Chapter 8

Trouble Brewing

He was afraid and that was something he couldn't remember ever being. She was in danger and their pup along with her and he wasn't sure the tranq gun was enough of an equalizer when there were three blood wolves waiting for them outside the door. Naqi drew in a deep calming breath, but he was stunned when the thing scratched on the door. Did it think they were crazy? It continued to scratch at the door for a minute maybe more before it growled.

All hell was about to break loose or so he suspected, and he motioned for Joey to come closer. She ignored him and if they made it out of this alive, he was going to teach her to listen when they were in an emergency situation. He moved to her instead and pulled her behind him just as the door splintered. It was almost like it exploded, one second a door was there, the next a pile of wood that was unrecognizable as ever having been anything useful. As he looked up from the destruction there stood a blood wolf, but in its partially morphed form, it reminded him of that Tazmanian devil cartoon that children watched.

The creature stood there looking at them as if it couldn't remember what it had come for. Buckets of drool dripped from its open mouth, and he worried that Joey would get sick. It was almost more than he could stand, but she was pregnant. He lifted the gun, aimed carefully, and shot the dart as he hoped this blood wolf was the biggest and meanest. It just stood there looking at him and then the dart in its chest. It worried him that the council had been wrong, and the dart didn't work.

When he took a step closer, he and the blood wolf held eye contact. It blinked its eyes two times before it fell over in a pile on the floor. Relief washed through him, but he knew it was too soon with at least two more of the misbegotten creatures on the loose somewhere in the house. The door would no longer be a barrier, but it hadn't been much of one once the blood rage had taken hold of the wolf anyway.

Blood wolves weren't a new thing. There had always been those who wanted something- money, power, strength, or abilities- that they didn't possess and found ways to try to gain those things. Thousands of years ago, when the world was relatively new, a wolf lay dying. He had been injured and left for dead. A young vampire happened upon him and took pity on him. He fed him a small amount of his blood, just enough to heal him. The wolf discovered that his abilities had doubled, but only for a short time. The wolf also found that as the blood left his system, he craved more of it. He couldn't eat, sleep, or enjoy anything in life without more of the blood.

Eventually he went on a killing spree draining vampires of their blood getting more and more feral until finally a team of vampires, witches, and wolves, a scary and surprising combination anytime including now, hunted him down and destroyed him. It is one of the bedtime stories told to little supernaturals to teach them the dangers of indulging in anything taboo, but especially vampire blood. He would admit he had always believed the story exaggerated, but with the proof at his feet, he could no longer deny the complete truth of the tale. It made him wonder if some of the other stories he was told might have more truth to them than he believed.

Of course, just because one was authentic, didn't make the others true, only a little less suspect. He listened concentrating on only his sense of sound. If he wasn't mistaken it sounded like the other two were downstairs chasing each other around. Had they reverted to a primitive state? It was the best explanation he could come up with. There was an alarm he knew about and no doubt it had been set off so where was the cavalry? A little back up was just what they needed, and he didn't like Joey being so nervous for so long, it wasn't good for the little one.

He might worry about what kind of parental role model he was and if he were good enough to mate his beautiful, she-wolf, but that wouldn't stop him from doing everything in his power to protect and keep both of them. When they made it through this, and they just had to make it because he couldn't bear to think of the alternative, he would officially claim his mate and share news of their offspring with the council. That should make them give her better protection with the political ramifications of the next generation of white wolf. He chuckled silently, he didn't have to believe it to use it for his own purposes. Any mate and expectant father would take advantage of a belief held by others even if it were crazy and couldn't possibly be true. Who could blame him?

The two deranged blood wolves downstairs must have remembered them. He could hear the sounds of them making it up the stairs jostling and bumping each other as they each attempted to be first. He pointed the gun toward the door. If they continue to race headfirst into the room without using any caution, he should be able to take one of them out before the other got to them. There was a loud bang, as if they had raced up the stairs and continued straight until they hit the wall. They must have drank blood just before they came since they were giving a good imitation of being drunk.

Naqi heard them snarling and growling at each other. He prayed to the goddess that a fight would break out between them, and it seemed as if it would, but it was short lived. As he heard them stalking toward the door, it was almost as if the collision with the wall had calmed them down. One of them peeked around the corner taking in the view of the room. Its head was too small a target to take a chance on. If he missed, the monster would charge him before he had a chance to shoot again. The other one peered over the first blood wolf's shoulder.

