by Amy Sumida
“Try to breathe deeply,” the Wolf said. “You've been controlled by your animal nature for awhile. It will take time to adjust.”
“How long?” I asked again.
I wasn't mad at him for what he did. I was mad at myself for forcing him to it. Mad that if Katila hadn't done what he'd done, I might never have discovered Trevor's secret pain. I would give Trevor anything he wanted to make up for it. I would stay in that animal state for months if he wished it. It wouldn't be a hardship. But not now. As Fenrir had said; it was time to go home. Oh, sweet gingersnaps; I'd stroked Trevor's cock in front of Fenrir. Wait; what had he said about people dying?
“Five days,” the Wolf said.
I shook off the remnants of desire and beast-brain and slid off the bed. The Wolf watched me warily. I found my clothes in a pile off to the side of the bed. They had been there since the moment I'd removed them. I slipped them on; feeling a little silly for dressing in leather and boots. But it was far better than sauntering downstairs naked or in a sheet. I think I'd given everyone enough of a show.
Everyone. Oh, wow. Azrael and Odin were here. And I think I might have heard Kirill. Was anyone else with them? Toby and Re? That was not the way I would have liked to have announced my pregnancy.
Pregnancy. Damn; the hits just kept coming. It was like pulling myself out of a wild dream only to discover that it had all been real. I was pregnant. With Vero. The thought made me smile softly and my hand crept over my belly. I'd thought that I wanted to wait, but now that his little life had begun, I couldn't wait to have him. To hold him and speak to him. To touch his dark curls and look into his honey eyes. He would be so much like his father.
“You're not mad?” The Wolf was at my back; half an inch away from me.
I leaned back into him—banishing the space between us—and pulled his arms around my waist.
“No, Wolf,” I whispered. “I'm not mad. I'm very, very happy.”
I turned in his arms and kissed him. The Wolf shuddered against me in relief and sank into our kiss. The desire rose up again and with it came images. Me straddling the Wolf's face; his glowing eyes staring up at me as he growled and licked. His sex heavy in my hands and then my mouth. My head thrown back as I rode him. I shivered and eased out of the kiss. I couldn't let myself fall back under.
The Wolf was tense with desire; his breathing rapid. But he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and laid his forehead against mine.
“You will keep your word, Mate,” it was a command, not a question.
“Of course, I will,” I said as I took his hand. “Come on; we'll tell them together.”
We went down to the main floor of the cabin and found Fenrir standing with Ty, a handful of Froekn, and my other mates—I mean my husbands and boyfriends. I shook myself. I was so wrapped up in the Wolf that I was beginning to think like him. That happens when you share thoughts for days on end, I suppose.
The Wolf's hand was in mine as we faced them. Fenrir and the Froekn were beaming at us, but my lovers were watching us warily.
“Are all of you okay?” I asked softly. “I'm sorry if we worried you.”
“Are we okay?” Azrael asked in shock. “Are you okay, Carus?”
“I am,” I said serenely. “He healed me of all my emotional wounds. My past doesn't bring me pain any longer. The nightmares are gone.”
“You did that for her?” Odin's eyes widened in surprise.
Odin had tried numerous times—with magic and psychology—to heal my psychological pain. And he had never succeeded.
“I did,” the Wolf said.
“Thank you,” Odin murmured.
“Don't thank me, Oathbreaker. You won't like what I say next.” The Wolf smirked. “You've all forgotten what Vervain promised me in the beginning; I am her alpha.”
“Oh, come on, Trevor,” Azrael huffed. “Are you seriously pulling this bullshit? We all love her, and we're a family. There is no alpha.”
Fenrir snorted, and Az glared at him.
“There is always an alpha,” Fenrir said. “You know it, Death Angel. It's not you.”
“I am her alpha,” the Wolf growled again. “And I've been disrespected for too long.”
“This is Trevor's wolf,” I said to them softly. “Trevor has let him take over for awhile; to get the things they both need.”
“You're saying that he needs this so we should have to put up with it?” Re scoffed.
