Chapter 2
Torben
My sweet little mate is a ball of anxiety and fear, and I can't fix it.
After she asked her questions, she curled back up into a ball, using me as a pillow.
I don't mind it, but I know being away from Fi is going to have repercussions we can't anticipate.
Her breathing slows, and I feel her mouth pop open as her hand slides down my chest to rest at my hip.
My little wolf has stressed herself out enough that she's fallen asleep.
"Is she okay?" Khal whispers as he stops massaging her feet. Easton's eyes keep jumping from the road to the rearview mirror.
"Yes and no. They've hammered the fear of what's out there into her for so long that leaving her territory is terrifying.
" I band my arm tighter around her, listening to her breathing.
Still slow and steady. Her body has become pliant in my arms. Thankfully, she can rest for a while in peace, knowing I will protect her with everything that I am.
"I don't know what was worse for her—the way the witches treated them, from what I was told, or the fear of not knowing who killed Fi's parents." Khal types on his phone absently.
"Neither is good," Easton states. The steering wheel creaks under the pressure of his grip.
"Precisely. Throw in that she's only recently been able to access her wolf, and it's a recipe for disaster." Diaval looks back at our sleeping mate. "Damn witches sticking their noses where they don't belong. She would have been better off raised with her own kind."
"Do you understand what you're saying? We may never have met our mate if that happened." I whisper-yell at Diaval.
"I understand that. Unlike you, I am blessed with long years." Diaval shuts up and turns back to face the road.
"The elephant in the room is why they hid a bound wolf in a witch family." Easton glances up at the rearview mirror.
Murmurs of agreement echo softly within the car.
None of us can begin to comprehend why that was done.
"We should probably find a place to rest for tonight.
There's an inn just outside of Norburg—looks like it's named the Claw and Fang Inn.
" I hold the map with my free hand while the other keeps Feray secure against my chest.
"I wouldn't suggest that one. It's owned by my people, and if we're trying to remain under the radar, we should skip it." Khal keeps texting someone, and I'm becoming more curious the longer it goes on.
"I agree. There's a dragon-owned inn called the Crossroads, not horribly far from Thornford. It would be in everyone's best interest to stop there. A dragon's silence can be bought." Diaval's tone leaves no room for argument. Apparently, how he said it woke Feray up. She nuzzles my neck.
"Where are we?" She slowly sits up, rubbing her eyes before looking around.
"We've got about another thirty minutes until we're out of Briarvale forest." Easton offers gently. Feray nods and accepts the water Diaval passes back to her.
"Aha!" Khal looks up at us. "My informants just got back to me about Blackmore. It's predominantly wolves with very few other species in the town." He scrolls further and stops. "Apparently, Roman is the Blackmore Alpha, and Marcus from the council is from Dunnam. Interestingly enough."
Feray turns to face him. "That is interesting. Do you think they know more than they're letting on?"
"It would definitely make more sense as to why they were pointing you in a certain direction," I state.
"What we really have to question is how many people on the council actually know who you are and where you come from, versus those willing to give us the information we need." Khal sets his phone down.
A silence hangs over the car for several beats too long, making the hackles on the back of my neck stand on edge.
I look up front and see both ancients seem to be in conversation with each other.
It's kind of freaky how they can do that without talking or being in a pack or bond together.
Their eyes flicker randomly to the color of their beasts before Diaval turns to look at us.
He takes several moments to gather his thoughts.
"It wouldn't be the first time the council or the local packs manipulated things. "
Khal's phone beeps several more times as messages pour in.
His eyes fly over the text, and he fires back a response almost immediately.
"Blackmore, according to my sources, is surrounded eighty percent by mountains.
There are several tunnels through caves that lead out into the wilderness through different parts of the range.
" He scrolls further. "There've been several uprisings in Blackmore, which prompted the alpha to return ahead of schedule.
According to my source, he's had several younger males attempting to take the mantle from him.
" He scrolls again, then stops. "Rumor has it, it's happening across all the wolf packs.
The younger generation isn't thrilled with the archaic ideals. " He looks up and around at all of us.
Easton clears his throat. "There's been an issue for the past hundred years—fewer females are being born.
At one point, they highly encouraged males to be born because of the wars between different species.
Now, because of that selective breeding, there are fewer females to help continue the population.
" His eyes look up into the rearview mirror, and I see Feray look back at him, nodding slowly.
"Well, that explains why some of us have more than one mate." She looks down and starts fiddling with the hem of her shirt again.
I rest my hand between her shoulder blades and give them a gentle rub.
