The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  “Nova,” she let her hand caress his arm. “I don’t want that, either. I don’t want a babysitter. I just want to live my life. I don’t want any of these wolf battles. I don’t want the politics. I just want a simple, normal life. You finally have Kal in custody. After ten years of looking over my shoulder, wondering if that wretched wolf was going to come back and finish the job he started that night, I finally have some peace. I can finally sleep at night without wondering if he’s going to be waiting for me when I go outside. I can walk home without feeling as if I’m being followed. At least, I should have been able to.

  “Now there’s this guy that’s actually stalking me. And what scares me even more is that I don’t think he’s a wolf. This isn’t a dispute over territory. It isn’t a vendetta. Whoever this is, he’s human. I can feel it. And I’m starting to wonder if he’s dangerous.”

  Helpless, Nova scrubbed a hand over his face. “What do you want me to do, Amara? How can I help you if you won’t let me?” He had never felt so incapable in his life. How did you stop a human stalker from making your home feel unsafe? There was no way in hell she would let him move her to the compound full time again. It was one thing to become integrated with the Pack on a regular basis, but it was another to be separated from humans entirely. She’d had a hard enough time the first time he had isolated her for her own safety. He wasn’t about to do it again, even if every fiber of his being was screaming for him to do so. “What do you want me to do?” he asked again.

  Turning to him, she shook her head, one lone tear sliding down her cheek. “That’s the problem, Nova. I don’t know.”

  Chapter 4

  There was a crowd waiting for them when they pulled into the compound. At least eight people stood outside the Council building. It was a long, wooden structure with huge wooden poles at either corner made with woven grass walls. It was where they held meetings and conducted important ceremonies, Amara knew. And yet, for all the time she had spent with the Pack at the compound, she had only ever been inside once.

  Nova clasped Amara’s hand as they started forward, their feet crunching over the gravel in their wake. “Are you nervous?” he asked her, a bit of a tease in his voice.

  Instinctively, Amara balked. “No,” she answered automatically. But she knew that wasn’t true. Forcing herself to calm down and be less defensive, she took a deep breath. The long, slow inhale and exhale did her good. Maybe she should take up meditation as her next hobby. “Okay, maybe a little,” she admitted. Nova’s lips twitched at the corners. Her eyes widened. “Are you laughing at me, Lowery?” she wanted to know.

  Instantly, the little grin disappeared, but amusement still danced in his eyes. “Of course not.”

  “You are. Here I am, about to enter some unknown trial to do God only knows what, so a bunch of virtual strangers can tell me if I’m fit to marry, and the man I’m supposed to be marrying is sitting here laughing at me!” And yet she couldn’t help but find the hilarity in it herself.

  “No, I’m not,” he assured her with a chuckle. Amara rolled her eyes. “And I do appreciate you doing this. I know you’re going into it blind.”

  And wasn’t that terrifying? “Are you sure you can’t tell me what’s about to happen?”

  “I wish I could, love. Trust me. But I don’t know any more about these trials than you do.” He shrugged. “Nobody does. It’s a Council secret. Even though I’m technically on the Council, only the Head Shaman knows what goes on during the trials. Even the Alpha isn’t privy to that information.”

  Amara frowned. “I thought you said the Trials were public?”

  “To the Council, they are. But even they heed the advice of our Shaman. He is the supreme spiritual leader in the community, you know. They say he even has a direct link to our ancestors.”

  She suppressed a shudder. Men turning into wolves she could handle, but for some reason, all the magic and spiritual stuff sort of freaked her out. Maybe it was because she had never really been big on faith and religion. Or maybe it was because she was finding out that all her grandfather’s old stories were real.

