by T. S. Ryder
But it was the timing.
"You both put yourselves in danger by coming here," she said.
"We heard Father's plan and decided we wanted to help," Heather said obstinately. "We didn't know that the Bears would all be on high alert waiting for Wolves to attack. Or that you'd have a baby."
Anne grinned. "Yeah, is there something you want to tell us? Were you having secret rendezvous with your Alpha Bear for nine months, sister dear?"
"We found her in the woods and adopted her. We think she might be a Wolf-born non-shifter. Do you know anybody who has had a baby recently?"
The sisters glanced at each other helplessly. Naomi knew how they felt. Their father deliberately kept them isolated from the pack, trotting them out for special occasions when he wanted to show them off, but not much else. Now as she thought about it, Naomi couldn't help but wonder if it was because if she had gotten to know more of the pack, they might follow her instead of him.
She was born to be Alpha. Was she strong enough to take her position back?
"But seriously, about the Bear," Heather said. "Is he treating you right? I could see a little blood on your thigh and smell him all over you when you first came in here. If he did anything you didn't want, I'll kill him. I promise you I will."
Naomi smacked her arm, her cheeks warming self-consciously. She twitched the long, oversized dress she wore, glad for the modesty. "I don't want any of that, Heather. For your information, we spent the night at the Mating Caves. And yes, he treats me right. Better than I expected. And with little Sapphira, I feel like we're complete. Like an actual family."
Anne stroked Sapphira's cheek as the baby drank hungrily. A frown crossed her face. "We never really had that with Father, did we? I mean, you're both my sisters and I love you dearly and I feel like family with you, but I've always felt like we were missing something."
"I know. You're too young to remember Mother, but when she was alive, it was like we were… Well, we were a family." Naomi sighed. "But never complete. Father might have been more devious back then, but he was always using her from the start. I don't think he actually ever loved her."
"But you love Joshua?"
Naomi tensed. Love at first sight was the norm among shifters. In fact, it was odd for a couple to be together for more than a week without declaring how much they loved each other and mating or breaking up because it just wasn't going to happen. There was no moving slow among them.
But she wasn't ready to share this with her sisters. Not yet, at least. She and Joshua hadn't even said that they loved each other out loud. Did he love her?
I think I love him. I want to be his mate forever… yes, that's love, isn't it?
Heath frowned. "Naomi, I know you've always been private—"
The sound of gunfire made them all tense. The three sisters and all the other children and mothers that were down in this hospital bunker looked upwards. A few of the little ones started to cry, but apparently it was too distant to bother Sapphira, because she kept drinking, though her little eyes were growing heavy.
Naomi's hands clenched as she stared at the ceiling. The battle had started. Her father leading her pack against her mate and his pack. Apparently, all three of his daughters being with the Bears wasn't an incentive for him to call it off. The nervous energy she had been feeling for hours was growing to the point where it was almost burning.
She shouldn't be here. She should be out there, helping. Somehow.
"Take care of Sapphira," she ordered, jumping to her feet. She didn't stay to hear their protests as she ran for the exit.
That was her pack up there. She wasn't going to let her father ruin them any more than he already had.
The gunfire increased as she ran up the stairs. There were a few Bears that tried to stop her, but all she had to do was throw them a single glare and they backed off. She had no idea why, but she didn't stop to consider it. There was something strange pounding in her blood, something filling her from head to toe. A kind of buzzing that started in the woods when she had jumped in front of the Wolves, and stopped them from attacking Joshua, and Joshua from attacking them.
When she emerged back on ground level, she found herself in an all-out war zone. Gunfire echoed from every side. All around there were people with guns firing at one another. Bears and Wolves both in their Beasts' forms were fighting. A wolf howled as a Bear's jaws closed over its back. A Bear fell writhing under a pile of Wolfs. Blood splattered every which way. The sidewalks were slick with it.
