The Delta's Daughter Chapter 46

LAMIA

I left Zane in his office after our hanky panky to go lay down for a bit and then meet up with him in the dining hall for dinner with the rest of the rank members and family.

We had just finished and excused ourselves and were now walking with our hands laced together towards the tree line at the back of the pack house.

“Doll, is everything OK? You seemed a little jittery and quiet at dinner?” I could not only hear his concern but also feel it and the worry through our bond.

“Yah, I think I’m just anxious to shift.” I lied, still not wanting to give anything away just yet. It’s true, my nerves had been playing on me all day, the build up and anticipation of revealing the surprise to Zane had my stomach in knots. I could only hope he would take this as good news.

“I know the conversation with Kellen earlier today was concerning, but believe me, I will not let anything happen to you.”

We had reached the tree line and started to strip our clothes to shift. The sun was just starting to lower in the early evening, a beautiful orange glow was cast across the skyline, illuminating the tops of the trees. Golden Circle was a beautiful pack, and the lands were just as lush as forests back in the royal pack.

The beauty and serenity of these packlands, have helped me feel at home here, that and, of course, Zane. I thought I would miss home more, but as the days turned to weeks and passed by effortlessly, this place was becoming more of my home. I felt like I had a place, like I belonged here.

“I am more… mad than concerned or worried about that... I am curious to see what my wolf will look like this time though. I haven’t shifted since that night and you told me I had morphed, so I could also be apprehensive about that.” That wasn’t a complete lie, I had no idea if Inanna looked the same or if we would ‘morph’ into something completely new. I actually didn’t care what we looked like. I loved my wolf, but I was definitely curious.

When I shifted, I looked down and I was happy to see four black paws and not a mutation, so I was assuming we looked the same.

*Your wolf is beautiful, just like you. This is the first time our wolves have run together.* I heard my mate in my head. I may not be linked to the pack yet, but because of our mate bond, Zane and I were able to communicate.

I turned to see Zane’s large black wolf, Dacia. He was as black as me, and big, as big as Conri, Kellen’s wolf. His pale blue eyes almost seemingly washed out against the thick onyx fur, giving his wolf a sinister and intimidating look. I was surprised. Of course, I towered over him, but I’m a dire wolf. Inanna wagged her tail, elated that his wolf wasn’t intimidated but rubbed against our side as a sign of affection. 

*Wow, I didn’t realize your wolf would be so big! He is as big as a royal and handsome* I replied through our link and brushed my muzzle against his.

I was just about to ask what I looked like when Inanna gave me a mental issue of her form. I mentally giggled when I noted that I didn’t look different and my signature white stripe across my eyes was still there, wondering what it was I was worried about. Yeah, call it curiosity too, I admit, I was a little apprehensive at what my shifted form would look like. 

For a couple of hours, we ran through the trees, jumping logs, chasing and playing, giving our wolves full control. The summer night air was bristling our fur as we ran and played like pups. I was blissfully happy in this moment and just as easily relaxed romping around the territory with my mate. I was pleased to find that Dacia, Zane’s wolf, was not intimidated by the size of Inanna. He seemed in awe with a sense of pride in his mate.

Eventually, our mate led us to a small running stream that ran through the forest. We shifted and sat on the edge so the slow trickling water ran over our feet. It felt cooling and the surroundings were peaceful, making me miss home and our swimming hole we would frequent on a warm summer night like tonight.

“Do you miss home?” He asked in a low murmur.

I thought about it for a second before I replied. On one hand, yes, I did miss home, I felt like I had just got back after being away for 2 years and then, within a few months, upped and moved. On the other hand, I was with Zane, my mate, the father of my unborn pup.

“You are home for me.” I finally replied. “I thought I would miss the royal pack and my family more, but I was thinking not too long ago while we were running how comfortable and accepted I felt here, like I should have always been here.” I admitted.

He took my chin between his forefinger and thumb and gently lifted it so I could meet his eyes. Those beautiful, pale, sky-blue eyes held so much love and admiration, all directed at me. My breath caught in my lungs as I stared back hoping my eyes conveyed the same feelings.

“Lamia, I may be cold and brash to everyone, I am not a perfect man, and truly could not give a fuck what others think of me. But you, you are my world, you mean everything to me, you matter. I cannot wait to make you my Luna, to raise a family with you. You are all I will ever need, all I will ever want. When you walk into a room, you take my breath away, my heart beats for only you. I am in awe of you, Lamia. I love you.” His face so serious, so full of love as he searched my eyes for something, the same feeling, maybe.