That doubled the chance of him hitting his target, so he steadied himself, aimed and took a shot. Joey started to gag behind him. He watched in fascination as the dart entered the second wolf's eye. Red blossomed all around the dart and dripped out of its eye onto the head of the wolf below. That wolf lifted his head and sniffed attracted by the smell of the blood it craved. It turned pushing the other wolf that was already unsteady, to the floor. It started to lick up the blood and Joey ran to the attached bath to hug the porcelain throne. His stomach was pretty tough, but the sight before him grossed him out too.

Since he couldn't get a clear shot, he knew what he had to do. Slowly he inched forward while the wolf's attention was all on his snack. He had clawed out the eyeball and was beginning to chew it. Naqi knew they had no way to save these three wolves, they were already too far gone. He still hated to see one of them chewed on so painfully. Once he got in position, he was getting ready to shoot when the blood wolf realized where he was and turned to snap at him.

As he jumped back, its sharp fangs missed him, but he could feel the heat of its breath as its snout moved passed him. He brought up the gun and aimed hastily. In his haste he pulled the trigger before his aim was true. The dart stuck in the wall, and he saw the wolf looking at it before it turned its red gaze back on him. It growled deep in its throat, it was about to charge. He cleared his head and lifted the gun up again. This time he took a second to aim and kept control of his nerves. While he sighted in on the thing's chest, his aim improved and he pulled the trigger, the creature went for his throat. It collided with the dart, but it took a moment before the medicine would kick in.

Naqi turned slightly and partially morphed throwing his arm in front of his neck. The wolf landed on his arm knocking him off balance and to the floor. He felt the scratch of claws on his arm but wasn't sure if they broke the skin. Even if they did, they hadn't sunk in far. Naqi rolled the stinky thing off him and the first thing he saw was Joey looking as anxious as he'd ever seen her. The loud thump when it hit the ground made Joey jump and he tensed. He needed to restrain these things because he wasn't sure how long the tranquilizer would work.

Since he knew the council intended to experiment on these guys, he felt bad for them. Truly he did, but they were beyond all hope and the only thing they could do now was help them find a cure for others similarly affected. These wolves may not even have chosen this path, it may have been forced on them. Their families would lose them, and many wolves would mourn. Conrad had a lot to atone for, but he had a friend investigating Conrad and he had told him that someone else had to be helping him with this. Conrad simply was a spoiled future pack alpha who thought of himself as a bad boy because he wanted to be one, not because he really was. He didn't have the skills or the contacts to pull all this off.

Tyne had explained to Naqi that Conrad's fighting skills were barely adequate for his future position, and he feared he might lose it without a white wolf mate to protect him. His intelligence was marginal, only his looks were above average, and Tyne called him a pretty boy. He had made it through life thus far with family money, power, and looks that were less than masculine, but attractive to females anyway. Tyne had said there were rumors about Conrad hanging out with some vampire named Chef or Chief, yeah that was it, Chief. His last name was Ken or something like that.

He was supposed to be some big bad ass, but he got his butt whipped by a girl, not once, but twice. Sure, Tyne said she wasn't just an ordinary girl. She was some kind of made hybrid. Some of these wolves were just so gullible. First white wolves, which at least had existed once upon a time, but now, made hybrids which everyone knew were impossible to create. Maybe they were just setting him up to look silly if he believed them? This Chief was wanted by all the councils including the witches, so he was clearly evil. Heck, anyone that helped create a creature like the one at his feet was evil beyond redemption.

Joey was shaking now that it was all over. Her adrenaline must have left all at once. "Baby. sit on the bed until I tie these guys up. You have anything I can use?"

She had just sat on the bed, but she got up and went to the closet. She tossed him a tough looking set of handcuffs. "Charmed?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered which meant they had been spelled so a supernatural being couldn't escape them with magic or strength. She rummaged around a little more and tossed him two zip ties. They weren't the usual kind either. The handcuffs hadn't shown signs of being spelled, but the zip ties made his hands tingle. Now he hurried to use them because they made him nervous. Once he had seen a spelled zip tie and the rogue vampire had tried to fight them. They cut one of his hands off. Scariest thing he had ever seen, once they started, nothing the vamp did would make them stop.

