'Til Death

by Lorie O'Clare

  “Let him in,” Dante said from somewhere inside. There was definite resolution in his tone.

  “You know why I’m here.” Dimitri wouldn’t make a farce out of this.

  “What do you think?” Dante sat on his couch, wearing only jeans.

  “Kind of makes things easier, then.” Dimitri stared down at the werewolf, at that moment deciding it didn’t matter what Dante thought of him. Rosa believed in him, and that was enough for Dimitri. “I will take Rosa as my mate.”

  “Aren’t you supposed to ask?” Dante demanded.

  “If it strokes your ego.” Dimitri shrugged. “I have no problem asking. As pack leader though, the answer is already determined.”

  Dante growled, moving to his feet. Moira hurried to his side, careful not to touch his arm, which was no longer wrapped. The werewolf held it to his side, as if protecting it. Moira hissed something to him that tickled Dimitri’s ears.

  When Dante looked down at her, she turned around, standing before her mate and straightening before addressing Dimitri.

  “You would honor our den by asking,” she said quietly.

  Dimitri nodded once. “I am here to request that you give Rosa to me as a mate.” He could meet them halfway.

  Moira turned around, obviously satisfied with his words, and looked up at her mate. Dante took his time staring at Dimitri. Hiding his thoughts from these two would distract him too much from the situation at hand. Nothing pissed him off more than having his brain explored, but he didn’t have anything to hide. They couldn’t deny Rosa wanted to be with him and he accepted her with an open heart.

  “I sure as hell don’t see what Rosa sees in you, but I know she has howled for you for a long time. You will make her very happy by taking her as a mate.” Dante spoke slowly, as if the words didn’t want to come out of him. “My only concern is whether you really want her.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “If you did, you would have taken her months ago, when she first sniffed after you.”

  “Mating wasn’t the first thing on my mind. Running this pack was. She’s helped me see that I would do it better with her at my side.”

  “So you take her only to make yourself a better pack leader?”

  The question was legitimate. Remembering how she smelled when she witnessed the truth of his pain, Dimitri looked away from the male and bitch standing before him, waiting for his answer. Even so, he worried they too caught a glimpse of what Rosa saw earlier that morning. Quickly he stifled the terrible memories. They were personal and private and had nothing to do with this conversation. Only the results of what Rosa showed to him mattered at this juncture.

  “Rosa will make me a better pack leader,” he admitted. “She will make me a better werewolf. And I do believe right now you and I will agree on one thing. There is no werewolf good enough for Rosa.”

  “You’re right,” Moira said quietly. “But I know she loves you. What are your feelings for her?”

  Damn the bitch for making him howl his feelings for Rosa to her. Moira was as much a pain in the ass as she was when they were cubs.

  Dante growled, obviously crawling around in Dimitri’s head, as usual. He would just have to get over it.

  “I’ve shared my feelings with Rosa. She has agreed to be my mate. She is a bitch who deserves the best in every way. All I can give her is me.”

  A long silence followed. Dante turned away from Dimitri and for a moment looked like he might leave the room. Moira took his uninjured arm, turning him to face her. The two stared at each other, looking like they had a conversation that only the two of them could hear. Dante grumbled, not bothering to form words. But whatever the two of them argued about—and it was clear even without them speaking that they disputed something—he wasn’t privy to the conversation. Dimitri decided he didn’t care what it was.

  “I will announce our mating at a meeting this evening.” He turned and reached for the doorknob.

  “You will not leave yet.” Dante spoke quietly.

  The werewolf didn’t have the authority to keep Dimitri here. “Oh really,” he said without giving much thought to his comment, but then paused when he turned and saw the strain in the male’s face.

  “There is a werewolf, an American werewolf, who works for Werewolf Affairs.”

  That got Dimitri’s attention. He straightened, crossing his arms. “And?”

