The Delta's Daughter Chapter 71

Mathias 

3 Weeks after the winter solstice full moon

I rolled off of Scarlet, picking her head up, which had been buried in the sheets, almost suffocating her when I had pounded into her, to make sure she hadn’t passed out. A she-bear I had entertained myself with in our younger days, and had found her more than willing since I had come back to the Clan and taken up residence here again.

I had promised myself to come back before the 2nd full moon, and I had. Sooner than I had thought and much to my surprise, the moment I had stepped back into the Clan territory, Arcas had started to become present little by little. He still wouldn’t let me fully shift, but just knowing he was there was comforting in an archaic sort of way. His irritation and animosity still simmering deep within, accosting my own indignation.

I stood from the bed, bending to pick up some of Scarlet’s clothing and toss it to her. “Get up Scarlet, time to leave”. I huffed out when I saw her getting comfy on my bed. It was early, the sun hadn’t even started peeking over the horizon yet, the sky a dank grey as dawn approached.

“Matty, you have had me every night for a week now. I know there is something more between us and I know you can feel it too.” She whined.

I scrunched my eyes tightly, my fists clenching tightly. The only reason I fucked her was because of her green eyes. But the color was a dull contrast to the ones that had been plaguing my dreams, the little sleep I did get, my unconscious mind was filled with visions of emerald green, glowing orbs, so alluring and sexual that I would wake up needing to relieve myself, rubbing one or two out before I could even shower.

Fuck, just thinking about those ‘come fuck me eyes’ was getting me hard again. I turned away from Scarlet, not wanting her to think the boner was her benefit, or that she had caused my arousal.

“There is nothing between us, Scarlet. Leave.” I ordered her.

“You need a queen, Matty, and I know we could be good together.” I couldn’t listen to it anymore. She was on the verge of begging.

“Do not call me Matty. I am your king and you will do well to remember that” I bristled out “and DO NOT be here when I come out. You are no longer needed, ever.”

I left her with my harsh words and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. After I had showered, I was happy to see Scarlet had left my room. I would not be using her again. She was already attached and I had no interest in mating with her, never mind making her my queen. I didn’t want a mate, nor did I need a queen.

I dressed in a pair of black slacks and a green shirt, almost an emerald color but not quite. It was the closest I could find to those eyes. Green was fast becoming my favorite color. Rolling the sleeves over my forearms and opting not to wear a tie or jacket this evening, and headed downstairs to find my wayward brother and best friend, to find out what those two fucks were up to. I was ready for a beer or something a little stronger. I looked at the time, still a little too early, but not for an Irish coffee. I smirked at my own reasoning.

“What did you do to Scarlet? She ran out of here bawling like someone kicked her dog.” Tobias chuckled at me.

“Fuck, she thought we were going to be an item. I set her straight.” I growled.

“Wow, ever the romantic aren’t you? You know just how to treat a girl.” Xander laughed.

“Oh, and like you do? Like I couldn’t hear you fucking that girl, her squealing like a live pig on a spit”. I sneered at him, annoyed at his comment.

“Fuck, take a joke bro!” He feigned hurt, holding his hand over his heart. “And for your information, Clair and I are in a serious relationship, she is not just a lay.” Xander said with a little more resolve to his words. I scoffed at him, knowing there was nothing serious about Xander and women. He just happened to be nicer to them than me or Tobias.

He set a coffee cup in front of me and I happily took a gulp. But my brows furrowed when I realized it was virgin, no whisky. Tobias handed me a plate of bacon, eggs and pancakes, and I thanked him. I hadn’t cooked since I was a little and helped my mother bake. And as if reading my mind, Xander took up talking again.

“I’m going to visit mom this morning, if you would like to come?” He asked softly, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter of the large kitchen.

“No. too much to do” I shook my head, refusing.

“Mat, how long has it been since you have seen her? She has been asking about you. Shit, even Tobias has visited her more than you.” His dark brows furrowed and his brown eyes narrowed with an air of melancholy surrounding him.

“Don’t bring me into your brother's shit” Tobias warned.

“I will see her when I am ready. And I am not ready.”

