105. Chapter 105

Nicole snuggled back down into the furry warmth surrounding her and breathed in the soft scent of Waverly’s body pressed against hers. She buried her nose deeper into her, instinctively finding her mark and nuzzling against it. The heavenly scent of lavender and vanilla wrapped around her, pushing back the distant smell of wood popping and crackling as it burnt.

It felt wonderful to be wrapped up in her omega, like home… and yet there was something nagging at her, telling her to wake up!

The woods… Vines… Flowers… Blue eyes…!

“Shhh,” Waverly lulled gently as Nicole’s body twitched, rearing back as she tried to fight her way to full consciousness. “We’re safe,” she brushed her fingers across her mark on Nicole’s neck and soothed her back down.

Looking across the ‘room’, Waverly nodded to the tall, burly figure watching them with eyes that were wary and borderline hostile in their intensity. The man spared a glance at Wynonna and finally retreated back to take up position just outside the, frankly, pretty luxurious tent they had been placed in.

As far as Waverly could tell they weren’t exactly hostages but they weren’t free to wander around either.

“’Nonna, sit down, please? You keep making them nervous.”

“Well, I don’t exactly like how we ended up in this Satan’s asshole of a situation, Baby Girl!”

“I know, Wynonna,” Waverly sighed. “But you and I woke up before we got to their camp and no attempt was made to knock us out again even though they knew we were awake. And I’m really holding on to the hope that the fact that we’re lounging around on beds covered in fur and not chained up is a good thing so… please!!” She lowered her voice before the tent flap could be opened again. “Please, Wynonna,” she fought against the tears threatening to overwhelm her at the situation she blamed herself for them being in. “I was the one that insisted we came… This is all my fault but could you please help me hold on to that hope a little bit longer?”

Hating to see such distress in her sister’s eyes and hear it in her voice, Wynonna slid on to the wide bed behind her and stroked her head and shoulders while she wept quietly. “It’s not your fault, Baby Girl. Of all the things we could have imagined happening I can honestly say that being knocked out by flowering vines wasn’t even on my list of ‘Top One Thousand Ways to Get Knocked Out’.”

“You have a list?” Waverly hiccupped.

Wynonna poked her in the ribs for interrupting her. “Now, Calamity, her I blame,” she tossed the offending cat sprawled on her back close to the warmth of the wood burner a glare. “That was some fine guardian work there C.J.” she grumbled. “Everything will work out, Sis. Soon as RedHaught here decides to wake up, we’ll go all Wynonna on them.”

“That woman said it would be best to let her wake on her own after taking such a huge dose.”

“Are we really going to trust Blondie MacBoobies and her cleavage for days?”

“’Nonna,” Waverly rolled her eyes at Wynonna’s description but couldn’t resist the urge to tease the woman she could feel stirring against her. “Keep up like that and you’ll have Nicole thinking you don’t want her anymore.”

“Tha’s fine by me,” Nicole mumbled sleepily into the warm pillow of Waverly’s breasts. “’Nonna’s not my type anyway.”

“Liar! I’m everyone’s type,” Wynonna chuckled as she reached out and rubbed Nicole’s head, ruffling her hair. “’Bout time your Haughtass woke up! You are awake right?” she queried as Nicole made no effort to lift her head.

“Pillow too comfy,” Nicole mumbled and wiggled closer. “Wha’ time is it?”

“Goddamn middle of the night!”

“’Nonna!” Waverly rolled her eyes in exasperation. Her sister had been known to run or party all night but when none of those things were involved she hated mornings with a passion. “It’s five AM, Baby. We’ve been awake a couple of hours now but you resisted and held out longer than we did and got a heavier dose.”

“Like I said, middle of the night.”

With Waverly’s gentle help and Wynonna’s grouching about her being a lightweight slacker, Nicole finally managed to climb out from under the cover of furs. Frankly, as comfortable as they had been, Nicole couldn’t help but feel a little sad about how many animals had lost their lives for that comfort. But then, as the majority seemed to be cattle based, the rest of the animal had more than likely been used for food so it was the pack just using what was available.

“Are you two okay?” Nicole gathered Waverly back into her arms as she looked at them. She could smell that they were physically okay, especially in Waverly’s case as she could smell the subtle changes her pregnancy hormones had made to her body just in the last couple of days and could tell that they, and she, were healthy. She needed to hear it from them though. Needed to hear past the teasing and what her senses told her that their minds were okay as well as their bodies.

The concern in Nicole’s eyes stole away any teasing comments from Wynonna before they even formed. As tough and strong an Alpha as Nicole was, she needed her family. Stepping into their space, Wynonna gently scent marked them both, reassuring them with a belief she pushed to the fore… That they would be okay.

Nicole’s eyes narrowed, a soft growl pulling her lips back from her teeth as she heard the guard outside the tent flap shifting uneasily as their scent filled the tent. Head lifting, she scented all around the camp.

It was huge, easily holding over a hundred people. It was new to the area. She could tell by the scent of freshly crushed pine beneath the tents. Not their permanent home, but it had been there long enough for their boots to wear paths formed by their scent between the tents and out amongst the trees.

Their scents confused Nicole as she peeled back the dead scent of fur and meat. Some human, but not enough to account for all the bodies she could hear. Wolf. Bear. Mountain lion. Those scents held the heat of life but were hidden beneath the scent of something not quite human and suddenly burst outwards.

“Skinwalkers… they’re not just wolves are they?”

“No. There are many kinds within our group. It is good to see you awake at last.”

Nicole’s head whipped around at the soft husky voice, taking in the woman that had managed to enter without her hearing or smelling her until she had spoken. She stepped aside as three more people entered carrying platters of food and a covered tureen. The scent of fresh fruit, stew and even the scent of cooked meat, had Nicole’s stomach giving a little growl of anticipation but she kept her eyes on the blonde woman.

Even beyond the smell of the food, she should have been able to smell something with her being that close but there was a lightness to her that felt more like a memory than an actual scent she could pin down. The memory of a moonlit forest… the night holding the crispness of early spring as life sprung forth.

It was hard to tell in the dimness of the tent but she was pretty. Beautiful really if Nicole didn’t have Waverly to compare her too. Her hair was golden blonde, held back from her face by thin braids to fall down her back. She was slender in build but with a softness in her curves that made her look too delicate and almost pampered compared to the muscular forms of the ones that had entered with her.

Nicole knew full well that looks could be deceiving though. No one looking at herself would know that she could flip a car easily. And she could tell she held a great deal of authority over the others as they all looked to her after they had put the platters down. And then there were those eyes. Nicole knew those cerulean blue eyes all too well!

“You… you’re the one I saw when we left our vehicle! The one that knocked us out!”

She held out a hand, settling the others as they tensed and reached for weapons ready to leap to her defence. “I’m afraid it’s kind of complicated and explanations will have to wait. Please, eat,” she gestured to the food invitingly, “I promise you, we will talk soon.”

“Clarke!”

She winced as the voice of her love’s usually moderated tone, when it came to her anyway, whipped across their encampment with a ferocity that had the guards with her jumping nervously. Darting forwards, Clarke gave the taller redheads forearm a squeeze. She knew from what they had heard and witnessed that while that Alpha was not the one in charge of the Earp Pack, she was the one they all needed the most. “I- erm, I’d better go! Soon, I promise,”

Clarke gave them all a hopeful smile and winced as her name rang out once more.

“Busted,” Wynonna chuckled as the tent flap closed on ‘Clarke’s’ hurried exit. Walking over to the food, she scented it, feeling her mouth water at the delicious smell. “Well, what do we think?”

“Earp, that depends on if you mean the food or Clarke and all this?”

“Well I meant the ‘all this’ but I wouldn’t mind knowing if this food is okay ‘cause those energy bars just didn’t do it for me.”

“Again… depends… on if you really trust the people that invited us here and then used vines to knock us out?”

Wynonna let the ladle she’d been using to poke at the stew drop back into the tureen and pursed her lips at Nicole. Eyes lighting up, she picked the ladle back up and filled up a bowl.

“’Nonna?” Waverly frowned in confusion as her sister made her way over to the flap of the tent and wrapped her knuckles against it as though it was made of wood.

