The Last Pack

20. A STRONG WOLF AND A BAD INVESTMENT

Ewan and Titan had sought an audience with the Heatons since sunrise, but had only now been summoned for. They were both taken to the Dominus’ tablinum to find him sitting behind his desk with the Domina’s hand on his shoulder. Ewan seemed unaffected by the room they were in, as if he had seen it before, but Titan’s claws had pierced his palm in his attempt to quash his anger. The walls were piled from floor to ceiling with scrolls, each having a wax seal dangling off the shelf. There were thousands of them and each one was a bill of sale. A receipt for the life of every wolf that had been bought and used as a slave in this house.

Titan kneeled on the floor as was expected, even though his wolf was fighting against him, Ewan bowed from the hips as he was favoured, trusted, and believed to be human.

“Dominus and Domina, there is a slight issue in the slave quarters that I need to inform you about. The slave girl Fidella has become unwell with an illness that can be spread amongst wolves,” Ewan explained.

“That girl was a bad investment. We should cut our losses and hang her as an example,” The mistress sneered, gritting her teeth.

“My dear, you have no head for business, you even used the word investment incorrectly. She is nothing more than a commodity like copper before it is melted into a beautiful piece of jewellery. She is yet to be moulded into what I want. Do you understand?” The master explained slowly, increasing his patronising tone, while embarrassing her in front of the slaves. He nodded to Ewan to continue his report.

“Conri had the illness as a child, so he cannot catch it again. Therefore, he is with her now helping her fever break. Titan thinks he also had it in his youth, so it would be best for him to stand guard and ensure no wolves come close to them. Iselda has been in the cells with your gladiators all night, so with your permission she can stay there. We don’t think it can be contracted by humans, but it would be best to keep the guards away in case. I will continue to train the gladiators and keep them occupied,” Ewan concluded. Master Heaton slowly nodded, seemingly pleased with the decisions that had been made.

“Make Iselda sleep in Conri’s cell, just in case she is carrying anything. How long will this inconvenience last for, Ewan?”

“Usually three days, but it can vary for each wolf, once the fever has broken it will be over.” Ewan responded.

With a flick of his hand, the Dominus dismissed them, but was impressed with how quickly Ewan had managed the situation.

Meanwhile, Fidella had cooled down enough to hold a brief conversation with Conri, who had cocooned her in his arms and legs. The relief she had felt since he arrived was like a balm for her body and soul.

“Are you OK? How are you feeling?” Conri asked.

“It’s burning low right now, but I can tell it’s not over, are you OK?” She replied.

“I am now, but when I came in and saw you in so much distress, the bottom fell out of my world. I had never heard of a heat. Iselda had to explain it to me. She told me how to help. I am the Alpha, but there’s still so much I don’t know. Why didn’t you get her to wake up sooner?” He wondered.

“I didn’t know what was happening either. In fact, I completely forgot that mated she-wolves even had a heat until you told me. I vaguely recall having a separate area where couples would go in my pack, but I didn’t know what they did there. I was too young. I thought I had been poisoned,” Fidella confessed.

“Even more reason to seek me out. I don’t know in what manner we will leave this world, but whatever our fate promise me, we will take our journey to the afterlife in each other’s arms,” Conri growled with the fear of losing her.

“I promise,” Fidella said, while kissing his rugged jaw line.

“Tell me more about your life before you were captured please, I want to know everything about you,” Conri pleaded with her as he peppered her shoulder with kisses while caressing the crescent of her soft round bum cheek.

“I was born in a warrior family. My father was a guard to the Luna and my older brother was hoping to join the tracker’s elite core. He was gifted with his skills. My mother was an omega and worked as the cook in the kitchen. She was an amazing baker and all the pack would ask her to make extra loaves and cake. She would never say no, even if it meant she would be baking all night. My father would say the day he found my mother the stars shone brighter even though the world stood still. They loved each other. We were happy,” She said with a soft smile.

“What about you? Are you a warrior too? Einar says that Isla is strong, Ewan and I saw you lift the cooking pot,” Conri pressed for more answers.

“I was an omega like my mother, I used to bring water to the warriors and run to the houses of the older pack wolves to help them. When the slavers came, something happened and I stopped being an omega,” She moved her eyes to Conri’s chest and spoke softly almost like a whisper.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, you don’t have to tell-“

“No I want to tell you, it’s just painful,” Fidella interrupted. “The day the slavers came I was helping the physicians bring the injured people in from the battle. The Alpha was giving instructions to his warriors, and our defence was strong, but one of the slavers caught the Luna. He stabbed her. Our Alpha felt the bond break and immediately weakened, he was cut quite badly and taken to the tent. I ran out into the battle to find my father, because if the Luna had died my father had to be injured. He would never have left her. I found my mother first. She had been killed near the forest. I think she must have put up a fight when they tried to take her to the cages. My father was next to where the Luna had been killed. Although her body had been taken to safety, he had been stabbed in the back, but his hand was clasped over his heart. I think he must have felt the bond break with my mother, and they seized the moment of weakness. When I returned to the tent, I was sent to give our Alpha water. He refused any aid. He wanted to be reunited with his mate. I was making him comfortable when he asked for the Beta, but he had already died. Most of our pack were dead or captured. There was only one line of resistance left at that point. Since there were no ranked members or male wolves to attend him, the Alpha cut my hand and his own and bestowed his Alpha power and status on me. He told me that I was the last Alpha of their pack just before he died, that is why I am so strong,” A solitary tear fell from her face.

“I’m so sorry that you experienced that,” Conri kissed her forehead as gently as he could.

“When they captured me, I saw them putting my brother in another cage. He caught my scent and started to fight, so they hit him over the head and threw him into the crate. They took him in the opposite direction to me. Ewan told me that there was an Alpha wolf here before he brought me, and I thought it might have been my brother, because as the last male of our pack he would now have Alpha strength,” Fidella smiled, “I love Isla, and I wouldn’t change her, but every time I think of my Alpha status it reminds me of what I lost. I feel like I’m a custodian of this strength, which I’m taking care of it for someone else to claim. Then I feel guilty, because I don’t think there is anyone else,” She finished despondently.

Fidella’s body had begun to heat up once more, but Conri had to make her understand how wrong she was to have these feelings.

“Fidella, I don’t know much about the world. I was born a slave, but I do know this; strength is more than physical. Everything you have seen and you still fight on, your mental strength will give us all freedom and that is powerful. I wish you could see yourself with my eyes, I am in awe of you,” Conri completed his declaration with a long sensual kiss.

“Now my Luna, your heat is beginning again, so roll onto your tummy as I’m going to dine on your sweet nectar until your legs give out!”