by Jessica Cage
“Will you fight,” Ryesen called her question to Ardyn from the crowd, “or are you such a coward that you would turn and run?”
Ardyn lifted his chin to her, and without acknowledging the disrespect of her comment, he turned to Marcus and pulled the shirt from his back to reveal the hard body beneath the loose fabric. He flexed his muscles and squared up with Marcus. “I’ve never backed down from a fight. That isn’t going to change today.”
“Then it is decided,” Kamshi stated, and the jeering crowd hushed. “Single combat, hand-to-hand, no magic of any sort. The first to fall and stay down loses. Prepare yourselves.”
Marcus pulled his own shirt off and woofed at the pack members who began to cheer him on. Ardyn just stood and watched the show he put on. It was all for their benefit; he could tell by the way his heart faltered on every third beat that the man was nervous. Marcus wanted to save face, but for what reason? Ardyn didn’t want to stay there, he didn’t want to be Alpha, there was nothing that he could take from Marcus, and yet the man acted as if he had to mark his territory. Instead of fishing for outside motivation, Ardyn stilled himself. He did as he was taught.
He made note of his surroundings—the scattered leaves on the ground, the fallen branches, the limited space due to the influx of bodies that joined them, even the direction of the wind. It all mattered. He tuned out the sounds of Marcus’ self-boasting battle cries, and instead found the sound of his own breath, the beat of his own heart. He moved it into a steady rhythm and kept it there. When Kamshi returned to his seat at the top of the porch stairs, it was time. The two loud thuds of his staff whacking the surface of the step beneath the Alpha’s seat was their cue to commence.
Marcus left the cheerleaders to return to the center circle. Everyone spread out as much as they could to give the two ample space to battle. Ardyn remained planted in his position. Marcus growled as he took his place across from him. The two locked gazes and remained focused on each other. Kamshi’s staff hit the ground once more, and Marcus pounced. The stocky man launched his body at his opponent with enough force to knock over an elephant. Had he made contact, he would have done a lot of damage. Ardyn, anticipating his underestimation, sidestepped Marcus which threw him off his balance.
Ardyn slammed his elbow into his attacker’s back. Marcus fell forward, but he steadied himself and shook off the embarrassment. He sized up Ardyn, this time thinking about his next move before blindly moving. He attacked once more, but again his blow missed its target. This time he accepted the fall, and in doing so, he spun to sweep his leg back and knocked Ardyn’s feet from beneath him.
Ardyn fell to the ground but quickly rolled out of the way of the foot that Marcus had flipped backwards in the air with intent to drop on his face. Both men were back to their feet and Marcus was smiling. The one semi-decent move had the man stroking his own ego.
“Come on, you want it, bring it!” Marcus growled, and Ardyn did just as he asked. Marcus jumped forward, and instead of landing the attack he planned, he was the one being beaten. Ardyn abandoned his aversion tactics and took the fight head-on. He pummeled Marcus with a series of blows that smashed into his chest, face, and sides. The hits alternated, creating combos that Marcus couldn’t keep up with. The last blow sent the man falling onto his back.
“Stay down!” Ardyn yelled.
“You would like that, wouldn’t you?” Marcus spit out the blood pooling in his mouth. “To come back here and take what's mine!”
“Trust me when I tell you this, you have nothing I want.” Though Ardyn’s focus remained on the fight, he hadn’t missed the sharp intake of air from Ryesen who watched them closely.
“Motherfucker!” Marcus jumped to his feet and again rushed Ardyn who stepped out of the line of his charge but only far enough so that he could wrap his hand around his throat. If the man wouldn’t choose to stay down, Ardyn would do it for him. He held the hold around his neck and kicked in the back of his leg. Marcus dropped to his knees, giving Ardyn better leverage. He tightened his grip, restricting the flow of oxygen just long enough for Marcus to lose consciousness. When he let him go, his body fell limp to the ground.
