Whispered Loyalties

by Aliyah Burke

  She sat on a stump, whittling on a piece of wood.

  “What are you doing?”

  Tora lifted her gaze briefly to him then back to the work in her hand. “Making a gift for my Alpha.”

  He sat across from her. His leg had healed and he didn’t have much of any lingering limp or soreness, according to him.

  “What is it?”

  “I’m making a mobile. This is one of the items that will hang.”

  “For a baby?”

  “Yes. My Alpha’s are expecting.”

  “Does Keane have children?”

  “Not that I’m aware of.” She held his gaze this time. He wore an old ball cap and his black hair stuck out from under it in all directions. “Why?”

  “I asked him if I was going to live with him and I don’t think he wants me to.”

  “I cannot speak to that, but I think it is going to depend on what his Alpha thinks will be the best for you.” She leaned forward and handed over the wood and the knife. Nahuel took them without question and tentatively put blade to wood. “He will always be there for you, even if you can’t stay with him.”

  “Can I stay with you?”

  “I don’t live there.”

  His expression pinched. “I thought he said you were mates.”

  “I live with my Pack and he’s with his Clan.” Her gut clenched at the thought of being away from him.

  Can you hear me leopard?

  Of course I can, canine. I’ve waited for you to accept this bond between us so we can speak this way. Do you need me?

  There was a loaded question. Your cub should live with you.

  I know. I agree, I will talk to my Alpha about it.

  “I watched you earlier when you killed those hyenas. And before when you came for us, you don’t fear anything. Can you teach me?”

  “I am sure there are betters to teach you to battle. I know nothing of that for jaguars.”

  “I don’t care what it is, I want to be fearless. I don’t want to be taken advantage of again because I can’t...can’t protect my family.”

  He heaved a sob and jerked. Tora watched the back leg of the wolf she’d been carving fly off. Nahuel’s eyes grew wide.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” His entire body trembled but he didn’t run away.

  She didn’t make a move to take it back from him. “You know what’s great about carving wood?” Tora posed her question in a neutral tone and waited for him to shake his head. “If the one shape you were working on doesn’t work out, it’s the wood’s way of saying it was meant to be something else. Listen to the wood, it will tell you what it should be.”

  “You’re not mad?”

  She found herself smiling at him. “How could I be mad at you? I gave you the wood and knife, I didn’t know your experience with carving. And it takes a lot more than that to get me mad. Keep going, I want to see what this piece will become.”

  He listened and when Keane strode back into view, she didn’t look up at him even though she could feel him. All over.

  “Are we ready?” he asked dragging a hand along the back of her neck before crouching beside her.

  In her periphery, she indulged her visual need. It wasn’t something to be proud of but something she needed. Whatever happened between them when she bit him, had put her into a bit of a tailspin. Correction, it had begun long before that specific incident. It began the night she slept with him the first time.

  Keane dressed in jeans and a tee was more than enough for her, she didn’t need or want a man in a suit. That wasn’t her kind of man.

  Good to know I am your kind of man, canine. He turned his head and winked at her. If it helps, you’re definitely my kind of woman.

  She didn’t respond to him, choosing instead to gaze to the male across from her. His head was bowed and she watched as he concentrated on carving something only he could see in the wood. She loved the way his tongue stuck out the side of his mouth with his deep concentration.

  You know you’re really good with him.

  I recognize a lot of myself in him. The natural ease in which she responded along that link should have scared her, should have warned her. It didn’t do either, what it did do was comfort her. What harm is it to let him enjoy being here a bit more? Tell your Alpha you may be later but will still be there today, he deserves to have some freedom.

  As you wish, canine. Keane pushed back to his feet and Nahuel’s head snapped up, his gaze locking on the leopard.

  “Do we have to leave now?”

  “Not at all, we thought it would be nice to stay here a bit longer. So enjoy. I have to check in.”

  As she sat there, Keane pulled her phone out of his pocket.

  “I’m going to run.”

  He glanced at her even as he put her cell up to his ear. “Have fun, canine.” There was such endearment in his tone, she hadn’t realized it had been there all along.

  She gave Nahuel a brief smile as she moved by him and into the trees. Tora shifted the moment she could and allowed her wolf to run. She shot through the forest, a brindle blur as she expended a great deal of her energy. Above her, the birds and other animals chattered. None of it mattered to her, what she needed was down here. This was her time.

  No leopard. No jaguar cub. No Komodo. No anything but her and her wolf. She found some water and jumped in to play, as they loved to do. Submerging herself, she held her breath before launching up again with a playful yip. Then she did it again, and again. Water droplets flew around her as she played.

  Sides heaving she stood in the middle of the small stream and looked around, tongue lolling. The vibe in the area changed. This was predator aware. Shaking, she sprang to the bank and lifted her head, scenting the air.

  It didn’t take her long to solve the mystery of who or what predator had come into the area. Like her leopard this young jaguar had a distinct scent.

  Without shifting, she made her way in his direction. He was going to have to get used to wolf shifters at some point. May as well be now. Nahuel didn’t walk like he had a purpose in mind, but she wasn’t sure. She watched him approach and when he was fifty feet away, she stepped from the trees into his line of sight.

