by Megan Smith
Alpha mates were considered out of the dominance structure-they could face down their spouse without fear of it being seen as a challenge. The problem really, was getting Kendrick to dial down his natural protectiveness when looking at her so they could work together in figuring out how they were going to juggle the complicated lives that had just been joined.
Giving her head a hard shake, she chose a path at random and let the shady calm of the woods soothe her. As a Naethyrian, her magic was earth centered and like others of her race, felt a connection to all things that grew from the life-giving soil. Pulling power from them could strengthen her Gifts or she could draw on them to re-charge her soul as she was doing now, letting the moist, fresh smell of the trees and the ferns growing below them lighten and settle her.
Reaching out a hand, she sent a gentle surge of power toward a strand of ivy showing signs of yellowing. It rustled, stretching out to twine a tiny tendril around her wrist, murmuring it’s thanks to her. Leaves rustled lightly as the trees welcomed her to the woods, their voices deep and timeless in her head. She smiled with a soft sigh, greeting them back before the faint sound of laughter drew her attention further down the path.
When it was accompanied by a thunk, she moved curiously toward the sounds. The path abruptly ended at a small clearing of grass ringed by several cottages. Pausing just inside the tree-line, she watched the scene in front of her with growing amusement.
A group of about ten children ranging in age from early teens on down had created a playing field and were currently engaged in a game with a small leather ball and several thick, sturdy sticks. She smiled, watching as they laughed and ran energetically up and down the small grassy patch.
It was a scene of innocence and hope, the first generation of natural born werewolves engaging in an activity that was probably being played out all over the world by other children from all races. Children were remarkably similar no matter who, what or where they were. No matter what circumstance they were in, they found a way to laugh, play and bring light to the lives around them.
While she’d never been there, she’d heard from others who had that even children in the Night Realm were known to create random games.
Sweeping the scene before her, she noted several of the adults casually watching over them while going about tasks and shared an understanding smile with one woman hanging laundry on a line. She continued on, stopping abruptly when she noticed two children perched in a tree, hidden within its foliage and watching the others play.
Teagan and Brylee.
A thoughtful frown wrinkled her forehead while wondering why they weren’t playing with the others. Teagan’s eyes were dark with longing and with a flash of inspiration, she wondered if they didn’t know how to play with others. After spending most of their young lives alone in the forest, adjusting to life within a Pack was probably still very difficult for them.
The last two weeks had been spent with the three of them cautiously tiptoeing around their new relationship. The children had already gotten to know Kendrick over the past six months-and already had a healthy respect and love for their Ascendant Alpha-but she was an unknown entity. She was considered an aunt to all the Blackstar Guardian’s children so she wasn’t unfamiliar with how to interact with them, but it was different somehow with Teagan and Brylee.
She was expected to be a mother-a role she’d long thought lost to her after Kendrick’s death and now, with a suddenness that took her breath away, two wounded orphans now belonged to her. She suspected it would be a while before she found her feet, but was determined to continue to make the effort, hoping things would soon become comfortable and familiar between them.
Sidling slowly their way alone the edge of the tree line, she stopped underneath their tree and leaned back against the trunk. She waited for a few minutes before speaking in a deliberately casual tone without looking away from the action before her.
“It looks like a fun game.”
There was a heartbeat of silence before Teagan responded.
“It’s all right.”
“I played something similar when I was young. We used two balls made out of weaved wood though” she paused before slanting a look upward, “have you ever played?”
Teagan hesitated before shaking his head. “No.”
“Would you like to?”
Again there was silence with the young boy worrying his bottom lip for a moment before answering in a voice so soft it was almost soundless. “Yes.”
Her heart ached at the longing in his voice and vowed to help them find as much of their lost childhood as she could. Life could be harsh and most children had to work to help their families survive, but, like the game before them, fun could be found anywhere, at any time. Teagan and Brylee had had a rough start and Teagan had to become an adult practically from birth.
She couldn’t give them back those lost years where they’d had to take care of themselves and learned hard lessons about trusting others, but she could do her best to help them find the joy that came from living among friends and family.
Catching sight of several of the children sending her inquisitive sideways looks, an idea sprang to mind on how she could break the ice and get the children out on the field with the others. Casually crossing her legs at the ankles, she caught the eye of a small group of children whispering to each other while shooting looks her way.
When she became a Guardian, she was given enhanced hearing-something that had come in handy more than once. Now, it allowed her to hear the children speculating about her and whether she really was a Blackstar Guardian. Smiling mysteriously, she crooked a finger at them.
Immediately their eyes grew big and one of the girls shoved a boy in her direction with a hissed “go ask!”. He stumbled forward and shot a look promising revenge over his shoulder after catching himself before walking slowly toward her.
“H-hello” he stuttered, kicking the dirt at his feet.
“Hello. Did you want to ask me something?” she inquired politely and his gaze flew to her with alarm.
“I-“ he looked back at the others, who waved their hands at him to continue. “Are you really a Blackstar Guardian?” he inquired in a rush.