“It appears we have a winner.” Kamshi stood from his chair, smacking the ground once again to bring a close to the short display. Despite the groans of the pack members who disagreed with the outcome he continued, “You have earned your right to be here, the pack has witnessed this. As is pack law, no one here will get in your way. Go and do what you need to do.”
Ardyn retrieved his shirt, and as he bent down to pick it up from the ground, he met the steel gaze of Ryesen. She locked in on him as if searching for something that she did not find. Instead, she looked to Marcus who was being carried from the field. Ardyn watched as she considered helping her fallen pack mate, but instead turned and headed in the opposite direction.
“Hey! He’s back and in one piece!” Jax announced when he spotted Ardyn emerging from the territory. The small group had made themselves a little camp where they waited for Ardyn to do what he needed to do with the pack. With Rosie there, the camp meant including full plush seating, tents, soft carpeting, and temperature control to block out the cooler degrees that the wolves preferred.
“How’d it go?” When Ardyn made it to them, Nitara stood from the couch where she was cuddled up next to Jinn.
“Not as horrible as I expected, but not the greatest interaction I’ve ever had.” He shrugged, but relaxed when he found Zaria’s face. She had been lounging across a chaise lounge and napping. She let out a small yawn as she rolled her neck, stretching out the kinks.
“What did they say?” Nitara continued her line of questioning.
“All that matters is that we were given the okay to do what we need. The rest … well, I’d rather not talk about it.” He smiled at Bruto who, of course, handed him a drink. Ardyn refused it, “I’m good, thanks.”
“Looks like we have company.” Jinn pointed to the distance where five figures appeared.
Ardyn turned to see what the others had already caught and sighed. He’d hoped this wouldn’t happen but knew that his father wouldn’t let him off without a real punishment. It seemed this was it. He waited for her to get closer before he spoke, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here because I have been made your escort through this little adventure of yours.” Ryesen rolled her eyes. “It would seem that the locals don’t trust you as much as your father does. They voted that I was better for the job than Marcus, who, as you know, would love nothing more than to start up some unnecessary shit with you.”
“Of course.” His father had to make his people feel secure, but sending Marcus would mean risking things turning ugly. Still, he had a feeling that Ryesen was there not only to avoid a catastrophe. Every hate-filled glance from her was a new dagger thrown into his chest. “Everyone, this is Ryesen. We were once mated, before I was changed. I’m not sure of the four who join us, perhaps she can make introductions.”
“Cal, Maria, David, and Regan, all wolves, are here to help assist with this,” she listed off the names of the four who remained silent, observing. “Do you all have a lead or are you just out here grasping at straws? I can tell you that your little friend, whoever it is, never came here.”
“We do have a lead.” Nitara stepped forward. She nodded to the others and bit her tongue at their rudeness and not acknowledging her.
“And you are?” Ryesen shot Ardyn a jealous glare before she looked back to Nitara.
“My name is Nitara. Ardyn and I have been friends for quite some years now,” she added the qualifier to their relationship. Ryesen didn’t have a great poker face and everyone could see that she was trying to figure out which, if any, of the women there were with Ardyn.
“Djinn?” She sniffed and wrinkled her nose.
“Yes, and I’ll try not to take offense to that.” Nitara raised a brow. She would be respectful of their customs, but she wouldn’t be disrespected by what was clearly a jealous ex.
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Ryesen dropped her shoulders a bit and continued. “What do you all have to go on? We need to start trying to see if we can catch a scent trail. It would be nice to know where to begin.”
“Well …” Nitara looked over her shoulder where Jax stood in similar fashion to Ryesen and flanked by his men.
“Dragons?” The four wolves growled, and Ryesen turned on Ardyn. Rage colored the tone of her voice when she asked, “You brought dragons here?”
“They are friends,” he explained.
“Right. You know, you really have changed, and it has nothing to do with what that warlock did to you,” Ryesen spit the insult at him.
“Do you want the information or not?” he barked back. “We can go on and on about how I’m not the man we both wanted me to be. It will change nothing.”
