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“Why would you do that?” the alpha asked, tapping his fingers on his forearms.
“Well, you see,” this was when Felix’s tone sobered a bit, “She is to be ours. And the last thing we need is involvement from the Guilds.”
Both wolves growled and the alpha raised his hand, a command to silence them slicing through the air.
“No.” The alpha again folded his arms.
“I’m afraid you don’t really have a say in that.” Felix’s calm reply came with an edge of finality to it.
“Like hell.” the alpha snapped back, his voice tense with a dominating tone that would have sent most mortals to their knees in obeisance. “I will see every last one of you dead before I allow one of your kind to take her.”
“Zane!” my Thief called, pulling from my chest. I allowed her some freedom to lean forward but didn’t let go, reminding her of where she belonged now.
“No Ryn,” a pang of envy struck me, the casual use of her nickname showing more than a mere acquaintance. “They can’t claim you.”
“They’re a guild.”
“A guild?” the alpha - Zane - asked, incredulity stamped on his face.
My Thief tilted her head, looking up into my eyes for a moment before answering him. “Sarnas.”
Zane shot his head back to Felix. “How the fuck are you in a guild?”
Felix arched his brows, taunting the furious shifters with forbidden knowledge. “That isn’t important to this conversation. What is important, however, and something you need to understand is that shewillbe coming with us. It’s really that simple.”
When he heard no argument from my Thief, Zane returned his attention back to her. “Ryn - do you know what the hell these guys are? I smelled them when I came and got my truck. Fuck - I would have come to get you then had I known the full extent of how close to you they were.”
She was quiet, unusually still against my hold.
Zane looked back up at me. “Have you told her?”
I shrugged. He cursed.
“Ryn...they’re demons.” He waved his hand back and forth between Felix and I in a mad gesture.
“I know.” I worked hard to keep my expression neutral as I was surprised to hear her admit it. If she said anything within the walls of the keep no one would believe her. The only reason these mutts did was that I had intentionally left behind my marking on his truck - a clear sign that he should stay the fuck away from my Thief. Obviously, he’d ignored the warning.
One day this alpha would need to learn bravery was no substitution for obstinate stupidity.
“Listen - Zane, they’re a guild - demons or not. If they win the bid, I must go.” She spoke slowly and deliberately, as if talking to a child. “And besides, they have my money.”
Another astute discovery on my Thief’s part. She had to realize that I had gone back to look at the truck after depositing her on that fountain, looking for any clues about her. There had been nothing personal, save for a shoebox of small trinkets and money I had taken with me, fully intending to return it to her when the time was right. But at that moment she didn’t need to know that.
Her words took a few moments to register to Zane before he nodded stiffly, his firm jaw set in a tight line as he looked back at Felix. The money comment hit home. I knew from his smell that he had given her much of the meager funds. I had little doubt that she would plan a way to try to get the money back and return to him. But unlike the members of this pack, she was no idiot - at this moment her friends stood no chance against the two of us. She would have to play nice to keep them safe.
“I won’t harm her,” I stated, squeezing my thief lightly between my biceps. This would be my only concession, a statement between alphas that wouldn’t go unmissed.
“If I was convinced you would, I would take her from you,” Zane replied. Despite his scars, his response told me that he wasn’t just stupid but also young. While he may know I was a demon, he didn’t recognize what I was, something all of the ancients of his kind would have caught on to immediately. It was the only reason he was still breathing.
I decided I would rectify his ignorance, however. I began a slow rumble in my chest, which grew to an audible growl that even the shifters could hear despite not being of demonic origins. My eyes glowed with the fires of hell, and I released my Thief, passing her seamlessly to Felix as I raised my fist, a glowing ball of hellfire curling along my clenched fist. I allowed it to spread - dancing up my bare arms and across my black retro 1981 Rolling Stones t-shirt, never once singing the material. Just as I cracked his cage, I allowed a brief glimpse of my demon to appear in my eyes, sending a mental projection of all his glory to the dog before us.
Zane’s nostrils flared and his breath hitched as I released my flames. To further prove my point, I rumbled low in my chest again and held open my arms. My Thief fought the compulsion, the stubborn flair of defiance causing a thin silver ring to bleed momentarily from behind her contacts. But ultimately, she relented, returning to where she had been just moments before - her back snuggled up against me as I placed my hands around her waist.
Zane understood then. While he had respected the power of my fire, my command sealed his acceptance. He had understood my status and power over her as clearly as he understood the one he wielded over his pack. The power of a leader -herleader.
He looked once more longingly at my Thief, his face softening just the barest of hints. It didn’t take an empath to see what was written so clearly on his face, even if she didn’t recognize it.
He looked down at his two wolves, a silent conversation being held as he did. The two wolves backed away from us, teeth on full display as Zane lingered for one final moment.
