First to Fall

by Alexa Whitewolf

  I nod, unsure where he’s going with the explanation.

  “Right, hear me out. So if you had a dog that loves you so, and let’s say you own this dog together with Dom. And one day Dom leaves, but orders the dog to stay behind. Then the dog has to listen, despite his unconditional love for you or Dom.... I’m not explaining this very well, am I?”

  I chuckle despite my frayed nerves, trying to understand what he’s getting at. “No, but I think I get what you’re saying. Obeying Lucas is like a compulsion, because Dom is in his pack, right?”

  Finn’s eyes light up at my simplistic summary. “Right! So, really, it’s not his choice. He has to stay away from you if he wants to stay in the pack. And with the way things are now, if Lucas gets cross one more time...”

  “Then Lucas and I need to talk.” I try to push past Finn, but he grabs me again, immobilizing me.

  “You can’t!”

  “Finn, this is my life. My personal life he’s interfering with! And he has no right.” Finn grimaces in a way that makes me think I’ve just put my foot in my mouth. “What?”

  “Well, while you’re under his protection and the pack's, it means you owe him your obedience too. So, really, he does have the right.”

  There’s a sound pounding in my ears—I can’t make out if it’s the blood rushing to my temples or just my head exploding. But all that comes out is a low hiss. “What? I never agreed to that, nor do I want it!”

  “Be that as it may...”

  I stomp my foot, huffing. “Fine! Tell me how to un-protect myself or whatever.” At his quizzical expression, I elaborate, “How do I make it clear to Lucas that I don’t need his pack’s protection?”

  “You won't like the answer.”

  I bet I won’t.

  At my insistent gaze, he relents. “You have to either get under another pack’s protection, or mate with an alpha.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me! There’s no way to just leave?”

  “Not in Lucas’ world. He cares too much about each of us to let any harm come to us. And you, well, you’re human.” He shrugs as if that explains everything, placing one hand on my shoulder. “You’d be free game for any wolf in the region if you weren’t with us. And the fact you have our scent on you—”

  “Your what!?”

  Finn holds up his free hand, shushing me. “I mean our wolf scent is around you. Other wolves would think you’re open to interacting with them or...”

  “Being turned.”

  I jump at his voice, turning to see Dom enter the kitchen. His glare falls on Finn’s touch on my shoulder, which he drops as if I'm scorching him and takes a step back.

  “What’s going on here?”

  My voice comes out biting. “So now you care?” Yes, I wanted his attention, but not in this way, as if he’s marking his territory. What I want is to talk, but my desires seem to be a moot point right about now.

  Dom clenches his jaw, glancing at Finn. He makes a move to leave, but I hold onto his sleeve. “I’m not done asking you questions!”

  The thought crosses my mind that I’m putting Finn in an uncomfortable position, but he’s a well of knowledge and I need any information I can get out of him to navigate these waters. Then perhaps I can figure out a way to get Dom out of his compulsion, and back in my arms.

  Which reminds me, we never talked about our relationship. I turn to where Dom was, but find only an empty spot. “Dammit!”

  “He’ll come around.” Finn’s pitiful reassurance does nothing to boost my mood.

  “Yeah. As soon as Lucas gets off his high horse and allows us to be together. This is such bullshit. Is there no way around this, Finn?”

  I don’t know if it’s the tears brimming in my eyes or my pleading tone, but Finn sighs. Something in the way his shoulders droop and he leans against the wall, staring at the ceiling, brings me hope.

  “There may be something. But this is just a theory, and I have no way of proving it.”

  “Please, tell me.”

  He takes a deep breath, then nods. “All right.”

  Dominic

  Staying away from Luz is enough to drive my already tense body into turmoil. Especially after last night. But Lucas’ orders are clear in my head.

  I could have challenged him for alpha, but I would have been wrong. With all his faults, he’s a good leader—if pigheaded when it comes to me and Luz. But despite my fury, and my wolf’s resentment, I cannot deny a simple fact: this pack protects Luz.