“Hey! Big guy!” Wynonna held her ground as the flap opened and the monstrous, bearded guard lowered his head so he could see below the edge of the flap. “Hungry?” she held out the bowl of stew.

“I am on duty!”

“Aww, come on,” she cajoled, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it smells delish,” she wafted a hand over it, sending the far too delicious scent into his face. His expression barely even changed, leaving Wynonna to wonder if it was permanently set that way or if he just didn’t like her. “Come on… Clarke said we should eat… so how about you be a good boy and prove that it’s okay? Would be a shame if we passed out through hunger, huh?”

Gustus rolled his eyes as he looked into the twinkling blue ones of the brunette. Taking the bowl out of her hands, he dipped the spoon in and ate until the spoon finally came up empty. Handing the bowl back, he folded his arms across his chest and looked down at the woman.

Not in the least bit intimidated, Wynonna stared right back, narrowing her eyes as she waited to see if he would keel over.

“If we wanted to kill you, you would not be here. The food is good,” Gustus stated firmly, “eat!”

“Well, now that we’ve got Lurch’s ringing endorsement…” snorting, Wynonna went and filled another bowl and stared at him as she took a spoonful. “Oh. My. Fucking God! That’s it, I’m dumping Doc and Xavier and marrying whoever made this slice of heaven!”

“I will be sure to let Octavia know you like it,” Gustus drolled dryly. He stared at the three women a moment longer. Not for the first time since Clarke and the others returned with them, he wondered about them and why their leader, Alexandria felt the need to reach out to them. This was their land. Their birthright. They did not need outsiders meddling in their business!

All he could do was offer his consul though and he had done that… repeatedly. “I will leave you to your meal. If you need anything…” stepping back he let the tent flap close behind him.

“Is it me or did that sound like a ‘don’t bother calling’ slam of a tent flap? And I thought we were bonding too.”

“Earp, for the love of God, stop trying to piss off the people holding us hostage!”

“Guarding you!”

“From who?!” Wynonna shouted back. “And now he goes all silent again,” she rolled her eyes as she helped herself to some of the meat.

“Nic. Do you think it’s safe? The food?”

Nicole wrapped her arms around Waverly from behind and kissed the side of her neck. “Hungry, Babe?” A soft grow from the stomach under her hands made her chuckle. “As he ate some and Wynonna hasn’t face planted the floor yet I think it’s pretty safe. And as he so helpfully pointed out, why bring us all the way here to kill us with poison?”

“You’re welcome!”

“Dude! Rude! Stop listening in!”

“No!”

As Wynonna continued to bicker with and distract their guard, Nicole zoned them out and sat with Waverly while she ate. She’d never thought of herself as having a feeding fetish of any kind despite the doughnuts, pancakes and everything else. What she did have though was most definitely a fetish for the amazing woman that was her mate. Everything she did, everything she said, everything about her was mesmerizing.

“Eat,” holding out a spoon of the stew, Waverly smiled as her Alpha obediently opened her mouth and ate for her. She cupped the sharp line of her jaw and kissed away the traces of gravy on her lips. “You feeling okay after that stuff knocked you out?”

“Yeah, just… I don’t know, disappointed? Angry?” She stiffened at the sound of footsteps approaching and stood as the flap of the tent was flung aside once more.

“Come,” Gustus barked out, “it is time.”

“And that didn’t sound the least bit ominous,” Wynonna drawled as she looked at the guard and a dark-skinned woman with a glare that looked like it could flay skin from the bone from fifty paces. “And if we want to stay right here and eat or just walk away and go home?” she could tell by their expressions that something like that hadn’t even dawned on them… not under the guise of ‘guarding them’ anyway. “Come on,” she addressed Nicole and Waverly, “let’s get this over with. That means you too, C.J.”

Wynonna smiled inwardly as C.J. actually jumped up and took her place on Nicole’s shoulder. Maybe their cat just didn’t want to linger where the use of fur seemed to be a thing in case she got made into a washcloth?

As the followed their ‘escort’ from the tent, Nicole looked around at the encampment. It really was massive. And full of people that looked more than ready to go to war at a moment’s notice if need be. “Why are you here? This is not your permanent home.”

“Alexandria will explain what you need to know.”

Nicole gave Waverly’s hand a gentle squeeze as her jaw clenched in frustration as they avoided her question. “It’s okay, Waves. I didn’t really expect an answer from them. If their Alexandria is as tight-lipped though we will be leaving.”

Wynonna looked the tent they were approaching. At first glance, it appeared to be no different than any of the others. But none of the others they had seen had guards posted outside that looked more like they were there to keep people out than in. And the tent they were protecting was the only one with blood red banners adorned with the outlines of trees and animals laying either side of the entrance.

They stepped inside and Wynonna wasn’t sure whether to be impressed by the grandeur of the tent or the sheer number of candles she could see. And then she, belatedly, saw the raised dais, the honest-to-god throne surrounded by polished antlers and wood standing upon it, and the regal looking brunette seated upon it.

Clarke was standing to the side of the throne, her back stiff, her face a mask that failed to hide her anxiety. Whatever had gone on since Alexandria had called for her, it had not been pleasant.

“So, you are the ones the witches think will save us all?”

Nicole dragged her eyes away from the obviously upset blonde at the brunette’s words. Her voice was quiet and almost as devoid of emotion as her stoic expression. But her voice carried the weight and tone of someone used to leading and having everyone listen to what she said.

She sounded like someone that had been forged in the heat of battle over many more years than her looks said were even possible and even with her clothes covering her from head to foot there was something about her that said that the body beneath bristled with the kind of muscle said that she was more than ready to go into battle at a moment’s notice even though she sounded weary of it all.

Her looks though. Going by her looks, she seemed to be in her early twenties. Nicole cautiously scented the air as she took in the woman. Eyes narrowing slightly as she caught the smell of forest caught in her skin and intricately braided hair as well as and bear seeping from her pores as she took in her strong features. It was the eyes that caught her. They seemed reluctant to meet her gaze but when they did her forest green eyes held even more weight and age than her voice.

She was… impressive.

To everyone except, apparently, for Wynonna that was. If she was impressed by the surroundings and the Yiska leader Nicole decided it didn’t show in the least as she stepped up and interrupted anything else the woman might have to say to introduce them all, with a warning that only she and Waverly got to make Haught puns, before getting down to business.

“Let me get this straight,” Wynonna laughed wryly, drawing the brunettes green eyes her way and keeping them there. “We travelled here in good faith, taking the long way around on two legs. We get attacked and drugged, and you expect us to… what? Save you?”

 Alexandria cast her eyes in Clarke’s direction, silently begging her love to stay strong as she shifted on the spot in distress at the dismissive tone of Wynonna’s voice. A distress that was echoed in herself. Standing up, Alexandria drew herself upright and clasped her hands behind her back to keep them steady. “The attack was an accident… But, blood must have blood,” she stated reluctantly. “That is our way. The one that attacked you will pay the price for his error… As is our custom.”

Nicole watched as C.J. climbed down from her perch on her shoulder and crossed the floor. Nimbly hopping up onto the dais, she leaned against Alexandria’s leg and released a meow that sounded positively heartbroken before moving over to Clarke and jumping into her arms. The blonde held her gently but the look on her face was of someone in mourning.

“What’s going on?” Waverly whispered softly as she looked at the two women. Something was not adding up! They could all feel it but no one seemed willing to speak up… or they were afraid to. “Wait! Your custom, what does that mean exactly?”

“As I said, the one that attacked you will pay for his crimes. It is the way of our people and it has been called for by the clan leaders.”

“No! Listen, I’m a cop, I’m all for obeying the law but something is going on here!” The tightening of Alexandria’s jaw said she was perilously close to crossing a line but Nicole stepped forwards anyway and spoke quietly. “Please, Alexandria, talk to us. I know our ways aren’t the same but this is obviously hurting both of you and if we are to work together it needs to be on good terms.”

Clarke stepped closer to her love, nearly touching but not wanting to undermine her in front of strangers. It made her a little envious for a moment when she saw that the one obviously mated with the redhead, Waverly, had no such restraints placed upon her and boldly ran her hand along the tall Alpha’s back to calm her. “Please, Alexandria, let me talk with them?”

