Justice

 

 

IT WAS DIFFERENT BEING PART of something. The pack was like a huge extended family that was always looking out for one another. Now that things were coming together, the Alpha House was beginning to come alive. Maddox told me that the pack was only as strong as the Alpha, and that was starting to make sense now. The kids were coming over to let us know when they completed projects. They checked in to see if we needed things done at the Alpha House. There was so much energy, so much buzzing, and we hoped that Seuss would be happy with how things were turning out.

I could see the difference in Maddox every day as he became less worried about the community needs in the pack, and he became more concerned about the business aspects of the pack. He tended to those administrative things making him more focused and grounded.

I watched as he blossomed as the Beta. People came to me for things pertaining to the community, and people went to him for things pertaining to pack business. Alice spent more time away from the house because the buzz of the energy was overwhelming to her. As the healer, she felt more because she was empathetic. She came over during the early afternoon and the evening when the traffic was lighter.

I spent the rest of my time taking care of Seuss and talking to him. He would mumble things about the pack and send flits of images through the bond. It was more like he was dreaming which was different than how he normally communicated with me. When he sent things through the bond it was more conversational. This was more like I was seeing his dreams or into his thoughts. It was new and refreshing, yet confusing. He was becoming less guarded, and it drew me to his bedside often.

One evening, I sat next to him stroking his arm as he told me a story. His voice through our bond was stronger, and his body was nicely warmed. Seuss was steadily getting better, and I loved it.

“My father took me to hunt for the very first time when I was about nine years old. He explained the difference between a hunter and the hunted. The best hunters never let their prey know that they are being hunted until it’s too late. The way to win isn't necessarily to chase them down and make them submit. It was to make them feel so safe in an environment that their defenses fell away to the point where they didn’t realize they were doomed. Trapped even. When they did, there was nothing they could do about it. And the hunter, all they had to do was collect their bounty. That is the true way to hunt.”

I’d never doubted Seuss, but the way that he’d spoken told me that it wasn’t just a story. It was his creed. Seuss was an intense man, and when he went after something he did it at all costs. He was a lethal, unexpected predator. It made me feel safe and cherished because he’d gone out of his way to make sure that even in his weakest moments, he’d keep me safe. He’d left me Alice and Maddox, the best two defenders in his absence, and I was grateful.

***

There was a flood of activity in the room next to me. I knew without going over that Seuss was awake. Voices were excited, and questions were flying. My doors were closed, and I laid there waiting for someone to come and get me, but no one ever did. I could feel the difference in the bond already.

Before, Seuss was open, and there wasn’t any other emotion coming through but need. I could feel so much coming from him right now that it was staggering. He was overwhelmed by the attention to him, but I knew it was necessary. I could hear Maddox’s voice, so I knew he was safe. I wanted to comfort him and push everyone out to give him time to adjust but those feelings also caused discomfort. He was not mine to fuss over or to claim. My responsibilities to him would officially be over the moment that he was strong enough to shift. Alice had explained to me that shifting would allow his body to heal the remaining damage.

The amount of energy radiating from his side of our bond had to be enough to create that shift. The amount of light coming from his side of the bond was blinding, but it radiated power. Seuss was almost better.

“Why can’t I feel him?”

I froze. The thought wasn’t mine but came through the bond from Seuss. The nervous energy coming from him was mountainous, stirring my own anxiety. I gripped the sheets as the tears stung the back of my eyes. Who was he searching for? Who couldn’t he feel? I wanted to ask him, but I didn’t know how. Behind his rapid thoughts I sensed the fear. Seuss’ thoughts were taking over mine making me feel one hundred ways of crazy. I jumped up and ran out the door leading to the stairwell.

Once I was outside, I kept going until my lungs burned from the exertion, and then I ran some more pushing forward. I reached deep pulling for an inner level of strength to continue. My hair blew in the wind providing the best kind of freedom. The leaves crunched underneath my bare feet, and the more that I ran the better I felt. I hit the forest and kept moving with ease and agility. I felt movement on both sides of me, and at first, I was alarmed, but something felt … right. Non-threatening. I could feel them. All eight of them closing in on me and yet I continued to run. I didn’t know where I was headed but I continued to run.

I saw the first wolf and was blinded by the pure white coat. Familiar eyes glanced my way as they moved alongside of me. She roared, challenging me playfully. I knew that she could pass me easily, but she kept her pace light and easy while the others closed in. I could feel their movement within me almost as naturally as I could feel Seuss today.

I growled back and was surprised at the intensity. She ran ahead, and I continued behind her. There was a clearing, and she sat poised to attack. Against my better judgement, instinct took over. I ran right for her. I stopped at her muzzle and roared so loudly that it echoed throughout the forest. The silence around us was deafening and all movement ceased.

