58

But given his vocal opposition to her decisions, and his simmering bitterness over the situation since she found her roguish mate, perhaps this really was better for everyone. She hadn't grasped how strongly he felt for her, but if he couldn't agree and respect her as Alpha now, it was best he left. He'd forget his feelings for her, or perhaps turn them into something else. He'd find his own mate, and realise how silly he'd been to love Savannah in the first place.

Zion wrapped his arms around her from behind, and placed an innocent kiss on the top of her head. His presence calmed the storm of emotions inside her, and clarified her own feelings for him. She couldn't keep feeling guilty for not returning Justin's affections.

"I really am sorry. And I tried to stop him, but there was nothing that would change his mind," Benny said regretfully, tugging his mate Kira to himself as she too felt her son leave the pack.

"Who's gonna be my Beta now?" Savannah sniffed, looking around sadly even as the rest of the pack continued eating, dancing to the live music, and enjoying themselves. It seemed Justin had closed off his mindlink with the pack, so his departure wouldn't spoil the celebrations.

"I can think of a number of candidates," Cale said cheerfully, coming up beside her and giving her a consoling hug. "It's okay, Van. You'll be okay," he comforted, understanding how she was feeling now that her best friend had left. Justin was like a brother to Cale, so the Gamma was also saddened by his decision to leave. "But look, Phoenix was born for the position. You've seen how well he works alongside Zion, his informal Alpha. I wouldn't be surprised if that wolf had Beta blood somewhere in his ancestry.

"Actually, he does," Halcyon added, bringing over a plate of chocolate brownies for Savannah to try. Most of the pack had gathered around flickering campfires, sharing desserts, songs, and tribal stories. "Our grandfather was a Beta, but he couldn't stand by a crooked Alpha that took advantage of their pack members. After many discussions and fights, he left, and that's how our family became rogues."

"Wow.... that's good to know. Alright, well... what do you think?" Savannah looked up at Zion, and he smiled at how easily she now turned to him for advice in important pack matters.

"I think he'd be perfect for the job, especially now that he's a part of your family too." Nodding his head in their direction, Savannah followed his gaze to where Emerald and Phoenix were slow-dancing to a romantic song. As her brother-in-law, Phoenix was in the best position to take over as her second in command.

"And if I may be so bold as to make another suggestion," Zion continued, and Savannah raised her eyebrows in anticipation of his request. "Chayton has always been Gamma material."

"What? Are you giving away my job?" Cale's eyes widened as he glared at Zion's audacity.

"It won't be your job much longer once Persia whisks you away to become a Prince."

Cale's mouth dropped open, and Persia laughed as she nudged him in the ribs then linked her arm through his. "My brother has a fair point."

"I.. we, I mean... we haven't yet decided what we're going to do..." Cale stuttered, looking between Persia's brilliant smile and Savannah's crestfallen expression.

"You mean, I'm going to lose my two favourite boys at the same time?" The Alpha whined, stepping forward to wrap Cale in a tight hug.

"Hey, hey, come on!" Zion tugged her back and pulled her to himself possessively. "I'd say you're gaining more than you're losing, don't you agree?"

"Depends how you look at it," she pouted. Though she admired her mate's self-confidence, she refused to agree. It was almost too much to handle, the emotional exhaustion of Justin leaving, the prospect of Cale doing the same, all while finally being with Zion and the promise of their exciting future together. When would she ever get a respite from the mental overdrive?

"I'll help you see it from my perspective, hm?" Zion's breath was hot against her ear as he leaned close and placed kisses along her jawline and down her neck.

She shivered, leaning into his touch and suddenly forgetting what she'd been complaining about.

"We fixed up the place on old Razestone Territory, if you two want to take it somewhere private," Kaiden interrupted them, and Savannah blushed at the sight of her dad's smirk.

