Challenging Love (Drekinn Book Five)

by Jana Leigh

  That was one of the reasons why he was taken as well. The humans didn’t like how outspoken he had been about testing shifters to determine if they were Ulfer or Breyting. Calix believed that shifters who had the missing DNA the Ulfer had were just as much victims as the humans were. Of course, nothing was infallible, just as some humans were also inherently bad, but if they were allowed to keep track of the Ulfer, it would go a long way to make the humans more accepting.

  “The books from all of the original Chosen and their Senate have a piece of the puzzle that will help you figure out one, what you need to defeat the Ulfer, but also what information you are missing. The humans didn’t wake up one day and hate us. There is something going on in the background that we are not aware of,” Blackie said.

  *****

  “Hoot…Hoot…” Shelly and Vivi heard and froze as they were walking out of the bathroom.

  “Shit,” Vivi whispered and looked around the room. They ran for the curtains and hid behind them as an Enforcer they didn’t know came into the room and looked around frowning.

  They could see Brenda laying flat on the floor under the dining room table. Vivi held back a growl. If he turned just a little to the left, he would see her. The dumbass.

  “Hey, what was I supposed to get?” the Enforcer called.

  “Declan said the schedule was on the coffee table,” someone else said from the hallway.

  The Enforcer in the living room looked and then smiled. “Got it,” he said and bent over and picked up a piece of paper on the table. Thank the Gods he was a blonde because he didn’t even notice the woman under the table, Vivi thought.

  Once they left the room, Vivi swung out of the curtain and stomped over to where Brenda was struggling to get out from the chairs surrounding the table and whispered, “Are you fucking crazy? Couldn’t you find somewhere else to hide?”

  Brenda huffed, stood, and looked at her friend with an angry stare. “Listen, they came fast, and he was gorgeous, all I could think of was, he is so hot, so I dropped. Back off.”

  “We have been out of training for too long. When this is done, we are so going to have classes again,” Vivi grumbled.

  Shelly laughed, “Can we use one of the Enforcers to train with.”

  *****

  Rissa raised her hand and said, “I beg to differ, I am pretty sure I have figured part of that particular puzzle out.”

  Calli grinned and leaned further back while Kade shook his head and said, “Really? And when did you figure this out?”

  Rissa grinned and said, “Last night, I was running a search Calli asked me to run, it was stupid really that we hadn’t thought about it before.”

  “Thought of what?” Blackie said.

  “Well, it is simple really. I mean, who were the biggest opponents of the Chosen?” Rissa laughed.

  Gio leaned forward and said, “The Rogues, but they were all killed when the Chosen fought the final battle.”

  “Okay, really? We all know history, but look at us, who are we? Descendants, so yep, I dug and dug around until I finally found a small little thread we were missing.” Rissa smiled and patted herself on the back. Her mates were staring at her. “What?”

  “Secrets?” Simon growled and leaned over and whispered something in her ear, which made her roll her eyes and giggle. Then Phillip whispered something else to her she frowned and looked around the room to her friends.

  “Eeekkkk,” she said and then shook herself a little before continuing, “Umm, yes…well…. that is…”

  *****

  “What the hell is wrong with your daughter?” Vivi growled.

  They were staring at the little dog Rissa was completely enamored with roll on the floor of their apartment and play with what looked like a butt plug.

  “He likes it, besides it is not like they ever used it, he stole a package. They haven’t found all of them yet, he only brings one out at a time, they can’t find his stash.” Brenda laughed.

  Shelly was at the door, “Hurry up.”

  “Fine,” Brenda said and patted the little dog’s head. “Let’s get this party moving.”

  “Where is the needle?” Vivi said and looked at her friends who were staring at her blankly.

  “What?” Brenda said evasively.

  “The needle,” Vivi said slowly.

  “I thought you had it,” Brenda said.

  “No,” Shelly hissed from the door, “I handed it to you when we walked out of Cherri’s room.”

  “Shit, I dropped it,” Brenda said with a horrified expression on her face.

