The drive to Georgia was long. The pups waffled between being agitated and excited. They wanted to see Ushna, but the idea of seeing him without Tristan hurt. Even I struggled. If not for the calm patience of Christie, the pups and I might've throttled each other.
The pups were wide awake when we stopped at the gates and waited for someone at the house to authorize our entrance. Guards visibly patrolled the massive lawn in both human and wolf form. At the house, a warrior waited to take my car keys while a couple of them unloaded the trunk, carrying the luggage up the stairs to the second floor where we were shown our rooms.
Although the children protested, Christie and I helped them get ready for bed. Even though the hour was late, I wanted to see Gregori and Jory. After leaving Justus's room, I asked a warrior where to find my friends. Surprisingly they weren't asleep, but in what someone called the Rose Room.
Everyone looked up when I entered. Gregori sat at a dainty desk reading a tome so thick I wondered how the spindly legs held up under the book's weight. Gregori's lover, Juan, reclined in a chair near him. Jory sat with someone who wore the badge of the Council of Five.
Jory hopped up and quickly crossed the room. The bear hug he gave me lifted me off the ground. "You're a sight for sore eyes. Gods it's good to see you!" Jory shoved me back to arm's length, taking me in, his gaze lingering on the marking below my left eye before moving to my shaved head and the short topknot.
Jory's grin was wide with no hint of the sorrow that I was used to seeing on the ranch. "I see you've accomplished what you set out to do. I hope it's brought you a measure of peace. What does the red cowl mean?"
It was Gregori who answered, crossing the room to us. "Red is for the highest ranking, making him an Adon. You excelled during your trials." Gregori's smile was hesitant, as if he didn't know how I'd act. That was my fault, and I'd happily earn back his friendship and trust if was willing to give me the chance.
Unsure how to greet Gregori, I bowed. "I had incentive."
"The trials are about more than strength or will. They're also about heart and courage in the face of the unknown. If you don't stop bowing I'll cut off what little hair you have."
When I stood he hugged me gently and I squeezed him back until he gasped. Juan came up behind Gregori and I held out my hand. He was wary, but accepted. They introduced Elder Jasper Lewis who politely excused himself with a comment about it being past time for him to go home.
After the door closed behind Jasper, I turned to Gregori and Jory. The sense that Tristan yet lived had persisted for the last couple of months, but the closer to the city we'd come the more my gut instinct had morphed into surety. I thought was going to lose my mind.
"Please, someone tell me I'm crazy because I keep thinking Tristan may be alive. I wasn't sure until we arrived but now… I don't know how to describe it. I just know that can't be right." There was an edge of desperation to my voice I couldn't disguise.
Gregori grasped my forearm to stop me from waving my hand about erratically as I spoke. Jory, Gregori, and Juan stepped in closed and when Gregori spoke, his voice was low. "Don't speak of how you feel around anyone. We're sure there is at least one traitor among Nathan's household staff."
Was I correct, then? "Where's Tristan?"
"We're not sure. We only know he's healing."
My expression must've telegraphed my need to sit down because they ushered me to a wingback chair which I fell into unceremoniously. My eyes burned and I pressed my thumb and index finger against my eyelids, rubbing them gently. To have my farfetched suspicions confirmed, to be able to grasp confirmation of my hopes, not just for myself but for the three pups upstairs who'd become my charges. I couldn't share this knowledge but the hope, I'd find a way to transfer some of that to them.
Over the next hour, they told me what had happened since I'd left. The conversation was kept to hushed tones as if they expected someone would attempt to eavesdrop on our conversation. Their paranoia was contagious.
"Why did he want the pups here?" Wouldn't they've been safer on the ranch?
"Since we don't know what will happen or when, he didn't want to split resources if he didn't have to. He worried someone would attempt to take Justus or one of the girls to draw him away from here."
A girl's scream had us all up and running out of the room to the front of the mansion. Standing in the middle of the foyer were three men. One I recognized as Tristan's tutelary, the God Asher. The other two I didn't know. One stood a head taller than the largest warrior. Short cropped hair. A sly upward tilt to his eyes over a sparse mustache and goatee. His body language spoke of something restrained and wild lurking under the surface. The male standing next to him, holding onto the giant's arm, was gaunt as if he'd been starved for years. His' skin had an unhealthy pallor and his black hair was swept up in a high pony tail.
