“We shifters believe in finding our soul mates. When we do, the animal in us be it raven, cat, bear and especially wolf sense it first. Everything about our intended turns us on, from his scent to even the way he holds his fork. Sometimes our true soul mate is never born, or lives on the other side of the globe. Rather than being alone, we take an earth mate. Someone we can have a family with, and in time grow to love.” She sipped her beer and scoffed. “Or in my case, to rule a kingdom.”
“So Bram is not your true mate?”
“We’ve been thrown together since we were children with hopes of continuing our royal lineage. He’s a great guy and sexy but my heart is not in it. Neither is his. Much to my parents’ disappointment, I’m drawn to werewolves.” She shrugged. “It’s possible my true mate is a werewolf.” She threw her a mischievous smile. “Bram prefers male company and we both have an understanding our earth mating will be for show only.”
“Josh is actually kind of traditional in terms of…”
The door slammed open with a deafening bang. Rave gasped. “Oh shit!”
Marla had broken free of her detainers. With her fangs out, she snarled and leapt at Dora. A female version of Wolverine.
“Run, Dora!” Rave stood in Marla’s way, but the maddened werewolf flung her against the wall. “Oof.”
Others rushed to Dora’s aid. Time stood still. Paralyzed with raw fear, she gaped at Rave’s prone body. Run? From a werewolf?
Maybe if I play possum
.
Or better yet, tell her I give up
.
Never.
Yet, this wouldn’t be an ordinary catfight. More like a slaughter.
Bram still in human form, his arms now wings, flew and knocked Marla down. She twisted and bit off a good chunk of his wing. He screamed and crashed, his bleeding broken wing reverted to an arm with a gruesome gaping wound.
Rave sat on the floor holding her bleeding head. “Bram!”
Before the betas could get to her, Marla turned and charged at Dora.
Adrenalin coursed through her, fight or flight.
Flight
. Without even thinking or even a rhyming spell, Dora flew up and clung on to the high ceiling chandelier. Marla leapt at her but missed her by about three feet. The partial werewolf roared in frustration.
Dora looked down. Everyone froze and then a few growled and tilted their heads in confusion. A witch was among them.
Marla paced below her and growled. “You bewitched Dirk.”
Doors flung open and other werewolves joined the others in the hall. Ordinary people she had seen earlier, now mesmerized by Marla. Mostly betas, but lethal nonetheless, with extended claws, and snarling fangs. The werewolves assembled and approached as a unit. They stared up at her and howled. Was it in warning, or to gather the pack for a kill?
Chapter 20
Talon paced, and Dirk kept his head down. Finally, his uncle broke the long silence. “If the pack agrees, I think a witch will be a good addition to the Consortium.”
He wasn’t out of the clear yet. “And what of the Benandanti?” Dirk had ruined any chance of their alliance when he killed Theo and took a witch as a mate.
Talon’s eyes were cold and his tone menacing. “They used silver against their own kind. Our truce is broken.”
Dirk swallowed. “About Dora being my mate…”
“Son, I’m happy you found your true mate, but better we wait before we tell the rest of the pack what she is. Many still fear the power of a witch.”
Sudden howls and fierce raven caws split their peace. Talon growled, flashing long sharp fangs. “What the hell?”
Trouble. The kind Dora got into. Dirk sprang out of his chair, slammed the door opened and dashed out. The fur prickled his back. His shirt ripped. The wolf urged for release. Dirk, still mostly human rushed into the grand room and roared. The pack backed away in submissive silence.
Talon arrived and glowered at his pack. “How dare you howl for the hunt!”
Dirk’s gaze traveled to the ceiling and found Dora. She hung from the chandelier with Marla stalking her below. The last time he found his mate on the ceiling was when she had zombies below her. Marla had more sense than the un-dead; however, if she didn’t heed his warning, she’d meet the same fate as the zombies had. Thank goodness Dora had flown, though it was a helluva way to break the news to everyone. Dora’s secret was out. Dirk grabbed Marla with his clawed hands, and whipped her around to face him. “Leave my mate alone!”
She snapped, “Since when do you take a witch as a mate?”
“Since I fell in love.” Dirk released Marla and she stumbled back. She straightened and shot him an incredulous look.
