Chapter7
“When the Great Luna created us, she had a specific plan in mind for her people. We were given the soul of the wolf, which carries with it loyalty, strength, and a need for a strong pack connection. She gave us the soul of a human, so that we could have higher cognitive abilities, more complex understanding, and control over impulsive choices. She blessed us with the possibility of finding a mate whose strengths and weaknesses would complement our own. As wonderful as all those things are, I think she forgot one critical ingredient—patience. Waiting for this mate that will complete the other half of my soul is unbearable.” ~Nick, Beta,Canadapack
Nick glaredat the djinn standing across from him in the sparring circle. Thadrick had sought him out and suggested they spar. It sounded like a good idea at the time. “Note to self.” Nick grumbled. “Never spar with adjinn.Ever.”
Thadrick chuckled. “Iheardthat.”
“Ask me if I care,” Nicktaunted.
The djinn tsked at him, which only served to infuriatethewolf.
Thadrick lunged at him but turned a split second before he would have made contact and was suddenly behind Nick with a dagger pointed at his neck—killshot.
“Why are we doing this again?” Nick asked. “There is no way I can defeat you. You are much faster and stronger. So what’s thepoint?”
“The point, boy,” Thadrick said coolly, “is to become a well-rounded fighter in both of your forms. You are correct. You will never be able to conquer me. But you can improve your speed and technique by sparring with someone superiortoyou.”
“He shouldn’t have to explain that to you, Nick,” Drayden, his Alpha, barkedathim.
Nick glanced over at him and lowered his eyes before looking back at Thadrick. “Alright, I get your point. Let’s goagain.”
Over and over, Thadrick bested him, but now it only made Nick want to try harder. He could tell after several hours of sparring that he’d made progress. His reaction time was getting quicker. A few times, Thadrick had allowed Nick to attack first, to shake things up a bit, allowing the wolf to see the djinn’s defensivemaneuvers.
When Nick’s legs, literally, gave out and he found himself on his knees, he knew it was time to bow out. His breathing was heavy, and sweat poured off of him as though he was standing under the spray of ashower.
“I concede,” Nick said, looking up at Thadrick. The infuriating djinn didn’t even lookwinded.
Thadrick reached down, holding out his arm. He was offering his opponent help and respect at the same time. Nick reached up and clasped his hand around Thadrick’s forearm. The djinn mirrored the hold and pulled the younger man to his feet. To be offered a warrior’s grasp was no small thing. It is only done between comrades, and only those held in highesteem.
“You did well, Nick, Beta of the Canada pack,” Thadrick said with an old-world bow. “Not many wolves can spar with a djinn for four hours. It proves your Alpha takes your training veryseriously.”
“That’s just a nice way of saying he’s a hard ass,” Nick said as he looked over his shoulder at his Alpha, who’d watched the entire practicesession.
“And you are a better wolf because of it,”Draydensaid.
Nick couldn’t deny that. Drayden was a goodAlpha.
“Thanks for the spar,” he told Thadrick. If nothing else, the focus he’d been required to maintain during the fight had helped Nick not obsess over his mate for those four hours. A reprieve that was both needed and loathed at thesametime.
As he walked towards Peri’s house, which had become their temporary home, he saw his Alpha join him from the corner ofhiseye.
“How you holding up?” Draydenasked.
Nick knew he wasn’t asking about his physical health. “I haven’t gone on a killingspree.”
His Alpha laughed. “That is always a good thing. You’ll let me know if it gets to be too much. I don’t just mean now. I mean when they get here and we are stuck only able to see and hear them. If that begins to make your wolf feral, you will tell me.” It was a command, one with Drayden’s power attached to it, and Nick wouldn’t be able todisobey.
“It is imperative that we control our wolves. The Great Luna has chosen this time to reveal these healers and bring them to us for a reason. All of this, everything that’s happening, it’s bigger than us. Even those who are here and have not found their true mates are at risk for giving into the darkness. Volcan knows the importance of true mates and of the healers. He will exploit that ifhecan.”
Nick nodded his agreement but didn’t speak. His Alpha had said all there was to say. They had to remain united. The males must be patient in waiting for their mates. They had to be willing to make sacrifices. Unfortunately, that was all easier saidthandone.
* * *
Ciro staredout over the picturesque landscape of the fae realm. He saw rolling hills and meadows enclosed by strong, breathtaking trees. It looked like something found in a fairy tale book for children. But regardless of how beautiful it was, he still thought his own villa in Italy, surrounded by beautiful vineyards, was the most beautiful landscape anywhere. He missed it. He missed his pack and the day-to-day workings that came with being an Alpha. Perhaps he was simply too old to embrace change. His wolf rumbled inside of him.Mate, he said. Ciro nodded.Yes, we will have to embrace change when we finally claim our mate.He agreed with the thoughts his wolf was conveyingtohim.
Lucian’s scent hit him before Ciro saw the other wolf. “If you’ve come to see if I’m turning feral, you need not worry, old friend,”Cirosaid.
Lucian folded his arms across his chest as he stepped up beside Ciro and surveyed the same landscape for several minutes before speaking. “I have to admit that I am curious as to how a wolf as old as you are has been able to keep the darkness at bay for so long. Much younger wolves than you havesuccumbed.”
