Vivianna #2
“I understand that it might be difficult, but I cannot let disrespect like that go. Even though I’m new to being Dama, that doesn’t change the fact that I instinctively know when my dominance is being questioned.
So forgive me for feeling the need to establish my rule.
To have an advisor undermining me is far too dangerous,” I said, fixing Juris with a look to make sure he understood that applied to him as well.
“Yes, Dama. I understand,” he said, bowing his head and showing his neck, acknowledging my dominance.
At least someone around here understands proper hierarchy. These wolves have been left to do as they please for far too long.
They didn’t have a leader. They were making do with what they had. Now hush, and let’s enjoy the rest of our dinner.
Only if you get more meat and forget about eating the rest of the rabbit crap.
Sighing, I signaled to one of the attendants standing in the room. “If I could have some more meat, please.”
Seconds later, the platter was full with fresh-cut slices for me to pick from.
Oh, get the really red juicy one in the middle, that looks amazing.
Seriously, you need to be that picky?
Don’t miss any more meals and I won’t be. This is your punishment.
Stabbing my fork into the slice, I deposited it on my plate and started cutting it up.
“Um, Viv, is everything okay? I don’t think I’ve seen you eat so much meat before,” Tav said, his brow creased in worry.
“It seemed to have slipped my mind to eat lunch, and now my wolf is full of demands so she doesn’t waste away from hunger,” I said, slapping a wide smile on my face.
“Yup, now I don’t mind that mine doesn’t talk to me. I can only imagine how big of an asshole he would be,” Koit said, shivering.
Oh yes he would. One of the many things I love about his wolf. Makes a girl just want to lift her tail and—
“What time did we set the call up for tomorrow, Astrid?” I asked, cutting off that train of thought.
“Seeing as you are not a morning person, I requested it for the afternoon, around two o’clock,” Astrid said, giving me a cheeky smile.
The woman might be over three hundred years old, but that didn’t slow her down one bit. She still had plenty of piss and vinegar in her.
“Great, that’ll give me more time to look over things before I have to talk with them. Darius, do we have any idea what information they know about Kursar or me?”
“Information in and out of Kursar is very limited, and if The Collective doesn’t remember the old ways, many things about the way of life here will be unknown to them.
As for you, I’d gathered a whole file on you before we rescued you from Vadik.
I don’t believe they have that information, but seeing as our communications were hacked, I’m unsure,” Darius said, his face clouding with anger at the invasion.
“Thankfully, even if they did have that file, there is nothing there that would help them. It was all fairly common knowledge.”
“So there was nothing about my heritage in that file?” I pressed.
Darius met my gaze. It was moments like this that I wished I could speak to them mind-to-mind, but Rik told me that ability had been lost many years ago.
“No, Dama. Nothing out of the ordinary was discovered about your birth,” Darius said, causing me to sigh in relief.
I wanted to keep the fact that I was a test tube creation as quiet as possible—information like that, in the wrong hands, could be used to undermine me. Plus, Dr. Faulk didn’t need to be given credit for my existence.
“Viv, could I interest you in a walk after dinner? I think it would be good for you to get outside, stretch your legs,” Rik said, placing a hand on my thigh.
I smiled at him, covering his hand with my own. “That sounds amazing.”
“Oh yes, that reminds me,” Astrid said, pulling our attention. “You are more than welcome to shift openly here on the island. We don’t have anyone here who is human, and we all need to let our wolves out to roam free from time to time.”
“That is awesome news,” Koit crowed, excitement dancing in his eyes. “Just think of all the fun we can have.” Tav just shook his head, and Darius frowned at him. “What? You can’t tell me that getting to wander wherever you want in your wolf skin isn’t cool.”
“Only pups feel the need to seek out attention in such dramatic displays,” Darius grumbled.
“You know what your problem is, Darius? You have no idea how to have fun,” Koit shot back.
“Boys,” I interrupted. “What you choose to do with that information is up to you. Now leave it be.”
“You will be a wonderful mother someday,” Astrid said, patting my shoulder as she stood. “I am going to retire for the evening. If you need anything, the attendants know where to find me.”
“Let me escort you, Mother,” Juris said, standing and taking her arm.
Once they were out of earshot, Koit reached out and smacked Darius on the arm. “Way to go. You scared them off with your crabby, stick-in-the-mud life view.”
“Beta, touch me again and you will see a whole other side of me,” Darius snarled.
Leaning over, I placed my head on Rik’s shoulder. “What were you saying about getting out?”
Rik chuckled and kissed the top of my head and murmured, “Shall we leave the children to themselves for a while?”
“Not too long—they might bring down the castle,” I whispered back.
“Don’t worry about these two. I’ll make sure everything is still standing. You go enjoy yourself,” Tav said, letting me know that we hadn’t been quiet enough for wolf ears.
Sliding my chair back, I walked over to Tav, wrapped my arms around his neck, and planted a kiss on his lips. “You’re the best.”
“What the hell. Wait a minute, how come he’s the best?” Koit demanded as Rik and I left the room hand in hand. “You hippie brown-noser, how did you manage to become the favorite?”
I laughed as we wandered down the hall. I hoped Rik knew where he was going.