Vanessa shut her exhausted eyes, imagined herself in a peaceful slumber against the ceramic wall of her shower. The healer had needed much more energy than either of them had anticipated to keep working on injuries to heal quickly. They can't afford to have injured soldiers on their hands, not now. Her energy reservoirs had all but given up six hours ago, but perpetual fear of having failed people-not at meagre tasks but one of a survival possessed her like barnacle to its shell. If this is how Noah felt before every decision making, she had to think whether she was open to that responsibility or not. Lake and Walter, the two injured soldiers, one of which had a sweet tooth. Despite the healer's threat of striping his hide red, he had insisted on inhaling gallons of sugar. His younger brother, Fuastus, smuggled him those from the vending machine. The healer knew, the machine was at the end of the stretched hallway and crackled when put to work, but nobody had the heart to deny the
Noah had conference calls all day next day, until late afternoon sun had pulled his wolf out of slobbering inside four walls, starving for fresh air. Rhys was packing for home- for Nebraska and Wyoming, where Mikhail was the leader for all intents and purposes. A pack didn't have it's Alpha on territory, it can't do without its Beta too. As much as he needed Mikhail, he would have to do without him. Selene, he had very little to complain about, actually there was only one reason- she had given into Vanessa's demands for having separate rooms. Noah never put his foot right with that woman, and it was infuriating. Was he being punished for assuming they'd share a room? Or was she uncomfortable with the new standards of intimacy? He remembered how freely she gave herself to him when they were alone, out for a run. She talked to him like she hadn't to anyone. Or at all. Like she had lots of things to say and the time would run out, or fall short.His wolf pressed ever close, under the sur
"We need to talk before you make decisions on our behalf." She wasn't snappy anymore, with his heat wrapped around her. The pinpricks of desire, lust only excaerbated because she knew him. Knew the slick power in his body, the hunger aimed at her, felt his kisses. Noah sighed and moved away."Why dont I believe you? That's your only hold up? You don't talk about it, you just shut me out?" He took in her form, the slouched shoulders, yawns she kept hiding under the light smiles. The dark circles under her eyes. He was missing something. The worst part of his lust was the overwhelming tenderness that came with it, to hold her close. He knew, the animal knew, intellectually, he can't protect her from everything. But the inane urge never died down. His wolf pawed at the ground at being blindsided by a problem that could cost him her. "I have.... I still have nightmares, Noah. You know how he can access my mind if I can access his. The more I try to hold out, the more I have to completel
Leaving the newly ranked soldier to his post on the rise of the hill, Noah made his way to the garden- an in built extension of the large sunroom where packmates relaxed to catch up, eat, drink, sometimes celebrate. As such the children below the age of ten played there, always in the sight of older pack members. The ones without parents also lived there. Excep Ian, his room was tucked between Noah and Evan's, on the second floor, because he had a family now. The whole pack was a family but seeing how he'd move back to Noah's territory soon, it was better off if he understood it. How many times a child could deal with separation? The football flew in his direction, an adept hand large hand swung forward to catch it. There he was. Noah had come to adore the bouncing tuft of blonde-brown hair. And the body the head was attached to. A smart kid-resourceful, quick on his feet, literally and matemorphically. He was a cat after all. Emotionally, he took after Vanessa. Noah only realized th
Noah sighed."Oh really. What else did she say about me?" Ian pointed at his hand and then counted five things she had said, closing a finger on each one. "You are honorable. You protect everyone. You can be mean. You will make me a pack member as soon as you can. And you love me." Yes, Noah thought. He did love the kid. Who wouldn't?"Remember you said Calvin's only weakness is his mind. What did you mean by that?" He phrased the question like every other conversation. He didn't want to pressure a young mind into recalling memories the trauma had shoved away."Just that. You know when they teach us about the tunnels?"wolves were taught a lot of precautionary measures from the start about mingling in human cities and the human world. Now, it came naturally but in the early days, animals got frustrated in the cities and were notoriously known for scaring humans, any day the fear would shape into paranoia, paranoia into xenophobia, so the elders in the pack decided to teach how to co-
Noah and Rhys had a standing joke, since Desmond hated cats, Noah always sent a cat diplomat to deal with him. It was a brazen provocation, meant to rile both- the cats to an uprising, and Desmond's vote bank to show how performative he was. Maybe he'd be dethroned when both bayed for blood. It was cruel, but his people were trapped, no outside force can bring them their freedom. Heart singing in his chest, he sucked in a great lungfuls of air. Woods flew by in a shadowed blur. Paws landing solidly, whiskers fluttering in the breeze. Brain switched off as he ran. Only an impossible tick to maintain-Nora Desmond. His cat should hate her on principle.Nora killed the engine of her old sedan, rusted window halfway open so the air conditioner's thrumming was useless. Just like her attempts at normalcy. Her father had revoked "car privileges" because she had forgotten to send it for its regular priming sessions. Walter Desmond lived like a tyrant and expected everyone to fall into line at
"Yes," habitual politeness slid into gaps in her faces, "I was here for car repair, thought I should make a detour. Would've waited but you are already here." His full lips tainted in a smile that didn't crease his cheeks. He knew she was lying but let it go."I informed Titius we'd be moving our reinforcement from Rudiger's territory. He doesn't need them anymore and we are short on the resources at the moment. Besides, your father and Rudiger have worked out the tributaries, haven't they? The trespassing won't stop until Rudiger tightens his fist." He was including her in conversation of importance, or was he throwing her crumbs of his table? She couldn't decide. She definitely can't trust. She had to indulge right back."The better part of the decision lies in the reinforcement of the decision made. We'll see." There. She had graduated suma cum laude in diplomacy from Brown University after attending the regal academy all high-born wolves did. Rhys felt his claws slice out at th
Rhys fully grinned. The range rover had been to smooth the bumpy ride back to his woodshed on the terrains laid out miles long. His animal prefered hearing and seeing their visitor before making contact. If she didn't like his masculinity, which was practical as opposed to her pointy impractical heels, then he'd drive roughly. Let her know how pragmatism had to be coupled with skill. Nora sucked in her teeth, the damn cat was enjoying her pain. To be fair, it wasn't painful, just irksome. Her head near about the hit the window for the third time when she braced herself, growled at him. The thrumming engine, rattled car, every sound opaqued by his sudden bark of laugh. It was vibrant. She huffed and turned to the window, at least now he drove smoothly, like he knew what he was doing. "What did you want to talk abou that couldn't wait?" Talking to him, no, begging for his help when she could just as easily ask Noah was like chewing glasses. She was under no illusions of what Rhys th