, okay?” Kenrick said softly.
Zaria watched Kenrick raise to her full height. She was taller and stronger than any Lupa dominant she had encountered, but in contrast to her strength and power, Kenrick held herself so openly and gently. Zaria was quite disarmed.
“Will you get back into bed and let the nurses put your IVs back in? All we want is to make you feel better,” Kenrick said.
Zaria took a moment and trusted her instincts about Kenrick. Besides, she had to get better to get out of here and seek out her reason for living on the run since she was sixteen years old.
&nb
sp; “Yes, I will.”
Chapter Four
Kenrick woke up suddenly and was unsure of her surroundings. Then she saw the young woman sleeping in the hospital bed in front of her and it all came rushing back. She stretched her arms, rubbed her face, then looked at the clock. It was five o’clock in the morning. She must have fallen asleep in the chair.
Once Zaria had let the nurses hook up her IV lines again, Kenrick had watched her drift off to sleep. Surprisingly, Kenrick’s wolf was being extremely understanding, considering she hadn’t run since leaving Scotland. Somehow she understood this was where she was meant to be.
Kenrick watched Zaria sleep, and even in sleep she could see the strain and tension in the play of her muscles. Last night’s events proved Zaria was a creature used to fear, used to having to protect herself. Her mate, if she had one, should be helping her with that. She felt a strange sensation in her chest, so much so that she rubbed her breastbone with her fist. It was urging her, pulling her towards Zaria. Maybe the Great Mother was asking her to protect Zaria?
Kenrick got up and walked the few steps over to Zaria. She wouldn’t presume to touch her without permission, but she felt compelled to be closer. Her eyes surveyed Zaria, taking in every inch of her face. She felt Zaria’s beauty in the deepest part of her soul. Her olive-coloured skin was punctuated by the cutest little freckles. She had deep brown eyes that Kenrick could lose herself in, and dark wavy hair that she had the urge to run her fingers through.
“What a bonnie lassie you are, and I don’t think anyone has ever shown you that.” Kenrick caught herself reaching out to touch Zaria’s cheek and quickly pulled her hand away. “What is wrong with you?” she asked herself.
She hadn’t felt the urges or the tightening in her chest with any wolf before. It was crazy—she didn’t even know this woman but felt like she did. Last night when Kenrick had talked Zaria down and calmed her, she felt like they were connected somehow in some way she didn’t understand.
Her thoughts were interrupted by one of the guards knocking at the door and popping his head around. He was smiling broadly.
“Kenrick, Lena has delivered the cub. Both she and the cub are healthy.”
Kenrick felt joy in her heart for her old friend. There was no one more deserving of love and family than Caden.
“Wonderful news,” Kenrick said.
The guard nodded and said, “The Second has asked if you would join them.”
“I’d be honoured. Will you keep an eye on Zaria? Don’t be aggressive or show your dominance—she doesn’t react well to it.”
The guard bowed his head. “Yes, Kenrick.”
Kenrick walked along the deserted hospital corridor and knocked at the hospital room door.
“Come in,” she heard a voice say.
She walked in and was greeted by Eden first. “Ricky, I’m so glad to see you.”
She inclined her head in respect. She would never dare touch another’s mate, especially the Alpha’s, even though she had known Eden since they were children.
Dante had her arm around Eden’s waist, and beside them Ripp stood with a young blond woman who she recognized, but she couldn’t remember her name. Kenrick assumed this was Ripp’s mate, going by the way she was possessively wrapped around her.
“Hi, I’m Kyra.”
“Kyra.” Kenrick thought carefully. “Ava’s wee sister, aye?”
“Yeah. That’s right.” Kyra smiled.
“Ricky? Come and meet my mate and my new baby cub,” Caden said.
Kenrick could have sworn Caden was five inches taller. She was a proud wolf with a smile that went ear to ear. She had her arm around her mate, who was cradling the new cub.
“Hi, Ricky, Cade has told me so much about you.”
“Pleased to me you, Lena. Congratulations on the wee bairn.”
Lena looked blank, but then Caden said to her, “Bairn means baby in Scottish. She says things like that sometimes.”
Lena giggled. “Well thank you, Ricky. Come closer and see him.”
Kenrick leaned over and saw a chubby little baby face and thick dark hair. “He’s a handsome wee cub.”
“We think so.” Lena reached up and stroked Caden’s cheek. Kenrick’s heart ached at the tenderness of the act. Then she looked around the room and suddenly felt so alone. Everyone had smiles on their faces and hands on their mates, even young Ripp, who had been half human but had found her wolf. She had no one and that made her sad.
“Have you come up with a name?” Dante asked.
Lena smiled at Caden, then said to her friends, “Yes, this little boy cub is named after Caden’s pater. Say hello to Chase.”