"The old mansion?" she clarified, remembering visiting her dad's old house where he grew up on his territory before they'd merged it with Chesca's land. It was a sprawling Tudor-style estate with a three storey, ten bedroom manor, heritage gardens, circular driveway and Romanesque stone sculptures throughout. The house's interior was decorated darkly, and furnished with antiquities that gave it an almost spooky atmosphere.

She'd had many fun adventures exploring the place with her siblings, and getting lost in the luscious botanical gardens surrounding the house. A few pack wolves who lived close by, and used to work for the previous Alpha family, had kept the place neatly in order over the decades. It was a holiday retreat Savannah and her family had enjoyed on many occasions.

"It's all yours. Figured you two would want a place of your own." Kaiden threw her the keys then turned to rejoin his mate by the campfire. "Can't wait for my grandchildren!" he called over his shoulder with amusement in his voice.

Savannah felt like crawling in a hole as others gave her knowing looks and wiggled their eyebrows cheekily. It was no secret that tonight she and Zion would be completing their mate bond, sealing their commitment to each other for life.

"I like the sound of that," Zion teased, squeezing her waist with one hand while the other bopped her on the nose.

"Hey!" she grabbed his wrist and held it away from her face. A sense of frustration washed over her. "How can that be the only thing you all are thinking about, when Justin just left? He was my best friend, and now he's gone and nobody cares!" Stamping her foot, she looked around at her pack members as they continued celebrating and having a good time. She knew she'd called this celebration, that they did have many things to be joyous and grateful for, but the absence of her Beta cast a dark shadow on her mood.

"Seems to me, I have to make you forget about him," Zion growled lowly, his voice an angry rumble of thunder as he tugged her to himself and tilted her face up.

His eyes were dark with jealousy as she stared up at him, and his own frustration was clear through their growing bond.

"I...I don't mean..."

"Come on," he interrupted her stuttering, wrapping his arms around her thighs and hoisting her over his shoulder.

"Hey! Put me down--"

"By the time I'm through with you, you won't even remember that rascal Beta's name."

"Zion, put me down!" she yelled, thumping on his back with her fists as he carried her away from the towncentre. She could hear her pack members laughing and cheering at Zion's antics.

"Say goodbye to your Alpha," Zion called to them all. "Can't guarantee when you'll see her next."

Blood rushed to her face, both from gravity and embarrassment.

Only once they were alone in the woods did he place her back on her feet.

She lifted her finger to berate him. "You have no right to do--"

"To do what?" he questioned, stalking towards her with predatory intent written in his expression, and in every muscle of his body. "Aren't you mine now? Didn't you pledge yourself to me as much as I pledged my loyalty to you and this pack? Don't I have every right to you, my little Alpha?"

Rough bark greeted her as she walked backwards into a tree. The molten desire swirling in Zion's eyes both terrified and excited Savannah. Her throat ran dry at his questions. The smirk that curved his lips and the arch of his eyebrows over his beautiful eyes had her knees weakening and her heart beating erratically. As the heat of his body wrapped around hers, his promise of passion and love became ever clearer.

And she knew he was right. Every inch of her belonged to him, as it had from the start. She would give all of herself to him, over and over, until neither of them existed solely, instead becoming bound as one body, one flesh.

She must have nodded, for he took her assent and consumed her mouth with his own. His kiss was demanding yet tender, taking and giving in the same breath.

When he pulled away, she leaned forward, greedy for more.

"What I want to know is this," he whispered, placing a finger over her impatient lips. "Why me?"

"Huh?" She opened her eyes and blinked up at him, confused.

"Why did you choose me? Why did you chase after me, and hunt me down until you'd made me yours? I was just a rogue. A worthless, dangerous rogue with nothing to offer you but misery and pain."

"But you're my mate," she quickly said, hating the doubt that had crept into his normally self-assured eyes.

"So? You could have rejected me. I begged you to reject me, but you didn't give up on me. Why?"

