by Aidy Award
"Shh." The lady waved Zara off like a buzzing fly. "I can't hear her if you're talking to me. No, not you, Izzy. You're sure? That's her. No, I can't go. Fine. I'll ask. What's the boy's name?"
Zara pointed to herself. "Wait, me? Are you talking to me?"
"Yes," she said impatiently. "What's his name."
"Who?"
"The baby."
When Zara saw they were twins, she assumed they would be identical. But the woman was correct now that she thought about what she'd seen. The other baby was a boy. She squinted in her mind's eye to see the name tag above his head. "Tristan."
The lady pursed her lips and nodded. "How ironic."
"It is?"
"Yes. You'll see. You should go now. Ereshkigal wants to touch your brains." The lady led Zara to the other side of her Christmas ornament hoard, to a pile of swords, knives, and various and sundry weaponry straight out of medieval armories. "There. This is my shadow. It will take you where you want to go."
Travel by shadow. Why not? "Thank you. Can you come with me? Do you have to go back to that place?"
The lady shook her head. "I still have to save the mermaid."
That did it. This was now officially the weirdest conversation she'd ever had.
"I had an auntie like you once. Tante Inanna. I liked her. She gave me pretty shiny things. You should give Ellie pretty shiny things.
Auntie. Ellie. She was telling Zara those babies were her niece and nephew. Wait till she told Heli and Galyna. Oh... Galyna. They were going to be Gal's children. Zara glanced around at the ornaments and the highly polished weapons. They seemed like strange presents, but those knives and things could come in handy for a young girl who would someday grow up to be a warrior. "I will do that. I promise you."
"Good. Then I give you the gift of a clear mind. Give your memories to me. You shall not remember this place or what happened here." The woman tapped the center of Zara's forehead.
A supernova erupted behind her eyes, blinding her with a white light. She had the distinct feeling that strings were being pulled out of her head and being wound up into someone else's brain. Spots swam around her eyes and through them she could just make out the form, a woman dressed in red leather. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"Be wary of dragons, auntie. Especially red ones. They aren't to be trusted. Bunch of big dumb liars." The woman pushed Zara into a black hole and the last thing she caught a glimpse of was a room filled with shiny Christmas ornaments.
The next second, she was on her hands and knees, ready to hurl. She swallowed and looked up. She was in the shadow of a great white wolf.
Her wolf.
Heavy is the Crown
Niko never wanted to be Wolf Tzar. That was for wolves far greater than he. Wolves who'd been groomed from birth to reign over their people with a firm but loving hand, sometimes a fist of steel. He knew he could and should be alpha of a pack, but that was as far as his aspirations had ever gone.
One thing he knew to be true in this new and harsh world he found himself fighting for a place in, he would never let the likes of the Volkovs, or any other self-serving entities influence Wolfkind ever again. If that meant he had to sacrifice his own dream of living a peaceful life with his small pack, so be it.
Niko would die a thousand times every day searching for her. He would love her for a thousand years and never stop looking. He had to believe that he would find her, that their hearts would beat for each other, their souls would reach for each other, until they could be together once again.
He would believe love would bring them back together. Forever.
Dumuzid, and whoever he worked for, had awakened not only Niko's sleeping beast, but that of the wolves of the world. There was no way he was smart enough to have even thought of a conspiracy this deep on his own, much less carried out all the subterfuge to carry it out for almost a century. Rasputin was a powerful figure in their community, but he was only one wolf.
This went much deeper than a corrupt ruling body.
Mikhail must have known and had died fighting against these dark forces. Niko would carry his name into every battle as a badge of honor just for having fought by a great wolf's side. A wolf who should have been Tzar for many years to come.
Now Niko had to fill his considerable paw prints.
He stood over the slashed body of Rasputin and resolved to pledge every second of his life to finding his mate and ending this tyranny dead in its tracks.
