Chapter 3 #3
“You’re a newlywed. No one is going to blame you for being distracted.” Now that she’d had a taste of mated life, Claire understood how easy it was to become overwhelmed by Rydarian males. “Did Jon and Isaac accompany you?”
“They did, but Isaac has to go back. They captured a couple of wolves this morning and Isaac is the best interrogator in the village.”
“What are they hoping to learn? Which pack the wolves belong to?” Claire knew that the cats were at war with the wolves, and wolves were ruthless savages, but she didn’t understand the politics behind the conflict.
Females had become a bitter point of contention between the two sides, yet the enmity went back farther, perhaps a lot farther than the humans’ arrival on Rydaria.
“They’re from Riverside pack, so Zion is hoping to learn more about Alex. He’s the alpha who ordered the takeover.”
“He didn’t just order it. He led the charge and fought more viciously than any other.” Claire shuddered as his image barged into her memory. Shaggy blond hair, bushy beard, and piercing amber eyes. “I spoke with Alex briefly down in the mines.”
Obviously surprised by the revelation, Tara asked, “Who instigated the conversation?”
“It just happened. Dawn freaked out in the tunnels and Alex gave me time to calm her down. He even backed off the guards while I worked with her.” Everything that happened during her captivity had been traumatizing for Claire.
She was anxious to talk about something else.
“There is no way Elias would have been that considerate. I thought Alex might be a better option until I saw him fight.”
Tara leaned over and gave Claire a reassuring hug. “You’re safe now. The birds will make sure of it.”
Tara’s words were meant to soothe, but they had the opposite effect.
Mentioning Claire’s protectors was an unintentional reminder that the danger was still very real.
“I’m not sure I’m going to stay here,” Claire admitted, her voice soft and low.
“We have a month to decide if we want to hang around up here or go back to the feline village.”
“Raphael said you can just ‘hang around up here’?” Disbelief was apparent in every word.
Claire stopped just short of rolling her eyes.
Tara’s confusion was understandable. She just echoed back the phrase Claire had used.
“Of course not. The birds want mates just as much as the lions and the wolves. We’re only welcome in any of the villages if we’re mated to or being actively courted by one or more of the village inhabitants. ”
“Same story, different location?” Tara summarized with a faint smile.
“Exactly.”
Tara fidgeted for a moment, clearly uncomfortable with what she was about to say. “Can we go back to the cave for a moment? I have two quick questions and then I swear I’ll move on.”
Claire was starting to understand how destructive it was to bottle up emotions, so she nodded then said, “Make it quick.”
“Was Alex one of the wolves I saw with Dawn the night I linked with your mind?”
“Alex didn’t claim Dawn,” Claire explained as she fought against the explicit images threatening to take over her mind.
“It was a couple of his lieutenants, and they didn’t force her.
They didn’t have to. She went into heat as soon as she caught their scent.
Bonding fever is even more unavoidable with lupine hybrids than with the other two kinds. ”
“Did you see her after?” Tara went on. “How did she react after the urgency wore off?”
Claire shook her head. “You said two questions. That makes three.”
“Well, you didn’t answer either one, so I’d rather you answer this. I only saw a few glimpses of what went on that night. How bad did it get? I don’t want details, but we need to know if anyone was taken by force. There are strict laws against that sort of abuse.”
“Are you asking for yourself or Zion?” Claire wanted to know.
“Both. I’m worried about my friends, and Zion will not allow those under his protection to be harmed.”
Claire was thrilled to hear it, but it brought up an interesting question. “Why would the Rydarian code of ethics contain laws about rape?”
The question clearly surprised Tara. “Females aren’t the only ones who are abused in that way.”
Another shudder passed through Claire as she admitted, “I hadn’t really thought about it, but I’m sure you’re right. I’m glad it’s not allowed regardless of the victim.”
“You still didn’t answer my question,” Tara pointed out.
“To my knowledge, no one was raped during our captivity. In the cave, it would have been obvious. In the stronghold, I heard people having sex, but the woman or women were into it. Alex and his pack mates were protective of us even before the big fight. They wouldn’t let any of the other packs near us, and I’m pretty sure it was Alex giving the orders at that point, not Elias. ”
“And yet you said Alex fought more savagely than the rest,” Tara reminded. “Which is the real Alex?”
“I have no idea.” Claire raised both hands in a helpless gesture. “I’m honestly not sure what to make of him.”
