Blood of the Pack

by Jenny Frame

  Kenrick rummaged in the bag she brought with her. “I almost forgot. I asked the Mater to make you up a breakfast sandwich. I know what hospital food can be like.”

  She brought out a foil-wrapped package, but Zaria could smell it already, and her mouth started to water. Zaria was starving. After not eating for a few days, the hospital breakfast just wasn’t enough, but she was hesitant to take it when Kenrick held it out.

  “Did you tell the Mater it was for you, or for me?” Zaria knew what the Lupas had done to the Mater—attacked her and caused her to lose a cub.

  “Aye, don’t worry. The Mater is really kind and always gives people the benefit of the doubt. Take it.”

  Kenrick put the package right next to Zaria’s hands. She wanted Zaria to trust her and felt the need to take care of her. A few seconds passed. Then Zaria took the package and unwrapped it quickly.

  “Thank you, Kenrick.”

  Kenrick smiled. “Call me Ricky—all my friends do.”

  Zaria looked at her silently, then tucked into the sandwich with gusto, making humming noises as she ate. Kenrick couldn’t take her eyes off the sandwich. Her mouth watered and her gums ached as she watched Zaria. She gulped hard. She shouldn’t be thinking thoughts like that about Zaria. She was alone and vulnerable. Kenrick had a duty of care to Zaria, and that didn’t include lusting after her.

  But, by the Great Mother, she had never seen such a beautiful wolf in her life.

  Stop it.

  Kenrick went back into her bag and brought out two bottles of Wulver Spring. “I brought you some water too.”

  “Thanks.” Zaria put down her sandwich and opened up one of the bottles. She took a long gulp. “That’s beautiful. So fresh and clean tasting. The Wulvers bottle water and make whisky?” Zaria asked.

  “Aye, that water come from Wulver Loch,” Kenrick said.

  “Loch?”

  “Sorry, it’s Scottish for lake. The water is the best you could find anywhere.”

  “It tastes like it. I’ve never been able to afford bottled water.”

  That comment told Kenrick a lot. Zaria must have been on her own for a long time. She was certain Zaria wasn’t a card-carrying Lupa wolf. There was a story behind her and probably a sad story. The thought of a scared and hungry Zaria living in that horrible apartment building Dante had shown her made Kenrick incredibly sad.

  “I’m not a Lupa here to cause trouble,” Zaria said out of the blue.

  Kenrick moved her seat closer. “I already knew that.”

  “How did you?” Zaria asked.

  Kenrick gazed into her dark brown eyes and said simply, “My wolf told me.”

  There was a silence as they gazed at each other. Eventually Zaria closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “Have you been out running? I can smell the forest air on you.”

  Kenrick smiled. “Yeah, I took the Alpha’s kids and their friends out.”

  “Oh? What are their names?” Zaria asked.

  Kenrick hesitated. Even though she trusted Zaria, they didn’t know her story yet and she didn’t want to give too much away about the Alpha’s family until they knew more. They had lost too much already.

  Zaria must have understood her silence because she said, “It’s okay. You need me to prove myself to the Alpha first.”

  “Forgive me, but the Alpha and Mater have lost so much to the Lupas,” Kenrick said.

  Zaria continued to eat her sandwich in silence, but Kenrick wanted to know more. A lone wolf wasn’t unheard of—some didn’t fit in with the pack and needed space—but it was unusual, especially for a submissive.

  Kenrick cleared her throat. “Do you have a mate somewhere, Zaria?”

  “No,” Zaria snapped, “and I never will. Mating is the subjection of the submissives.”

  Kenrick was taken aback at that response. “How could you ever think that? Mating is a sacred partnership, brought about by the Great Mother.”

  Zaria looked at her with haunted eyes. “Not where I come from.”

  Kenrick decided to let the subject go. Obviously Zaria had a troubled past with dominants, going by her reactions since she got here. She wasn’t going to push it.

  After Zaria finished her food she asked Kenrick, “What is that symbol shaved into your hair?”

  Kenrick touched her hair. “This? It’s the Celtic symbol for the wolf.”

  “I’ve seen some pictures of your pack land on the Wulver website. It looks beautiful,” Zaria said.

