“Your mate is the most powerful Mage of them all. She is highest all Kratos. Her birth was foretold, and she will do great deeds for Wolves and Mages.”
Billie rocked back on her heels, stunned. I looked shyly at her. “He keeps saying things like that, and each time it gets grander.” Confidence began to arise in me as I spoke. “He's right. They can't kill me.”
“What is a Kratos?” she wanted to know.
“It’s a Mage who can coerce another Mage. Cassandra doesn't know I'm Kratos. I've been careful about that. Actually she warned me to stay away from ... me.”
She laid a hand on my arm gently, her mind still buzzing. “I've missed a lot in the last week.”
“I'll tell you everything now. No more lies. No more secrets.”
“I want to hear it all. But we should hit the trail. We're going to run out of light, and I'd like to find a warm place for you before nightfall. You can tell me all about it around a campfire tonight.”
“I found a place nearby where your mate will be warm and protected.”
“Thank you, Eldest. Lead the way.”
“I'll take the pack for the first stretch. Go run.” Grateful, Billie stashed her clothes in my pack and hoisted it onto my back. Once I'd settled into the straps, she shifted into wolf form. Kato joined her, and we followed the Ethiopian Wolf into the forest.
Billie jumped and stretched as we plied our way through the woods. In her wolf form, she found some peace, and Kato's arrival gave her hope. She nipped playfully at the old Wolf's heels, and he responded to her antics with patient amusement. I smell dinner, she announced suddenly and raced into a grove. I laughed as she chased a game bird, seizing it with a lunge as it frantically took flight.
Nice catch, I complimented her. Where's mine?
I'll hunt for you. But let's wait until we have a place to prepare it. Kato didn't say how far we have to go. Laying the bird in front of her, she knelt on the ground and began eating.
You can't ask him?
No. Wolves don't speak mind to mind.
I knew that, but I'd assumed it was different with Kato since I could mindspeak with each of them. It surprised me to realize they couldn't communicate with each other that way. Checking with Kato, I relayed his answer to Billie. He said the cave is directly over that ridge to our left. We're close.
You can speak mind to mind with Kato? Her ears twitched towards me in surprise, but she didn't pause in her meal.
Yes.
I thought it was just our matebond allowing us to do it. Kato's different in a lot of ways. It didn't take her long to finish eating the bird. I continued knowing she’d catch up easily, and soon she bounded to my side. She rubbed the length of her body against my leg, and I wrapped my fingers in the thick mane at her neck. Lifting her nose to the air, she searched for more game.
Ahead of us Kato turned at the ridgeline and sat, waiting patiently. Billie rubbed her head against my hand affectionately. I smell your dinner! she announced as she bounded off once again.
When I reached the summit, Kato grinned a wide wolf smile at me. With a beckoning tilt of his head, he descended down the other side. A long narrow valley lay below us, a small stream cutting a path through. The picturesque view took my breath away. Shortly below the top of the ridge, he disappeared behind a large rock protruding from the side of the hill. Following, I found him sitting in front of the mouth of a cave. It wasn't deep, but it curved in on itself to form a protected space. As I entered, I saw enough space for all of us to sleep and noticed the soft floor with satisfaction.
You should see this cave, Billie. It's a good spot.
I'm almost there. Within moments she appeared behind me, another game bird in her mouth. She dropped the hen at my feet and shifted into her human form. “Dinner is served.”
“Thank you.” I leaned in for a kiss and abruptly pulled back, plucking a feather off my tongue. “Oh, gross. Remind me not to kiss you after hunting until you've brushed your teeth.” She laughed and helped me out of the pack. Dutifully, she found the toothbrush and toothpaste, brushing her teeth with a mouthful of canteen water. When finished, I pulled her in for a deep kiss, running my fingers through her tangles of red hair. Kato smiled at us like a loving grandfather.
“If you get the fire going, I'll prepare the bird,” She told me as she pulled a knife out of the pack. “Kato, would you like the discards?” His ears perked forward affirmatively, and Billie scooped the bird off the ground on her way out of the cave.