Slowly, she lowered her head all the way to the ground while her tail moved from side to side happily. Then she shifted back to her human self. I was surprised to see that the beautiful white wolf was Ms. Cordell. The other wolves closed in around us following her lead. Anna, Beth, Tina, Ree, Ms. Kento, Lisa, and a woman I hadn’t met before, all appeared one by one. They were unashamed of their beautiful bodies on display, and they had no reason to be. I couldn’t explain the amount of power I felt in this moment with the right words. It was humbling.

My chest rose and fell hard from the exertion of the run, but I was hyper aware of my surroundings. I could smell the change in the season upon the air. It smelled like fall. The grass smelled greener, the wind felt moist, and the clouds hid the brightness of the sunrays. I stood still taking in the world with heighten senses while these women paid homage.

Understanding that they were choosing me as the Alpha woman, I wanted to choose them back. I stood straighter and roared again louder than before. Talk about exhilarating. I sat down allowing the others to relax and follow suit.

“God, that felt amazing!” I admitted.

Ms. Cordell smiled at me before she spoke. “You could feel us approaching, couldn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“You weren’t afraid that there were eight of us?” She tilted her head to the side in wonder.

“No. It only energized my efforts. I knew you guys were pack as you approached. It feels the same way that it does when I feel Seuss.” It was the best way that I could explain it.

“Through your bond?” Ms. Cordell was trying to read the truth without overstretching.

“No. I can feel his emotions and his energy.”

Ms. Cordell smiled. “You’re a special Alpha mate.”

“Special?”

“You’re not fully mated to Seuss yet because of the accident, right?”

“Yes.” I didn’t inform her that I wouldn’t be completing that process either.

“Once you’re bonded, abilities that you have will become stronger because you’ll be feeding off his energy as well.” Ms. Cordell appeared excited, but the thought of having any “abilities” as she called it, was off putting. I thought it was because of him that it was even possible.

“Understood.”

“Now would be the time to tell you the real reason why we are here,” Ree said.

“What exactly is that?” I turned toward her.

“To fulfill our destiny. We’ve been waiting for you.”

“For me?” I looked at each of them in wonder.

“We’re your guardians of nine. Your father left us to ensure your safety.”

“My father?”

“King Yosef was the ruler of the north. He was a fine ruler before he passed on. He was challenged by an outsider for his throne. Dark magic was used during the spar, and he was murdered in cold blood.”

“Was he mated?” I wondered.

“Yes, to an element walker.”

I started to speak but didn’t know where to start.

“An element walker is someone who can not only control one of the five elements, they can also summon it. Your mother’s element was fire,” Ms. Cordell explained.

“What—what happened to her?”

“After King Yosef was killed, she fled with you here. If she hadn’t, she would have been forced to mate with the new king. It took us forever to track her. When we finally did, she was going mad from the fact that she’d lost her mate. Their connection was deep, and she was drinking heavily to drown her sorrows.” Ree wiped a tear away, and I knew where this story was going immediately.

“I tried to give her reasons to live. I gave her all the reasons why she needed to live for you. But the way her mate was taken from her, it was too hard. She kept telling me that she was hearing voices and that they haunted her. There was no doubt that it was from the dark magic. She was strong and fearless, very unlike her state before she died,” Ms. Cordell explained.

“On the night that she died, I could feel the doom. It was like a silent echo as I approached her room.” Ree couldn’t control the tears as they licked at her face. “As I entered, I saw her pour something into her glass, but I’d missed the vial as she’d put it out of sight. You were in your crib crying, but she didn’t seem to notice. She drank the liquid in her glass in one long continuous drink. Tears streamed down her face, and when she was done she dropped the glass to the ground. She pointed to the crib as a sob broke free and then she collapsed. I tried to revive her, but nothing worked. I tried to find that damn vial but never did.”

Grief for a woman I’d hated all this time filled me. She wasn’t what I’d thought she was at all. She was a victim of true love and cursed by something bigger than us all. Magic.

“What happened to the new Alpha?” The need to settle a score rose in my stomach.

“Did you think we’d let him rule?” Ms. Cordell asked. “Once we knew that you were safe, we went back to avenge our king. Queen Simi was in no condition to rule so we declared one in her place. A descendent from the king’s family.”

“How’d I end up with the Everette’s?”

“When your mother pointed at the crib, she’d left instructions for you. There was an address and the name of a couple that couldn’t conceive. She’d watched them for weeks she said. She’d left them money to take care of you. When they’d died, we removed the money from the account, created a college fund for you, and put the rest back into your trust.” Lisa spoke this time.

It was too much information. Too much feeling. Just too damn much.

“We should head back. I think we’ve given you too much to think about,” Ree said.

I stood, and that’s when something else dawned on me. “Ree, how old are you really?

Ree smiled. “We’ve all lived for centuries. Guardians have a much longer life span, especially when their bound to royal families. Ms. Cordell is the eldest, but I’m not too far behind her.”

Ms. Cordell didn’t appear to be old, though she dressed as if she were. The illusion that she’d presented was gone without the barrier of clothes, making her appear just as young as the other women. They were glorious.

I giggled as I thought about trying to teach them to cook. “Are you guys really that bad at cooking or was it an act?”