Taken aback by the seriousness of his questions, by the stumbling of his heartbeat as he forced his insecurities and doubts into words, she needed a moment to gather just the right reply. How could she show him that she never once questioned her choice to be with him? That the moment she knew he was her mate, was the moment her soul bonded to his irrevocably? "You were made for me, Zion. God designed us to be together. How could I ever turn my back on our destiny?"

Lifting her hands, she placed them on either side of his face. "No matter who you were, or how broken you were, or how far you'd run from the light, you were always mine. I think a part of me began loving you the moment we met. I knew you would turn around and repent of being a rogue eventually. I just had to make you see that I was worth it. I had to make you see that only my love could save you from a lifetime of darkness and self-hatred. Zion, you were made for so much more, I just had to make you see that. So don't ever question why I chose you again. You are the only man I could ever choose to love. Your strength, your tender and caring soul, your griefs and triumphs, your loves and hates -- I choose them all. I want you, and only you, as the other half of my heart." Placing her hand on his chest, she took his and placed it on her chest. "We are one now, and nothing is ever going to break our bond."

As if to reinforce her vows, the darkening sky lit up with sheet lightning above the grey and ominous clouds. A few seconds later, thunder rumbled in the distance.

Zion looked up above them, and the lightning reflected in his irises. A small grin slowly crept over his face. "So you have no regrets about me?"

"Only that you didn't make the move to my territory sooner," she replied with a small chuckle and poked him in the abdominals.

His smile broadened. "Then let's get going. How far is it to the house? We really shouldn't be out in this storm." Taking her hand, he tugged her back onto the path, and let her take the lead as more thunder sounded, this time closer and louder.

"About an hour's run."

"An hour? That storm will hit before then."

She heard concern in his voice. "Why, are you afraid of a little storm?"

"The lightning is getting closer."

"I know. Exciting, isn't it?" she laughed, her eyes twinkling as she looked back at him.

"Savannah," he chided, squeezing her hand. "Storms are dangerous."

"And you're forgetting how strong an Alpha you are. A little lightning never hurt wolves like us. Don't you just love storms? The cool breeze that picks up as the rain blows in. The rumble in the distance that gets louder and louder until it vibrates in your chest. The smell of the nitrates as they rain down on all the trees and grass." Savannah jogged down the path, careful to watch her footing as the rain drops grew heavier and the leaves underfoot became slippery.

Zion's response was pragmatic. "The fires created by lightning strikes. The trees and powerlines that are brought down by the strong winds. The flash flooding after too much rain."

"Do you see any powerlines around here?" She motioned to the untouched environment that surrounded them. Most of her territory was uninhabited, and the towncentre was strategically planned with minimal need for dangerous power stations and wires. "And there's no need to worry about flooding. We've deliberately built our towns and houses far above the floodplains around Falcon River."

"You've thought of everything, haven't you?" he asked, teasing in his voice.

"Not me. My ancestors were way smarter than I am."

"Hmm... that must be why it's taking us more than an hour to reach the house."

She stopped her slow run and turned to face him. He ran into her, but reached out to stop them both from falling over the slope that extended down behind her.

"I'm taking you via the scenic route, if you haven't noticed," she huffed, turning in his arms to look out at the valley before them. The view from Razorback Ridge was one of her favourites. "I've been itching to show you my territory, and though this is not quite the grand tour, you've got to at least appreciate this view."

"I've got the rest of my life to explore your territory," Zion whispered in a husky voice as he placed kisses on her neck. "But right now, all I want to explore is you."

The coals that had been simmering in her stomach all day burst to life and nearly engulfed her then and there. His touch burned her body, his breath like a dragon's fire as it caressed her skin with increasing fervour.

Taking a deep breath to cool her senses, she pulled from her mate's embrace and looked back at him with a wink. "Then try and keep up, Peaches." Then she dashed back down the path, over the ridge and gullies, and towards the old territory of Razestone.