Wolves of Serenity Bay, I have claimed you as my own, though I would have deferred to your pack mate if she wanted to step up. I ask you now to follow me into battle against an unknown foe who seeks to terrorize our very livelihood. They have controlled and shaped our culture from the inside, twisting our ideals until we no longer recognize the difference between right and wrong.
Wolves all around the circle lifted their voices to the darkened sky in support. Including his brothers and their mates. He had no right to ask them to risk their packs and the peace they'd been able to find, but he would beg their favor anyway.
Brothers and sisters, do you join me? Can you pledge the Troika, Grimm, and Bay packs to the cause, help me find my mate, and take out the evil trying to ruin the wolf way of life?
Max's great big black wolf towered over all the other wolves gathered in the sacred circle, except for Kosta's grey wolf, and of course Niko's own white one. Max stepped into the circle, followed by Galyna in her pretty brown wolf. The two of them walked right up to Niko, Max's eyes level his brother's. His blue eyes glowed bright and he stared into Niko's as if he could see all of his intentions.
The black wolf took one step back, bent one leg, and bowed his head to the ground. I, Maxsim Piotryvich Troika, alpha of the Troika pack, pledge our fealty to you, Nikolai Piotryvich Troika, Tzar of the Wolves.
Niko's chest expanded with the love, loyalty, and gratitude pounding through his heart for his brother. The brother who'd also never thought to be an alpha and who had stepped up in Niko's stead.
Thank you, brother.
Galyna bent her leg and bowed her head. I, Galyna Shirvan, alpha of the Grimm pack, pledge our fealty to you, Tzar of the Wolves.
Such a bold and brave woman his brother had been fated to mate. Thank you, sister.
Kosta sauntered up, scratched a few leaves out of his way, winked at Niko and bent his leg and bowed. I Konstantine Piotryvich Troika, alpha of the Bay pack, along with my mate Helinka, vow our loyalty to you, Wolf Tzar.
Heli's beautiful golden wolf kicked the leaves back toward her mate, bowed and licked her chops. What he said. Especially if I get to cater the coronation party. Then let's kick some demon butt.
Niko stifled his laugh. Again, a beautiful brave woman, and this one with more than enough sass for his brother had been fated by the Goddess for a lifetime of love. That all wolves would be so lucky. Thank you, little sister.
Who you calling little? Heli walked back to the edge of the circle wagging her tail, Kosta right behind her. Gal followed, but Max stayed another moment.
Claim your pack, Nikolai.
Niko tipped his head to the side, confused. I have.
No, you claimed the Crescents, now Serenity Bay. You have yet to make your claim to all of your wolves. They need to hear you make your claim.
Niko took a long deep breath. Max was right. It wasn't what Niko thought he deserved, but he would fulfill the responsibility because it was what was right. He nodded at Max and waited until his brother returned to the others. The wolves looking on went as still and silent as the moonless night.
Niko reared up, raising his head and forelegs to the sky and howled for all to hear. He landed again like a hammer. Hear me wolfkind, hear me and raise your voices with mine if you would have me as your leader. I vow my life to each and everyone of you, and I pledge my fealty to all of you. I swear to serve you as your True Alpha. I claim you all as my pack, as Tzar of the Wolves.
The Serenity Bay pack raised their voices in acceptance of him once
again, but theirs weren't the only voices he heard. Howls from the next closest pack in Falmouth could be heard even from miles away. Then howls from Plymouth and Marshfield joined the chorus. Fall River, Plymouth, Narraganset, Nantucket, and even more packs that were farther away than they should be able to hear blended their wolf song with the others.
In Niko's head, he heard wolves from all around the world, from one end of the Americas to the other, from Africa, to Australia, and all the way back to Mother Russia, voice their choice to be claimed by him, their choice to make him their new Wolf Tzar.
Niko's heart filled with gratitude and determination. It would be overflowing, save the giant missing chunk that was his one piece of sunshine in this world, his solnyshka. He bowed his head and with all the might of his alpha of all alpha's voice, whispered her name.
Zarenity.
Come back to me.
