by Victoria Sue
“Taheesha, get your sorry excuse for a princess out this instant.”
Kit stared as after a few seconds shuffling was heard and a very pale but equally defiant thirteen-year-old put her head out from under the canvas covering. Luca folded his arms and the ground trembled. Nial and Darrin rushed to soothe the tethered horses, who were getting spooked.
She swallowed visibly, shot a fearful glance at Kit, and jumped down. Chin up, she glared at her brother defiantly. He swiped a hand over his eyes and groaned. “Taheesha, what in Sorin’s light am I gonna do with you?”
Kit took a step forward and opened his arms. Taheesha flew at him, but slowed a second before she would have connected too sharply. Kit buried his head in her neck and all his aches seemed to fade away. “Have you eaten anything?”
Taheesha risked a quick look at her brother. “I managed to sneak out twice and get some food, but I had to stay as human.” Luca shook his head and opened his mouth but caught Kit’s look.
She meant well.
Luca stared. It’s dangerous.
Kit could hear the worry in Luca’s voice. You have no choice. We have come too far and it would be risky splitting us up to send anyone back with her.
“You’re doing that talking thing, aren’t you?” Taheesha said suspiciously, and pressed herself closer to Kit.
“She’s cold, Luca,” Kit said worriedly. Werewolves ran at higher temperatures than humans. Taheesha not regulating her body temperature meant she hadn’t eaten properly, probably since they left. Luca sighed, then he opened his arms and Taheesha ran full speed into them. Kit gestured to Henry. “What have we got left?”
Sam stepped forward. “No, she needs meat, Luca. She needs to shift.”
Luca nodded and took her hand. He walked around the back of the cart and in seconds he padded out straight up to Kit. His huge white muzzle pushed into Kit’s chest. Kit scratched his ears absently. “You are enormous,” he said with feeling. Another head butted him gently and he turned. “Wow,” he said admiringly. Taheesha was beautiful. Her shiny coat was a deep russet red with similar white flecks to Luca’s down all four legs. Another wolf, a deep gray, came padding out from behind the tree. “Sam?” Kit asked. The wolf sneezed and everyone laughed. Kit yawned and looked at Asher as all three ran off. “We’d better see if we can hunt for another blanket.” He knew Luca would have Taheesha sleep with them. He wouldn’t let either of them out of his sight now.
Kit was yawning like mad by the time everything was cleared away. Asher stopped him arranging the cooking stuff for the second time by taking everything out of his hands. “Why don’t you go and lay down.” He nodded to the cart.
Sascha heard him. “They’ll be a while. If she hasn’t eaten properly for a few days they will want her to stay shifted as a precaution. I expect they may hunt for us to take something tomorrow. Luca will restrict the hunting once we get into Niandes. He’ll want everyone to stay together.” Sascha turned to Nial. “Is there anything we need to do with the horses?”
Kit yawned again and decided to go pee before he got into bed. He quickly stepped away and stood behind a bush before Asher noticed he was gone and came looking for him. He was just buttoning his pants when he heard a footfall behind him. He had a second of panic and then a large arm came around the front of his neck and clamped his mouth.
“Be quiet.” The point of something sharp pressed into his belly and Kit froze. The baby.
Heart hammering, Kit stumbled as he was pushed out from behind the bush.
Asher whipped around and Sascha stiffened, a snarl coming from his throat, but before he could do anything the man holding Kit shouted. “Everybody lay down on the ground and if I see so much as claw I’ll slit his throat.”
Gabriel came running up, only to stop when he caught sight of Kit. Kit trembled and he looked at the two gammas—Nial and another gamma nearest to him—in confusion as they ignored the instruction. Sascha had been too far away but there were at least those two who were barely a few feet from the bush. They must have smelled the man.
The voice behind him grunted again. “Here, take him.”
Another human grabbed Kit and he jerked in shock as the human silently took his own knife from his belt and grabbed Kit, pulling him close, the knife against his throat.
“What the fuck?” Asher went to rise but one of the gammas jumped up and before Kit could so much as shout out for Asher to stay still, the gamma slashed with his dagger into Asher’s side.