Zion growled with restlessness, then sprinted after her.

After another half hour of hard running, they approached the estate of the previous Alphas, the rain falling steadily as the wind drove it in gusts from all directions. Bursts of lightning illuminated the greystone of the manor, highlighting the greenery that twisted up the pillars leading to the main entrance. Savannah laughed with excitement as Zion remained close on her heels. After jumping up and down on the doormat to shake off some of the water that soaked her to the bone, she yanked open the front door.

"Impressive," Zion commented as she turned on the hall lights and led him up the grand staircase.

"You haven't seen the formal dining room yet, or the ballroom. We even have a small concert parlor, with a grand piano. And the gardens out the back-- oh, they're so pretty! The magnolias should be blooming now, and the plumerias are budding. Soon, the waratahs will come out and the whole garden will look like it's on fire--"

"Savannah," Zion interrupted sternly as they entered a large bedroom on the third floor. Closing the door behind her, he stepped close and caged her against it. Lifting his hand and planting it beside her head, he looked her straight in the eye. "Stop talking."

"Ye...yes, Alpha," she stuttered, wary of the heat in his gaze and the unspeakable intention behind it. Under such powerful eyes, she could do nothing but submit.

"You don't have to be so nervous," he leaned back a few inches and gave a small smile, yet the swirling desire in his eyes never abated.

Grateful for the space, she clawed back some of her own dominance. "Who said I'm nervous?" She gave a shaky laugh. "Why would I be nervous? I'm just glad we're finally here and I'm so excited to show you this place and I'm wondering if there's any food in the kitchen downstairs for breakfast--"

"There you go again," Zion chuckled, leaning close once more and placing his forehead against hers.

The chaste yet intimate touch calmed her, and Savannah breathed in the tropical and cypress scent of her mate. Lifting her hands, she placed them on his hips and tugged him closer. The warmth of his body seeped through the ice of her wet clothes and soothed her even more.

"So tell me, Alpha," he whispered, his lips only millimetres from hers. "How would you like me to take care of you? A hot bath... a warm cup of cocoa... or how about a blazing fire to dry you off?"

Her mind raced, wondering if there were double meanings hidden in every word he spoke. She'd never done this before, yet he was experienced in every aspect of a physically intimate relationship. Truth was, she was nervous, and figured he'd picked up on it through their bond. Was he really offering to just make her a cup of hot chocolate? He looked ready to strip off her soaked clothes the moment she relented.

Then a memory grew clearer, of the moment they met and the threats she spilled. He had just mimicked her words in a way. Was he actually promising so many delightfully pleasurable things she couldn't begin to imagine? Her stomach flipped on itself and heat built in her core, all while Zion waited patiently before her, his hands resting lightly on her waist while his eyes watched her every motion and expression.

Recalling his own response from that time, long ago in the forest as he kneeled before her as a deadly rogue, she sharpened her gaze and dared him with the same self-confidence now in her eyes. "Kiss me first, Alpha." Swallowing hard, she gave herself over to the man she trusted with her life. "Then I'll let you do whatever you like to me."

_______

Meanwhile, once the storm had blown over, leaving fallen leaves and soggy soil in its wake, Petrinna grasped her mate's hand and dragged him out of the refuge of the town hall.

"Let's go for a walk, just the two of us. I can't stand the way Jamie keeps looking at you like it's your fault Justin left. You know, just because she likes him doesn't mean she has a claim on him. She's being far too clingy for my liking, and I won't give her the chance to sink her claws into you, my darling mate," she smiled up at him, loving the way his russet fringe fell effortlessly over his forehead, framing his brown eyes. In certain lights, she noted golden flecks in his irises, and felt herself falling for him, hard.

