Nebraska walked several steps ahead of Hades.
By the way she moved her shoulders and head to each side, she indicated to the alpha that she rather than study the passage around her, rather kept portraits of the places where they walked as if she were once again losing her sight and will need to depend on the other senses. Although she was not smiling, her scent told her that she was more than happy, grateful and pleased to be able to clearly appreciate her surroundings again.
Instead, he was nowhere near being mildly happy. The drop of doubt about what Layan had done to Nebraska still stung and hurt his pride and more when she dragged him avoiding the conversation. Knowing him, the red-haired wolf hadn't done something according to protocol because of their reaction.
-Nebraska- he called her, his voice full of authority and grave.
But the omega simply ignored him and continued walking this time with her back straight and tense, she had heard it, she just ignored it.
-Nebraska- he called her again this time through clenched teeth, he could tolerate many things but not being answered when he called, it was something that struck directly in his alpha sense.
And for the second time she ignored him and followed him.
Hades was about to call her a third time when he saw her stop and look at him over her shoulder.
-Until you call me with the right tone and that I deserve out of respect, I will not answer you-
He stopped short. His words came out soft from his mouth although those purple eyes that now seemed more beautiful focused on him with a deadly coldness.
-Not even Rudoc spoke to me like that while I was queen, it was only after I was imprisoned for childbirth that he was able to take advantage of me- she turned completely towards him -Don't think that because you will be my husband and the wolf that marks me you can talk to me or treat me as you want Hades -he frowned- I'm not a submissive wolf-
After Layan had kissed her, her body had begun an internal healing that only after two hours had almost completely recovered its energy. If he did not make his position clear from the beginning, history could repeat itself and she would not allow it.
Rudoc had been able to incarcerate her in a miserable moment of weakness after a difficult delivery of her first puppy and yet every time he visited her he had to deal with her, even after 50 years of torture, pain and hardly any strength. If Hades imagined that he could control her, as most wolves did with their females, he was totally wrong.
The alpha for his part had stayed in place petrified in his place. Layan's words still echoed in his head over and over again. The part about him losing his place as alpha of his pack was the most marked and apparently if he didn't get strong that would be what would happen. The she-wolf was not one that she normally had to interact with, and just being an omega made her weird, leading a pack in the midst of chaos and moving forward with her renown made her more memorable.
-I will not ask you to apologize, but I ask you not to speak to me like that again. I will not simply be your partner or a female by your side who will open your legs whenever you want, I will see the queen of the pack, your equal and the she-wolf that you can lean on as many times as you need- her gaze softened until I was in the neutral that I usually had- So as myself I will respect you, you must do it with me-
Hades did not nod but the expression on his face gave him to understand that he had gotten the message clearly. She turned around again and started walking. He followed her with his hands in his pockets, reflecting on her words. There was always talk of queen and all the rest, but until that point he hadn't realized the impact of her position on his life and how important it would be to both him and the pack.
They walked several more meters without exchanging words, luckily he already felt how Nebraska's mood was back to normal. Perhaps he had touched a very deep sore when using that tone, one that he usually did not use, he knew the reaction he was getting.
He sighed and pushed a branch out of the way. Layan had offered to take or escort them, but they had refused. The distance between each mansion was not very long, they were strategically placed for any mishap and Hades knew a shortcut to the fastest path.
He knew that he would soon be able to transform, he had just come out of heat and usually needed a certain time to do so. As for Nebraska, which seemed magically renewed, it shouldn't be a problem. She either hadn't noticed or was being considerate. At the moment they were only walking. This is how he allowed her to adjust to her current recovered sight.
After crossing the small stream that served as the natural boundary between the two herds, Hades spoke to him again, this time only with the intention of talking.
-You can ask- he saw her turn her head with doubt -You said it yourself, you'll be the queen of my pack, ask whatever you want-
She blinked and stopped until he caught up with her and started off again. The discomfort that she presented earlier, as well as her discomfort seemed to have totally vanished.
-If so- Nebraska touched her chin thinking- Why is your zeal so strong?
This time Hades was the one who blinked, of all the existing questions he started with that. Seeing his reaction she added.
-I remember my dad's jealousy, my uncle's, even Rudoc's, and they didn't look even close to how you were, neither with the heat, nor after the heat. Did you know that you had a very high fever after you fainted? If it weren't for Layan I don't think you'd be walking now-
He growled at the other alpha's name and she raised an eyebrow.
Swallowing the knot of jealousy in his throat, he prepared to respond properly, he did not want to start fighting without just formalizing their relationship.
-It has been like that since I was little. Those of us who have alpha genes in our blood by nature tend to go through quite powerful heat. In my particular case it must be by inheritance, but from the first it has always been even exhausting. I totally lose my lucidity and even if I remember what happens, I cannot have control over my body-
-Does that have something to do with why you don't have a puppy?-
-In part yes. If he will knot with a she-wolf in my heat, the percentage of her getting pregnant is 90%, but I have never wanted to do it, I don't think any female can endure three days of sex something more violent than normal- she pointed to her fangs- I like to bite a lot. in that period. So I always made sure to reproduce when it was the she-wolf's heat, it was safer for both of us-
-You still don't answer me- she seemed interested.
After regaining his sight she had realized that the image she had in her head of what she remembered was not distorted, rather, the real thing far outweighed the image in her mind. No wonder there were those who ate it with their eyes. The beauty and sexuality in his face was sculpted with the best chisel and those lips she'd had contact with were far more appetizing than they felt. Not to mention what was marked from the neck down.
-I'm not going to lie to you, I'm over 600 years old. I have been with the necessary number of females looking to have a puppy, I have always wanted to have one of my own or hundreds-
Nebraska felt her interior stir at her statement so full of feelings, that wolf was yearning to have her own offspring, she understood a little more the despair of being with her. His pained voice made her suddenly uneasy.
-Maybe I'm not cut out to be a father- he looked at her and smiled slightly- Every time a wolf tried to give me that happiness, the creature died or was simply denied the blessing of being born- remembering it was hard- After realizing that It was me and that my essence was too strong, I gave up to keep looking for a son-
-Until I showed up- she concluded softly.
-Maybe at first, the idea that you were an omega blinded me, but it has not been like that for a long time. I would not force you to have a baby of mine if you do not want to, in addition- she left a visible sincere smile- Now I have 5 puppies in exchange-