Chapter Six #2
“Nice catch.”
“Where is she?” Vemel asked.
“She said she was going to wait outside.”
He said, “I am going to speak to her, but I will keep my distance. Asel, if you want to come along, you are welcome.”
Ax watched while the lightning from Wizard’s hands moved over the leaves on Themak’s hands. He smiled and flexed the ash off. “Thank you, miss.”
“No problem, but don’t grab ladies who have already told you to fuck off. I know she looks adorable, but she’s dangerous when confronted.”
They nodded. Her poppop was stalking to Avor again, and she said, “Mr. Rush, would you get my grandparents home once you finish your visit? I have to head over to do some sound work.”
Her great-grandparents grinned. “We can call a car, Acina. We are old, not dead.”
She smiled. “Right. Okay, we are going.”
Wizard smiled and said, “This is a very interesting place. Please tell Dex I wish her well.”
Regis frowned. “Didn’t Dex say your ex was stalking you?”
Wizard grinned. “Ax dropped a car on him and sent him back to his city. Not in that order.”
Ax smiled. “I got the idea from an old movie.”
Ax headed outside and saw Vemel handing Hatcher a bottle. There was a shiver, and the bottle was filled with swirling gold.
Vemel smiled. Asel had an understanding in her gaze.
Ax smiled and asked Hatcher, “How are you feeling?”
“Relieved. That really helped. Thank you, Vemel.” She looked to Ax. “Ready to go?”
“Me and Wizard are good to go.”
“Into the car, and do you know where we are going?”
Wizard lifted her hand. “I do.”
Hatcher took Wizard’s hand. “Okay. Everybody in the car.”
They got in the car with Wizard behind the wheel and Ax in the back with her sister.
“Three, two, one, go.” Hatcher exhaled, and they were suddenly in a different yard, on a different drive.
They all got out of the car and walked toward the door. It opened, and a small omega stared as they approached her, and it was at that point that Ax realized they were all very tall. The woman said, “We are meeting out back. The kids are asleep, and they are astonishingly light sleepers.”
They nodded and walked through the house and out back, where more than sixteen people were gathered.
Ax saw Antonio, Dell, and Andrea, Ford’s brother Amble, and what had to be Ford’s pride. There were also several Elite. Ax recognized Ruby and her mates, and then next to her was Myrtle and two of her mates. One of them was the movie troll.
Wizard paused. “Um, so, it feels like we walked into something.”
Two dark blue alphas were sitting off to one side, and Ax felt Hatcher moving behind her.
Ford blinked. “I was going over the credits to see what you had done, Giggles, and imagine my surprise when I saw a dancing elf playing tag with someone else.”
Ax said, “She cheats. We thought it would be engaging.”
Ford nodded. “It is. It really is. We just need you to sign the releases.”
“Oh, sure.”
Antonio smiled. “And I have authorized the payments.”
“You already paid me.”
“The work is exceptional. Take the money.”
Ax looked at the page and saw Andrea tiptoeing toward Hatcher. “Andrea, don’t bite off more than you can chew. She isn’t in your food group.”
Hatcher snickered.
Andrea stopped in front of her and stared. “You are gorgeous.”
“Yes. I know. Can’t do anything about it.”
The male Elite stood up and approached Hatcher. Ax quickly finished the signing so Wizard could, and she rushed to her sister’s side. “Don’t touch. Don’t poke. Yes, we are earth-born djinn, and anyone who uses the phrase lesser will find his dick in the next county.”
The men rocked back on their heels, and Teyval grinned. “Ladies, it is our honour to meet you. We had not thought to see your kind for several generations.”
“Our great-grandfather got a jump on it.”
Hatcher said softly, “Ekvano. He’s visiting at the new palace right now, with our great-grandmother, Jane.”
Teyval looked at them and blinked. “Oh, yeah. I can see it. He was always too pretty for his own good. He survived, obviously.”
“Yes. He and his outpost scattered. If they could, they found partners and enjoyed a normal life.”
Teyval asked, “Do you know of any of the others?”
Hatcher said, “Zanith. He and his wife, Nell, are still around.”
Teyval smiled. “May I have your great-grandfather’s number?”
His companion said, “How do you know Zanith?”
Ax smiled. “He comes for the holidays and birthdays with his wife and daughter. Our cousin is in her early thirties. She’s not what we are, but she’s... unique.”
Myrtle said, “Is she an elf?”
“Um... no.”
Teyval seemed to catch on. “Is she... tall?”
Ax clapped her hands together. “Yes. That is the best descriptor.”
Hatcher nodded and looked down. Andrea was coming in for a hug.
