Game of Power

It's been a long time coming; thanks are in order to those of you who have patiently waited. Your reviews have been kind, and I enjoyed reading all of your comments. Keep them coming! And my sincerest gratitude to my wonderful editor, Bert_Fegg, who never tires of going back and forth to ensure my writing is readable to even the most critical eye.

For future reference, mental communication between wolves will be in

italics

.

*****

Now, she was the hunted.

Airami barely registered the large male barreling towards her. Luckily, her body reacted and leapt out of the way before she could be tackled to the ground.

His strong scent intoxicated her and her senses were in a frenzy. Her nose was blocked and all she could smell on was him. All she could think of was him. There was only one wolf capable of affecting her this way.

Her mate grunted at her dodge and turned to face her. He growled softly at her, beginning to circle the brown wolf with determination. His emerald eyes bore into her; he stalked her like prey.

Airami readied herself for a physical attack, but she wasn't prepared for a mental invasion. Another consciousness, an unwelcome one, pushed its way in and disorientated her. A silent explosion of pain bloomed inside her head, whiting out her vision and paralysing her limbs. Never had she felt anything this intense. Her ears fell flat against her head as another squeezed through the walls surrounding her mind.

It had been centuries since her last mental link was created. The pack bond was ever expanding. When a new wolf was added to their pack, their consciousness merely appeared in the pool with the rest. She couldn't recall any of them being this traumatic. Her head was throbbing, pressure in her skull was building up. Her stomach was doing flips and tying itself in knots; she was doing her best to keep last night's dinner where it belonged.

'Stop resisting and ... me try ... make easier ..."

His voice came inside her head, but his words began to fade in and out and become muffled. It was like a radio station. He was broadcasting a frequency to hers that was close, but not quite right and resulted in static.

Rage built up inside of her. She ran through her territory to be alone, relax, and forget about her problems. But here he was. He was the problem! And he was committing the most heinous invasion of privacy she had ever experienced.

Fine. He wanted her to stop resisting?

'Be careful what you wish for,'

she warned with a menacing whisper, directed to her unwelcome guest.

The brown wolf snarled as she suddenly dropped down every mental barrier that protected her consciousness. Centuries' worth of guards and walls flew down in an instant. She swatted his mental prodding aside as if they were mere cobwebs.

She was so frustrated, no longer fighting it. She thrust everything she had at him. All of her angst, confusion, anger, and everything else she could muster. Her entire being was shoved to him at a rate he couldn't easily absorb. Now, this was a mental attack.

Crawford certainly wasn't expecting her to, not only stop resisting, but to mentally launch at him. Suddenly overwhelmed, the bigger wolf fell flat on his ass. His ears flattened back, and he whined while squeezing his eyes shut.

She made sure he felt everything. The angst, malaise, anxiety, and aggression towards their mating were hurled in a whirlwind of emotions.

As quickly as she had let the walls down, Airami reinforced them. She barricaded her mind, reeling her thoughts and emotions back behind her impenetrable mental barriers.

In all her years, she never heard of a mate bond forming without a male's bite during climax. Then again, it was unheard for a wolf to resist their mate.

It was there. In the corner of her mind, there was a faint mental bridge leading to the recovering blonde wolf. Fibers of a permanent bond had attached their souls together, connecting them for life.

With a snarl, she backed away from him and blocked off her side of the bond. She slammed the door and locked it with as many chains and deadbolts she could muster. It may have been built, but there was no way he was allowed to cross over.

'There's your link. I'll let you know when we're going to be using it,'

Airami disdainfully informed him.

Her mate recovered, shaking his head to clear the headache Airami had definitely given him. She couldn't help but notice the blonde locks of fur nearly gleaming in the light of the setting sun.

She growled, scolding herself for getting foolishly distracted. The brown wolf widened her stance, preparing for self-defense if he decided to charge her again.

What she didn't expect was for him to shift. Colton Crawford sat on the forest floor in his human form. His head hung towards the ground and his hair fell forward to shield his eyes.

Her ears fell back when he looked at her. The look in his eyes was enough for a flood of guilt to wash over her. Those emerald green orbs looked absolutely defeated.