 Alexandria looked around, making sure that Clarke saw and heeded her unspoken warning before nodding, Alexandria retook her place upon her throne and found herself stroking the ginger fur of the familiar as she jumped onto her lap and offered her comfort with a rumbling purr while her love talked.

“Aden. He… was the one that controlled the vines against you. When he overheard you saying you had spotted everyone he feared that you would attack so he used vines to make you sleep so he could tell us about what you had said. If it had worked, you would have woken and assumed you had slept heavily but you were too strong. I- I finished putting you under, Nicole, simply because the level you were fighting against the vines was dangerous to you and the others… especially the babies.”

“Aden would not have meant any harm,” she assured them quickly. “But he is young and made a mistake but… the thirteen clans of the Yiska are calling for him to be punished… to be treated as a traitor for trying to start a war between the Yiska and the Werewolves.”

“Punishment for such a crime is to be cut with a blade by the leader and second of each clan. If he was Yiska the final blows would come from the sword of the head of his clan to remove his heart and head. Alexandria has refused,” bowing her head, Clarke refused to say why or how it had weakened her in the eyes of the other clans. “But as he is, like myself, a Wood Nymph… it will make no difference as by tradition the blades used will be steel,” she whispered brokenly.

“Oh no!” Waverly clutched at Nicole’s shirt in horror. “No, please, you can’t do that! Nic! They can’t!”

“Waves?”

“Wood Nymphs are nature deities and pretty much immortal but, forged weapons, especially steel ones are like silver to us.”

Nicole had heard of and seen, far worse punishments been handed out on a whim but it was no less horrified to her. She wanted more than anything right then to snatch Alexandria off her throne and shake some sense about allowing something like that to happen but two things had her shoulders sagging as she breathed the disgust out.

The main thing that stilled her actions was Calamity. Just the fact that she was giving comfort to the brunette had Nicole hoping that she wasn’t reading their cat wrong and she really was a good judge of character. And the other thing… that was a single tear. It shimmered in the lights from the candles, catching the green of Alexandria’s eyes as it fell and became lost within C.J.’s fur. There was no fanfare with it, no pretence… Nicole wasn’t even sure if Alexandria even knew it had dropped but it spoke volumes of her hurt though.

And she saw that Clarke had seen it too as she actually closed the distance between them and placed a hand upon Alexandria’s shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze as her eyes cast nervously around the tent… but the nervousness wasn’t about them, Nicole realised.

Needing privacy, Nicole spoke with her mind. “Waves…?”

“I saw it too, Babe. Looks like ‘Nonna did too. There are people all around the tent and they mentioned thirteen clans, I’m guessing not all are loyal to her and her calling us here… hell, we couldn’t get along with Del Rey and his goons so I hate to think how it would have been with that many.”

“We need to talk somewhere more private.”

 Alexandria looked up, steeling herself at the tenseness in the pack Alpha’s barked out tone. “Of course, Gustus and Indra will take you back to your tent…”

“I said somewhere private,” Wynonna snorted, “Gustus likes to listen in, don’t you big guy!?”

“I do not!”

Wynonna gave a pointed look to Clarke and Alexandria as his voice barked back at her from outside the tent where he had been quite obviously listening in from.

 Alexandria pursed her lips in mild annoyance at her trusted bodyguard's outburst. Even though he was in all actuality younger than herself, he had become more like an Uncle to her and had always been ready to offer advice in times of need. Apparently, though, there was something about the pack Alpha that had him forgetting himself… or maybe it was also the stress their clan was under that had him rattled. Either way, it was out of character. “That as may be but they are on our side and I trust both of them with my life and they will keep anything they hear to themselves… Won’t you?!”

“On my honour!” Gustus answered feeling thoroughly chastised.

“And also mine!” Indra glowered at the big man at her side for dragging her into his problem.

Wynonna stepped closer, lowering her voice further as she placed herself upon the same level as the leader of the Yiska. “And how about the others we can sense in hearing distance, you know they’re there too… would they all give the same response, Alex?”

“You wish to leave?”

“We wish to have a talk with you,” she included Clarke with a nod, “in private, so we can work out just how in the hell to stop the death of your boy without causing trouble so we can get down to business. ‘Cause I think I speak for everyone here when I say that I’ll be damned if I’m going to have anyone murdered for doing a good job just to cause trouble. Now, where can we go?”

Alexandria looked to Clarke, seeing the hope lighting her brilliant blue eyes. Even if she refused their offer she knew Clarke would be off with them in a shot and really, with what, who, was at stake, how could she refuse either. “Come, there is somewhere we know. Indra! Let everyone know that we are not to be followed and then keep watch. Gustus, you are with us!”

As they left the tent, Nicole shared a smile with Waverly as Wynonna instantly latched on to Gustus and walked at his side. She was teasing him and just being Wynonna but at least she wasn’t making any quips out of his name. Nicole looked around with her senses, lowering her gaze enough to hide the direction of her gaze as well as the fact that her eyes were more than likely solid wolf.

The tents surrounding Alexandria’s obviously belonged to her people, the Woods Clan. They produced looks of respect and love for the leader and caution towards the strangers in their midst. There was also sorrow there though and Nicole could only assume that many if not all of them had heard what was to happen to Aden.

From that central point of the encampment, the other members of the thirteen clans were clumped together in their own groups like the twelve numbers on a clock, each Clan sticking to their own area, with the Woods Clan as the centre they were set around.

There was one section of the encampment where pale tents flying white banners with some kind of a palm print on them. From them, Nicole saw only looks cast their way that were full of loathing and challenge.

“Azgeda,” Gustus growled as he followed the redheaded wolf’s gaze. “Their territory lies far in the north amongst the ice and snow. It is their Queen, Nia that was the most vocal of the ones calling for Aden to be… punished. It is she who should be…”

“Enough, Gustus!” Alexandria placed a hand on his forearm. “Please, old friend, keep such comments to yourself where no one can hear them… I would hate to lose you too.” She smiled as he gave a gentle nod and went back to trying to ignore Wynonna’s teasing… something he sucked at doing and she could see him softening towards the Alpha pups antics once they were out of sight of the camp and were able to relax a little more. “Is she always like this?”

“Wynonna? No… she’s usually worse,” Nicole smirked as she caught Gustus’ horrified expression. “I’ve seen more than my fair share of packs over my life and I can honestly say that she’s the only one I would want as my leader.”

“Aww, Haughtstuff! I knew it! You love me!”

“You’re still not my type though, Earp!”

“You call her your leader and yet you are the more powerful Alpha.”

Nicole glanced at the woman at her side. Alexandria’s face was fixed on the woods but she could feel the weight of the woman’s attention on her. “I am not a leader, Alexandria. I protect. If I could do only one thing in this world though it would be Waverly… and that sounded so very wrong,” she moaned, rubbing a hand over her face as Wynonna barked out a laugh. “I meant that all I want is to love Waverly!”

“And I love you too baby,” reaching up, Waverly kissed Nicole’s bright red cheek.

Alexandria caught Clarke’s amused and slightly envious gaze as she looked at the couple. That was a level of intimacy they had to keep for when they were in private and while Alexandria knew that Clarke understood and agreed, it also grated on her very nature as a Wood Nymph to have to keep her feelings hidden. Once Alexandria had finally broken and explained that she flat out couldn’t function when Clarke was touching her, only then had it satisfied Clarke enough to know just how undone she became.

“Who is Aden to you?”

Clarke jumped at Waverly’s question and glanced towards Alexandria as Waverly moved back to walk at her side.

“There’s more to the level of pain I can see in your eyes than him just being a Wood Nymph or part of your clan.”

“He’s… our son,” Clarke admitted.

Waverly rubbed her abdomen at the blonde’s words and the flare of pain in her eyes. “Adopted or…?” her question died at the sudden fear that, for once, feeling strangely at ease with them and not agitation had led to her revealing too much.

“Biological,” Clarke smiled. “Your Alpha inherited traits long thought to be lost to your kind because of her father’s age?”