Hatcher smoothed her hair and said, “I like hugs, too.”
A pale Elite alpha rose from his seat next to Ruby’s other mate. “Hi. I’m Jasper.”
Hatcher looked at him, and a blush filled her face. “I know.”
Ax stared. “You are kidding, right?”
“Nope. Ax, this is Jasper. Ruby’s older brother. Taken by the Elite, and he spent his adult life making sure that they couldn’t find his sisters.”
Jasper stared and blinked. “How do you know that?”
Ax answered, “She’s a seer.”
Jasper looked at her; his white skin and red eyes made him stand out.
Hatcher said, “Is that your default appearance?”
“It is the only one I have.”
She twisted her lips. “Would you like another?”
“Another what?”
“Appearance. You don’t have to, but it is on offer.”
Ax looked away and saw Ford’s brothers moving closer. Ford looked from them to the new elves and blinked. Oh, their arrival was not predicted.
She turned back to Hatcher, and Jasper had gone to confer with Ruby and her mates.
“Hatcher, what is going on here?”
“Well, both of mine are here, and one of yours. Your other one is back at the new palace.”
Ax froze. “Damnit.”
“That’s why we couldn’t get into the new palace. Our guys weren’t there.”
“Damnit. Which one is mine?”
“The blue one.”
Ax looked at her sister and swatted her, making Hatcher laugh with a bright cascade of sound.
Ax looked around, and every alpha in the area was staring toward Hatcher. “So, Tekumi is one of mine.”
“Yeah. He’s figured it out. He was just there to meet with Avor and Regis.”
“How do you know he figured it out?”
There was the flapping of wings, and Themak lowered Tekumi to the grass before landing behind him. Themak nodded. “Ladies. Nice to see you again so soon.”
Hatcher laughed. “I see you are now grabbing with consent.”
Themak inclined his head. “I sincerely apologize once again.”
Ford looked like he was going to pass out, and Olivia was scribbling madly in a notebook.
Ax smiled and hissed as the two dark blue alphas got closer. “Which is my one?”
“Well, you get two alphas and an omega, so most of your set is here.”
“Omega? I am not into ladies.”
“I know. They will know. He’s a he.”
“Oh, this is going to be complicated.”
“Yup. That’s Drift. He’s the one with the two piercings on his ear.
” Hatcher walked toward the men who were so dark blue they were nearly black.
“Good evening, gentlemen. Pardon me for being forward, but this is my sister, Ax, short for Acina. She’s a delta, has excellent dental hygiene, is an earth-born djinn, and sings and dances for advertising for the videos at Antonio’s company.
Most folks think she’s AI-generated, and she doesn’t mind.
I am a seer, so I am betting that she will nearly be a match for Drift and Tekumi and an omega named Hector. ”
Drift blinked, and Ax froze mid-reach to strangle Hatcher.
Tekumi chuckled. “Ax, perhaps we can step away, and if Drift recovers from the download she just gave him, he can join us. Now, do you know this Hector?”
Ax paused and mumbled, “He’s at my gym. He spots for me when I work out.”
Her mind replayed his golden skin, the delicate tilt to his eyes, and the dark brown gaze that he used to watch her. When she needed anything, he was right there offering to help.
He was older for an unattached omega. He should have had a pack already, but there was no sign of one. He was sweet, and they occasionally had coffee after their workouts. She had his number in her phone. She hadn’t actually considered that she would be a candidate for a pack member for him.
Tekumi stopped a few metres away from the others and smiled. “So, your sister informed you.”
“Yes. I didn’t think... I was sure that...”
Drift walked up. “Hello. Ax, is it?”
“Yeah. I was pretty sure no one would want a delta like me.”
Drift smiled and leaned in. “You smell like fresh trees.”
She blushed. “Yeah. A lumber yard.”
“It smells fresh and clean. Not thick and perfumy.”
Tekumi smiled. “I smell beeswax.”
Drift leaned closer to her. “I... yeah, wood and beeswax.”
Tekumi smiled. “So, Ax, what do you think?”
“About what?”
“About forming a pack and inviting your friend Hector.”
“I don’t know if he would say yes. I don’t even know why he’s thirty and not with a pack.”
“Ask him.”
“If he says yes, how do we find a pack house?”
Tekumi grinned. “I think I can manage something.”
“Good, because I can only manage a bungalow.” She shrugged. “I can make a house, but it involves a lot of raw materials on site, and some retroactive permits.”
Tekumi chuckled. “If we need to build, we can consult Themak. He’s an architect.”
“Cool. Hatcher is an interior designer.”
Drift smiled. “I am a structural engineer.”
“I am building maintenance on the evening shift for a gaming company.”