"Sounds good," Darek replied hesitantly. He still wasn't sure what to make of the frenetic energy and constant chatter that exuded from this shewolf. But every time she took his hand and gave him a beaming smile, fireworks lit up his skin and excitement threatened to explode his heart. There was something adorable and irresistible in the way her frizzy curls bounced around her shoulders, her nose scrunched every time she grimaced or grinned, and the never-ending intensity of her mood that swung high and low faster than an alternating current.

"I just love the world after a good storm, don't you?" she asked, swinging their hands back and forth between them. "The freshness of the air, and the tang in the atmosphere. It's like the world's been given a good wash, and it's as clean as a baby."

"I didn't really think babies were clean--"

"And there's endless things to do, like check out Sunset Falls after heavy rain and it's gushing over the cliffs so fast! Come on!"

"Petrinna, it's almost midnight. I don't really think--"

"The moon should be coming back out soon, and it's almost full so we'll have lots of light. And you know what? There's this little hidden cave behind the falls, so secluded and private, if you know what I mean," she said, wiggling her eyebrows while wrapping her hands around his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder. "I never imagined how happy and content I'd feel once I found my mate. You're the answer to all my prayers, Darek, even if you are just a human. I don't mind. I can be wolf enough for the both of us."

He tried not to be offended by the way she spoke of his weak humanity, and changed the subject. "What does your wolf look like? I've always wondered--"

"Help! Please, help me!"

"Who's there!" Petrinna instantly stood in front of Darek and called out, her senses alert to the cry of help.

"Please, I'm so cold. I need medical help," a woman whimpered, crawling from the bushes and meeting them on the path.

"Stay back. Don't come any closer until you identify yourself," Trinna demanded, holding her arms out defensively.

"Petrinna, clearly she's a helpless woman!" Darek whispered, moving around the roadblock his mate made. "We should--"

"No, she's a rogue! She could be dangerous. We can't trust her," she whispered back, then approached slowly. "Where did you come from and what are you doing here?" she interrogated.

"I.. I was attacked by a bear. I need your help, please." The woman, covered in twigs and streaks of dirt, shuffled towards them before collapsing into the mud.

Her leg splayed awkwardly, and Petrinna not only saw the crimson stains on her slashed trousers and perhaps bone protruding from the ugly wound, but she also smelled the metallic scent of blood. "Fine. I'll take you to our doctor," she conceded, reaching carefully to offer the woman a hand up. "But if you try anything funny-"

"Like rip your eyeballs out and feed them to my pet sgrallyx?"

The moment Petrinna touched her arm, the woman leaped to her feet and shoved Trinna down with more force than a male Alpha. "You worthless dogs, always falling for our tricks," she laughed, blackened irises blazing with unnatural light. Her countenance transformed from one of pain and fear to amusement and cold malice.

"Demon!" Petrinna shouted, scrambling to push herself back up, and reached into her boot. It had become pack regulation, no matter their rank or job role, to always carry a small elizenthium blade somewhere on their body. The rare metal was the only thing that could destroy a demon, and since their soulless presence on their territory had grown in numbers, Trinna was more than happy to have the weapon of defence. "Darek, run!" she ordered her mate, aware that he would become minced meat under the powerful strength of a demon.

"Don't worry, I'll deal with that pretty piece of flesh once I'm through with you," the demon hummed in a melodic yet utterly terrifying voice.

"No, you won't!" Trinna defied, whipping out her knife and slashing at the demon.

The demon sidestepped and flicked her hand casually, knocking the shewolf back to the ground.

Trinna had never been good at hand to hand combat, and suddenly wished she'd paid more attention during class and training sessions. Why hadn't she prepared for this kind of situation? No matter how good their border security was, there would always be a slimy demon clever enough to slip through, and Trinna just had to be the one stupid enough to wander the lonely forests in the middle of the night without even an able bodyguard to protect her. Maybe she was a little disappointed Darek wasn't the strong, burly male wolf she'd always envisioned being her mate. Maybe they'd both die out here tonight, slaughtered by a barbaric demon all because of her carefree attitude and thoughtless actions.

