by Maggie Walsh
“Dell, Legion’s here,” Jude announced as they walked in.
Dell looked back over his shoulder and their gazes met, and his alpha motioned for him to come further into the room, then turned back to the canvas. Legion walked closer, but kept his gaze on Dell as the alpha bent down and thrust his hands into two cans of pain. When he withdrew them, one was covered in black paint and the other, purple. Dell then stepped closer to the canvas and put his hands to it and started dancing his fingers around the white surface, the digits moving with the beat of the music. Legion stood there watching in awe as a dark sky began to form with a purple glow toward the center.
“You wanted to see me, Alpha?” Legion asked. He didn’t want to interrupt the man while he was creating his art, but he didn’t think Dell called him there to watch him work.
“Have a seat, Legion. There are some very serious things I need to discuss, but we’re just waiting for the others to get here,” Dell replied, then bent over again and plunged his hands into two other cans of paint. This time he came out with a red and yellow and placed his hands back to the canvas.
Just then Legion heard a loud buzzing sound and he looked to Jude. The beta smiled as he made his way back to the door, and said, “That must be our other guests. I’ll be right back.”
There was something in Jude’s eyes that had Legion suspicious of why he had been called there and who exactly they were waiting for. He continued to watch Dell work as, magically, a small town began to form on the canvas right before his eyes. A few minutes had passed when the studio door opened again, and Legion’s jaw dropped when he saw who was entering. Taavi, Sauli, and Oberon, along with Fane, Marlo and the vampire guy, Julius, who was visiting the pack, stepped into the room. All three of his men, because Oberon was his too, all looked at him wide-eyed, surprised by his presence. Suddenly, the room filled with this amazing scent. All the paint and turpentine smells that were present when he had first entered vanished as if by magic, and all he could scent was this sugary-sweet homemade-cookies and wildflowers mix that had his wolf rising up and going ballistic.
Legion looked to his Alpha when he heard Dell chuckle, and found Dell now facing them with a very large and triumphant smile on his face. Dell’s eyes glowed with something like he knew the answers to life's mysteries and was about to share them with everyone. Dell grabbed a towel that sat on the bench beside the easel and began to wipe his hands as he moved closer to the group that had just entered.
While Dell did that, Legion could see Jude move across the room out of the corner of his eye, then the music was switched off. Legion looked back to his men and found all three of them looking at one another with smiles so big they matched the one Dell had. When they looked to him, Taavi and Sauli’s smiles remained, but Oberon’s lessened. It didn’t completely go away, there was now some hesitancy in his eyes, but at least the man was still smiling at him, small as it might be.
“What the hell is going on here? And what is that smell?” Legion asked, as he took a step closer to his men. His wolf was now scratching and clawing to get out as visions of him in his wolf form chasing the three men like prey, knocking them down and forcing his domination on them, filled his mind. He could see all of them, one by one submitting to his wolf, then Legion’s canine’s broke free and he snarled. His men. His. He had to have them. All of them.
“Stand down, Legion,” Dell commanded in his Alpha voice, and Legion’s wolf pulled back, but he didn’t go away. The beast knew as well as he did to obey their Alpha.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Legion
Legion was in shock. That was the only way he could describe the strange feeling inside him. He had been so sure that something big was coming to their world and that everyone suddenly finding their true mates had something to do with it, but he had never in his wildest imagination ever thought the whole thing was some kind of end-of-the-world shit.
Absently, Legion stood and started pacing the room as Dell and Julius continued to explain everything to them about The Reckoning, The Purge, and true mates, as well as something called a Linchpin, which it turned out Alex was, and now Oberon also was when it came to their mating. Their mating. His mating. His mates. Legion spun around to look at Sauli and Taavi and his heart swelled with love. They really were his. Legion had always been sure that they were meant to be together, more so since all the mates started showing up, but now that the truth of it was right there staring him in the face, Legion couldn’t contain his happiness. He quickly went to his boys and knelt on the floor in front of them where Sauli and Taavi sat side by side on the couch in the corner of Dell’s studio, and he took one each of their hands, then kissed the backs.
