The Heart of a Wolf

by Megan Smith

  She could only see glimpses of it, as well as other dwellings scattered about the vast property.

  Werewolves were highly territorial by nature and guarded both pack and land with a ferocity that rivaled a dragon Circle’s. Each area was carefully marked, with packs taking their name from the land they’d claimed as theirs.

  Kalvara sat deep within the forested mountains of Farallon and claimed ownership of the deep, crystal blue lake and all the land within eyesight. No one could say with certainty just when the werewolves had settled there, given how isolated it was from everything else, but Allandra suspected it had sprung up at the same time the Ascendant Alpha had appeared.

  The area was majestically beautiful, surrounded by towering mountains on all sides, thick forests and a lake that glimmered in the sunlight. It was also, as befitted the leader of the wolves, immense in area and indisputably theirs. Enemies had attempted to breach Kalvara’s borders many times, but no one had ever survived the attempt.

  Territories were all about places of safety for the packs, a sanctuary while constantly faced with extermination by those who swore they didn’t deserve to live and nothing moved within it without someone noticing.

  She knew as soon as she landed and stepped down on the road, she’d have several werewolves pacing beside her while others ran ahead with the message that she’d arrived. Giving one last sweep of the area, she dove toward the ground, shifting so smoothly she never hesitated but just stepped out and moved confidently down the road.

  As predicted, guards in wolf form paced beside her, moving silent and hidden in the trees, but her enhanced senses picked them up. Not sensing any harm, she ignored them and walked down the path, sweeping the area with her senses out of habit.

  The Ascendant had asked for this meeting and she’d never seen any indication that the Packs had any desire to start a conflict with the Guardians, so she really didn’t feel in danger, but years of living on her guard were hard to let go of so she continued to be alert.

  Late afternoon shadows were creeping across the ground, with the last vestiges of sunlight sending thin streams down to light up spots of leaves in the trees. It had taken her longer than she’d anticipated to fly here after running into not one, but two, late spring storms and she was more tired than she’d like going into this first meeting but it didn’t stop the tingle of anticipation she felt on finally meeting the mysterious leader of the werewolves.

  Something about the Ascendant had sparked her interest from the first time she’d heard of him appearing about two centuries before. And it hadn’t just been a natural curiosity about a newly created race making its presence known.

  It was the man himself that drew her, though she had no idea either what he looked like or even what his name was. The werewolves she knew just referred to him as ‘The Ascendant’ and no one would give her a description of his appearance or even what he was like.

  It was part of what she did as a Guardian to collect information but she’d found it frustratingly difficult to gather much of anything on him. She knew the wolves were justifiably guarded, but even Cadrian was close lipped about him, something that made her wonder. As protective as he was about the Guardians, it was odd that he wouldn’t add to their growing base of knowledge about the werewolves with information on their leader.

  She caught a glimpse of glowing green eyes in the trees before they disappeared as she considered what little she did know.

  Werewolves as a group had appeared a little over two hundred years before, the victims of attacks by other, out of control werewolves running rampant through the countryside. Soon after, the Ascendant had come to the world’s notice when it became apparent that he had complete control over them, wrestling them from rabid, animalistic individuals into organized Packs with structure and laws.

  In the years since, he’d continued to rule the Packs with iron-and complete-control. It was rumored that his natural dominance was so strong that every other werewolf was compelled to obey him.

  And yet, for all that, he didn’t appear to dominate them. Instead, he’d helped other Alpha’s establish strong and healthy Packs, thriving in communities where they lived as family. He was their undisputed leader, yes, but he seemed to genuinely feel that he was responsible for every werewolf underneath him.

  He was an enigma that she couldn’t help wanting to solve and hoped that this meeting would begin that journey.

  The road curved and suddenly the trees fell back to reveal the main house-an enormous stone lodge with a wide front porch and windows flickering with golden light. It was just like she imagined the Pack center would look like-a strong fortress with warmth winking inside.

  A man was watching her from the doorway, the flecks of glowing emerald green in his sky blue eyes the only outward sign that he was a werewolf. From the confident set of his broad shoulders and the directness of his gaze, she guessed he was a Sentinel-one of the Alpha’s lieutenants. When he met her eyes and held firm, she knew it.

  As a Guardian, she had her own strength of will-enough to challenge any Alpha, if need be. Cadrian had remarked once that he only chose Guardians who had the strength to stand their ground-an essential quality in an Alpha.

  She knew that wolves instinctively knew where those around them fit into their social hierarchy and could tell by the way the green in his eyes bled into the blue that his wolf was sensing the strength of an Alpha within her. She waited calmly, letting the wolf inside the man shift her into a place that made sense to him. When he gave the slightest of nods with eyes mostly blue again, she relaxed slightly, knowing his wolf had recognized another predator but didn’t sense a challenge or threat.

  Stepping up onto the porch, she paused and waited for him to speak.

  He studied her with a quick, assessing glance before inclining his head.

  “Welcome to Kalvara, Allandra Tathmeren. I am Declan. The Ascendant is waiting for you.”

