Chapter 4~ Severing Bond
Falcon’s POV~
This woman! What is she doing to me? Two days..that’s all it took for her to consume my every thought! She’s fascinating.. soft in all the right places…sweet..kind..and hard as nails when it’s called for. She’s tiny but fierce! I watch her leap into the ring and know Bertram is in for a world of hurt!
He starts taunting her, and I can’t help thinking that isn’t a smart move. He blusters “Come on, little girl! Give it your best shot! I got an omelette calling my name!” And she punched him..shattering his nose. He swung wildly..connecting with air. She slammed her heel into the side of his knee..causing him to stagger.. she said “Fuck this! You aren’t worth finesse!” And she ran…jumping up and climbing up the front of him.. wrapped her legs around his neck..spinning around his body and pulling him to the ground. She wrapped both her legs around his chest..pinning his arms and got him in a chokehold with her forearm…holding it with her other arm..and applying pressure.. within moments he was dead! And I was impressed as fuck! Brady just says “WOW!”
She got to her feet…looking out at my pack..in a loud angry voice..she addressed them “This Piece of Shit attacked and nearly killed my only blood kin last night. That was not the first time..but it was absolutely his last! Know this! Take a look at him! If I see…or hear…of any other woman being abused by one of you bastards..Know..beyond doubt, you just had a front row seat to your OWN fate! Fucking cowards! Beating on your mates! The Goddess is watching! She is always watching!” And she hopped out of the ring..taking her aunt’s hand and smiles at me “Let’s eat! I am starving.. Feel like an omelette today!” And I roared with laughter! What a woman!
We all sat eating and talking.. Belinda looks like she’s lighter.. she’s giggling with her niece. A light happy sound and I notice…she’s not very old. I asked her how long she and Bertram were together and she responds “since I was 16..so 8 years? They killed my parents that night..because my daddy refused Bertram as my mate” I asked “ Who were they?” She whispered “your father..Allen the beta and Bertram. They slit my father’s throat..and my mom just collapsed. She couldn’t survive losing her mate” Anna asked her “How are you? Even though he forced you..he was still your mate” And she smiled…an all over her face smile and replied “I’m fine! My wolf is a little sad..but I told her we have a true mate somewhere..so she will be fine!”
I told Brady I am expecting Axel back shortly and we will be meeting in my office as soon as he arrives. I asked Belinda to please make that list and turned to my pack. In a loud voice I spoke “Mandatory pack meeting at 11 am in the town center. You WILL be there! Some things are about to change drastically!” And walked out!
I’m exhausted. The day has barely begun and I’m exhausted! I admit it..I have been lax in my duties to my pack. I was allowing them time to adjust.. or that’s just an excuse I tell myself. When I took Alpha from my father..I honestly believed the people were ready for change.. Ready to recover from 30 years of tyranny and oppression. Apparently..there is still a small cell of wolves that want to adhere to his dictates.. and are trying to circumvent my authority. That ends today! At the knock on my door, I welcomed that little breath of fresh air in!
Anna smiles at Brady and I…”How y’all doing?” Brady moans “Oh..you know..woke up at the asscrack of dawn to be met with one of the people I have sworn to protect beaten to a bloody pulp by a sorry excuse of a man only to watch same man choke to death! I’m thinking he must’ve swallowed wrong! None of us know the heimlich!” She laughed saying “ You should rectify that!” He comes back with “Why? Are a lot of people gonna be choking to death?” She laughs again and I realize I want to listen to that sound all day long!
She hands me a sheet of paper with about 12 names and says “Those are the ones she knows for sure are like Bert…and look! Ernie’s name is there Too!!” I sneered “Big surprise there! Will you be at the meeting?” She smirks “Alpha! You said it is mandatory!” Is she flirting with me..this time for real? Goddess! I want this woman! I smiled “I would like you to be on the dais with us. Technically, you are a visiting Alpha…so it’s normal” She laughs “You don’t have to sell me on it! I had already planned to!” Just then, the door flew open and Axel storms in muttering “Don’t ever send me on my own to negotiate with that pack of neanderthals again! Wellllll…Hellloooo!” He says to Anna. Who laughs and teases “ You aren’t as smooth as you think you are! Anna!” She says…holding her hand out! He grins “so happy to have you here!” She smirks “For another 38 days!”
