The Alpha King (Kingdom of Askara #1)(56)
“The Alpha has retired. One of the humans showed us where your garden is.” Sam looked around appreciatively.
“It was my late mother’s,” Sascha sat, and after a second, firmly pulled Darrin into his own lap, much to Darrin’s shock and Kit’s amusement. “She died three years ago. My parents tried for years to have another child, but unfortunately, they both died during the birth. There was nothing anyone could do.”
Kit put out his hand and squeezed Sascha’s arm. “I’m sorry.”
“Our pack is small and not highly populated. We are also the only pack in the territory. There are outlying groups of wolves but no Alphas to make a cohesive pack. Most of our wolves are farmers, not fighters. If the humans came, I am frightened for what would be left,” Sascha said somberly. “I don’t want to do anything to draw their attention, but...”
“You’ve mated already,” Luca finished, “so to separate the two of you would be impossible.” He looked at Sascha.
“Sire,” Sam said, “perhaps the best thing would be to take both of them with us.”
Sascha stared at Sam in understanding. “Because the longer Darrin stays here, the higher the chance of discovery.”
“And the more likely you are to paint a target on your pack’s back,” Luca finished and stood, depositing Kit gently but keeping an arm around him. “Sam, take Darrin to the stables where the guards are sleeping. No one took much notice as we came in and hiding him among them will be easy. Sascha, you need to go and talk with your father. We leave at dawn. I want to get to the boundary to Niandes by tomorrow night.”
****
Kit shivered in the morning air as they said goodbye to their new friends. Luca, Sascha, and Petro spoke quietly for some time until Sascha had hugged his father and climbed on one of the geldings they had swapped out the lame horses for. Darrin stood in between Henry and Attica, with Asher blocking anyone’s view of him. Sam had obviously told the humans last night and they were all protecting the boy. He simply told Nial and Elliot that Darrin was to help them with the horses.
Kit knew Asher would be thrilled to see another werewolf-human mating and Kit wondered for the millionth time just what was stopping Sam from approaching Asher. He had seen how they looked at each other. He knew Luca certainly wouldn’t object.
“I’m putting Darrin in the third cart with Henry. Attica’s driving the second with Ben, and as usual you and Asher are in the first. There will be six werewolves shifted at all times, four surrounding the carts and two running ahead to scope things out.”
Kit nodded and Luca bent down to kiss him on the mouth, hard. It wasn’t a peck, Kit was mauled. He whined when Luca broke off. “You can’t start something like that and just stop.” Luca grinned and before Kit could object he had swung him up to sit next to Asher. Luca levelled a look at Asher and Asher just nodded in silent agreement.
They didn’t stop at all until nearing dusk. Kit peed when he had to into an empty bottle. Luca took turns with Asher watching him, but he told Kit that once they crossed the border he would have to stay up front all the time. They needed every werewolf to use their sharper hearing and smell to be a warning for possible signs of danger. The trouble was that between the human rebels and the werewolves from Niandes, everyone was out to get them.
Kit groaned and tried to rub his back when they had just climbed down. Luca was there in an instant. “What is it?”
Kit leaned back into Luca. “Backache from sitting down.”
Luca pressed his talented fingers into Kit’s back and Kit groaned so loud a couple of gammas laughed. They soon stopped when Luca sent them a look.
“I’m okay.” Kit took a step away from him and went to join Henry, Attica, and Darrin getting the food ready for everyone. Darrin had offered to help with the horses, but Nial was very protective of them. Not that Kit was hungry at all, but that still didn’t mean he wasn’t going to eat. Attica had chided him in the gruff but kind way he did that Kit had the baby to think about.
Most of the wolves shifted and hunted for their meals. The humans were happy to eat what Sascha’s pack had sent them, so there wasn’t much to prepare. Kit sat between Luca’s legs sipping his tea. Henry and Attica had waved them off the clearing up, and Asher, Sam, Sascha, and Darrin were all peacefully sipping tea as well, or coffee. Sam nodded to the plate of food covered with a cloth, next to Darrin. “Midnight snack?” he teased.
Darrin looked confused, then he blushed. “No. I...um was told you don’t treat female weres the same, but I assumed you still wanted her fed.” He looked at the puzzled faces. “Did I do wrong?”
“What are you talking about?” Luca asked sharply, and Kit closed his eyes as his stomach rolled sickly. He knew, he just knew.
“The female werewolf in the cart,” Darrin whispered. Luca climbed out from behind Kit.
“Oh shit,” Sam said a second later, obviously working it out. Everyone grew silent as Luca pointed to the back of the cart and Sam and Asher walked around it. He stood near the front and inhaled, then he bellowed making everyone jump.
“Taheesha, get your sorry excuse for a princess out this instant.”
Kit stared as after a few seconds shuffling was heard and a very pale but equally defiant thirteen-year-old put her head out from under the canvas covering. Luca folded his arms and the ground trembled. Nial and Darrin rushed to soothe the tethered horses, who were getting spooked.