40. Weston

Chapter 40

Weston

A thrill of nervousness rolled through Aurelia before she steeled herself with determination. She nodded at Vemar, said goodbye to Calia, and then stepped away to wait for me. I glanced out over the gathered crowd, feeling their anticipation running high. Many of them had seen Aurelia streak through the forest or earlier through their town, all of them marveling at her speed. Many had also offered or tried to push the bond on her, wanting her to join up, liking the feel of her energy. She'd eluded them all, giving them the thrill of the chase. And now she was ready to show them all what they'd been wondering about, what Hadriel had told everyone was the most amazing bond experience he'd ever felt.

I turned to her. "Ready?" She answered by shifting.

I was right behind her, my wolf taking over and breathing in her wolf's new scent, one that now mingled ours with hers. We weren't done yet, though. True mates didn't just claim once; they had the ability to do it twice, something only afforded to that natural pair. My wolf was eager to lay his mark.

"Later. They're waiting," I prompted.

"You're one to talk," he sniped at me.

He yipped, and the rest of the pack shifted, sinking down onto four legs, most covered in fur, most of them wolves, but not all. For guard duty, a pack of wolves had often been the most effective, as we could use the bond more easily, allowing us to work with each other seamlessly. Lionesses fit right in, as did our lone young elephant. Solitary shifter animals had a hard time working as a unit.

My wolf waited for all the other animals to jog forward a bit, crowding in, trying to make it easier for Aurelia to find and connect with them all.

They needn't have bothered.

Her magic swept over us easily, spreading unity, love, and her longing for a sense of community. That was the fairy magic. Then came the reach for the bond. She accepted it from my wolf first, as we'd practiced, zipped out to Hadriel within the throng, whom she was comfortable with, and then extended out to everyone in the vicinity. Like a rope pulling taut, everyone snapped into tighter focus before the steel clamped down, strengthening the connection. Once that was established, the magic of our true mate pairing filtered in, tranquil and warming and encompassing, turning a means of order and command and communication into a pleasant oasis, merging us all together a little tighter, sharing more of our emotions, deepening the pack bond.

An overwhelming surge of support colored the bond; the pack approved of her connection and applauded her on managing it.

Her wolf rubbed against mine, pleased.

"And now we show her off," my wolf said, nipping her flank as he sprinted forward.

Her wolf's delight unfurled, and then she urged the pack on. Follow the alpha.

"She doesn't think of us as a beta to this kingdom, but solidly their alpha," my wolf said. " Her alpha."

"She likes when I exercise my dominance."

"Sex is one thing; leadership in a pack is another. What I'm saying is her wolf has joined the pack with power equal to ours, but she is very clearly looking for guidance. She's making it known that she is learning, and that I am her lead. She's not presenting herself as half an alpha pair, but as a member of the pack who needs to earn her place."

I couldn't decipher the complexities and nuances of body language and positioning, but I knew what certain things meant within pack dynamics. She was making it clear to everyone that, despite the position her power and pairing afforded her, she would not assume command unless she had earned it. Unless she was capable of it. Until that time, if or when it ever came, she would follow her alpha. She would be one of them.

She was remarkable, particularly considering any other alpha mate I'd ever heard of had felt like they had earned their place at the top of the hierarchy because of power and blood. Even without an opportunity to lead, as was the case with most alpha mates, they would demand respect and obedience because of their status.

Aurelia was looking to be immersed. She wasn't above anyone—she was one of them. I knew if she ever led, she would be elevated by them.

My heart felt full to bursting.

"That is perfect," I said as she easily caught us and almost seemed to prance at our side.

"Yes, it is," my wolf said with pride. "It's better than we could've hoped for. It's a solution we never thought of."

"No alpha or alpha mate would've. It's certainly not something a potential co-alpha would've considered. It isn't how our people, especially those with power and prestige, are brought up. She wasn't trained with the inherent pride and conceit that we were. It's..."

"Humbling," my wolf finished.

"Yes, it is. It is also good for pack unity, and she craves that above all else. Above being a fairy. Her upbringing, as rough as it was, prepared her for this. She'll always know she made the right choice."

"Once she visits those gods-awful arrogant fuck-stains, yes." My wolf showed his teeth. "Calia is the only one I actually liked."

"Her sister."

"She's not a fairy."

True enough.

"But yes," my wolf said, "I liked her sister a great deal. But back to our incredible mate. Shall we play a game of chase?"

My wolf bent his head back as we ran and bit into Aurelia's leg, hard enough to make her yelp. She darted to the side, so fast when she changed direction it was dizzying. The bond relayed the way she recoiled, as though she'd done something wrong, but it only took her a moment to realize it was a game—a vicious one.

The pain from her bite registered before her darting toward us had, and then she was gone. Through the bond, her message was crystal clear: Catch me if you can, fuckers.

As was my wolf's: She is mine !

He ran after her like he was being chased by the hounds of hell. He was much larger than her and had a longer stride. He gained slowly, nearly on her now, ready to sweep her back legs out from under her and tackle, but just as he was reaching her, she changed direction and put on a burst of speed.

"Damn it," my wolf said, delighted anticipation coiling within him. "Our Little Wolf is making me work for it."

He did love a good chase.

He blocked out her ability to feel the bond and then used it to spread out the pack, who'd all started to lag behind us. Some shot out right, intercepting Aurelia when she attempted to turn that way. She flitted between them, nipping and bashing into them with her body, doing just enough to work her way through and out the other side.

Another section of the pack I'd sent right didn't head her off in time. She streaked past them, Dante barking at her as she went.

