Something of her thoughts must have shown on her face, because
Rylek leaned close and whispered, “Well done, my queen.” Queen? Oh, shit.
“Queen?” Ellie yelped. “Does that mean you’re a king?” Conversations stopped. All eyes were on her again.
Rylek cleared his throat. “No. When the Alpha is leader of more
than one clan and there is an Alpha mate she is called the queen of all vulfen, but I am not called the king. I am the Alpha.”
Ellie didn’t know what to think. He was the ruler of three clans,
the Alpha. His wife was called a queen. If you sat on a throne and your wife was a queen, wouldn’t that make you a king?
“Do you sit on a throne?” she asked suspiciously.
Rylek frowned. “It is not a throne.”
Valeri shook his head and laughed. “Ellie, don’t let him get away with that. It’s a throne.”
“Is it a big throne?” She was getting upset.
“It is a huge throne, hand-carved by a fine vulfen craftsman,” Valeri said.
Rylek frowned at his second. “Stop helping. You are frightening my mate.”
“You’ll be a queen, but don’t worry too much about it, Ellie,”
Valeri said. His eyes twinkled. “You will be our first-ever human queen, so you can make new rules. All the warriors will stand on their heads for an hour every day if you say it’s a good idea. You’ll be great.”
Valeri was still smiling, but Ellie didn’t see anything funny about it. She looked at Rylek. He said nothing, but the power in his black eyes made her insides quiver.
“I can’t believe it,” she said. “I don’t know the first thing about
being a queen. Really, I don’t even want to be one.”
“It is a responsibility and a privilege,” Rylek said stiffly. “A queen will stand as a role model for my people.”
Was he disappointed in her? Ellie felt his displeasure and wanted
to take back her words, but she was a regular, average woman. No silver spoon, no special training, nothing to set her apart from anyone else. She couldn’t even balance her checkbook and went over-budget every time her favorite clothing store had a sale. No one in his right mind would make her queen of anything.
“I can’t be a queen.” She wanted to go back into the bedroom and hide. She wanted Rylek to hold her. Even knowing that he was a vulfen male, not human, she wanted to be his wife, his mate, but she didn’t want this. “Don’t make me a queen.”
“It is much too late for that,” Rylek stated and his voice reverberated with authority. “The Alpha has mated you. The Cadre has honored you with a blood salute. Elizabeth Ann Bradley Sidarova, you are already a Queen.”
Ellie looked at the harsh beauty of his face and wanted to cry. There was no way she could live up to his expectations. This was a disaster. They had been mated for one day and he was already disappointed in her.
“I don’t know how to be a queen. I don’t know your world at all, how can I be a role model for anyone?” Her voice was rising in panic. “You will be a wonderful queen. You will make me proud,” Rylek
said with finality. “All my people will help you.”
There was no point arguing with Rylek, he was a force of nature but she couldn’t seem to help it. She was gathering her thoughts for another salvo when Rylek turned to converse with a tall, white-haired warrior who was seeking his attention.
Ellie waited impatiently for her turn. Her mind was whirling. She was uncertain of the wisdom of accepting the role of queen and wanted Rylek to acknowledge her feelings. She was human and knew virtually nothing about his culture. Yesterday at this time, she hadn’t
even believed in the existence of werewolves—no, vulfen. He said she would make him proud but there was no way she could succeed.
She looked over at Valeri, who was frowning at Rylek and the other warrior.
Rylek looked at her and spoke. “I must go with my Cadre to deal with a territorial issue. We leave at once. You will stay with Valeri and Miros. They will protect you in my absence. We will talk more about your concerns when I return.” His eyes gleamed. “I will do my best to convince you that I am worth all the difficulties of being called a queen.”
He brushed his lips over hers and raised his head, then settled in for a more leisurely exploration, taking and keeping possession of her mouth until she was breathless and trembling in his arms. One of the Cadre warriors moved restlessly near the door. When Rylek pulled back, she clung to his shoulders. Her legs were weak, and she needed the support.