  He froze and shifted with blinding speed. Tora was impressed, he was faster than some full-grown shifters she knew at changing shape. While large, his golden beast was definitely not an adult yet.

  She waited, eyes on him. His sides rose and fell in rapid succession. Instead of approaching, she lay down, head on her front legs, eyes lowering. To anyone else, it may have appeared to be nothing more than a foolish move for the much smaller wolf to lay down before the jaguar but she knew her speed and abilities. She would wait him out, let him figure it out.

  Eventually, his breathing slowed, and he took two cautious steps in her direction. The sun filtering through the trees warmed and dried her coat. She didn’t move, just lay there waiting.

  Even when he got close enough to swipe at her with his razor sharp claws, she didn’t move. He walked around her once and she smiled as he lay beside her in the sun. When his head rested upon his massive paws, she allowed her own eyes to fully close.

  After about twenty minutes, she opened her eyes and nudged him with her nose as she stood. He followed suit, stretching as she did. Together they made their way back to camp and she kept right on going when he stopped on the outskirts and shifted to his two-legged form. By the time he walked up to them at the vehicle she had changed as well and sat on the tailgate watching Keane as he made sure they hadn’t left anything behind.

  Nahuel fell asleep in the back right away as she took the wheel.

  “Where did you go?” he asked as the afternoon sun streamed around them.

  “For a run.”

  “Did you see him out there?”

  She flicked her gaze to the rearview where he looked, for all intents and purposes, as if he were still out. Cub’s good, I’ll give him that.

  “Nope. Not sure where he went. You should ask h
im if you wish to know.”

  “I have some questions I want to ask but I don’t know if this is the right time.”

  “You want to know how I know about Ryan Harwick.”

  “That and what you know about that fucking Komodo shifter.”

  “I told you Casimir helps me set up safe houses so I can find and free shifters who’ve been held against their will or are in volatile situations. I was after a young fox pup once when I ran into him. Or rather, his scent. I’ve still never met him but I will know the day I do, and when that day comes, he will die.”

  “If everyone knows about his activities why hasn’t he been stopped?”

  “You know how it is when people in power positions push their weight around. He’s got a lot of money and a lot of supporters.”

  “We’ll not be doing business with him, that much I can promise you.”

  “I’ll make sure to thank your Alpha. The more the larger packs and clans stand up to him, the smaller his operation will become and he’ll make a mistake.” Her eyes flashed wolf as her fangs dropped. “And I’ll be waiting.”

  αβ

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Juan asked as he sat across from him at the table.

  His Alpha wasn’t pleased with everything he’d filled him in on. Keane’s own injuries had since healed but it didn’t lessen his own rage.

  “I will be, just pissed they got the drop on me.”

  A rare smile from his leader. “That’s not it, what’s bothering you is your mate came in there and saved your ass.”

  Unbidden, he looked over to where Tora stood, apart yet separate from everyone else. It wasn’t like she didn’t know the people there, it was just her way. A loner from the word go.

  My loner. She was his everything.

  “Didn’t help matters, I won’t lie and say it didn’t bother me.” With difficulty he looked back at the man he’d die for. “The really interesting thing was that shifter, the Komodo one, he may not have known her, but her name was enough to strike fear into him.”

  Juan’s dark eyebrows slashed down. “That little slip of a thing? Scared a Komodo?”

  He nodded. “The moment her name passed his lips, I could smell the fear on him. Faint, but there.”

  “And she didn’t know who he was?”

  “Not that she shared with me but it didn’t appear that she had met him prior.”

  Juan stood up. “Get your mate and meet me in my office.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Tora snap to attention and make her way left. The cub followed her and he watched as Casimir Lars stepped into view.

  For the first time in his life, he hated seeing the affection that Casimir had for Tora even though there wasn’t anything remotely sexual about it. It was sibling affection, shifter affection but still. Because he’d not claimed her, he wasn’t a fan.

  The wolf never touched her but they were in close proximity. Tora beckoned to Nahuel and he noticed how there was a slight hesitation, but he went as directed. The three of them talked briefly.

  “Tora,” Keane called out.

  It was like someone pulling out his claws one at a time waiting for her to look at him. She didn’t until a faint nod came from her Alpha. As she walked in his direction, he held Casimir’s vivid blue gaze, aware he deserved every bit of laughter the man had.

  “Alpha wants to see us.”

  “Very well.” She immediately struck out for Juan’s office.

  They entered the large building and made their way through the gleaming halls. Keane allowed her to set the pace, he didn’t mind trailing behind her. The door was open.

  “Come on in.”

  They listened and he waited for her to sit before following suit. Movement behind him turned out to be Casimir who made his way to the wall beside Tora and leaned against it, arms crossed.

  Shit must be serious if he is here without his mate.

  Both Alphas looked at him, gaze flicking back to Tora and then once more to him. He realized what they had just learned. She’d marked him. If Tora knew they’d figured it out, she didn’t have any reaction and honestly, Keane wasn’t sure what to make of that.