Nodding, she kept her gaze fixed on him and ignored the sound of Teagan and Brylee sliding down from the tree-as well as the other children slowly edging closer.
Raising her right hand, she held up the distinctive frosted glass ring with its design etched in black. The Guardian ring served many purposes. Magic seared it to whomever was taking vows to become a Guardian and served as an eternal reminder of who and what they’d chosen to be. Because of that same magic, the ring couldn’t be duplicated or removed so those who knew what the ring meant knew they could trust the wearer. No one but a Blackstar Guardian could wear it and since they’d been chosen by Cadrian, who had the ability to rake through a person’s soul to find who they were at their deepest core, those around them knew they could be counted on.
“I am.”
The children made a collective sound of awe at the sight of the ring and crowded in. The boy shifted closer, eyes bright as he looked at it before raising his head eagerly.
“Does that mean you have a sword? Do you have it with you?”
Lips twitching, she nodded. “I do.”
“Can we see it?” one of the other children probed excitedly.
Calling to it from the pocket realm it was kept in, her Shadow sword appeared in her hand, gleaming in the sunlight and softly singing with power. In addition to the ring, each Guardian forged a personalized sword with Cadrian, pouring magic and spells into a metal already faintly sentient. The swords created were attuned to the one who created it and fit in each wielders hand like a perfect glove.
Every time Allandra pulled her sword out and gripped in in her hand, she couldn’t help but smile. Perfectly balanced, perfectly designed...and perfectly deadly. The sword was a familiar to her now as her own hand.
An excited, “ooooohhhh” filled the
air as the children leaned in, their eyes bright. The sight of the sword had several adults edging closer, their gazes just as interested. Turning, she motioned toward her son.
“Hold out your hands Teagan.”
He looked up with a surprised expression before hesitantly holding out his hands, palms up. She carefully laid the sword on them and then smiled when he froze, staring down with wide-eyed awe.
“We call it a Shadow sword” she explained and Teagan looked up at her curiously as the others crowded around.
“Why?”
“Well, we hold it in a pocket realm-hidden in the shadows until we need it-and we often work in secret” she explained.
“What does it feel like Teagan?” one of the boys asked and her son shrugged one thing shoulder.
“It’s lighter than I thought it would be. It feels cool and...tingly?” he added, wrinkling up his nose while casting an inquiring glance toward Allandra.
“From the magic imbued in the sword when it was forged.”
“Can it make magic then?” a teenage girl asked and she shook her head in response.
“It doesn’t make magic, exactly. Spells and magic were layered into the blade as it was forged for a variety of things to help strengthen me when I’m in battle. So the sword can’t make magic itself but it responds to the magic it was created with.”
She motioned for Teagan to walk around and let the others touch the sword before she took it back and gave them a small demonstration of her swordplay exercises. She then had them gather long, thick fallen sticks and practiced the moves with her. By the time she called a halt, Teagan was laughing with the others and there was a noticeable ease in how the others talked to him.
When the game picked up again, she joined in, laughing and enjoying herself more than she had in ages. She could already see some of their personalities-quirks and all-and how their innocent eagerness enriched the Pack. They played several rounds of the game, drawing the attention of several adults who good-naturedly stepped in to play with the wheedling encouragement of the children.
After a while, she eased out of the game, leaving Teagan in the middle of it, grinning madly. She moved back to the edge of the trees and stood watching the rest of them play with an easy smile on her face. Everyone needed some spontaneous fun to ease the normal tensions of everyday life. She and the other Guardians had learned to grab those moments when they came and, seeing the joy on the faces of those playing now, knew Pack members felt the same.
Teagan suddenly stopped as the others took off toward the other side of the field and dashed over to her. Throwing his arms around her waist, he hugged her tightly before darting back into the middle of the game.
Her breath caught at the quick, heartfelt action.
Allandra? What’s the matter? Your heartbeat increased.
She smiled and shook her head at Kendrick’s concerned voice. Nothing’s the matter. Teagan gave me a hug-on his own.
Ah.
Yes, ah. It feels like...a start.
A tendril of warmth reached through their connection and she pressed a hand against her heart, a small smile touching her lips as she turned her attention back to the game.
Sensing a quiet movement at her side, she stilled, waiting cautiously as Brylee crept closer before leaning her whole body against her and wrapping her small arms around her leg. The young girl had hung back when everyone else had run out to play, staying carefully on the edge, but watching everything with sky blue eyes that missed nothing.
The small, trusting gesture pierced her heart and she couldn’t stop the tears that stung her eyes. Looking to the side, she found Kendrick leaning against a tree, watching them, and gave him a watery smile. He smiled gravely back, making her heart ache even more.
She wouldn’t have thought it possible, but these two small, innocent souls had crept into her heart as easily as the man standing under the shadows of the trees had.
Drawing in a shuddering breath, she slowly reached over and smoothed a hand down Brylee’s silky soft hair, feeling like a mother for the first time.
