Rebuilding the Wolf

by Erin R Flynn

  The others who had come later, who had volunteered to come, not so much. Not all of them, but enough so I was at my limit. Linus I saw potential and hope with… Leda I did not.

  She looked at us all like commoners to her royalty and basically acted like she was boss from the moment she’d arrived, giving me placating bullshit lip service, and I had put up with it to not start trouble with someone from another pack or issue between her bloodline and mine, but I was done and done. She treated me as weak because I wasn’t brutal.

  She was about to find out how wrong she was about me and the way things went in Chicago.

  3

  “Do you want me to stay as backup?” Hagan asked.

  “That’s a really shitty way to end the date.”

  “The date ends when I drop you off,” he said after a moment. “Then I’m being a Beta. Don’t go in alone when there’s a problem, Sera. Have one of us at your back.”

  “Okay.” My stomach did flops at how he worried about me, pushed me to always be safe even. I swallowed that down when we arrived, slapping on my game face as we went in through the parking garage.

  I found Simone before Beth, and she looked ready to pull her hair out. “What now?”

  “She won’t share the power and hassled some humans again tonight about being so beneath her during the show. They’re not supposed to talk because then they know it’s not you. There’s flare and fun, not treating our customers like trash as if the whole club is filled with sadists.”

  “I’ll handle it,” I promised, swinging by the office to check something out. She watched me fill in one of the schedules, and her eyes went wide, guessing what I might do and not hiding her shock well.

  I had it in me to be cruel, to take the shot needed, and do what I had to. It was easier as a wolf, as she was all instinct and less guilt, but I didn’t like to. But to protect this pack, the club we’d built and now so many needed to survive? Oh yeah, I’d fuck that bitch up big time.

  She was sitting in the dressing room, preening and primping like a goddess even if the show was over. She smirked at me when she saw me. “Yes, yes, we will have another dialogue. I am so very sorry for not—”

  Her dismissive attitude and flippant disregard of me and what I said just threw napalm on the fucking fire. I wrapped my hand around her throat and dragged her out of the chair, slamming her against the concrete wall hard. I leaned in and fed from her, taking more, and more, and more than I ever normally would. My siren knew what I wanted and helped push me to get it done.

  Power was a very funny and tricky thing. Someone like Axel who was wild as a tiger and strong was fun to take from. There was… Not a flavor like a wine, but an edge. Hagan and Reagan were comfort, even when wound up. They loved me. It was good and soothing. Apollo, the vampire councilman I’d been intimate with, he was… There weren’t words for it even if I was more powerful.

  Taking from another siren was a flat out fucking rush. I knew the power she had, and it was super charged but couldn’t stall us out like other power had. My siren recognized it and knew how to digest it unlike when it was strange power or a lot of different power as when I did the siren show.

  That meant I didn’t have to stop. I didn’t have to take a break, as it wasn’t too much, my siren understanding why we were doing this and ready to be bloated for a while, extra, extra full. So I kept drinking, even through when she realized this was something serious and tried to fight back.

  Yeah, the bitch had no game though. She was all about our power as a siren and the rest beneath her. Well, she’d had to reassess that now, as she was no fight to me.

  “Use your power, and I will slit your throat,” I snarled, letting her see in my eyes I wasn’t fucking around. I waited until she gave the barest nod and glanced over at Hagan. “Clear us a path to the dungeon.”

  “Yes, Alpha,” he said, ordering a few of security that had joined us, getting something was going on. They led us off to the side of the club so we could get back to the elevator without too many people noticing, as we were never dead, but it was a Monday night so we weren’t packed.

  She opened her mouth when we were in the elevator but wisely shut it when I shot her a look daring her to fuck with me right then. I dragged her off when we reached the right floor, my hand wrapped around her throat so tightly I felt how much it hurt… And I got a lot of images from her, she was so upset. She’d done a good job keeping things locked down from me, but I’d finally cracked her now.