“How…? Yes.”

“Alexandria and I are both older than Bulshar and your Nicole might not have inherited the ability through him.”

“What?” Waverly’s steps faltered. “I’m confused?”

“Clarke!” Alexandria admonished her gently. “That is a conversation best left until we are in a better place!”

“She means location and not as friends,” Clarke quietly assured Waverly. “Sometimes the way she talks needs a little interpretation.”

“You know who my father is then?”

“From my understanding, ‘father’ is too strong a word for him. But yes, we know of him and the struggles you have had to come to this place and find a true family.”

“Translation… we’ve been keeping an eye on you since she arrived in Purgatory. Though, technically, it was me doing the watching… so, I guess I should apologise for spying on you but we really needed to know.”

“Know what?”

“Clarke!”

“Erm…”

“Best left until we’re in a better place?”

“Exactly,” Clarke smiled gently.

“So, erm, just how much have you been watching us?” Waverly asked nervously. She knew that Nicole wasn’t really going to like any answer with how careful she was about security around their house.

“Not all the time… But it was a spectacular sunrise the other morning.”

“Mmmm, yes there was,” Waverly replied with unrepentant glee as Nicole managed to find a new shade of red to turn… thankfully more in embarrassment than in fury.

Wynonna turned back to look at the others lagging behind as Gustus came to a halt in a clearing. “Come on, slackers! Time to talk.”

Clarke looked to Alexandria but she could see that now they were at a standstill again, what little she had opened up on their walk to the clearing, had become closed up and locked behind the high walls of responsibility that came with being Clan leader. “Where would you like to start?”

“With the most important thing… how to get your son out of danger. If we can’t work that out I don’t think anything else will matter,” Wynonna growled out.

“How do you mean?” Alexandria stiffened in confusion and burgeoning anger.

“Why is this Nia so hell-bent on Aden being punished for essentially protecting everyone?”

“Because she knows it will destroy us to see our son die and if Alexandria protects him, it will weaken her and the whole alliance Alexandria forged to bring the clans together. She says it is a weakness for us to be together… for us to bring you into our problems to help… but really I think she just wants to be the one in charge.”

“There is no think about it,” Alexandria ground out through gritted teeth, “that is all she wants… well preferably my death first, but ruling over everyone is her goal. I could challenge her to a fight over Aden but I have been trying to steer the clans away from such practices and she would twist me doing so as an indication to the other leaders that my talk has all been a lie.”

Nicole rubbed the back of her neck. She’d met her fair share of despots and this Nia was taking it to whole new levels of sneaky. If Alexandria did nothing, Nia would twist it into her being weak and a coward. If she fought back, that would be seen as her being a liar and not to be trusted. And if she let her son die for no reason it could turn her own clan against her.

“Alexandria, how important is this help you want from us? Maybe we can use that as leverage?”

Alexandria stared into the steady but questioning brown of Nicole’s eyes and saw the desire to help writ across her face. “I believe you are the only ones that can help. You in particular though, Nicole.”

“Me?”

“For many years there have been women, young girls going missing. Werewolves… Humans… Yiska… Nymph… As long as they have been young it hasn’t seemed to matter to the ones that took them. Few are ever seen again and the ones that are, have been ripped apart.”

Nicole stilled, the memory of a cold case she had been reading the night Waverly had climbed on to her roof coming to mind. “To get all the Clans involved how wide an area are you talking about?”

“All over… which is why it went unnoticed for far too long. Once it finally became clear though we took notice and tried to track them down and we know what has been happening… Some were being taken to Georgia,” she watched as Nicole reared back in dawning horror. “And the others were being held somewhere near here by a disciple of Bulshar and friend to one named Svane… A werewolf by the name of Lou and a demon that calls himself, Jack of Knives. Although we know the ‘who’… we cannot find the ‘where’. We have sent our best trackers looking and they find nothing or we find them gutted.”

“And you think I will be able to?” Nicole couldn’t see how that was possible if everyone else had failed.

“Nicole, what is my skin… my beast?”

“Grizzly bear.”

“And Gustus’?”

Nicole scented the air drawing him in and taking in the differences between his and Alexandria. “Kodiak bear.”

“Indra?”

“Panther.”

“And when you scent Clarke?”

“That’s more of a memory than a scent. Forests, life, spring and moonlight.”

“Yiska… we walk in the skins of animals but we do not have such sharp senses as werewolves and going by the shocked faces of your companions you surpass them too and you are not even in your wolf form.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you are so-” breaking off her words and thoughts, Nicole held up a hand to silence the others as she heard noises closing in on them from the direction of the encampment. “Company coming,” she growled at the scent of snow, ice and drawn weapons. “How loyal are Nia’s people?”

“She rules by fear. You wish to bargain with them?”

“Oh, no. I’m thinking we should give them something else to fear. Waves… Earp, feel like taking a run?”

Wynonna grinned in anticipation and started pulling her clothes off much to Gustus’ clear embarrassment.

Alexandria grabbed Nicole’s arm firmly, yanking the pup round to meet her gaze. Brown eyes had gone solid, a soft growl rumbling through her chest at her roughness but Alexandria held her ground. “I am the leader of the Woods Clan and the Yiska Coalition. No one fights for me!”

“We are fighting for you, Alexandria. If this goes well it will save Aden and get Nia off your back. For it to work though, we need you to lead them away from us so we can get behind them. And we need you to stay out of any fight so they cannot accuse you of anything. Trust us.”

Nodding, Alexandria released her hold on Nicole and stepped back just enough to give the wolf room to shed her clothing and her skin. She felt the whispers of power flowing across the clearing as Wynonna and Waverly slipped into their wolf forms. She had never been so close to werewolves when they were changing and it was an interesting sight and feeling, to say the least.

When her kind changed they became the same size as the more natural form of their beasts. Werewolves though… whilst they looked like wolves they stood nearly as tall as ponies at the shoulder. What she knew of Nicole though, that had Alexandria looking even more closely and she stared deep into her already wolf eyes as she started to change.

The others, even though powerful, had been a whisper. Nicole’s power in comparison was like being sucker punched by a sledgehammer and before Alexandria could even draw a breath, she was staring into the actually quite pretty face of Nicole’s wolf and reaching out with her gloved right hand to rub between her ears.

As the wolves vanished silently into the trees like the distant memory of a memory, Alexandria moved to stand with Clarke and Gustus. As Clarke’s eyes dropped to her right hand with a knowing smile playing about her lips, only then did she realise that she was rubbing at what the glove hid.

“Well?”

“You were right,” Alexandria admitted, her brow furrowing in thought, her jaw clenching as she looked in the direction Nicole had vanished in.

The pine needles carpeting the ground softened the sounds of their footsteps. Not that it was needed as they were all, even the massive Gustus, well versed with walking silently no matter what lay beneath their feet. They didn’t need quiet eight then though so Alexandria found a convenient dead branch and cracked it beneath her heel to draw the attention of their would be attackers their way.

Glancing at Clarke, Alexandria shared a soft smile with her as they walked on. According to Clarke, her smiles when she was in ‘Leader Mode’ were soft, barely curving up her lips but that curve of her ‘plump pillows’, Clarke’s description not her own, was like the rising of the sun as it lit the green of her eyes, changing their colour as it made warmth burst through Clarke’s being.

Alexandria blamed Clarke’s flowery descriptions on her very nature as a Wood Nymph but she couldn’t deny the way it made her feel so warm and loved that even after being soul bound together for over four hundred and fifty years, which was a drop in the ocean time wise to beings that were essentially immortal, Clarke could make just a word, touch or smile feel new and wonderful.

Emboldened by Nicole and Waverly’s affectionate actions towards each other, Alexandria decided she was sick of caring what anyone else might think and reached for Clarke’s hand. Her cerulean blue eyes went wide in surprise and then a smile broke out across her face as her fingers tightened around hers.

Alexandria looked at their clasped hands and smiled, her eyes widening as she saw the gentle colours shimmering across Clarke’s skin like the gentle echo of the sun-dappled woods. It reminded her of the first time she had seen Clarke so many years ago, her body flitting in and out of the trees, vanishing into light and shade as she stayed just out of reach with her light laugh teasing her ears.

