by Sam Hall
"Mother, what the hell are you saying?"
"When I was alpha, I was hamstrung by the more traditional focussed matriarchs. They resisted me at every turn, and I needed to do what I must without the label of alpha to tie me down."
"No." Kelly's head shook wildly. "No, I took you down. I beat you fair and square."
I would not have wanted to be Kelly right then. Ophelia’s eyes, those perfect pearl grey, cool, calm, and fucking merciless eyes. I thought about seeing them staring down at me as a kid and shuddered. Ophelia was always a regal figure, and now, she was positively imperious.
"Take my hand." She stared down at her daughter, Kelly quivering with the effort of refusing her request, but her palm slapped down into her mother's. "Julie, take Nancy and Kelly's. Nancy, you and I will take the black wolf's."
"His name's Sylvan."
"Sylvan, then," she said.
"Excuse me, ma'am, but you can't do that. Any contact with the bars, and you'll be electrified," one of the soldiers said.
"That won't be a problem, will it, Sylvan?"
He grinned and thrust his hands through, the bars sparking and then reverting back to cold, hard metal in a second.
"This has always been a show of good faith on my part, remaining here."
"And for that, we thank you. You will be installed in your mate's house directly afterwards." Kelly started to splutter, but Ophelia charged on. "Now, everyone close their eyes and take a deep breath."
Ophelia didn't have to use the alpha whip in her voice to get you to do things. She sounded so eminently sensible and confident, you found yourself doing it anyway.
I felt it as soon as I clasped hands, a weird buzzing hum that only grew more intense when the circle was completed.
Show us this truth of yours, Ophelia said.
Very well. I just hope you adhere to the human concept of not shooting messengers.
Our consciousnesses arrowed up and out of the prison building, spearing towards the tall fences at the centre of Sanctuary. We brushed past the alarms and locks, went hurtling through thick trees, down the paved path towards the gate. Dogs—like the ones I'd seen through the fence line—jerked their heads up as we passed but the many soldiers milling around the gate paid us no mind. I saw the barracks, the training rooms, everything just before we dove into the pool of bright blue light that swelled between the huge standing stones.
This is my first view of an alien world, I thought, but I didn't get to enjoy or dwell on it. We skimmed over grasslands and forests, the view beginning to blur as we sped faster and faster. Then we came to the settlement, a dark stain on the surrounding green landscape. Tall buildings made from stone had been created in narrow streets, all hidden behind a heavily fortified wall. Black-clad warriors of the ilk I'd seen in the vision strolled the ramparts, though their clothes were now of well-tailored leather rather than furs. Some toted the crystal spears I'd seen in my vision, others had longbows hung across their bodies, but there were others who were more worrying. I scanned the soldiers, many of them holding some form of firearm, and it was like looking at the history of guns in some kind of extremely realistic diorama. Old fashioned flintlocks were held alongside what looked like World War II rifles, a few were even frighteningly modern. The other thing I noticed, as our view of the Volken settlement grew, was the sheer numbers. This is not enough men? I thought.
Too many women, too many mouths to feed. We settle in one place, farm rather than make war, Sylvan said. Let me show you. We dove down past the blocky buildings and under the cobblestone road, past a layer of dirt and stone to a haven below.
I'd expected cages, or a concentration camp environment at least, so to say I was unprepared for what was there was an understatement. I felt the surprise of all the women when they took in the rich surroundings. It didn't necessarily follow any specific interior decor rules, more a random accumulation of what looked like beautiful and expensive items from many different cultures. But there were plentiful well-appointed rooms, expansive beds covered in silks and satins, and plush couches swimming with cushions. And the women were just as decorative. Each one of them was dressed finely and had the kinds of well rounded limbs and shining hair that spoke of being well kept. And beautiful. While the women of Sanctuary were no slouches, those here had the same kind of supermodel looks as the guys.