Naqi looked at the ties in his hands as his heart hammered in his chest. A wolf without limbs would have a hard time surviving without help and an alpha wouldn't hold his position for long. When he heard a loud noise outside, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Probably a car backfiring, many of Joey's neighbors had old cars. One neighbor even drove an old muscle car. He hurried through the job of cuffing all three blood wolves even though the first one he shot was starting to stir. It just showed how important it was not to waste time messing around in the middle of a fight. Had they been lucid, he might have tried to question them, but in their current condition, it would just be a waste of time.

Scenting an approaching wolf, not a blood wolf, but a familiar scent teasing the edge of his memory with several other wolves, normal ones, with him, that were all males, four, no five. Two came up the steps cautiously making no fast moves. He was sure they had to know where they were and that three blood wolves were here with them.

A familiar face peered around the corner and Naqi saw recognition on his face when he glanced at him. Tyne's eyes kept searching until he found Joey and then he hurried to her wrapping her in his arms as he asked her if she was alright. Naqi growled, low and dangerous. Tyne might be his friend, but Naqi wouldn't share his mate. Tyne slowly pulled back away from Joey with a confused look on his face.

"Naqi quit that. Tyne is practically family, and you won't growl at him."

A slow smile spread across Tyne's face. "So, Naqi, you're the mysterious daddy that Joey wouldn't identify?"

"I didn't know. Conrad came after her and Joey took off without letting me know." He knew he looked a little petulant, but he would have never let her go if she hadn't snuck out.

"Congratulations, Naqi, a mate and a pup in one fell swoop. I guess the devil's ice skating."

Damn Tyne. Naqi had told him it would be a cold day in hell before he allowed a female to tie him down. Now he would catch hell, not just from Tyne, but from every male he knew once word was out. Tyne was enjoying this entirely too much. Damon had been the only one who knew about Naqi and Joey, but that was changing quickly. He would weather the storm and once it was through, he would have Joey and their little one so he would come out of this a winner.

Tyne squatted on the floor next to one of the blood wolves. This one was awake, snarling and growling like a demon. "These things are nasty, how'd you take them out, Joey?"

Joey laughed. It was a sweet tinkling sound that made his heart fill with joy at the sound. "I didn't do anything except hide behind Naqi."

The look of disbelief on Tyne's face was a little insulting to his masculinity. "I can protect what's mine."

"I'm sure you can, Naqi, but Joey has a tranq gun and I thought she might have used it on them."

"I used it on them."

"That explains the extra dart."

"What's that mean?"

"Joey is an expert marksman."

"Hitting all three blood wolves using only four darts is really good. Have you seen how fast they move?"

"Yes, the last time Joey took out one of them."

"She's not going to be doing that anymore!"

"Hey, wait a minute," Joey interjected. "I'm right here and I can make up my own mind."

Tyne was quiet just watching to see how this would turn out.

"I know that and when you think of the little one, I know you'll decide to let me handle these threats because I would die if I lost either one of you."

"Okay."

"We good?"

"Yes, we're more than good."

Tyne spoke up now. "Maybe you're better prepared for this than I thought."

As Tyne, Joey, and Naqi stood and discussed the attack, Tyne's men worked in the background removing the blood wolves. The council would send someone to pick them up at a neutral location. These blood wolves would go to a different facility than Trent because he was slated for rehab while they were destined for experimentation and eventual disposal. None of them were happy about it, but the things learned from these victims might save others. Even if they wished to interfere, the choice wasn't theirs.

"Should we leave guards here to help you protect Joey?" Tyne asked.

"I don't want them in the house if you do," Naqi said a stubborn look on his face. What the hell did anyone expect? He was newly mated, and he didn't want any males nearby much less ones he didn't know.

"Naqi," Joey started to speak.

"It's a wolf thing, Joey. I understand and I'll have the guys in a surveillance van. It's really an RV so they'll be comfortable. We'll park it in your back yard. You'd be surprised how many people will just think it's yours for when you travel and ignore it. We have something we use to mute the smell so it's hard to pick up and we'll be good to go. I'll stay till the guys make it back," Tyne broke in.

"Why don't we go downstairs and sit in the living room until your guys return?" Joey asked. "You can tell us more about what's going on, consider it an update."

They went downstairs though Naqi grumbled. He had something different than sitting around being sociable on his mind. Maybe if he behaved, he and Joey would get to that when Tyne left. Joey went and got a pitcher of sweet tea and three glasses filled with ice. She and Naqi sat on the couch and Tyne sat on a chair across from them.