  “Thank you, aye, we think so.” Kenrick was delighted and surprised that Zaria had checked them out.

  “Can I ask you something?” Zaria asked.

  “Aye, what is it?”

  “Why have you been so kind and gentle to me?”

  Kenrick leaned forward in her seat. “It’s who I am. Who we all are, the Wolfgangs and the Wulvers.”

  “But you’re a dominant, aren’t you?” Zaria said.

  Zaria obviously had a warped view of how a dominant behaved. “Why can’t a dominant be kind and gentle?”

  Kenrick saw Zaria touch her neck briefly but didn’t answer. Zaria had a lot of scars on the inside, and she wanted to find out what they were and what caused them.

  * * *

  Dante pulled up in front of Caden’s den. They had made plans to go over to the hospital and talk to their Lupa visitor. Dante could have just beeped her horn, but she wanted a quick visit with baby Chase if he was awake. She was so pleased for her friend. Caden had waited a long time for a family of her own. Growing up without her parents had a big impact on Caden.

  She opened her car door and sighed as she got out. There was also a part of Dante that was still mourning the loss of her own cub. She had failed in her charge to protect her mate and that was never going to happen again, which was why this Lupa wolf turning up troubled her.

  Dante walked up to the door and knocked. Caden answered the door holding Chase resting on a towel draped over her shoulder.

  “Ah, Lena’s got you well trained already, Second. That’s what I like to see.”

  Caden smiled and ushered her friend in. “Lena doesn’t have to persuade me to look after my baby cub—in fact, we have wrestling matches over who gets to hold him.”

  Dante stroked the baby’s head with her fingers. “Good morning, beautiful boy.” Chase grabbed for Dante’s finger and she laughed. “Definitely a dominant wolf. Trying to challenge his Alpha already.”

  “Sure is,” Caden said proudly, rubbing his back. “I’ll just be five minutes, Dante. I said I’d take Chase so Lena could have a shower. She won’t be long.”

  “No rush. You seem to have gotten over your fear of holding him,” Dante said.

  Caden chuckled. “Yeah, I was so frightened when I brought him home. He was so fragile.”

  Lena joined them a few minutes later. “My heart melts when I see you like that, Cade.”

  Caden’s cheeks flushed. “Yeah, well. I love my baby cub.”

  “Morning, Lena. You’re looking well,” Dante said.

  “Thanks, Dante. Caden’s been terrific.” Lena came over to them and put her arm around Caden’s waist.

  “Eden said she would come over today to help you,” Dante said.

  “That’s great. I don’t know where I would be without Eden and the girls.” Lena reached out her arms and Caden handed over baby Chase.

  Dante knew Lena had been sad that she had no family to help her. Caden said Lena had contacted her mom and dad to say they had a grandchild, and her mother hung up on her. It made the rest of the pack more determined to make Lena feel supported.

  “How’s the girl you found?” Lena asked while she rocked Chase.

  “Dr. Jaycen called to say she shifted and is doing well and following our rules,” Dante said.

  “Poor girl. What she must have gone through,” Lena said.

  Caden pulled Lena close. “She’s a Lupa, Lena.”

  “Give her a chance, Cade. Going by the way the Alpha found her, she’s been really badly treated.�
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  Dante cut in, “We will give her a fair chance, if she’s honest with us. Don’t worry.”

  “But if she’s here to cause trouble—” Caden started to say.

  “We will handle it appropriately, Second.”

  * * *

  Zaria paced up and down the hospital room, while Kenrick leaned nonchalantly against the window. “Calm down, Zaria. Everything will be fine and dandy,” Kenrick said.

  Fine was the last thing Zaria felt. Her nerves were making her jumpy and her wolf was telling her to run. She hugged herself. “How can I be? The Wolfgang Alpha and her elite wolves are on their way to question me. I need to get out of here.”

  “You don’t need to be frightened. No one will hurt you.”

  Zaria eyed the window but she was trapped. As long as Kenrick was there, she wasn’t going anywhere. “Dominant wolves are dangerous, selfish. They take what they want and leave submissives broken—a dangerous law unto themselves.”

  Kenrick shook her head and walked over to Zaria. “Where did you get this warped view of dominant wolves? I’m a dominant wolf and I haven’t tried to harm you, have I?”