“You were not even supposed to be with her!” The Wolf snarled as he pointed at Re. “So, if you want to stay, Re of the Egyptians, you will shut your damn mouth and fall in line.”
Re gaped at the Wolf as if he'd sprouted another head.
“If you need to be in charge, that's fine with me,” Toby said casually. “I'm happy to be a part of Vervain's life; I don't need—or want—to rule it.”
“I'm not ruling it,” the Wolf said calmly. “I'm taking my rightful place at her side. I will have what's been promised to me; the last say in matters of mates, the position of alpha among all of you, and my son.”
“What does; the position of alpha among us, mean?” Odin asked quietly.
“It means that when I want my mate, I'll have her,” the Wolf said. “None of this scheduling of when I can be with her. I will sleep in her bed every night because it is my bed too.”
“That's just...” Azrael shook his head and looked at me. “You agreed to this?”
“I promised him this a long time ago. It's just gotten pushed aside,” I said gently. “When I first received the lioness magic, I was with Trevor. I only wanted Trevor, and I would have stayed with him forever if it had not been for the Intare magic. Trevor accepted that he'd have to share me because he loved me, but he made me promise that he would come first. He's right; I've forgotten that. I've mistreated him, and he never said a word about it. He respects and loves all of you. So, he gave up his position to make the rest of you happy. But his Wolf has suffered because of it, and I won't stand for that anymore.”
Azrael scowled and looked at the other men.
“You are alpha,” Kirill said with a nod of finality. “I accept and acknowledge.”
The men looked at Kirill in shock. At one time, I wouldn't have been shocked by Kirill's rapid response, but right then, I was just as surprised as the others. Kirill had changed from the beta he'd been. Like the other men in the room, he was now a leader.
“I made agreement too,” Kirill said to them. “I made vow to Trevor so I could be vith Vervain. I must uphold it, even if I don't like it now.” He looked at each man and then pointed at the Wolf. “Zat is his volf. Do you understand how much it took to bring him forth? Ve hurt our brother; Vervain is not to blame. Now, fucking man up and let him have vhat he vas promised!”
The men went silent and stared at each other.
“Odin?” Re asked.
“I agree with Kirill,” Odin said. “Trevor allowed me to become a part of this family despite his wishes otherwise. Vervain gave him his final say, and he said no. But it hurt her so much that Trevor relented. It would be dishonorable of me to oppose him now. You are alpha, Trevor. I accept.”
The Wolf smiled viciously and then looked at Re and Azrael; the only holdouts.
“Re, you can say no,” I whispered. “You—” I broke off to swallow the pain that even saying those words brought me. “You have no ties to me yet. You don't have to agree to this. I will understand.”
“Oh, fuck you, Vervain,” Re growled.
I flinched.
The Wolf growled and narrowed his eyes at the Sun God.
“I don't have to agree to this? I have no ties?” Re snapped. “You think that I can just walk away from you? What happened the last time I did that?”
I remembered writhing on the floor—my lioness tearing me apart inside—and shivered violently. No; I couldn't go through that again.
The Wolf pulled me close and laid his cheek against mine. “It will be all right, Mate,” he said. “Your Lioness has made a pact with me
.”
“What?” I jerked back to stare at him.
“When we were together, I spoke to her,” the Wolf said. “I explained my needs, and she explained hers. We made a compromise; she has agreed to my alpha status and to all the conditions I've set. In return, I have agreed to allow her to keep those mates who are willing to stay. If they are unwilling to accept me, she'll let them go.”
“That's my boy,” Fenrir muttered under his breath. “My wily wolf.”
I sent my attention inward and saw her there; my lioness. Not only had she agreed to the Wolf's conditions, but so had my dragoness. The beasts were connected by my nine-pointed star. They knew that they needed to work together to survive. Ultimately, their survival depended on me. And my survival was linked with Trevor's. I couldn't lose my Wolf.
“You're amazing,” I whispered to the Wolf.
“A wolf can accomplish a lot when he isn't hindered by a man's morals,” the Wolf said. “I spoke to your beasts as one of them, and they accepted me. How can they not? I am one of them; part of my soul is your wolf.”
