Except, the wolf wouldn’t. He understood our survival depended upon him following the human and supernatural laws. He chuffed at a few of the rules in disgust, but he didn’t push me not to follow them.
I almost didn’t go to class, but something told me this was a test. Not going would mean certain failure. I was going to be fine.
It didn’t occur to me until six months later that Kirsten was there to contain my wolf if he went out of control. I wasn’t aware she could control lone wolves on this day. Later, when I found out, it all made sense. She’d been the backup plan. Thankfully, one wasn’t needed.
I sparred with a world champion. Granted, he’s human, but he still very nearly kicked my ass. We were all reminded ahead of time to punch and kick at twenty-five to thirty percent of our total power, and not to appear faster than sight. Concentrating on not using full power would slow us down a little, but we needed to be cognizant of our speed.
My wolf followed orders. He wanted to hit at full strength. We’d have easily won if he had, but this wasn’t about winning. It was about socializing. Networking.
I helped the bikers hand out toys over the weekend. Or rather, I gave them the boxes so they could hand them out. They needed to be the faces doing the actual giving, but they needed people behind the scenes, and I was happy to help.
That evening, Josef and Kendra arrived at our home together, unannounced. I saw them drive onto the property and I was certain I’d screwed something up, but when I opened the door to let them in, Kendra assured me everything was good.
Arabella offered them a drink, but both told her they’d already fed. We knew this, of course, but it was polite to ask.
Arabella wasn’t invited to our conversation. Gwen decided the two of them should go downstairs and do some online shopping, likely to keep Arabella from feeling left out.
So, it was just me, Kieran, Josef, and the new Master Vampire of the territory.
Once we were all seated, Kendra told me, “I looked through the minds of some of the spectators who watched you spar with Ethan Levi. I also looked through your mind from down the street, before we pulled into your driveway. You lost without getting your ass kicked, and that took control. The wolf didn’t want to cede, but he let you make the decisions. I’m impressed. I’ve come to offer you three choices.”
She sat back and crossed her legs. “The first — nothing changes. We hold your leash. You continue to act as a freepersoneven though legally the Coterie is responsible for controlling your wolf. The second — we relinquish your leash and you oath to either the Homewood Pack, the Chattanooga Pack, or the Ringgold Pack. All have agreed to take you on, should you wish to join a Pack. You can run with all three before making a decision. And the third — we relinquish your leash and you blood bond with the three people you live with. You’ve done it before, but this will make it official as a romantic commitment.” She sighed. “Actually, for now, you’d just be blood bonding with Kieran and Gwen. Sophia will need to provide permission before Arabella can blood bond with the group again.”
I shook my head. “I can’t answer that question until January. If Arabella is to be mine, then it’s the last option, without having to consider anything. However, if she’s to be taken from us, I’m not sure of my choice.”
Mainly because she hadn’t listed an option for me to join the bikers.
Josef looked grim. “The option in your head is a possibility, but not yet. It sounds as if you need to choose option one for now, and we’ll revisit this after the first of the year, perhaps after you’ve spent some time with the various Packs.”
“You’re hoping I’ll think the Packs are better than being a lone wolf and joining the bikers.”
“I don’t believe that’s accurate,” said Kendra. “I need you to understand all your options before you give up any and all legal protections. The choices I gave you will allow you to enjoy the magic of your kind, and will keep you safe from the Concilio so long as you follow basic rules.”
She and Josef stood together, and Kendra said, “I’ve removed all but about three percent of the leash. I doubt you’ll come up against it. You should be able tochangeat will, and your wolf should be able to give you feedback throughout your days and nights. If you lose it and kill someone, I’ll be heldpersonally responsible, so please don’t do that. It’s time you lived your life as a full wolf, and this is as much as I can give you at this time. Let me know if you make a decision between the options I gave you.”
* * * *
Arabella
I’m not sure why the meeting with Kendra and Josef was secret. Ajax told me he’d been given access to his wolf, but he wasn’t totally free yet. Still, hechangedto wolf for me, and let me pet him. I’d seen him when Josef or Abbott was around, but this was just the two of us, in the morning, when our vampires were dead to the world. He’s a huge wolf, but I’m not afraid of him. Just like Ajax, he’d die protecting me, whether I wanted him to or not.
Later in the day, Queen Sophia showed up unannounced. The vampires were up downstairs, but they couldn’t come upstairs for a few more hours. Kieran told us it was okay to bring her down. We did, but my insides were a mess. Had something bad happened during yesterday’s meeting? Was she going to recall me sooner than promised? If I couldn’t spend Christmas with my family, I wanted to die. I couldn’t leave them. Ibelongedhere.
It was five days before Christmas. The winter solstice was the following day, and Queen Sophia had a bus leaving at noon, with a seat on it for Ajax and me. She’d arranged for an indoor space large enough for a few hundred swans tochangeand fly together. Ajax had to go with me, of course, since I needed him to help me shift forms.
So why was she here today?
“I have an offer for you,” Sophia told us once we were seated downstairs. “I’ve talked to Kendra, and she’s close enough, she can handle the part on her end if necessary.” She looked to Ajax.“I was waiting for you to become an independent wolf. We’re in a bit of a catch-22 right now, because you won’t take that step until I release Arabella, but I won’t release her until I’m certain the four of you can blood bond.”
I’d had this overwhelming sense of dread, but her words gave me hope.
“I’ll do whatever you need me to do so Arabella can be mine,” Ajax told her.
I’d known he would, but I didn’t dare hope everything might work out. Nothing ever had for me. Not until that fateful day I’d helped revive a vampire I was certain had found his true death.Everythingchanged on the day we won the war.
The next ten minutes passed in a blur. I guess Kendra released the final parts of Ajax’s leash, and then there was lots of biting and drinking, and I didn’t even care what oath they wanted me to say, I’d say whatever I was told if it meant I could stay with my family.
But they only wanted me to say I belonged to Ajax. Ajax gave a bunch of oaths about taking care of me and Gwen and Kieran, and about doing right by us, giving us what we needed that was within his ability to provide. Kieran’s sounded much the same, except he only claimed feeding and sex privileges from Ajax, and the protection of the three of us within his abilities to provide. Gwen’s was similar.
