Chapter Twenty-three

“Looks like I’m cooking after all.” He was carrying her into the living room.

“You know I could have walked. I already feel better.”

“I know, but I wanted to hold you close.” She laid her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat.

“It’s not your fault.”

“Every single male, female and child is my responsibility. How could I have missed it?” He sat on the couch pulling her even closer.

“Oh, I don’t know. You have over two thousand people you deal with every day making sure they have everything they need, while you make sure your compound stays out of the limelight. Then females start crossing your barrier. I hate to tell you this but your only one male and can’t hope to do everything.”

“That’s what I have you for. To help me pay attention to the things that were slipping through the cracks.”

“I’ll help you with so much more.” She wound her arms around his neck kissing him. There was a knock at the door making them reluctantly draw apart.

He placed her on the couch before going to open it.

“Jessie, Mia please come in.” He stood back allowing them entrance.

“Hi, I thought you might be hungry. We brought you food from the cookout.”

“Thanks, I’m starving.”

She handed the plates to Declyn. “I should go.”

“Can you stay for a while? Declyn was just leaving to talk to Cole.” She threw him a smile.

“I don’t know.”

“I am on my way out the door. According to her doctors, she’s going to be well by the end of the day, but right now I don’t want her moving.”

“I’ll try to keep her still.”

“Thank you, Jessie.” He reached over picking Mia up before throwing her up into the air. Peals of laughter met him as he caught her.

“Why don’t I take you back to your father so you can swing while the females talk?”

She looked over at her mother.

“Go have a good time.”

She bounced in his arms. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Be good.” He leaned over and kissed fire.

“He was talking to Mia, right? Tell me my mate didn’t just tell me to be good like I was three?”

Masculine laughter tickled her ears as he walked out the door.

“I’ll take one of those plates.” She unwrapped it and smiled. “You can make me a takeout plate any day. It all looks so good.” She sat back to eat.

“How was the cookout going?”

“It was nice.” Jessie stopped to look at her before continuing. “We had more Kur’iks than usual. A lot of them wanted to talk about their new Alpha.”

She nodded before taking another bite of the corn. “What about Minx.”

“She was still there when I came over here. I think she’s scared.”

“Why are you saying that?”

“Females can be vindictive. That’s not just an Earth reaction. I’ve listened to some of the males talk about the females they met on shore leave. They didn’t always treat them with respect. Minx acts like she expects to be punished because she befriended you.”

“Some friend I am. I never made it to the party.”

“Fire, can I still call you Fire?”

“Of course, you can.”

“You can’t always help everyone.”

“You’re right, some people don’t want help. What I think most of us are guilty of is walking by the people who do want help.”

“Who handles communication around here?”

“Internal or external?”

“Internal.”

“Chase.”

“That’s who we need to find.”

“You’re not supposed to move.”

“That’s why you’re coming with me. So you can swear all I did was walk. He never said anything about walking.”

“You’re going to be so good for him. Chase has a small place behind the club. He goes there to work a lot.”

“Let’s find him.” She stood, feeling a rush of dizziness as she grabbed onto the arm of the couch.

“Fire!” Jessie was beside her encircling her waist to make sure she didn’t fall.

“You remind me a lot of Deja. That’s one of the highest praises I can give. You can let go, I’m fine. For a minute my head was spinning, but I feel better now. The more I look at this living room, the more I want to spend Declyn’s money to redo it.”

“I’m with you on that one, you’ll get there.”

They walked to the door with Jessie behind her just in case she fell.

“You’re going to make a great nurse Jessie.”

“Thanks.” She smiled standing taller.

The club was about two blocks up the street. The streets were empty, but there was an occasional Kur’ik sitting on a porch. They waved as she walked past making her feel better. Most of them accepted her, there were a few bad apples, but that was to be expected in any large group of beings.

They walked around the club to find a large open space that she wasn’t expecting. Chase was sitting outside watching the sky.

“Chase.”

“Alpha.” He jumped up and tilted his head in respect to her. “How can I help you?”

“Start by relaxing.” She walked over to him and sat on one of the chairs that were sitting alongside the small building that he used. Jessie came over and sat before Chase took one of the chairs.

“When I introduced myself today not all of the Kur’iks were there to hear me. Which means there will be rumors floating around. I want them all to hear me, to hear my voice, so they understand what I have said. That way no one can say they didn’t know.”

“I can do what you’re asking, but I think there is a better and more efficient way.”

“Tell me.”

“Now that you’re Alpha, you have the ability to reach out to touch every mind at once. Your voice will capture every Kur’ik bringing them to a halt as you speak to them.”