The sky crackled with electricity, the ground shook, and wind whipped through the night air. The shadows cast by his own body from the small light of the stars grew around him...
...and then, she was there.
"Niko?" Zara lie face up in the grass and leaves underneath him, her face beneath his muzzle, her chest and heart pounding against his, her legs stretched out between his legs.
He blinked. Twice. Was she really here? He stared down at her, willing her form to be real, to feel her skin against his fur.
"Hey, love of my life. You're drooling on me and while I like you a lot, that's kind of gross."
Niko shifted, this time without the popping of bones and slicing of his fur to make way for skin. He simply was a man. He was a wolf. He was both. The power inside that he hadn't understood was his own life force becoming whole. He'd never lost his wolf, he was the wolf. Now he understood.
Zara's hands touched his cheeks and she wiped away one solitary tear, then pulled his head down for a kiss. She tasted of moonlight, sunshine, salt and sugar, spices and cream. She was his everything and she made him even more than he could be on his own, not whole, but more than he was on his own. Together, they were better than he could ever be.
He swept his tongue through her mouth, thrusting in and out, dueling with her, winning his dominance over her lips once again with a groan of ecstasy. She shoved her hands into his hair and wrapped her knees around his hips. He could get lost in her body.
"Ahem."
Zara froze with her tongue halfway down his throat. She sank back, away from him. That wouldn't do. Niko wrapped his hands under her ass and pulled her body tighter to his.
"Ah... Hem."
Zara broke their kiss and Niko growled at her.
"Sweetheart, while I'm thoroughly looking forward to what I feel nice and hard against my undies, maybe not with a hundred people and or wolves watching?"
Grr. "I will take you how and when I want. I will claim you as my mate as witnessed by my pack. You are mine."
"I love when you get all growly and possessive." She stroked his cheek. "But, is that a dead guy laying next to us? Also, you've got blood on you. If we're gonna do this. Let's do it right, not because we were both scared to death we'd just lost each other. I'm here. You're here. Neither of us is dead."
More grr. "Fine, but once we are cleaned up, I'm fucking you long and hard regardless of who is watching or where we are."
"I'm amenable to that, but I wouldn't mind if it was in a nice soft bed instead of the field. I think there are leaves trying to get into my butt." She kissed the tip of his nose.
"Nothing is allowed into your luscious ass except me." Wasn't that a delicious prospect?
"Promises, promises." She grinned at him and her eyes danced with lust. Fuck, he was a lucky wolf.
Niko kissed her one more time just for good measure and stood up, picking her up and into his arms in one move. "Pack. My mate has returned. Tonight is for celebration. Tomorrow we go to war with the darkness."
Wolves yipped and yowled, several shifted back into human forms, and a few grabbed each other into loving embraces. It had probably been far too long since these people had been allowed to celebrate, and even longer since they'd been allowed to choose their own mates. "There's one more thing I have to do before we go get wet together."
"At the next full moon, we will have our first mating ceremony as the Serenity Pack. If you think you've been blessed with a true mate, or even hope that you have, invite them, whether they be wolf, human, or something in between. As my first proclamation as your Tzar, I declare that you are free to mate and love whomever you choose. Love is love and you deserve to have a mate who wants, craves, and needs you as much as I do my own heart's desire."
"You're such a romantic." Zara laid her head on his shoulder and sighed happily.
"I thought it was a slightly more appropriate speech than to tell them to go get into whoever's pants they could."
"Wait a minute. Did you just say that was your first proclamation as their Tzar? What did I miss?"
Niko laughed and walked toward the pack house. "Nothing much. Where did you go?"
"I--" She frowned and her eyes flicked back and forth while she thought. "I don't know. Somewhere bad, I think. But somebody helped me get back to you. I don't think I'm supposed to remember and I'm okay with that. My chest gets uncomfortable just thinking about it."
With his heart in his throat, pinching it almost closed, he prayed he'd never have to apologize like this to her ever again. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you from Dumuzid and that god-damned dragon. I hope things ended badly for him wherever you were."