“No,” Kit cried as Asher bent over in pain, his hands clutching his side. There was a slight noise from the tree line and around ten men stepped out, all holding knives, swords, or make-shift spears. Each of the two nearest gammas stood and all looked at the man who had caught Kit as if they were waiting instruction.
“What are you doing?” Kit struggled. He knew the man was human. “We haven’t done anything to you.”
“Done anything?” The man repeated incredulously. “How about the enslaving of sentient beings? Torture, starvation? And the butchering of ninety-seven men, women, and children?”
Kit registered the horror in the man’s words at the same time as he guessed who he was. He didn’t dare look over to where he knew Darrin was still with the horses.
The man turned on Kit and took in the bulge in Kit’s belly. ‘When I heard I thought it was the drunken ramblings of a scout.”
“Who are you?” Kit asked wanting his suspicion confirmed.
The man leaned forward as if he were going to whisper, but everyone in the camp heard what he said. “Christoph Tor. Leader of The Human Alliance, and the human who is going to show your so-called King what it feels like to lose a son.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Father.” Darrin’s quiet voice came from across the clearing and Christoph’s head shot up.
“Darrin?” he said incredulously and took a step towards him. Then he stopped. “They captured you?” Christoph swung around back to Kit, his dagger raised high, fury descending on his features. Kit tried to shrink back but the guard holding him pinned his arms behind him cruelly. Sascha growled but the knife was pressed to Kit’s throat.
“No Father, no!” Darrin shouted. “Kit is my friend. He hasn’t hurt me.”
The roar that made the ground shake hurt Kit’s ears even as he could have cried with relief knowing Luca was back. The huge white wolf that charged into the clearing made Kit’s heart jolt. Christoph dragged Kit away from his man and pulled him back to his chest. The knife flashed as it was pressed to his throat. “Let my son go or your mate dies,” Christoph shouted.
The wolf bowed its head and in seconds Luca stood there in its place.
“I mean it,” Christoph threatened.
Luca opened his arms in a conciliatory move. “Darrin, go to your father.”
Darrin moved closer to Kit. “Father, I’m not a prisoner. They weren’t the ones who attacked the village. Please let Kit go.”
Christoph scoffed. “If you had been free to leave you would have found me. They captured you to taunt me after they massacred everyone.”
“No, Father,” Darrin said sadly. “I wasn’t at the village. I was meeting my mate when the attack happened and I was too scared of what you would say to tell you I was alive.”
Christoph stared at his son incredulously and let go of Kit to grab Darrin by the arm. “You let me think you were dead?”
Darrin nodded miserably. “I’m sorry.” Christoph shook Darrin’s arm angrily and Sascha jumped up, snarling, only to have a rebel step forward and threaten him with a spear. Darrin glanced back. “No, Sascha, I’m all right. Be careful.”
Christoph looked at Sascha then back at Darrin, completely at a loss.
“Can I suggest we sit and talk?” Luca asked. “You outnumber us and threaten two of our mates. I also have an injured man.” He glanced as Sam, fully human, ran into the clearing with Taheesha and headed for Asher. “We just want to talk.”
Christoph glanced back at Darrin. Kit could se
e him absorb the information and realize Luca included his son in that sentence. He dropped his son’s arm. Darrin deliberately took two steps back to where the fire glowed then sat down. He looked expectantly at his father.
Christoph glanced back at his men. “Watch them.” Sam gently leaned Asher back into his chest, murmuring quietly in his ear. Taheesha quickly tore strips of cloth to bind his cut.
Kit took a step forward, only to have one of his arms nearly wrenched out of his socket as Nial grabbed him quickly. He yanked Kit back into his chest and for the second time Kit was held with a knife to his throat.
Luca froze, staring in Kit’s direction. “Nial? What the fuck are you doing?”
Kit didn’t even dare swallow. Another gamma nearest Nial dropped to his knees. “Forgive me, Sire.” Nial growled at the other gamma, presumably in disgust.
Luca ignored him, not taking his eyes off Kit—off Nial. “I assume you were paid to betray us?”
Behind him, Kit heard Nial scoff. “You can’t be allowed to rule Askara. Look how soft you have been on the humans in Caedra. It’s disgusting. Paying the unlicensed humans a wage? You betray your own kind, not the other way around.”