Naomi took a deep breath and slowly stepped out of the hospital. She wanted to scream at them all to stop fighting, but her voice couldn't seem to work. There was no stopping this. Not with her voice alone, anyway.
Joshua.
Naomi glanced around. If she could find Joshua, then she knew that they could end this. Maybe she couldn't do it with her voice alone, but she knew that as soon as Joshua's was added to hers, then nothing could stop them. She dashed through the ranks, nostrils flared as she tried to scent him out. The smell of gunpowder and blood was heavy in the air.
A few Wolves formed a circle around her, running beside her, like a guard. A few Bears chased after them, but they made no move to attack. They must recognize her as Joshua's mate.
It didn't take her long to find Joshua in the end. He was in the main square, in front of the courthouse. Half a dozen Wolves were coming at him from every side, but he held them off expertly. He was in his Bear's form, but she had seen him enough by now that she recognized him. The creamy fur was stained red with blood, his massive jaws snapping here and there, holding off the Wolves that were driving at him.
When she stopped moving, so did the Wolf escort that had formed around her, and the Bears following after them.
What was she supposed to do now? She clenched her hands. Her heart pounded. All around her the guns and the howls and the roars just seemed to get louder and louder. A Wolf tore into Joshua's leg and she found herself running forward again. That burning sensation was back in her chest. All around her, the Wolves howled.
"Stop!" she screamed.
The howling stopped. The Wolves attacking Joshua froze. The Alpha himself stopped as well. Naomi ran between the now-still masses. The posse that had followed her thus far stayed behind as she went to Joshua's side, and dug her fingers into this thick creamy fur.
"Whatever my father told you, it was a lie," she said to the circle of Wolves facing them. "This is my mate. He didn't kidnap me. I went with him of my own free will, and I want to stay with him. All this bloodshed is not necessary. You all knew my mother. She wouldn't want this. Please. This isn't what should be happening between our two packs."
A deep, commanding howl drowned out the rest of her words. She turned to see her father's familiar dark shape bounding down the road. His teeth were bared, ears flat against his skull.
He leaped right at her.
Chapter Nine – Joshua
When the Alpha Wolf leaped at Naomi, Joshua did not see the Alpha of the Wolves. He didn't see Naomi's father.
He just saw somebody threatening him mate. Instinct roared in him, beating through his blood to pool heavy in his chest. The need to defend his mate and destroy the threat coming at her was stronger than anything he had felt before.
Naomi cried out, holding her hands in front of her face. Joshua pushed her out of the way and swiped at the Wolf in the air. His paw hit into the Alpha Wolf's side, knocking him off course. Tucker tumbled over several times. Joshua lunged for him, but several more Wolves dodged in from the sidelines.
One of them snapped at Joshua's face while two circled him and bit fiercely into hindquarters. The fourth ran under her body, tearing at his belly. Joshua roared in pain, slapping at first one then another. They were quicker than the Wolves he had fought thus far and dodged his blows. Matt and Luke both charged at them, but several Wolves with guns jumped in their way and began firing at the Alpha Bear's two friends.
Joshua twisted, rearing to his hind legs to get
a better aim at the four Wolves attacking him. Tucker was still on the sidelines, barking and howling like he was egging them on. These must be his Elite that Naomi told him about… The gunfire continued, and Joshua broke free of the Elite and charged at the Wolves firing at his friends. They scattered—
And then closed ranks behind Joshua's charge, leaving him cut off from Naomi. All the guns were pointed at Joshua now. The four Wolves that had been coming at him before stood between the Wolves with the guns, snarling at him and his two seconds. He cried out in anguish as Tucker crept up on her, teeth bared, snarling, hackled raised.
Naomi backed away from her father as he advanced, her eyes wide as his growls deepened. Joshua snarled and started forward, only to have a bullet fly past his ear. Naomi held her hand out to him.
"Joshua, you can't interfere." Her voice trembled, but even as he watched he saw a change come over her. She stood straighter, her eyes grew steely and determined. "This is between my father and I. He stole my right to leadership. I have to take it back."
