*****
I was beginning to think I should have let Josette fight after all. Since hearing the news about Ronin declaring a weapon she was pretty mad. She was so mad, in fact, that the room we were staying in was going to need refurnishing. Hell, I was scared. I looked at my watch because it was getting time for her to leave. She would be seated on the platform, along with Diana and Jean Rene. Ronin had offered to seat Julian next to me when it was Josette fighting, I guess the invite was reneged after Julian mated with Brianne and foiled Ronin’s forced union with the woman.
Josette stopped pacing and thankfully didn’t pick up anything, or kick anything, or punch anything, and took a deep breath.
“You better kick his ass,” she said. Not a request. An order.
I stood up and crossed the short cluttered distance, stepping over broken furniture and kicking broken glass. I almost slipped on a bunch of feathers but finally I made it to her and she fit in my arms like hand in glove.
“I love you Tehila, you are my heart and soul.”
“I’ll kill you if you die,” she said.
I could feel her laughing with me but there was no hiding for us. She was nervous and scared. I felt it through the bond we shared. Ronin had leveled the playing field. Superior strength didn’t mean shit if he made a lucky strike and pierced my heart, or took my head. I kissed her. Like it was the last kiss we’d ever have, and then knelt and kissed her stomach. I rested my head on it for a moment and closed my eyes. I would see my children. I was going to hold them in my arms and watch them grow up and do the job right. They were going to love me and adore their mother. I would sneak them candy and feed them pizza for breakfast and ice cream for dinner. This was the vow, the oath I swore on bended knee.
The door opened and Diana didn’t say a thing about the room. She didn’t even look around.
“It’s time,” she said. The smile she offered was nothing but joyful and if it was reassurances we needed we found them in it. Josette nodded while I stood. She grabbed my hands and kissed the palms.
“Be safe Honi.”
Josette walked to Diana who didn’t offer her comforting touches. Diana told us the first piece of advice Jean Rene had given her was to make people fear her. He told her, and I quote, “Make them fall at your feet and worship you as the queen you are,” end quote. Diana had never shown fear, not once, Jean Rene said. She was queen of werewolves, who the hell should she fear? It was no different for Josette. So, no, there were no comforting touches. The women walked side by side, heads held high, backs straight. Queens.
I found Joffrey downstairs shadow sword fighting. The light saber sound effects echoed in the halls. I shook my head as I approached the idiot. God, how I loved him.
“Ready?” He asked, not at all embarrassed to have been caught play fighting.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I answered.
Constantine appeared like an apparition. In his hand was the sword. “This is a broadsword. Ronin will fight with a long sword.” I nodded. I hadn’t taken Constantine or Jean Rene up on their offer to show me a few moves because it seemed like a waste of time. “Once the announcement is made, I’ll bring it to you.”
Joffrey put both his hands on my shoulders, pressed his forehead to mine and we closed our eyes. Our secret greeting from when we were ten.
He took a deep breath then said, “I’ll make you famous.”
My reply, “I’m your huckleberry.”
God, we were such geeks. I was going to a fight to the death and we were quoting Billy the Kid and Doc Holiday. I opened my eyes and we raised our heads
“Be careful,” he said. I nodded.
“It’s time,” Constantine said.
I waited for the clock to strike the hour as per instructed and when the first gong sounded I stepped outside. Ronin had done the same on the other end of the house, exiting from an office. I’d come from the library. We’d come a long way from a time where people cheered for death, I was glad for it, but that didn’t stop all three hundred invited guest from coming. The crowd was silent. Josette sat next Diana and Jean Rene with Joffrey standing behind her to her left. Wallace and Rob stood behind the Nonakris and Lycaon, Constantine was standing in front of the platform with the Wolfe Hunters.
It was explained that there would be no announcer who yelled stats and introductions. At the agreed upon time the fighters came out, faced each other, and game on. As we turned, Ronin smiled and his deep voice filled the morning.
“It is within my rights to declare a weapon within twenty four hours of a challenge.”
I didn’t argue. I nodded my agreement and acceptance.
“Long sword,” he said.
My father came from behind the bleachers carrying a sword. There were a few gasps from those who knew the man who sided with my enemy was my father. As he made his way to Ronin he never looked away. For whatever the reason, my father really thought I gave a damn. My parent had been my mother; he had simply been a guardian—no, not even that—he had been someone of legal age that the laws of the land say all minors must have until they reach maturity. He was nothing to me.
Ronin took his sword and tried to hide the shock when Constantine came to me and handed me a sword. Once Constantine was back in his original spot we faced each other. I made the first move.
I had every intention on fighting Ronin for awhile in my human form. Was it cheating that my endgame was to take him out in half-form. No. Why? Because all I brought to the table was my body, my strength, my skill as a fighter. It was a little underhanded. Okay, it was really underhanded, but like Josette said, “All’s fair in love and war.” It wasn’t my fault he couldn’t take half form in the light of day.