Alexandria had not been in the mood to be distracted by the playful Wood Nymph and had told her off in no uncertain terms. An action she had regretted moments later when she realised the path through the woods was far too quiet and boring without her ‘company’.

Being stubborn, again, Clarke’s description, Alexandria had continued on her journey alone but on her return trip, the Wood Nymph had found her again as soon as she had stepped into the cover of the trees. Alexandria had had to hide her joy as the young Nymph had followed her again, teasing and playful but a little more, thankfully, subdued. Though Clarke had insisted later that she had been trying not to scare her into running away again.

Alexandria had heard mention of Nymph in the woods, but never one as playful as this one, Clarke, a name she had learned on her third trip through the area… it had taken until the fifth journey before Alexandria had relented and given her name back. And by then she had grown to anticipate and relish each journey and the playful Nymphs companionship… though she never said or revealed her true nature to the lovely, captivating, being that seemed hell-bent on casting light into every corner of her usually dark and lonely existence.

That reveal had come a year later. Clarke had not greeted her on the edge of the woods as usual and Alexandria had thought that the Nymph had finally tired of her and moved on. She had told herself that she was happy to finally be alone from the incessant chatter and too bright glow of colour coming from her skin… but every single step had felt like a million leaden and lonely ones.

And then Alexandria had heard a frantic, terror-filled scream of her name that had set her feet flying over the ground to where it had come from.

Humans!

Unwashed and vile specimens of their species!

They had chased and hunted Clarke for days, using dogs to flush her out of hiding time after time. Alexandria heard them gloating about what they planned on doing to her and the vileness of it had set her blood boiling and clouded her vision in a rage of red as she leapt into their midst and took them apart with first her sword, and then with teeth and claws as she slipped into her bear skin.

Once it was over, Alexandria had feared that Clarke would fear her more and reject her for what she was and had done. But once she was sure the men were gone, Clarke had fallen into her arms and held her tightly, frantically, sobbing into the fur of her bear and held her even tighter and cried against her shoulder when she had slipped from that skin. And they had never let go of each other since.

Lately though… while they never let go of each other in private, in public the years of being Leader of the Woods Clan, and the more recent negotiations to broker peace for a coalition between the clans… it had all put a strain on the public face of their relationship and Alexandria found that she craved the simplicity of their youth when they were free to roam the forests together and just be themselves.

“Clarke, I know our ways have been harsh, still are harsh, but we do what we have to, to survive…”

“Lex, maybe life be about more than just surviving? Don’t we deserve better than that?” Clarke smiled sadly as she brushed a thumb across the tight line radiating from the corner of Alexandria’s mouth.

“Maybe we do,” sliding a hand along the side of Clarke’s neck, Alexandria buried her fingers into the warm hair at the nape of her neck and pulled her into a soft kiss that had their lips clinging hungrily. “It would be nice to have a place to call home instead of running around trying to maintain peace,” she whispered against the curve of her lips.

Smiling against the softness of the plump lips still lightly caressing hers, Clarke ran her hands up the front of Alexandria’s coat, skimming her palms across the swell of her breasts. “Maybe…?”

Alexandria drew back a little, studying Clarke’s face at the hesitation in her voice. She knew it well enough to know that there was still more on her mind than just a place to rest and call home. “Yes, Clarke?”

Clarke worried at her lip with her teeth. “Maybe somewhere like this? The Pine Barrens are Woods Clan territory… and also…”

She smiled broadly, “where we met.” her smile dimmed, “do you miss this land, Clarke?”

“I’m a Wood Nymph, the trees give me peace but… Lex, I would travel the world a million times over and never see another tree as long we were together, you know that, Lex.”

“Roots would be nice though,” Alexandria smiled softly as Clarke rolled her eyes and nudged her with her shoulder for the comment. “It’s more than just the Barrens that call to you and have you looking to this as a home though isn’t it?”

Clarke ducked her head and looked shyly up into the knowing twinkle of Alexandria’s green eyes. “I like them,” she admitted with a smile, nodding back to where the clearing lay, where their new wolf companions had raced away.

”I’ve seen them, how they live… and love,” she smirked as she thought about how red Nicole’s race would get if she heard that. “And I know they intrigue you too.” she nudged Alexandria again as she tried to put a mask of indifference on.

“I want more children!” she blurted out. “I want a place to call home with you… Somewhere were our children could play with others… with theirs. Somewhere where maybe even Gustus would feel free to relax!”

Alexandria smiled as Clarke’s comment garnered a grunt from the big man and saw his face twist, either in pain from trying to imagine being able to relax, or from trying to do it somewhere where Wynonna also lived.

“If they are willing, they could become the fourteenth clan…?”

“You want werewolves to be part of the coalition?”

“Not all werewolves… but the ones in Purgatory, the Earp’s, they are good. Right now they are out there doing whatever it is they are up to, for no other reason than to help. When was the last time any of the clans, even our own, did something without wanting a contract with full terms and conditions of what they would get in exchange written out first?”

“And you can’t include the thirteenth clan in any argument… the Wood Nymphs only took that position to piss the Yiska off and because they felt you owed them for soul bonding with their Princess,” she pointed out with a solid poke to Alexandria’s firm bicep. “And… there is already the ties between yourself and Nicole… Between the Woods and Séquoia, the Redwoods,” she whispered quietly.

The sound of racing feet, shouts and harsh growls had Alexandria reaching for the sword at her side as she placed herself in a better position to protect Clarke. She shared a look with Gustus and then with Clarke as the sounds grew no nearer and the shouts died away to frantic pleas.

“Come,” sword still drawn, Alexandria ignored Gustus’ pursed lips and led the way back to the clearing where the three wolves were waiting, teeth bared and snapping at the men cowered between them.

“Prince Roan? I thought Nia had banished you?”

“I was… am…” lifting his head, he stared sadly at the Coalition Leader. “I was told that she would lift her banishment if I spied on your… meeting… with the wolves…”

“Roan…!”

Wynonna snapped her teeth next to the ear of the man who had interrupted.

“Their mission was to kill you, the wolves, and myself and blame it on the wolves to set Azgeda up as the saviours. We do not always see eye to eye on everything Alexandria but we both know that my mother is the last one that needs to be in charge of anything.”

“Then why so eager to get back into her good graces, Roan?” Alexandria bit out through tightly clenched teeth.

“I want to help my people and those that have been taken. I went to the other clans but none of them would accept my help and risk her wrath. Alexandria,” he went to stand but thought better of it as a frightening growl rumbled out in clear warning. “She thinks to do a deal with the ones that have taken our people, the release of the ones from Azgeda in exchange for a steady supply from the other clans.”

Nicole tightened her grip on the bound arms of the man before her, yanking him back where she wanted as he tried to pull away. They were nearing the end of the shelter of the trees, the encampment beyond approaching fast. The idea was to get out, get back to the relative safety of Alexandria’s clan and then work out how best to use what they knew to get Aden to safety and deal with the threat of the Azgeda Clan.

That had been the plan anyway.

At her side, Nicole saw Waverly’s head lift and her hazel eyes met hers before they moved beyond her to Wynonna as they all heard the distinct sounds of trouble waiting ahead of them to ruin their plans. “Azgeda,” Nicole growled loud enough for the others to hear where they walked behind them. “Looks like they’ve gathered to meet the heroes of the hour.”

The man muttered something around his gag but Nicole was in no mood to bother deciphering what he was trying to say. Especially as they’d gagged them only because they wouldn’t stop spewing out threats. Nicole had the feeling that they were trying to goad them into killing them but a few hastily torn strips off her shirt had sufficed.

The only one that had said anything meaningful and then had had the sense to hold his tongue while the others raged was Roan, and he was gagged simply because they just didn’t know if they could trust him.

“Keep squirming and I will change and rip your throat out,” Nicole growled against his ear, snapping her teeth for good measure as he thrashed again in an attempt to break free and warn his clan. It was a hollow threat that she saw had Waverly trying to hide a smile if not the feeling of a chuckle that tinkled through her mind. Fortunately, the man seemed to believe her threat and gave a gulp that was audible even around the cloth crammed into his mouth and stopped his thrashing.