  “The day we first came to this mountain, he had the power in his paws to prevent us from staying. Things that Moira and I did prior to coming here could have allowed him to give us grief, but he didn’t.” Dante paused and rubbed his hand over his head, then sighed loudly, his scent changing slightly, turning less hostile. “This pack means as much to me as it does to you. I knew long before the challenge that I wouldn’t lead the Malta werewolves, but that doesn’t change my desire to see this pack grow and be as powerful as we once were.”

  Dimitri believed him. He never completely understood why Dante didn’t enter the challenge to fight to the death so that one werewolf could lead the pack. But he didn’t. Truth be told, it was a move on the werewolf’s part that puzzled and relieved Dimitri. It would have been one hell of an ugly fight if Dimitri and he fought for the right to be leader.

  “Tell me about this American werewolf.”

  “Muller. His name is Steve Muller.” Dante scowled at the floor for a moment, his unbrushed hair sticking up slightly on one side of his head. “He’s been with Werewolf Affairs for many, many years. Close to retiring, I hear.”

  Dante was going to make him ask twenty questions just to get the simple facts. It was one hell of a strange world sometimes. No one ever would have made him believe he would be part of the den of the male standing before him right now.

  “And this werewolf will help us get our funds?” he prompted, shoving the image of wringing Dante’s neck to get him to talk faster out of his head.

  “I called him this morning.” Dante turned away from both of them, moving to the window that stared out at the mountain outside. “We have a right to the same benefits that Werewolf Affairs offers all packs in this country. Local authorities might not want us here, but they don’t have final say. I reminded the werewolf that WA exists to ensure that all packs have a right to unite and hunt, to grow and live the way werewolves were meant to live. That includes schools for our cubs and stores so that we can buy what our dens need. He will help us get funding.”

  Dimitri stared at him, repeating in his head what Dante just said so that it would sink in. “Thank you,” he said finally, accepting that he wouldn’t have made such progress on his own.

  “I didn’t do it for you.” Dante’s tone was harsh. “Rosa loves you. God only knows why. You reek of anger and bitterness that will only affect the pack over time. Rosa will make an outstanding queen bitch. Her qualities will cover the stench you prowl around with.”

  Dimitri glared at the werewolf, again fighting the memory of his dream, which surfaced with a vengeance. Dante was the irresponsible one, the one who wasn’t there when he was needed. Dimitri’s anger was justified. His craving to build the pack into the strong breed of werewolves they once were smelled stronger than any other emotion filtering through him. Nothing the male in front of him said would change his belief on that one.

  “I came here because of our traditions. Honoring Rosa by approaching her den for their blessing is as important as making sure this pack always stands strong and fights proud.” As much as he ached to, he wouldn’t put the werewolf down in his own den.

  “You will always honor her.” Dante cocked his head, studying Dimitri and obviously walking around freely in his mind.

  Dimitri was ready to leave. But for the pack, and only for his pack, he stood tall in front of Dante, reminding himself once again there was nothing in his head that he was ashamed of. “How will this Muller werewolf get us our funding?”

  “He called the office here and your paperwork was faxed to him.” Dante exhaled, looking away from Dimitri for the
first time. It just fucking sucked if the werewolf dug around in Dimitri’s brain too far and got a whiff of the memories that tortured Dimitri. Let the werewolf live with the foul stench of his own past errors. Dante didn’t look at him when he continued talking. “Once he confirmed the paperwork was in order, he called me back. He should be in touch with you shortly. An agent with Werewolf Affairs will have to visit our pack and confirm your requests are merited.”

  “I will acknowledge your efforts in helping our pack at our next pack meeting. Which brings me to the one other matter I came here to discuss with you.”

  “What’s that?” Dante frowned.

  Good thing to know. Not even Dante Aldo could learn his mind if he kept his thoughts off a certain subject.

  Dante’s frown deepened.

  Dimitri ignored it. “There is something I want to give Rosa at the next pack meeting.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “I never would have thought I’d see the day.” Josie’s mischievous grin was beyond annoying.

  “Are you okay?” Nicolo didn’t help matters much either.

  “Fine.” Dimitri walked away from both of them, crossing his arms over his chest and watching his pack file into the large warehouse they had recently built for pack meetings.

