Fight (The Aurora Marelup Saga Book 3)

March

Alaric circles Klaus’s pack lands several times, allowing the babies and I to get a good view of the Black Forest. I scent the different game animals on the wind, and to be honest, I can’t wait until I can go hunting. We land in a field not far from camp; Alaric shifts back and dresses quickly in the clothing I offer him. Our children follow us in their dragon forms as we walk toward the main part of the camp.

My eyes fall on the American Lycan pack and the Dire Wolves hanging out in a group by themselves. Jayce and Dominik are speaking with their brother Alex, catching up for lost time. Alex is inspecting their mating marks and smiling broadly, proud of his brothers. Personally, I’m not comfortable in large groups, so this gathering is making me quite anxious. Alaric senses my uneasiness and wraps an arm around me, pulling me tight to his side as we make our way through the camp.

I spot Klaus surrounded by at least eight females, all of them trying to touch him. Nope. I’m not okay with this. It’s cold, and there’s snow on the ground, so what I have planned next really won’t take too much effort on my part. I tilt my head to the side when I spot one of the Black Dragons nearby, I wiggle my fingers at him and he approaches. I push his sleeve up and place my hand on his forearm. Now the fun begins.

The ground rumbles, and an ice spire erupts out of the ground under Klaus, and elevates him ten feet off the ground. Klaus is basically standing on his very own ice pedestal. I know my eyes have that haunting glow to them; the frost I command coats my hair. I release the Black Dragon male I used for a boost; I really didn’t take much from him this time.

Alaric is trying to soothe me, and I just give him my best death glare. I tilt my head to the side, looking at the females still clamoring up at my mate. I turn my back to the crowd and shift; thank the gods, I wore an outfit I wasn’t fond of this time.

My beast’s mass dwarfs all the Lycans present. I gained mass from Dimitri’s Great Bear and more dragon characteristics from Alaric. I’m an almost ten foot tall, just about half-ton hybrid, bent on death and destruction. I click my talons together and shake out my armored dragon scale gauntlets. My snow-white fur and scales almost make me invisible against the wintery background. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch the American Lycans, and the Dires flee the scene; they know what’s coming next. I focus on the females who are still trying to get Klaus to come down. Dumb bitches don’t even realize I’m here yet.

Without warning, I focus the full fury of my Alpha powers on the bitches trying to get to my mate. I’m growling, almost foaming at the mouth from rage. I watch him show them his mating bite from me, and still they try. Slowly, one by one, they turn to face me and start crying. I release my grip on that particular power only to howl my summoning howl, ripping the wolf from every single wolf that can hear my voice. The only beings unaffected are my mates and the very old.

The camp is filled with Lycans of all different shapes and sizes; there’s a slight variation in color within the pack. I force the pack to remain as their beasts, and I use the pack link to speak to all of them in their minds. I am Aurora, daughter of Anca Marelup and rightful heir to the Lycan throne. You either stand with me or against me. If you are with me, you have my protection. If you choose to stand against me, you will meet my talons in the pit. Decide now; I will not offer twice. Wolves and Lycans only understand the old rule of only the strong survive. I will battle if I have to; I kind of want to after that long flight. It’s been two weeks since my last decapitation. Shit, I sound like I am in a confessional.

One by one, the Lycans and other assorted wolves kneel before me. Some hesitate, and I mark their faces in my memory. I will watch those five closely. I share that knowledge with my mates, and they agree to keep a close eye on them.

I release my grip on the pack and return to Alaric’s side. Slowly, he removes his fleece and offers it to me. I shift back to my human form and slip on his shirt. I look back at the pack, and here comes Klaus with his mother and grandmother in tow. His mom seems pissed; I guess she wasn’t a fan of me forcing the shift to prove who I am. ‘My Angel, I wish to introduce my mother to you,’ Klaus says, with so much love and affection.

His mom looks like the type of woman who should be filed under demon-in-law. Damn, that woman makes my resting bitch face look jovial. ‘Who the fuck do you think you are coming onto my land like this?’ Klaus’s mother questions without hesitation.

My team hears his mom and starts backing away. My own mates start backing away as well. Klaus’s grandmother starts cursing at his mother for being disrespectful. Klaus’s mother turns quickly and stares down Elsa. ‘I don’t fucking care who this bitch claims to be. She is no Marelup!’