“Should we go around?”

Alexandria looked at the rapidly approaching end to the trees. “There is no time, Gustus. They are looking for them to return and if we delay too long it might have Nia coming up with a story to protect herself from blame. Right now we have evidence that we can use to at least keep her in line until we can think of something better.”

“You should challenge her…!”

“Gustus,” she sighed. “You know full well our how that would go.”

“And for the newbie wolves… how would that go?” Wynonna queried.

“A challenge such as the one Gustus mentions, Single Combat, is personal, one to settle arguments quickly. When the challenge is between leaders of different clans we are allowed by right to nominate a second to take our place. I am, unfortunately, used to asking people to go to battle for me but when it comes to a challenge, no one fights for me. Nia, while a strong fighter, has never accepted a challenge since she became Queen of Azgeda. I could challenge her a hundred times and never get close.

“Everyone knows the leader Alexandria is, the changes she is trying to make to keep the peace. Everything she does is picked apart and looked at for weaknesses to use against her… especially by Nia. If she fights and wins by killing, Nia will say that it goes against Alexandria’s talk of peace without conflict. If she saved our son, Nia would say she was using her position to show favouritism.”

As they emerged into view, Nicole made sure to keep as close as she could to Waverly and Wynonna. Not that she didn’t think they weren’t perfectly capable of taking care of themselves, she did, but they were wolves, they were better as a pack. The gathered crowd of warriors fell silent and steadily grew restless, a murmur of disquiet spreading through them when they saw that their own were being held as prisoners. What Nia had told them, only they and Nia knew, but they didn’t like what they were seeing.

“Queen Nia of Azgeda! We have proof of your treason! Come forward and answer for your crime!”

Nicole shifted her hand upon her prisoner and cussed Gustus’ timing under her breath as it just had the Azgeda growing even more restless as they crowded forwards. She saw it, the shifting of eyes and expressions on some of them going through a range of hope to caution and fear as they looked around. Suddenly it dawned on her. How did a Queen rule by fear? She made her people distrust one and other!

A blade flashed but before Nicole could react the man in her arms stiffened and made a choked gurgling sound as he twitched and grew limp in seconds from the well-aimed strike to his heart. To her left, she saw the one in Wynonna’s hands go down just as quickly but she was already leaping towards Waverly who had felt her panic and was back peddling with Roan, keeping him out of the way of the advancing wall of Azgeda warriors.

Spinning Roan behind her, Waverly blocked the downwards plunge of a knife with her forearm and grabbed the man’s wrist in a bone-crunching grasp that shook his knife loose. There were more coming though even as she pushed him back, knives already drawn and more being readied. She looked into their eyes, searching out the ones that looked sure of their actions and not the ones filled with fear and confusion that were just reacting.

Grabbing Roan by the collar, Nicole tossed him back towards Gustus and let him deal with the weight of the man flying towards him as she let out a growl that was joined by ones from Wynonna and Waverly and had the warriors nearest them rethinking and falling back as their main target was snatched from reach.

“Enough!”

The voice that bellowed out was harsh and grating, setting Nicole’s teeth on edge with its mocking undertone even though it had the desired effect of stilling the Azgeda warriors. The woman the crowd parted for was taller even than herself and regal but Nicole couldn’t help but notice that her warriors parted not in respect but in abject fear of having her pale eyes fall upon them.

“What is going on here Alexandria?”

“You sent assassins to kill us and our new allies!”

“What? Where is your proof?”

Nicole could almost hear Alexandria’s teeth cracking under the strain as she ground her teeth as the Azgeda Queen looked at the two dead men.

“These two…?” Lips twisted in disdain, she jabbed at their carcasses with her foot. “They are known cohorts of my son… my banished son.” Nia looked around and failed to contain her glower towards him and her most trusted guards as she saw that he was still alive. They knew better than to have allowed such a thing when they’d seen they’d been taken captive.

Scraping his gag against his shoulder, Roan managed to work it down and spat out the scrap of cloth it had been holding in. “I will tell the truth…!”

“Enough of this!” Nia cut him off harshly.

“They were sent in to…!”

“I issue the challenge of Single Combat… Alexandria!”

“You challenge me?”

“Yes, right now… And I choose my son as my second.” Before they could stop her she pulled Roan into her embrace and pressed her mouth close to his ear. “Kill her and I will end your banishment. Fail me or defy me and I will see all your friends and allies gutted bodies laid at my feet before the sun sets.”

Waverly gently touched the small of Nicole’s back as she listened in on what the Queen was whispering to her son. She didn’t think Alexandria, Clarke or Gustus had heard anything but if they had, they had the most amazing poker faces Waverly had ever seen. “Nicole…”

“Yeah, Baby. I heard her,” catching Wynonna’s eye she caught the ‘keep quiet’ gesture off the Alpha and gave a barely perceptible nod. “Don’t let on though, not yet. Right now we’ve got at least that bit of an advantage. And we need all we can get,” especially as she could see that Roan was, reluctantly or not, going along with what Nia wanted.

“I accept your challenge, Queen Nia!”

“Alexandria…”

Alexandria took Clarke by the hand and dragged her over to the wolves. “You all need to get out of here. Get Aden before any of the Azgeda or their allies strike and then leave, please,” she whispered to them. “Roan is a fierce and well-trained warrior with nothing to lose. If I fall there is nothing to guarantee your safety or even Purgatory’s from Nia.”

“Well then… Alex,” Wynonna grasped the Skinwalker by the front of her jacket and ignored Gustus’ growl and virulent glower as she yanked her closer. “Why don’t you focus on what you have got to lose if you fail and do your job, and stay alive while we take care of the rest. Clarke, Waves, go take care of the kid. Gusty, see if you can get some of your clan buds down here to back us up. Haughtstuff…”

“The outsiders must leave!” Nia ordered darkly. “This is between you and me, Alexandria! They are not a part of our clans and have no rights here!”

“…Fancy going undercover?” Wynonna finished without missing a beat and while somehow holding in a snort at Nia’s claim that it was between her and Alex when she wouldn’t even put her own life on the line.

Time was of the essence but Nicole couldn’t part from Waverly without a word or in the end, a touch. Their bodies came together like a wave crashing against the shore. Their lips meet in an urgent kiss as hands sought familiar terrain. Nicole’s shoulders sagged, her whole body settling into the familiar curve of Waverly’s as her nimble fingers threaded through her hair and caressed along her jaw.

Their kiss was quick but filled them both. “Don’t get into too much trouble,” Nicole begged as she gently nudged her nose against Waverly’s. Pressing their marks together, she melted into the touch and scent for a moment before pulling back so they could all get to work before Wynonna got impatient.

“And you two take care of each other.” Waverly jabbed a finger at the two women that meant everything to her.

“Don’t worry, Sis. I’ve got Haughtdaddy’s back!” Wynonna rolled her eyes as she turned and saw that Clarke and Alexandria were sharing a tender moment too. “This is just not right,” she moaned as Clarke and Waverly skirted off around the edge of the Azgeda warriors to go to Aden’s aide.

“What?”

“My boys are off guarding everyone and I don’t get to have a smooch with anyone… Hey! Gustus!?” Wynonna looked around eagerly at the prospect of mischief before they got down to business.

“You’re too late,” Nicole chuckled. “You’ll have to wait to torment the poor man, he left already. Now, come on, Earp. Looks like they’ve nearly got their arena marked off. We need to get going.”

Nicole could hear the first sword blows ringing out as they hurried around the edge of the eager crowd of warriors, baying for blood.

“Come on, brother! We’ve got to make sure it is done with that boy as our Queen commanded.”

Nicole stiffened and looked to Wynonna at the voices coming from the tent they were passing. No names were mentioned but they both knew just which ‘boy’ the Queen would have an interest in. They slipped inside the tent, taking the two men out as quickly and as ruthlessly as possible before helping themselves to the thick almost floor length pale fur coats the Azgeda preferred.