* * *
Zaria’s eyes fluttered open and she had a few seconds of panic before remembering where she was. She grasped her pendent and took a deep breath to calm herself. I could be dead just now, or worse, at the hands of the Lupas. At least she was safe with the Wolfgangs and closer to her goal.
She turned around and saw the time was ten o’clock at night. She’d been sleeping a long time. She needed to shift, her wolf was demanding it, but it was in her interest to follow the Wolfgang pack’s rules—for now.
Zaria noticed a handwritten note on the bedside table. She picked it up and read:
Dear Zaria,
I had to go but I will be back to sit with you first thing tomorrow. Have a good night’s sleep.
Your friend,
Kenrick
Zaria felt a smile creep up on her face. What a strange wolf this Kenrick was, unlike any she had ever known. Zaria was always suspicious of anyone she met, but her wolf told her that she could trust Kenrick.
She remembered last night and the strange approach Kenrick had to making Zaria trust her. “She kneeled to me. Why would she do that?” Zaria wondered out loud.
Kenrick had told her she was from the Wulver pack in Scotland, one of the old UK packs. As a Lupa, Zaria was brought up and taught to harbour a distrust and dislike of the Western European packs, especially the Celtic and British ones.
The Lupas and the Volk, American wolf packs, drew their ancestry from Eastern European wolf families, and over the centuries, hatred and distrust grew between them. Zaria never quite believed the propaganda, and neither did her sister, and that was why when they ran, they ran to the Wolfgangs.
As much as she was frightened last night, she knew she was safe for the moment. The Wolfgangs were taking care of her even though she was a Lupa, and every nurse that came in with medication or food had a kind smile for her.
She allowed herself to imagine what it would have been like growing up in the Wolfgang pack. She felt warmth, laughter, friendship, and happiness. How wonderful it would have been compared to her own experience of terror, fear, and isolation in the Lupa pack.
That was what made her mission and her promise to her sister so important, and she would die before breaking that promise.
There was a knock at the door and the doctor came in. He smiled at her and said, “Good morning, Zaria. How do you feel today?”
“Why are you being so friendly to me. I’m a Lupa—you all know that.”
Dr. Jaycen walked over to the monitors and checked all her readings. “I believe in giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, and my wolf tells me you are not a threat. You will have a harder job to convince the Alpha. The Lupas have cost our Alpha and Mater a lot. She’ll be in later to talk to you.”
“To question me,” Zaria corrected him.
Dr. Jaycen shook his head and smiled. “Talk to you. We are not a threat to you. The Alpha just needs to understand why you’re here.”
Zaria let out a breath, feeling her wolf get more and more restless. “When can I shift?”
Dr. Jaycen lifted her chart and studied her vitals. “Hmm. Maybe this morning.”
“Can I run?” Zaria asked hopefully.
“That’s up to the Alpha. You can ask her when she’s in later.”
Zaria had to get out of here, and if she had to play a
long, she would.
* * *
Kenrick felt exhilaration as she ran through the Wolfgang forest. After a good night’s sleep, she was desperate to run and was only too happy to take the Alpha and Mater’s cubs out, giving them a Saturday morning to themselves for a change.
Along the way they had picked up some of Dion and Meghan’s friends. The more the merrier as far as she was concerned. Kenrick loved cubs and always did this with her own friends’ cubs back in Scotland.
She looked back at the cubs following and laughed inside at Dion, who was determined to catch up with her. Kenrick remembered being Dion’s age. Everything was a competition, everything was a test, and that’s what built strong dominant wolves.
Kenrick decided to veer off in a different direction and catch the cubs by surprise. She leapt over a fallen tree and scrambled up an embankment out of the forest. It was now open grass fields till they got back to the Alpha’s den. Kenrick enjoyed running in the Wolfgang forest, but it was different from her home. The Wolfgang forest scent was green, warm, and dry, while Wulver Forest was wet, lush, and green, and there was nothing Kenrick liked more than a drizzly day in Wulver Forest.
She checked back to make sure the cubs had made it up the bank okay. When they did she deliberately slowed her pace so that Dion could catch her. Dion pounced on her back.
I got you, Ricky, Dion said telepathically.
Aye?
Kenrick flipped Dion and wrestled her to the ground. They were soon joined by the rest of the cubs, and they all piled on top of her, laughing.
Okay, okay. You got me. Let’s get back for breakfast.
Yeah! they all replied.
Kenrick led them back to the Alpha’s den and into the mudroom at the back of the house, where there were showers and changes of clothes. Once they were cleaned up and Kenrick was dressing, the cubs surrounded her excitedly.
“Can I come running with you again?” Marco asked. He was Flash and Vance’s son. “It was so much fun.”