Chapter 22
As they made their way through Nyota’s territory, Bazra tried bribing her so she could become rich, have women; young, old, skinny, fat, courtesans that knew how to get a man off so many ways. Gold, silver, gems, slaves so that she would never have to lift a finger. “With me, you could become the most powerful wolf on the continent!”
Nyota ignored him as she watched her surroundings, wondering if he had back up around and would suddenly attack her.
It was about dawn when they made it to the edge of the forest, “Here it is, you ever cross this border again and I’ll rip out your entrails right infront of your eyes!” Nyota snarled, the threat very real in her eyes.
“You won’t see me again my Kar!” Bazra stuttered out with a bow and began walking backwards, his eyes never leaving hers.
Nyota didn’t know why she felt the need, but she grinned as she felt her body begin to shift. Maybe it was to mess with his mind, or maybe it was so he would know that the threat was very real if it was coming from her and not some random wolf.
Before Bazra’s eyes the wolf changed into its human form and he was dazed as he looked at Nyota in all her naked glory, the sun rising behind her making her hair glow brighter red as light shot through it.
“But… h-how? You’re voice?” he said, not understand how she could be the giant wolf when she was far shorter than his five ten stature and the deepness of the wolfs voice had sounded male, not female.
“I am Alpha, Bazra, which means the timbre of my voice is far lower than if I wasn’t. My threat still stands, you come back and you’ll never be found again!” she growled, her green eyes glowing before she turned away and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.
Bazra wasted no time in leaving. He had plans to make and there was so much to do. He would be back and when he did, he would make Nyota beg. He would bend and break her and once that was finished he would sell her for a hefty profit. The Black Ice wolves would have a large surprise and if he played his cards right he’d be rich!
Nyota walked back to the cabin slowly, every once in a while stopping to listen to the forest before moving along. As she finally reached the cabin, she stared at the door for several moments as she tried to collect her emotions.
Knocking twice and went into the house when she heard her aunt unlatched the door. She was tired and her soul felt an overwhelming sadness.
“Is he gone? Do you think he’ll be back?” Veronica asked as she bit her nails, pacing across the floor, pausing every so often to look about the window.
Nyota stayed quiet though, simply looking at the woman who raised her and felt tears rise as she asked, “Did you mean it?”
Vernonica paused in her pacing, confusion marring her face before understanding replaced, “Oh darling, no! You are my life!” she cooed as she came towards Nyota and hugged her close.
“But then why did you say what you said?” Nyota cried harder, confused and emotional as she had thought her aunt had hated her.
“I thought if I showed anger and hate, he would quit asking questions about you. I love you Nyota, I vowed to protect you when you were just a baby. I vowed to my sister. You are part of her Nyota! How could I ever hate you! You are more like my daughter then my niece!” Veronica cried and wrapped her arms around her niece and hugged her tightly.
After a few minutes, Nyota was finally able to quit crying and looked at her Aunt, “We’re going to have to leave,” she said quietly.
Veronica sighed as she looked around the small cabin, she had guessed as much and knew that they should have moved a long time ago. Braytek was dead otherwise he would have been back. “Yes, I’ll start packing essentials. We’ll need lots of food, mostly meat because the larder is empty of it. And what you bring back is going to have to be preserved, smoked and dried which will take weeks.”
Nyota disliked that plan, but she wasn’t going to discourage her aunt. It had taken this long to get her to even admit that it was time to move. She wasn’t going to say anything to change Veronica’s mind. Instead, Nyota patrolled her borders, hunted, and helped Veronica with a temporary smoke house. They would be leaving soon.