Chapter 22 22
Chapter 22 – Links
“Hades,” she purred my name and it sounded deliciously seductive. She was on all fours, her backside pressed against me as I buried myself deep in her sweet wetness. My hand reached around and cupped her breast. It was perfect, just like her, and I gave it a rough squeeze.
“Hades…” Her voice called to me again and I continued to move in and out of her, slowly. I love the sound of my name on her lips. She wasn’t ready to see the rough side of me just yet, so I let her feel every inch of me slowly. I rocked my hips slow and sensually, feeling her soft skin spooned against mine. I buried my face in the back of her head, drinking in her scent. Her hair had a sweet strawberry scent that made the pleasure in my balls tighten.
“Hades!” She cupped her hand over mine and I squeezed her breast again before I moved my hand to the other breast to tease her nipple. Her hips jolted back and electricity shot through me.
“What are you doing?” My little mate asked.
“HADES!” She tried to pull away from me and I growled. I opened my eyes and found I had been spooning Odessa in my sleep.
“More like dry humping her,” Haze teased.
We were in my bed, naked. Thoughts from last night came rushing back to me. I had carried her to my room and undressed both of us, before slipping into bed with her.
“Body heat, remember,” Haze chimed with amusement. “Did you undress me last night?” She asked heatedly.
“Would you believe me if I told you, you undressed yourself?” I smiled sheepishly but she wasn’t buying it.
“Hades!”
“You were sleeping so well, I didn’t want to wake you. We had been all over Athens and our clothes were nasty.” She turned her head to look at me. “It was dark, I could hardly see anything. You weren’t wearing underwear, so it was quick.”
“You have wolfie vision,” she accused.
“Nothing happened, besides, you’ve seen me naked.”
“Is that why your erection is still pressed against my ass?” She pulled away and sat up, clutching the blanket to her chest. Her long chestnut hair cascaded down her smooth back.
I smiled. “It feels good there.”
I rolled out of bed, not caring that my erection was on full display. Any warm blooded male who woke up naked next to this beauty would wake up with a boner. Her eyes focused on my body, and she bit down on her lower lip. Goddess the things I wanted to do to her. I reached for a shirt and tossed it to her. She slipped my shirt on, giving me a quick view of those beautifully shaped breasts.
“I’m going to my room to take a quick shower, I assume you’ll need one too.” She gave me a mischievous smile and glanced back down at my stiffness. My palm itched to spank her sweet little ass. The ass I had been dry humping in my sleep this morning like a horny teenage boy.
“I’d like to return the favor and rub up against you too,” she brushed her hand against it, teasing me. Electricity pulsed through me at the feel of her hand gently caressing me where I longed for her to touch.
“Fuck,” I groaned, feeling myself grow harder.
“Mmmm. So big and hard. Is that for me?” She licked her lips. She fucking licked her lips!
“All for you,” I shuddered as her hand gripped with more pressure, and my tip glistened with excitement.
“May I taste it… Sir?” Her eyes twinkled with eagerness, and I wanted to press it between those sweet full lips. Feel the heat of her tongue swirling around it as she tasted me.
“It’s all yours, baby girl,” I leaned forward to take her lips and she stopped me with a finger over my mouth.
“I would love to, but all I can think about right now is being left alone with two strippers,” she said with a devilish smile.
“You’re playing with fire little wolf,” I hissed. I wasn’t a patient man, and she was pushing me to the edge.
“Enjoy that shower,” she winked and stepped around me to the door.
Twenty minutes later, I sat at the kitchen table, preferring to eat my breakfast in the kitchen instead of the dining room. Thea was seated beside me enjoying some fresh bougatsa as Maria slipped a double Greek coffee in front of me.
“Giota made some fresh bougatsa Thessalonikis this morning,” Maria said as she set a platter down of fruits, cheese, and bread.
“I love bougatsa,” Ninos said walking into the kitchen. “I haven’t met Giota yet, but if this bougatsa tastes as good as it looks, I just might marry her.” Thea giggled and cupped her mouth with her hand.
“And who’s this pretty little lady?” Ninos noticed the girl.
“This is Thea, the former Gamma’s daughter.” Ninos stilled, a look of understanding washed over his face, he had eliminated Martakis last night. “She lives here in the pack house with Giota.” I took a sip of my coffee and gave her a wink.
“I’m telling Giota you want to marry her,” she laughed as Odessa entered the kitchen.
“She should also tell our mate you want to marry her,” Haze hummed. “Did you get new shoes yesterday?” I asked Thea, noticing her new
running shoes.