  As they got closer, Nemoy stepped forward. The robe he was wearing was a deep, cobalt blue embroidered with an intricate forest design of red, gold, silver, and green. The others surrounding him were in similar robes of various jewel tones. Nemoy’s face, all sharp lines and angles, looked strange in the torch light. It was almost like it was softer somehow. Happier. Maybe it was because he was smiling. “Welcome Amara, Nova.” He nodded to each of them in turn. “Welcome to the First Trial in your nuptial ceremony. There are three trials in all. If you can pass each of these trials, you will be allowed to wed, and your union will become permanent and untouchable under Pack Law. Mountain Clan wolves mate for life. There is no divorce. Death is the only severance, and as a pack, we fight like hell to keep that from happening. If you fail, however, then you are honor bound to dissolve your union and go your separate ways. The penalty for failure to comply in this situation is exile.

  “Amara, we know you are human, however, you are choosing to wed a Mountain Clan wolf and join our pack, so we are unable to change the trials to be more suitable for a human life. They will be challenging, and you will find yourself in situations where being human may be your downfall. Unfortunately, without the completion of these trials, the Council is unable to honor your marriage. Do you consent to participate in these trials and follow the laws of the Pack?”

  Amara pursed her lips. She knew she had to answer, but it all felt so formal. Was this part of the trials? Had they already begun? Or was it just part of the ceremony? She glanced over her shoulder at Nova. He smiled his encouragement. Okay then. Amara nodded to Nemoy. “Yes, I consent.”

  Nemoy gave her a curt nod, but she was almost sure he’d smiled. He turned to his brother. “Nova, you are the Beta of the Mountain Clan Wolf Pack. You hold the second highest position in regards to prestige, and your strength is matched by no wolf in our pack, save your Alpha. And yet, you choose to wed a human.”

  Amara raised a brow. She knew everything Nemoy was saying was the truth, but it still stung a little to hear it out loud. She tried her best not to take offense. Guess I should try harder, she thought wryly.

  “Throughout these trials,” Nemoy continued, “you and your beloved will be placed in situations where her fragile state of being could hinder your success. Her human traits mean she is not as strong, not as fast, and she is not Pack. You may be asked to choose whether your allegiance is to your love,” he held out a hand to indicate Amara, “or to your Pack.” The Council members behind him bowed their heads obediently. Nemoy looked his brother straight in the eye, and Amara held her breath. “Do you consent to participate in these trials?”

  Nova never wavered. He stood straight up, his shoulders back, and he stared his Alpha down before meeting the gaze of each Council member in turn, including his own mother. Each look was like a challenge in and of itself. “Yes,” Nova declared, his voice clear as day. “I consent.”

  “Very well, then.” Nemoy clapped his hands together. “The ceremony will begin tonight. You may enter the Trial Chamber.”

  Behind him, one of the Council members opened the heavy flap and they all filed inside. Amara stared at her surroundings in wonder. The last time she had entered the Council Chambers, there had been a large throne at the far end surrounded by a compilation of benches, all of which were situated around a stone fire pit in the center of the room. It had all been open and airy, not at all claustrophobic. The smoke from the fire had gone straight up and out through a hole in the ceiling which was open to the night sky. The only decorations at all were the few tapestries which depicted the history of the Pack that had adorned the walls.

  Now, everything was different. No longer could she see the entirety of the room. In fact, if she hadn’t just come from outside and seen what building they were going in to, she never would have believed it was the same place. If the throne and benches were still there, Amara could no longe
r see them. The tapestries had been moved, their ends fixed around the opening in the ceiling to form a sort of dome around the fireplace. Flames bloomed from the embers in the center of the pit, and the smoke was so thick and pungent from herbs that it was almost suffocating. Heavy, embroidered pillows lined the bottom tapestries in a semi-circle, while on the other side they had placed what looked like two beds on the ground, each one lined with elaborate cushions and blankets. Next to the fire, opposite the beds, was a rectangular tray made completely out of stone. On it were five little stone bowls filled with herbs, as well as three larger bowls of varying sizes—one of which was filled with some kind of water—and a mortar and pestle.

  Amara glanced nervously at Nova. What was this, some kind of séance? Had she really just agreed to participate in some kind of spirit quest?

  “Please, sit,” Nemoy instructed, indicating the beds. “Make yourselves comfortable.” The rest of the Council members took their seats among the cushions. Amara had expected Nemoy to sit before the tray as Alpha of the Pack, but instead, he stood off to the right and helped an old man in deep green robes take his place in front of the fire. Nemoy sat down beside him.