He steadied her, stroking her back until she stood on her own. She was glad to see that his eyes glowed faintly, the only outward sign of the strain on his control. It seemed only fair that he should be affected too, since he destroyed her control so easily. He was too potent, too male, and her response to him was total. When she was in his arms, nothing else mattered.
Their eyes met and they shared an intimate look. He leaned in closer as if magnetized and a warrior cleared his throat in the background.
Rylek groaned under his breath and touched his forehead to hers for a moment before he straightened with visible reluctance. He followed the white-haired warrior out the door and several others walked out after them.
Soon, only Ellie, Valeri, and Miros remained. Miros moved around the apartment gathering empty plates and taking them to the kitchen.
She looked at Valeri and put her hands on her hips. “So, who is
that white-haired man, and what’s going on?”
Valeri and Miros exchanged glances, but it was Miros who spoke. “That warrior is Matsij Gabrov. He is from a revered lineage. They are white wolves, marked by their white hair in human form as well. Each generation of the Gabrov family has had a son in the Alpha’s Cadre as far back as our scrolls can tell. Over a thousand years. No other family can boast of that. He was my Cadre sponsor and later my trainer.”
Ellie nodded. It sounded like an impressive pedigree, even to her. “Are all Cadre members from such powerful families?”
Valeri laughed. “No, the family is not as important as the man himself. Some members of the Cadre, the Alpha’s personal guard, are first generation, like Miros here. He and both of his brothers were chosen for Rylek’s Cadre. The Reitn family has always produced warriors, but Miros was the first in his family to serve the Alpha.”
Ellie smiled at Miros. “You were the first ever? Your family must be so proud.”
Miros bowed low in front of her. His scarred visage looked almost happy when he rose. He clicked his heels together and inclined his head to her, before going back to the kitchen with a spring in his step. He was still the biggest man she had ever seen and one of the most dangerous, but the pleased expression on his face now made him appear almost handsome.
Valeri shook his head and laughed. “Ellie, you will be a great queen. Miros will be your most faithful guard now. You relate very well to people. That is not a common gift.”
She grimaced. “You’ll forgive me if I admit that I’m still feeling anxious about this queen thing.”
“Queen is ultimately just a word. Concentrate on being Rylek’s mate, and don’t worry about anything else. The crowning ceremony is just a formality. I will introduce you to my mother, Mura. She’ll help you with everything you need to know. She is a vulfen historian and teacher for the clan children.” The pride in his voice was obvious.
Ellie felt a rush of relief. “Thanks so much. I’d love to meet your mom. I know nothing, so she’ll have a lot to teach,” she said. A thought struck her. “Valeri, did I see a female warrior come in with Matsij Gabrov?”
“Yes, the only female member of the Cadre, my older sister Eva Sidarova. There are few female warriors, but Eva trained hard and proved herself to Rylek and to us all. She is vicious in combat.”
Ellie was intrigued. “I want to meet her.”
Valeri groaned. “I just said the woman is vicious. Of course you would want to meet her. If you decide you want to be a warrior, Rylek will know who to blame. He will kill me.”
Ellie laughed at his silliness, but quickly sobered. “Valeri, there are so many things I need to know about being Rylek’s mate. I have so many questions I don’t even know where to start.”
He smiled kindly. “Make sure you stand up to Rylek every now and then. His confidence can be a bit too much at times. You may not know that he was forced to be Alpha at a very young age when his parents died. He was always very strong, but he never let himself feel fear. He couldn’t allow fear because all vulfen would be able to smell it. His control over his vulfen side was, and is, incredible. It gave him the self-assurance he needed to reunite and lead the three clans. It has made him a great Alpha.”
Valeri leaned in closer. “You are a strong woman. You will need to be strong to live among us. We respect strength, so feel free to beat your mate over the head to make him understand you. He wants your happiness above his own, so, if you need something, anything at all, tell him.” He winked at her, and then moved off to help Miros.