The Wolf Alpha stopped growling. His ears pricked up, tail twitching from side to side.
"That's why you chose to attack me, isn't it?" Naomi said to her father, topping her retreat now. "You sensed that I was coming into my own. After all these years where you have tried to suppress me, I have found my power. I started to find it when I went with Joshua against your will, and I continued to develop it when I refused to give up the baby we found in the woods. I guess there's only one thing left I have to do before I can claim my rightful place as Alpha of my pack. Defeat you."
Joshua burned to drive through the wall of wolves as Naomi yanked her loose dress over her head and shifted. The current Alpha began growling again, but Joshua was shocked to see that even though he was larger than the Wolves around them, Naomi was yet bigger than him. Her paws planted firmly in the ground as she threw back her head and howled.
Tucker flinched back. Naomi charged at him, and he jumped at her. They met with a fierce clashing of growls and barks. Tucker clamped his teeth on Naomi's scruff and she yelped, twisting.
Joshua stepped forward, but another bullet reminded him why he couldn't interfere. He hated this, feeling so helpless as his mate fought for her life.
One of her paws came up and slashed across her father's face. He released her and she drove forward, clamping her teeth on his shoulder. She brought herself to her back feet, pulling her father higher. She wrapped her legs around him and used her weight to bring her enemy down. The Alpha kicked at her belly, making her jump back.
The current Alpha howled. Naomi bit into his throat, choking him. His eyes rolled and he kicked out harder. Joshua groaned in anguish when the current Alpha's claws tore through Naomi's back leg. Blood spurted, staining her fur.
Naomi lifted the current Alpha again and threw him away. Tucker landed on his stomach, and when his daughter jumped at him again, he rolled. His tail was tucked in firmly against his belly as he flashed the white fur of his understand.
Surrender.
She had done it.
Naomi stood still for a moment, panting, staring down at her father. He was utterly still, making whimpering noises. If Joshua was in his Human's form, he would have smiled. After all his years of oppressing his daughter, now he was afraid she was going to kill him. But she wasn't that kind of Alpha or that kind of person.
The new Alpha of the Wolves threw back her head. Her commanding howl seemed to shake the very air. Joshua felt his blood stirring. This was his mate. The four that had been attacking him dropped to their bellies, the ones holding guns on him and his two seconds lowering them. They didn't shift as they howled, joining their voices to hers. All around them, the pack sang as one with their new Alpha.
Joshua reared to his back legs and let out a tremendous roar that echoed across town. Fierce roars answered him. He roared again, this time summoning them, as Naomi's howl changed to do the same. She trotted to him, tail wagging.
They shifted back into their Human forms and embraced, but Joshua didn't kiss her. He knew how his body would react, and with the two packs gathering around them, and the two of them naked… well, nudity might not be a big deal among shifters, but that didn't mean that anybody wanted an eyeful of that.
"I did it," she whispered. "I beat him. I've wanted to for so long, even if I never let myself think about it. I wanted to take my place as Alpha and now I have. But… but I don't know what to do. I've never had any training. What if I do it all wrong?"
Joshua stepped back, grinning at her as he put his hands on her shoulders. "There is a certain amount of mistakes that a new Alpha makes, Naomi. But you were also born with strong leadership instincts. You can always ask me for help, but in the end, you have to trust your gut instinct. Which I think you'll do just fine with."
A nervous smile crossed her face but she nodded. "You're right. I can do this. And Sapphira—"
"She's our daughter. We'll have to go through the correct legal systems, of course, but she's ours. I love you, and I love her."
This time the smile turned satisfied. "Good. Because she's not going anywhere, and neither am I."
Joshua nodded. They would have to decide where they were going to live after this so they could take care of both packs, but that was for another time. At the moment all he needed was to see the calm expression that came over Naomi's face as the packs gathered. Even her sisters, with little Sapphira, were coming to join them. Their eyes were bright.