Nicole gasped as they got back to the makeshift arena. Roan had managed to get Alexandria down to a knee and was pressing forward with his sword, using his size and strength to push it closer and closer towards her. Blood was flowing freely from the hand she had wrapped around the blade. It was so thick it looked almost black as it poured down and fell upon her. She surged up, slamming the hilt of her sword up under Roan’s jaw and pushing him back with a flurry of spins and a flashing blade.

While Alexandria did battle, Nicole looked around at everyone watching. For the moment she could see no one that looked interested in interfering so she turned her attention to the Queen where she sat on a chair, raised up away from her people was guards flanking her. There was no motherly anxiety in her eyes when Roan was pushed back but there was anticipation when it looked like he would slip under Alexandria’s guard and cause damage.

Nicole looked back over the crowds, drawn by a familiar scent and voices raised in anger reach thrumming over the excitement around them to meet her ears. She could see the black clothing of the Woods Clan standing out against the pale greys and white of the Azgeda and the taller frame of Gustus amongst them but they were being pushed back by the greater numbers of the Azgeda.

“Earp!”

“Yeah, I see them, Nicole,” Wynonna growled in frustration. “Keep an eye out, when Alex wins I don’t think that Ice Bitch is going to let it end there.”

Nicole turned her attention back to the crowd and the battle between Alexandria and Roan. She was good… better than good and Nicole could see how she had become so loved by her clan, respected by their allies and feared by her enemies. Her moves were deliberate and precise, ferocious in their intensity and execution. Even with blood smeared across her face from a cut on her cheek and a split lip, it was backed up by the kind of look that said ‘I’m going to kill you and enjoy every second!’

Whereas Roan, as trained and skilled as he was, was starting to look raged and exhausted. He leaned into a move too far. Barely perceptibly but just enough. It made Nicole’s body tense, muscles ready to strike as her wolf saw the opening. Alexandria did too.

As Roar leaned it and swung his sword, she darted in under his move, thrusting his hand up and back and sending the hilt of his own weapon smashing under his jaw. His head snapped back, his body limp and floundering straight into a sweep of Alexandria’s leg that toppled him to the ground like a felled tree.

The crowd of Azgeda warriors fell silent as he lay there with the honed edge of Alexandria’s sword nestled against the frantic beat of his jugular.

“Get up! If you die, you don’t die a prince, you die a coward!”

Roan gazed up along the length of the sword at his throat at his mother’s words. He knew he was done. Knew more than ever that his fate, the fate of all of them lay in the hands of the ancient creature that looked like a young girl. “My life if yours, Alexandria. Get it over with,” he begged.

“Yes, Prince Roan of Azgeda, your life is mine… mine to take or to give. And this day I choose not to take it. Surrender and I will spare you.”

Roan blinked in shock at the offer and the hand held out to him. He grasped it, feeling the strength he had felt during their battle pulling him out of the dirt.

“This challenge is over!”

“No!!!!”

Nicole’s eyes shot to where Nia was surging from her seat in rage as her plans fell apart again. She wrestled a spear from the hands of one of her guards and hurled it straight towards Alexandria and Roan. Her target could have been either of them but Nicole knew who the spear was heading towards and whilst they didn’t have time to do more than blink… she was already moving.

Already changed, she burst over the heads of the people that stood in her way, leaving behind a growing murmur of surprise and fear as her rapid change into her massive full-moon form knocked people back.

As she landed she reach out, snatching the spear from the air just as the tip brushed against the clothing over Alexandria’s heart. Startled green eyes met hers, growing wider as they took in her shape when there was no moon to fuel her change. They softened, an almost please look starting to fill them. One that went beyond being saved. But before it could barely register, Nicole felt the spear being yanked from her grasp by Roan.

“Traitor!!!”

Nicole moved to shield Alexandria but at the same moment, she realised that the spear was flying again, leaving Roan’s hand with lethal precision to slam into his mother’s shoulder. Her body slammed back into her seat with the force of it as the spear went straight through flesh and bone.

“She broke the laws and traditions of the challenge of Single Combat laid out over centuries and tried to murder our leader here and also in the woods along with our new allies who have come to help save those that have been taken from us! Nia is a traitor and no longer fit to hold the mantle of Queen of Azgeda!”

A murmur broke through the crowd, building to a chant of Roan’s name as they made their feelings clear on who they felt should be their new King. Even though they had been out to kill them… Nicole felt no pleasure as wolf or cop as she saw some of the ones she had marked out as most loyal to Nia fall to blades aimed in their direction. She felt a hand touch her back in comfort as Alexandria and Wynonna stepped to her sides.

“We can’t do anything, pup,” Wynonna whispered quietly.

“Take Nia and those loyal to her away,” Roan ordered the royal guards. “Return them to Azgeda for trial. If they resist or try to incite a coup… do what you must.”

“Yes, King Roan!”

Nicole’s relief at Roan’s first actions as King was tempered by the certainty she felt looking at the guards that Nia and the prisoners reaching Azgeda was just about zero percent and falling.

They stepped back giving Alexandria space as Roan knelt in the dirt before her and swore fealty to her and their coalition, sealing his pledge with a kiss that brushed across the knuckles of Alexandria’s right hand. Nicole let his words wash over her as they looked instead to the crowds and the remaining guards, judging their body language to see what they thought of their new King’s words and actions. They stood taller, hope for the future on their faces. Nicole just hoped he didn’t let them down.

“Alexandria, King Roan, if we may?!” Nicole continued as they nodded. “The boy, Aden. From my understanding, he sought only to protect his people and your coalition from what he perceived as a threat… And he did so in a non-lethal manner. Lift his punishment so we can get on with saving your people?”

Roan nodded quickly. “Of course. The boy showed quick judgement for one so young. If any punishment was needed I believe it has been more than meted out already.”

“Thank you,” Alexandria whispered quietly. “The actions of King Roan show us a promise for a new future, a world in which violence does not always answer violence. A world in which our children can flourish without the shadow of death!”

“Alexandria!? Alexandria!?”

Nicole looked across the crowd and saw Gustus fighting his way towards them with panic on his usually stoic face.

“Alexandria!” he panted. “Word has reached us! More children have been taken!”

Waverly looked up from studying the huge map spread across a vast table in Alexandria’s tent as she felt Nicole heading towards her from the partitioned off sleeping area. The sheer size of her wolf had meant that she had had to change back so that more of the clan leaders and their advisors had been able to join them. Unfortunately, her rapid change to save Alexandria’s life meant that her clothes had been destroyed. Fortunately, Clarke had been able to put together a suitable replacement outfit for her from Alexandria’s clothing and a few other sources to allow for Nicole’s height.

And also, fortunately… she looked stunning in it. Similar to Alexandria’s, it looked like a gothic warrior version of her police uniform done in tight leather with lots of straps… Lots and lots of straps. It was very distracting.

“Waves, you’re drooling,” Wynonna whispered. She rolled her eyes at the lack of response from her sister. Though, looking at Haught, Wynonna could see why her sister was so distracted. “Wonder if I could get some of their gear for Xavier?” she mused under her breath.

“I’m guessing it would be inappropriate of me to drag you back there?”

“Erm, yeah. Just a little bit,” Nicole smiled as she gently corralled Waverly’s hands before they could start wandering. She hadn’t been too sure about what they had found for her to wear but the look in Waverly’s eyes made her feel a whole hell of a lot better about it.

“Hey, Earp. Have you managed to get through to the others yet?”

“Yep. Finally. Jeremy managed to do some science thingamajig and boosted the signal so we don’t have to climb up the tallest tree… Think he mentioned something about using a Russian satellite.”

Nicole tried to keep the shock off her face but knew she was failing as a grin spread across Wynonna’s face. The thing was, even with the grin, Nicole wasn’t sure if she was kidding or not ‘cause Jeremy had just the right amount of mad skills to do hack a Russian satellite. And with Jeannie still out of action, he would probably do it to impress Xavier or avoid getting on the wrong side of Wynonna.

“Xavier has got weapons ready just in case they loosen up now and let him join us if there have been more kids taken. Until then they’ve started running B.B.D. reports on missing kids. Without info from the Clan’s it’s going to be patchy but… never know.”