I start that sadistic laugh of mine as I stare at this insolent female before me. I push up the sleeve on Alaric’s shirt and shove my family brand in her face. She stares at the brand for several minutes then looks back up at me. By this time, my father is by my side and holds his brand next to mine.

It’s amazing how quickly someone changes their tune when they realize they are standing before the harbinger of death. Lucky for Klaus’s mom, I promised him I wouldn’t kill anyone today. I look over to Klaus, and he seems scared of what I may do. ‘My love, please make with the introductions. I’d like to eat and shower before the festivities.’ I’m tired and hungry, and trying my best not to lose my shit and kill his mom.

‘My angel, this firecracker is my mom, Agness. Mom, this is my mate, and queen of the Ice Dragons, and future queen of the Lycans, Aurora Marelup.’ Klaus finishes the introductions and kisses my cheek.

By this time, my remaining three mates flank me. My hatchlings sit at my feet, ready to breathe fire. I extend a hand to Klaus’s mother, waiting to see what she does. Slowly, Agness shows me her brand then grips my forearm. We hold onto each other silently, our grip firm.

She attempts to look me in the eyes several times, and she’s unable to for more than a few seconds. When she finally gives up and lowers her head, I lunge forward, biting her throat and growl. I wait for complete submission from her. My now extended canines applying pressure, almost to the point of breaking the skin. I hear her wolf whine, and her body goes limp, no sign of struggle or resistance left.

I release her then grip her jaw, forcing her to look me in my now-shifted eyes. ‘If you ever pull any of that bullshit again, I’ll be having your heart for dinner.’ I let go of her jaw, and she stumbles backward. Promptly, Elsa starts to beat the fuck out of Agness for her stupidity and disgraceful behavior. I tilt my head several times, watching the entertainment. Softly, I laugh and allow Klaus to lead us to what will be our home, for however long we need.

The Alpha House is impressive with high vaulted ceilings, carved support beams. These people really take pride in their work. I have to admit, it’s an impressive sight to see. Fuck, I may reconsider my decision to live in the castle after this. Klaus leads us to the back of the house to a room, I assume, in the master suite.

Quickly, Klaus moves past all of us and locks the door; he moves to the bed and reaches under it, hitting a secret button. The bed raises, and there’s a stairway leading down into the bowels of the house. Klaus raises one finger and makes the shh motion before heading down the stairs.

Curiosity has definitely gotten the better of me, so I follow. My children race down the stairs into the room below. Ladon starts to breathe fire, lighting up the room for a brief moment. Klaus finally makes it downstairs and turns on the light switch then hits the button to close the hatch above us. “Okay, so sorry about all the spy activity, but I had this constructed for us for when we need time away from everyone. The pack is nosy, very nosy, so I figured this would be awesome for us to have. We have a heated pool, a shower that can comfortably fit three. Oh! The master bed, wait till you see that!” Klaus is like a little kid on Christmas morning; he can barely contain his excitement.

Klaus runs over, grabs my hand, and starts dragging me to the back. So I grab Alaric who in turn grabs Jayce, who grabs Dimitri, who finally grabs Dominik. We have literally formed a human chain and are being dragged through the hallways. Finally, we arrive at what Klaus is calling the master bedroom. This room looks like it was built for the sex Olympics. The fucking bed is absolutely mammoth; it can easily sleep all of us no matter what direction we decide to sleep in. There’s a fucking massage table in the corner—what he’s calling an inversion table. I’m already picturing how I’m going to use these items, and it’s not for their intended use. I start rubbing my hands together like one of those cartoon villains.

“Oh shit, that look concerns me, babe. Where has your dirty little mind gotten to already?” Dominik is the first to question me, and I just smirk.

“Wouldn’t you like to know? Play your cards right, and you may find out after tonight’s celebration.” I wink at Dominik, then head towards the showers.

“Can someone grab my bags and bring them down here? I don’t feel like socializing yet.” Truth be told, my beast wants to make sure she has total dominion over all the other wolves, and I just can’t allow that to happen yet.

Most of the guys leave except Dominik. I look over my shoulder as I turn on the shower. “Penny for your thoughts, Dom?” I step back under the water, looking at him.

Dominik looks down, and I can tell what he’s about to say is really bothering him. “I was so hopeful… I mean… I was happy when we heard you were pregnant. I was happy that either my brother or I had fathered a pup with you.” He sighs deeply, then roughly rubs his eyes with his hands and looks up to me. I hate this look; he’s in so much pain.