Chapter 9
“INTERESTING MOVES. Do they really help in battle?”
Allandra continued moving slowly through the slow, controlled moves of one of her training regimens. Because every Guardian’s senses were enhanced when they joined, an enemy could use the knowledge to overwhelm and bring them down.
Killing them would take a Delphian blade-thankfully rare and difficult to obtain-but after the first time a Guardian had been taken and tortured by having them die over and over again, Cadrian had insisted every one of them continue to train hard and daily in an effort to counteract anything their enemies threw at them. As a result, she could fight or defend herself in every conceivable way-and even in several deadly methods created by the Alkirian Star himself.
One of her favorites was Brellaed, a series of slow, deliberate movements that were often deadly when used with sudden force. She practiced them every day since they had, indeed saved her life in battle multiple times.
“It does. Didn’t you train during the Hunts?”
Tilting his head in a nod from where he leaned negligently against a tree, Kendrick watched her with a gaze that grew more heated with every movement she made.
“Nothing like what you’re doing. Brute strength, the ability to move quickly and think on your feet were the main things we trained for.”
She made brief eye contact before turning her head to continue the movement. “The same for us. It’s helpful to know how to fight against any conceivable enemy in both realms though. There are a horrifying number of ways to fight or kill someone” she admitted.
“And have you killed many?” he asked quietly.
Silence filled the grassy clearing in front of his house as she smoothly transitioned through several more moves before answering.
“More than I’d like to count” she answered just as softly before blowing out a careful breath, “but I’d like to think I’ve only killed those who needed to be. I try to find other ways to deal out justice.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
Her movement hitched and she flicked a glance his way, gratitude filled her hazel eyes before shifting fluidly away. “Thank you. I thought you had a meeting?”
“I did but I found myself distracted by the view” he admitted, one lip quirking upwards.
An answering smile lifted her own as she finished her routine and straightened up, the split skirt of her dress settling gracefully over her leggings. “Good to know for the future. Problems fixed?” she inquired and he shrugged, eyes darkening.
“Patched. I need to find a solution soon though” he admitted, running a hand through dark hair, frustration flitting through his gaze.
“It’ll come” she promised, moving close to rub a hand comfortingly over his chest. Sliding an arm around her waist, he tugged her close while dipping his head to breathe deeply of her distinctive scent.
“You know what always helps?”
Shaking her head at the wicked promise in his eyes, she slanted her own look back up at him through her lashes. “I can hardly wait to hear.”
“Hunting.”
One eyebrow winged up in response. “Hunting?”
His other hand smoothed up her back to cup the back of her neck, dipping his head close so his breath whispered across her cheek. “Hunting. I’ve heard that Blackstar Guardians are decent hunters. Care to pit your skills against an Alpha werewolf?”
An answering smile curved her lips. “Only if you’re prepared to lose.”
“I never lose” he assured her, “I’ll give you a ten minute headstart. Rules are, you can only use an animal form for the first half. If you can reach the waterfall by the fern pool first-you win. But, if I catch you...I win.”
Grinning, she broke out of his hold and backed away. “I’m already savoring my victory.”
Giving her head a toss, she shifted into her cougar form, gave a low growl and took off running.
All
those of the Thyrians races-Maethyrians, Naethyrians, Caethyrians and Aaethyrians-had the ability to shift into at least one specific animal form reflecting the element they drew power from. Manifesting as a child, each animal was different for every person, though families tended to shift into the same one.
It wasn’t unheard of for an entire family to all be able to turn into foxes or deer and because families tended to gather into the same Dominia, each one had grown a reputation for the animal most dominant in the territory. The Domina she’d grown up in had been known for having one of the largest groups of lynx shifters on the continent.
Those with enough magical power and control at their fingertips could learn to shift into multiple animals. Allandra’s first shift had been into a fox, then over time she’d added falcon, cougar and leopard. Those whose first shift was a predator found any other animals they could change into were also predators. Shapeshifting was an intensely personal ability and it was thought that the animal one manifested was tied to your soul.
Allandra found hunting and protectiveness second nature so it made sense that all her animal shapeshifts were predators. All forms came easily to her and had been very helpful in her assignments from Cadrian.
Joy shuddered through her as her stride lengthened, the wind ruffling through her fur. In a whirl, a myriad of scents rushed through her senses. The moisture of the waterfall, the distinctive scents of the werewolves in the area, the various flora and fauna, the loamy richness of the earth. All of them were filtered through her highly developed senses before she burst forward, weaving agilely through the trees toward her goal.
It had been far too long since she’d shaken out her cougar form and gone for a run just for the sheer pleasure of it. Most of the time she assumed one of her animal forms when they were needed during an assignment. Rarely did she let them out just to be free.
It was a giddy feeling-as was the lighthearted delight in knowing she was playing with Kendrick.
The fur at the back of her neck stood up and even though she hadn’t heard a thing, she knew that he’d started his hunt. A wide grin stretched over sharp teeth before she focused the energy inside and shifted into her falcon form.