“Yes, thank you, Alpha. I got new socks, and clothes too. Giota let me pick out some hair bows,” she smiled and turned her attention to Odessa. “Are you going to marry the Alpha?” She asked and Ninos choked on his orange juice.
“Thea, why don’t you go and feed the cat, I’m sure Kronos is going to be hungry,” Maria suggested, and Thea was more than happy to feed the cat.
I tapped into Odessa’s thoughts, and she was wondering the same thing. Wondering if I had changed my mind about a mate. Wondering if I had changed my mind about wanting the pack. Wondering if I was merely after my father’s assets.
We finished breakfast and moved into the Alpha Office. I mind linked Darius and Orion, asking them to come to the Alpha Office. Kazimir stepped into the office and asked if Alina could join us too. He knew I would be a little leery of her since she had worked for the Russian thieves. But she was his mate now and I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.
“Of course,” I nodded, and he left the office to get her. Kazimir and Alina were packless and would have no trouble living in the world outside of a pack as long as they had each other. But wolves are naturally pack animals and would be much happier within a pack.
Darius and Orion stepped into the office, and I briefly discussed the patrol schedule with them, along with the warrior training schedule. Kazimir returned and joined our discussion.
“In one week, I will be evaluating each warrior and establishing a classification ranking based on their skills. I will also select training captains to help the Chief Warrior. Each warrior will fight in both human and wolf form against another warrior. The winners will move on to the next round where they will spar with me so I can assess their skill and select training captains.”
“Alpha, I’m the Chief Warrior, shouldn’t I be able to select my captains?” Darius asked.
“Warriors are selected and ranked based on strength and strategic capabilities. Philippos had strength but lacked the intellect to be a strategic fighter. I would like to see you dismantle the current patrol schedule and present me with something new. Something you feel will work better using strategy.”
“Isn’t that the Delta’s job?” He questioned.
“Yes, and this pack needs a new Delta, which is why I’m considering you.”
“What? Really?” Darius beamed with excitement, and I nodded my head.
“Orion, I have a Chief Warrior position I’m looking to fill. I know Kazimir will be able to help hone your skills with your strength.” They both thanked me and left to work on their projects.
“Congratulations on the Delta,” Odessa said suspiciously. “I haven’t selected him yet.”
“Because you’re still not sure if you want the pack?” She questioned and I could read the same sentiment on Kazimir and Ninos’ faces.
The villa may have burned down, but it wasn’t a permanent home. We could easily reestablish ourselves in some other country, but our former way of life would no longer be necessary in two months. Now that I had
found my mate, my Luna, staying here seemed more like the right thing to do. Odessa wasn’t trying to run away from me or reject me. Having her around made being an Alpha so much easier. So natural.
I could easily appoint Ninos to Gamma, his wolf had grown stronger now that he had defeated the former Gamma. Kazimir also seemed more comfortable in a pack house than I ever imagined him. His wolf was an Alpha which would make him one of the strongest Betas. If anything ever happened to me, Kazimir would be able to lead the pack. But this was Greece, and I wasn’t sure if Kazimir being Russian would create a problem.
I needed to ask an elder and I knew exactly who to ask, Elder Kadmus. Not only was he knowledgeable but he also seemed to like me. Alina joined us in the office holding a fat and happy looking Kronos in her arms. Even the damn cat seemed happier here. He jumped down and curled himself in the sunlight on the window ledge. Kazimir eyed the cat with a look that said he still wanted to bite the head of the feline off.
“How are you feeling?” Odessa asked Alina.
“Much better, thank you.” Her eyes met Kazimir’s and she quickly moved to sit next to him. I couldn’t scent a change in her and was relieved not to see mate marks just yet, not that it was a race or anything.
Ninos and Odessa moved to one end of the table to count the money we had recovered last night, while Kazimir and Alina sat with me, reviewing the files.
“The flash drives will most likely contain the money trails. We’ll need to set up a bank account in Zurich to bounce the money into before we integrate it,” Kazimir explained.
“If it’s from illegal sources, you’ll want to convert it and layer it before you integrate it,” Alina added.
“All of the pack business should be transferred to your control by the end of the week,” Kazimir told me as he looked through a file folder.
“Kazimir, do what you need to. I’m going to go see a pack elder about a pressing issue. We’ll discuss the Russian situation when I return. Ninos, there’s a locking cabinet in the Beta’s office for that money. Let’s get a large safe ordered for the Alpha Office tomorrow along with new furniture and that contactor. The floorboards under the rug where the desk sat seem to be slightly warped, have the contractor inspect it. ”
“There’s nearly two million here!” Ninos said stacking the cash.