Ryesen flinched. “Just tell us what you know.” There it was again, the pain in her eyes, the deeper emotions behind the hard ass show she put on.
“The last word we got was that she was seen near or with a panther. Our guy couldn’t determine the relationship, but it gives us a solid place to start.”
“This just keeps getting better, doesn’t it?” Regan, a dark-skinned woman who stood at nearly six feet spoke. “Djinn, dragons, and now cats.”
“You know, you all can just leave us to take care of this ourselves. We aren’t asking for your help,” Rosie snipped, and Bruto shot her a warning look. “What? Hell, they act like they’re so pleasant to be around. You don’t see me complaining about the smell of warm dog ruining the relaxing atmosphere I set up here.”
“Let’s not lose focus here,” Jinn spoke. “We have a lead on Praia. Now, if you all are coming along for the trip, fine, but we cannot keep going at each other. We need to put some sort of truce in place. As long as we work together, we keep our opinions of each other to ourselves. Is that a deal?”
Staring at his outstretched hand, Ryesen considered his words. He was right, they had to work together and it wouldn’t be easy if they couldn't get past their aversions. “Deal.” She shook his hand. “But the moment you find your friend, the deal’s off.”
“Of course.” Jinn nodded with a sneer on his face. He would happily accept her throwing blows at Ardyn again as soon as this ordeal was over.
“You all have been given the ghost pastures to rest for tonight, we have to prepare ourselves for this trip. Tomorrow, we will get moving.” She nodded to Jinn and then to Nitara with apologetic eyes. She hadn’t meant to offend anyone … well, except Ardyn.
“Ghost pastures? What the hell is that?” Bruto asked as the wolves shifted and ran off toward their home. “Damn, they really are amazing. Too bad they hate our guts, huh?” He nudged Rosie who rolled her eyes.
“Damn mutts,” she muttered to herself, but everyone around her still heard her insult. When Jinn shot her a warning glance she apologized. They had just issued the truce and she was already breaking it.
“The ghost pastures are what they call an area of the outskirts. A lot of kids used to say it was haunted. But really it’s just a place for outcasts.”
“Ouch, they really are sticking it to you, huh?” Bruto grimaced.
“As long as we can rest and eat, that’s all I’m worried about. I’m exhausted from this clusterfuck of a day.” Ardyn caught Zaria’s eyes and she smiled. He softened a bit knowing she was still there. The intimate moment was interrupted by a sarcastic cough from Bruto.
“Well, off to ghost land we go!” Rosie called out and winked at Ardyn. If there had been any secret about how he was beginning to feel about Zaria, well, the cat was out of the bag.
The ghost pastures lived up to their name. The area looked haunted, like lost spirits roamed the structures which had seen better days. There was a row of ten log cabins, built just like the ones in the inner city, but they were falling apart. Years of neglect and natural abuse had left the homes wanting for love.
“This place is depressing.” Rosie wanted so badly to wave her finger and change everything about the eyesore that stood before her, but she knew that she couldn’t. If she did, it would be a show of disrespect to the wolves and it would mean a lot more shit for them to deal with.
“I’m assuming that’s how it got its name.” Jax stepped to her and leaned close to her ear. “Makes those dragon accommodations look like a five-star resort, doesn’t it?”
“Whatever.” Rosie had been giving him shit about the broken-down hotel she was forced to stay in when they’d traveled to the dragon territories; of course he wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to rub it in her face.
“It’s only for one night.” Nitara wrapped her arm around Rosie’s shoulder and playfully pushed Jax away. “We will survive this.”
“You’re damn right I will.” Rosie fully intended on implementing a temporary interior overhaul the moment she stepped foot inside of whichever cabin was supposed to be hers for the night. She would return it to its former horror before leaving so as not to ruffle any feathers.
“Ardyn, I really have to thank you for doing all of this for us. I know I've said it before, but I didn't think that it would be this difficult. I hoped that they would welcome you back with open arms, despite everything.” Nitara found Ardyn standing off at the edge of their ghost town. He had left the others to choose where they would be sleeping for the night.