One of the beta females wound her arm around the maddened she-werewolf. “Come back to your quarters.”
Marla broke away from the beta and shot Dirk a challenging stare. “Not until this is settled.”
Rave stood and smoothed her black cloak. “Dirk marked Dora as his mate, that’s pretty settled to me. I mean, come on. I’ve never seen a larger claiming mark in all my years.”
Marla spat at her, “Mind your own business, raven slut.”
The raven shifters tending to Prince Bram turned and cawed with displeasure at Marla’s insults toward their princess.
Talon bore his fangs. “Marla, you will not disrespect Princess Ravenna and our mating laws.”
“But he betrayed the pack.”
“You refer to archaic laws. The world has changed and so must we.” He glowered at Marla. “Grab your things and leave.”
Dirk raised a brow at his uncle, a deep sense of relief unclenching his heart.
Dora’s eyes widened. “Wait, she can’t go alone out there.”
Talon growled and narrowed his eyes at her as several onlookers gasped. That’s his Dora, worrying about a female werewolf ready to gut her. Dirk couldn’t help a laugh that was cut short when Talon turned his frown on him. Talon might decide to teach her pack manners. However, how would he discipline a human? A bite to the nose or neck could kill her. Damn, would he have to fight his beloved uncle?
“Dora, an alpha’s decision is never questioned.”
“Really? I recall questioning yours often.”
“That’s different, babe. You’re my mate. My love.”
He bowed to the alpha
.
“Uncle, Dora does not understand our ways.”
Talon frowned. “I’m well aware of the cultural differences between humans and werewolves. I’ll let you enlighten her later.” He glanced up at her. “Marla can take care of herself and she’ll be allowed one weapon and a fueled vehicle.” He glared back at the jilted werewolf.
Marla bowed her head at the alpha but her eyes seethed daggers as she stared at her boots as if Dora lay beneath them squished to a pulp. “Fine! Canada has more zombie free territory anyway.” She growled at Dirk and left.
He ignored her and focused on getting Dora down.
Dora entered his mind.
“You could have told me back then. Why did I have to wait until your ex blurted it out?”
“I meant to tell you today, it’s just that I worried you wouldn’t understand the committed for life thing.”
“Is Talon cool with me being a witch?”
“More surprised than cool with it.”
This wasn’t how Dirk wanted to announce his mate. Telling her first would have been nice. What was his pack thinking about having a witch around? “It’s okay. Concentrate on floating down slowly.” At least it had not been a full moon. Marla would have gone all wolf and torn her to pieces.
She nodded, let go, and like a feather caught in a breeze, gently drifted into his waiting arms.
He set her down and kissed her. Everyone whooped and cheered.
“Dirk, are you sure this mating thing can’t be undone?”
He kissed her more fervently.
“Not a chance, but if you would rather stay away I can…”
“Not a chance.”
Josh cleared his throat. “Sis.”
They stopped kissing. Dora sighed. “Hey.”
“I’m not complaining about the PDA. Just want to make sure you’re okay?” Unnerved, Josh’s eyes darted around the room, not sure if it was safe to move any closer.
Dora shot him a warm smile. “Yes, but I should check on Bram and Rave.”
Rave waved her away. Someone had given her an ice pack, which she pressed on the back of her head. “I think Bram’s arm is broken.”
Dora knelt by his side and checked his wound. He cawed and winced. “Sorry.” Marla’s fangs had left a gaping wound that penetrated his muscle and cracked the bone. “Looks like an open bone fracture. I need to clean the wound and set the bone.”
Phoenix stood behind Dora. “The infirmary is down the hall.”
Dirk and Talon lifted Bram and brought him to the hospital-equipped chamber, laying him on the bed. Rave and Josh tagged along. An older werewolf nurse handed her a lab smock and then set up the portable x-ray. Poor Bram clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut as he was positioned for the machine.
She viewed the anatomically human arm’s image and frowned. “I’m going to have to sedate him.” She glanced at Rave. “Human drugs okay?”
Rave nodded. “As long as we’re in human form, we can tolerate anything you can.”
Once Bram was under, Dora went to work, repairing the damage. Dirk had never seen her in doctor mode and beamed in pride how she went to work with a no-nonsense approach.