He looked up and met Taavi’s gaze first, then turned to Sauli as he smiled at both of them. “I always knew we were meant to be together. Didn’t I tell you?”
Sauli giggled, and Legion’s heart filled with more happiness. He loved the sound of his men’s joy. “Yes, Legion. You were right, we are true mates,” Sauli replied, then leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Legion’s neck, hugging him.
“We’re not done, Legion,” Dell announced, pulling his attention.
Legion gave Sauli a quick kiss, then stood and turned around to face his Alpha as anger began to grow inside him. “What more can there be?” Legion asked sarcastically. He wasn’t sure he could handle much more of Dell’s lies and deceit. This information was way too damn important to keep from people. They had the right to know what they were facing and to try to search for their mate so they could live, but Dell was being selfish and not telling anyone until they met their true mate? It was reprehensible.
Legion’s wolf rose up, snarling inside him, and Legion’s anger grew. He stared at Dell and a sudden need to hurt his alpha rolled through him. An Alpha, huh. Dell was no true Alpha. An Alpha was held to higher standards, and Dell was failing miserably. Maybe he shouldn’t have stepped back so easily when Dell spoke to him about being a beta in his inner circle. Maybe it was time for him to step up and challenge Dell for position of Alpha? He couldn’t do a worse job than Dell had been doing. First joining forces with another pack, then giving his second beta position to someone who had just arrived at the pack only weeks before, then secret meetings with leaders of other paranormals like the vampire leader who now stood in the room with them. Dell was also going to expand the town to accommodate other breeds of paranormals that were coming to join the pack. And now this. Maybe it was time for Dell to realize he wasn’t cut out to be Alpha and let someone else lead.
“You’ve told us about the end of the world coming, and how those without true mates will perish in one way or another, and those lucky enough to find their true mates would inherit the world, basically. How you could keep this secret from the pack that you swore to protect and take care of is beyond me. Your behavior―”
Before Legion could even finish his sentence, Dell was across the room, his hand wrapped around Legion’s throat as he squeezed, stopping Legion from getting any air into his lungs. Dell’s eyes were glowing with his wolf, and Legion saw his Alpha’s canines drop from his upper lip. He brought his hands up, trying to dislodge Dell’s hand, but his Alpha was too strong. Legion’s vision began to blur around the edges from lack of oxygen and he fought harder. Survival mode kicked in and Legion saw red. He began to squirm and punch Dell in the sides, but all Dell did was lift him off his feet and walk him across the room until he slammed Legion’s back against the wall.
“Do you wish to challenge me, pup?” Dell growled in his face.
Pup? How dare the bastard call him that. Legion was only four years younger than Dell. They had grown up together, trained together. There was even a time, before Dell became Alpha, where Legion had considered them friends, but since becoming Alpha, Dell’s head had gotten too damn big. The power had affected the man like it did to most who gained the position only because of their lineage, like Dell had. Otherwise, Legion was sure there would have been an Alpha challenge and either Jude
, Tug or he would have won. His money was on himself, seeing as Jude was only Dell’s little lap dog, sniffing around Dell’s ass and Tug had made it known many years ago that he was not interested in leading the pack. So that left him. There were a few other alphas and betas around, but Legion knew he could beat any one of them. Maybe he did mean to challenge Dell.
“I couldn’t do any worse, so why not?” Legion hissed softly with what little breath he had.
Immediately Sauli and Taavi jumped from their seats and ran toward him. Each of them dropped to their knees at Dell’s feet and began to beg Dell to stop. Legion’s anger increased from seeing his men on their knees for another Dominant and going against him. When he turned his angry gaze down and met Taavi’s crying eyes, the red haze that had taken over him began to slowly fade.