"Oh, it's so fun to watch you play with your silly little knives," the demon taunted, spurring Trinna to action.

Refusing to give up, she charged at her hellish enemy with her blade tightly gripped, fully aware this could be the end.

The demon giggled, a light and pleasant sound that echoed around them before morphing into a throaty chuckle filled with cruelty and bile. She leapt sideways, catching Trinna by the throat and sending her flying into a tree trunk.

With her breath knocked out of her, Trinna could only lay gasping in the mud and leaves, and watch with terror as the demon stalked closer. The demon's lethal fingers, absent of claws but blackened with death, reached out and filled her vision as tendrils of toxic vapor began invading her lungs.

Then a low growl, unlike any timbre she'd heard before, pierced the air as the demon was knocked from her feet.

Trinna watched, squinting through the shadows, and could barely discern the creature covered in brown fur as it rolled in the mud and wrestled the demon. It was smaller than a wolf, yet its teeth, as they glinted in the occasional shaft of moonlight, appeared sharper. It was hard to tell, but the creature resembled a bear, only much smaller.

"You feral monster, get off me!" the demon screeched, and Trinna watched as she kicked the creature away before brandishing a dagger of her own.

The creature spun around with lightning agility, and leapt for the demon's throat. Its mouth opened wide, while a sick feeling invaded Trinna's stomach. No creature could stand against a demon like this. The demon would laugh at its futile attempts before running it through with--

A bone-crushing snap was heard as the creature locked its jaws on the demon's neck and shook its head mercilessly.

Trinna watched as the demon's face twisted with horror before the soulless energy drained away. In only a matter of seconds, her body had darkened to ash and crumbled at the paws of the strange creature.

Trinna lay gasping, her eyes never once leaving the creature as it turned its attention to her, and with careful steps approached. Its steps were sure, its muscles thick and taut as they wrapped every limb and banded its stocky body. She shrank back against the tree, fear rising in her chest.

"No, no, please don't come closer," she pleaded, hating the ferocious light that reflected in its glowing golden eyes. It was breathing heavily, its jaw hanging open to reveal its long, razor-sharp teeth and pointed canines. "Don't eat me, please. I probably taste gross, so just go away. That's it, good bear. Shoo!" She waved her arms as a hopeless form of defence, finally realising the creature wasn't going to stop its fearsome approach. Curling into a pathetic ball, she squeezed her eyes shut and screamed, "Darek!"

"Shh, it's okay. The demon's gone. No need to scream." His rough voice wrapped around her like a security blanket, and she opened her eyes.

He peered down at her with warm brown eyes, and softly touched her face and arms as if checking for injuries. "Are you okay? Did the demon hurt you--"

"Oh, Darek!" Throwing her arms around his neck, she pulled him close and sobbed against his chest. "I thought I was going to die. I thought we were both going to die, and the demon would eat us for breakfast, and no one would find our bodies because who would be stupid enough to go out after a storm at midnight when who knows what is roaming around and there was this weird creature who saved me and you're okay! How are you okay? Wait, where is that thing? It's probably still lurking somewhere, ready to finish us off!" She peered over his shoulder and scanned the trees, but saw no trace of the strange bear-dog creature.

"It's alright, you're safe now. Nothing is going to hurt you," Darek reassured, consuming her attention again. He ran a hand through his messy russet hair, pushing his fringe back.

"Did you see it? That creature, he was right here. He saved me, then was coming towards me..." A sudden thought had her heart accelerating again, and she gasped for air as she peered closer at Darek. A fine sprinkling of black ash dusted his hair and shoulders, and a sulphuric stench clung to his skin. "Wait... did you.. Are you..." Trembling, she pushed herself from his arms and scrambled back on the muddy leaf-covered forest floor.

"Petrinna, please don't freak out. You can't tell anyone about this, okay?" It was his turn to plead, his hands held out towards her non-threateningly.