  “Who was the Komodo shifter?” Juan posed the question to Tora.

  “I don’t know.” She lifted her shoulders easily.

  “Keane said he showed fear of you when he realized your name. How do you not know who he is?”

  “Watch it, Rendón.” Lars’ warning fell. “My lieutenant doesn’t lie.”

  “I don’t have time to worry about hurt feelings. I have to know what she does.”

  Keane didn’t like the direction this had already taken. What the hell was going on? “Do you know anything more, Tora?”

  Her gray eyes were blank as she looked at him. “Nothing more than I’ve shared already. I have no reason to hide who I do and don’t know.” She put her gaze back to Juan. “Why are you assuming I know more about this than I am telling?”

  “We heard from a source that you are loyal to them. That you are only saving one every so often but you are using your connections to help them evade capture.”

  “Who is your source?” Again, no inflection in her tone. Not even a slight tensing of her lithe body. Nothing to indicate she was worried or stressing over this.

  “A source is called a source for a reason.”

  “You want to accuse my lieutenant of betraying her kind, then grow a pair of balls and tell who said it.” Casimir stood before her as if she needed to be protected.

  “I told you about what was going on for pure courtesy, Casimir Lars. Don’t assume you can come into my home and issue orders as if I were Pack.”

  The tension in the room ratcheted up six hundred fold. Duty had him getting to his feet as well and as he positioned himself where he could intercede on his Alpha’s behalf, he noticed that his mate had done the same thing, slipping around Casimir and putting herself directly in the sight path once more.

  Again, he wasn’t a fan of that behavior and from the scowl leveled upon her from her Alpha, he didn’t agree with her actions either. Not that it mattered, she didn’t budge but he recognized her stance. One a lot of people would assume to be uncaring and almost relaxed. He knew better.

  “Tora.” The command lacing Casimir’s singular word was unmistakable.

  “I can’t, Alpha,” she replied, not moving back. In fact, she shifted again with him as he tried to readjust.

  The woman was fucking uncanny because she didn’t even need to look at him yet knew where he was moving before he got there. He was torn between duty to his Alpha and to his mate.

  “Can we bring this down?” he stepped closer to Tora.

  It was a knife to his heart when she leveled a look at him that said he was close enough, she didn’t trust him near her Alpha, not any closer than he was now. Apparently, she wasn’t having the same muddled thoughts and divided loyalties as he was.

  What are you doing, Tora?

  Protecting my Alpha, same as you.

  He held his ground. From me?

  From any threat. She withdrew, mentally and it was no longer a knife to his heart, she ripped the damn thing out.

  “We don’t need to fight about this.” He glanced between the two Alphas, their animals were at the surface for each of them, it wouldn’t take much to set them off.

  “Fighting amongst ourselves isn’t going to be productive.” Keane shifted closer to Juan, he had to do what he could to protect him but also he wasn’t able to leave her unprotected. “If she says she doesn’t know, then she doesn’t.”

  He looked at Tora and knew she and Casimir were talking on their private communication line. Whatever she said worked for Casimir visibly dialed it back, his wolf no longer at the forefront, but was definitely near.

  His small brindle wolf shifter didn’t let down her guard in the slightest.

  “I’ve killed Komodo shifters when I was younger. One got away and all he knew was my name. I was barely fifteen and had nearly killed
him. My guess is he let people know about me.”

  “You don’t owe them any explanations, Tora.” Her Alpha rested his hand on her shoulder.

  Keane forced his claws back. He wanted to be the one to console her, not him.

  “I will not have a war started over my past. It isn’t worth it, you are my Alpha and if this is what it takes to keep you safe, I’ll do it.”

  Casimir’s expression became tortured before he controlled it. And Keane wondered what door they had just opened for her hell.

  Three hours later he stood alone with Juan in the office, Casimir and Tora left. His mind whirled about everything he’d just learned about her. Even the man who’d lost everything looked almost green around the gills.

  “Fuck,” Juan uttered.

  Keane couldn’t speak because he was searching for the right words to say that wouldn’t be disrespectful. It was a frustrating and hard search.

  “I didn’t think—”

  “Do you have any further need of me, Alpha?” The words were forced from behind clenched teeth.

  “No. Go find her.”

  He didn’t hesitate. As he opened the door, Juan called out his name once more. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry to have put her through that.”

  “I don’t think you are, because you would have let it alone and trusted the Alpha of a Pack you wanted to ally with and one of his top lieutenants. You didn’t.”

  “She could have refused.”

  Keane shook his head. “No, because that would have led to a fight between her and us. Which would have brought in her Alpha and she will not risk him being hurt, not with his mate so close to giving birth. She would stand there and take anything to make sure he gets back to Dyana safely.”

  He turned his back on Juan and continued out the door.

  Stepping outside, he gazed around. There was no sign of Casimir but her vehicle was still there. Hope sprouted within him. Lifting his nose, he sought her and strode swiftly deep into their territory.

  He expected to find her fighting, training, or otherwise working off excess stress. She wasn’t doing any of that. She lay in wolf form by a large boulder and beside her was the cub in his jaguar form.