"Bring cage 3's contents to Lian's daughters. They've gone into heat again." A man in an impeccably tailored black suit of steel reinforced leather armour gave an order to several men who didn't look like they were Tirian. They seemed somehow smaller, weaker, and more ordinary looking. "The little bitches are screaming down the walls again, and I have no time for that."
"M'lord, cage 3 has only just returned from mating." A man wearing a stained white coat and toting what looked like an old school medical bag stepped forward. "I'm not sure the subjects will survive being put to the women again."
His lordship considered the advice for a moment. "And who would you suggest? Lian has twelve daughters, and the bloody cows seem to heat sync."
The man blanched, obviously not prepared for this question, his eyes darting as he stammered, "Well, uh...perhaps cage 5?"
"Make it so. And, Doctor, I don't want to hear any more whining about the state of the breeders. Keep them alive, or you can join them."
The man nodded, ducking his head to hide his expression, a curious mixture of surprise and anger. "Come, come," he said, gesturing to the other servants. "We need to get cage 5 to the bitches' box."
We followed the doctor down a winding set of narrow corridors, the decor considerably less pretty down here. It was dark and dank, with condensation dripping from the stone ceilings. The group of them walked past spacious metal cages which a glance inside revealed multiple men. They were Tirian, you could see that from the fine bone structure and bodies, but the usual strong musculature was wasted here, leaving only very lean, hard frames. They looked as if every spare inch of flesh had been whittled down to leave only the essential. And whittled they had been. Many lay in heaps on the stone floors or against the walls, like they'd been dropped or thrown rather than resting.
"Get them into decontamination before they go to the box," the doctor said. "Lian is a lord here and will not be pleased if his daughters return with lice."
The slight men each pulled what looked like a cross between a cattle prod and a magic wand from the wall. One fished out a large ring of keys from his pocket and strode over to the cage marked 5.
"No!" a prisoner said when they arrived. He slammed his fist against the metal bars, something that had the jailors pausing. "Rhydian is sick. He can't go, we'll not go until he gets some help!" The key holder made a hesitant step forward, but the man bashed the bars again. "Get that fucking miserable excuse of a 'doctor' over here now. He's been coughing up blood for days."
Grey, Ophelia's voice said. It was completely disembodied, but I didn't need to see her face to hear the pain in it. That's Grey and Rhydian. You sent them to this!
And how many of the older ones are men you sent, Mother? We've all used this as a means of maintaining control in Sanctuary. None of our hands are clean.
And where is Max? Your own brother? Show me, Max.
Ophelia appeared to be able to direct our vision, as we instantly began to rise, just as the doctor hurried over to the cage.
"I propose we make a series of strikes against the mine. They have large numbers of their troops here, and we can begin a fairly risk free campaign of reducing those numbers before the major assault. We can pick off their troops in relative safety and also cut off their major income supply."
We hovered over a large room, a huge table placed at its centre with a map dominating its surface. Men in the same kind of leather and steel uniform that his lordship had worn stood around it, with one exception. I knew it was Max as soon as I saw him. He looked thinner, there was a little grey in his brown hair, and his eyes were green rather than grey, but the resemblance to Finn was clear. He sat o
n a simple wooden chair, his wrists bound by manacles, the lines on his face made it seem that the frown he wore was a common expression.
"This is correct, prisoner?"
The men all turned to Max, one stepping forward when he didn't respond.
"You made an overture to your jailor, said that you would provide information in exchange for medical treatment for one of your number, and your cage being excused from the next heat cycle. I believe, Lian, it is your daughters who are due to come into heat next?"
A dark haired man with a thick beard nodded. "Yes, all twelve of them, if they are to be believed."
"Synchronised heat cycles? Seems beyond the capacity of a woman to organise," another man said with a chuckle. "Perhaps it is yet more machinations to assuage their unholy hungers."
"Willing to give them a seeing to, Brutus?" Lian said.
"Not I, not until they settle down into suitable compliance. Like ravening whores when they are in the midst of this. No, I'll take my time after the heat has settled, like any civilised being. Let's leave it to the young men to slake their lusts."
