Fang Chronicles: Zenya's Story (14 page)

“Your wolf chose him, so that’s all I need, but some wolves will ask.”

“If they choose to tangle with Vorlyk, they’ll lose.”

Columbus nodded his head. “I’ll spread the warning. We need to work together.”

“I agree, but I’ll also protect my pack.” Steal edged the words.

“Understood. I want you with us.”

“I know, but I long for home.” Nicolas looked out the east window and then back at the other man. “Thank you for giving us a place to live. We’ll probably be here longer than you or I like.”

“No problem. It’s safer with you on our side of the country. We’ve kept a small team of wolves on your property making sure no one else decides to take over.”

“Thank you. I think I’ll have the main house rebuilt and it’ll be easier if there’s someone there I trust.”

“My brother Duncan’s in charge. Send him an email and let him know what you want. He can start making arrangements.”

There was a commotion in the other room and both men stood.

Chapter Twenty-one

Two men ran into the house and Nicolas smiled. McDonald and Reece, two of his pack, charged toward him. Columbus backed away. The two took Nicolas to the ground. Their scent wrapped around him like that of Troy and Bernard.

Both wolves cried unabashedly and Nicolas felt his own eyes moisten. “I’ve missed you two rogues.”

“We’ve missed you.” McDonald wiped his eyes.

“You stink,” added Reece.

The two scrambled up and pulled Nicolas up, too. “Sorry, alpha. We just got the news that you’re alive but we didn’t actually believe it.”

“Sit down and let’s talk.” Nicolas pointed to the couch.

“We heard we have a new pack.” This came from Reece.

“What exactly did you hear?”

“That you are now alpha of a group of she-cats and a new vampire is our liege.”

“How do you feel about it?”

The wolves looked at each other and then smiled. Reece did the talking, “We’re with you. We don’t care what type of beastkind they are. We’ve spent time with the bears and they’re crazy as hell. A few she-cats can’t be worse.”

“You haven’t met them.” Nicolas smiled, feeling incredible relief. “They’ve been abused and sometimes tortured. They need stability as much as we do. There are two fighters you should get along with. They have a few rough edges, but they’ll have your back.”

Reece looked directly into his alpha’s eyes. “We’ll have theirs, too.”

“Good enough for me. I say we head that way now and make introductions.”

“We have a vehicle waiting out front.”

“Let’s go.” Nicolas walked out the door and to the car.

McDonald drove. He didn’t talk as much as Reece, and Nicolas remembered him as the calmer of the two. Reece asked a million questions about the women.

“And Madayah cooks?”

“Yes, she does.”

“Can I marry her?”

“Only if you want your life short and bloody. She’s mated to Vorlyk.”

Reece grinned. “Then I’ll happily just eat what she cooks.”

They arrived at the cabin in no time and walked in. The Monopoly game was finished and the two werewolves sat on barstools getting haircuts. It made Nicolas smile.

“We’re outnumbered,” Troy grumbled.

“We lost at Monopoly and had to pay the piper. I suggest if you like your hair length you don’t play against them,” Bernard said glumly.

The women stopped what they were doing and stood silent, wearily watching the new wolves.

“Meet Reece and McDonald. They’re ours and they’ll take the back bedroom. Sorry Madayah, but you have two more mouths to feed.”

“They’re skinny and need fattening up.”

“She says that about everyone.” This came from Talya. She walked forward and put her hand out.

Nicolas had given the two new wolves a rundown on everyone during the drive over. Both knew Talya was off limits, but they had no problem shaking her hand.

Nicolas continued the introductions. As he expected, Esta gave only a nod of her head and refused to shake hands. She also stayed back from the hair cutting, but her eyes didn’t appear to be as openly hostile as the day before. It was a start.

“Dinner will be ready in an hour. I hope you boys like Mexican food, because it’s what I cook best.”

“Ma’am, we’ll eat anything you make us.”

“Call me Madayah. I’m too young to be a ma’am.”

Neither wolf argued.

Laughter filled the dinner table caused from a play-by-play of Troy and Bernard cheating at Monopoly.

Troy shook his head. “We didn’t have a choice. They thrashed us.”

“If you cheat again we’ll make sure you’re bald,” Sheeba said in her quiet voice.

“You’re blind. How in the hell did you figure it out?”

She didn’t take offense. “Your smell changed once you started cheating.”

“Our smell?”

“Yes, you stunk a little more than normal.”

“Not fair. We haven’t mentioned your smell.”

“You asked me how I knew. I told you. It’s not my fault you stink.”