“That’s the general consensus,” Tara sighed and pressed back into her chair. “No one knows if this change is an improvement or if we’re in more trouble than we were before.”
Claire shook her head as their conversation echoed through her mind.
Wolf shifters and pack wars, lion coalitions and psychic links.
If this conversation took place on Earth, they would both be assessed for mental instability.
“All of this is surreal. Four years ago, I didn’t believe in shapeshifters.
Now we’re talking about human wolf packs, you’re married to three lions, and one of my potential mates is healing one of yours. ”
“One of your potential mates? Raphael is courting you?” The only obvious emotion in Tara’s expression was shock.
“It’s a long story.” Tara’s reaction confused Claire. She had hoped Tara would be happy for her. “I thought you knew Raphael. Is there something wrong with him?”
“I know of him. My mates like and trust him. The real question is how do you feel about him? And you said potential mates. Who is the other male, or is it males?” As the surprise wore off, Tara’s reaction warmed. She was starting to sound excited.
“His name is Victor, and thankfully there are only two of them. I have no idea how you manage three.”
“Neither do I most days,” Tara laughed. “I know the basics about Raphael. Tell me about Victor.”
“Victor seemed interested in me first. I’m still not sure I like Raphael. He was kind of a jerk to me during the rescue.”
“Were you mouthing off to him?”
Claire produced a melodramatic gasp. “Why is that your immediate conclusion?”
“Because I know you,” Tara defended without pause. “You’re a lot like me.”
“I wasn’t mouthing off, exactly. I was simply asking questions, but it was obvious he didn’t appreciate it.”
Tara studied her for a long moment before she admitted, “I’m surprised you agreed to be courted. Several coalitions indicated an interest, and you turned them all down.”
She started to say that she hadn’t agreed to anything, but that wasn’t true. She agreed to being spanked knowing full well that it would likely turn sexual. “It wasn’t something I planned, but I’m intrigued by what happened.”
Tara laughed good-naturedly. “I can just imagine.” The sparkle in Tara’s eyes dimmed and her mouth formed a pout. “If you bond with two eagles, we’ll hardly see each other.”
“If, and I do mean if, they’ll just get lots of practice flying me back and forth to the feline village so I can visit my friends.”
They chatted happily after that, catching each other up on what had transpired since they were last together.
About an hour later Heather approached, a hesitant smile on her face. “Is it all right if I join you?”
“Of course,” Tara said warmly, motioning toward the empty chair on her right. “I’ve had her to myself long enough.”
Claire just stared at Heather. They hadn’t spoken since Heather’s comments sent Claire running from the bunkhouse. Sharing a bedroom made the silent treatment challenging, but Claire still felt betrayed.
“Can we finally talk about this, or are you determined to hate me?” Heather asked, clearly frustrated by Claire’s attitude.
“Oh, no.” Tara frowned and started to rise. “Should I leave?”
“No,” Claire said firmly. “Heather owes me an apology. And if she doesn’t get to it quickly, I’m going upstairs.”
“I’m sorry I told your suitor that you were torturing yourself with guilt. None of us has been able to reach you. I thought maybe he could.” Heather sighed and tried again. “You’re right. They were not my secrets to tell, but I didn’t reveal them out of malice. I’m worried about you.”
Tara looked at Claire, confusion clear in her expression. “Can someone catch me up? I have no idea what you guys are talking about.”
Heather held up her hands and took a step backward. “I’m not making the same mistake again. If Claire wants to tell you what happened, she’ll have to do it herself.”
Undeterred, Tara looked at Claire expectantly. “What happened? Why are you mad at Heather?”
“As I mentioned before, Raphael and I didn’t click at first. He made me feel feisty and Rydarian males don’t appreciate feisty women.”
“What does that have to do with Heather?” Tara wanted to know.
“Raphael overheard me admitting that I wasn’t taking the gatherings seriously and he wanted to know if I was going to do the same thing up here. I didn’t realize that he was Victor’s roommate, so I thought he was just being bossy.”
“She gets super mouthy whenever he’s around,” Heather interjected. “I’m not sure if she hates him or has the hots for him.”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure it’s the latter,” Tara said with a grin. “Bonding fever makes females challenge their potential mates. Anyway, please continue,” she said to Claire.
“I was arguing with Raphael and Heather blurts out that my brother was killed by the wolves and I feel horribly guilty about it.”
“Well, he was, and you do,” Heather grumbled.