“That was a little harsh,”Zara said.
“Wolf packs are not a democracy, Z. There has to be a definitive leader—an Alpha—that keeps the others in line. Wolves thrive on order, knowing where each member is ranked. Jen is an Alpha female, but she is not above Vasile, and she has to remember that. Vasile doesn’t reprimand her lightly. He does it because he knows what happens when wolves begin to question who is in charge. The more dominant wolves begin to buck at his orders and challenge him without thought to the fact they would then be responsible for caring for an entire pack themselves. Not every dominant wolf is meant to lead.”
“Is there a book I can read on this stuff?”she asked him.
“Actually, there are many books. You are mated to the pack historian, remember? I’ve got all the literature you need on all things Canis lupis,”Wadim assured her.
Finally, only Vasile, Alina, Wadim, and Zara remained. The Alpha stepped closer to Zara then knelt in front of her. “This might feel a little uncomfortable but try and give me your will. Make a conscious choice to allow me to push your wolf back and give your human form to regain control.”
Zara nodded her large wolf head.
Wadim noticed that Alina had stepped forward and held out a blanket. “Thank you,” he said as he took it from her and draped it over his mate.
Vasile placed his hand on Zara’s head and spoke in a voice that made Wadim want to roll over and submit. “Phase.” The word came out in a guttural commanding tone.
Zara felta tug inside of her, as though a cord was being reeled in. In the blink of an eye, she was lying on the floor of Vasile’s office with a blanket, thankfully, covering her nakedness. She didn’t need two other people in the room the first time Wadim saw her naked. She was already humiliated enough.
Zara grasped the blanket around her shoulders, careful to keep everything covered. With Wadim’s help, she rose from her prone position. Vasile stood up, as well, and smiled at her in a fatherly way. Alina, too, was smiling, and there was a slight sheen to her eyes. Seeing the emotion in the other female made Zara swallow back feelings that threatened to release tears.
“Thank you,” she said to Vasile. “I’m not going to lie. I was a little scared that I was going to be in my wolf form indefinitely.”
Alina stepped forward and wrapped Zara in a hug. Being touched in a gentle manner was somewhat startling to Zara, though Wadim’s constant affections were helping her adjust to the sensation. Zara sank into the Alpha female’s embrace and allowed herself to enjoy being cared for. It was a different kind of safe feeling than the one she felt with Wadim, but safe nonetheless. When Alina released her, she patted Zara’s cheek gently. “We love you.”
The words hit Zara like a bat to the gut, and all she could do was nod in response. One day, when she wasn’t overwhelmed with, well, everything, she would be able to tell Alina how much her words meant.
“Wadim,” Vasile said, “take Zara down to Rachel so she can work her magic. Then you two take some time to rest.”
“Um, Vasile,” Zara said hesitantly as she bit her bottom lip. “Why didn’t you do the whole forcing-the-phase thing the other times I was in my wolf form, instead of putting me in a cage?”
She wasn’t bitter about the cage. She understood they were just trying to ensure her safety, as well as the other members of the pack, but that didn’t stop her curiosity.
“We wanted to minimize collateral trauma,” Vasile said, his eyes gentle as he looked at her. “Being forced to phase can feel invasive. Most people don’t appreciate being forced to do anything, and I try to only use Alpha commands as a last resort. I may be the Alpha, but I am not in the habit of taking away my pack’s free will. That would make me a tyrant. I refuse to become that kind of leader.”
Vasile’s response made Zara respect him even more. “Your pack is blessed to have you as their Alpha,” she said.
“Our pack,” Wadim corrected from behind her, his breath ruffling her hair because he stood so close.
“A little space?”she asked him, though it was really just to tease him.
“You’re wrapped in a blanket, completely naked beneath, with another male near you. You’re lucky I haven’t picked you up and taken twenty steps back from him. He’s my Alpha and he is mated, but he’s still male and you’re still naked. And I need to stop pointing that out to myself.”
Zara laughed out loud. Wadim sounded frustrated, and she found herself thinking how adorable it was that he was becoming so flustered over her lack of clothing, despite the fact she was completely covered, except for her head.
“I think a detour to my room might be in order,” she said and then bowed to Vasile. “Thank you, again. I am very grateful to you both.” Wadim took her hand and pulled her toward the door.
“Thank you, Alphas,” he called out over his shoulder. He opened the door but froze as a snarl erupted from his throat. He pulled Zara quickly into his arms and wrapped his larger frame around her. Zara got a brief look at four, wide-eyed males who were standing in the hall, obviously waiting to go into Vasile’s office.
“You’ve got a pretty little mate.” Zara heard Costin say. Then she heard Decebel’s voice.
“Do you have a death wish?”
Wadim’s growling increased, and she realized that Costin had been goading her mate. She found it interesting that they were all so possessive and protective of their mates, yet they liked to tease each other about their jealousy, as though they weren’t all exactly that way.
“You need clothes. Now,” Wadim said through gritted teeth as he increased their pace.
“Will that help you calm down?” Zara asked, as her lips turned up in a small smile.
“Maybe.” He huffed. “I know it’s not rational to feel so protective of you around men I’ve known for centuries, especially since they are already mated. But rational thinking doesn’t always occur to my wolf. He is driven by instinct. I apologize if I am making you uncomfortable.”