It was the giant whom Dawn was beating her small fists against. "This is your fault! All your fault! You attacked him and hurt him and then you left them to die! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"
A wolf pup launched himself from the middle of the stairs and I ran to catch him, barely snagging him out of the air as he passed over me. With my hands full of mad wolf I couldn't grab Neoma as she rushed by me to climb the giant like a tree.
Gregori grabbed Neoma before she bit the man on the neck. Jory swung Dawn up in his arms and she immediately buried her face in his nape, crying so hard her little body shuddered.
Christie appeared at the top of the steps in a housecoat. "Oh, dear Gods." She rushed down and immediately went to Dawn, taking her from Jory.
Justus snarled and snapped at me until I grasped him firmly by the neck and growled low, pushing a small wave of alpha at him until he dropped his eyes and whined.
"Donya and Neesie, please help Christie with the pups." Corey descended the stirs, his expression a blank mask. If he was upset I couldn't tell. The power of his alpha couldn't be sensed either, though I knew from personal experience he was almost as strong as Tristan. There were wolves who could hide their power, but the ability was extremely rare.
Corey took Justus form me. Holding the pup up under the arms so that he and Justus were nose to nose. He said in an even voice, "You will shift right now." Justus couldn't transform as fast as an adult but he was better than before. "You will go upstairs and mind your mother and climb into bed. I don't want to see you up for the rest of the night or you or I will have more than words. Do you understand me?"
Justus growled.
"You will use your words." Corey snapped.
Justus's rebellious stare turned crestfallen.
"Tomorrow, you and your mentor will appear before me and explain to me why I shouldn't punish you both for losing control of your wolf." Corey set Justus on his feet and Jory helped Justus pulled his sweater over his head.
My hackles rose over Corey's treatment of Justus but that was something we would speak of behind closed doors. Justus slid a glance at me to see how I'd reacted and I was glad I hadn't lost my temper. The last thing we needed was for Justus to believe he could rebel against an alpha without consequence. Justus rushed up the stairs.
"Everybody else meet me in the Rose Room." Without a backward glance, Corey turned and walked away, confident we'd follow his order. And we did, but I seemed to be the only one reluctant to do so.
Once the door was closed Corey pointed to the God Ashur. "I don't know what Ushna will do if he sees you. I know he wants to talk to you but I doubt you'll give him the answers he's looking for. Why did you come?"
"I know and understand. I would not have come but Mithra wished to speak to Ushna. From your expression I surmise the answer is no."
The giant rumbled, his scowl deepened. Mithra patted the giant's arm. "Stop, Verethragna. They have good reason to deny my petition after what happened."
"They cannot hold my nature against you." Verethragna turned to Corey. "When Mithra is in distress, I automatically take on a manifestation to protect him. I become the creature until the threat
is eliminated or the danger to Mithra has passed. I was stuck in the form of the boar for as long as Mithra was shackled to the wall. The boar was in control until we both rose out of the caverns. Had I been aware, I wouldn't have attacked those who freed Mithra. I am aggrieved at the deaths I caused." Despite Verethranga's words, his expression never changed.
A tick formed under Corey's right eye, the only indication he suppressed strong emotion. "We Lycans never allow a cub away from home and hearth if he cannot control his beast. It is a problem they are required to master before they venture out on their own." Corey turned to Mithra. "Why have you come?"
"Your prince saved my life. Several hundred years ago, I accidentally discovered Inanna's plans to usurp the throne. She put me in that place to keep me from warning our king or the other Gods. She's too dangerous. Her vendetta against Gilgamesh has her seeking avenues of more and more power."
I couldn't help myself and I laughed aloud in disbelief. "For centuries she's toyed with us, doing her damnedest to kill off the Lycans starting with our royal line. The Gods turned a blind eye to her dealings and none of you lifted a hand to help us until your power—your king's throne was threatened by her ambition."
Corey's gaze flicked to me but he said nothing.