  And that, if nothing else, is the cold shower I needed all along.

  I’m not staying away for the sake of obeying. I’ve never been the puppy Lucas tries to make me. But I also don’t want to get kicked out of the pack that is protecting Luz. On my own, I have nothing to offer her. Here, she remains safe.

  And I intend to keep her so.

  I need a few days to figure out how to smooth things over with Lucas, then I’m sure I can change his mind. He may not let me mate with Luz, but he should allow me to get closer—to date her.

  For most of the morning, I’m busy tearing apart the engine of an old Challenger. Its owner inherited it from his grandfather and wants to add a new engine, new wheels, and fine tune it. It's a complicated enough job and it keeps my mind from wandering.

  Finn with Luz was an image I didn’t need in my already thick head. For all I know, Lucas is trying to set her up with Finn to get back at me.

  Not even your alpha would play such games.

  I try to listen to the voice of reason—really, I do. But it’s hard. Then Finn walks back in the garage and heads for Lucas and Tristan who are working on a pickup.

  “I need to take off for a few days, a week at most.”

  My wolf points its head, none too happy. I keep working on the engine, but slow my movements so I can listen in to the conversation.

  “Why?” Lucas asks.

  Finn glances at me and I pretend not to notice it. “Luz wants to go out of town. With Tommy incarcerated, she thinks she may have access to things from her old place, stuff she had to leave behind in a hurry.”

  Sensing their eyes on me, I stop working and drop my tools, facing them. “What?”

  Lucas arches an eyebrow. “You got a problem with Finn’s suggestion?”

  I have a problem with you playing fucking mind games, Lucas. Instead of voicing that out loud, I shake my head. “Nope.”

  “Really?”

  Yes, I have a fucking problem with another wolf near my girl. Even more so at the thought of him in the same car, protecting her. Taking the spot I should be in. But I’m not planning to admit this to you.

  With a careless shrug, I go back to tinkering with the car. Tristan tells Lucas to drop it, and I see him nod to Finn. Great. The fucker got permission. So much for buddy loyalty.

  To top it off, he has the nerve to come near me. Out of earshot from Lucas and Tristan, I keep my voice low—too low for even their wolf ears to pick it up. But I know about Finn’s particular affinity.

  “I’d watch your step if you get closer, mate.”

  Finn hesitates, but I hear his whisper. “We’re doing this for you. I swear.”

  I glance up then, meeting his earnest gaze. “Who’s we? You and Luz?”

  At his nod, I sigh and release all the tension in my body. “What do you want from me, my permission?”

  A hesitant grin, then, “Your car keys. There’s no way mine can make the trip we need.”

  I scowl at him for a long moment, then dig into the pocket of my jeans and toss them. Finn catches them midway, and I see Lucas turn our way in surprise.

  Yeah, I’m letting him borrow my girl and my car. Go fuck yourself, Lucas.

  Finn smirks as if hearing my thoughts. “I’ll bring them both back unscratched.”

  “You better, mate. Else it’s your ass on the line.”

  Finn nods and takes off. Through the glass between the garage and the reception, I see Luz grab her jacket and they leave together.

  Fuck
me.

  Lucrezia

  Finn lied to them. He had to because it was not likely Lucas would agree to our little quest, at least not freely. In truth, I’m not sure even Dom would agree, since it's all tied in to his lineage and identity. And the answer to that might solve all our problems... If Finn is right.

  So we take the long drive to New York City, where we can access internet, historical records, genealogy and everything that money can buy. Finn drives the entire ten hours, not even complaining about it, while I nap on and off.

  When I wake up for the last time, it’s to a gray sky and huge buildings. Cement and glass everywhere, and people. So. Many. People. I’ve heard NYC is the city that never sleeps, but jeez... On a Tuesday early morning, it’s packed.

  We park the car in an underground parking lot, then head out on foot.

  “Where to first?” Finn asks.