"Well, prisoner?"
"It's correct. We've already told you this, but it's not going to make any difference. I keep telling you, if you get beyond Sanctuary and make it into the human lands, you'll end up being nuked from space. They have weapons and soldiers—"
"Yes, yes. We've all heard your fairy tales before. Humans beings capable of such military feats." The lot of them laughed in that snotty way only blokes tripping on superiority complexes seem to be able to. "Guns are manufactured in the territory between the Summer and Winter kingdoms."
"Silverwood," one of the men said helpfully.
"Yes, Silverwood. No human is capable of such ingenuity. You think to hide the talents of your gunsmiths behind these stories, but it will not work."
"Right, right," Max said. "Because Smith and Wesson are just the names of two old faerie families. You stupid fucks, I'd pay anything to see your faces when you come face to face with a modern army."
The man closest to Max struck out so quickly it was a blur, his leather gauntlet smacking into Max's face so hard, his neck snapped back, the metal studs ripping the skin there.
"You are a throwaway from a repellent society," the man said in a perfectly icy tone, every word delivered with clipped precision. "Not even able to hold your place in a community run by women. We are not so soft hearted, to push the insubordinate through a trans-dimensional gate to fend for ourselves. We extinguish them. So, provide some useful information, or I'll have you tied to the women's post and fucked until you're dead."
I don't know if this is where we wanted to end the vision or Sylvan did, but up we went, faster and faster, until I felt nauseous with it. Then, the world reasserted itself. I looked down at the hands holding mine dumbly, just blinking, not able to string a single word together. Ophelia had no such issue.
"Release the prisoner into his mate's care and have all executive command at the alpha's residence within the hour," she snapped at the guards, Kelly watching as they didn't even hesitate to follow her orders.
"It'll take me some time to move my stuff out," she said stiffly.
"No need, you are my daughter, having all of the family under one roof is advisable. Julie, Jack, and Finn will be coming as well, and I'd like to extend an invitation to your packmates and petitioners to join us."
"You'd better accept," Nancy said. "You'll have a lynch mob with torches on your doorstep, bringing a black wolf into the married quarters."
"OK, I—"
"Have Julie's belongings packed and brought over, and those of her men," Ophelia said, then listed them all. It was an embarrassingly long list.
"Then I'll need to do a handover of the books and paperwork," Kelly persisted valiantly.
"No, I'll make you chief executive officer. Your work on the economic side of things has been admirable. You have a real head for figures, something we'll need if the gold is going to run dry. You can start with an audit of that as we pull back from the gate. Give me projections on how long we can last, what needs to be cut. I'll need at least preliminary figures on my desk within an hour."
"I'll gather the matriarchs and deliver the news. There's some who will struggle to believe," Nancy said.
"Then I will show them what we face," Ophelia replied. "Thank you, old friend. I will need yours and the matriarchs’ combined strength to get through this."
"Of course, alpha."
I watched Nancy leave the room, then Sylvan stepped free of his cage, the soldiers’ fingers still scarily close to their guns. He smiled brightly and came over to me. "Let’s check out the new digs, mate."
I watched Sylvan walk free of that bloody cage, looking for all the world like a king returning to court. Mate, I thought, and his head jerked up at that, before smiling. What the hell had I gotten myself into?
20
I had no idea there was an alpha residence, having not really explored Sanctuary fully. It was a huge place at the back of the fenced-off area where the gate was protected, close to the centre of town, yet set apart.
“You needn’t worry about us living on top of each other here,” Ophelia said as we got closer. The big military vehicle seated me, Kelly, Ophelia, Sylvan and four of the guys, Jack still at work and Brandon off to collect our gear. "You'll have your own wing."
I bet we would. As we drove through the gates, past the thick wall of trees along the fence line, the grass covered grounds spread out before us. I'd seen regional hospitals that weren't as big as this. As a long building with several stories, it was insanely huge.
