Queen of Wolves Read online

  He attempted to claw her, and she bit his arm, shaking her head violently, tearing the bone from the joint with a sickening crack. She stood over him, breathing heavily, the hot blood of his arterial wounds squirting her white fur coat. Slowly, she raked a claw over his exposed belly, his guts pouring out. His bowels perforated, the stench filled the air. He gurgled once, and she slashed across his throat, tearing his throat and nearly taking his head clean off.

  He never stood a chance against her. He knew it and so did everyone else. She stood over her kill and roared her victory to the heavens. No one dared breathe, eyes wide, watching her. Waiting to see what she would do next.

  She shifted once more back to her human form. Completely drenched in Panther blood, she stood nude, tall and regal. “Anyone else want to mess with the last Ancient in existence?” She challenged. She eyed each of the panthers, and one by one, they all rolled onto the ground, exposing their bellies to her, the ultimate show of surrender. “Let it be known throughout all the packs, to all were’s across the globe. NO ONE goes after me or mine EVER again!” She roared. “That includes my children!” She said, staring straight at Cole. Slowly she put her hand over her stomach and smiled at him.

  Wide eyed, he walked up to her, and took her hand, licking the blood off the back of it. He stood next to her, one hand holding hers, the other wrapped around her waist, resting over their tiny growing child. One by one, each panther licked at her hand, in effect, swearing their allegiance to their new Queen and her Wolf mate.

  Then they each knelt at Sheridan’s feet, necks exposed, waiting for his choice. By all rights, he could kill them, for attacking his lands and his people. No one would stop him.

  He glanced down at his mate, who stood watching. Silent. “Well?” He asked.

  “There has been enough death today.” She sighed. “Let them go.”

  “Are you sure?” He asked.

  “If any of the panthers attacks a wolf, I will kill them myself.” Zara said. “There have been deaths on both sides today. We can’t afford to lose any more shifters. The population is as small as it is.”

  “From this day forward, there is truce between the panthers and the wolves.” Cole announced. He shifted into his wolf, and howled. Each of his people did the same, and the night air was filled with the sounds of cat’s roars and wolfs howls echoing through the forest.

  The next day, all the shifters came together for the first time, under the banner of peace during the New Moon feast. Never before had such a thing been done in the history of shifters. Some were uneasy about it at first, but the elders agreed that a communal feast was the best way to stave off further wars, at least for the time being. They had much to mourn, but more to celebrate, starting with the mating ceremony of Cole and Zara.

  Cole and Zara stood on the raised dais, dancing where they first met, and overlooked their people, all mingling peacefully. Their hands were entwined with three cords of rope, their hand-fasting completed.

  “Zara, I have one question.” He said, twirling her and bringing her back into his arms.

  “Ask me.” She said simply, raising her eyebrow.

  “How do you know you are pregnant?”

  “I am an Ancient.” She said simply. “I know.” She took his hand; the one not tied to her, and placed it over her stomach. Her hand over his, she opened the energy between them, allowing him to see what she saw in her belly. Two tiny babies, floating in her womb. “Twins.” She breathed. “One cat, one wolf.”

  He groaned. “The sibling rivalry is going to be epic.”

  She laughed and kissed him letting the energy bleed through them onto the crowd, who all roared and howled their approval.