“It’s you who’s been deliberately laming the horses,” Luca said flatly.
Christoph took a step towards him. “You did what you were paid to and delayed them until I could get here. They have not the numbers to be a threat to you. Take a horse and get out of here.”
Nial laughed and the Kit felt the sharp prick to his throat. “You might have paid me but I would have done it for free. There is no way I am letting this abomination live.”
Kit stared at Luca. Nial meant him. He was going to kill him. My baby. A trickle of fluid ran down his neck from where the knife pressed against his throat. He saw Luca’s gray eyes shimmer with worry, saw the glint in Luca’s hand in exactly the same manner as he had seen the knife in Malik’s hand at the games, and at the same time knew it hadn’t actually happened yet. Luca wouldn’t dare go for his knife while ever Nial’s was pressed to Kit’s throat. It was a sign for Kit that he had to do something.
“I’m going to be sick,” Kit said and retched. In horror and with the utmost predictability, Nial jumped back, slackening his hold, and Kit dropped like a dead weight. Grown men were often unfazed by blood, but a little vomit could send them running for the hills. He saw the flash of the knife a second before he heard the soft thud as it made its mark behind him.
Luca’s arms were around him a second later and lifting him gently. “Are you okay?”
Kit mumbled and just clung on, burying his face in Luca’s chest. He’d lied about the sickness but the thought of the knife and where it had connected wasn’t doing anything for his rolling stomach. It was the blood. Every time it was the blood.
“Kit, are you hurt?” Luca demanded. Kit shook his head.
“Asher?” he gasped. He was sure the way his heart was pounding did the baby no good.
Luca stood, easily cradling Kit. Sam moved so fast to get to Asher the moment he had seen him hurt and he now sat cradling the other man, the worry obvious in his face. Sam whispered something and Asher nodded, his color returning. Kit heaved a sigh of relief.
Christoph was silent.
“Tea will ’elp him settle,” Attica piped up, looking at Kit, and he glanced at Christoph nervously. Luca raised his head calmly to Christoph. The man glanced at his son, nodded once to Luca, and took a cautious step towards Darrin. Kit watched.
“Son?” The one word, unsure of its welcome, was heartbreaking, but Darrin stumbled and ran to his father.
Christoph clasped his son. “You’re alive,” he choked out.
Within ten minutes, they were all huddled around the fire sipping tea. Christoph’s men were quite happy to follow his lead and the other gamma who had helped Nial was tied up in strong chains next to one of the carts. Taheesha sat next to Kit after dressing Asher’s cut properly, with Luca on Kit’s other side. Asher had pronounced his wound as only a scratch, but Sam had barely moved from his side. Christoph was having trouble getting his head around the fact his son was mated to a werewolf. “We understand the male omegas...” He looked at Kit in confusion. “I thought you used surrogates and I thought mating with humans was prohibited, and one of your oldest laws? Doesn’t it kill the human if you separate, or is that just omegas?” He looked at his son, who had moved nearer to Sascha, unable to be away from him.
“No, I’m just a regular human, but I trust Sascha with my life.” Darrin smiled and Sascha squeezed his hand as if to imply he was anything but.
Christoph eyed Sascha. The werewolf’s arm was slung protectively around Darrin. He cleared his throat. “I heard the human dies if the werewolf does,” he pressed further.
“That’s not true,” Gabriel interrupted hotly then he glanced apologetically at Luca.
“No, go on,” Luca said.
“I am a historian,” Gabriel continued. “I can even show you the documents to prove it. It’s not the human that dies if the wolf rejects the mating...it’s the wolf. That’s why they banned wolf and human mating, and that’s why they’ve buried the truth so deep through the centuries it has been forgotten. You don’t need guns, all the human has to do is reject the wolf and the wolf is dead within days.”
All the camp was silent. Christoph looked at Luca. “You knew this?”
Luca nodded. “Gabriel told me earlier. Human and wolf matings are rare and extremely powerful.”
“You are giving the humans a huge weapon,” Christoph said slowly.
Luca shrugged. “By telling people we can die of a broken heart?”
Kit couldn’t help the hurt noise he made in the back of his throat. Luca bent down to kiss him, his gray eyes looked so trusting, so full of love. Kit knew Luca wasn’t just trying to prove his trust to Christoph, he was promising it to Kit as well.