“I’ll be back shortly.” I left the office and Odessa followed me. I went to the kitchen to ask Maria where Elder Kadmus lives and she informed me he occupied a white cottage four miles east of here, next to the flowing creek.
“Should we let our wolves run?” Odessa asked and Haze yipped in agreement.
“Do you think they’ll be able to control themselves?”
She exhaled a deep breath knowing they wouldn’t. “A walk sounds nice too.”
“I wasn’t the one dry humping her,” Haze scoffed at me, annoyed at having missed the opportunity to run with his mate.
Thirty minutes later, we reached the cottage and Elder Kadmus waved through the window as we approached.
“Alpha, Luna, to what do I owe the pleasure?” He opened the door, inviting us in.
“Elder Kadmus, I’ve come to speak with you on a few matters.” I bowed my head to show him respect.
“Yes, of course, please sit down.” A pile of books was stacked next to the chair beside him and it dawned on me just how old he was. He’s lived over a hundred years, possibly a hundred and twenty.
“Have you ever met the Vampire King?”
“Ambrose?” He asked and then answered his own question. “Yes, I’ve met him a few times. He was a close friend of your great-grandfather.”
“So I hear, I recently had the pleasure of meeting him. He recognized me as a Kappas and spoke well of my great-grandfather.”
“He was always so civilized and intuitive, though I suppose you learn to be when you’ve lived as long as he has.” Kadmus turned his attention to Odessa. “He saved your mother’s life when she was a pup.”
“My mother? How?” She looked stunned, trying to connect the link. “Are you saying my mother was from this pack?” Odessa asked.
“Yes. Did no one ever tell you Leona was from the Moon Warriors?” A look of pity crossed his face.
“Your grandmother had the same special talent your brother possesses. Some believed it was witchcraft. Your grandparents were the Beta’s at the time and traveled to a neighboring pack for a mating ceremony with their son, the future Beta.” He paused for a moment. “They never returned, Leona was ten at the time. The following year, she was playing with a few other pups and fell in the river north of here. She couldn’t swim and nearly drowned. Ambrose had come to visit Alpha Aristotle Kappas, vampires have incredible hearing and speed. He pulled her right out of the fast- moving water.”
I thought about my conversation with the Vampire King, we don’t meet people by accident.
Destiny was doubling down all around me. My mate would not be here today if the vampire had not saved her mother’s life. I would not have considered keeping my father’s pack if he had not told me about my great- grandfather. Odessa now felt a link of connection to this pack knowing it was her mother’s pack.
“What happened to your mother?” I asked my mate.
“I was only four. My brother told me my father had made enemies of mafia bosses. They killed my mother in retribution. My father went mad and killed all the mob bosses in Greece.”
“And he established himself as the head of the Greek mafia,” I connected the story.
“The Moon Goddess sure can weave the tapestry of fate,” Kadmus chuckled.
“Kadmus, I’m considering asking Kazimir to be my Beta. He’s the fifth born son of Alpha Volkov in Russia. Do you think I’ll have a problem with the pack accepting him?” I asked.
“Because he’s not Greek? No. If anyone has a problem, they will simply have to challenge him. He’s Alpha born, the best choice for a Beta, it would be foolish for anyone to try.”
“I was also hoping you could tell me about the former Gamma’s daughter, Thea?” I wasn’t sure if it was necessary to tell him that Martakis was still alive, until last night.
“Her mother was from a pack that no longer exists. She was killed by rogues and Martakis was resentful that Thea wasn’t the heir he hoped for. Martakis’ parents transferred packs and left her behind.” He told us.
“How could anyone just abandon a helpless pup because she’s not a boy?” My mate asked indignantly. The pack needed a Luna. They needed her.
“So she doesn’t have any family left in this pack?” I asked. “No, Panagiota has become her family and looks after her.” “Giota?” Odessa asked and Kadmus nodded.
“Does Giota have any family left in the pack?” I pressed.
“I believe she has a half-brother.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Her mother was human and died giving birth to her.”
“So… it’s likely that her father was a ranked wolf?” Odessa asked but Kadmus didn’t answer. He simply looked at me.
“My father!” My breath hitched in my chest. “It was my father. That’s why my wolf felt something familiar about her. She’s my sister.” I can’t believe I missed it when it was staring me right in the face. Giota had the same eyes as me.
“Does she know?” My mate asked.
“No. Only a few of us know and we had been given an Alpha order.” “My father’s not Alpha anymore, this is my pack!”