Fight for Me

Later that night

Nick is lying awake on the bed with Layla fast asleep not that far from him. She’s so small, she barely takes up half of her side of the bed and the space between them just seems so huge. He’s always so tempted to pull her closer and to hold her, but it’s too exhausting trying to constantly control himself. Especially when she makes those adorable moaning noises as she cuddles into him like some body-sized pillow.

Her actions are so cute and innocent, and here I am shrouded with such indecent thoughts every time I just get a whiff of that delicious scent. She has such long hair, I just want to stroke it, and pull on it. Even her skin, I just want to leave marks all over it. My marks. But I don’t want to ruin her with my animal impulses. I don’t want to scare her.

That’s when the hairs on Nick’s arms stand up and he suddenly sits up, feeling a slight shift in the air.

He looks over at Layla, who’s still breathing softly and deep in sleep.

Nick gently throws the blanket off him as he gets up and walks around the room, trying to sense the potential danger. His wolf is on high alert, but calm. Telling him it’s not something too dangerous.

A strange and soft humming flows through the room, which has him walking around some more.

Following the sound, he stops right in front of the oval shaped mirror facing the bed. The more he stares, the more the image distorts as growing ripples flow through it.

“Nicholas.” A soft but very audible voice gets his attention and he quickly muffles his angry growl.

Soon his self-image changes into that of a familiar one. Almost similar to Nick’s features, but more rugged and with grey hairs visible.

“Nicholas.” The familiar voice commands again.

“What?” Though not in this way, I did expect to hear from him soon.

A slight grunt fills the air. “Is that any way to speak to your father?”

“I’m sure that’s not what you want to be talking about right now.”

“I don’t have time for this. I am here to tell you that you need to step back from what you want to get yourself involved in.”

Nick rolls his eyes due to his recent habit, and almost smiles, seeing his father’s annoyed look.

“I am serious Nicholas. If you want your brothers to live, you won’t tell them anything.”

Ggrhh. “And what makes you think I haven’t told them already?”

“Maxim called me yesterday. I’m sure he doesn’t know. Just as sure as I am you would have told him first.”

He’s right. Nicholas did call his older brother first. But Maxim was too overwhelmed to share the news that Abby had just given birth to a healthy pup, his son. And when he called Tristan, he could barely spare him a second as they had their own troubles involving rogue attacks and even witch council business. He couldn’t even get a hold of Anthony. And knowing his pack, Nick isn’t even surprised no one was there to answer the office phone. Something their father would definitely have reprimanded him on. But there just wasn’t the appropriate timing to inform his brothers, yet.

“So, are you actually threatening me with your own sons’ lives?”

“You will not understand. I’m doing all of this for our survival. Everything I’ve done has always been for us werewolves.”

“By starting a full-on war?” Nick says annoyed.

“It will make us stronger.”

Nick sighs, taking deep breaths to calm him. “Why must everything around you always end in bloodshed?”

“Between you and me, we know who the real monster is.”

Nick clenches his jaws. “Because of you.”

“Exactly. I made you stronger, unkillable, ruthless. I turned you into a weapon. A conqueror.”

“For this?” He lets the question linger.

“For us. Besides, war is all you know. It’s all you’re good at. Without it, you are nothing. You, and a life of peace?” He huffs out a sarcastic breath.

Nick clenches his fists at his father’s words, but the soft scent of roses and marshmallows has him calming down immediately. “It’s not as boring.”

A brief silence fills the room. But he catches his father’s gaze moving over his shoulder.

“Because of your mate? I heard about that. A human no less.” He says with disgust, getting a soft warning growl from Nick. “Do yourself a favour and get rid of her. For her sake.”

“Are you threatening her now?” He says menacingly.

“She is weak.” He looks at Nick with a sad but pitiful expression. “Will you watch her die as you watched your mother die?”

Ggrhh!

“I am not giving threats Nicholas, just warnings. This war will happen. It will be brutal. And you can decide if you will join the fight,…….or die. But that’s not much of a choice for you. We both already know what you’ll decide.”

With one last brief look between the two men, the ripples suddenly flow through the screen and soon all Nick sees is his own reflection.

Having the room to himself again, Nick has too much running through his mind with everything his father just mentioned. But two things are clear, -his father doesn’t know that Layla is not as human as she may seem. So no one has leaked anything, yet. –And now he knows his father has a witch working for him.

His father was never one to mix with others. Even with his acceptance of Melinda as Tristan’s mate, Nick knows it has to do with her great magic abilities. Something many witches have been struggling with in the past few decades. Strong magic isn’t as common or strong as it once was.

He just can’t help but wonder what his father would do when he finds out Anthony’s mate is a male. Their father was definitely not fond of that kind of mixing.

Nick walks back to the bed and sees Layla still sound asleep.

She really sleeps like a rock.

He gets under the covers and whispers to himself, “fuck it” as he pulls her into his arms and holds her tightly. She slightly moans and scrunches her nose against his chest.

I’ll never get rid of you. I won’t make that mistake again. You’re mine.