She hadn't meant to hurt him personally. She just...didn't want him. All she wanted was to be left alone.

"You hate this," he breathed out. "I thought you were playing hard to get. You truly don't want this..."

He trailed off, his head tilted to the side as he observed her lupine form. His defeated gaze changed; he looked at her with sympathy.

Airami snarled at him, raising her lips to bare her fangs aggressively. She wasn't a pity case!

The man didn't even flinch, though.

"I don't understand why you agreed. You claimed me in front of everyone. You vowed to be mated. You, of all weres, know the punishment for lying."

Airami huffed when he looked at her expectantly. She felt like there was no way to avoid this conversation. Even if she left now, she'd be seeing him again. She was trapped.

She reluctantly shifted. Her paws and tail vanished, and she stood on two legs. Crossing her arms over her chest, she shielded her bare breasts.

"I had no choice."

"There's always a choice," he quickly argued, looking up at her with furrowed eyebrows.

Airami impatiently groaned. There was no way she could express the complexity of how The Council functioned. It wasn't a simple matter of etiquette and protocol. Every word, every gesture was measured and evaluated for weakness. It was a game of power they played and so far, Airami always had a winning hand.

"I can explain later. Not now. Someone may hear us; they have ears everywhere."

"Who? Isn't this your territory, I would think it would be safe-"

"Shut up! I told you; we'll speak later," Airami snapped at him. "Speaking of my territory, why are you out here? Guests aren't allowed in the woodlands."

"Your brother came to me after you left. He said you'd be out here to clear your head. I caught your scent and couldn't help myself..."

Daniel!

Airami's eyes widened. That slimy, conniving mutt had set her up! She growled low in her throat; her body began to tense up at the thought her of brother scheming behind her back.

The leaves underneath Colton rustled and crunched. Airami backed up a few paces defensively when he rose to his feet and went to move towards her. He looked at her curiously when she moved back and stopped.

He shook his head as his arms hung down by his sides.

"I don't understand why you're fighting this. Fighting us. We're fated together..."

"You don't get it? Are you the one who's forced to relinquish your title as Duchess Alpha and relocate thousands of miles away from your home?" she hissed.

"No..." he admitted softly. "But you're still an Alpha. You're not losing that. But now you can lead a pack with your mate and have a family."

"I already have a family! Here! I was perfectly content here until this mess started." she defensively snared.

"A mess?" Colton laughed out in disbelief. "That's what I am to you? A messy situation? You know, I've dreamed of finding my girl since I was a pup. This isn't a fairy tale ending for me either, Princess. You're not making this easy."

Oddly enough, the idea of being

his

girl sounded delightfully perverse.

Her wolf shuddered inside of her; the she-wolf excitedly whined at the thought. She filled Airami's mind with images of a great blonde wolf dominantly mounting her from behind, thrusting and pounding into her without any sense of control. She'd more than willingly offer her neck in submission to him. He would howl to the moon and the world around them during his climax. Then, he'd sink his jaws into the soft flesh above her collarbone, officially claiming her as his own.

She bit her lip and closed her eyes. Desire was beginning to overwhelm her senses.

She had to keep reminding herself that she did

not

want him! He was the very reason she was leaving her home!

"Just stop fighting this," Colton's softly reasoned.

Airami opened her eyes and looked at him. His gaze were locked on her, but she noticed his eyes constantly sweeping downwards to glance at her nude body.

His cock was twitching between his legs and growing more erect by the second. No doubt the scent of her arousal got him going.

She cursed herself; she shouldn't have been so careless with her daydreams. Even the faintest trace of pheromones in the air would be enough for him and his wolf to scent and get themselves sexually prepared for their female. Unfortunately for him, she wasn't his!

Airami didn't notice how close Colton was getting until he was only an arm's length away. She stared up at him, the top of her head only came up to his pectorals.

He raised his hand up to her face, letting his fingertips effortlessly glide down the length of her hair. Her chocolate-brown locks tumbled down past her shoulders, stopping at her breasts. As did his hand. She flinched and closed her eyes, but she stayed. She wanted to get away as fast as her paws would carry her, but the nagging urge to linger for just a second more won out.