  “Our Great Shaman, Ianto, will mix the sacred brew.” As if on cue, the old man began to toss the herbs into the mortar and grind them into dust. Then he put them in the bowl of liquid, swirled it a few times, and held the bowl over the fire. Amara was amazed he didn’t burn his hands, they were so close to the flames.

  “The Trials will take place in the Spirit Realm,” Nemoy continued. “Each test is set up to test the strength of your loyalty to each other, as well as the strength of your loyalty to the Pack. When the test is completed, you will wake up.”

  Wake up? When were they falling asleep? Was that potion or whatever some kind of drug?

  After a few moments, the shaman handed the bowl to Neveah—Nova and Nemoy’s mother—and she carefully made her way around the stone pit to where Nova and Amara sat. She walked with her deep purple robes gathered in her hand to avoid the soot of the fire. Neveah knelt down in front of Amara and held out the bowl. The look she gave her was almost warm.

  Amara supposed she should be grateful. Neveah was her most vocal opposition when the Pack discovered Nova had fallen in love with a human. But, after the attack on Strathford by the Valley Clan and Amara’s willingness to keep their secrets, Neveah finally came around. Well, Amara definitely wouldn’t call them friends, but at least they were no longer enemies.

  “Drink, darling,” Neveah murmured. “It’s not poison. It will be just fine.” Her lips turned up in what was unmistakably a smile. “I went through this before my marriage as well.” She held the bowl up again. “Drink.”

  Reaching out, Amara reluctantly cupped the stone bowl in both of her hands, grateful that they were no longer trembling. She brought the potion to her lips and sipped. It was sweet, with just a hint of something bitter. And, despite the heat from the fire, it was surprisingly cool on her tongue. Yet, it tingled on the way down her throat.

  Amara began to feel sleepy. Try as she may, she couldn’t keep her eyes open. She was only vaguely aware of Nova beside her as he drank from the bowl, and then suddenly, she was laying back on the pillows, staring at the smoke that rose in curls and tendrils from the fire into the night. And then it all went black.

  Chapter 5

  Nova woke in a dark room that smelled musty and dank. Mildew invaded his nostrils, turning his stomach. He couldn’t see anything, but from what he could feel, he was chained to a straight-backed chair. When he tried to move his wrists, he found them zip tied to the arms of the chair.

  In the distance, somebody screamed. The sound echoed off the metal walls. Was he in some kind of crate? He was somewhere near water. Nova’s blood turned to ice.

  Amara.

  Nova pulled so hard on his restraints that the chair moved, but the plastic bindings didn’t budge. Amara screamed again.

  “Damn it!” he shouted. Nova forced himself to calm down. If he was going to get out of this, if he was going to get to Amara, he needed to concentrate. Taking a deep breath, he focused on his canine side, pulling forth the Shifter genes circling through his DNA.

  The muscles in his arms became thicker and stronger. The bones became denser, his wrists became wider. The plastic fastenings locking him to the chair strained as his hands became the paws of a wolf. Nova flexed his muscles, and the zip ties bulged again, then snapped with a loud crack. He used the sharp claws that had replaced his finger nails to remove the strappings around his ankles.

  Nova flew from the chair, sending it flying across the room. The metal legs and back crashed against the wall with a clang that bounced around him so intensely that it hurt his sensitive ears. Nova screamed his rage and rushed to the door. Gripping the handle, he wrenched it open and let it bang against the wall.

  The hallway outside the small room he had been locked in was eerily silent. He’d at least expected there to be someone guarding his cell, but there was no one there. Nova crept through the labyrinth as stealthily as he could, intent only on finding Amara.

  From her own cell, Amara screamed again. Kal pulled the knife away from her neck with a wicked grin. She was cuffed to her chair and chained to the back, completely unable to move. The fluorescent lights shined down in her eyes. She wasn’t sure if her eyes were watering from the brightness or the pain. Kal slid the blade across her collarbone again.

  The pain. Definitely the pain.