“You’re Alpha. You have the power.”

She might have the power, but did she have the right to use it? All she could see was Minx’s green eyes. She had been scared not because she was weak but because she wasn’t as dominant as some of the other females. Instead of them protecting her, they used it against her. They were acting like they were animals. Could she act the same way?

She collapsed into the chair as she went in circles wondering what the right thing to do was.

“Alpha, may I say something?”

She looked over at Chase nodding.

“I was…we were created to fight. We kill that’s what we do or at least that’s what we did until recently. When we came to this land, we did not leave fighting or killing behind. We were in a war with the Thalians one that kept us sharp. That war ended recently, but the smell of blood is still in our nostrils. We respect power, domination, and the ability to take no captives. It is your choice but to be Alpha you must show that you are in charge.”

She straightened her shoulders and watched as she slowly flexed her toes. He was right, it didn’t matter what she said or who was under her protection if she didn’t prove she had what it took to back her words up. Sure, she killed the animal that came after her, but she needed more than a show of power over animals. The Kur’iks, every male, female, and child needed to know that to cross her meant death.

Her mate declared her Alpha from the minute he met her. It seemed he was right after all.

“Let’s do it.” She stood and led them back to the main street whistling a tune.

“What are you humming?”

“Waiting game. I used to identify with the song, but now I know my waiting is over. Whatever happens, happens.”

They walked into Coles back yard, and she met Declyn’s frown. She placed a hand on a hip and smiled at him until he couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head.

“You’re going to be a handful.”

She walked up to him and kissed him before whispering in his ear. “That’s part of the reason you love me. When you combine that with my killer curves and the fact that I give the best head. How could you resist?”

He subtly adjusted himself. “Wait till I get you home.”

She moaned in his ear before licking the shell of it.

“You’re distracting me, I came here for a reason.”

He pulled her close rubbing his erection against her. “I’m distracting you?”

Her eyes lit up as she gave him a sultry laugh that had him wanting to drag her back home.

“Be good,” she demanded with a smile.

“Yes, Alpia.”

Damn, that look, those words, they were guaranteed to get him laid every time.

“I’m concerned about Minx, but it's more than that. I need everyone to understand that I am as much Alpha as you are.”

She dragged him away from thoughts of sex with her words.

“What do you want to do?”

“I want to talk to them using my Alpha voice. Do I have an Alpha voice?”

“The only way to find that out is to use it.”

“How do I find it?”

“It’s there, or it isn’t. I can amplify your power, but I can’t give you an Alpha voice.”

She nodded. A boost would be helpful since she was still new at this. He took her hand and pulled her close. Now it was all up to her.

With a deep sigh, she did the whole look inside yourself and found nothing, but she did hear the voices in her head snickering at her. Well, that was a failure, maybe she didn’t have an Alpha voice. Opening her eyes, she looked around to find herself surrounded by Kur’iks she knew and those she didn’t know.

This wasn’t for her. There was no desire to show off or prove that she was better than the person standing next to her. All she felt was a need to protect the people she was laying claim to. Her eyes rose to meet Minx’s. These were her people, and she wouldn’t let them be exploited not when she had finally arrived and was more than capable of defending the people she not only loved but cherish.

“Stop and listen!” The voice came from inside of her as well as outside of her. She could hear it echoing as every Kur’ik stopped in their tracks held by the power of her voice.

“Not all of you were present earlier. So, you did not get to meet me. I am Safire Lupe, mate to Declyn Lupe your Alpha. Although you do not know me, you will see me around and get to know me. I am as much Alpha as Declyn, I am as much your Alpha as he is.”

She let her words sink in still holding every Kur’ik still with her voice. There was a mummer from those who didn’t like what they were hearing. They wanted to protest but were unable to even speak.

“There are some of you who will not want to accept who and what I am. To you I say change is hard, accepting a new authority figure is hard, but I am not giving you a choice. I will not tolerate disrespect of myself, my mate, or my people. For those of you have felt the lack of a female Alpha and have tried to fill the spot, thank you. Your honest desire to help is appreciated. I will now fill that spot and deal with all the females as well as the males.

Declyn and I will rule together as one. I am not here to change his method of command. I am here to protect and make sure that we as a family, a community, as a den will work together to assure our survival, our way of life and the ability to always hold each other up. Seek me out I desire to speak with all of you. Females we will hold our first meeting where you will get to know me, and I will get to know you.”

She released her grip just a little allowing them to breathe easier as she listened to the voices that were invading her brain.

“One last thing, Minx and every other female fall under my protective covering. If anyone dares to hurt one of them, you will wish I was never born when I am through with you.”