  Once in the open dungeon, I locked her arms up over her head in the chains. Then I found a ball gag and put it on her before ripping off the robe she was in, her eyes wide I would humiliate her that way.

  “I was very clear as to your role while a guest in my fucking pack,” I growled in her face. “I warned you I wasn’t fucking around. I was an adult with you and discussed why your behavior didn’t work for us and what we were building here, but yet you still did it. You treated us all like fucking shit and me like I was nothing, and now you will deal with the fucking punishment for that.

  “You will not feed for the next week. You even try to get out of here, and I will let any wolf in my pack that you insulted come and have their way with you.” Fear filled her eyes, and I realized what she thought, not even able to let her believe I could allow someone to rape her no matter how pissed I was. “With whips. I will let them whip you for each insult you gave if you go against me again, Leda.

  “This is my decree, as I am fucking Alpha of Chicago. Not you. Not your fucking family that I don’t give a shit about or their linage. You are in my world, and I’m queen, not you, princess. So you will take your punishment with honor before you’re sent home, or I will fucking conference in your family and let them see every second of your humiliation, what you brought on yourself and them with how you’ve behaved.

  “Do you understand what I’ve said?” I waited until she nodded. “Do you believe me this fucking time?” Again, a nod while she teared up. “Do you accept my punishment and promise to behave?” She gave me a look of hate even as she cried. “Hagan, tell security to turn on the camera in here and bring in another one. I want it all on the record. It would take her a while to get out of here but not before she pisses herself.”

  “Yes, Alpha,” he said, amusement in his voice. Then he came closer, leaning in and sniffing Leda. “I think we should show the pack that, Alpha. Maybe then she won’t look down at me and Reagan as pathetic dogs with big dicks to amuse a low class wolf who doesn’t deserve to be a siren.”

  My hand flew before I even realized it, backhanding her across the face. “You ever speak like that about anyone in my pack, much less my fucking Betas, and I might just let them have fun in any way they see fit. Am I clear?”

  She let out a horrible sob as she nodded, the gag muting it. Hagan left to handle what I said, and I felt the camera come on, knowing he could hear and see me.

  “And that man you call a dog is much more than a big dick. Every inch of him is perfect and made to worship a woman, and he does. He worships every inch of me and doesn’t even look at you. Your jealousy was noted the day you arrived and dismissed, just like you’re being dismissed now. I may be a commoner or whatever else you think, but I worked my ass off to become queen here, and you want that. So suck on that, bitch.”

  I turned to leave, ordering for her to hear that the door was to be locked and not opened except when Simone or I were there to control her. That added to the insult because I clearly said Simone—a cat and not siren—could easily handle her. Then I thought better of it and went back in, taking off the gag and feeding more and more from her.

  I smiled as I pulled away, knowing I’d taken enough to knock her down several levels that she’d have to get back, not just recharge. “If you start any more shit while on my lands, I will leave you a hollow shell along with everything else I said. Tell me you understand.”

  “Yes, I understand, Alpha,” she whimpered, giving me her throat.

  My wolf couldn’
t resist the offer, leaning in and taking a bite out of her before putting back on the gag.

  Hagan met me by the door, and I kissed him, feeding him as much energy as I knew he could handle. “She interrupted our date, so now she’ll help make sure to send you off with a smile.”

  “I don’t care it’s her energy,” he growled, pressing me up against the doorframe. “I only want you, Sera.”

  “Sucks to be her because I saw how much she wanted the hot twins that love me.” I cupped his cheek and made sure he was looking into my eyes. “But you don’t ever hide from me again when someone talks like that about you. I would have instantly smacked the bitch. No one speaks of you guys like that, got it?”

  “Yes, Alpha,” he murmured, nuzzling my neck. “Shit, you are so fucking sexy. Let me take you home before I do something not appropriate for a first date.”

  “The articles did say not to have sex,” I teased him, smiling when he laughed.