"It used to be that the alpha's entire family lived here," Ophelia said as I stared at the house. "It's also the point of last resort if the community comes under attack." She nodded to the men patrolling the perfectly mowed lawns.
"I'll move my stuff out of the main bedroom when we get in," Kelly said.
"No need, dear," she replied, patting Kelly's knee. "All my men have moved on to the next world, and I am in no mood to break any of the younger ones in. I'll take the dowager suite."
Well, that wasn't awkward. Then, I turned to look around the car and saw that Slade, Finn, and Aaron all stared at Sylvan with a steady hostile gaze. Hawk reached over from where he sat beside me and took my hand, and it was the only warm thing in this car. When we stopped, I was glad to get out and away from the suffocating air within the car.
"Your belongings will be brought soon, but come, let me show you where you'll stay," Ophelia said. She was a disorientating person to be around, all perfect hostess with us, straight after cutting her daughter's legs out from under her. I shook my head and followed her inside the massive steel-reinforced doors.
"What the fuck has happened?" Slade hissed as we walked.
"Later, once we're settled."
"I think this wing will suit your needs," Ophelia said. "I'll have some of the staff come and air it out and replace the linens, but it will be a good fit. You have separate rooms for all of your men, if they want them, and a spacious main bedroom for you, Julie."
"Mmm... this is positively orgy sized," Sylvan said, throwing himself on the main bed. He spread himself out like a star. "So much nicer than the bloody concrete I've been forced to endure."
"Not gonna happen, mate," Slade said with a growl as he stepped forward. "If you've gotta stay here, you can bunk somewhere else."
"Are you trying to get between me and my new mate?" he replied, tracing a circle on the soft mattress.
"Yeah, that bond is vetoed," Slade said, and then looked to the others. "Agreed?"
"Absolutely," Finn said, crossing his arms across his chest.
Aaron didn't reply, still being a petitioner, but he loomed between the two of my mates and regarded Sylvan with a steady stare. It was Hawk's hand that went to my shoulder, rubbing small circles there.
"Not convinced he shouldn't still be in his cage," he said.
"Then allow me to convince you," Ophelia snapped. Every h
ead in the room jerked around to face her. "Sylvan has provided us with invaluable information about an imminent attack on Sanctuary. In an hour, I'll be meeting with department heads and commanding officers to put a withdrawal process into place. We will be closing the gate and reverting to martial law until the threat of the Volken is neutralised. What I saw, we saw, was shocking. The black wolves have never tried anything like this before, and we would have been completely unprepared if not for Sylvan. Finn, your fathers, they're using them as breeders and as intel against us. If we do not start working together and putting petty alliances to one side, you will all be doing the same. Sylvan stays and will be treated with respect."
She turned to me, her eyes softening.
"I apologise, Julie. Sylvan's attack on you was unprovoked and no doubt traumatic, but right now, we need his help. Can you make this work?"
I met his bright blue eyes, sparkling with some kind of devilish humour. "No more Jedi mind trick?" He looked confused. "No more mind control, no more psychically induced orgies? You keep the hell out of my life, and then when this is done, you fuck right off, yes?"
"Fair enough," he replied with a nod. "We'll just let the orgies develop organically then, shall we? But, Julie, know this, your pack is an important part of stopping this attack. It's time to stop prevaricating and start making a decision about who's in and who's out."
"Something I will want to hear much more about," Ophelia said. "Now, I must make some calls."
If the mood was previously frosty, it was positively glacial when she swept from the room. I sighed, shook my head, and then shot Hawk a grateful smile as I pulled away, wandering around the wing until I found a bathroom. I glanced at the massive tub—big enough to hold at least ten people—and then turned to the sink and splashed some water on my face. I rested my forehead against the glass after I wiped it clean with a towel, just taking breath after breath. Those jaws clamping down on my shoulder, the pitiful scrabbling of my body under the black wolf's as I tried to fight him off. My hand went to the bite on my neck, the scar throbbing for a moment as the memories swamped me.