I ask her “would it be so bad..I mean..if you stayed after your birthday? We can help you search for the men you are after?” She sat down…hard.. “I hadn’t thought about it. But I hadn’t thought where I would go when I leave, either. I mean…you provide resources I won’t have until I can access my packs records.. and I haven’t even begun that hack! It’s been exactly one week since the massacre and I haven’t allowed myself to think about it. Once they are all dead…I will grieve. After they had burned and murdered everyone..they just left. It took me two days to set the pyres and send everyone to the Goddess. Then I just headed here.. Haven’t thought any further!”
I stood and pulled her to her feet and held her whispering “we will help” She sniffed deeply and said “Reckon you’d best swear me in, then! I ain’t living here without a link!” Did she just scent me? It felt like she scented me! “Falcon! Swear her in” Brady laughs.. I walked around my desk..took out my dagger and told Bethany not to close the wound too quickly and she giggled! And she swore allegiance as we all felt her bond snap into place. I hear 🐺 All good? and another giggle 🐺 Loud and Clear! And we both laugh!
Axel asks “You from the south?” She shakes her head “Not the sharpest tool in the shed, are ya cowboy!? Here I thought my disguise was holding. What gave me away? My accent? My way of phrasing things? Ohh! I know! It was my winning southern charm! Gave me right up! Fuck me!” And we all laughed! She really is a breath of fresh air!
We head to the town center and she asks “Is it okay if Aunt Belinda skips the meeting? She is resting in my room and I didn’t want to wake her. She’s been through so much” I nodded and again question why I so readily agree to anything she asks. We approach the dais and I offer my hand to help her up the steps.
I step to the podium as she steps back to stand beside Axel. I notice she pulls a military stance..feet shoulder width apart..hands clasped behind her back. She literally looks like a no-nonsense kick ass general! I smile.. still just so confused by her!
I call attention to my pack “It has been brought to my attention…in a most glaringly alarming way…that Some of you are adhering to the old ways of my father! THIS will not be tolerated! I will not have our she-wolves cowering in fear! Being threatened.. being abused! Today is the end of it! I will be calling several names..If you hear yours..step forward!”
Axel asked Anna about her pack..and said he has an entire network set up in his office she’s welcome to use at any time and she smiled her gratitude.
Once all the men who were called are in front of me..I said “ It has been brought to my attention you have all stayed stuck in the dark ages..along with Bertram, you have tried to thwart my authority.. Deem yourselves above Pack law! I understand your desire to maintain the old ways…stay with what you know.. keep the old traditions…but make no mistake! While I understand it..I do not condone it..Nor will I allow it! By refusing to accept and abide the new laws I have initiated..you are committing treason! Tell me Now! Why have you done this!? What did you hope to achieve?”
The man Anna dubbed Ernie..and for the life of me, I can’t recall his actual name anymore..stepped up and spoke “We live our lives according to the old ways! We were stronger! Feared! We stay to ourselves and want nothing to do with the new rules! It works fine for us. And would have continued if that Bitch had not shown up!” In my head, I head 🐺 May I speak? And I nod
She steps forward and looks Ernie dead in the eye “You say Bitch like it’s a bad thing! I’m a female canine…synonymous with Bitch, dumbass! But I digress…Ladies…Mates to these pathetic excuses for wolves…Are you happy? Do you agree with these men? Are they your true mates?” Three women step up and say yes..they are true mates..She nods “ Are you treated well? Are you happy?” They all barely shook their heads and stepped back in line. Anna looked over the men “You are abusers! Bullies! You have beaten your mates into submission…and the Goddess is not pleased..” her voice deepened and she roared “Wolves!” And even Othello sat at attention..how does she do that!!? She continues “The Goddess is not happy with your humans. You either correct their behaviors or this will be your last lives!” And she stepped back
I looked over the men “Are there anymore of you who want to stay in the dark ages!?…Answer me!”And four more men stepped forward and I said “This is your one chance! You swear right here..right now.. you will adhere to All the new rules..You Will change the treatment of your women..if you do NOT..You have one hour to pack and remove yourselves from my territory! She-wolves! Step forth! I will sever any of your bonds and move you into the pack house for safety! If that is your wish step to your left” 8 women stepped left..with 2 more coming up from the crowd. Damn! “Are you all certain?” At their nods..I spoke the words and they all clutched their chests.
I looked at the men…”Your decision?” And they yelled “Fuck you!” I called warriors forward “Go with them…help them gather their belongings…nothing more..and escort them to the western border..they can make their way over the mountains. Good luck men! You are hereby banished from Amber Mountain Pack forever!” And I severed their packbonds