Legion looked back to Dell and saw that his Alpha was not just angry, Dell was furious, and he and his wolf were ready to fight. Legion could see in that moment that there was no way he would win. Dell’s wolf was a lot stronger than Legion had known. He could feel it now and knew Dell would rip him to shreds until he lay dead on the floor, and then his men would be left here without him, mourning his loss and maybe even hating him for what he had done.
Legion opened his mouth to try to ease some of the tension, but his brain had other ideas. He turned to glare at Jude and hissed, “You’ve... known... and didn’t... say... how... could…”
Jude was just as pissed as Dell as he stared Legion down, glaring at him. Jude leaned back against the far wall, then crossed his arms over his chest, and hissed, “I only became aware of all of this recently as well. Hell, even Fane and Oberon knew before I did.”
Legion could hear a hint of bitterness in Jude’s voice, but there was more hurt than anything else. As first beta to the Alpha, it was Jude’s job to watch the Alpha’s back, but from the level of ferocity and his show of strength, which Legion didn’t know where it had suddenly come from, Legion now knew just how truly powerful Dell and his wolf were.
Dell slammed him against the wall again, knocking out what little air he had left in his lungs and moved in close so their noses were almost touching. “Tomorrow, 9 A.M., pup,” Dell sneered the word this time. “Meet me in the challenge circle and we’ll see if you’ve got the balls to take me. I’ll give you this one night to say goodbye to your men, but I warn you now, when you lose, you will be released from your binds to the York Pack.” Dell then released him, and Legion dropped to the floor in a heap, boneless as he gasped for air.
He barely heard his mates crying and pleading, then Jude arguing and Fane talking softly. The sound of a door slamming closed made him flinch, and Legion looked up as he still fought to get air into his lungs. Taavi and Sauli knelt on the floor wrapped around one another crying, as Marlo knelt beside them trying to calm the pair. Jude stood with hands on his hips, his gaze focused on the outer door, and the vampire leader stood beside him, talking softly and flicking glances his way. Legion saw movement at the other side of the room and shifted his gaze there to find Fane arguing with Oberon who was whispering, but Legion could tell their conversation was intense. Suddenly, Oberon stopped talking, turned from Fane, and ran from the room, out the rear door that led out into the back yard.
What the hell was going on? What did he miss?
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Fane
As much as he wanted to go after Oberon, Fane knew Julius was right when he said he would and that it was time for Oberon and him to have a long-overdue discussion about their kind, Oberon’s father, and what it really meant to be a vampire and not the bullshit Oberon’s dad always forced on his nest.
While Marlo worked hard to calm down the two cuties who were Oberon’s mates, and Jude headed toward Legion, Fane thought maybe it would be a good idea for him to go after Dell. The man had every right to be enraged, but even Fane saw that it all seemed to escalate too quickly, which usually meant one thing. Wolf Rage or better known as Wolf Haze. So Fane had followed Dell’s scent, finally locating him behind the Community Center where he was sitting on the bleachers watching four young boys play basketball.
Fane climbed up the bleachers and sat beside Dell. The Alpha didn’t turn to acknowledge him. Fane adjusted his coat, closing it tighter around his throat, then said, “How those boys aren’t freezing their little nuts off is beyond me.”
“They’re Tundra Wolves,” Dell replied simply, his gaze focused on the children.
“That’s true. Although so am I and I think even those pups could beat me out in this frozen world.”
Dell chuckled. “That’s because you spent your youth as a pampered pussy.”
Fane laughed, as he nodded. “No truer words have been spoken. So, they won’t get frostbite or anything, right?”
“No. They’ve only been out here a couple of minutes. They’ll run back in soon. Freezing their little nuts off,” Dell said, turning to him with a smirk.
Fane smiled. “And how about their Alpha? How long will he stay out here before he freezes his litt―”
“Don’t even say it, asshole,” Dell growled, but Fane could see the humor in his eyes before Dell turned back to watch the boys.