Colton wasn't unmindful of her flinching. He didn't push it any further; his fingertips gently weaved in and out of the cascades of curls. Seemingly oblivious to the firm breasts that were a fingertip away.

"You're the most stubborn woman I have ever met. You smell like a bitch in heat, but you still put up a fight. Forget about everything else. It's just me and you; we've finally got each other. You kissed me without a care in the world earlier. Do it again."

His hand gently cupped the side of her face. Airami's knees felt weak. Her wolf could barely contain herself. His touch felt so...right.

She mentally battled with the she-wolf inside of her. She knew she had to put up a strong front, but her wolf wanted to do otherwise. After centuries of waiting, her wolf knew that she did not want to wait any longer.

She didn't know why Colton Crawford was her mate; she only knew that he was.

Her wolf won the battle, or maybe Airami let her win. But nonetheless, her wolf took control. Her eyes opened and Colton's face was mere inches away. Without a thought, she closed the distance.

Trembling, her lips pressed up against his. He immediately kissed back, keeping one hand on the side of her face and the other holding onto her waist. Her wolf growled seductively when she felt the heat of his erection like a branding iron pressed into her trembling flesh.

She nipped at his bottom lip, her arms snaking their way over his shoulders. He pulled her up against him, leaving no air between their bare bodies.

Her mind was a blur and her thoughts were like mush. Her brain was overloading itself with all the sensations it was trying to process. His sweet and musky scent invaded her sensitive nose and blocked the ability to think. Their skin-to-skin contact ignited a fire in her belly. The heat quickly spread, rousing every nerve in her body.

One of his hands made its way to her breast, gasping firmly at the soft, sensitive flesh. Airami gasped at the explosion of stimulation. She released his hair and wrapped her fingers around his wrist.

"Stop," she panted. "I can't. This is too fast."

"Stop? Why?" his voice was hoarse, barely controlling himself.

Airami pulled his hand off her breast, leaning the rest of her body out of his reach. Her body wanted him in the worst way, but something was holding her back from rutting in the woods like a common animal.

"I don't want this. Not right now, not here."

Colton's green eyes were lit up; his wolf's presence controlling the human body. He growled as she withdrew from him, but he didn't try to stop her. Leaning in, he placed one last, rough nip to her neck before releasing her completely.

A chill ran up her spine when his teeth had come into contact with her skin. She nearly fell right back into him, but held her ground.

Her wolf huffed inside of her. The she-wolf was irritated that Airami stopped. And from the looks of it, Colton wasn't pleased either.

He breathed heavily, his shoulders raised and fell with each breath. His fangs and claws had elongated and his cock jutted out proudly from his crotch. Airami wasn't sure whether or not she was going to be hunted down like a prey. She should have been repelled by the thought. Despite herself, she wasn't.

She jumped when he whipped around and slashed his claws through the bark of the nearest tree. He howled and she watched the wolf's gaze slowly fade out of his eyes. He looked back at her with a frown.

"That was a start. But it's not going to be easy. I've waited so long for this, for you. And I still can't do what I want with you," he trailed off with a frustrated sigh. His fingers raked through his hair.

"No, you cannot," Airami huffed at him with a scowl. "I'm not your personal fuck toy, who you can bend over and empty yourself into whenever you want."

Colton groaned and dragged a hand down his cheek, "That's not what I meant. I just thought it would be simpler than this."

"Listen Crawford, I don't-"

"Colton."

"Excuse me?"

"Colton. My name is Colton, not Crawford. When we're mated, you become Mrs. Crawford. It sounds kinda silly to call someone by your own future name."

Airami placed her hand on her hip with a huff, "This conversation is pointless at the moment. I have to get back because unlike you, I have to pack up my whole life in order to leave."

She didn't give him time to respond. She darted out of the clearing they were in. The soil between her toes was moist and cold, but it never bothered her. In a flash, her body had transformed and a fleet footed she-wolf sped silently through her domain.

* * *

Airami knew she had a great wealth of possessions, but she never realized how much time it would take to pack everything she wanted to travel with her. She had started the project by herself, but it wasn't long until she admitted help was needed. And plenty of it.