  That was the strange thing. Zaria didn’t feel scared or nervous in Kenrick’s presence. Kenrick was unlike any dominant she’d ever known. It wasn’t that she was weak, far from it. She was bigger and stronger than any Lupa wolf, but somehow her strength was tempered by gentleness.

  “You’re different,” Zaria said.

  “I’m not. Any Wulver or Wolfgang dominant that hurt a submissive wolf would be disgraced and driven from the pack. Just because we have different strengths, doesn’t mean that one has superiority over another,” Kenrick said firmly.

  There was a knock at the door and Zaria shot to the window. Kenrick stopped her and held her arms gently. She felt a tremor of fear in Zaria’s arms and her eyes were like a rabbit caught in headlights.

  “Zaria, don’t. We need to get this cleared up to get you out of here. Give me a second. Just sit on the bed. I promise you’re safe.”

  Kenrick went to the door and slipped into the corridor. Dante, Caden, Blaze, Flash, and Xander were ready to come in.

  “Everything all right?” Dante asked.

  “Dante, Zaria has a fear of dominant wolves. It would be better if just you and Caden came in, if you want to get her to talk.”

  Dante was silent but Caden said, “Maybe it’s fear of getting caught?”

  Kenrick ran her hand over her dreadlocks and sighed. She could understand Caden being so distrustful. Zaria was a Lupa and Caden had a new cub. New parents were very defensive and careful.

  “Please, Dante. She’s scared, and I have the feeling that the Lupa dominants have done that to her. I’m trying to show her we are different.”

  Dante nodded. “Blaze, Flash, Xander, stay out here. Ricky, lead us in.”

  “Thank you, cousin,” Kenrick said.

  Kenrick walked back in and Zaria was sitting up against the back of the bed, looking terrified.

  “It’s okay, Zaria. I promise. Dante just wants to talk.” Kenrick stood by her side while Dante sat in the chair beside the bed.

  To her credit, Kenrick saw Dante soften her body language. Caden, though, was standing defensively behind Dante with her arms crossed. Kenrick caught her attention and indicated with her head to uncross. Caden did it with a sigh, but she did it.

  Dante sat back and crossed her legs. “Zaria, how are you feeling? Have you had enough to eat? Has everyone been looking after you?”

  Zaria looked from Dante to Kenrick quizzically. Clearly she wasn’t expecting those kind of caring inquires.

  “Um…yes. Everyone has been kind,” Zaria said nervously.

  “And have you recovered from the silver infection?” Dante asked.

  “Yes, the doctor seems to think so, but my wolf is anxious to run.”

  Dante gave her a soft smile. “We’ll get to that, but we have to ask you some questions. I hope you understand. We recently came under attack from the Lupas, and finding a Lupa wolf in need, on our doorstep, could be seen as a trap.”

  “I am only a Lupa wolf by birth.” Zaria grasped her necklace. “I only wear this Lupa symbol because it was handed down from my grandmother.”

  Kenrick could feel and scent Zaria’s stress, and her wolf was desperate to wrap itself around her, to protect her, even from her own cousin. It was crazy. She didn’t want to touch Zaria without permission. Kenrick sensed Zaria feared a dominant’s touch, so she took a step closer and held her hand loosely next to Zaria. If she wanted comfort, it was offered freely.

  Dante leaned forward and clasped her hands. “We will help you and you will be safe here, if you tell us the truth.”

  Zaria looked up at Kenrick and she nodded. “It’s okay. Tell us. You’re safe. I promise.” She watched Zaria close her eyes as if summoning up the strength to tell her story.

  “I left the Lupa pack on the night of my sixteenth birthday. My older sister and I took what we could and ran.”

  “Why?” Caden asked sternly.

  Kenrick found herself growling slightly at her friend, warning her to be careful with Zaria.

  “My sister—” Zaria’s voice broke as tears started to spill from her eyes, and Kenrick felt Zaria take her hand.

  Kenrick didn’t need to be asked twice. She kneeled and took Zaria’s smaller hand between hers. “You’re safe. No one will hurt you.”