“It’s okay. Like you said, I should have come back here a long time ago. There really is no explanation good enough. I let fear control me, and by the time I had gotten over it, it was too late. You know, I don’t think I ever really feared that they wouldn’t accept me. What really bothered me and kept me away from here, is what was confirmed the moment I stepped foot back on this land. I am no longer a part of the pack. My connection to them is broken.” He quieted and felt the breeze that brushed over him. “Do you feel that, the air?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I used to feel it in every fiber of my being. Not just on my flesh, but in my soul. I would hear the call of my ancestors, their howls blending with the wind to create the most beautiful song. That breeze, this land, at one time it filled me with such pride. Now, there is nothing. It’s just air, this beneath my feet is just dirt. Nothing here is the magic that it once was. My people are not my people anymore. Nitara, coming here only proves that I am a man without a home.”
“That’s not true.” She laid her hand on his arm. “You’re one of us now. Your home is with us. Wherever we all are, we are home. Together.”
“Thanks.” He smiled at her but it was without warmth. Her words did nothing to ease the ache that existed within him. He wanted to say more but stopped when Ryesen walked by. She shot him the same look of hurt that she wore from the moment she realized who he was.
“Are you going to be okay?” Dropping her hand from his arm, Nitara watched Ryesen join the others.
“Yeah, I suppose.” He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. “I never thought that she could look at me that way. With such hatred. I was so foolish, every damn step of the way. Look at her, she hates me. You know, when I saw you and Jinn together, I thought of her. I wondered if I ever came back here, would she accept my errors, would she forgive me the way you two have forgiven each other.”
“Ardyn, you cannot compare what we have to what you have with her. Perhaps it is not my place to say this, but if she cannot accept you for what you are now and forgive you for the mistake that you made, she may not be the one for you.” Nitara watched Ryesen closely. She noted the way her ears perked up and her jaw tightened after she spoke. The woman was clearly listening in to their conversation and Nitara was baiting her.
“You don't get it. We were set to be married. Literally the night that I was taken away from here. It had just been announced to the pack. I was to be groomed for the Alpha seat. She was my mate. She was going to stand by my side and lead our people. The bond that existed between us was supposed to transcend everything! All this time, I told myself when I came back here she would stand by me. Even if
everyone else denied me, she would be by my side.” He turned his back to the image of his former mate and the pack members who sneered at him. “Look at her now, she can barely stand to see me. This is not the way things were meant to go.”
“I don’t know what to say. I wish there were words that existed that could take this pain from you.” Nitara kept her eyes locked on Ryesen who she sensed had only returned to hurt Ardyn with her presence.
“It's fine. I just need to be alone. To get my head together before the morning. Hell, I wish I could run, but shifting here wouldn’t be a great idea.”
“Yes, of course. I'll leave you.”
Nightfall came, and Ryesen and her team went back to the inner city. The moment they left, Ardyn felt a weight lift from his chest. He could finally breathe without inhaling her on every pull of air. The cabins had been sorted and he stood in his unit alone. The others sat together on the porch outside of Rosie’s redecorated domicile. Ardyn, however, wasn’t up for a social gathering. He decided to light a fire in the chimney to warm the space up. He would have a drink and tune the others out. As he was loading the firewood into the pile to be lit, he caught a glimmer of light out of the back window. It flickered away for a moment but then came back in a vibrant show of golden red light. He dropped the logs to the floor and hopped out the back window that led away from his friends and into the woods.
Ardyn slowed his pace as she came into view. Sitting on a fallen tree trunk with her legs folded and hands resting atop her knees was Zaria. Her eyes were closed and she hummed a song that wasn’t familiar to him. He stood just a few feet from her and watched as the light of her djinn danced with the fire of her phoenix, creating a halo effect around her body. Though her fire burned, she caused no destruction to the world around her. She was herself, completely at one. Ardyn couldn’t help but watch her in awe.