So much had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Her head was spinning. Ellie walked down the hall to run a bath. She needed a good soak. She had a lot to think about.
Ellie stepped into the steaming tub, sinking to her chin in fragrant bubbles with a heartfelt sigh.
She needed this time to think. Her life had changed so quickly.
She felt amazed at the existence of magic in the world and, at the same time, weighed down with questions that had no answers. She scratched her neck where Rylek’s bite itched like an insect sting. Could she be allergic to the bite, or was it supposed to react this way? There was so much she didn’t know about the world she was entering.
She sank beneath the bubbles and held her breath for as long as she could before rising, reveling in the silky feel of the hot water. It helped to relax her body and calm her mind after the unbelievable events of the past twenty-four hours.
Still, she wasn’t the type to wallow in self-pity or try to deny the truth. If she was going to stay with the wolf of her dreams and be Rylek’s queen, she would have to get some answers and fast.
A loud crash echoed from the living room. Ellie froze. She knew the men were in the kitchen, but that didn’t sound like just a dropped dish. She leaped from the tub and grabbed for her silk robe as Rylek rushed through the bathroom door on silent feet. She almost screamed, but he put a hand to her lips to let her know she must be quiet.
“Ellie, be quick,” he whispered. He bundled her into the robe, tied it quickly, and dragged her across the hall and into her bedroom. Valeri was there. Sounds of smashing glass and splintering wood followed them. Someone cursed, a male voice yelled in pain and Valeri chose that moment to shove the window open.
Rylek pushed her outside onto the rickety fire escape, following her and jerking the curtain closed behind them. Harrying her down the metal steps, Rylek kept close behind her. Just as they reached the bottom stair, still about twelve feet from the cement of the back street, a shout came from above.
Pushing past her, Rylek dropped down to the pavement. A shot rang out and he staggered. Ellie bit her tongue hard, trying not to scream. Had Rylek been shot?
Behind her, Valeri cursed.
“Jump, Ellie. Now,” Rylek called. He stood directly below her and beckoned. Another shot rang out from the window, but he didn’t flinch this time. “I’ll catch you.”
He held out his arms to her, but it was a long way down. She hated heights. Her stomach lurched and she hesitated. She cringed back against the cold metal railing.
Valeri was just above her, looking up the way they had come.
A clang echoed and the fire escape swayed under the added weight of another body. Feet thundered down the steps.
“Now, Ellie!”
Ellie jumped. Rylek caught her in his strong arms and started running with Ellie clutched to his chest, her wet robe flying out behind them.
Valeri followed. As they pounded around the corner and down the side of the building, they heard footsteps running behind them. Another man was coming from the side, shining a spotlight straight at them. Were they being targeted by more shooters?
An older car swerved to a stop on the grassy expanse just ahead of them. Ellie held on. Rylek tried to check his speed, but the door popped open and Miros shouted, “Get in!”
Still moving fast, Rylek shoved Ellie in the front and climbed in after her. With a squeal of tires, they sped away. Valeri pulled the back door shut behind him.
“Nice car,” Valeri said, and Miros made a rude gesture.
She was wedged in the front seat of a battered dark sedan between two panting wolves in human form with another in the back, and she felt terrified, bewildered, but protected.
She tried to speak, but no sound came out. She cleared her throat with a tight, painful sound.
Rylek winced. “Ellie,” he said, but his voice trailed off.
Miros had his foot to the floor. He was driving through the city streets with no headlights at a shocking rate of speed. She hoped his vulfen night vision was as good as he seemed to think it was. It was pitch black and overcast, no moon, no stars, and many of the streetlights did not work in this part of the city.
“Please tell me what happened,” she said. She was working very hard to keep her breathing under control, but her fright made it a losing battle. “Please.”
“In the midst of the territory report, the Cadre was warned of an attack, but it was repelled easily. I left the warriors to handle it and came back to be with you,” Rylek said. “As I approached, I saw there were human hunters on your street and in your building. Miros held them while Valeri and I ran for you.”
