Kaev trotted next to Variya. They made their way--too slowly for his taste--back to the compound. Back to Anahid. Completing the long loop around the north part of the valley was normally one of his favorite patrols. But now, with his mate waiting for him back in his bed he found himself itching to race as fast as his long legs would allow.
He pushed the thought of Anahid from his mind, training his eyes and nose on the treeline. Searching for any vampire signs. Still none. It honestly made him uneasy. Atalanta must surely be mustering an attack. The decimation of Anahid's village was an opening salvo. A promise of things to come. She'd traced Kaev's scent there. Could she know of Anahid? The thought sent a shiver of ice through Kaev. Atalanta's thirst for blood was bottomless. Her only thought these last years was for hurting Kaev. Hurting his pack. Hurting Lycans. If she learned of Anahid... again Kaev shook his head. Tried to clear his mind and focus on his duty of the moment.
Beside him, he sensed Variya stiffen, her ears perking and nose lifting to sniff the air. Kaev mimicked her, caught Ash's scent as well. He glanced to Variya, let a low growl rise in his throat. Something was very wrong. Why would Ash come barreling to them?
Variya shifted as Ash came into view. The lithe, pale wolf plunged towards them, skidding to a halt as he shifted to his human form as well.
"What is it?" Variya called to her mate as he finished his change.
"Anahid--Kaev, you have to go now--" Kaev's heart sunk, terror gripped at him. "--she's in heat. At least a dozen of the unmated are on her tail. It was so sudden, we had no idea until it was too late--" but Kaev was already surging past Ash. He didn't need to know more.
His mate needed him.
~~
Anahid darted through the trees. Varick had already gotten too close once, leapt at her and sent her skidding. She'd had to escape into the treeline to give herself some cover, some chance of dancing away from the wild-eyed Lycans that hunted her.
She caught a glimpse of Cobb's sandy coat from the corner of her eye, swerved away from him. Sensed too late Varick on the other side. Snarling, she leapt forward, lengthening her stride to put some distance between them.
And then she heard the howl. The deep, rumbling rage of a Lycan king ahead. Heat surged within her and she changed direction. The sound of Kaev caressed her. The scent of him now filled her nostrils. He was close.
Bursting from the trees back into the valley, she was blinded by the sun for a moment. And then she spotted the monstrous black wolf that surged towards her. Behind her several other wolves broke from the trees as well, still hot on her trail. Anahid let a high yip of excitement erupt from her throat as she raced towards Kaev.
At the last moment she swerved from him, dancing away in challenge. She couldn't make it THAT easy for him. As she ran a long loop around Kaev, she slowed, growling as she eyed him and the other Lycans that now circled.
Cobb charged at her. Kaev leapt at him and the two wolves clashed, rolling across the ground a fury of gnashing teeth and guttural sounds of rage. Varick tried to make a move toward her while Kaev was distracted but Anahid bounded away from him, growling in warning, setting her hackles bristling.
A high yelp sounded and Cobb shrank away from Kaev, chastised and submissive. Kaev turned his eyes back on Anahid, lowering his massive wolf's head, he stalked towards her. His savage eyes dared her to run again.
She whined, lowered to the ground as she watched him move slowly towards her. All around the other wolves still circled, but now gave Kaev his space. Anahid felt their manic desire like a wave of heat against her. She imagined she was like that heart of the volcano. Every sense was aflame. Her need for Kaev was likely to drive her insane.
He stood above her, swept his eyes over the other wolves, one last warning. Then he dropped his head to Anahid, licked her snout, nuzzled into her neck. She growled, shifting on the ground, her body vibrating with impatience.
Kaev snarled, circled behind her. And then he was on top of her. His weight fell on her, pressed her scrabbling body into the ground as he mounted her, grabbed at the back of her neck with his teeth. And then he was thrusting, entering her, filling her finally. She whined as the ecstasy took her. As Kaev took her.
It was the first time he'd fucked her as a wolf since their first time. That first time that had felt like a dream. She'd been so consumed in the last few weeks with Kaev's human body that she'd almost forgotten the beautiful savagery of his wolf form. Of their animal bodies coming together as they were born to do.
Kaev filled her with his seed, going rigid with a last rumbling growl and grinding his teeth into her neck. She was still crushed underneath him. Pinned to the ground with him owning her for the other Lycans to see.
The circling wolves began to growl again, eyeing Kaev and Anahid, looking for an opening. Though she finally had a sense of relief, of complete-ness with Kaev inside her, Anahid still felt the need. More. She needed more. The heat still smoldered within her belly. They weren't done yet.
As Kaev released her, Anahid scrambled across the ground growling in warning at the wolves that continued to eye her. Cobb was still wary but Varick and some of the younger ones inched towards her, watching Kaev from the corners of their eyes. Behind her, Anahid her Kaev snarl. He charged past her, sending a few of them scurrying back. Varick used his lithe quickness to dash around him though. He barreled into Anahid and they rolled across the grass, snapping and roaring at each other. He was slightly larger and nearly had her pinned when Kaev leapt back at them. He knocked Varick to the ground, stood snarling over the smaller wolf as he eyed the others that had now backed up several yards.
Anahid swelled with pride. Whined low in her throat, then whipped around and raced away from Kaev. She was rewarded with his bellow of challenge and instantly heard him thunder after her. They raced across the valley, Anahid trailed by the enormous Kaev, the smaller unmated Lycans yipping and howling after them. Every time Kaev caught her, he leapt upon her. Grinding her into the hot earth as he filled her to the jealous growls of his pack. Over and over he mounted her. Over and over she howled her glee, her fullness. But still the fire burned in her. It rose higher and higher with the sun. She sensed Kaev's fatigue. Every time she raced away from him. Every time he was forced to fight his pack off her, he grew wearier. The pack of trailing lycans grew smaller as several gave into their exhaustion.
Once more she raced away from him. Once more he leapt at her, crushing her beneath him. But then she was changing. Her body moved on its own, shrinking into her soft human form. She curled on the ground, a towering Kaev above her. He froze, a low rumble deep in his chest as he eyed her new form. She met his eye, stood slowly, feeling the eyes of the few remaining Lycans still on her. Kaev let her stand, though he lowered his head, watched her warily.
Anahid smiled, raised a hand and caressed his giant wolf's snout. Kaev nuzzled into her, his huge body leaning into her, pushing her off balance. And then he was transforming as well. He rippled, his muscled, bronzed skin glowed in the afternoon sun. He still towered over her and she suddenly felt that ache again within her center. The light breeze on her human skin taunted her.
Kaev's eyes were dark with hunger. His steely gaze pinned her, then flicked to the other Lycans. "Leave," he said softly in that Pack Leader's voice.