“Well, hopefully, we’ll be able to get that info soon.” Moving over to the map, Nicole leaned over it studied the detail on it. Most of the maps she’d seen of the Pine Barrens were lacking in detail unlike this one was. As far as most people knew, it was just woodland with no roads or buildings so maps were just ‘here there be trees’. Though, if there really was something using them to hide children and do god knows what, maybe it really should be ‘here there be monsters’.

Waverly edged closer to Nicole, placing a hand over her Alpha’s on the table. She could feel the anguish and anger building within her in equal measure. “We’ll find them, baby.”

Seeing the barely disguised direction of Nicole’s gaze, Waverly lifted Nicole’s hand in hers and placed it upon her abdomen. It was still pretty flat but they knew the precious lives that lay nestled within her womb ready to grow and reap all kinds of havoc on her bladder before continuing it on their lives.

The feel of Nicole’s elegant hand upon their babies had peace washing through Waverly and she knew it was having the same effect on Nicole. The sound of the heavy fabric of the tent parting to allow Alexandria and the clan leaders to enter, had them looking up but Nicole’s hand stayed right where it was, a soft growl of warning and protection issuing from her throat and Wynonna’s in response to any belligerent stares.

Alexandria and Clarke might have invited them, and somehow they were convinced that the key to finding their children lay with them. Though Nicole still wasn’t quite sure how they were so convinced or how they seemed to think they knew so much about her as, typically, events were running away from them again. It was obvious that not all the clan leaders held that belief but their growls and no doubt growing reputation, had them backing down from their glowers.

Nicole scented the air slightly and glanced towards the entrance of the tent. She saw Alexandria take note, a barely perceptible smile teasing the corner of her full lips but none of the other clan leaders even looked up as the flap lifted and Clarke entered. The Wood Nymph brought with her that scent that was, to Nicole, the memory of the forest. There was a crispness too it, a hint of frost and snow. And then it melted into spring and summer as she caught Alexandria’s smile and moved to near them and Alexandria.

“Okay, I’ve got those numbers down… could you show me on the map where the latest lots of children were taken from… numbers… times… whatever you can give us?”

Wynonna rolled her eyes slightly at Jeremy’s slightly overeager voice. The boy loved his research almost as much as Waverly did but at least Waverly was better at hiding her joy when there were lives on the line.

“Jeremy!” Xavier growled softly in warning as his overeager colleague and friend bounced around filling in details on his tablet as they came through.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered softly in apology, “I just want to get everything I can so we can get all those kids back home where they belong as quickly as we can. And… from what I’m getting, as well as four being taken from the clans… there are police reports on two missing human children around the same age and in the same area and… Oh!”

“Jeremy! What?”

“Yes, sorry! In the same areas, there’s been mutilated bodies dumped over the past couple of weeks. No names filed yet but it’s seven bodies dumped and six taken… They’re replacing them.”

“If it’s replacing that means they’re going to be after one more! Why is no one picking up on this?” Nicole bemoaned more to herself than anything.

“It’s over such a wide area, Nicole. If the Clan’s hadn’t come to us we wouldn’t have been able to spot it… even B.B.D. haven’t flagged it yet and they’ve got people whose jobs it is to look for patterns.”

Nicole raked a hand over her face in frustration. “Even if they were the last ones taken, I probably won’t have much luck finding the normal human kids. Their scents aren’t strong enough and there would have been too much traffic over the area…”

“Why do we even need their help?”

“Oh yeah!” Wynonna rounded on the woman that had spoken. “Tell me again, how much luck have you jackasses had so far? We came here in good faith to help out… Not knowing what the problem even was and now we’re here we will do whatever we can to help stop this shit. And you know what? We don’t want anything other than to get those kids back and shut down whatever creepy-assed shit is going on, hard and fast! How many of you are doing it because it’s the right damn thing?”

Alexandria smirked slightly as Wynonna left the truth hanging in the air and stormed out of the tent in a stream of wild brunette hair and cuss words that stung at guilty ears. “And if there are no more questions I think you are all dismissed for now.”

“I’ll go round ‘Nonna up!”

Left alone with the map and the other couple, Nicole studied the map further, looking desperately for a pattern amongst the coloured pointers littering it that designated everything they’d learned. She could feel their eyes upon her, especially Alexandria’s steady green gaze. There was just something about it… about her. Yeah, they were there to help them find the ones that had been kidnapped but there was something almost eager and hopeful there too.

“Okay… What else is going on here?”

“I do not know what…” Alexandria’s denial died under the weight of Nicole and Clarke’s gazes. “You’re right… There is something we need to discuss.”

“First of all… what’s under the glove? I felt something when I first went wolf in the clearing and you touched me.”

“Before that… I think a little history is in order,” she gestured towards the small seating area near the burner. “When the witches contacted me they mentioned that your heritage lays with the Séquoia Pack?”

“So I’ve heard.”

“My Clan, the Woods were once part of a much bigger Clan known as the Redwoods. The Woods had much of the Pine Barrens and the Redwoods held much of the Rockies. Their Clan Leader was my cousin. He fell in love with the Alpha of a Werewolf pack and Pack and Clan became one. The Redwoods were one of the biggest and most feared, and respected, of the Clans because of their power and when they became known as the Séquoia Pack they were just as feared and respected for the same reasons… more so because of their control of their beasts beyond the power of the moon. As big as they were though, they lost their standing amongst the other Clans… Skinwalkers and Wolves alike drifted away, unable to come to terms with the isolation from their own kind. And eventually…”

“One of them fell in love with a human…”

“Yes. The branch of the family tree you came from became… power wise… barren until you… Seemingly barren. But even before then the Pack had drifted apart. I believe your abilities in being able to change when you want and others,” she gave Waverly’s abdomen a telling glance as she took a seat beside Nicole. “Those and maybe others are not due to Bulshar but rather your connection to the Séquoia and the Redwoods. Skinwalkers and werewolves. Without his magic ring feeding him power and giving him life, Bulshar was and is nothing. Whereas you are simply what you are.”

“But… there’s nothing I can’t do that werewolves haven’t been able to do before…”

“Much of what I told you about the Redwoods and Séquoia happened over a thousand years ago. I think it’s pretty safe to say that theirs wasn’t the only time our people mixed before or since.” Alexandria chuckled. “Clarke and I have been making Skinwalker and Wood Nymph babies together for over four hundred years.”

“You make it sound like we’ve had hundreds,” Clarke blushed.

“Feels like it sometimes,” Alexandria chuckled softly.

“And under the glove?”

“It’s my family ring… Our family ring. Each clan leader has one. You saw Roan kiss my hand when he swore fealty? If his pledge had been untrue the ring would have reacted… adversely.”

“Then why did I feel it when you touched me? I wasn’t swearing fealty or anything.”

“It recognised you, Nicole. The rings react like that when kin touch.” Alexandria slowly took off the glove on her right hand and held her hand out so that Nicole and Waverly could both see the band made from wood and white gold entwined together. As their hands touched, she felt the rush of power surge between them and felt the skin of her bear roll through her as Nicole’s wolf filled her eyes. She felt the light weight of Clarke’s hand against her shoulder and the ring recognised their soul bond as the smell and light of the forest filled the tent. And as Nicole reached for Waverly, they felt the rush of her wolf and the tiny flicker of life within her.

“Twins!” Clarke gasped in wonder.

“Our existence is, barring grave injury, pretty much endless… Family is no less important to us though, Nicole.” Alexandria stared deep into Nicole’s brown eyes, searching for and finding the flicker of hope as their hands drifted apart. “I had thought my cousin’s family lost to me. I know you have found a family here in Purgatory but, if it is not too much to ask, I would like it if we could get to know each other as a family too?”

“I-” Nicole’s head snapped around as a cry rang through the encampment, rushing towards them in a roar of panic and anger. The flap of the tent was flung open, Indra and Wynonna rushed in.

“What’s wrong, Earp?”

“Indra?”

Wynonna grabbed Waverly and Nicole and dragged them aside. “Shit hit the fan,” she whispered urgently. “Jeremy just got another report in about a mutilated body. I was on my way to let you know when… There’s been an attack on the camp… two taken… a little girl, Charlotte and…”

“Aden! No!”