Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Isaac ran toward his Little girl. He let Felix rush past her before Isaac scooped Amber up into his arms and followed Felix into the house.
Felix was at Khloe’s side in seconds as the rest of the girls moved out of the way to give him space. By the time he got to her, Khloe was pushing to sitting. The vision was over.
Khloe looked around, dazed for a moment, as if reminding herself where she was before she wrapped her arms around Felix’s neck and buried her face in his shoulder as he lifted her.
Isaac hadn’t been present for one of her episodes before. It freaked him out. It was hard watching Amber look off in the distance and see things no one else could see, but his heart would stop every time if she went into a trance or sort of fainted. He felt for Felix.
All the rest of the Alphas filed into the house, grabbed their mates, and spread out to give Felix space and time.
Isaac couldn’t stop rubbing Amber’s back, rocking her, holding her too tight.
He kept pressing his nose against her neck and inhaling her scent.
He nuzzled the purple mark he’d made with his teeth, feeling her pulse beating, reminding himself she was safe and in his arms. He wanted to be done with this visit, get her back home where he could bury himself in her wet heat, and reaffirm their connection and life force.
But that would have to wait. He couldn’t walk out the door now.
They needed to know what Khloe would predict.
Khloe finally blinked several times and looked around. She paused when she spotted Leah. “I think maybe my vision might match your second dream.”
Leah stiffened in Elias’s arms. “The one with all the men gathered around arguing?”
“Yes. You said there were six of them, and you didn’t recognize them.”
Leah nodded.
“I think that’s happening right now. They’re bears. The elders I suspect.”
Isaac gripped Amber even tighter. “Do you think you might be able to see them?”
Gavin moved toward the door with Molly. “Maybe you can hear them.”
Rylee grumbled, “I’ll tell you what they ate for breakfast.”
Isaac knew it bothered Rylee that her gift often seemed unimportant, but that was rarely the case. She could also tell everyone if the men smelled like they were out for blood.
Everyone moved outside to the clearing. When Khloe had a vision, it was always current.
Felix spoke, “Are the six planning something? I’ve never known you to have a vision that didn’t have intent behind it.”
Khloe narrowed her eyes as if thinking. “They all have different intentions. They can’t agree.”
Isaac stood Amber in the clearing and squatted next to her. “Do you want to shift, Baby girl?”
She nodded and took a step forward, letting her wolf come to the surface. As she dropped down onto her paws, she glanced around.
Isaac noted several other Littles had also shifted. The Alphas were all standing protectively around their mates, and he wondered if they felt as impotent as he suddenly did.
For centuries, the Alpha Protectors had guarded the valley from the surrounding mountains. They had never encountered the threats they’d been faced with recently. Nor had any of their mates developed super-shifter abilities.
They were living in changing times, uncharted territory.
All they could do was take things one day at a time.
One thing was for sure, they could never leave their Little girls out of the plans, nor could they leave them at home while the males patrolled the area. They’d be missing out on opportunities.
The Alpha Protectors were undeniably stronger and bigger than not just their mates but all the other members of the shifter community in the valley. They would always be needed for their strength and agility. But ignoring the abilities of their mates was not an option.
He and the other men stood quietly, glancing at each other.
There was a tension in the air. A sizzle.
An energy he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
This was no longer a simple situation where the women would shift back and tell the others what they saw, heard, or smelled.
They might have vital information that affected decisions that needed to be made.
While Rylee, Molly, and Amber stood rooted to their spots, all three of them staring at the same illusive location in the distance, Khloe and Olivia shifted and began to pace closer to the edge of the clearing.
Felix and Damon moved with them in human form.
Leah, Suzette, and Jezebel remained human, their Daddies holding on to them.
Finally everyone shifted back. Several voices started speaking at once as the Little girls rejoined their Daddies and were lifted into protective arms.
Arion held up a hand. In a way, he was the most senior member of this group. Age wasn’t what put him in charge. It was simply unspoken since he’d been the first to bond with a mate in their generation.
Lately the elders had been turning over more and more responsibility to this younger group of Alphas.
