Page 8 of Virtually Guarded

His voice rang through the room, carrying power that transformed, that bound. That remade Ren as his true self. I’d experienced it as the recipient when the Anax took me on as a guard, which necessitated me being designated packless and under his rule. I was used to such power. I could only imagine how it felt for Ren.

He gasped. “Anax?”

“Call me Tobias.” With a long, slow breath, the Anax sat again. The instruction wasn’t meant for me; we guards called him by title the majority of the time. “You’ll stay here if you want to, for the next couple of days. There will be a lot of people arriving the day after tomorrow. Did Enzo—the Alpha—tell you about the gathering?”

Ren looked confused. “No. What gathering?”

Oh, not good. The national gathering would bring every Arkhon—regional leader—and Alpha in the United States here, to this property. Each of them would bring two to four guests. Several hundred werewolves would spend a few days discussing any issues that had arisen and socializing, culminating, on the night of the full moon, with a hunt. And Ren had come here with no awareness of what he was walking into. The Anax would have to find him somewhere else to be.

The Anax gave a quick explanation of the annual national gathering and the twice-yearly regional ones, appearing relieved that Ren at least knew what arkhons were. “Once they start arriving, I might need to find you a quieter place,” he said. “I have friends in the Boston packs. I used to be the Alpha of one of those packs. They always hunt here on full moon nights—Enzo explained full moon nights?”

A werewolf not knowing that full moons forced us to shift could have had horrifying repercussions. Thank gods, Ren nodded again. “When the moon is full, we have to shift whether we want to or not. And we hunt, but that doesn’t necessarily mean actual hunting. Some people—wolves—hunt for prey, and some just run.”

“That’s right,” the Anax said. “The gatherings always coincide with a full moon so that the last night before everyone goes home, we can all hunt together.” He gave Ren a slight smile. “The two Boston packs always hunt here. When I bought the property, I built a separate house for the pack members to use during the gathering, and you’re welcome to stay there. I can arrange for you to hunt with those packs.”

“I…” He touched his tongue to his upper lip. “I’m sorry, Anax. Tobias. It’s too much to decide right now. I don’t know them. I know there’ll be a lot of people here. I don’t have to stay.”

Something caught my eye outside. Movement. Maybe an animal.

Maybe one of those who had hurt my mate. While the Anax continued speaking, I turned my full attention to that movement.

Within a second, I saw them. I hurried over to the window to confirm. “Anax, there are three wolves approaching from the southwest. I don’t recognize them.”

“No.” With a sharp inhale, Ren folded in on himself. “It’s them. I feel them.”

“Xavier, go out and greet our uninvited guests.” The Anax stood again and held out a hand to Ren. “Come upstairs. I’ll put you in a room where they can’t get to you. You’re not a Connecticut Pack wolf. You’re one of mine, for now at least, and you’re safe here.”

A growl rose in my throat. He dared to touch my mate? I swallowed hard and hurried out of the room. The jealousy came from my wolf, the part of me that wanted to claim Ren, to make sure he belonged only to me. That part had no place here right now, and rationally, I knew the Anax, who had his own mate, had no interest in Ren.

I hurried out to the back porch as behind me, footsteps receded up the stairs. Torn between protecting the Anax, as was my role, and protecting my mate, I hesitated at the base of the steps.

Three wolves walked out from among the trees onto the lawn. The largest had a white blaze on his forehead, standing out against his dark brown fur. The other two were both gray, almost identical shades and nearly the same size.

“You are on the property of the Anax of the United States,” I said. “Why are you here?”

Naturally none of them answered. Wolves couldn’t speak, and I had no bond to them.

The Anax, however, did. He joined me and led me forward onto the lawn. I prepared myself to move in front of him if any of the intruders threatened, but they merely stood, watching.

“You have entered the territory of the Anax of the United States without permission,” the Anax said, sounding ever so slightly pissed. “You have no right here. What is your purpose?”

The three wolves just sat there. Not moving. Not answering. I clenched my fists. I knew damn well who they were. I’d seen Ren’s fear. But it wasn’t my place to speak. I was here only to protect the Anax.

Later, if he let me, I would deal with these wolves. For now, I simply stood.

“You will answer.” The Anax folded his arms. “With human mouths. Shift back and give me the information I’ve requested. I can and will compel you, but I would prefer you obey your Anax of your own accord.”

One of the gray wolves whined softly. The brown shot him a look, then jerked his head down and up. Both grays lay down and began to shimmer. After a second, the brown did the same.

The Anax spoke to me through our bond. Did you contact Seth?

Yes. Davion’s on his way. I moved up beside him and forced myself into professional mode. I had a job to do. Should I ask for additional backup?

There isn’t time, he said. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to a fight.

I always hope that. Despite my desire to wreak violence on those who had hurt Ren, I hated to fight. I wouldn’t have called myself a pacifist, but if there was a nonviolent solution, that was usually my preference. My current fury came from my wolf because of the harm visited on my mate. In my human mind, I still wanted to avoid physical conflict if I could.

The brown wolf finished shifting before the others. Panting, he lay in the shape of a tall, light-skinned man with hair the color of his wolf’s fur, including a blond streak at the front, matching the blaze on his wolf form’s forehead.