"Nikolai Troika, you shush your face right now. We are a team and you never have to apologize to me for something evil forces do. You're a good man and we will face whatever comes at us, and we won't be perfect, but we will be together."
Niko kicked the front door of the house open and carried her across the threshold of their new house, the place they would make into a home for each other, goddess willing, their children, and all of wolfkind. But for now, his mate wanted some privacy and a bed. The rest would come later.
As would she. Come over and over and over.
The days ahead would not always be easy. Not all of wolfkind would like that the mystical Volkov's weren't there to tell them how to think anymore. The one-bloods would push back and he feared that not only would he and his brothers have to fight the darkness they had battled tonight, but perhaps some of their own as well.
Being allowed to live their lives and find true love would change the minds of many. He would do his best to be an example of how to treat a mate. Zara would not only be the matriarch of the Serenity Pack, but she would be the Tsarina of all wolfkind. A duty he had no doubt she would fulfill amazingly. She'd probably be a better guiding light than he would. Thank the Goddess she was here by his side.
But first he wanted her under him.
"Nikolai Piotryvich Troika. Where are you, young man?"
Niko froze and looked at Zara. Her eyes were wide, matching his expression exactly. "Is that your mom?"
"Yep. If we slip into the closest bedroom and pretend we didn't hear her can we--"
"No. I was always worried your parents didn't like me and I never understood why your dad didn't want us to be together. I will not start off our life together on a bad note with your mom. Put me down."
Dog gone it. He set her down and yelled down the stairs. "We're up here, mom."
Selena Troika bounded up the stairway and pulled Zara into a big hug. "Rypka, welcome to the family. I'm here for tea and cookies."
Zara hugged his mother back and mouthed a question to him. "What does rypka mean?"
Niko chuckled and made a fish-face at her. She wrinkled up her nose. His mother was so involved in giving all of her affection to Zara, this hugging business could go on for a while. "It's like honey or sweetheart, I swear."
"You're teaching me Russian."
That could be fun. "Only if I get to teach you all the naughty words first."
"Of course." She winked at him.
"
Mom. I love you. Go make yourself at home. We will see you tomorrow."
Selena released Zara and smiled. She wasn't dumb and knew exactly what he was saying. She socked him in the arm. "Umnitza. I'm very proud of you. Go on now. I'll get to planning your coronation and the mating ritual."
She rubbed her hands together and walked away examining the decor as she went. "Oh, we're replacing that, and that. How garish. Who were these people? There are other ways to decorate a pack house other than paintings of wolves and the moon."
"Mother."
"I'm going, I'm going. Don't wear each other out too much." She waved at them over her shoulder and went back down the stairs. "On second thought, do. It will keep you out of my hair. I can't believe all my boys have found their mates. Finally."
Niko shook his head and then picked Zara back up like the princess, or rather Tsarina, she was. She giggled. "That will never get old."
"Good, because I'll never get tired of carrying you off to my bed.
Howling at the Moon
The second night of the full moon bloomed calm and clear. Tonight was the night she and Niko would be officially mated. Selena, Heli, and Galyna had all helped her prepare for the night. Not only would she become Niko's mate in the eyes of the combined packs of Serenity Bay, the Troikas, the Grimms, and the Bay pack, she was also going to be crowned Tsarina of the Wolves.
It had taken a lot of hard work and practice, but she was ready for the evening and her surprise for Niko was ready. Probably.
The packs were already gathered and Niko was waiting in the sacred circle for her. She walked barefoot through the woods in her lightweight white shift she'd borrowed from Galyna, aware of every wolf that ran through the woods around her. The Enforcers were there to protect her on her short journey from the pack house to the ceremony, but she walked confidently. She'd seen this night in a vision just this morning.
She hadn't let her second sight go too far, she didn't want to spoil all the fun she and Niko were going to get up to, but she had seen that the night would go off without a hitch. Whoever or whatever had been tormenting wolfkind was, for lack of another word, busy.
