Chapter 29: "Nerd"

Kolt:

“Motherfucker!” Silently screaming as the punching bag exploded into a cloud of leathery sand, placing my hands on my knees panting for oxygen, sweat dripping heavily from my forehead.

Rune pouncing on his paws ready for another round.

Onyx disappeared two days ago, after our “Wedding Gift” from Ace and Aeros. Her eyes were black as onyx itself and the ball of black flame, totally dumbfounded.

Seb was spotting Micah on the free-standing squats, grunting as his legs muscles twitched violently. Sweat pouring from his forehead as he pushed his body beyond its limit.

Technically, we were married already by signing the married certificates before the actual ceremony, but we wanted to solidify the marriage in front of everyone.

Packing everyone up, back to Demon Wolf getting the girls checked out, making sure they were okay.

Nikola grunting as his face contorted in anger, free-standing with hand weights, flexing his biceps and triceps with each pump of his arms.

Thankfully, it was just a sleeping serum, but the stress of the situation put Celia, Rija, and Astoria on bed rest.

Akai exhaling darkly as he pushed the weight bar off his chest, hissing as he brought it back down to his chest.

Amelia took over treatment on Randi and Justin, controlling the wolfsbane toxin that was laced into their wounds, saying Onyx slowed the spread of the toxin by flushing the wounds out with the vodka.

“Mama Wolf for sure.” Rune laughed darkly from the shadows.

“SHIT!” Nikola shouted angrily, dropping the fifty pound dumbbells onto the matted floor with a heavy thud and long dark exhale.

Sweat pouring from his face as he paced around, running his hands through his damp locks, flicking the sweat beads to the floor in a angry dance of splattering.

“We are just sitting around, waiting.” He shouted shaking with a dark rage boiling in his body.

“Agreed.” Rune snarled from the shadows.

“We know how you’re feeling, but there has been no indication of “where” they took them.” I huffed annoyed, running my hands over my face wiping the sweat away with a quick flick of my hand.

“Where’s Byron?” Micah asked in a low huff, concern laced across his face as he laid on the bench press, staring up at the ceiling gripping the weight bar.

Byron was bouncing between the Under Realm and here, meeting with Jack and Max on a regular basis, or locked in their room, hidden in the dark recess of a corner looking like shit.

“Do you blame him.” Rune whimpered at the thought of losing Lea and the pups, and Mei, who welcomed us with open arms like Mama Eve.

“Kolt!” Byron linked winded.

“Yeah?” I replied quickly, grabbing the towel to dry off my face.

“Office. NOW!” He shouted excited with a dark rage, taking off out the gym with the boys hot on my heels.

What took like thirty seconds to get to the Conference Room, felt more like thirty years as we burst through the doors, freezing as JR and Max held up a finger to be silent.

“Let us talk to the girls, then we will talk.” Byron spoke coldly as he gripped the side of the L-shaped hickory desk.

Sliding in smoothly as Akai clicked the door closed softly.

“TSK. TSK. So, demanding.” Aeros’ voice hollowed out as the sound of shuffling echoed from the speaker.

“Say “HI”.” Ace spoke darkly as a low hiss sounded muffled then a loud coughing, grunt.

“Don’t.” Mei’s voice sounded raspy and winded as Lea’s muffled whimper, echoed faintly in the distance.

Rune stirred anxiously as Byron’s grip tightened on the desk, cracking the seam of the corner. Nikola exhaled darkly from behind as Micah and Akai gripped his shoulder with a calm expression.

What surprised me was how calm JR and Max sat in their brown leather wingbacks, fingers laced as they listened silently. Their jaw muscles clenching indicated a silent storm gaining momentum, before exploding into a fury of destruction.

“True King’s.” Rune and Storm spoke proudly in our link as Byron’s gaze slid to me with a dangerous, perked brow.

Loud shuffling, and soft grunts grabbed my attention as a soft, firm voice spoke incoherently then a loud, hollow smack.

“FUCK YOU ACE! AEROS!” Lea’s fierceness boomed through the phone as Byron smirked darkly, listening to the low guttural growl rip through the stale air.

“A lot feistier than last time. I like that.” Ace’s voice hissed disgustingly through the speaker as laughter blanketed over the rustling.

“Definitely like her “Mother”.” Aeros chuckled as the air sucked from the office with low rumbling growls.

“You know what we want, now decide domestic or private?” Aeros spoke coldly as everyone perked a brow at us as JR pressed the mute button, exhaling darkly.

“Your call.” Max leaned forward, pressing his elbows to the desktop as JR looked at Byron and me for our decision.

“If we choose domestic, we can join forces but put innocent lives in the crosshairs, and these guys don’t fight fair.” I exhaled darkly, leaning my head back as my hands slipped through my sweaty, greased locks with a slight cringe of feeling dirty.

“Or we choose private and fight them on our terms but loose the added power of Demon Wolf.” Byron snarled, slamming his fists against the desktop, making Max look at him with a curious expression.

“Your answer?” Aeros’ voice snaked through the speaker, causing everyone to tense as JR pressed the unmute button.

“Domestic.” JR spoke coldly as Max side glanced him with a perked brow, while Byron snapped his gaze to me.

“Sound the alert.” Byron linked me with his cold gaze.

Nodding at his request as Rune took over the link, calling all “Shadows” with a demonic roar. Every “Shadow” from the world would appear like a hoard of cockroaches.