“Fine.” He sniffed “I will at least give her your regards.” He said, before sauntering through the door, leaving Tobias and I to eat in peace.

*****

Later that evening, after spending hours in my office still catching up on the piles of files and finance sheets I had neglected in my endeavor to live the ‘high’ life as a bachelor in Lonely city, I caught myself, aimlessly staring out the window. It looked like snow, it smelt like snow. I knew the January winter storms were coming.

Another thing I needed to do was make sure tribes in our kingdom were set for the winter and had plenty of supplies. Some of the smaller tribes within Clans were desolated; located deep into the mountains and roads would close off, making it hard to send supplies or for people to get in and out.

“King! There’s an attack happening on the southern border! Reports are saying wolves have taken claim on a small tribe!” Xander came rushing into my office, panting and eyes bugging out. The panic was clear in his darkening brown eyes, eyes almost black, his beast trying to claw his way to the forefront.

I sent a mind link to the head of our patrol in the south, knowing even if we left now and with our inhuman speed, it would take us over thirty minutes to get there.

“Let’s go.” I grunted. Not wanting to waste anymore time. Getting up and making my way out of the Clan mansion. Once we were out front, I called out to Arcas, but was met with silence. He was not going to let me shift. Not even to fight for our Clan members.

All this did was enrage me more, and I began to run towards the southern border. The faster I got there, the quicker I could save the tribe. I ran through the trees, easily out maneuvering my bother and other fighters, despite my beast’s lack of presence.

When we reached the Tribes village, the fight was in full force. Wolves upon wolves were attacking and clawing at bears. The blood of my clan made my nostrils flare with the invading scent. The rustic smell stirred Arcas, I felt his presence and his anger. His protectiveness for our people finally won out.

There were five wolves to one bear everywhere I looked. The odds were not in their favor. And this was a small tribe, no more than forty-five, not including cubs. They didn’t stand a chance against the methodical wolves that outnumbered them.

I bounded forward letting out a roar, letting them know the King is here and I meant to tare every fucking wolf to shreds. I grabbed one, throwing him to the ground and stomping on his head. I grabbed a second, ripping his arm clear from his body, then throwing him away. I grabbed a third, my claws sinking into his flesh and pulling his spine. I grabbed a fourth, crushing his head between my hands. Six, seven, eight, the bodies were piling up. This went on ripping wolf after wolf, limb from limb, tossing their lifeless bodies like discarded trash, until there was silence and I could see no more wolves.

The small village was painted in blood, the cabins still burning where the wolves had torched the small dwellings, flushing the unsuspecting inhabitants out in the cold night air and effectively ambushing them. It was only then did the smell of charred flesh register with my senses. I had been too occupied with the fight to notice.

“Report!” I bellowed out over the night sky to my men.

“King, twenty-six tribe members lost their lives and two cubs.” One of the southern patrol men related to me. A young newly trained warrior. I furrowed my brows, this was not good, that was half the tribe and I could feel Arcas pacing in my mind.

“How many casualties?” I dared ask.

“All of them sir,” was his meek reply. “We have transport on its way to take them to another tribe and have them tended to.” I could hear the lump he swallowed; it was a tough pill to take. To see a tribe ripped apart like it had been.

“Good, have them provided with everything they need, Tobias will take care of housing for them and will have everything set up and ready when families are released from the medical wards.” I sent a quick link to Tobias who was still at our main Clan location, making sure there were no other attacks in our territory. It seemed to be isolated to this one tribe.

I wouldn’t call it a bad thing, but I was glad it was the only one.

I felt something wet fall on my face and I looked up into the blackened and smoky sky. At first I thought it was ash from the burning cabins, but when another piece fell onto my face, it was wet and melted upon contact. It came faster and heavier and the white flakes of snow were already settling.

I left one of our top patrol guards in charge with Xander, giving him clear instructions, and we both set back towards the Clan mansion.

The whole way back, the scene kept playing in my mind, the brutal way the wolves attacked, their seemingly organized skills. I could have sworn they were rogue wolves, but they were just too organized, too militant, their goals clear. There was no way this could be a random attack.

The more I thought about it the more my anger flared and the more my beast craved for blood. As we got closer, I veered off towards the dungeons.