"Inanna's accountable to King Enlil and he's known for being lenient with her. No one has brought forward a complaint against her. She has committed no overt act herself. As far as our king is concerned the war between the True Bloods and the Lycans is between them and no one else. But she's brokered secret deals with other Gods to overthrow the leadership and the assemblage. Her actions are a grave offense and need to be stopped. It was I who gave the Lycan kings the spell to hide their heirs from the Gods. It was I who created the binding that blanketed the heir's inborn abilities. I was the one who warned King Bahram of the danger of the assassins.
"I come now to the royal line to announce I will do all within in my power to put a stop to her. We have spoken to our king and now we search for allies to oppose her. The Lycans are not alone in the fight against her. I will be worthy." Mithra said the last seemingly to himself. Verethragna put a protective arm around him.
Mithra's shoulders slumped when Corey's stoic expression went unchanged. "At least allow me to herald the births to the Gods."
Corey was shaking his head even before Mithra finished. "I understand all you've done to help us, and I will pass all of this on to Ushna, but the lineage of the heir cannot be revealed at this time. The Gods who know of him is enough for now. Our main concern is their safety. One of us will contact you when we are ready."
Ashur asked, "And when Tristan returns? Will the Herald be allowed to appear before him?"
I glanced around at the people in the room making note of who Corey spoke freely in front of.
"That is for Tristan to say."
I moved away from the crowd, uninterested in the conversation because I was simply too tired. I worried about the pups. They were distressed and I wished to check on them. But before I could do so, I needed to speak to Corey alone. It didn't take long for everyone to disperse. Some going back to their duties and others heading off to bed. I followed Corey as he escorted the three Gods from the house.
"Corey, when you speak to Justus tomorrow, go easy on him. The last couple of days have been stressful." I ventured cautiously. I'd been on the receiving end of Corey's anger once and I didn't wish to experience it again, but I would tempt fate to buffer my charge.
Corey's eyes narrowed. "No. He needs to learn his discipline now. Just because it's been a bad couple of months doesn't give him an excuse to lose control. Life is full of turmoil. He needs to learn how to handle himself through all situations, not only the easy ones. There are no excuses."
I moved into Corey's space, coming within inches. "I'm his mentor. I'll be the one to work with him through this. He's much better than he was. Encourage him, don't berate him. I won't have it. And if you think to lay a hand on him in punishment, I'll cut it off. There will be no warning."
Suddenly Corey smiled and I stepped back in shock. "You finally found your purpose. I'm pleased. About damned time you stopped drifting." Then the smile disappeared as if it hadn't been there a second ago. "Any punishment for Justus's lack of progress will come out of your hide. The only thing I care about is that Justus grows to be more man than wolf. If you're not committed to the task tell me know, and I will find someone else better suited for the job."
Then he left me standing there like an idiot. Was he fucking with me?
"You and Justus meet me in the Billiards Room after breakfast," he said from the top of the stairs before disappearing around the corner.
Slowly I trudged up to the second floor and dressed in sleep pants before going through the connecting door to check on Justus. I didn't have to search out the girls because Neoma and Dawn had crawled in the bunk with Justus. A sleeping bag lay on the floor next to the bed. Brushing a soft kiss on their heads, I quietly lay down and listened to them breathe.
"Master Stan."
"Yes, Justus?"
"I miss Randy. My wolf hates that he's been away for so long."
"I know. It's okay to miss him."
"Master Stan?"
"Yes, Dawn?"
"I wish Uncle Tristan was here."
"Me, too, Sweetie. Me, too."
About the Author
Lexi has always been an avid reader and at a young age started reading (secretly) her mother's romances (the ones she was told not to touch). She was the only teenager she knew of who would be grounded from reading. Later, with a pencil and a note book, she wrote her own stories and shared them with friends because she loved to see their reactions. A Texas transplant, Lexi now kicks her boots up in the Midwest with her Yankee husband and her 80 pound puppies named after vacuum cleaners.
Website: https://www.lexiander.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexi.ander.9
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LexiAnder1
Blog: https://lexiander.blogspot.com/
Email:
[email protected] Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends