Black Ice-Completed

Nyota tried hard to not succumb to grief. But as she drew in air to explain, a hiccup of a sob broke through. Giving a soft growl, she cleared her throat, trying desperately to stop the flow of tears that were now trying to break through. With glittering eyes, she looked up at Rush, “We ran into a pack of spiders. They ran off after several of their numbers had fallen but a chasm had opened up and he fell in.” Nyota took a step away from Rush and looked at the ground, as the tears began to fall. Hugging the blanket closer, she couldn’t help but feel the silence of the cabin close around her.

As Nyota was about to speak, a woman came forward, her lush black hair swayed as she came to Nyota, her own golden eyes full of tears as she wrapped arms around Nyota. It felt so soothing to be in a woman’s arms, almost like her aunt’s, and she leaned into that warmth more.

“Wolves!” she snapped, “Out!” and she glared when none of the men moved, “As of right now, the Alpha needs her rest before anything can be done about Lyosha. I’m not sure if any of you noticed, but she is still bleeding and road weary!”

Nyota looked down at her arm underneath the blanket and blanched. In her haste to get to the cabin, she hadn’t even dressed her wounds. How many wolves would come across her blood trail? What if there were some that were already tracking it here!”

“Woman,” one older men growled, his blue eyes glittering in irritation, “We don’t listen to you! Keep in your place!”

Before Rush could even growl, Nyota pounced on the man, all but pushing him back against the wall and choke holding him, “What did you say?” Nyota rumbled, her green eyes glowing as she unleashed her anger.

As the man tried to answer, Nyota tightened her grip so that all could be heard was gurgling, “Learn your place wolf. If you think a woman is nothing more than for breeding and taking care of the needs of a man, you won’t be living long,” she snarled as she released him and turned her back on him, an insult in their society, and looked at the others in the room. Nyota could see several men wearing approval, others smirked at the man behind her while other’s stood passive.

“A woman’s place is beside her man’s. They are the nourishers of the pack, teachers of the young, and the strength behind the man. A family must work together or things collapse. This was Dimetrov’s mistake, he didn’t feel the need to talk to Lilianna, to explain anything about the Black Ice wolves and their ways. In doing so he started a legacy of deceit that quickly descended into harsh words and rape. In her own anger, Lilianna cursed the wolves from ever having daughters, knowing full well the repercussions that would happen onto the packs. This curse would last until a wolf saw his true mate as his equal, someone to cherish and protect but also to talk with and be a family. Likewise, the female would have to see beyond the beast to the heart and learn to love that which is only meant to destroy. That is what Braytek did with my mother and vice versa.

Many of the faces held confusion and Nyota felt weariness but one wolf spoke up as he looked at her, “The Karmia is right, I will explain it better outside for those who have questions or need more information on the matter. Let us leave so she can explain to Rush and Asper what has happened fully to their son.”

Many men looked at the others and when Nyota saw their hesitance, she snarled, “Get out,” and watched as everyone left the door. Nyota dropped the blanket after everyone was out and began to get dressed from clothes that had been in her pack.

Asper wanted to go to her instantly but Rush held onto her shoulder to keep her back. Looking up at him, she saw his eyes narrowed harshly on Nyota, watching her as if she was a threat. He knew more than Asper on what a volatile state this new Alpha was in, and he didn’t want to risk Asper if Nyota had the same tendencies as Lyosha.

After she was dressed, Nyota sat down in one of the wooden chairs and let her whole body deflate while she held her head in her hands, “I tried to pull him up. The spiders had gotten both of us really good. He had been stabbed in the shoulder and his thigh had been sliced. But…” Nyota sniffed as she remembered, “He let go of me. I could have gotten him to safety!” she said as a soft sob came out.

“Oh honey!” Asper whispered as she shoved Rush’s hand off and came to Nyota, “He was protecting you!”

“Yes and look what has happened! Any person that tries to protect me gets hurt or killed!” Nyota growled out as she thought of everyone who had sacrificed themselves to keep her safe. Her mother, Braytek, Veronica, and now Syn, who else was she going to lose before this was to end?

“Then you had best not waste their sacrifice, little girl,” Rush snarled which caused Nyota to jerk her head up and narrow her eyes onto him, “As far as I can see, you’ve been doing nothing but crying and wallowing in self pity!”

“Rush!” Asper growled as she glared at her mate. At the same time Nyota spat, “You know nothing of me!”