  “Where?” Vivi sighed.

  “I don’t know, duh,” Brenda growled.

  “Find it,” Vivi said.

  It took them three trips back and forth to Cherri’s room before they finally found the little needle sticking up from the little carpet in front of Rissa’s door.

  “Hurry up,” Vivi whispered.

  “Fine,” Brenda rolled her eyes and followed her into the bathroom.

  “Dayum,” Vivi whispered.

  “What?” Brenda said.

  “Everyone has x-large packages. I mean did everyone in this pack get hit by the cock fairy?” Vivi said.

  “Ewwwwww,” Brenda said and closed her eyes and grabbed a condom from the box and began to poke it with the needle.

  “What are you doing?” Vivi asked.

  “I am focusing on the sex of the baby I want. You know like that magazine we found from the 20th Century. Positive thinking and all that," Brenda said and then whispered, "it works.”

  “We need to keep busier,” Vivi said and shook her head.

  *****

  “Oh, come on, don’t let them distract you,” Cherri snorted.

  “Shut up,” Rissa grumbled and then glared at her mates and continued, “Okay, we know the president's wife is not what she seems. We know that somehow, she is in control of the Prentiss Agency. What we don't know is why.”

  Blackie sneered. “And this explains what?”

  “I am getting there,” Rissa snarled. “Jeeze, just trying to lay the shit out. Quit rushing me. Okay, so my program picked up on something that didn’t seem right. I mean her parents were listed as humans, and we know she is not. So I manipulated a few of the factors and finally came up with the true heritage of our esteemed first lady.”

  “And she would be?” Kade said.

  “The leader of the Rouge faction is her father. Roarke Grand was his name. He was a violent man who assaulted many women in an attempt to have a child. The president’s wife is an Ulfer, a creation of a violent union between the man and a female lion shifter. Her real name is Rebekka Frank,” Rissa said with a smile.

  “Well shit,” Blackie said and leaned back in her chair and looked around the room until her gaze landed on Gio who was looking extremely pissed. “I thought they were all found?”

  “As did I,” Gio said and the people in the room stared at the two of them with curiosity.

  “Okay, so we know who she is. But why would she care about a man who fathered her that way?” Kade asked.

  “Why do the Ulfers do anything they do? They don’t have a conscience,” Simon said. “Regardless, it does explain why they have so much power. What is the ultimate goal? To take over? Why would we be in the crosshairs, they took over the Drekinn?”

  “They must have some kind of information that we don’t know, plus they are looking for our history as well. They are trying to find something,” Declan said and once again they saw the silent looks Blackie and Gio were giving each other. Kade was beginning to get agitated.

  “Okay, what aren’t you telling us?” Kade asked Gio finally.

  The man sighed and looked at Blackie and kept eye contact with her as he spoke, “Listen, we can tell you as much as we can, you know that some things have to play out, the fates will not allow us to intervene without making a huge mess. I have told you where to look.”

  “Yeah,” Rissa snapped. “And that was so much help. We have part of some kind
of message, and can't make heads or tails of it.”

  Gio sighed and shook his head. “You need the rest of the books.”

  “Oh thanks, Capt. Obvious, I wasn’t sure if that is what we needed or not. Wait, oh yeah, we are trying to find them but you know, it is kinda hard when your face is on every "Most Wanted" poster from here to the other side of the world,” Cherri said. “We are pretty much confined here so they have to come to use. We put the word out, and they are coming in slowly, but yeah. We have no clue how many we're looking for in the first place.”

  Blackie grunted. “Do you know anything about your history?”

  Calli snarled and said, “Of course we do, we have read through everything we have.”

  “Well then, you should realize by now, with everyone that is showing up. You will have your Alphas, and then, eleven triads who will form to represent the Senate and New Council. So far, you have five of the twelve. You’re making headway,” Blackie said.

  “Oh look, we have a cheerleader.” Calli laughed and clapped her hands manically.

  Blackie rolled her eyes. “We are trying to help.”