  I think about what little Dom told me. He said it had been an American couple that adopted him from the orphanage in Romania, and as far as he knew the adoption was finalized in the New York state. Which leaves us with one possibility where to start.

  “The city hall.”

  ∞ ♦ ∞

  A week of searching later and countless nights spent awake pouring over records amount to snippets of information, but nothing concrete other than Dominic's true last name is not Kosta. And then there are the circles of bureaucracy we’ve fallen into...

  One day, when I'm close to give up, I stumble upon something at the library.

  “Finn, over here!”

  We've been spending half days in the largest library we could find, both researching history and archives. At my not-so-whispered shout, Finn rushes from the latest bookshelf he’s been perusing. I point at the screen of the computer I’m using, trying to contain my excitement.

  “I found it! His birth name was Dominic Konstantin.”

  He gapes at the entry, then snaps out of it. “Konstantin... That rings a bell. Hang on. Hey buddy, can I borrow your computer?”

  The nerdy kid who’s busy playing some war game on the computer next to mine snorts and mumbles something, not even acknowledging Finn. So my companion does what he’s been doing best all week: he loses his cool. For some reason, it seems people in NYC respond to authority—more or less.

  Either way, Finn yanks the kid out of the seat, ignoring his complaints. “Sorry, emergency.” Then his fingers are flying across the keyboard until he pulls up a different website.

  Familii de Regi Române.

  “What does that say? You can read Romanian?”

  Finn shakes his head at my questions and hits the English button, translating the page instantly for both of us.

  Families of Romanian Kings.

  “What!?”

  My outburst a few people in the vicinity, and I’m shushed into silence. Finn throws me a look to quiet me down. “Konstantin is an old Romanian name, as old as some lineages of kings. But this isn’t what I’m searching for...”

  He hunts for another five minutes that feel like an eternity, and lands on a few other pages before stopping on a particular one. I see depictions of werewolves, and something darker. A gasp escapes me when I recognize the creature from the forest.

  “That’s it!”

  Finn stares at the picture. “That’s what attacked you?”

  “Yes!”

  He nods, scanning the page for the text, but I’m too impatient to stay quiet. “What language is that?”

  “Some mix of Latin... I can understand parts of it. It says here the vârcolacs split into five families, but they were all strigoi.”

  “What’s a strigoi?”

  “Vampires... Very undead.” His voice is flat, and shivers run up my spine. “There’s an entire history. And we were right, Luz. Dom’s lineage goes way back.”

  We print the entire thing and hop back into the truck. This time, I spend the entire ten hours reading every bit of the history, and my heart lightens with every passage.

  An exhausted half a day later, Finn drops me off in front of Claws Auto Shop, where I wait for Dom to get out. I step out of the shadows when I see him lock up.

  “Dom.”

  Dominic

  “Luz?”

  She looks tired, and the jeans seem baggier on her than before. A week is a long time for me to go through every worst scenario in my head. But seeing her here, a mere few feet away from me, is almost enough to stop my heart.

  I scan the surroundings, realize she must have waited here alone, and snap. “What are you thinking? There are dangers out at night. Where the hell is Finn?”

  She rolls her eyes, unimpressed. “You won’t even acknowledge me, but you lecture me about safety? And Finn dropped me off only two minutes ago. Trust me, I’m safe.”

  A growl surrounds us, and I realize it’s coming from me. I stop, then take a deep breath. “What is it?”

  She lifts a stack of pages, waving them in my face. “I have to show you something.” There’s a spark to her gaze, a tone in her voice that makes me jealous this discovery happened with Finn around.

  “Not a good time.”

  Jealous and petty, apparently. But Luz is not one to give up. “Too bad. Cause you’re walking me home. Unless you want me to walk alone. In the dark.”

  I scowl and grab her hand.

  “I knew you’d see it my way!” She laughs.

  Damn this woman!

  We walk to her apartment, and I relish the touch of her hand in mine. Lucas has been off my back since Finn and Luz left. Maybe he saw my acceptance of this as a gesture of good will, who knows? I can’t pretend to know his mind.