Dirk whispered, “I’ll be outside, babe.”
She winked at him and he left.
He waited outside the room. His emotions raw with everything from relief that Talon and the pack accepted Dora to his unstoppable fear of future potential threats the Benandanti might pose on Dora’s life. Shit, was he prepared to raise a child that might be born with powers that would bring about doom?
Two hours later, she opened the door and let him peek at the bandaged prince. Rave and Josh stood by Bram after assisting in the fully functional medical room. “He will sleep for another hour or so.”
“Good, my uncle is just finishing an emergency pack meeting. He wants to see us when you’re ready.”
“Let me guess. The gathering was about having a witch join the pack?”
He half shrugged. “That and the growing zombie-at-our-gates problem.”
Dora removed her smock and washed. She turned to look at her patient one last time and sighed. “Let’s go.”
Hell, she was hot in doctor mode. “Don’t worry, babe, he won’t bite.”
Talon stood before his pack answering questions. Dirk and Dora entered the large conference room and a communal gasp followed. The alpha narrowed his gaze. “Return to your duties.” The werewolves bowed their heads and left in silence. Dirk had no enemy amongst the pack, most honored him, but how many still feared the offspring of an alpha and witch?
Dirk held Dora’s cold hand as they followed Talon into his office. The senior alpha gestured in a stern voice. “Please sit.”
Phoenix joined them. Talon pulled a seat out for her. His wife’s appearance softened the tension in his brow. This was Talon’s thirtieth year of being the pack alpha. He’d always had the vigor and stamina of a wolf half his age. Since the Bane, his dark hair had gone gray and he no longer seemed as tall.
Talon smiled at Dora. “How is Prince Bram?”
“He’s stabilized. It took me a while to set his bone but the cast will keep it immobile. I administered antibiotics though I worry about some werewolf bite infection.”
Dirk shot her a wink. Another doctor was exactly what the pack needed.
Phoenix smiled. “Ravens have a strong immune system. Although, poor Bram won’t be flying anytime soon.”
Dora nodded. “Should take eight weeks to heal.”
“Actually, ravens heal bones far more rapidly than humans. Maybe two weeks. However, though his human arm will function, you’re right about flight. The wing will take at least several months, if not longer, to heal before he can fly again.” Phoenix spoke from experience, having once broken her wing.
“Interesting.” She pressed her lips together. “Dirk and I never intended to mate.” She met Talon’s eyes. “We love each other.”
Talon’s tone was emotionless. An alpha with superior control. “The Benandanti will declare war when they find out Dirk mated with a witch. Not to mention killing Theo, but they would have broken their treaty anyway knowing we are aligned with the Raven Murders and other members of the Mythos Consortium. It also explains their illegal use of silver.”
Dora’s voice was small, “So you’re not worried about going to war because of me?”
Dirk draped a protective arm over her. “We outnumber them.”
Talon chuckled. “I figured as much the last time I met with the Benandanti alpha, Valeray, that our treaty would not last. Even without my next in line alpha taking a witch for a mate.”
Dirk lifted a brow. “So you still want me to be your second in command? Even though I’m not mated to a shifter?”
Talon drew in a long breath and slowly released it. “Your son, if you have one, and if destined to be a werewolf dragon wizard, will be raised correctly. I don’t think he would become the megalomaniac ruler like previous
were
-wizards.”
Dora blushed. “I think we’re jumping the gun here. Yes, according to your laws I’m Dirk’s mate, but honestly we haven’t dated much and I’m holding out for a proper engagement ring.”
“Done.” Dirk smiled.
Talon’s expression grew heavy. “Actually, what I’m really concerned about was the Protean you spotted at the lab. If such a shifter exists and caused the Bane, it’s not the Benandanti we need to be concerned with.”
“This Protean shifter looked reptilian,” said Dora.
Phoenix explained, “Legend talks of their powers to shift into any animal, but when they chose humans to mate with their offspring morphed into only one type of species, what we call our totem animal. The last of the Proteans, which bore the resemblance of a humanoid reptilian, died during the Pleistocene. Some say they went underground. Although, many claimed that such creatures are in fact aliens who on occasion abducted humans. Others think they are interdimensional.”
Dora furrowed her brow. “Is it possible that they created the Z-phage virus?”