  And then I locked the door and left Leda in there for her punishment. I met Simone in the office and shared energy with her, noting how it mostly recharged her but didn’t add because she was so worn down. I spent the next ten minutes catching everyone Leda should have shared with. I found Remus at the bar, as it was his night off and he was getting the deal of free blood if he helped watch over getting everyone home safely.

  “Hey, Sera,” he greeted as I moved next to him. I kissed him and fed him power, knowing Remus and his good heart. I gave him as much as he could handle before pulling away. “Shit, Sera, please tell me you’re up for more than power and a kiss.”

  “No, sorry,” I muttered. “Noah gave me a few names he wasn’t comfortable with me being with while we work things out.” I didn’t add that he said Remus was a guy who only got serious and didn’t play around, because that wasn’t something bad. It just meant not going there with him.

  Especially since he was Vlad’s.

  “I hope you think about it when you guys make up because I’d love to join you some night,” he said quietly, smiling when I gave him a shocked look. “I might be a guy looking for one girl to settle down with, but that doesn’t mean that’s all I want, Sera. I have no problem sowing all my oats while looking for her, but I do tend to get attached, so I get why Noah’s against it. If he was there, he might not be.”

  “Maybe someday when we’re secure,” I said, shrugging. He was hot, so it wasn’t like I wasn’t open to some moon mate fun.

  Hell, I’d been having a lot of fun even if I was taking a break from the guys. That didn’t mean I wasn’t having sex. I just wasn’t getting involved.

  Hagan dropped me off at home with another kiss, promising he’d even call the next day like a gentleman, which made me laugh. Some of the ancient vampires were coming home with pizzas at the same time, and after all that energy in and out, I was very much up for some fun.

  I think one of them, Orson, realized that. He nodded to the big heart box. “Chocolates?”

  “No, scented soap roses for baths,” I answered, smiling brightly. “They’re really cool, but I was thinking more of a shower tonight.”

  “Are you up for company?” he murmured, the energy in the elevator changing.

  “Will you share your pizza?” I teased, smiling when all three nodded. “Then you can come over and eat me too.”

  “Oh fuck,” Orson groaned, handing over the boxes to one of the other guys and kissing me silly. They didn’t get off at their floor, instead coming up with me. One of them took my keys and let us in the apartment. “Do you have to get up early?”

  “Yes, and I have to call Alena in an hour, so we can play until then, but I have to talk to her, and it might be a while.”

  “We can do a lot in an hour,” he promised.

  Oh, yeah, did they ever. I was very sated when the hour was up, and so was my siren. So were they, all the pizza gone. They were fun, wanting fun now that they were free and not in a councilman’s coven or his. All my ancients were thrilled to have such freedom and enjoy it.

  Over half of them had enjoyed it with me during the past month, but we all knew what it was, and nothing was complicated. It was hot. I was having hot, hot sex a lot while I got my shit together and built my foundation.

  “It is never good news when you call moments after you know I wake,” Alena greeted.

  “I’ll have to work on that,” I muttered, knowing she was right and it wasn’t nice of me. “The time difference is rough. I tend to call with good stuff or fun when I can carve out time and not worry I’m intruding on your day.”

  “It was not a criticism, merely an observation and acknowledgement I know something is wrong.”

  “Yeah, we had a problem,” I sighed, deciding to take a bath with Hagan’s gift since I’d never made it to the shower but had sex all over the kitchen. I headed into the master bathroom with the amazing and super swank tub as I filled her in, giving her all the background instead of just that night.

  “I am shocked and a bit worried you took such drastic steps, so unlike you,” she muttered when I was done.

  “I can be harsh,” I argued, still getting it. “She pushed too much, and it’s a bit of a trend with the ones who volunteered or pushed to come, get a chance here. The original ones are great, but a bunch went back. Others have traded out, and fine, Christos was one of them. This last group about half make some big thing like Theon’s father did, that I’m third and the adopted commoner daughter, weak and apparently a pushover.”