“If we smell so bad, how did you put up with Nicolas?”

“We put him in cat clothes and made him bathe.”

Nicolas saw where this was going. “Men and women are switching rooms tonight. We can all sleep where the others slept the night before and start mixing our odors.”

“That’s just gross.” Talya’s expression showed disgust.

“If you don’t watch your mouths, I’ll have everyone exchange clothes.”

This caused good-natured laughter.

Nicolas was happy for the banter, and the relaxing feel of the room allowed his mind to shift to Zenya. He wondered if he would need to seek her out or if she’d be waiting. He was lost in his thoughts and it took him a minute to realize the conversation stopped and all eyes were on him.

“What?” He looked around at his pack.

Reece asked the question first. “You’ve mated?”

“Is that what the smell is?” Talya looked intrigued.

Heat traveled up Nicolas’s neck.

“Our alpha’s face is turning red.” Troy laughed loudly.

He disregarded Troy and answered Talya. “I’ve never mated before so I’m not sure about the smell.”

Reece jumped in again. “I was around Brandt and Emily after the attack. You smell the same way. I don’t think it’s a choice anymore. Who’s the lucky wolf?”

All eyes turned to Reece.

“The lucky she-cat is Zenya,” Nicolas said.

“Is that possible?” Reece just wouldn’t shut up.

For the first time since she entered the room, Esta spoke. “Why wouldn’t it be possible? Is there something wrong with us?” Her voice froze them all for a moment.

“No, but hey, we’re just stupid wolves and we know nothing about cats. Do you mate the same way we do?” Reece realized too late what he’d just said. “That’s not what I meant. I… I...”

“We get it.” The youngest she-cat spoke up, “Some of us like to stand up when we do it, and some prefer lying down. I’m sure you guys prefer doggie style,” she said in a deadpan voice.

“That’s enough, Talya.” Nicolas couldn’t believe the turn in conversation and the other wolves were now suffering from red-face syndrome, too.

“True mating is rare with the cats, but it happens.” Madayah, the consummate mother, continued, “I think we now know it can happen between cats and wolves.”

“Would all of you mind changing the subject? This really isn’t something I want to discuss at the dinner table.” Nicolas put a touch of command in his voice.

“Yes, alpha.” They all went back to eating with an occasional grin here and there.

Chapter Twenty-two

Nicolas couldn’t sit still. The clock didn’t seem to be moving. His pack ignored his grumpy mood and got to know each other. Between ten and eleven o’clock they began drifting off to bed. They took him at his word and switched rooms to mix their scents.

“If it’s okay with you, alpha, McDonald and I will bunk with Troy and Bernard.”

Nicolas looked over at Reece. “I’ll take a separate room. I plan to have Zenya move in shortly.”

“Yes, alpha. Good night.”

“Get some rest. We’ll start adding our own guard rotation to Columbus’s tomorrow night.”

Everyone finally left him alone. He looked at the clock and decided he couldn’t sit or pace until midnight and would check on the wolves guarding the perimeter.

He undressed then shifted to wolf. Walking upwind, he quietly listened to three guards discuss his new pack.

“I don’t understand why everyone accepts cats so easily into our territory.”

“They’re female. Just what do you think they’ll do?”

“I don’t know, but they’re still cats.”

The third voice finally spoke up. “We need all the help we can get. I’ve heard what the South American cats do to their women and children. If you don’t like having them here you can leave.”

“Fuck you man. I’m not talking about leaving. I’m just saying I don’t trust them.”   

“I’m relieved we have a new vampire on our side.” This came from the second voice.

“And you’re convinced he’s on our side.”

“Nicolas’s wolf accepted him and I’ll follow that alpha anywhere.”

“He didn’t protect his own pack.”

“They sent two vampires. What could he do?”

“Brandt survived against two vampires.”

“And almost lost his mate.”

Nicolas decided he’d heard enough. Two wolves were on his side against a third. It would take time and he understood the distrust. He managed to back away and head toward the main cabin trying to keep his guilt under control.
He didn’t protect his old pack.

The site of Zenya waiting in human form immediately lightened his mood. The dress she wore softly billowed in the breeze. Her scent drove his wolf crazy and he rubbed his body along her side, pressing firmly against her partially bare legs. Her hand came down and smoothed over the fur on his back.

It was frustrating not to communicate. He circled behind her, shifted, and placed his hands on her shoulders. His human nose sniffed her neck. “You’re beautiful, but my wolf wants to smell you in cat form.”

“Your wolf?”