That reminded me of what I wanted to do for Trevor, but this wasn't the time. First, we had to settle things in our family. Re was looking as if he were going to break into a million golden pieces. I let go of the Wolf, but he wouldn't let go of me. I stood there with my hand open and his still clutched around it.
“You're going to have to let go sometime,” I teased him.
“No; I'm not,” the Wolf said firmly.
“You made an agreement as well,” I reminded him. “I love Re, and I've just hurt him for you. Now, let go.”
The Wolf shuddered on a sigh and let go of my hand.
I walked over to Re and hugged him. He collapsed against me and pulled me in tight against his chest. I could feel his heart hammering beneath my cheek and feel the tension in his arms.
“I can't, Lala,” Re whispered. “I can't walk away. Don't ask me again.”
“I won't,” I said softly. “I want you to be happy, Re, and I thought I should give you the chance to be free of this.”
“Being free of this would chain me in my hell,” Re said as he pulled back. He stared at me and stroked my cheek softly.
“He healed me, Re,” I whispered. “No more sexual hang-ups. Do you know what that means?”
Re's eyes widened. “Chains?”
I nodded.
“Whips?”
Another nod.
“Paddles and cuffs and nipple clamps?” His voice was rising in his excitement.
“Yes, Re,” I said. “I've also lost all of my inhibitions. I'm up for anything you want to try.”
Re whooped, picked me up, and spun me around before looking back at the Wolf. “So be it; you are Alpha.”
The way Re said it made it into a title; gave it a capital letter. It was almost a blessing; he was that happy. My beautiful pervert.
The Wolf nodded in acceptance; hearing all that Re implied. And then he looked at Azrael.
“Fine,” Azrael snarled. “Be Alpha; take your damned respect. Knock up our wife and piss in the fucking corners if you have to. Thanks so much for being here for me when I needed you, Trevor. Thanks for not letting your personal bullshit take priority over my family dying.”
“The Demons,” I whispered in horror. “Are they all right, Az?”
“They're fine for now,” Azrael gentled his tone for me. “But we've wasted five days chasing you and arguing with Fenrir.”
“I'm sorry my personal shit eclipsed yours,” the Wolf growled as he stalked closer to Azrael. “I'm sorry that the man hunting you raped our mate through me. I'm sorry I had to be summoned to the surface to heal our mate and fix this fucked up situation. I'm sorry that took time away from your precious family!”
Azrael went still and his eyes flashed diamond bright once before he shifted them to me. I had forgotten about the Demons, but he had forgotten about what Katila had done to me; to Trevor and me. His shoulders dropped and his brow furrowed.
“Forgive me, Carus,” Az whispered brokenly. “I didn't mean to lessen your pain. I will kill Katila for what he did.”
“No; you will not!” The Wolf roared. “I will fucking kill him! I claim his blood! You will save your people, and I will get revenge for our mate. Is that understood?”
Azrael held up his hands and gave in. “All right, Trevor. You win. Take the kill and be the Alpha.”
The Wolf smiled and reached a hand out to me. I gave Re an apologetic look and went to my wolf. I was hoping he'd settle soon and bring Trevor back. Then things would be less aggressive between my men. Although, I would miss the Wolf.
“You haven't asked me how I know that Katila was hunting you, Death Angel,” the Wolf casually pointed out.
Everyone went still. And then the cabin exploded with questions.
The Wolf glanced at his father—who was shaking his head and laughing—and smirked. He took my hand calmly and led me to the chairs before the fireplace—it must have been lit by one of the Froekn because we had never bothered with it. The Wolf helped me into a wingback chair and then leaned against the top casually; my hand still in his. The others simmered down, followed us over, and gathered around us; waiting for the Wolf to say more. Fenrir and the Froekn stood behind us, near the kitchen. A few of them went to grab something to snack on while they watched the show.
“Start from the beginning,” the Wolf said. “What would you like to know?”
“How did Katila possess you in the first place?” Odin asked.
