Chapter Nine – Joshua
When the Alpha Wolf leaped at Naomi, Joshua did not see the Alpha of the Wolves. He didn't see Naomi's father.
He just saw somebody threatening him mate. Instinct roared in him, beating through his blood to pool heavy in his chest. The need to defend his mate and destroy the threat coming at her was stronger than anything he had felt before.
Naomi cried out, holding her hands in front of her face. Joshua pushed her out of the way and swiped at the Wolf in the air. His paw hit into the Alpha Wolf's side, knocking him off course. Tucker tumbled over several times. Joshua lunged for him, but several more Wolves dodged in from the sidelines.
One of them snapped at Joshua's face while two circled him and bit fiercely into hindquarters. The fourth ran under her body, tearing at his belly. Joshua roared in pain, slapping at first one then another. They were quicker than the Wolves he had fought thus far and dodged his blows. Matt and Luke both charged at them, but several Wolves with guns jumped in their way and began firing at the Alpha Bear's two friends.
Joshua twisted, rearing to his hind legs to get a better aim at the four Wolves attacking him. Tucker was still on the sidelines, barking and howling like he was egging them on. These must be his Elite that Naomi told him about… The gunfire continued, and Joshua broke free of the Elite and charged at the Wolves firing at his friends. They scattered—
And then closed ranks behind Joshua's charge, leaving him cut off from Naomi. All the guns were pointed at Joshua now. The four Wolves that had been coming at him before stood between the Wolves with the guns, snarling at him and his two seconds. He cried out in anguish as Tucker crept up on her, teeth bared, snarling, hackled raised.
Naomi backed away from her father as he advanced, her eyes wide as his growls deepened. Joshua snarled and started forward, only to have a bullet fly past his ear. Naomi held her hand out to him.
"Joshua, you can't interfere." Her voice trembled, but even as he watched he saw a change come over her. She stood straighter, her eyes grew steely and determined. "This is between my father and I. He stole my right to leadership. I have to take it back."
The Wolf Alpha stopped growling. His ears pricked up, tail twitching from side to side.
"That's why you chose to attack me, isn't it?" Naomi said to her father, topping her retreat now. "You sensed that I was coming into my own. After all these years where you have tried to suppress me, I have found my power. I started to find it when I went with Joshua against your will, and I continued to develop it when I refused to give up the baby we found in the woods. I guess there's only one thing left I have to do before I can claim my rightful place as Alpha of my pack. Defeat you."
Joshua burned to drive through the wall of wolves as Naomi yanked her loose dress over her head and shifted. The current Alpha began growling again, but Joshua was shocked to see that even though he was larger than the Wolves around them, Naomi was yet bigger than him. Her paws planted firmly in the ground as she threw back her head and howled.
Tucker flinched back. Naomi charged at him, and he jumped at her. They met with a fierce clashing of growls and barks. Tucker clamped his teeth on Naomi's scruff and she yelped, twisting.
Joshua stepped forward, but another bullet reminded him why he couldn't interfere. He hated this, feeling so helpless as his mate fought for her life.
One of her paws came up and slashed across her father's face. He released her and she drove forward, clamping her teeth on his shoulder. She brought herself to her back feet, pulling her father higher. She wrapped her legs around him and used her weight to bring her enemy down. The Alpha kicked at her belly, making her jump back.
The current Alpha howled. Naomi bit into his throat, choking him. His eyes rolled and he kicked out harder. Joshua groaned in anguish when the current Alpha's claws tore through Naomi's back leg. Blood spurted, staining her fur.
Naomi lifted the current Alpha again and threw him away. Tucker landed on his stomach, and when his daughter jumped at him again, he rolled. His tail was tucked in firmly against his belly as he flashed the white fur of his understand.
Surrender.
She had done it.
Naomi stood still for a moment, panting, staring down at her father. He was utterly still, making whimpering noises. If Joshua was in his Human's form, he would have smiled. After all his years of oppressing his daughter, now he was afraid she was going to kill him. But she wasn't that kind of Alpha or that kind of person.
The new Alpha of the Wolves threw back her head. Her commanding howl seemed to shake the very air. Joshua felt his blood stirring. This was his mate. The four that had been attacking him dropped to their bellies, the ones holding guns on him and his two seconds lowering them. They didn't shift as they howled, joining their voices to hers. All around them, the pack sang as one with their new Alpha.
Joshua reared to his back legs and let out a tremendous roar that echoed across town. Fierce roars answered him. He roared again, this time summoning them, as Naomi's howl changed to do the same. She trotted to him, tail wagging.
They shifted back into their Human forms and embraced, but Joshua didn't kiss her. He knew how his body would react, and with the two packs gathering around them, and the two of them naked… well, nudity might not be a big deal among shifters, but that didn't mean that anybody wanted an eyeful of that.
"I did it," she whispered. "I beat him. I've wanted to for so long, even if I never let myself think about it. I wanted to take my place as Alpha and now I have. But… but I don't know what to do. I've never had any training. What if I do it all wrong?"
Joshua stepped back, grinning at her as he put his hands on her shoulders. "There is a certain amount of mistakes that a new Alpha makes, Naomi. But you were also born with strong leadership instincts. You can always ask me for help, but in the end, you have to trust your gut instinct. Which I think you'll do just fine with."
A nervous smile crossed her face but she nodded. "You're right. I can do this. And Sapphira—"
"She's our daughter. We'll have to go through the correct legal systems, of course, but she's ours. I love you, and I love her."
This time the smile turned satisfied. "Good. Because she's not going anywhere, and neither am I."
Joshua nodded. They would have to decide where they were going to live after this so they could take care of both packs, but that was for another time. At the moment all he needed was to see the calm expression that came over Naomi's face as the packs gathered. Even her sisters, with little Sapphira, were coming to join them. Their eyes were bright.
As Naomi climbed onto the top of a car standing nearby, Joshua retrieved the baby. He took his place as Alpha with Naomi, although for this instance he knew he would remain silent. This was the Wolf Alpha addressing her pack for the first time. His time would come after hers.
"You all know who I am," Naomi called. "I am the eldest daughter of an Alpha who was the eldest daughter of an Alpha who was the eldest son of an Alpha. My father took the rights of leadership away from me, but I have taken them back. He brought you here to kill and cause bloodshed. But that ends. The Bears are our brothers, and this senseless violence between us will destroy us all if we don't end it now."
Her two sisters beamed at her, the other gathered Wolves watching with riveted eyes. There were only a few that looked unhappy about what she was saying.
She cleared her throat. "I know that my father told you all that Joshua, Alpha of the Bears, kidnapped me from my home. The truth is that I went with him gladly. I wanted him, and we have since visited the Mating Caves. He is my mate, well and sure. And we have a child. Though not of our blood, she is ours just the same. And in this union, Bear, Wolf and non-shifter, we symbolize the coming of a new day. No more battles. No more fighting. Only peace and unity."
Joshua handed her Sapphira and scrambled up next to her. He clutched her hand and gazed at his pack. "As my mate has said. We will rebuild was has been destroyed. And we will have peace."
"Peace," Naomi repeated.
And a thunderous cheer rose from the two gathered packs.