I gathered rocks for a fire ring and wood, enjoying the crisp evening air. Billie and Kato sat beside the creek. She cleaned the bird expertly and tossed the discards in front of Kato who gobbled them the instant they hit the ground. He shimmered into human form for a while, sitting cross-legged in the scrub by the creek. I couldn't hear their conversation, but the dark cloud over Billie had nearly lifted.
Kato came because his packmates needed him, and at the time, I associated his comment with Billie. She felt lost without a pack, and Kato's arrival banished the haunted look she'd had during the drive. Now I watched my mate cleaning a bird for my dinner, joined by a Wolf who called me daughter, and I sat beside a cave they found for me to sleep in. They could survive very simply as wolves, and they worked to keep me fed and comfortable. I realized I’d begun to rely on the pack and welcomed having people in my life who looked out for me. It was new.
Kato turned his head and gazed lovingly at me, sensing my thoughts. You are Pack.
I'm realizing that. I'm beginning to understand what that means.
In Pack, one heart beats and many hearts echo. We are one.
I still can't believe you crossed a mountain range to meet us.
You are pack, Muzi. I would do much more for you, just as you have proven you will do much for the pack.
Muzi. What does that mean? I asked.
The Sage who raised and taught me called me this as a child. I would be honored to be that for you and for you to call me Muso as I once called him.
I'm honored, Muso.
Billie rose with the clean bird hanging from one hand, leaving only a small pile of feathers behind. I hurried to gather a last armful of firewood. Dusk was falling, and I set the wood near the mouth of the cave. Billie took my hand and kissed my wrist. “Sit and rest. I'll do it.”
“I'm not going to argue.” I sat just inside the cave as she expertly built a fire near the opening. She hadn't dressed, and I enjoyed watching her muscular body move as she worked. The fire crackled to life, and she fed it into a small hot blaze. Once satisfied, she turned and knelt in front of me. Grasping both of my hands in hers, she gazed up into my eyes. It was the most supplicant gesture I'd ever seen her make. Kato lay beside her, mimicking her movements in wolf form. I fidgeted uncomfortably.
Billie spoke reverently to me. “When you told me what you did earlier, I was grateful. But I did not realize just how much you did for us. I didn't grasp how much you risked, and what it's cost you. Kato told me how distressed you were after meeting Cassandra for the first time. He said it disgusted you to pretend you'd collared me. It sickened you so deeply, it took an afternoon to soothe you. He said you chose to save the Pack, knowing it could cost you everything including me. And you didn't hesitate. All you asked in return was his promise to ensure I knew you hadn't betrayed me.
“Our pack rejected you when it should have embraced you as my mate, and yet you were willing to risk our relationship. You chose to save our pack knowing they would try to kill you for it if they caught you. You are the best person I've ever met. Selfless. Giving. Understanding. I can only dream of living up to your example. Our pack owes you everything. I'm not ready to give up on them, and I doubt you are either.”
Tears sprang to my eyes, and my hands trembled in hers. “I was so afraid you'd be mad at me for deceiving you and letting John die.”
“Gods, no. I'm grateful for what you did. And I'm incredibly impressed that you pulled it off.”
“I'm not ready to give up on t
he pack,” I declared with a squeeze.
“Then tonight we rest, and tomorrow we plan.”
Your mate speaks the truth. Our pack owes you a great debt.
Billie cooked the bird over the open fire as the sun slipped below the horizon. As it roasted, I filled her in on everything. The bird was delicious, and once I'd had my fill, she and Kato shared the leftovers. Billie put the fire out, choosing to restart it in the morning rather than risk it spreading or drawing notice.
I will watch over you and your mate tonight. Sleep well and deeply. You are safe here.
“A good night's rest would do us both good. Thank you, Muso,” I answered for Billie and me.
Billie unrolled the sleeping bag, and to my surprise we both fit in it, though barely. Undressing with uncharacteristic immodesty, I joined Billie inside our bed. She spooned me against her chest and held me tight. Kato curled against my stomach, his head resting on my arm. As promised he listened to the night with erect ears. I fell asleep feeling like Pack for the first time.