  “You went ‘balls out’ with this punishment to make a very loud point to stop thinking that,” she surmised. “Good, yes, and I’m sorry it is my people causing you upset.”

  “Hey, I’m not complaining, Mom. I’m just filling you in. I couldn’t have done half of what I have without the help you, Zeno, and Eva have given. Phobie is so, so much help. Hestia’s kicking ass in Milwaukee. Hagan’s going to have a conversation with Zeno about Linus because we might have some ideas there, but all the kids are super good around you and even their parents, but some took this chance to misbehave.”

  “Yes, and some of it was unintentional,” she sighed. “A few came back and spoke of your kind heart, your progressive mindset and dedication to helping all paranormals.”

  “And people who aren’t like us heard ‘weak, flaky, and distracted,’” I muttered, knowing how it went. “Is it going to be a problem? Me punishing her like this?”

  “No, not at all,” she chuckled. “She is not the princess she has acted with you. We do not act like pompous royals and this caste system, as we are on top. It is others who keep with that mindset, but she is very much a commoner, and her family is not much above Christos in rank and position.”

  “Bitch,” I growled, even more pissed. “She never smelled of a lie as she talked like her family was level with Theon’s and like your right hands.”

  “No, I would warn you if there was someone we sent like that.”

  I groaned and wanted to dunk my head under the warm water to unhear that. She was saying she hadn’t sent any high ranking people then, and here we’d been acting like they all were. Idiot.

  “Speak to me on Linus. I do not know his family well. They are of a good linage, powerful, and I would have thought more of an asset to you. Hagan can still speak to Zeno Beta to Beta, but I wish to know your thoughts as Alpha.”

  So I told her, keeping it quick since I didn’t want our whole call to be bad or pack only stuff.

  “How will you handle New York then? If this Grand Rapids has to ask for help for you to go in, how will you handle a pack across the country from you?”

  “He sent someone to kill me,” I reminded her. “I have every right to go in and wipe them all out after they started the aggression. Hell, the council has been a bit annoyed it’s taken me so long, as he gave me the perfect opportunity.”

  She growled. “They balk at how you do things and start so much trouble for you and then want you to do their jobs as well. Next they will bitch you are getting too much power agai
n.”

  “You read my mind,” I admitted. I was waiting for that too. “But they know me better now, and they sort of want me to be head wolf in the Midwest like Goran is for the vampires. Sort of a way to show how working with them, being friendly with the council comes with perks.”

  “So you are to be the poster child again for someone else. How many will use you in such a way before you are broken with all their needs?”

  I didn’t really have an answer for that, no answer to give even as I agreed with her, but she didn’t push it.

  “Nina is ready to expand,” I told her, wanting to have some positive with all the negative. “Milo helped rescue some more witches that are cranking out teas and potions and whatever else she sells like you wouldn’t believe. They need more help, and she’s asked to hire pack. It might be packaging and shipping, but she pays way better than any others, so people are happy and all for working for her.”

  “Where did you go?” she asked, always able to tell my mood somehow even over the phone.

  “Hagan and I had our first date, and since it’s almost Valentine’s Day, he got me this awesome gift of scented soap roses. I was just wondering what Nina could do with those like she does bath salts.”

  “Your mind is truly a wonderful place, my daughter,” she praised, sounding amused. “You are doing so well, making us so proud. Even your grandmother applauded your decision to ‘reboot’ in a sense so you can build up your strength instead of most who wait too long to see the problem.”

  “I sort of like being selfish,” I admitted. “My siren can be a bitch and too much, but it’s nice to… Not feel spoiled but worth the time. My wolf is helping now that I’m giving her what she needs. The mood swings are still a bit much, but I’ve heard that takes a few years, but now that she’s stable, taken care of, I feel way more stable.”

  “Good, good, then it has worked as you planned. I am glad it went well with Hagan. Enjoy being wooed. You are worth that. You are their goddess, not just Alpha.”