My transition was quick. I’d worn baggy pants with elastic in the waist, since I had no desire to fight naked. In the movies werewolves are about as anatomically correct as a Ken doll. In real life your junk is out there waving in the wind.
The look on Ronin’s face. I almost felt sorry for him, but I’d given him an out the day before and he’d refused it. I fully expected him to make a run for it then and I would have let him. I wasn’t going to stab the man in the back, even if werewolf rule and law said it was acceptable.
I didn’t take wolfman form often before I met Josette, but I had enough for my dad to know my size. I gained height and bulk that would have put me a couple of inches taller than Ronin and maybe the same weight. I would have been stronger, but his skill as a swordsman put him at an advantage. Constantine’s wife, Virginia, was five-five and weighed a buck twenty and she was a goddamn Wolfe Hunter. Her job was to go out and fight, and not just any werewolf, but the worst of our kind, rogue werewolves. But my father’s detailed and thorough description was pre-Josette.
I towered over Ronin, even from across the grass covered battle field the height and weight difference was noticeable. I had no way of seeing myself, but the gasp I received from the crowd was a clue. The ones to my left confirmed. They’d seen me at my largest and for them to be surprised I must have been a big ass beast. I raised my sword that now seemed small in my hands and I gave Ronin points for charging me instead of running away.
Our swords came together and the clash of the weapons sent vibrations up my arm. I was stronger and bigger but Thomas Ronin wasn’t exactly a light weight.
He did a lot of advancing and I did a lot of dodging and retreating. I blocked and thrust and danced around Ronin, keeping him from making a killing blow. It wasn’t fancy. I felt bad for stealing the beauty two skilled sword fighters could make. I made a mental note to take lessons right as Ronin faked a move that made me swing my sword left when I should have gone right and up, and the razor sharp edge cut into my side. My speed saved me from being gutted. My heart rate increased and fear almost stole my breath. I blocked Ronin’s sword and tried to shield better Josette’s emotions. There were several more gasp and I knew it wasn’t for the fighters because we weren’t doing anything fancy. I gave Ronin my full a
ttention or risked dying.
The day had warmed up and sweat covered my body and blood stuck my pant leg to my right thigh. I wasn’t tired and I’ll be damn if Ronin didn’t look like he was ready to do this all day. I decided to change styles and go on the offensive. I didn’t have his skill, but if I could get on the inside I could crush his ass. Since I’d been pretty much running from his ass the whole time when I charged, Ronin hesitated. It was enough. I grabbed his arm, twisted it until I felt bone break and turned him around prepared to break his neck when I heard the scream.
Mother’s know the sound of their children; I knew the sound of my mate. With Ronin still in my grasp I looked at the platform and saw Josette standing, Her dress hanging off in tatters because she too was in half-form. So were Diana and Jean Rene. Taking in the sight took no more than a second, maybe two; it was all the time my dad needed to stab me…in the back. He’d stabbed me twice more before Josette reached him. I’m sure the original plan was to cut my throat but I was too tall for him to reach it. I didn’t look as my wife killed my father. I was too busy killing my own asshole.
Epilogue
Eight months later
“Hello” Mr. B yelled.
He came through the door as powerful as the storm dumping record snowfall outside the doors of my childhood home. Josette and I turned down living in the royal resident. Brianne and Julian lived in it instead. It was his childhood home, he could have it.
“She’s here,” I called out around a mouth full of teeth.
It was a little after one in the morning. Josette had gone into labor earlier that afternoon. I tried not to think too much on how much pain she’d been in to change forms while in labor. It made my knees feel funny. I’d actually howled I was so frantic and anxious for her body to finish the change. Curse that damn curse, or virus or blessing. Damn Jean Rene and his ability to not change, damn him to hell.
Mr. and Mrs. B were the last to arrive. Our bedroom was full of people and we surrounded the large white wolf. Josette had made herself a nest using sheets and blankets from the bed and she laid in it panting throw contractions. I stroked her head and kissed her snout trying to give her what comfort I could.
“Would you look at that,” Mr. B said.
I raised my head and looked down to see the first of our children born. Josette was having twins. I was stilled by the wonder of watching our pup enter the world. Josette maneuvered around until the pup lay next to her, close to her body and her large tongue cleaned him, gave him stimuli to help him take his first breath. It was…
The sounds of my baby brought tears to my eyes. Brianne whimpered and I let her have room to nuzzle her daughter. We crowded Josette in silence and waited for the second.
“Maxwell,” Julian said in a low voice. He too had a mouth full of teeth.
This time, it wasn’t the sight of the wonders of childbirth that made me look on in amazement. Well, it was, but it was multiplied tenfold because our second child was human. A girl. A Queen of wolves.
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Lupa (Second Edition) Page 40