“Why? What did they want?” Ellie could hear her heart beating hard. She pressed her hand over her chest, feeling the thumping and trying to calm it.
Miros spoke. “There were five humans, but they knew they were fighting a vulfen warrior. They know what we are. I called for our cleanup team.”
“Before or after you stole the car?” Valeri asked politely.
Ellie gasped at the thought that he had stolen someone’s car, but Miros ignored it. “Rylek, one of the humans got past me into the hallway.”
“Yes, that human shot the Alpha.” Valeri sounded grim.
“He shot you? I knew it. We have to get you to a hospital!” Ellie’s words were all jumbled together and her hands raced over her mate searching for the wounds. He stilled her hands and pulled her into his
sheltering arms.
“No, Ellie. I cannot go to a human hospital,” Rylek said. “Besides, they used bullets meant for humans.”
Miros snorted at that.
Ellie didn’t see any humor in knowing Rylek had been wounded. She glared at Miros. “Your Alpha has been shot. Stop laughing and concentrate on driving this rocket,” she said.
Miros turned his attention to driving.
Rylek looked at her in surprise. “Are you sure you do not wish to be a queen, Ellie? You sound very much like a queen.”
She saw that he was trying to distract her from the seriousness of the situation, but she couldn’t allow herself to relax yet. She would fall apart.
Valeri leaned in from the back seat and explained. “Human bullets are too small and too soft. If they want to do any real damage, they need to start using an elephant gun. If the bullet does go through the top layer of muscle but exits without touching an organ, the wound will heal overnight. It’s a few hours of pain, a minor annoyance, nothing more.”
A bullet wound was a minor annoyance to these warriors. Of course.
Rylek rolled his broad shoulders and made a face. “In this case,
however, I am sure the bullet did not go right through. I can still feel something in there. I think Miros may have to pick the bullet out of my back.”
Miros looked over quickly and grimaced. Apparently, that didn’t sound any better to him than it did to Ellie.
“What about the Cadre? Are they safe?” Ellie’s voice was shaking
as badly as her hands.
She had directed her question to Rylek, but it was Valeri who answered. “We are meeting the Cadre at the Alpha’s estate outside the city. We’ll be there in a few minutes. It is well guarded, and you’ll be quite safe there.”
Ellie didn’t like how Valeri had skimmed over her inquiry. If he thought that simple answer was good enough, he was about to find out the opposite. She wasn’t going to be placated. She wanted real information.
She grabbed on to the feeling of irritation with gratitude. It was much better than the shock and chilling terror of a few moments ago.
“I’m not worried about me right now. Rylek has been shot, and he
won’t go to the hospital. I want to know if anyone else is hurt besides
Super-Alpha?” she persisted.
Valeri grinned at her. He seemed to enjoy her impertinence.
“I will pick out the bullet, and Rylek will be well by tomorrow. From the initial report, the Alpha’s wound is the most serious, and in vulfen terms, it is not serious at all,” Miros said. “Do not fret, little queen.”
She settled back against Rylek, mollified. Miros turned onto the highway, and they left the city behind.
When they pulled into a long driveway lined with heavy woods, Ellie felt her heart rhythm begin to settle. What was wrong with her? She was a city girl born and raised. She should be running for the nearest police station, not feeling grateful to be moving at top speed out of the city.
She needed to see Rylek’s wound, needed to know he was all right. She needed to feel his arms around her and know that he wasn’t suffering. She had to know they were safe.
Miros slowed down and stopped in front of a large manor house. The windows were brightly lit and the welcoming sight perversely made Ellie shake.
Matsij bounded down the wide steps and tore the door open. Valeri exited and Rylek pulled Ellie out, hauling her into his arms. She threw her arms around him in a desperate embrace.
“Hold me,” she said around her chattering teeth. “Hold me tight. I
feel like I’m going to shake apart.”
His arms tightened around her, but the wild quaking of her limbs
only intensified.
“You are frozen, an ice cube. You’re going into shock,” Rylek said. He picked her up and carried her inside.