  His pack was taking shape. Almost twenty dens lived on the mountain now. Most of them were Malta werewolves. Less than half of them actually lived on Malta before their pack there was destroyed. Although they were a fourth the size of the pack on Malta, they would grow. He watched the bitches settle into their chairs, many of their bellies bulging with pregnancy. They would grow.

  Steve Muller’s phone call earlier today couldn’t have been timed better. The first check deposited into the pack’s checking account was spent within moments of it being there. Granted, they now had this building. Already shipments were confirmed for arrival of much needed supplies for sewage and drain off. The second check was on its way. Weather was finally suitable to start building. In the next few months, his pack would finally have their first store. Several merchants would use the facility to sell a variety of different staple items the pack could use on a regular basis.

  With any luck, by next fall they would have a school for their cubs. Dimitri caught himself smiling at the pack as they slowly filled the folding chairs in the large room. He hardened his expression, not needing anyone around him to comment on the idiotic look that must be on his face. And he smelled downright happy. It was an odd scent, clean yet almost musky, like something that hadn’t been used in ages just got pulled out from the back of a closet.

  Nope. No way would anyone around him say a damned word about his scent. Dimitri forced a scowl.

  Dante walked through the doors, holding his mate close to his side. Dimitri met the werewolf’s hard gaze and didn’t look away. Behind him, Rosa entered with her mother, her face glowing when she leaned around Dante to capture his attention. Her tan eyes glowed like a beach freshly washed with the tide. He held on to her gaze while she sat with her den.

  Those werewolves around her were no longer her den. The announcement came tonight. Her mother had thrown a damned fit over waiting almost a month to officially howl to the pack that her daughter was queen bitch, but after the old bitch saw what they had in store for the evening, Dimitri didn’t doubt she would forget all about pouting. A slight wave of nerves attacked him, but he held Rosa’s gaze, watching while she loosened her coat and then slipped it off her shoulders. Amazing how staring into her beautiful face helped him stay calm.

  Erin slipped into a chair next to Rosa with her male, Juan, helping her with her coat and then sitting next to her. Dante said something to his mate, and Rosa turned, smiling and laughing. Dimitri looked away. For his mate, he would have to get along with that werewolf. For the life of him, even after everything Dante managed to pull off for the pack, kicking Dante’s ass sounded much more appealing. Some old habits just didn’t need to die.

  A few other dens entered, their mates and cubs trailing around them. The males were Malta werewolves, but their bitches were European mixed. The dens sat close to where Nicolo and Josie’s bitches sat. Heidi and Maura introduced themselves to the fairer skinned bitches, and a conversation quickly picked up.

  For the most part, his pack was strong and true to the Malta werewolf line. Dark skin and hair dominated the room. But there would be other breeds brought in from time to time. Again he would have to learn to accept the diversity.

  Dimitri returned to stand next to Nicolo and Josie as the room slowly filled with his pack.

  “Looks like that’s about everyone,” Josie commented.

  “Let’s get started.” Dimitri moved to the front of the room where a card table was set up. “There will be silence in the room,” he yelled. His voice boomed off the wooden walls surrounding them, the rich smell of freshly cut wood mingling with the many emotions filling the room.

  His actions grabbed the pack’s attention more then his command. Lifting the blood red sash, he draped it over his shoulder and adjusted it so that it hung equally down his front and back. Dwelling on his actions, he put the shocked whispers from his pack out of his head.

  “A leader of a pack also leads his den.” Dimitri ran his hand down the soft velvet sash, feeling his heart beat steadily under his palm. He met the sober expressions of his pack. “Our traditions are ancient but strong. The blood cloth that I wear tonight shows my willingness to kill, to protect and to provide, not only for my pack, but for my den—and for my mate.”

  A rush of whispers tickled his ears. His body temperature climbed, the strength of their traditions so strong it brought forth his purer, more carnal nature. Growling at his pack, he silenced them and then lifted a deer hide, especially prepared for this evening’s ceremony—a very ancient ceremony that he discussed with Dante almost a month ago. It felt damned good rendering the werewolf speechless and smelling the approval the male couldn’t hide quickly enough.

