“Chanin and his Pack, even if they returned the girls unharmed.They still need to answer for the insult and thievery.”
He gave a sharp nod.
Her wings retracted.“Now that I’m calmer.Can we pass?”
Aodh offered Iskah a half grin.“Only after you contact Chanin and let him know you’re coming.”He glanced at the ten Fae still facing off with his brother, security leader, and the guard.If Iskah gave the word, they would attack, hoping to have the upper hand because they outnumbered them with odds greater than three to one.However, the Fae attack would be to the ethereal beings’ detriment.
He shook his head and choked down his humor, knowing Iskah would not appreciate it.“After you radio ahead, you have permission to cross with a handful less warriors.Keijo and a few others would still make a point.”
Iskah thought his words over for a beat.“Alright.I’ll radio the Lupines.We’ll encamp here until tomorrow, and I’ll only take the necessary contingency.”
This time, he laughed.Aodh understood she would at least bring half with her.“Good.”
With that decision, they both headed back to rejoin their people.
“The Fae queen appears less rageful.Can we take that to mean she is less likely to brew multiple tornadoes and sandstorms to sweep away all the Lupines?”Liekki joked when Aodh gathered them.
“Maybe a frostbite or two, but she’ll talk,” Aodh confirmed.
“That’s better.Because if the Fae had marched over to the Lupines with a forest at their back, it wouldn’t have ended well for either group.”Edjer still kept one eye on the Fae.The security leader never trusted anyone outside of a Drahk.
“Which is what I wanted to avoid,” Aodh confirmed.
“What would you have me to do, commander...Mckenna?”Hydra looked from Edjer to him.
“Stand down.Maintain your post here for the night.Tomorrow, when they are ready, allow the Fae queen and no more than five of her warriors to enter.”Aodh placed a hand on the guard’s shoulder.“Good job.”
Hydra stood tall with her chest out and shoulders back, but Aodh didn’t miss the small, amethyst flame leap into her gaze.
“Thank you, Mckenna.And congratulations on the pending hatchling,” Hydra offered.
After a pat on her shoulders in thanks.He turned to Liekki and Edjer.“Now that the issue’s resolved, we’ll head back now.”
Liekki rotated his shoulders and brought one leg and then his other up to his chest in a stretch.“I’m down for a nice walk back to center territory.”
Aodh shoved his brother’s shoulder.“There’s no fucking way, I’m walking.I have plans with my mate, and I’m already late.”
“She’s already growing your offspring.You can lay off on the sex some,” Liekki ribbed him as they headed toward a clearing.
Edjer chuckled as he strode with them.
In the open space, Aodh met both men’s gazes seriously.“I’ll never lay off sex with Kai.However, it’s time I show her my hoard.”
Aodh shifted and took off into the skies, knowing the two he left stunned behind him would follow soon enough.
~YH~
Thump, thump.Thump, thump.
His front and back paws struck the earth in pairs for hours as he moved through the woods along the border.He was on a path that kept him deep within the dense foliage on his side of the line.Not because he was worried about being spotted by a dragon-shifter out on patrol, but because he refused to allow anything to slow down his progress to his one goal—getting to his mate.
Even though he was unsure exactly where she was within the Drahk territory, he figured the central area would be best to start his search.If his Pack needed to request permission to cross their lands for any reason, they would steer clear of the heart of the fire-breathers’ Thunder.Yes, the dragons utilized more of their territory for leaving space than his Pack, who enjoyed the proximity of each other, but a significant sect of the Drahks settled in one area.That was the place he headed.
From the small bite, he could sense her, feel the connection to her.However, since she only had a small amount of his serum, it wasn’t a homing beacon.He’d feel a stronger pull if he were close enough to her.
His ear pricked, and all his senses came alive when he arrived close to the populated area.He heard the hum and chatter of conversation and felt the occasional vibrations in the ground caused by the heavy thud of dragon patrols landing.His vision flooded with heavy waves coming off their bodies, but he could smell them mostly.The cloying sulfuric stench that surrounded them and clung to everything they touched clogged his nasal passages.
Once, twice, three times, his wolf shook its large head to clear the fetor.His movements were silent as he slowed, took in the buildings, and analyzed the people he passed.He focused his thoughts on Morlie, brought the memory of the complex, gentle, woodsy, violet scent with vanilla’s musky sweetness, and isolated on it.Chanin’s beast forced all the other smells of the woods surrounding him and the dragon-shifters away as he searched.