  Zaria looked from Kenrick to Dante and said, “My sister was the Lupa Mater. She was Leroux’s mate.”

  * * *

  “This is a trick, Alpha,” Caden said. “Leroux has sent one of her family into the heart of our pack.”

  Kenrick grasped Zaria’s hand tighter and growled at Caden. “You don’t know that.”

  Zaria was surprised at Kenrick’s reaction. Was a dominant wolf actually defending her?

  The Wolfgang Alpha intervened and said, “Caden, let her finish. Zaria, please continue.”

  Zaria’s heart was pounding with anxiety, but she felt…different. She looked down at her hand in Kenrick’s, and for the first time since her sister died, she didn’t feel alone. Another wolf was in her corner prepared to growl for her. It was a strange sensation.

  She turned back to Dante and continued, “Leroux killed my parents after my sister Marta became bonded with Leroux. She wanted to cut off all means of support to her, to us. I was young, still a cub, and I lived with them. I had to listen to the beatings she got, the mental abuse she suffered.”

  Zaria could hear a rumbling growl in Kenrick’s chest and felt Kenrick’s hand grip tighter. It gave her strength. Dante handed her a box of tissues from the table over the bed. Kindness yet again by a dominant wolf. Were things really different here?

  “What happened, Zaria?” Dante asked.

  “On my sixteenth birthday I found out Leroux had promised me to the pack Second as a mate. She wanted the sister of the Mater, like I was a prize. She was twice my age.”

  “Ovid?” Dante growled.

  Zaria wiped her eyes. “Yeah.”

  Zaria watched Dante’s eyes turn amber and her claws partially shift. Dante got up and walked over to the window.

  Kenrick stood up and asked, “You know her?”

  Caden nodded. “Ovid is the wolf who came into our pack, while Leroux had the elite wolves distracted, and attacked the Mater and Lena.”

  Dante stood silently, but Zaria and everyone else could scent the anger and fury coming from the Alpha.

  Kenrick kneeled back down. “What happened then?”

  “My sister wouldn’t stand up for herself but she wasn’t going to let me be sold off as a prize, to be treated the way she was. She and Leroux had a big argument, and Leroux beat her so badly that she couldn’t shift. We waited until Leroux left our den, then packed what we could and ran.”

  Dante turned and said, “Where is your sister now?”

  “We came running towards Wolfgang County. We were sure we would be given asylum here. My sister didn’
t make it. She died in a motel just outside the county line.”

  Everyone was silent, but when Zaria looked at Kenrick she didn’t see pity in her eyes as she expected. She saw righteous anger. Why were dominant wolves being so understanding, so kind? A part of her worried that it was trick.

  The pack Second, Caden, was the only one who still looked suspicious. “So how did you become restrained in silver manacles by the side of the road?”

  “They found me. Since that night in the motel, I’ve been running from town to town, never staying in one place long enough for the Lupas to find me.”

  “Does Leroux know your sister died?” Kenrick asked gently.

  Zaria turned to Kenrick. “I think so. I mean, I’m not sure, but Ovid knows I’m alive and has never stopped looking for me. I was her property, you see, and I ran. I don’t think she will ever give up trying to find me.”

  “She won’t get anywhere near you here,” Kenrick said.

  Dante, who had been quiet for the longest time, turned and said, “Is that everything? The whole truth?”

  Zaria hesitated. It wasn’t, but she didn’t want to give away her final secret. She had to think first. “Yes.”

  “Caden, join me outside? Give us a moment, Zaria.” Dante and Caden left the room.

  “I told you that you’d be safe,” Kenrick said.

  * * *

  “I don’t trust her, Alpha,” Caden said when they closed the door.

  “Second, you would trust very few at the moment. Your protective instincts are on overdrive. It’s hard to fake that kind of pain.”

  “Hard but not beyond possibility for a Lupa. They know we would be sympathetic to a wolf in need,” Caden said.

  Dante waved over Blaze, Flash, and Xander. “Zaria tells us she is on the run from the Lupas. My instinct is she is telling the truth, but we must be cautious.”

  “So what do you want to do, Alpha?” Blaze said.

  “We’ll give her Lena’s old apartment but place guards outside, and for the moment a guard will accompany her as she moves around the pack lands.”