  “My mate,” he repeated, saying the words and hearing them possibly for the first time brought him pause. Emotions he wasn’t ready for crawled forth inside him, almost making him choke on the words.

  Rosa stood, pushing her way around her den as she moved to the center aisle. A few gasps, but mostly more whispering took place as she slowly walked toward him. She wore jeans that hugged her thin, muscular legs, and a sweater that revealed her long, narrow neck and then fell nicely over her full breasts and slender figure. Her thick, long black hair fell free down her back, swaying as she moved so that wavy strands curled just above her hips. She didn’t look at anyone but him, and the glow in her expression, her rich scent as she approached, somehow made the room around them disappear.

  All Dimitri saw was Rosa. And there wasn’t a more beautiful bitch on the entire planet. She stopped when she stood before him, her back to the pack and her face raised to his. Her small smile melted his heart, tearing away at so much anger and resentment that he held onto over the years. For a moment he felt lightheaded from the experience.

  I love you, he told her in his mind. She mouthed the words to him, blushing so beautifully he almost forgot about the rest of the ceremony.

  He would lose himself in her beautiful, pale eyes. “I will kill for you,” he announced, handing her the deer hide. He flattened his hand against the red velvet draping half of his torso. “I will fight for you and bleed for you.”

  Rosa handed the deer hide back to him. “I will kill for you,” she said, her voice clear and soft as she recited the ancient words. When she placed her cool hand over his, Dimitri never smelled a sweeter scent than the one that filled the air around them. “I will fight for you and bleed for you.”

  He wanted to devour her right there, but the ritual initiating her not only into his den, but into the position she would now hold with her pack would be seen out to the end.

  Stepping around her, he moved to the small card table and put the hide down and then lifted the small goblet that he had actually found on eBay. But from
this moment forward, it would be the ceremonial cup for their pack. They were young and there wasn’t anything saved from their old pack to use when they recited their traditions. None of that mattered at the moment. He lifted the small goblet that held the warm blood from the deer killed especially for tonight.

  “Drink for me. Take my kill and honor me as I feed you.”

  Rosa took the cup, leaning her head back and swallowing half of the blood. She licked her moist lips, then handed the cup to him. Dimitri gulped down the remaining blood, feeling it warm his soul as it passed down his esophagus.

  Even the cubs stood silently watching. Dimitri took his time looking around the room, taking in the solemn expressions of everyone who watched the timeless tradition that he and Rosa recited in front of them. He actually envied all of them. Not once in his lifetime had he witnessed this ceremony. The bonding of a pack leader and his queen, the sharing of blood for all to see, was a moving experience. Again, weight he didn’t realize he carried for so many years seemed to float away from him.

  “Malta werewolves,” he yelled. “Honor your new queen bitch.”

  The cheers that followed were deafening. Everyone applauded, cheered and yelled their approval. Then as the clapping slowly died, Maria Anthony pushed her way to the center aisle and slowly approached her daughter. The old woman took her time kneeling in front of Rosa, then took her hand and kissed it. One by one, the rest of the females filed into line, bellying up to their new queen bitch.

  “The meat is ready.” Josie moved behind him, speaking quietly so as not to interrupt the females. “We had the bitches slice it before the meeting, but there is plenty for everyone.”

  “Good.” Dimitri glanced over to the table that Nicolo worked to set up with his mate’s help. “Go help your mate.”

  Josie nodded, his expression serious as he gripped Dimitri’s shoulder. “I’m honored to have just witnessed this ceremony. Excellent idea on your part.”

  For a moment, Dimitri had no words. He couldn’t remember the last time Josie actually praised him. Although the werewolf had his back most of Dimitri’s life, Josie’s cocky attitude wouldn’t have allowed him room for submission or praise. Dimitri grabbed the male’s hand, holding it firmly for a moment as he stared into his black eyes. “Your praise honors me.”