  But two nights ago, he even let me join in a patrol around the area. Not that we found anything, and he refuses to go to the lair. He reasons there are too many creatures around and we don't understand what their purpose here is.

  Since they’ve been staying away, we do the same while we gather information. Know thy enemy and all. I don’t agree with the softball approach, but I’ve learned to take it low. Plus, the fact we’re not really exploring my familial connection to these monsters eases my mind. Maybe I was wrong, after all.

  I glance down at Luz, noticing her furrowed brow. Again, my gaze drops to the stack of papers in her hands. “So where did you and Finn go?”

  Though I try to keep the jealousy out of my voice, it’s a failed attempt. She smiles, looking up at me. “Jealous?”

  I tug her towards me, pressing her against the wall in one movement. She gasps, grasping onto the front of my shirt. “You know I am.” My admission is a low rumble, but she seems to like it as she licks her lips.

  “Kiss me, Dom. Please?”

  How can I resist such temptation? My mouth drops to hers, taking and devouring, leaving no prisoners. Luz hangs on, only able to moan and melt closer.

  When I pull back enough to catch my breath, she’s left panting. “What about Lucas’ orders?”

  “Fuck his orders.”

  And I mean it. No agony is worthy being separated from her, and no heaven compares to how complete she makes me feel. Lucas will have to get on board, one way or another.

  Our lips melt together again, and this time I’m coaxing her, plundering, until the torture is more than either of us can stand.

  There’s a burning need inside me to claim her, to make her mine once and for all. My wolf growls, wanting the same. As if sensing my thoughts, Luz pushes me away, and I tense.

  “What is it?”

  There’s no distress in her expression, only hesitation. “I need to tell you something.”

  ∞ 12 – Greşeli ∞

  “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth;

  not going all the way, and not starting.”

  -Buddha-

  DOMINIC

  Every scenario runs through my head, but my treacherous mind zeroes in on the worst. “Did something happen with Finn?”

  Luz’s eyes widen. “What?” Then she gets angry, flushing a nice shade of
pink. “Seriously, Dom?”

  I cup her cheeks between my hands, trying to backtrack. “Sorry.” My lips press against her and I'm kissing her again, apologizing all over. “My head's messed up. I missed you so damn much.”

  My admission seems to pacify her, at least enough that she tugs on my shirt to get my attention. “No, nothing happened with Finn. We were working day and night trying to uncover this for you. It was his idea, you know.”

  Now I’m confused. “What was?”

  Luz glances around, and I realize we’re still out in the open. “Let’s get to my place, then I’ll tell you.”

  I follow her home, racking my brain to figure out her cryptic words. Finn had hinted at much the same, saying, We’re doing this for you. But what?

  Once we’re inside Luz’s place, she takes off her jacket and gestures to the sofa. I refuse her silent request to sit. “Can we get this over with? I hate waiting.”

  She bites her lip, and I realize my tone was a tad harsh. I try to soften it, stepping closer and tucking a wayward strand behind her ear, enjoying her slight shiver. “There are many other ways I’d prefer to have this reunion and none involve going over the papers in your hands. Let's get it over with.”

  Luz nods, then pecks me before rifling through the stack. “I guess I should explain where the idea came from. I was mad over you ignoring me, listening to Lucas—”

  “He’s my alpha, draga mea. I can’t disobey him.” My words have less conviction than before, seeing as I’m doing exactly that by being around her.

  She waves off my interruption, and paces away. Her hair bounces with every movement, and in the dim light it looks almost like living fire. “I know that. Or, well, Finn explained it. Sort of.” She grimaces, as if recalling something. “He made a terrible analogy about dogs and their masters.”

  I’m going to kill him.

  Then Luz shakes her head and lifts the paper my way. “Anyway, this is research. About you and your lineage. See, when I vented to Finn about alpha rules and crap, and pushed him about another way to break the compulsion to your leader, he admitted a theory he had.”