“What? I was going to say, before you freeze your huge, massive, heavily weighted balls off.”
Dell burst out laughing. “Oh. yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly what you were going to say.”
“Hey, that’s my story and I’m sticking with it. Especially if it helps my Alpha to relax and laugh a little,” Fane grinned.
Dell sighed as he lowered his head and ran a hand down his face. “Not my finest moment, I know.”
Fane leaned back. “I don’t know. I thought it you did exactly what you should have. Any other alpha would have left Legion lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood with how much disrespect he was showing you. Even if it wasn’t completely his fault.”
Dell turned his head and looked back over his shoulder at Fane with a raised brow. “Not his fault? Why would you say that?”
Fane shifted his gaze from the boys who were now running back into the building and met Dell’s gaze. “Because it looked to me like Legion was suffering from Wolf Haze. Which of course didn’t help your Alpha wolf any and he went into his own haze.”
Dell turned his body slightly to face Fane. “Wolf Haze? What is that? I mean, I’ve heard of Wolf Rage, but not Wolf Haze.”
“Nope, that’s it. I guess it depends on where you are or who tells you about it, but it’s the same thing. Your wolf begins to take control no matter how hard you try to push it back, but he won’t allow it. The anger builds and your vision turns into this red haze. I think Legion’s wolf was taking over, realizing his two men that he’s been with for years were his true ones and he didn’t know it, but now he had another mate and they were all in the same room, unclaimed, with a lot of other unclaimed men around. You being the most powerful in the room and Legion’s wolf being very Dominant, I’m not sure, but his wolf may have felt the biggest threat coming from you, so he challenged you, whether Legion wanted to or not. When he turned back to face you after talking with Taavi and Sauli, Legion’s eyes weren’t only glowing, there was a hint of red in them. I don’t think Legion himself even realized what he was saying or doing,” Fane explained.
Dell sighed again. “You’re right, I did notice that. So you really think his wolf took that much control without shifting?”
Fane shrugged, as he replied, “Wouldn’t be the first time it happened to someone. The wolf can’t actually talk to you, so he used Legion as his way to communicate. With that much show of force, your wolf reacted. The true Alpha in you rose up and you saw red. It’s bad enough when you have one wolf experiencing Wolf Rage or Haze, but two, and opposing forces, I’m surprised Legion’s still breathing.”
Dell turned away from him and looked back over the court below. Fane could tell the man was heavy in thought, so he remained quiet, but stayed to offer support if needed. After a few minutes Dell turned back to face him. “I won�
��t kill him... or banish him from the pack. I grew up with Legion. Yes, he’s a few years younger than me, but we still went through most of our schooling and training together and I know he’s a good man. I can understand that he was shocked by everything we had just told him as well as having three mates, but mostly because of his mates. Taavi and Sauli have been with Legion for years, and the three of them are completely devoted to each other, and I think they’ll be the perfect mates for Oberon, to help him heal and have a good life. I get the feeling Oberon deserves it, as well as needs it.”
“You wouldn’t be wrong, but I do admit, I’m a bit surprised at how considerate you are to Oberon. I know you’re a good man too, Dell, and an amazing Alpha, but with Oberon being so new to the pack and not even a wolf, I’m just finding myself more impressed with you and your honor every day.”
Dell chuckled as he shook his head, then swung his fist out and lightly punched Fane on the arm. “Aw, shucks, Beave, now you’re gonna make me blush.”
Fane laughed as he replied, “Well, Wally, we wouldn’t want that. They may take away your man card.”
They both laughed for a few minutes before Fane controlled himself, and said, “But really, Dell. I do appreciate you looking out for Oberon and treating him just like anyone else in the pack. He really does need to see that there are good people in this world who accept him for who he is.”
Dell cleared his throat, then confessed, “I’m not that good. I have had Jude keeping an eye on Oberon since you got here as well as a few others. It’s not that he’s given me any reason to distrust him but…”