“My son told me all about you! How you keep going, even after a setback. How your strength always supported him even when he screwed up! All I’ve seen is a self deprecating wolf who uses aggressive tactics to scare those around her into submission! We don’t need you, your brother has us covered well on that end!” Rush growled, all but wanting to pull Asper back to him and protect her from this wolf, but he couldn’t without hurting his mate.

Nyota paused to look thoughtfully at Rush as she mulled over his words. It was true that she had used aggressive tactics over the years but not as often as Lyosha and only ever when it was for defensive purposes. Rush knew nothing about her and yet he was making statements as if he knew her. It was irritating that she

was forever having to prove herself to any person that thought she wouldn’t measure up. But wasn’t that the way of an Alpha? There were always those that would set to prove she wasn’t worthy of the pack.

“Rush! How dare you!” Asper snarled as she stalked over to the man she had bound herself to for over three decades. “You have no right to be judgemental. Our son died saving his mate! His other half, how would you feel if I had died while trying to protect you?” She snapped as she stared him down, her own eyes burning with tears, “Quit being a callous beast!”

“I know of no such thing,” the wolf growled, “Syn could have left her, realizing what an aggressive mate he was going to be getting! How are we to know if they even bound themselves together?” he said as he stared into Asper’s eyes but flicked to Nyota as she shoved her sleeve up and showed her mating mark from Syn. The skin was still quite raw even though it was several weeks old. The fangs had gone in deep and bruises ran all the way from her wrist to the inside of her elbow.

Rush moved towards Nyota and gently took her wrist, looking closely, he saw the telltale signs of the venom that resided in their bite. It wasn’t lethal to others, it was more an irritant than anything else, especially if the creature had gotten away. The mark of the venom was a spider webbing that shown like ice, silvery with a bluish tint.

“He had gotten an identical one on his neck. Your son and I were true mates and the loss and heartache is far more than you can even conceive,” Nyota sniffled as she traced the bite. She paused though as her eyes glowed green and she snarled, “So if you can just back off it would be much appreciated!” she said as she stared at Rush.

Rush in turn stared at Nyota for several minutes but then nodded, “As you wish, Alpha,” he said quietly before heading out the door and into the wintry night.

“You’ll have to forgive him. Finding out his son has passed on is difficult for him,” Asper said quietly as she came forward and hugged Nyota around the shoulders.

“What about you?” Nyota asked just as softly as she stared at her mating mark and caressed one of the edges. “You lost your son as well,” She murmured as she looked up into Asper’s golden amber eyes.

Asper sighed and swept Nyota’s hair out of her eyes, “My sorrow is just as great but I have another child that needs taking care of,” she said as she poured as much warmth into her voice, never batting an eye as her eyes collided with that of an Alpha.

She knew Nyota was mixed up. The human in her wanted to collapse and curl into a ball. The wolf in her was trying to protect her heart from getting hurt anymore. The two would have to become one once again before Nyota went up against Lyosha. “Come little yavrau, let’s get you cleaned up.”

Nyota shook her head, confusion evident on her face, “No, I need to talk to the elders and fight with Lyosha. I need to end this now!”

Asper sighed and gently petted Nyota’s hair, “No, my darling daughter,” she said, “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard the past couple of years. You’re weak, bleeding, and have almost been on the brink of death from blood loss. You can go after Lyosha when you have healed and are not so tired. Come, we have warm water waiting for you,” Asper coaxed and without further resistance, Nyota followed.

….

Asper coddled Nyota for several weeks and nobody, not even Rush, was allowed in the cabin during this time.

“Damn it woman, this is my house!” Allistair snarled when Asper denied him access. He was a small wiry wolf with lanky brown hair streaked with gray and droopy eyes. He was Elias’ uncle who had killed Tasha, Lyosha’s favorite brother, when the younger wolf had tried to act mightier than him. Allistair had higher rank and had put the scoundrel in his place. But Tasha hadn’t given in, the blood fever had been goading him further and he had continued to attack the older wolf until Allistair had killed him in self defense.

“I’m sorry Allistair, but she’s in a delicate state right now. She thanks you for the use of your cabin and in compensation you may use mine and Rush’s home for the time being.”

“Like hell I am!” the old wolf snarled again, “You tell that bitch…” he continued but Asper simply shut the door on him and went back to the room where her daughter was bent over a bucket getting sick.