  “Yeah, okay, you won't tell us your name, you show up and leave freakishly, and talk in riddles when you are here.” Rissa laughed. “Go us!”

  Calix looked at his mates. Neither had made a comment or spoken up since the meeting began. He had a feeling they knew something the others didn’t, and for some reason they weren’t sharing. Plus, Pilar and Phillip were looking at Blackie with too much familiarity.

  Apparently, someone else noticed the situation as well. Calix sat back and waited to find out what was really going on.

  “Hey,” Calli said and looked around the room with a shrewd gaze. Everyone in the room paused and waited while the Alpha female got up and pointed at the people around the table Calix had noticed as well. “You, you, and you. Why are you so quiet, something you wanna share?” Calli sneered and pointed to Brooks, Pilar, and Phillip who suddenly began to look uncomfortable.

  “Hey, you, dragon boy, she is talking to you,” Rissa said. “Are you hiding something?”

  “Oh, this is gonna get good. Sweetie, do you have popcorn?” Kiki leaned and muttered to Thomas.

  “Shhh,” Rissa hissed. “Mate…is there something you have been hiding?”

  “Rissa,” Phillip said slowly.

  “Phillip,” Pilar said quietly.

  “No, I can’t do it,” Phillip said to his sister. “They are my mates,” he said and stared at Pilar imploringly.

  Pilar frowned and then looked at Brooks who shrugged. “They are gonna find out anyway. We should at least be the ones who tell them.”

  “Tell us what?” Calli yelled and Kade stood and went to his mate.

  “Calm down,” Kade said.

  “Deceit!” Rissa yelled and stood. Calix just sat back and watched it unfold, if anyone needed his help it was these people. He knew this was where he belonged.

  “Rissa,” Phillip said.

  “Don’t you Rissa me,” the overwrought wolf growled. “Tell us.”

  “Fine,” Phillip said and looked at Blackie and grimaced. “Pilar and I know her. We grew up together, but we haven’t seen each other in years. When we saw her a few weeks ago, it was like something clicked, and we knew who she was. But for some reason our memories are still not all there, it is like something is blocking us from remembering something.”

  The room exploded in yelling. The Alphas yelling, trying to calm everyone down. Rissa screaming and crying at her mate, while, Simon, her other mate tried to grab her as she tried to run from the room.

  “I can’t believe this. Why wouldn’t you tell us, you were hiding shit from us? This is not acceptable. And you know her…how? Is she an old lover or something?” Rissa cried. She dodged Simon's hands and jumped on the table and ran its length before jumping and doing a summersault mid-air and landing in front of the door. Gio laughed and clapped his hands while Cherri and Calli banded together to prevent anyone from approaching Rissa.

  Vivi and the others chose that moment to open the door and carry in a tray with tea. When they saw what was going on they frowned.

  “What did we miss?” Vivi yelled.

  “Treachery.” Rissa growled.

  “Simon, what did you do this time?” Brenda groaned and rolled her eyes.

  “Not me this time,” Simon said with a grin.

  “Where have you been?” Cherri demanded. “We could have used backup.”

  “Brenda had the runs and so we were helping her sort out her situation,” Shelly said sweetly.

  “Really?” Brenda growled.

  “Ma, drink more cranberry juice.” Rissa stopped, growled, and looked at her mother with a worried expression. “You need to remain regular at your age.”

  Blackie stood and whistled loudly making everyone in the room stop. “Cut the drama, and talk about bowel movements, I told you there were some things that couldn’t be revealed yet. But apparently, I was wrong about this. Let’s just sit down and talk calmly.”

  “I am not sitting with him,” Rissa yelled and pointed at Phillip who looked like he was going to throw up.

  “Whatever,” Blackie said.

  “Who are you?” Calli demanded.

  The woman looked around the room and then said, “My name is Hope. Hope Gevaudan.”

  Chapter Six

  “Well that was fun,” Brooks said as he sat down on the couch in his room. Pilar and Calix just stared at him and shook their heads.