"What do you want to know?" Tyne asked as he relaxed and took a sip of tea.

"Have they found out anything more about this Chief Ken?" Naqi asked.

Tyne chuckled. "His name is Chief King and he's a very dangerous rogue. The council is doing what they can to bring him in and once they do, he will be imprisoned."

"How dangerous could he be if some girl took him out?" Naqi asked. Yes, Tyne had told him about the mythical hybrid, but he wouldn't buy that one with someone else's money.

"Funny, Naqi. I'd say you should learn to respect the abilities females have, but I have a feeling that will happen soon. As far as Laurel goes, she is a white wolf too and Joey's cousin."

Naqi smirked, he knew a thing or two and he knew white wolves were extinct. "I don't know why you're trying to sell me magical ice. I'm a wolf and I know white wolves are extinct just like I live in Alaska and know my ice is as good as yours."

"You're wrong about white wolves, Naqi so maybe I can sell you some ice," Tyne said with a laugh.

"Joey, Baby, are you a white wolf?"

"Naqi, I am and so is most of my family."

"Show me!" he said in his demanding alpha voice. He knew it made her want to refuse, but she didn't. She walked to the middle of the room where she stood away from the furniture. Naqi felt power rush through the room signifying an alpha in transition. Then he was humbled when he felt the power rolling through the air as she morphed in the flash of an eye. He was struck speechless.

His beautiful mate had changed from her lovely human form to an impressive wolf form. Her wolf eyes seemed a deep blue, the white fur was unmistakable but the dark brown circle around one eye was distinctive. She was adorable as a wolf and sexy as a human, but she changed back although he would have liked to examine her more closely.

"Okay, you got me. Your whole family, huh? Do they all look like you in wolf form?" he asked curious now that he had accepted something he had believed impossible.

"No two of us look alike and only Ariel is pure white so far."

"No wonder Conrad wants you to strengthen his position."

"Excuse me, are you implying my only value is in my blood?" She was so cute when she was pissed off.

"I didn't know you were a white wolf when I chose you. I simply mean that to a shallow social climber like Conrad that would be reason enough to try to take you as a mate." She smiled at him, he had redeemed himself so he hoped he would get lucky tonight.

"Okay, if you two are through?" Tyne asked. "We need to find a way to capture Conrad."

"Well, I may not be here to help with that. I'm going to Dallas where I have a meeting scheduled with a new client. Weeping Willow is a company that has started to hit it big. Their owner is wealthy, but he doesn't plan to pour all his trust fund money into making it a success. They handle financial planning and investments for anyone who has a hundred grand or more. They've already hit me up, but I told them that just for now, I'm putting all my funds in my business. I have to go Wednesday and I'm flying there."

"You're just now telling me this? What the hell's wrong with you, Joey?" Tyne asked. Naqi growled, no one insulted or yelled at his mate, even if she might deserve it.

"I'm sorry, Tyne, but they told me right before Naqi showed up and I completely forgot about it," she sent Tyne an apologetic look.

"Okay, I need your schedule and I'll have to get you some extra protection. Conrad's gone crazy and I can't say what he'll do next."

"I'll send it to you tomorrow."

"Meanwhile, Tyne, get the hell out of here," Naqi growled. He recognized that he was grumpy, but he couldn't help himself. Naqi was sensitive about his new mate, he had never felt this way before.

"I think I hear the guy's downstairs. If they're back, I'll go now." Tyne headed downstairs leaving them alone.

Joey turned to Naqi. "So, what now?"

Naqi moved close to her and swept her into his warm embrace. "You have to ask?" he purred.

Joey was stunned, his wolf purred. He kissed along her throat making that delicious sound like his motor was running. She found that the purring sound turned her on. It seemed everything her handsome wolf did turned her on. He stepped back to strip off his clothing in a flash and while it was no sweet slow strip tease, it seemed to ignite a fire in her lower belly that spread everywhere. She just stood there watching him bare his marvelous body to her needy eyes.

While he moved to her lightning fast, he started to undress her too. His hands moved around caressing and feeling every part of her as he liberated her from her clothing. She felt the cool air hit bare skin and knew she was as naked as he was. He looked in her eyes and knew she saw the glowing eyes of his wolf, his wolf was achy, needy for his mate and his human side was too.