“I don’t understand,” Nyota huffed as she leaned over the bucket, sweat pouring down her face which was white from all the sickness, “I haven’t felt this ill since the desert!”

“I’m not sure, yavrau,” Asper said as she wiped a warm cloth across Nyota’s forehead and pulled back her hair that had been sticking to her face.

Nyota gave a small smile as Asper called her cub. The older woman was a lot like her Aunt Veronica, but there was a hardness to Asper that wasn’t in the other woman. It was obvious she would have to be harder to survive against the wolves for this long of a time.

“Did the spiders look weird? Or smell off?” Asper asked as she quickly braided Nyota’s hair so it would remain out of her face when she was getting sick.

“Do they ever smell?” Nyota asked before she wretched into the bucket once again. After several moments, she pulled back and huffed against the headboard, “They smelled like ice,” Nyota grumbled as she closed her eyes and tried to breath the nausea away.

“Were they green or yellow?” Asper asked as she got up and rinsed the bucket out, dumping the waste outside the window and putting it back so that Nyota could use it once again when the need arose.

Nyota shook her head softly and placed her hands on her stomach, gently rubbing at the soreness, “Clear ice,” she murmured and closed her eyes.

Asper tilted her head as he observed Nyota rubbing her stomach. It could be possible, but if she was human she wouldn’t be showing signs so soon. On the off chance though, because Nyota was Black Ice, Asper had to ask, “When do you have your moon cycle?”

“The fourth moon cycle into winter. I’m still two months from it,” Nyota said as she continued to rub her tummy.

Asper frowned as she mentally counted the moon cycles in her head and bit her lip as she looked at Nyota, “I hate to tell you this but its one cycle away from spring. You’re late.”

“What?” Nyota asked blankly as she stared wide eyes at Asper, “That can’t be right! Winter had just started when I entered Uscyte. It can’t have been four months already!”

“Time is a little different up in the North. I’m going to make some flat bread and ginger tea, it’s a remedy I used when I was pregnant with Syn. We’ll see if it works for you,” Asper said as she left Nyota staring blankly at the wall in disbelief.

Nyota didn’t want to believe it. There was no way she could be pregnant! But as she thought back to all the times her and Syn had sex since entering Azgeta, it offered little doubt. And after Asper had brought the bread and ginger tea to her, there was no doubt at all after it made Nyota feel a little better.

“Take a small bite of bread and drink the cup of ginger tea in the morning before you do anything. That should keep the nausea at bay and I would suggest you eat some of the bread several times during the day,” Asper said and Nyota did as the woman bid. Before long, Nyota was able to get out of bed without nausea overwhelming her.

After several more days had passed, Nytoa called for Rush when she was feeling and looking much better. Rush though was still a little moody and chafed against Nyota’s authority. She had a heads up about it thanks to Asper warning her of what to expect out of her mate. So she could adjust to her attitude accordingly and not cause any more upset. Being an Alpha was more than just dominance, there was also diplomatic tendencies that had to arise as well otherwise a pack may revolt. The only reason they hadn’t yet is because Lyosha had killed whoever voiced discord from his rulings.

“Rush,” she said with out preamble, “Can I trust you?” she asked softly, watching him closely as he turned to her with his eyes narrowed. It was a challenging look but Nyota wasn’t going to advance on the antagonistic action. It was a necessity to see if Rush would always challenge her or if he would bend to her authority.

She was surprised though when Rush looked away sooner than what she had expected, “You can trust me,” he rumbled out and Nyota bit back a smile as he still looked like he wanted to rebel against her. But she was going to take his word and see if his action held him true.

“I need to know how it’ll be best to approach Lyosha. He’s wily and if he sees me coming he’ll try to use every tradition against me,” Nyota said and watched Rush nod in understanding.

“The elders and several others have talked about what could possibly happen. If you feel up to the company, we can go talk about it to them. Allistair will finally stop his grumbling if his house is given back to him,” Rush said with a grin which caused Nyota to laugh.

Suprise! You guys get a long chapter and its not even Saturday. I had to go to the Doctors today because I have these covid like symptoms that won't let up. I believe its only a cold but the doc said no work until the test results come back! XP What else can I do but sleep, take my medicine, and update a chapter for you guys. Without all you who support me and leave such lovely comments, I wouldn't have updated anything past chapter 3.