*Where are you going?* I heard Xanders' voice fill my head.

*To get answers* my answer is vague and full of spit. I didn’t have to look; I already knew Xander would follow.

We reached the prison doors and I saw Tobias already there waiting. Xander must have let him know.

“Don’t you have dwellings to prepare for tribe members?” I hissed at him, annoyed that he seemed to think I needed babysitting.

“Already done, besides, you don’t want to kill him before next week do you?” He chuckled and I huffed in irritation.

If my actions indicated anything, it would be a man out for blood as I threw the prison doors open, clearing the stairs in one leap. “Open the Delta’s cell!” I yelled. As I stomped down the corridor,

Reaching his cell, the guard had just unlocked it; I flung the door open, not stopping to pause, the cell door clanking harshly against the brick as it smashed into it.

In one swift motion, I had the Delta Wolf by his throat pinned to the wall. He grasped my hands and gasped for the air I was cutting off. “WHO SENT THEM?” I roared. “Why did your king attack my tribe?”

He spluttered, trying to say something. In my rage, I threw him to the other side of the cell. He hit the wall with so much force, pieces of concrete crumbled and a crack was left in the wall. “Who organized the rogues to attack my tribe?” I yelled again, this time Arcas showed himself; my eyes glowing in fury as my beast reared.

“I have… cough…no idea… cough…what you are talking about. King Alexander would never… cough… send wolves to attack… cough… a tribe.” He chocked his words out, rubbing his neck where my hand had tightly wrapped around him.

I bent down, my nose an inch from his face. “I really want to wait until the full moon to execute you, but you are making it very hard for me to resist shredding you to pieces right now. Now tell me, wolf, why are there organized rogue wolves attacking my tribes? Killing innocent people and children?”

His lip curled in disgust at the mention of rogues, “It was not my king, I can assure you that.” He snarled, “It sounds like you have bigger problems, King Alexander would never attack without cause or warning and I have nothing to do with it. “ He was not lying, every indication and my gut could tell he was nothing but truthful and if the attack didn’t come from the werewolf kingdom, then who did send them in?

I stood up and began to walk out of his cell. As I got to the door, he called out to me “King, I implore you to let me speak with Odeia before you take my head.”

“No.” My reply was short, as I exited the cell and had the guard close it up. I was a couple feet away.

“If you speak with Odeia, tell her my name and tell her she is here.” The Delta yelled out to me one last time. I shook my head and paid no mind. I would not be telling Odeia anything. Mainly because she wasn’t around, Odeia found you that was the way it had always been. Did I know her whereabouts? Kind of, but I wasn’t going to go deep into the mountains looking for her, just to give her the crazy wolf's message. Whatever it meant. Whoever he meant by 'she'

I took my time walking back to the Clan Mansion and as I reached the front door a delicious scent caught my nose, warm brown sugar cane with the distinct aroma of vanilla, reminding me of the decadent taste of the finest rum distilled. In an instant, the captivating scent was washed away by the chilled wind and icy snow that was falling even more heavily.

No sooner had I showered the stench of blood and rogue wolf from me, walking out the bathroom and throwing on a pair of comfortable Joggers, I felt a pressure behind my eyes as Tobias was trying to push through my blockade to send me a link.

*What?* I asked him, irked.

*Umm, yah King, we got another wolf situation* He hesitated.

*Fuck another attack?* I jumped up ready to go into action until his voice filled my mind again.

*Umm nope, we caught a trespasser at the border. She took out two guards and then surrendered. She is asking for the King* Did I detect fucking amusement in his voice?

*It’s a fucking She-wolf, can’t it wait until tomorrow?* I really had had enough of today and just wanted to fucking relax.

*Uh no. Mat, you really need to come down to the cells, Xander and I have both scented her as our mate.*

I groaned in to the link *Fine I will be there soon, just… just stay away from her. Or fuck her, I don’t know. Better yet, kill her*

Dear Gods! Was this idiot joking? I fucking hoped so. The idiots have found another weird wolf and, to make matters worse, they both think she is their mate. A fucking wolf as a mate?

Little did I know I would be choking on my own thoughts soon enough.