She called Daniel and two of her female Betas, Katelyn and Sophia, to help her clear out her room. The girls were happy to help; it meant they could get the things Airami wasn't going to take with her. Several Omegas were aiding the process of taping boxes and transporting them outside of the pack's mansion.

"You know you don't have to rush off like this. Most women take a week to get their things together and travel. I don't understand why you wanted this done in one day," Daniel sighed.

"I want to get this over with as quickly as possible. I don't want to drag out my departure," Airami explained as she emptied the contents of her jewelry chest.

A week would be too difficult. She would wake up every morning with a hard knot in the pit of her stomach and it would only get worse throughout the day. She'd lose her appetite, and she knew seven days without eating would be detrimental to her health. Sadness would consume her and her wolf would howl in mourning over leaving their home.

She knew because it was already happening. It had been a mere few hours and she felt dreadful. She could never handle stress well. She had to get it done with. The sooner, the better.

"Here, Sophia. You can have this one, I haven't worn it in years," she motioned to the one of the many diamond necklaces she owned.

Sophia grinned, clapping her hands together as she moved over to Airami.

"This would have gone perfectly with the dress I wore last night. Why couldn't you have been mated sooner so I could have had it then?" she teased while delicately handling the gift.

"Yes, yes. Very funny. Sophia, bring it back to your room for safe keeping. Katelyn, be a dear and accompany her. I need to talk with my sister. Alone." Daniel interrupted, shooing the other women out of the room.

The two gathered up all their treasures from Airami and left the room. Katelyn giggled when she dropped a shirt at her feet when walking past Daniel. She bent down to retrieve it, swaying her bottom seductively in front of the Alpha male's crotch.

Airami frowned, glaring at the door even after they had left.

"Seriously, brother? You fucked her last night, of all times?" she exasperatedly questioned.

He shrugged while pacing across the room, "I was...upset. I needed some company to...talk to."

"That's rubbish, you misbegotten mutt! You needed to pound your frustration into the closest cunt you could get."

He didn't deny it and Airami didn't expect him to. He had been taking Katelyn to bed for decades now. Neither found their mate and they found each other worthwhile. Of course, Daniel found other pack females worthwhile, too, but Airami didn't bother to keep tabs on her brother's sex life.

"Things are going to be changing around here..." Daniel muttered from his position at the window. He had his arms crossed while absently looking outside.

"What do you mean?"

"I was serious earlier. This entire pack has been raised to believe we're better than the rest because of our wealth. Things are going to change around here."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "And just how do you propose to do that, Daniel?"

"In three days, the entire pack is under mandatory orders for a week long outing. Everyone is going to be out of the manor and we're going back to how things used to be. The way we live now is a luxury, not a necessity."

"Daniel! You can't just suddenly rip their way of living from underneath them!" Airami hissed at him.

Daniel raised an eyebrow, "I can and I will. We're too far apart from our counterparts, all of us. How do you think our ancestors lived? They slept in caves and hunting was their only source of food. They didn't go out to the supermarket like we do now, Airami! We've become too human. Blending into their society is one thing, but we're forgetting who we truly are."

"You can't-"

"This is no longer your pack. As sole Alpha, these are my decisions to make."

Airami stared at him, her jaw dropped open in surprise. She quickly threw her hand over her gaping mouth. He had hit her right in the heart and he knew it. She felt her eyes begin to fill, but then her rage quickly took over. Her heart's beating thundered in her ears and her hands began to shake.

She growled low in her throat as she moved her hand away from her face, "You'll be a horrible Alpha without me! You'll run this pack right into the ground! I was always the one to veto your stupid ideas!"

"And I always have to cover your arse when you make a complete bitch out of yourself!"

"How dare you-"

"NO! You let me have the last word for once in your life!" Daniel snarled at her, stepping closer and putting his face directly in front of hers. His fangs emerged and his claws began to extend. "How dare

you

have the audacity to scold me when you're the one who's been gifted by Luna. You're not the only with a life change. We've always been a pair and now I have to lead by myself!"