I step out of the water and start to undo the buttons on his shirt, looking at him. I see Alaric is moving to come in to see what was wrong. Through the bond, I reach out to him. Please leave, my love; Dom needs me. He’s hurting because he was sure our babies were going to be his or Jayce’s.

Alaric’s eyebrows shoot up, then understanding flitters across his features. I’ll tell the others. Remind him we love him, Alaric says before leaving silently.

“I’m so sorry, Dom. I was honestly sure myself that the baby was either yours or Jayce’s until things progressed the way they did.” I rise up on my tippy toes and gently kiss his lips. Shower sex isn’t going to fix this. He needs my love and attention. It kind of explains why he’s backed off some. I gently remove his belt and free him of his pants and I start pulling him back into the shower stall with me.

I sit him on the bench and use the shower wand to get his hair wet before I start to wash his hair.“Aurora, you don’t have to wash me. I’m a big boy, I promise!” Dominik smiles up at me. There’s that smile I was hoping to see.

“You’re right, Dom, I don’t have to. I want to. You need my love and attention; you are hurting enough that you told me. I’m sorry I’m a bad mate and didn’t see it sooner. The babies are a handful; I can only imagine what your momma went through with you and Jayce.” I smile and boop his nose with my finger, leaving bubbles on the tip. I continue to run my nails over his scalp as I work the soap up to a good, thick lather.

Dominik wraps his thick arms around my waist and rests his head against my stomach. “You’re not a bad mate; I just handled the news poorly. As for my mother, she’s here if you would like to meet her.” He looks up at me and I can’t help but start to laugh. I am looking down at him between my boobs.

“Hmm, hopefully it’s a warmer reception than I got from Klaus’s mom. I really wish I didn’t promise him I wouldn’t kill anyone.” I smirk, then grab the shower wand and start to rinse his hair for him. I remove every trace of soap, then I select the conditioner to work into his hair.

“I’m just glad we could save your mom from your dad; he was a real douche canoe. I’m sorry, but he really was.” After calling his father a name, I wince because that was rather insensitive since we watched my dad killed his.

Dominik suddenly stands and rinses his hair out then looks at me, his wolf surfacing. I stare at the golden glow of his wolf’s eyes; I’m not using any of my Alpha powers on him. I like seeing the guys’ animals in private; it’s a trust thing, really. They know I won’t use my strength of will against them.

“He deserved to die! He cut off your father’s arm and held him hostage for over two hundred years. He raped my mother, as well as two of his other mates. He forced himself on any female he wanted because he could.” I watch Dominik’s muscles jump and shift under his skin from his wolf’s agitation.

“That’s not an Alpha; that’s a serial rapist. Who knows how many half-siblings Jayce and I have in the pack.” Oh boy, this has definitely struck a nerve with Dominik. I lower my eyes, feeling bad that I wrecked his mood.

“Aurora, love, I’m sorry. My dad is a very touchy subject. It’s mostly because of how he treated my mom, Jayce, and Alex.” Dominik starts to apply shampoo to my hair and work it into a lather.

“Then I don’t feel bad for my part in his demise. You’re not your dad, Dominik. You’re a very kind and gentle mate. That is unless I want it a bit rougher at night.” I smile, looking at him. I want him to see how much love I have for him.

“After we take back my mother’s castle when my next heat comes, Alaric is going to head to the Ice Dragon castle and will stay there until my heat is over. All four of you will have an equal shot at being a dad. As long as I nurse the babies, I won’t go into heat for a while. For now, Klaus’s grandmother has herbs to help me sleep through the next heat until we are safe to have more babies.” I honestly do look forward to having kids with each of the guys.

I raise an eyebrow out of reflex, thinking about delivering Dimitri’s baby. Wow, that’s going to hurt. I truly hope and pray my hoo-ha survives. “What thought just crossed your mind, love?” Dominik asks as he begins to rinse my hair.

“Dimitri’s cub…” I really don’t need to say more; the look on Dominik’s face says it all.

“Fuck! I didn’t think about that. Oof… Don’t worry, I volunteer as tribute to lick your hoo-ha till it’s all better.” Dominik starts to laugh as he finishes working the conditioner into my hair.

I can’t help but laugh along with Dominik as he massages my scalp. “I’m sure there will be another rock, paper, scissors tournament over this honor too.”

I look up to Dominik as innocently as I can manage. “Yes, I know all about how you guys fairly decide the nightly sleep order.”