In the past few weeks, the elders had met with several of the recently mated and made it clear that they trusted the newly mated Alphas to take charge of this most unusual recent development.
The younger generation would report in, but unless it seemed like a life-or-death situation, they could and would make decisions among themselves without consulting the men who in many cases were their own fathers.
Arion cleared his throat. “One at a time. He looked toward Molly first. What did you hear?”
“Like Khloe said, there are six bears arguing about what to do with Drow. He’s unhinged.
They disagree about disposing of him, but they don’t have an alternative idea.
I switched to listening in on Drow where he’s being held.
He’s grumbling and talking nonsense about the future of the bear shifters depending on the elimination of the wolves. ”
Isaac winced, though he wasn’t seriously concerned about one unhinged bear shifter’s thoughts. Unless the rogue bear escaped and came after all of them.
“Amber?” Arion asked, shifting attention to her.
Isaac’s chest tightened as his Little girl perked up.
He was extremely impressed and proud of her.
She’d only been up on the mountain a week.
She was so new that she barely understood the dynamics.
And yet she held her head high and assumed her rightful position among the pack.
A position that came into existence about five seconds ago.
Amber cleared her throat. “I could see the six men. They’re older.
I assume they’re the head council or group of elders or whatever governing body makes decisions among the bears.
They’re pacing, pointing fingers in each other’s faces.
It looked like they were split three and three.
I also switched my attention to the cage.
Drow is pacing much like the elders, but he’s salivating as if he hasn’t eaten in a while, or he’s out for blood.
There are still four guards surrounding him.
They’re in human form. They seem to be ignoring him. ”
“Rylee?” Arion asked next. “Did you scent anything that could be important?”
Isaac glanced at Rylee. She was slightly pale.
“I don’t know,” she murmured. “It’s so hard to pinpoint.
I have trouble understanding when I scent emotions.
I can scent anger and frustration from the six men, but that’s not a surprise.
The only thing I think that might help is that I do not scent death like I did right before Drow killed Firat. Hopefully that means something.”
Arion smiled. “That’s very helpful, Little one.”
Khloe sucked in a sharp breath. Her eyes fluttered rapidly as if she were seeing something in her head. A second vision in such a short time couldn’t be good news.
Amber turned her attention back toward the bear settlement and moved her head all around as she scanned the area. She leaned into Isaac’s ear and whispered. “Thorn and Surge are on the way back this direction. Bear form. Running but not with extreme urgency.”
“Now I smell fear,” Rylee added.
“They aren’t talking at all, not even in their heads,” Molly stated. “Whatever it is they need to tell us, they don’t want me to listen to it before they get here.”
Isaac wasn’t surprised. It had to be disheartening for the two bear shifters to know nothing they said or did or even ate or felt was sacred any longer.
“Three minutes,” Rylee announced.
Amber nodded absently. Isaac knew she was learning how to discern various distances. She was still watching the two bears approach, keeping her gaze locked on one spot in the distance even though she seemed aware of what others were saying around her.
Isaac was glad she had the ability to stay focused with one foot firmly planted in her physical location while she gave so much of her attention to a spot in the distance. At least she wouldn’t likely fall and hit her head or become so disconnected that someone could sneak up on her.
Olivia and Khloe shifted and began to pace in front of all of them.
With her size, Khloe could easily intimidate anyone who approached, while Olivia might be able to communicate with the bears ahead of their arrival.
Or at least dig into their brains. But if Molly wasn’t hearing anything, it was doubtful Olivia was either.
Amber suddenly gripped Isaac’s neck tighter. She jerked her attention subtly to the left. “Two more are coming.”
“Bears?” Isaac asked.
Molly responded. “Yes. They’re running faster. I think they’re trying to catch up with Surge and Thorn. They’re communicating telepathically.”
“They’re angry,” Rylee added. “Furious.”
“Yes,” Molly agreed again. “They don’t like this alliance Thorn and Surge have with us. They think we shouldn’t be involved in their business. I don’t think they know that we already are involved. I wonder what Thorn and Surge have told everyone else.”