Night Pack

Raine stepped out of the pack house looking confused. Nikolai leaned on his car with Gabe by his side and watched the emotions flickering across her face. He couldn't help himself and the way he stared at her.

Her freckles made her all the more cute as she approached. His wolf pranced around in happiness. The damn animal had some serious they'd need to work out.

"If you stare harder, maybe time would become frozen and give you two the chance you need." Gabe's voice sarcastically droned next to him.

Nikolai rolled his eyes and averted his gaze.

"She's really beautiful, Gabe. All that red hair. I want..."

"She's an omega." Gabe cut him off.

Nikolai squared his shoulders and glared at his best friend.

"And I am alpha." He fired back.

"Exactly my point. You are alpha. Not just any other alpha. You are the alpha. The most powerful across the packs. You can't degrade your position because of a common omega."

"What are you saying, Gabe? She's beautiful, I never said I wanted to have her as a mate. This wouldn't be the first time I'll be tangling with an omega. It's one of her duties to her alpha." Nikola reminded him.

"This wouldn't be the first time, but this is definitely the first time you're going soft over an omega. I don't understand why we are making the trip to the night lack just because you found some marks on her," Gabe said.

Nikolai ignored him. For him, Gabe was shortsighted and revised to see what he saw when it came to those marks. He ignored him and got into the car.

The rest of the wolves did the same. From the mirror, he watched as Gabe guided Raine to the second car and pushed her in. A feral sound rumbled in his chest and he almost tore down the car to get to her.

Gabe walked around the car opened the driver's seat next to him and sat down.

"The next time you handle her that way will be your last," Nikolai growled.

"Damn, Nik. You've got it bad." He laughed and drove off.

Nikolai didn't find it amusing, so he started straight ahead and ignored his stupid friend for the rest of the journey.

They drew close to the night pack territory. The border wolves that were on patrol surrounded the car with their weapons drawn.

"One would think we were at war," Gabe muttered.

"Considering they sent a blemished peace offering and trampled on my position, I'm sure they knew what to expect and that's why they're prepared," Nikolai explained in a low tone.

Gabe noted the hint of danger swirling around him and shook his head.

"Stay here. I'll talk to the guards to let us through."

Nikolai bared his fangs in anger. He would have preferred to go after the wolves himself. It would give him a mile opportunity to tear into them and feed. His wolf was getting agitated from the lack of action.

He watched as Nikolai took the head of the patrol guards to their second car and showed Raine to him. The guard nodded and signaled to his wolves.

They sheathed their weapons and lifted the barricade granting them entrance. Gabe got into the car again and waggled his brows.

"Diploma is sometimes better than brute force."

"Brute force can be diplomatic too. Besides it gets the job done faster." Nikolai countered.

"Brute force is messy." Gabe quipped.

"Brute force is powerful."

"I can't win over you, can I?" Gabe grumbled.

"Don't stop trying though. One day."

Gabe parked the car. They noted that the wolves of the night pack were already gathered awaiting their arrival. The power of the pack mind link was something Nikolai would never understand.

They got out of the car and walked toward the gathering. He could hear Raine's shallow breathing behind him and it irked him. His wolf whimpered and it killed him that he couldn't do anything to ease him.

"Nikolai, my friend. I didn't expect to see you so soon after the peace treaty has been struck," Tiki said.

His eyes flicked to the omega wolf behind him and his face darkened. Nikolai narrowed his eyes. He wondered if Tiki was the culprit he sought.

"Tiki, I have come to return the symbol of your peace treaty," Nikolai announced.

A lot of things happened at the same time.

Raine gasped behind him and her breath hitched in her throat. Gabe turned sharply to glare at him. Tiki's eyes widened in surprise. Two female wolves whispered to each other. Atticus' eyes shone with appreciation.

Again, Nikolai wondered if Atticus was responsible for the bite mark on Raine's neck.

"Alpha, please..." Raine pleaded, but Nikolai cut her off with a sharp look of disgust.

"This wasn't the plan," Gabe whispered.

"We never had a plan. I was the one with the plan. And this is my plan." Nikolai whispered back.

"You're going to return her?" Gabe whispered harshly.

"You just said Diploma was better than brute force. I'm merely applying your wisdom, wise one."

Gabe growled but Nikolai ignored him.

"Why?" Tiki asked.

His surprise has been replaced with anger. His jaw was right and his voice had a slight tremor in it.

"Raine," Nikolai called.

She stepped forward on trembling legs almost falling in the process. Atticus rushed to her side to help. Nikolai growled and pushed him back.

"Don't touch her." He warned.

The surprise on Atticus' face mirrored the one he spotted on every member of the night pack. He was almost convinced Atticus was responsible for the bite mark.

Raine stood next to him breathing heavily. He looked down at her and gestured toward her clothes.

"Take them off," he said. His voice carried an air of authority that no one could refuse.

Raine looked up at him with those giant doe eyes of hers. He raised an eyebrow daring her to defy. Atticus rushed forward and stood in front of her, glaring at Nikolai.

"That's hardly appropriate." He stated.

Nikolai glowered at him with fire in his eyes. He bared his fangs and unsheathed his claws.

"If you don't step aside, then I'm going to tear into you without mercy." He warned.

His wolf snarled in response inside him. He could already anticipate the joy of having to maim someone and he couldn't wait.

"Atticus!" Tiki called.

The beta wolf stepped back, but the defiance in his eyes didn't subside. Nikolai nodded to Raine to carry on.

Raine pulled at her dress and let go. The fabric pooled at her feet and everyone gasped in horror at the sight of her body.

"You attack me in your home and threaten to take away my life," Nikolai's voice boomed.

"I promised vengeance upon you and you come up with an apology, offering your finest wolf as a peace offering to uphold the treaty. Not only did you send the weakest omega I have encountered in my existence, but you also sent one that is fucking blemished!"

Everywhere trembled and the crowd gasped at the anger in his voice. Tiki stepped forward trying to placate his anger.

"I want the culprit that dared to lay a hand on my property. And not only that, I want the wolf that marked her." Nikolai deadpanned.

He watched as Tiki's eyes widened in fear.

"Nikolai, I suggest we sit somewhere and talk it out." Tiki calmly suggested.

Nikolai didn't budge. His face showed no emotions at all. He flexed his claws ready to tear into Tiki's throat.

"I did it."

Nikolai turned sharply to the voice. Atticus stepped out of the crowd and squared his shoulders.

"No!" Raine cried.

Nikolai glared at her causing her to shut up at once.

"He had no idea she would be picked as part of the peace treaty. She's an omega. A heedless omega who deserves to be punished in the face of wrongs." Tiki piped in defending his heir.

His excuse was valid. Omega wolves received punishment for every wrongdoing. Gabe tugged at his hand, trying to call him down.

"And the bite mark on her neck?" He asked, grabbing Raine and exposing her neck for all to see.

"Maybe you should ask the wolf wearing the mark," Tiki replied.

"Father," Atticus began.

"Shut your mouth!" Tiki commanded.

Nikolai knew there was something fishy going on. He looked at Raine but she turned away from him.

"Well?" He demanded.

"I can't remember. I was out of it, one night. And when I was up, it was there. I don't know how it happened."

Nikolai barked out a laughter that lacked humor.

"Listen, wolves of the night pack. You have tapered with what belongs to me, and this insult shall not go unpunished. Today, I didn't get what I came for, but I assure you that I will and that someone will suffer for the insult."

His eyes cut through the crowd and he met Bellona's. Her breath hitched and he smiled sinisterly.

"Let's go."