“Very Well. Next Full-Moon we meet, until then I have a “Toy” that needs disciplined.” Aeros hissed darkly as the line went silent.

“FUCKING MOTHERFUCKER! FUCK!” JR jumped to his feet, punching the wall behind where they sat as Max stood turning to the “Family Portrait” to his left, removing the sealed bottle of Wolf-shine and glasses for everyone.

“Silent but deadly.” Rune grunted weirdly, knowing what he meant.

We all grabbed our drinks, taking a seat as Lexi, Eli, Roger, and the twins joined us with pitched brows. Staring at the clear liquid like it was water, downing it with a low hiss feeling the instant burn as it slid down my throat.

“Full-Moon is in three days. We need to secure the elderly, women and children at a safe location and prepare the remaining warriors and Elites.” JR spoke flatly as he pulled down the aerial geographical map, showing Demon Wolf in a soft red, Red Fang with yellow lines, and Ghost Wolf in a soft blue.

“The gray area is Moon Lake.” Byron spoke calmly as his eyes gazed at everyone.

“Atlas and Morgan fortified the twenty acres, so this would be the most ideal location to safe house everyone, also it sits between Demon Wolf and Red Fang, so protection is easier to maintain.” Max spoke calmly as he looked at Byron shaking his head.

“No. Knowing them, they will attack all three because Milly’s brother is Alpha of Ghost Wolf and Rija’s Parents are Alpha and Luna of Red Fang.” Byron pointed to each surrounding clan as his eyes slid to mine with a smirk.

“You thinking, what I’m thinking.” I linked him as his eyes flashed that mischievous glint as we looked around the office taking in everyone’s questioning expressions.

“Cemetery.” I spoke out loud as all eyes landed on me with a bright smirk etching across my face.

“Cemetery?” Akai pushed up from the wall as he sat on the arm of the sofa to my right.

JR and Max shared a side glance with a dark smirk as they nodded in agreement.

“Cemeteries are sacred land. No portals, links, normal grounds protected by spiritual energy.” Byron smirked as Roger held a finger up to speak.

“Why not lure them to the cemetery and fight them equally.” Roger suggested pointing to a large cemetery just south of the border.

“No, they would surround us and cut our supplies off. Flushing us out like sardines.” I huffed, pinching the bridge of my nose as Seb cleared his throat.

“I think I know a location. It’s an old Civil War Battlefield with unmarked graves of soldiers and knowing our protective nature there were supernatural creatures that fought on those grounds.” Seb smiled as he pointed to a location just between Demon Wolf and Red Fang.

“You know this how?” Micah laughed with a perked brow.

“I enjoy reading, and when I wasn’t busy being “Madams” sadist lap dog, I was in the library reading.” Seb rubbed his temples in annoyance speaking about his past.

“Nerd.” Rune laughed from the shadows, smirking at the “Fucking” genius book nerd.

“Seb! You “Fucking Nerd”. I love you!” Nikola grabbed his face kissing his forehead with a big “smack” of his lips.

Everyone laughed darkly as Seb pushed Nikola back, kicking his ass with a playful foot.

“I just sent a few Shadows to check it out.” Byron smirked as he circled the location on the map with a large sinister smirk.

“Right. Start the evacuations of all three clans to Lafayette Cemetery. Lady Morgan is waiting.” Lexi smiled brightly as he looked up from his phone receiving firm nods from everyone.

“I hate cemeteries.” Rune grumbled lowly as we exited the office, splitting up to handle different preparations as I headed to the clinic to check on the girls.

Amelia was packing totes of medical supplies, entering the clinic room with the girls laughing lightly watching the original “Mummy” with large bowls of popcorn.

“It’s a classic.” Rune laughed lightly with a heavy sigh.

“Hey Baby.” Astoria smiled lightly as she munched on a handful of buttered popcorn.

She slid over, so I could lay with her in the medical bed which had a cooling gel to help with the hormonal changes. Keeping her temperature at a comfortable level.

Smelling her coconut and mint mixed with pine as the stress knot slowly relaxed between my shoulders.

“You stink.” She scrunched her nose playfully as I grabbed a handful of popcorn with an evil smirk, wiggling my brows at her.

“You love it.” I teased her back as her smile tilted into a scrunch.

“Don’t worry. We heard everything.” Astoria smiled softly as my heart thundered wildly as her Jaded eyes met mine.

“So much for “discreet”.” Rune huffed annoyed.

“Akai opened his link.” Rija laughed softly as she laid with Celia, cuddling together.

“Remind me to smack him.” Rune huffed darkly, laughing with a scoff as Astoria laced her hand over mine.

The simple gesture calmed my erratic heartbeat as her soft hand squeezed gently to reassure me in the current situation.

Her head laid gently against my shoulder, shifting so she could curl into my chest as we laughed at O’Connell screaming “I hate mummies!”, feeling the strong rhythm of the twins’ heartbeats against our hands.

“I love you.” Astoria linked softly.

“Love you always.” I replied nudging her neck with my nose.

Seb and the trio entered with fresh popcorn and drinks as they settled in with the girls, enjoying the remaining peace before “Hell” broke loose with a vengeance.

Rune purred in the shadows as Astoria drew hearts on my palm, kissing her mark with a gentle kiss.

“Kill those bastards.” Astoria linked as she gripped my hand with a smile.