  “Really?” Pilar said.

  “They were going to find out.” Brooks shrugged. “Better now than later.”

  “This could divide the Drekinn,” Pilar whispered.

  “Or pull them closer together,” Calix said and both of their gazes swung to him. He had remained quiet throughout the drama in the meeting room.

  “They are so pissed at us,” Pilar said quietly.

  “There was nothing we could do, I mean we didn’t even know if Hope was alive until she showed up a few weeks ago,” Brooks reasoned.

  “We knew,” Pilar said.

  “How?” Calix asked.

  Both turned their gaze to the man who would complete their mating. They hadn’t even had time to get to know one another before the shit hit the fan. Calix looked better than he had before but he was still pale. Pilar hated that he had to find some of this stuff out right now.

  “Where to begin?” Pilar said.

  “How about at the beginning,” Calix said softly.

  Brooks let out a deep breath. “I met Pilar decades ago when the wars had just ended. I was young and stupid, thought I could change the world at that point. You see, the wars were devastating to the magical world. So many people died, and many of them innocents. The Chosen had fought alongside of them.”

  “Of course they did,” Calix said.

  “Many shifters were wounded severely. It is hard to kill a magical creature, and the humans knew it. But they could hurt people, hurt them bad. All in the name of control, they needed to make sure the Chosen were not able to rise up again, gain the following they had. The memories are fuzzy and incomplete, Phillip and I have pieced together as much as we can, but some of it is missing, huge gaps of time,” Pilar said with tears in her eyes.

  “Packs, prides, covens, were broken apart. They were unable to get back together, we saw it, but for some reason never questioned where our family was. Phillip and I were just there, and we were together. We had been traveling in Europe, trying to gain support for a new law the Council was proposing when all hell broke loose. We have no idea where they are, our families, if they are even alive. It was like someone was blocking us, hell, even at first I couldn’t remember my family, only Phillip, then little by little I remembered bits and pieces, until I saw Calli's and the others' books, then I could remember them, but not clearly. Do you know how hard it is to know you have a family but not remember them? It was like the only thing we knew was what we witnessed or read. We came back to the United States,
and were drawn to Colorado, Phillip and I were just doing what we could to help people, it was like we knew what we were supposed to do but just not why, so we did what we thought was right,” Pilar said.

  “I met Pilar while she was searching in Colorado for something familiar. They had heard about the Chosen compound and knew they belonged there but not why. There are clues the Denver Pack had survived and were there at one point, but we lost track,” Brooks explained. “I seriously went there to join them, the Chosen, because I thought I could help. However, when I arrived, I found the humans had destroyed the Milliken compound. It was only months later the humans had claimed victory. Pilar and Phillip arrived one night late, they were almost caught going into the compound,” Brooks said grimly.

  “If Brooks wouldn’t have stopped us, I have no doubt we would still be imprisoned,” Pilar said.

  “I knew she was my mate, I had to save her.” Brooks laughed.

  “Afterward we hid in the mountains. They had a training facility there where we were all trained, you know, the children of the Chosen. It was a flicker of a memory that helped us stay safe, that’s the way it has always been, when we are in trouble, something clicks. Anyway, no one was there either, but the wards of protection were still there. Brooks made them stronger, and we put the word out that it was a safe haven. Soon people began to arrive. Phillip and I decided we needed to figure out how best to help. He needed to stay with the people who wanted to hide, get them new identities and wait for anyone to show up we knew. While Brooks and I decided to hide in plain sight. I mean what better way to gain information. We went to New York with our new identities, we couldn’t remember the old ones. Applied to work for the enforcement of the magical community, worked our way up until we were about to start the Drekinn, we just told the humans what they wanted to hear until they trusted us. We knew something was going on, we just couldn’t get enough information. Even after all these years, there are still things about that time we don’t know. Files that have been sealed. We just knew that we needed to be in a position if the information was ever to be released, we would be there. We need answers just like everyone else,” Pilar said.