  He stepped back to let her precede him into the house and she dragged in a deep breath before giving a returning nod and walking inside.

  “Thank you.”

  She paused inside a small entry that branched out in three directions and waited for Declan to lead the way. He motioned her forward and she stepped into what had to be the great hall, noting automatically that he didn’t follow but turned and silently left.

  It was an expansive space with two floor-to-ceiling rock fireplaces flanking either end. Set on thick wooden mantels, dozens of chunky white candles sent flickering light into the room. Thick woven rugs were scattered on the floor while flickering torches set in sconces attached to the walls banished any shadows. Seating was grouped around one fireplace while the other had several long, wooden tables large enough to most likely seat the entire Pack at mealtimes, if need be.

  A bank of windows took up most of one wall, no doubt flooding the room with welcome light during the day while wooden shutters waited to close out the cooler night air. Like the exterior of the house, this room had a solidness and warmth that appealed to her and she could imagine the werewolves sprawled around the room, discussing Pack matters or simply enjoying each other’s company in front of a crackling fire.

  Sitting at the head table and wreathed in shadows that were undoubtedly created with magic, sat a man she had no doubt was the Ascendant Alpha.

  His features were obscured by the shadows that even her enhanced eyesight couldn’t quite penetrate and she wondered briefly why he bothered even as she cataloged what she could see.

  He was a large man, broad shouldered and tall, with an air of capability and immense strength emanating from him. Even across the room, she could feel the waves of dominance pushing at her. She had a feeling that he wasn’t even doing it consciously-it was just part of who he was.

  Like Cadrian, who couldn’t hide his vast power if he tried.

  Both men were natural leaders, confident enough in who they were that they didn’t even have to try to influence others-the force of who they naturally were was en
ough.

  He was motionless but she knew he was sizing her up just as she was searching him for clues as to what kind of man he was. She wondered what he saw when he looked at her and knew it shouldn’t matter what this stranger thought...but oddly, it did.

  Years of being a Guardian had given her a self-assured manner that had served her well when walking into the unknown or attending a meeting with leaders having unknown intentions-as she expected it to today. That confidence had always been an aide for any negotiations she’d been in, but occasionally there was someone who took exception to it.

  She looked like the Naethyrian she was-her hair a rich, nut brown that flowed to her waist in soft waves, hazel eyes and the tall, supple grace her people were known for.

  Even though she’d left her Domina years before, she still felt the most comfortable in traditional dress-a loosely fitted dress that fell to mid-calf with strips of leather crisscrossing at the waist, hose and supple leather boots in woodland shades of brown, green and russet-all easy to wear daily as well as fight in when the need arose.

  “Please join me.”

  The deep, smooth cadence of his voice breaking the silence, startled her, though she had been expecting it, and she moved forward even as an odd feeling of Déjà vu flickered through her. Chills skittered across her spine, making her uncharacteristically hesitate while a hint of a frown wrinkled her forehead.

  There was something about his voice. Something oddly...familiar. An ache hit her hard enough that she had to pause and catch her breath, tears clouding her vision. She struggled to pull her suddenly ragged composure together, making her wonder if the man before her wasn’t Gifted with some sort of manipulative magic.

  She couldn’t see that he stood to gain anything from throwing her off-kilter like this, so, after calling on all her training, shoved the swirl of odd emotions deep into a locked corner of her mind, blinked away the tears and moved with outward confidence toward the table.

  She stopped a foot away and politely inclined her head.

  “I am Allandra Tathmeren,” she announced while holding up her right hand to display the distinctive frosted glass ring unique to the Blackstar Guardians. Created and worn with ancient Creator magic, it could never be duplicated by any others and served as a sign to all that they could be trusted implicitly. “You wanted a meeting with me?”

  There was a brief pause before he nodded slowly. “Yes.”

  She waited without moving, knowing it was important to show her own dominance without challenging his. Werewolves had a distinct animalistic social structure, with the strength of their dominance the determining factor. She’d learned early in her interactions with them how to present a strong front without making their inner wolf snarl in challenge.

  Of course, that had been with regular Pack Alpha’s. Dealing with the Ascendant might just have a completely different set of rules.

  He rose, the movement smooth but taunt with leased power. He seemed to grow even larger as he shifted the tiniest bit closer while holding out his hand before offering a traditional pack greeting that encompassed an implied promise of hospitality and safety while within its borders for the duration of their meeting.

  “Kalvara extends its welcome to you.”

  A hint of hidden emotion in his voice made the invitation seem more than a simple request to sit. The moment felt portentous, the air taunt with anticipation for some anticipated event.

  She knew with instinctive certainty, that as soon as they touched, her life would be irrevocably altered. She trusted Cadrian without question, though, and he’d sent her here so she’d face whatever change was coming.

  Sliding her hand around his, she nodded again. “Thank y-“

  Breaking off abruptly, her gaze jerked down to their joined hands and gasped. A tingling brush of magic started at their pressed palms and wound itself up around her wrist and on her forearm. Pale brown lines appeared on her skin, twining in intricate patterns that curled and wove together before sinking in with a shimmer of magic.