I changed my course and sent some of my fastest runners to cut into her path. She ran smack into them; they jumped out from the brush and difficult-to-spot hidey-holes. Tanix caught up to her, positioning himself so that she would slam into his side. Given he was larger and stronger, she should bounce off, which would allow the rest of them to easily surround her and keep her put until my wolf came to collect.

Right before impact, though, just as Tanix braced himself, she startled and leapt over him. Slight pain reverberated through the bond—she might have landed a little awkwardly—but then she was off again, moving toward my left. I could hear Tanix's annoyed howl from here.

"If we didn't have a bond with her, we'd be hard-pressed to keep track of her once she sprinted away from the pack," my wolf said, his pride glowing stronger. The challenge heightened his anticipation; his strong desire pumped through us.

"She has spent her entire life running or hiding. She has developed a sixth sense in regard to danger and anything like it. It shows."

"It does, thank the gods. It'll be easier to protect her."

She took off toward that town she'd run through earlier, curving away when she was nearly there, and ran into Nova and her team. Nova spread out, not running at her but with , closing the distance little by little, slowing Aurelia down. It was a damn fine strategy. Her promotion ceremony was set for a week's time. She'd earned the increase she'd get.

Aurelia was nearly stopped, the circle closing in, her heart not speeding up.

"She's not concerned," my wolf said, running for all he was worth in that direction. "Why is she not concerned?"

She proved why in the next moment when she darted toward who I knew was the weakest member of that squad. I felt pain and panic from that wolf, and then Aurelia was through again, running off into the wood.

"Clearly she is learning well during your fight training," I told my wolf.

"Indeed."

The rest of the pack was already moving into position, fanning out around her and then tightening their circle. Once they got close, I'd pull the stronger wolves to the front and block her in, positioning the others behind in case she jumped like a little fawn.

The dragons circled overhead. They watched my strategies from above so they would know how to train the other dragons to work with them.

Aurelia hit the first wall of my defense, and I could tell through our bond that she was calculating a way through. That came up empty, though, as my strategy was tight. She changed position, quickly coming up against another wall of wolves.

Finley roared, swooping down and then back up. She roared again, her rage plain, before a burst of fire shot out above the tree line.

Understanding surged through the bond. A moment later, my wolf's communication with the pack was instantly severed.

"Fucking dragons," my wolf mumbled.

"What just happened?"

"We're playing a game. Finley just coaxed Aurelia into playing dirty."

"Like we are?"

"Exactly like we are." He worked to get the communication back up as he tore off in her direction. He tried to wrestle control away from her wolf, but she wasn't trying to control anything; she was just blocking his attempts to do so. His power smashed into hers, grappling, ripping at it. She allowed him to get hold of it for a moment—she didn't waste the energy needed to hold on—but only allowed him a glimpse of where everyone was before she deadened him again.

"Fucking Little Wolf," my wolf grumbled, frustration mixed with pride. His anticipation grew; her location was not far.

She hadn't trained as extensively as we had. She couldn't run as far, and she'd been chased and corralled. She was losing steam fast.

"Cheat to win," I told him, laughing.

"As long as I fucking win."

He worked at that pack bond, refusing to give up, feeling incredulousness within it. Everyone was surprised Aurelia could be so effective against a wolf of our caliber. Did they not believe a true mate would have the same power level? Or did they simply not think an untrained wolf new to her fur could be so wily?

"She is perfect," I said again.

"She is getting on my last fucking nerve, and my claiming bite is going to be hard and deep." His adrenaline was running through him, boosting his desire.

The pack had stopped moving when communication deadened; they were awaiting further instructions. They had no backup plans laid out to keep them going. There was no precedent for an alpha chasing his true mate through the woods, though their stopping meant their barriers were still in place.

Aurelia came upon one section, trying to get around, but the pack closed in to keep her put. When my wolf could access a glimpse of the bond, he felt their unease about this. They didn't want to trap her. They didn't want to gang up on her. That was good for the health of the pack, but it meant we needed to cut this short.

"I know," my wolf said, feeling it and beating me to the punch.

He pushed harder, running faster, nearly on her now. She hit another wall, turned back, and then we were there, barreling into her with all our speed and might. Both wolves rolled through the dirt; we knocked the wind out of them. She was still up blindingly fast, but my wolf was ready, pouncing on her, closing his teeth around her neck.

She stilled, her body turning languid as she whimpered in submission. Her desire burned as brightly as his.

He loved a chase, and she loved being caught and dominated.

They both released the effects they'd had on the bond, letting the pack know all was well and safe and there were no hard feelings or animosity. The pack started jogging to our location as the dragons continued to circle overhead.

"Now we make that human highly uncomfortable," my wolf growled.

He licked her fur where he'd bitten, rubbed his head against her side where he'd tackled her, and then waited for her to get to her feet. She rubbed against him before turning, and he wasted no time mounting her. He chomped into her unmarked shoulder, his magic coming from the same place as mine as he claimed her for the second time.

Pleasure spiraled between them, between us. Aurelia didn't shy away from it this time. She reached for me through the bond and basked in it all—pleasure at being claimed, pleasure at feeling the bond still so solid, desire from our chase and the playful struggle.

This time he didn't cut it short. Aurelia vibrated within the bond, her fairy magic once again affecting anyone who'd made it to our location. The king and queen climbed in the sky, and it seemed the dragons were going to partake as well. Vemar continued to circle lazily, the ultimate voyeur.

When the wolves finished, Aurelia's wolf would complete the double claim on him and they'd probably all do it again.

"This is what life is meant to be," my wolf said as he was with his mate. "That dragon wished he could knot, though I do wish I could purr like they do . "

"Don't tell him. His ego is big enough as it is."

"Didn't need to be said."