“Someone jumped me on my way out of Moonshine that morning,” the Wolf said. “I was going to grab a bite to eat and went around back to get my bike. The next thing I knew, I was at Pride Palace, but I wasn't in control of my body. I could feel and see everything, but I couldn't speak or move. Then I realized that there was someone else inside my head.”
“They must have used a spell,” Odin muttered. “Although, I'm not familiar with any of the sort, and I can't understand how a god was strong enough to possess another god; even a demigod. You should have been able to push him out. No; he shouldn't have been able to get in, in the first place.”
“He was extremely strong,” the Wolf said without emotion. “I fought him constantly, but he retained control for most of the time. I was only able to break free once; when I tried to warn Vervain to run.”
“He has to be taking power from those demon souls, not just destroying them,” I said. “He's found a way to do the impossible.”
“Taking their magic for his own,” Odin murmured. “It would explain his strength, and his ability to possess a body with a soul already inside it. With a demon's magic, Katila wouldn't need to cast a spell to possess Trevor.”
“I think you're right,” the Wolf said. “He felt... confident; as if it was his magic, not a spell that could backfire or wane.”
“He offered to share Hell with me,” I said grimly.
“What?” Azrael's eyes narrowed.
“Katila thinks he's going to rule Hell,” I said.
“Over my dead body,” Azrael vowed.
“Baby, I think that's part of his plan,” I said gently. “If he can take a demon's magic, not just destroy it, then he can become stronger than Luke.”
Azrael gaped at me.
“Why target Azrael and Lucifer? Or is it too soon to ask that?” Odin gave the Wolf an irritated look.
The Wolf smirked wider at Odin. “The timing is appropriate.”
“Lucifer did bring his demons to the battle of Dvaraka,” I said to ease the tension.
“And Abaddon showed up as well,” Kirill muttered. “The Trinity Pantheon made up a large part of our forces.”
“Katila blames Azrael for his father's death,” the Wolf announced.
We all went still and looked at the Wolf.
“I could feel his hatred,” the Wolf said as his gaze went distant. “It's very focused; enough so that I could even hear some of his thoughts.”
“Like what?” Azrael asked.
>
“Like how Macaria was supposed to keep you distracted, but instead, you seduced her and swayed her to your side.” The Wolf gave Azrael a taunting look.
“I did not seduce her!” Azrael roared. “And she wasn't swayed; she was at that fucking battle to fight on her mother's side.”
“We know, Az,” I said gently. “It was Katila's thoughts, not the truth.”
Azrael took deep breaths, simmered down, and nodded. “I'm sorry for my outburst.”
“He needs someone to blame,” the Wolf said in a conciliatory tone. “And he's settled on you. You're convenient; you're related to Satan and have a horde of demons for your family.”
“And Katila's mother happens to be good at killing demons. Human myth has given her a way around the difficulty most gods face when killing each other,” Toby pointed out. “Maybe she took that ability a step further and found a way for her son to take a god's magic.”
“I wouldn't be surprised.” The Wolf grimaced. “Katila believes this path was shown to him because he was meant to rule Hell. He thinks it's his destiny. And now, he's decided that Vervain is part of that destiny.”
“He vill die screaming long before he touches Vervain again,” Kirill vowed.
All of the men exchanged looks of vicious agreement; including the Froekn. But I glanced up at the Wolf, and we shared a secret smile. Yes; Katila would indeed die screaming—beneath wolf and dragon claws—and I would beg him not to die so quickly.
Chapter Thirty-Six
“Katila screwed up!” I declared.
The men were still making plans on how they were going to kill Katila. They stopped at my outburst and stared at me.
“Don't you see?” Getting back into human brain seemed to stir up thoughts that had been percolating there while I was having my little sex-a-thon. “Katila went to Moonshine to kidnap Trevor; he must have left a trail there. We have another location to investigate, and this one is under our control.”
The men started to smile, and the Wolf straightened.
“Back to Moonshine,” the Wolf said as he helped me to my feet.
“Trevor,” Odin stepped into our path. “Congratulations. I'm happy for you and Vervain.”