“Partially, both,” Ree smiled. “Ms. Cordell and I can cook. The other’s, not so much.”

It all seemed surreal. I looked at the woman that I didn’t know. “Who are you?”

“Well, nice to meet you.” I pondered all the information, and something dawned on me. “You said guardians of nine. Where’s the ninth?”

“We don’t know,” Mandy said sadly. “We haven’t seen her in a long time.”

“Let’s head back,” Ms. Cordell said ending the conversation. She led the way through the forest in wolf form. The rest of the wolves flanked around me as we headed back to the house. Mandy didn’t go beyond the edges of the forest, but the others did.

Once we were back to the house, I headed upstairs to check on Seuss, but he was asleep. I headed to the shower, and a strong heat built in my groin taking over my senses. I lost myself in the raw feelings of it all. The need to fuck was riding me hard so I decided to masturbate. Taking the edge off wasn’t doing the trick. I lost count of the number of times I came. My legs were like jelly, but I still needed more. I blasted the freezing water over me until I was too cold to function. I stepped out the shower shaky and a blubbering mess. My body was just as raw as my emotions. I toweled off, and the heat resurfaced and simmered along my skin.

When I passed the mirror, I noticed a difference in my eyes. They seemed wider than they once had, and my hair was more vibrant, curlier and fuller. I got dressed and headed into Seuss’ room to see him awake. He stared at me as I moved toward him. Though I was the one moving, I felt stalked. He watched each movement of my body as I neared him.

“Nice to see that you’re awake.” I stood at the foot of his bed. Things felt different now that he was conscious.

Seuss nodded to me and then I heard his faint voice across our bond. “The ability to speak escapes me.”

“Understood. Did you need anything?” It was near dinner time, and I was starving. I knew he had to be, too. Feeding off me and Alice’s healing induced sleep couldn’t have been as satisfactory as real food.

“Steak.”

I smiled. “Well, that’s easy. With what?”

“Steak. Why does there need to be anything with it?”

“Because you need your vegetables, Alpha.” I put my hand on my hip in disbelief. Steak wasn’t a full meal.

Seuss groaned. “Sassy …”

“You rang?”

He smiled and then closed his eyes to rest. He inhaled deeply and sighed. “God, I love your scent.”

I blushed but chose not to respond to his comment. “I’ll go make your steak and be back in a few. Maybe I can convince Ms. Cordell to send me some of that magical juice that she makes.” I turned to head to the door.

“That’s not juice, it’s deliciousness.”

It was my turn to laugh. “True.”

“You cook?” he asked.

I turned to see him watching my departure. Was he … admiring me? “Yes.”

“We’ll see.” Disbelief was etched in his features as he closed his eyes again.

I could show him better than I could tell him. I put my hair up in a bun as I descended the stairwell. I opened the freezer as Maddox came through the back door.

“Your Alpha wants steak,” I said as I looked up into his eyes.

Maddox looked at his watch and turned on his heels. “I think I can catch the butcher in town. Steaks do sound good. I think the Beta needs one too.”

I giggled. “Buy enough to feed whomever. I have a challenge from an Alpha that I need to show up, Beta.”

“Yes ma’am.” Maddox saluted me and exited the house again.

I checked the pantry to find potatoes, and there was fresh broccoli in the fridge. Ree entered the kitchen and looked around at the ingredients on the counter.

“Just in time. I need your help.”

***

I entered Seuss’ room with his dinner tray, and his eyes opened immediately. He inhaled deeply, and the pangs of hunger answered back. Placing the tray on his lap, I watched him as he assessed his meal. There were homemade mashed potatoes with gravy, steamed broccoli and peppercorn steak. There was a knock, and I went to the door to retrieve the juice from Ree. Seuss was struggling to cut into his steak when I returned to him, so I graciously took the knife and fork from him and cut a piece for him to try.

I heard the rumble of approval, and I couldn’t help but to beam. “Perfect.”

“Thank you.” I’d been nervous about it since I hadn’t asked his steak temperature preference. I liked mine medium rare and assumed that it would be fine, or I could cook it longer for him.

“Another.”

I sat beside him continuing to feed him all his food. After his second plate, he leaned back full of his meal. He was more than satisfied, and I was pleased that he was. I used the time while he slept to eat my food in peace before removing everything except his half cup of juice. I changed into clothes for bed before heading into the room with Seuss. I still needed to heal him today, and Maddox reminded me when I’d gone downstairs the third time. I slipped in beside him and he opened his eyes.

“We still need to heal you, Seuss. You’re still healing.”

“I know.”

I pulled the blanket up high enough to hide the view as I removed my shirt. I leaned against his warm body. It was my turn to moan in approval. Before I could reach for him, Seuss wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer. I snuggled into him resting my head against his shoulder and my back against his side.

“Talk to me,” he urged.

“What would you …” I yawned and closed my eyes, “… like to talk about?”

I’m not sure if he responded before I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.