As Naomi climbed onto the top of a car standing nearby, Joshua retrieved the baby. He took his place as Alpha with Naomi, although for this instance he knew he would remain silent. This was the Wolf Alpha addressing her pack for the first time. His time would come after hers.
"You all know who I am," Naomi called. "I am the eldest daughter of an Alpha who was the eldest daughter of an Alpha who was the eldest son of an Alpha. My father took the rights of leadership away from me, but I have taken them back. He brought you here to kill and cause bloodshed. But that ends. The Bears are our brothers, and this senseless violence between us will destroy us all if we don't end it now."
Her two sisters beamed at her, the other gathered Wolves watching with riveted eyes. There were only a few that looked unhappy about what she was saying.
She cleared her throat. "I know that my father told you all that Joshua, Alpha of the Bears, kidnapped me from my home. The truth is that I went with him gladly. I wanted him, and we have since visited the Mating Caves. He is my mate, well and sure. And we have a child. Though not of our blood, she is ours just the same. And in this union, Bear, Wolf and non-shifter, we symbolize the coming of a new day. No more battles. No more fighting. Only peace and unity."
Joshua handed her Sapphira and scrambled up next to her. He clutched her hand and gazed at his pack. "As my mate has said. We will rebuild was has been destroyed. And we will have peace."
"Peace," Naomi repeated.
And a thunderous cheer rose from the two gathered packs.
Chapter Ten – Naomi
Christmas morning.
Naomi yawned as Joshua opened the door for her to their little cabin. It had been hastily built on the border between Wolf and Bear territory, with plans to make something much nicer once spring came. For now, this cabin was warm and cozy, perfect for the three of them.
"You know," she said as she carried Sapphira into the bedroom, "for being diurnal animals, Bears certainly know how to party at night."
Joshua answered her with a chuckle. The previous night had been the full moon, and they finally had their mating ceremony. It had been strange to Naomi, presenting themselves to both packs and verbally stating that they were mated and would seek no others. After that, they had tied themselves together with a piece of scarlet string and cut their fingers so their blood would mingle.
Once the ceremony was done, it was dancing all night long. Joshua and Naomi had taken Sapphira back to their old house, and they slept the night there while the partying continued. When morning c
ame, however, they decided they wanted to spend Christmas day in their cabin. They had put in a lot of effort to decorate it up nicely, after all.
Naomi settled Sapphira down in the crib and tiptoed out, hoping their little girl didn't wake up. Fortunately, there wasn't so much a peep from the baby.
"Your father didn't come to the ceremony," Joshua said when she settled down on the couch next to him.
A flash of pain went through Naomi's heart at that, but she shook her head. "I know. But I didn't expect him to. He's been living isolated from the pack since I defeated him and became Alpha. Maybe one day I'll forgive him for the way he raised me, but I don't think I'll ever forgive him for the way he treated my sisters just as badly… speaking of them, they want to take bears as their mates, too."
Joshua nodded. "I know. But let's not talk work right now. I want you to open your Christmas present."
Naomi straightened, her eyes growing brighter. "That sounds good to me!"
Joshua grinned at her. He went to the tree and retrieved the box he had placed there several days ago. Naomi savored the moment, stroking the edges of the box lovingly before she unwrapped it. Inside was a pile of papers. Naomi frowned.
"What are these?"
"Sapphira's adoption papers. I spoke with some of the Wolves and found out that her biological parents actually died, and that was one of the reasons she was left in the woods. So I went to my human contacts, and... She's ours. Legally."
Naomi squealed in delight. She threw herself at Joshua, kissing him passionately. She could feel her effects right away and had to hold off a giggle. He was an eager boy this morning. Well, he'd just have to wait. She had her own plans for today, after all. When she pulled back, he groaned.
"Naomi, I know that you didn't have the opportunity to get me a present, what with you taking over responsibilities for your pack, but I have an idea of what you can give me instead."
She shook her head as he went to kiss her again. "I do have a present for you."