It was his plan to take her, claim her, and love her all night long if possible. She was his gift from the goddess, and he was damned if he wouldn't appreciate all she was and give her all he was. He pulled her tight against him and he felt her shiver, with need he hoped. There was so much between them unspoken and unexpressed, but he had a lifetime to reveal all his hidden wants and dreams.

Slowly, he backed her toward the bed until she bumped it and slid back on it. He pushed her back and almost fell upon her except for the fact that he caught his weight on his hands as he leaned low enough that they touched. The feel of their skin sliding against each other was electric and sent sizzles through them. He lowered his lips to play with hers as he brushed so lightly, she might have imagined she felt him had she not seen him dip his lips toward hers.

All he wanted to do was tease her until she burned for him like he already burned for her. His temperature was molten as he dipped down again and felt his chest slide against hers as he brushed their lips temptingly together. She opened hers to accept him and he slid his tongue in and explore the cavern of her sweet mouth. Leaning to the side to free one hand he moved it unerringly to the bud of her breast. Her nipple immediately tightened at the softest touch of his finger. Not satisfied with that, he palmed her breast and worked his way up to pinching and squeezing her nipples relentlessly. The aching nipples hardened and poked out begging for more.

Naqi kissed his way down her belly, working toward his goal. As he felt shivers run through her when her anticipation rose, he continued down until his head was between her thighs. Nipping at her legs and belly he then kissed them to soothe the sting. He finally took his tongue and licked the nectar from the inside of her sweet pussy. The sweet flavor melted in his mouth and came alive until he was moaning because it was just so good. That moan caused her to jerk against him, he smiled in satisfaction.

That's when he speared her channel with his tongue just like his cock would soon be doing. She arched and moaned, so responsive to his every touch. While he played her like a fine instrument he had mastered, he felt like a slave to his passion for her. His mate began to writhe, and he wanted to prepare her for his possession. Moving his tongue up to her clit he began to build her passion in earnest. His tongue strummed back and forth as he vibrated it for her pleasure. He circled her bud and felt her arch and jerk as he pressed in all the right spots as she seemed to go wild, and he knew it wouldn't be long before she exploded and flooded his mouth with his reward. The sweet juices that would satisfy him and show him she was ready for his hard, long cock.

Naqi circled a little harder and faster as he felt her tense up, the pleasure nearly overwhelming her. Just a little more and she would scream her release and he would take her and fill her fully. He rolled his tongue over her bundle of nerves over and over going faster as she made soft sexy noises. Pressing her he worried her nubbin until she couldn't stand it, she screamed her pleasure and it echoed through the room. He licked up her love juice and then he slid up impaling her on his impressive cock without warning.

She groaned, but he detected no pain only pleasure. His female was so hot and slick that it thrilled him as he slid in and out easily even though she was incredibly tight. It felt marvelous as he slowly moved in and out driving her crazy. That wasn't easy for him either, but he was determined to make love to her slow and easy. "Damn it, Naqi, move your ass." That made him smile, but he kept his speed the same.

Anticipation thrummed through his veins and excitement stirred his loins as he concentrated on the task at hand. He could sense she was ready, just a little push and she would see fireworks. The heat between them was nearly combustible and he felt like he was already on fire. She whispered, "Naqi."

She jerked and thrashed, but not enough to push her over. Her need was so much that he moved his hand between them and tweak her clit a few times until she bucked under him like she was trying to throw him off. His mate screamed her pleasure to the sky and screamed it some more. Her pussy clamped down and squeezed until he howled his release as well. She milked his cock until it was bone dry. He rolled to the side taking her with him and they lay side by side shuddering as tremors ran through them.

As he put his fingers on her cheek, he stroked it gently. This was about so much more than sex. Truly he loved her, more than he could even describe and he knew she loved him as well. Things had almost gone so wrong, and he could have blamed pride and poor communication. So glad he was that he had given in and come to her. Now he moved his hand down to her tummy where his pup was growing, and he worried about the dangers they would face until Conrad was dealt with. He would deal with the fool himself if he knew where to find him.

Why this Chief character had involved himself in Conrad's plans was something he wondered. He had to think he would gain something out of helping him, wasn't that what bad guys did? If Chief thought he would find a way to get Joey, Naqi would kill him first and he didn't care how tough Tyne thought Chief was. As he curled himself around his mate, he drew in a deep breath of her special individual scent. Joey was his and that's all there was to it.