His confession swelled my heart, sending butterflies and tingles throughout me. The needy ache growing between my legs, I gulped down my lust. Turning my body more towards him, I cupped his face in my palms and looked deeply into his eyes; I was going to tell him now.

“Zane…” I started when a twig snapped behind us in the forest. We both whipped our heads around and I scrunched up my nose to get a whiff of the intruders' scent.

Shit! My eyes widened, whipping my head back to Zane, both of us jumping to our feet at the same time, “Rogues…” we both said.

We were so lost in each other that we didn’t even sense another presence until they were upon us.

I watched Zane mind link the pack, alerting the warriors and other pack members to get to safe houses. A lone rogue in wolf form, dirty brown and patchy fur stepped from the forest, baring his teeth to us. I watched in horror as Zane stepped towards him, one step and suddenly, we heard the growls of more wolves and out from the trees stepped around twenty rogues.

Could we take on this many, just the two of us? Re-enforcements were coming but it would be a few minutes. I linked Hunji and Tawny, calling out to them for aid when the first rogue lunged at Zane. He took care of it easily, snapping its neck while still in human form. No sooner had the body dropped to the floor, the other rogues advanced and began attacking.

I watched Zane shift and followed suit. I expected the rogues to take a step back when they saw my wolf form, but they didn’t. It looked like they were almost expecting it.

Fuck! this wasn’t good. I wasn’t going down without a fight and as soon as the warriors get here I can step back. I was just about to tell him about the pup when this came about. I had to protect the pup, but I couldn’t leave my mate alone against this many. I need to protect him too.

The rogues leapt at us, attacking from all sides. We tore through them, throwing them left, right and center, but there were too many. I let out a howl to alert the warriors, we needed them here quickly.

No sooner had I thought it, I watched as a dark brown wolf with two swords attached to its back flew over my head and landed in the middle of the rogues. The brown wolf shifted into Hunji, who unsheathed his swords and started slicing wolves like he was chopping vegetables.

The thundering of paws caught our attention and a blood-curdling roar grabbed our attention back to the trees. Fuck. Were-bears!

We had no chance. As if in slow motion, I looked at the group of bears emerging from the shadows of the trees with another group of rogues in tow. My eyes shot at Zane who was fighting off 4 rogues in wolf form. Hunji was slashing through them as best as he could, his swords glinting in the moonlight, spraying blood with each stroke of his blade. I shifted back and called out to Hunji. He threw me a sword which I easily caught and ran full speed into the first wave of rogues, aware of the fast approaching second wave and bears.

Relief filled me when I saw our warriors bound through the tree line beside us and joined the fight, jumping in and tearing at the enemy. Hunji and I averted our attention to the bear shifters and started to tackle them together, bringing down two bears in a matter of minutes. The fight was in full force and had quickly become a battleground.

I had lost track of Zane, and moved back to find him. My eyes found him fighting side by side with his Beta.

Ready to dive back in and end this, I suddenly felt a pinch and sting on my ass. I looked down to see a dart protruding from the soft flesh.

I pulled it out and threw the orange dart to the ground, not thinking too much of it. That is when the numbness in my legs began creeping up my body. Sweat was beading on my forehead, my muscles felt drained. I tried to take a step and collapsed to my knees, the sword dropping from my hands.

“ZANE! HUNJI!” I tried to yell but it came out garbled. Black dots were now dancing in front of my eyes.

Shit! This was not good. What the fuck did they hit me with? I thought as I tried to shake it off and power through. I tried to shift, but couldn’t reach Inanna. I felt powerless against my own body.

The fear hit me like a two-ton truck. Fear for Zane, fear for my baby, fear for the pack. But not fear for myself.

I couldn’t move, I tried, I had no control over my limbs whatsoever and I could only watch as the battle around me started to fade into blackness. I felt myself being lifted up high, my body being thrown against thick matted fur with huge paws gripping me tight, their claws scrapping my legs. I hung there unable to struggle, because believe me I was trying, but it was as if a weight was pressing down on my arms as I tried to lift them in an attempt to hit or thrash against the large beast; I realized I was over the shoulder of a bear, the coarse fur bristling against my bare skin. All I could do was watch as we walked away from the battle into the trees and darkness, moving further away from the fight, from my mate.

I called out through the mind link, to everyone, anyone, someone, but the deeper we went into the forest, the blacker it became until I no longer heard or saw anything. I couldn’t keep my eyes open as I felt myself slip into unconsciousness.