  Amara grit her teeth and glared at him. Thick, hot blood dripped down her chest.

  Leaning forward, Kal got right up in her face. “No one is coming to save you, Amara. We got to Nova, too. You’re all alone. Give us the Alpha’s location, and we’ll let you go.”

  Fear gripped Amara. What had they done to Nova? Was he still alive?

  No. She couldn’t think that way. He wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be. And she wasn’t about to let Kal see her fear.

  Kal was so close she could smell his breath. And if she didn’t know any better, she would bet he was about to kiss her. Amara spit in his face.

  Rage passed through Kal’s tawny eyes and he raised his hand. Flesh hit flesh as the back of his hand cracked against her cheek.

  Amara’s head whipped around and her ear slammed into the back of the chair. Yet, she stubbornly turned to stare at Kal, swiping her tongue past the blood dripping at the corner of her mouth.

  “I don’t know where he is,” Amara said, watching him with cold satisfaction. This time, it was her who smiled. “And even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

  “Bitch,” Kal spat, raising the knife again. The blade sliced through her skin, and he pressed down so it bit deeper. Though she tried to stop it, the scream ripped from Amara’s throat.

  Just as the door burst open.

  Nova stood in the doorway.

  Chapter 6

  Amara sat up back in the Council building, and inhaled the fumes from the potion. She was shaking hard. With a trembling hand, she wiped the sweat from her brow and glanced at Nova. He was slowly coming to. When he opened his eyes, his gaze immediately sought hers.

  After the fear and adrenaline that had been coursing through her veins in the vision, seeing Nova was like sinking into a hot, calming bath. Which they should probably do, come to think of it.

  “Congratulations,” Nemoy told them from where he sat next to the shaman. “Nova, you and Amara have passed the first Trial.”

  Amara’s eyes widened. “Wait a minute, that’s it? Just a little vision quest and we’re done?”

  Nemoy’s face warmed in a way that reminded her of someone who was hiding a secret. “There is more to it, yes. You will need to return two additional nights at sunset to continue and complete the Trials. For tonight, however, yes that’s it. We will see you in two days.”

  ***

  They didn’t talk on their way back to Amara’s house that night. Neither of them wanted to stay in Nova’s cottage. If he was anywhere near Kal, even though he
was locked up, he would probably kill him. And Amara was seriously shaken, Nova thought. The only thing he wanted to do right then was get her as far away from the Compound as possible.

  He understood the need for that Trial. Really, he did. Being part of the Pack was dangerous. Sometimes things happened, and as Beta of the Pack, Nova would need a clear head to do what needed to be done. He would need to be able to set aside any feelings he had for whoever it was and think logically about the best way to get them out. And Amara was human, which put her in even more danger. He needed to stay level headed to make sure he could protect her.

  Pulling the truck into her driveway, he cut the engine and wrenched up on the emergency break. He reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek. “Hey. You okay?”

  Closing her eyes, Amara shook her head.

  “No,” he agreed. “I didn’t think you would be. Come here.” Unbuckling her seatbelt, Amara scooted closer to him, letting his arms come around her, and she leaned back against his chest. He breathed deeply for a moment or two, letting their heartbeats align. “That’s never going to happen,” he assured her. “Kal is locked up. He’s under twenty-four-hour guard. We aren’t going to let him get away.”

  “You don’t know that.” Amara fidgeted with her hands. “And last time he was out and running around, he kidnapped my sister and almost killed you. You know, along with like half my town.”

  Despite the seriousness of the situation, Nova chuckled. “Don’t worry, love. He isn’t going anywhere. And I promise you, I am not going to let him hurt you—or your town—in any way, shape, or form. Nemoy is negotiating peace with the Valley Clan as we speak. You are completely safe.”

  Still, she didn’t look convinced. “It just doesn’t feel right trying to start a life together, start a family together, when danger follows us everywhere.” Amara sighed. “Nova, I haven’t really felt safe since I was twelve years old. When my dad was killed by wolves…and then Sadie with Kal last month. I just, I can’t lose you, too. I’m not sure I would survive it.”