Leto's Blessing (completed)

New ways..

Maya's POV

Four days later, Joe was my shadow as were Athens and Mortou. They all surrounded me as I got out of the car back at the ranch.

I had said nothing more about what I saw during the blood bond. Just absorbed it and thought of so many questions that I knew it would take a long while to get sorted. Athens showed up it was like I had suddenly found a long-lost friend. We hit it off. Mortou as well, gave off that vibe like I was one of the family. Meeting them both at the hospital. Athens though was instantly like a soul brother. It was like my soul instantly recognized him and felt that brotherly love. It was hilarious to see him make a pass at Joe who in turn flipped it back to him with another pass. Athens loved males, that was his thing. He was comfortable in his skin and outwardly didn't care what people thought. Joe, I noticed took it in stride and didn't bulk or seemed annoyed. Mortou seemed to get grumpy here and there with the teasing but seemed to like eyeballing the nurses. Even Dr. Tanner outright smacked him for getting flirty with her.

I had gotten used to their banter and their differences. Athens knew right away my lineage. Explained to me how it happened. He had been the one to teleport the princess to America. He had her hidden in a small place that was full of shifters. She grew and found her true love. Then proceeded to have children and others moved in helping the bloodline continue to flourish. I was from her via my father's native blood. The shifter portions had minimized from breeding with humans and slowly disappeared. Though Athens thought it could be activated if bred again with any type of supernatural. He thought perhaps I could withstand a marking, as I had managed to survive beatings from a Southern Wolf. Once Dr. Tanner gave me the ok they all said they would start training me.

Athens performed a master bond on me, at the hospital in case I was taken then he would be able to locate me. He also said it would be helpful in the future should I make an enemy or two. I noticed Elder Braun and Joe were both uneasy about it but they agreed it was a good idea nonetheless. They just didn't like the fact I was gonna be bitten.

Mortou had a different tactic. He used a magic potion that placed a shroud of protection one hundred feet around me. Any ill intent that came in he would be on alert. He also did that with both of my kids. Knowing they were targets. Athens did not do a master bond with the kids. He said they were too young and worried about my son's wolf. He gave them locator charm stones. They placed other protections ones I was not aware of until later.

Anyway, I got to my house where all the hands were happy to see me. Elder Braun, Athens, and Jewel had brought home that stallion who was hell-bent on not having any human contact. My Catahoula was ecstatic to have me home. Bouncing around my legs like a nut job. I notice there was a new addition to the house. Looking to Alpha Gene, I asked.

"You added more rooms?" I spoke with surprise.

"I added another bedroom." Alpha Gene nodded.

"For?" I was curious.

Nodding his head to Joe, "wolf tree" He answered with a smirk.

"Who's wolf tree?" I heard Athens look to Elder Braun.

My glare settled on Alpha Gene at first, then turned to Elder Braun.

"Me," I heard Joe say to my mortification. I wanted to find a hole and hide. The blush that hit my face turned me to an instant tomato shade of red. I stomped off to the house.

Every one of them started laughing so hard they were clinching their stomachs. I couldn't believe they had told him. I was dead, I wanted to melt into the floor, wall, or hell even the ground at that point.

I made dinner, for everyone. I was a bit surprised to find that Athens ate food, though it did need to have a touch of blood in it. While I was plating the food, I felt the room get smaller. It was one of two people, Joe or Mortou. Both men looked like mountains. While Joe was red-haired Mortou had wild brown curls, amber eyes encircled by thick black lashes. His face is angular but attractive in a rather rough-shaven style. Everything on Mortou screamed danger, while Joe seemed to have that easy-going devil-may-care style. Athens was the odd man as he was tall, lithe in muscle, and a demigod. Blond and blue-eyed with movie star looks. He turned heads no matter where he was. I turned to see Joe. My face went instant red.

"No need for that," he chuckled. "Fine with it." He winked.

My brain stalled. My heart did an odd dance and there was an odd heat to my chest. "Ok," I whispered.

Handing him a couple of plates I grabbed a few more. Making a mental note of which was Athens' plate. I walked past him. I noticed his nose flared open then close. A lazy smile appeared on his face. As he fell in step behind me.

Handing the plates out, I went about finding a spot near the fireplace. I noticed the others had settled around the room. Silently eating. About halfway through, Alpha Gene voiced the question we all wanted to know.

"When do you think he will appear?" Alpha Gene threw out to us all.

"I am convinced he will after he waits to see the routine." Athens voiced. "He didn't want to show himself. Make it like he was still dead. He may send some others to see what and who is around you now that he suspects you are protected by pack wolves. Mortou and I will stay back as a means of surprise. Joe since they already know you are around you stick to Maya." You could tell Athens had spent some time on this.

There was a smile across, Joe's face as he gave me another wink. Looking at Athens he asked "I wondered if he would just flat post a challenge one day. I mean I did slaughter his brother, mother, and Sister in law." He said with a shrug. "Wolf law states that is a worthy reason to challenge."

I am not sure what happened, but hearing Joe say that Mario could issue a challenge or if it was the fact he openly admitted to killing three people made my heart speed up and my chest tighten. All of them looked at me when my heart started that. Suddenly I felt even more uncomfortable.