Drift’s phone pinged, and he glanced at it, frowned, and then tapped it. The familiar music from the earlier video belted out of his phone. Tekumi flicked his fingers, and the image floated between them, the video playing out.
Wizard was grinning next to Ford. When Ax made eye contact, Wizard waved happily.
Antonio walked up to Wizard and gestured to his phone. Ax muttered, “Aw, crap.”
Wizard did something with her phone, and Ford gestured to his, too.
Drift was watching and listening. “Wow. You are really good.”
“Um, thanks.”
“Contact Hector. You won’t know if you don’t ask.”
She nodded and texted, Hello, Hector, this is Ax.
There was nothing for a moment, and then the dots appeared. You weren’t at the gym today.
I had a work thing. Sorry. I have something weird to ask you.
Shoot.
Would you consider being in a pack?
The dots appeared and disappeared. I don’t want to have kids. I am terrified, so I have been sterilized.
Oh. What if that wasn’t a thing?
What do you mean?
Let me just check something.
She looked at Drift and Tekumi. “He doesn’t want to have kids because of a phobia, so he’s been sterilized.”
Tekumi was blunt. “Do you have an aversion to having children?”
“No. I always planned for two.”
He inclined his head. “Then, if the children arrive, they arrive.”
“We could ask Hatcher. She would know.”
Drift smiled. “I am willing to work with the surprise.”
Tekumi grinned. “I am in favour of it as well.”
So, there are two alphas, and they accept that you won’t have children. If I do, they are good with that.
Wait, you can have kids?
Yup. Just a calm problem solver. That’s me.
Would you try with me?
Um, I don’t have heats, so we would be guessing.
I am a good guesser.
Um... is this a yes?
I would have to meet with them, but right now, it sounds good to me. Can I sleep in your bed every night?
We will work on discussing that. Where do you want to meet?
Are you with them now?
Yeah.
I am sending my address. Come on over.
Okay.
The address appeared on the screen, and she looked at the alphas. “He wants to discuss it. I have his address, but I don’t have a car that would fit all of us.”
Drift grinned. “It’s a nice thing that I drove mine here.”
Ax looked at Hatcher, who waved farewell with a bright grin.
* * * *
Hatcher looked at Strider and Jasper. “So, this is interesting. My great-grandparents were hoping that I would pick a Dark Elite, but that isn’t what I have been seeing in my future.”
Jasper smiled. “You have seen us?”
“Yes, but I can change your hues. That is what I have been seeing. I can shift Jasper’s tones so he doesn’t have to slink around anymore.”
Jasper paused. “Can you do it for my dad as well?”
“Sure. Pigment is simple. I can also change your magical abilities, but that will come later.”
Strider blinked. “Magic?”
“Yeah. Sorry. It runs in my family and courses in my veins. But hey, today, I learned how to bottle a heat so we have some time before I corral you both and have my way with you.”
Jasper smiled. “We don’t have to wait.”
Strider put out a hand. “We need to wait until she’s comfortable.”
Jasper blinked. “Right.”
“I just wanted to make a nice pack house and get it official with the city. Or, at the very least, a solid illusion. Unless either of you can build things.”
Marshall walked over and said, “Do you have a fourth?”
Hatcher paused. “How did you know?”
“Because there is unequal power distribution.”
“Oh. Dang. Fine. There might be one, but I don’t know his name.”
Marshall gave her a long look.
“Fine. His name is Wei.”
Marshall looked at them and laughed. “Yeah, that fits. He’s in town.”
Jasper said, “What is he?”
“Golden dragon. Friends with the phoenix.”
Ford rushed up. “I wanna make that call.”
She grimaced. “Jerk.”
Strider paused. “Wait. Is this the boxer?”
Hatcher crossed her arms. “Not saying.”
Jasper grinned. “Why are you hesitating?”
“He likes to pick me up and carry me around. He’s one of the Dark Elite.” She grumped.
Jasper blinked. “Oh, so I am guessing why you want to change my pigment.”
“Can I at least start by giving you a human seeming?”
He smiled. “Yeah, that is fine.”
She took his hand and focused, watching as he became a well-built man with tanned skin, around six foot three. He had medium brown hair.
Jasper looked at his hands and lifted his phone in selfie mode. Ruby ran up to him and hugged him. “How did you know what he used to look like before he changed?”
“I’m a seer. I am pretty sure I will get tired of saying it.”
Strider hugged her from the side, and then he hugged her again. She sighed and relaxed.
Ford was speaking to someone and smiling. He lifted his phone and took a photo.
Hatcher sighed and leaned against Strider. Wei was going to be here in ten minutes.