Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Rudra wanted badly to kill this wolf, to assure he would never take another breath. He’d had the nerve to mount her in front of her own pack! Worse, she’d frozen under him, some part of her recognizing his dominance. As if some lowly, enemy wolf could tame her, Rudra Pavtek, alpha of the Red Clan.
Yet as much as she wanted to, she couldn’t cause him further harm.
Swearing under her breath, she let him go.
She ignored the others around her and stared down at the golden wolf covered in blood.
She hadn’t seen a golden wolf in decades or heard of any golden wolves still in existence.
And what had he said, something about being on Silver land?
The implication being that they didn’t belong, but he did.
Why would he ally himself with her enemy— what should have been his enemy?
The Silver Clan had pushed everyone out of their precious forest years ago.
Because of them, the Red Clan had been forced to live close to the humans, sacrificing much to continue their existence.
Hell, Rudra was living proof of how far the wolves had gone to remain a clan.
The daughter of a wolf and human sorcerer, Rudra laid claim to two powerful backgrounds.
Her mother still ran with the wolves when she wasn’t teaching the pups at home.
Her father protected the clan from less savory humans, those who thought they could hunt in Red Clan woods.
But this…this interloper. Who the hell was he to do what no male had done before? To attempt to mate with her? More puzzling, why had she let him?
Rudra, you want me to gut him or what? Jericho asked, the large bear probably more than ready to go home and find something to eat.
Beckett Nash woofed. I don’t know. I say we let Rurik heal him so we can watch the gold one mount her again. That was hot. Beckett grinned, only to cast his eyes down at the fierce glare she sent him.
He’s golden, bro. Can you imagine what their young would look like? His brother Brody teased. Man, they’d be orange.
Annoyed, Rudra quickly shifted into human form to conjure a stretcher, then shifted back into her wolf.
She ordered the brothers to carry the intruder home, where they would take him to her father in hopes Rurik could heal him.
Then she’d decide if she should kill him or use him in her upcoming battle against the Silver Clan.
Her efficient group made the trek home in under an hour. In a small village on the outskirts of Bethel, Alaska, they had created a haven for their clan. Rudra accepted bears, foxes and wolves of any color, so long as they considered the Silver Clan their enemy.
And speaking of the enemy… She glanced at the limp wolf dragged behind the Nashes. That golden color, much as she wanted to deny it, appealed to her. Handsome, strong and powerful, he hadn’t been afraid of her. What manner of wolf didn’t fear an alpha in her prime?
Another alpha.
Terrific. She’d almost been topped by an alpha encroaching on her own damn territory. As if the silver wolves weren’t bad enough.
In a thoroughly bad mood, Rudra picked up their pace, ignoring the whining of her pack. As soon as she crossed the spell safeguarding their village, she relaxed.
Jericho, take the golden wolf to Rurik. The last time Brody and Beckett talked to my father, he nearly fried them. The rest of you, go find your clothes before heading back into town. People think we’re strange enough without strutting around bare-ass naked. We definitely don’t need the attention.
Since most of the pack detested clothing, they grumbled as they reached the hideaway where they changed before hunting.
Jericho took charge of their prisoner. He continued through the woods toward her father’s place.
Rarely in a man’s form, he liked to stay as a bear unless rutting between a woman’s thighs.
She thought it a wonder he didn’t already have a dozen or more cubs running around.
With a sigh, Rudra joined the others, shifted into a woman’s form and donned undergarments, a pair of jeans, shoes and a T-shirt.
After taking a pass through the village, she answered a few questions, settled two disputes, and went in search of her mother.
She found her in the schoolhouse instructing several six-year-olds on the merits of hunting in pairs.
Rudra studied her mother, caught again by her timeless beauty.
Long red hair, sparkling green eyes, and light skin that rarely saw the sun when not covered by fur had snared her father tighter than any spell.
Rena Pavtek could have had any wolf she wanted.
Instead, she’d chosen a human lover as consort.
And not just any human, but a dark sorcerer with an axe to grind.
As much as Rudra loved her father, Rurik Pavtek scared the crap out of her when in one of his moods.
She didn’t fear he’d hurt her, but his temper often got the best of him, leaving the pack to deal with the repercussions.
It helped that Rurik always cleaned up his messes, but she could have done without the constant threat of sorcerer wars.
Still, when the pack needed help beyond that of the Wolf in the Forest, Rurik could always be counted on to assist.
Her mother glanced up from her lesson and smiled when she spied Rudra. “Okay, pups. That’s all for today. Tomorrow we’ll identify tracks by sight, not just smell. And don’t forget your red fox reports.”
A chorus of “yes, ma’am” sounded before the children rushed by Rudra with well-mannered nods.
Her mother teased, “Well, well. The alpha in my humble little schoolhouse. To what do I owe the honor?”
Rudra accepted her mother’s hug. But before she could say a thing, her mother shoved her back, stared deeply into her eyes and drew a long, deep breath.
“Finally.” Rena beamed. “I’ve been waiting forever for you to find a worthy male. What’s his name?”
“His name? Mom, what are you talking about?”
“Please. Rudra, I can smell him on you. And he smells exotic.” Rena wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“Let’s start again. Hi, Mom. No, no problems in the woods today. There was one small matter we had to take care of. A golden wolf appeared from out of nowhere at the sacred spring. Oh, and he happens to have ties to the Silver Clan. So, how was your day?”
“At the sacred spring, you say?” Rena smiled so wide, Rudra thought her mother’s face would split in two.
“Mom? Are you okay?”
“Okay?” Her mother sniffed. “I’m so incredibly happy.
You’ve always been a puzzle, as much as I love you.
The first female alpha we’ve ever seen, and one that’s not even pure wolf.
You’re the perfect blend of wolf and sorcerer, and your gift with spellcasting can give your father a run for his money. ”
Rudra flushed. She didn’t need the reminders of how different she was from other wolves. “I know all this, Mom.”
“Well, it’s a problem.”
Rena had always been on Rudra’s side. That she wasn’t now hurt. “Mom?”
“You’re too choosy—that’s why it’s a problem. Two hundred and forty-six years and you still haven’t taken a mate. I despaired of ever watching you grow round with young. And yet, here you are.” Her mother beamed. “When do you want to have an official ceremony?”
Why had her mother chosen today to have a nervous breakdown?
Unless… Good Lord. Her mother couldn’t be referring to that arrogant golden wolf as the source of that exotic smell, could she?
Rudra blushed despite trying to keep a calm front, unable to forget about the male nearly screwing her in front of her pack.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.
We found an intruder in the woods. Nothing more. ”
“Mm-hmm. That’s why your face is bright red. Look, if you don’t want to tell me, don’t. But I think your father is going to want to get a good look at your young man.”
“He’s already seeing to the intruder,” Rudra snapped. “Jericho took him over to the hut so Dad could heal him. We attacked a trespasser on our lands. That’s all.”
“When can I meet him?” Rena didn’t seem at all fazed by Rudra’s growing temper.
Rudra swore under her breath and strove for calm. “There. Is. No. Mate. I can see coming in here was a huge mistake. I’d better find Dad before he turns my prisoner into a toad.”
“Bye, dear. Tell your father not to be late for supper. We have reason to celebrate your new—”
Rudra purposefully slammed out of the schoolhouse. Trust her mother to make a perfectly bad mood even worse.