He smiled and clasped Kit’s hand and bent his head, pressing a kiss on his palm. “You hold my heart in your hand,” he whispered. “But then I think you always have.” He looked back up and raised his voice. “How can we work together without trust?”
Kit yawned, and suddenly had an image in his head of two wolf cubs playing in the middle of the woods. He smiled to himself. Did that mean they were going to have two children? Kit watched the images of the two pups in his mind, one white and one jet black. The white one moved away and then snarling, the black one pounced. He heard a man’s voice call out to them. “Luca?” The white one turned and Kit frowned in confusion. As he watched the pup, it shifted into Luca—but Luca as a man, not as a child. It was really odd, and he didn’t like the threat of the black one. It didn’t seem to be a game.
Christoph spoke, pulling Kit from his thoughts. “You’re certainly not like the wolves from Niandes.”
“We understand the Alpha is old and leaves all decisions to his beta-commander,” Sam said.
Christoph nodded. “The old wolf was bad, don’t get me wrong, but bad as in ‘all Alphas just don’t care about humans’. This one is a sadistic bastard.”
Luca wrapped his arms around Kit more securely. Taheesha had curled up so she had her head in Sam’s lap. Asher was the one who explained to Christoph all the changes Luca had made so far.
“So where does this leave us?” Luca interrupted him. “Will we remain enemies, Christoph? or will you march to Neira with us?”
Christoph looked at Darrin. “I would wish for a world that doesn’t cause my son to rather let me think he is dead than to risk telling me who he loves.” He looked at Luca. “I like what I hear so far.” He leaned forward and put his hand out to Luca. “I would like to try.”
****
It was a miserable next few days for the humans. The snow came in sparse flurries the first day and then thickened and started to settle. They didn’t have enough horses for everyone so Luca made the majority of the werewolves shift and run, but it was slow going. He caught Kit rubbing his back a few times, didn’t say much because there wasn’t m
uch he could say, but at least Taheesha and Kit were now together, and Taheesha, properly fed, was an excellent source of heat for Kit. In fact, Luca spied Asher, who was driving the cart, moving closer to her a time or two.
Luca thanked the fates for Christoph and his men at least three times every day. They knew where they were going, and how to avoid anyone who might see them. In return, when they stopped to camp, the humans ate well from what the werewolves had caught.
“I’m sorry about Nial,” Sam had said as he rode next to Luca. Luca had unchained the other gamma who Nial had paid and set him free. He was weak, but had shown remorse nearly instantly. Luca would never fully trust him again, and had wished him luck starting a new life.
Luca shrugged. “We expected problems. I am just glad it’s over.”
Just before he had gone to sleep last night he had remembered Kit’s reaction to him riding the stallion back in their pack land. He was supposed to be going out with Nial that day. He was convinced he wasn’t supposed to come back. Kit had been right about everything else.
“Have you ever seen the weapons that fire missiles?” Sam asked Christoph later that night.
Christoph looked puzzled. “Missiles... Oh, you mean guns?” Sam shrugged. “Yes, the human guards have them. Some of the gammas. They are outlawed though, and not easily hidden. It is an immediate sentence of death if any human other than the guards carry them.”
Luca watched as Kit reached out to fill his mug of tea. Taheesha quickly passed it to him when he struggled to lean forward. Luca gaped and stared at Kit’s bulging stomach that was so big he couldn’t bend forward. When had that happened? Luca swallowed his panic down and fixed a smile on his face as Kit glanced back at him.
Kit lifted an eyebrow. You’re not fooling anyone.
Luca took in the big blue eyes, cheeks flushed from the fire. The smile. The whole gorgeous package. You’re beautiful.
Kit’s smile widened. I’m the size of a barn.
You, my gorgeous mate, are stunning. You know it, so stop fishing, Luca teased, mainly to cover up the panic in his head. He was trying to do the math. Molly had thought Kit was around four to five weeks when they’d left. Cubs were born at just over eight and they had been on the road for nearly two. They had one more day to get through to reach the capital. If they had more horses, he could push on and do it today. They were barely ten days from the birth, if that. It was too close for comfort.