* * *
Morning came, and I woke rested. The bitter aroma of coffee filled my nose, and I opened my eyes to find Billie pouring me a cup. “Good morning. How did you sleep?”
“Like a baby,” I replied, accepting the warm brew from her hands. “What's cooking?”
“It's a mishmash of nuts, fruit, and greens. I went on a walk while you were sleeping.”
I eyed the small pot sitting covered on the fire. “That's not much food. What are you eating?”
She smiled knowingly. “I hunted already. I'll eat what you don't.”
“It’s weird that you and Kato are only eating my leftovers,” I remarked.
Billie smiled as she circled to sit behind me, wrapping me in her arms. “We can live off of what we hunt, and we don't have to cook it unless we're in human form. I eat better out here than I do in the city. The cooked food is for you.”
“Don't you need a more rounded diet than just meat?”
“What I hunt is more than just meat, and I get most of what I need from a whole animal. A piece of chicken isn't a complete meal, but a chicken is. Some fruits and veggies here and there, and I'm set.”
“So your dietary needs are like a regular wolf's not a human's?” I hadn’t thought about it before.
“It's somewhere in between, but closer to a wolf’s.”
“Interesting,” I commented, sipping the delicious coffee. “Where's Kato?”
“He's nearby, hunting and scouting probably.”
“I can't sense him unless he wants me to. I've never met anyone I couldn't sense before him.”
“He's unusual,” she remarked with admiration.
“How long have you known him?”
“I met him just after I became Beta, so about two years. I don't see him often. He stays in wolf form most of the time and only comes to Elder Meetings when he's needed.”
“I can't figure him out. He's more than just a Wolf. He said he was born Sage. Do you know what that means?”
“His father was a Mage. I bet that has something to do with it.”
“Really?” I burst at the revelation. “He never told me that.”
“He's not one to overshare. I know very little about him and his life. Most of what I do know I found out in the last week.”
“Will you tell me what you know about him?”
Billie considered the question. “He's originally from Africa. I don't know how old he is or when he came here. I don't think anyone does except maybe Kathryn. The earliest stories I've heard go back to just before the Civil War. Isingoma was Alpha of another pack and Kato was his Beta. They were twins. When Richard's pack was nearly destroyed by a Mage, Kato came to help them survive and became Alpha of this pack.
“Isingoma was Kathryn's first mate. He and their grandson died in the Tulsa Race Riots. She and Kato are close - I didn’t realize how close until this last week. Losing his twin was very difficult for him. Someone once told me that the spark left his eyes after his twin died. According to Kathryn, Isingoma and Kato believe they are a single soul divided into two bodies. When Isingoma died, Kato was left incomplete. Not long after, Kato relinquished Alpha to Jason, and he all but disappeared into the mountains. Maybe that's why he lives as a wolf. I've heard it said that he foresaw Jason as the next Alpha and made him Wolf to fulfill his vision.
“He's something of a legend among Wolves. Whenever I meet Wolves from other packs, they ask me about him. I've heard a lot of stories and don't know which of them are true. They say he's the oldest Wolf in the United States if not the world. They say he can see the future, which apparently he can. Some believe he's a Sensitive and a Wolf. Other stories are interesting but absurd."
I nodded. That filled in a few gaps. “He's mentioned his brother before. It felt like a black hole opened when he talked about him. He asked me to be his student.”
“Is that why you called him Muso?”
“He said that's what he called the Sage who raised and taught him.”
“Whoa. Sadie, that's huge.”
“I know. I'm completely blown away. He talks about his abilities like they're the same as mine except he can't coerce. He said he was spared the ability to harm.”
“He said something like that in the last Elder Meeting. It was the first time any of us knew his father was a Mage. Kathryn didn't even know. Richard and Jason were livid. They accused him of lying to them by keeping that information to himself.”
“How did Kato respond to that?” I wondered.