"My people have always birthed more males than females.
It's been common practice amongst the bears for a female to have multiple mates.
It distributes the workload within the family, provides greater financial stability, and means more to provide for the children.
All the work with raising them doesn't fall on just the female when there are multiple males in the house.
" I offer a bit of my experience living in my sleuth.
Khal nods along and then laughs. "With my people, it's customary for the female to choose anywhere from three to five males to be in her nest. She may not reproduce with all of them, but she has the choice of the best genetics to provide her offspring.
" He shrugs and has the decency to look embarrassed.
Diaval listens and nods. "Only the strongest females of the flights are ever chosen to produce children.
Granted, if a mated pair wants one child, it's not forbidden.
But there are always two or three females who are the strongest, and they give birth to multiple offspring each time they're pregnant.
They have their choice of the strongest males amongst us.
" He smirks and shakes his head. "With me having my shining personality, I was never a consideration. " The bastard smirks at us and laughs.
"You're not that horrible. You can be a real grump sometimes and detached, but I can't see you being that dreadful." Feray looks up at him.
"That could just be the mate bond talking, little one.
" He smiles ever so briefly. "I will take the compliment.
I appreciate it." He reaches up and adjusts his tie like he usually does when he's uncomfortable before looking back at the rest of us.
"Torben, you have the contact for the alpha of Blackmore, correct? "
"Yes, I do." I pull my phone out and scroll to his contact information.
"Send him a message that we're going to need accommodations for five when we arrive, and that we would like to discuss pertinent matters in relation to our mate.”b Diaval turns to watch as I type out the message.
I turn my phone back to show him. The message is written verbatim.
"Perfect. Send it." I press send, and off goes the message to Roman.
The car falls into silence as we listen to the crunch of gravel under the tires.
As we decided earlier, we only pass through Norburg.
The quaint little town is dark and dreary, lacking any signs of bright colors or frivolity.
I watch Khal go on high alert, looking around all sides of the car as we pass through the village.
No sooner do we get out the other side than he finally sighs a breath of relief and slumps back into his seat.
"I hate going through there." He mutters and goes back to typing on his phone. "Diaval, you were correct. Bypassing the Claw and Fang Inn is a very good idea. According to my source, there are several meetings tonight that we should not be a part of."
Diaval nods along and taps his temple. "Sometimes the ancients know what's best, isn't that true?"
Feray glances between Diaval and Khal, then over at me before turning to look out the window. "So ultimately, we're ending up in Blackmore.” She climbs onto my lap again to watch out the window.
"To start with, yes." I press a kiss to her temple as she uses me as her personal chair. "There are at least two other places to look after Blackmore. Dunnam and Crescent Valley are old wolven strongholds. Crescent Valley is going to be difficult to get into. Very few know where the entrance is."
Easton's statement makes Feray sit up and lean over the driver's seat. "Can't you and Diaval fly us there?"
Her innocent question almost chokes Diaval, and Easton's eyebrows shoot up so high I think they might get permanently stuck in his hairline. "Well, um..." Easton fumbles his words, and Diaval coughs to clear his throat.
"There are things about flying with our shifts you must know.
" Diaval takes a deep breath, and I already know where he's going with it.
"For my kind, it's called a mating flight.
" He fidgets with his tie and looks around.
"With you not being a dragon, it changes things.
It makes the flight hold more meaning." A hushed "oh" escapes Feray's lips, and she scoots back, climbing into my lap once more.
Easton seems uneasy as he drives, and Diaval keeps staring at him.
"Let's table that discussion for later, shall we? For now, let's locate the information we need and take it from there." Diaval quickly changes focus from flying and returns to the task at hand.
My phone dings, and I struggle to get it out of my pocket.
"Roman says he'll take us to dinner at the Steak and Ale House in Blackmore if we have time.
" I read further down the message. It contains the address of the restaurant and the inn where we'll stay when we arrive.
I message him back about our planned detours and that I'll contact him when we're getting close.
Feray lies on her side, holding a map in her hand, looking at where we are in relation to where we need to be. Her fingertips trace the path we should follow. Her fingers freeze over the Ferryman's Bridge, and she just stares at it. It's the same bridge her parents died on.
Easton stops the car, and he and Diaval switch seats, allowing Diaval to take over driving for a while.
With all the danger around us, it's better to have a fresh set of eyes behind the wheel.
Easton turns to sit sideways in the seat, looking back to watch Feray as she pores over the map.
She's so focused on the destination that she doesn't realize Easton is watching her like a bear with honey.