  Yanking her hand out of his grasp, she twisted her palm over and just stared in disbelief at the Marks still humming with magic.

  Werewolf marriage Marks.

  Unlike other races, werewolf mating’s were paired by the Creators and took place when the correct pair touched at just the right time. With a single brush of skin, magic would swirl up to brand them with matching markings, leaving them married and Mated. They were Seraphins like every other race, but unlike the others, they didn’t have the choice to choose or revoke the other. Werewolves were paired by the Creators and accepted the rightness of it without question.

  But, as far as she could tell, this was the first time it had happened to someone who wasn’t a werewolf.

  Shaking her head, she raised shocked eyes, unable to believe what they were telling her.

  She’d just been married to the Ascendant Alpha.

  Chapter 3

  “THAT WAS...UNEXPECTED.”

  Through the dark haze he continued to hold distorting his features, amusement colored his voice while she caught a glimpse of satisfaction in his gaze.

  “I...”

  “Perhaps, we should sit” he suggested, with a nod toward the seating across the room by the other fireplace. Shock had her blindly following as he touched her elbow and nudged her over to sit in one of the cushioned chairs. Settling himself in the chair next to hers, he sat with both elbows resting on the arms, watching her with predatory intentness.

  Allandra still couldn’t seem to wrap her head around what had just happened, let alone think about the ramifications.

  “How is this possible?” she questioned shakily, “I’m not a werewolf.”

  “I imagine the Creators know what they’re doing. They’ve been pairing werewolves with their perfect partners since our beginning.”

  “Yes, I know, but...” her voice trailed off helplessly as she struggled to verbalize just why the whole idea was insane. Not only were they perfect strangers, but he was the leader of the werewolves and she was a Guardian-a position that had been sealed on her for eternity using Creator magic. She couldn’t stop being one and an Alpha needed a strong mate at their side to rule the Pack.

  Just how did the Creators think she was going to do both?

  “You’re surprised that the Creators married us” he guessed and the calmness in his tone gave her pause, cutting through her own turmoil. Cocking her head to the side, she studied him with a searching gaze.

  “You’re not. Why?”

  One side of his mouth lifted in a slight smile.

  “Because I knew I would marry you a long time ago.”

  Blinking, she let his statement hover between them before giving a sharp shake of her head.

  “How? Do you have a Gift that foretells the future?” she questioned, struggling to put everything that had happened in some order. If he had such a Gift, it would explain why he’d contacted Cadrian about setting up a meeting. Though, it would have made more sense to just contact her directly, if that were the case.

  “I’m afraid not.”

  “Then...why? We’ve never met before. How could you possibly have known what the Creators would do?” she demanded.

  “Because we have met before, Allandra,” he countered softly, leaning forward to rest his arms on his thighs, “long ago.”

  The shadows he’d used to hide his features faded away, leaving a man with dark brown hair and brilliant blue-green eyes cut with thick shards of intense glowing green. It was a man’s face, hardened by experience and pain-a warrior whose strong, broad shoulders and thick swordsman’s wrists gave testament to a life spent fighting for survival.

  But within that man’s visage echoed the boy she’d once known.

  She shook her head, not believing what she was seeing. Lurching to her feet, she held a hand out even as her mind reeled.

  “No. It’s not possible. You’re dead.”

  He just watched her, letting the truth sink in.

  �
�It can’t be” she breathed, stumbling backward. She tripped, falling back to scramble for purchase along the scarred wood floor with shaking hands.

  Suddenly, a massive black wolf-like creature with glowing emerald eyes sprang over the back of the sofa to crouch over her, pushing her down to the ground and holding her hands captive above her head with its paws.

  She froze as the beast growled a warning low in its throat, wickedly sharp teeth bared while he lowered his muzzle to briefly touch her throat, it’s gaze never leaving hers. Slowly her breathing evened out while the shock faded into a desperate hopefulness. She searched the werewolf’s luminous gaze and gasped out a trembling breath.

  “Kendrick?” she whispered in an aching voice, tears stinging her eyes.

  The beast shifted in a quick shimmer of magic, leaving the man pressed against her. Their eyes caught and held as tension tightened like a bowstring, taunt with anticipation.

  His eyes dropped to her lips as he slowly lowered his head, pausing a hairsbreadth away before their lips touched in a kiss that was softly questing. Sliding her hands out of his grip to tentatively skim up his arms and shoulders, she gave herself up to his kiss, each brush of their lips an awaking of memory-and a light to a newer, brighter fire.

  A tear leaked out of the corner of one eye as an overwhelming sense of homecoming flooded through her.

  Kendrick was alive.

  Alive, holding her in a tight embrace...and her newly married husband.

  He drew back slightly to brush at her tear with his thumb, his gaze searching hers and, after finding what he was looking for, shifted closer for another kiss.

  This time the whisper of exploration gave way to a brilliant fire that swept everything away but the two of them. Allandra could only tighten her grip on his neck as he swept her easily into his arms and strode upstairs with only a fleeting thought that her earlier question had been answered.