She laughed at the memory. “He said he understood their anger and forgave them. Then he asked how you had betrayed them when you didn't even know you're a Mage. He has a way of pointing out what's important and what's going on underneath it all. Kind of like you, actually.” She sobered as she remembered Richard's reaction. I sipped the delicious coffee and enjoyed the feel of her arms around me. “I'll bet your stew is ready. Hungry?”
“Famished.”
She pulled the pot off the fire and poked at it. “It's done. I don't know how tasty this is, but I can guarantee it's nourishing.”
“Then I have nothing to complain about. Come here, beautiful.” I invited seductively. “Kato will be back at some point.” She joined me on top of the sleeping bag by the fire. We lay facing each other. “I've decided I like naked camping.” Her green eyes glittered in the morning light, and I ran a hand down the curve of her side and hip. Her breath deepened, and I sensed her rising arousal.
The curve between her breasts drew me in for a kiss, and she closed her eyes. I worked my way around her breast with my lips, feeling her skin quiver beneath my touch. Her rosy nipple perked to attention when I grazed it with my teeth. I shifted my hand down her ass, brushing the skin delicately. She enjoyed the attention, her legs parting a bit in an unconscious invitation.
Billie’s acute senses picked up something I didn’t. “Kato’s coming,” she announced.
I sighed dejectedly and stopped admiring her so intimately. “Time for breakfast, I guess.” We sat up, and Billie handed me the cooling stew. Kato joined us shortly.
“This isn't half bad.” The stew surprised me, and I fed Billie a bite to prove it. She nodded in agreement. I ate all of it, scraping the bottom of the pan for the last bits. Kato lay in wolf form, watching the dying embers intently. His mind, hidden from me again, focused on something far away. A deep and powerful blanket enveloped him as he meditated.
When I finished eating, he shimmered into human form and directed his focus at Billie and me. “We must determine the next course of action.” He cut to the chase.
“Agreed,” Billie replied. “Our first priority is to stop Cassandra. As much as I want to rejoin the pack, that can't be our priority. Is that your opinion too?” she asked the Eldest.
Kato nodded his agreement. “The two priorities will become one in short time.”
“What do you see, Muso?” I asked. “Do you know what we need to do?”
He looked long at Billi
e and me before he responded. “You must join the Mages who conspire against us and be as if one of them.” Billie stiffened. She still didn't like the idea.
I’d had more time to accept it. “Cassandra said they're meeting to finalize their plans soon. I can find out when and where.”
“You must convince them you are one of them.” He turned his gaze to Billie. “You also must convince them she is one of them.”
“I need to pretend to be collared.” Her nose curled as she considered the idea. “I like it better than Sadie going in alone. But won't they know I'm not?”
I shook my head. “It's taboo to enter the mind of another Mage's pet. That's how I baited Cassandra to begin with. I entered Nathan's mind. That's no guarantee, but even if someone does, I think we can pull it off.”
“How?”
“I know I can keep them out of your head. The trick is doing it without giving myself away as Kratos.” The vague idea formulated as I spoke. “If I understand how it works correctly, the fact that we're sexually involved means I could collar you at a deeper level than if we weren't. I should be able to use that as an explanation if I need to. It also means your superficial mind would be intact. Your emotional reactions won't give you away.”
She thought about my statement. “So I can get angry or shocked, and it won't blow our cover?”
“So long as you don’t act on it, yes. I told Cassandra that I've been compelling you to trust me no matter what. No matter what goes on around us, you trust me. You don't have to like it. If I ask you to do something, you'll need to do it. And I can't guarantee you'll be comfortable with everything, but if you refuse, it'll give us away.
Billie's face went white. “What will I have to do?”
“I don't know, but I'm not going to ask you to do something you'll regret.” She didn't like it one bit. “Trust me, love.”
“I trust you. I absolutely trust you.” I knew she did, but she didn’t give up control easily.
“I should warn you about one thing. Cassandra has already asked me to give you to a Mage to have sex with in exchange for his support. I've told her no several times.”
Psyche Honor (Psyche Moon) Page 17