I lightly tap my chin. “Maybe I should make it easy and take on a sixth mate, so you guys can rotate out in pairs?” I say it jokingly, but by the look on Dominik’s face I know he’s already talking to the others.

“Sold! We agree a flight shifter, or a tiger would be cool. Alaric says he knows some nice Siberian Tigers.” Dominik says it with such a straight face, I stop breathing from shock.

All I can do is just double blink, looking at him, then I turn my attention to the other assholes in my family. I focus hard on them and force their asses to enter the bathroom. I stand up and rinse my hair out, then turn off the water and grab a nearby robe.

I stare at the five of them, and each one looks more guilty than the next. “What the actual fuck are you assholes thinking? It’s not like I can go to the corner store and pull a sixth mate off the fucking shelf!” I wouldn’t say I’m angry per se; shocked and taken back is more like it, and it’s causing me to lash out.

Alaric gets all suave and gives me his best smile. “Well, a sixth mate solves many problems. Sleeping arrangements are one. All the chores can be equally and fairly divided. No one is left holding his own cock when we all do our thing.” I raise an eyebrow and start to laugh.

“You fuckers have been planning this conversation for a long time! I can tell! It’s why Alaric is delivering the proposal!” I’m practically yelling at them, holy fuck! How long have these assholes been planning this coup?

“How did you know?” Dimitri pipes up, looking like the kid that just got busted with his hand in the cookie jar.

I shake my head and laugh more. “Y’all fucked up! Usually, you send Jayce with the ideas that may piss me off. Alaric, Klaus, or Dominik doing it is a dead giveaway; you planned this!”

I wrap my robe tightly around myself as I look between the five of them. “If there’s another suitable mate, I will decide if I accept him.” I exit the room and promptly hear high fives being exchanged behind me. Jerks…

I shake my head and head into the master bedroom, then into the walk-in closet. Damn, Klaus went all out; my wall is organized and stocked by color. The boys have racks that pull out of the opposite wall. We have a party tonight with dancing and feasting, so I don’t want to wear anything over the top. I find a blood-red sweater and pair it with some insulated black leggings. Slowly I move over to the shoe rack and search for cute boots to go with what I’m wearing.

Hmm… fuck it. I pull out a pair of black Docs and red fuzzy socks. I return to the master bedroom and find my box with my crowns in it. I pull out my great-grandmother’s ruby crown and place it upon my head. Perfect!

The guys are all gathered, having what they think is a quiet discussion. Dimitri keeps shooting down everyone else’s ideas. I sneak up behind Dimitri and lean on his back, wrapping my arms around his neck. I kiss Dimitri’s cheek then look to the others. ‘Are we ready to go to the party? Elsa has agreed to watch the twins tonight so we can enjoy ourselves.’ I smile and arch an eyebrow looking at them.

‘Da, let’s get going, boys. Our mate wants to have some fun,’ Dimitri says. He grabs my arms, which are still around his neck, as he stands up, taking me with him. Quickly, he releases my arms and grabs my thighs, hiking me up his back for a piggyback ride. I start laughing hysterically because I can’t wrap my legs completely around Dimitri’s waist.

‘Tally ho, D! There’s food to be eaten, drinks to be drunk, and music to be danced to!’ I reach down and smack his ass, making my hand sting.

‘Don’t start nothing you can’t finish, baby girl.’ Dimitri says before I kiss his cheek and nuzzle his beard.

‘Have I ever not followed through, D?’ I lean forward and try to look him in the eye. My eyes shift to that of my beast. Dimitri smiles then kisses my cheek.

‘You do, love,’ Dimitri tells me. The soft rumbles of his bear can be heard and felt. I can’t help but smile, happy that he’s finally all mine.

We make our way through the house and out to where the packs have gathered. There are three food stations, two large bars, and a giant dance floor with a DJ. I slide off Dimitri’s back and run to the dance floor. I move my body in time with the bass hits, lost in my own world. I close my eyes, feeling all the beings around me. My link with the packs, as well as the dragons, has grown considerably.

I can tell the moment that any of my mates approach me; their bodies’ vibrations are different from the others. Their aura vibrates, not only with their life essence but also an echo of mine. I feel Dominik’s strong hands grip my hips as he pulls my ass flush with his crotch. I don’t bother opening my eyes, reveling in the feeling of the connection that we have at this moment. I feel a second set of hands, also resonating with my essence—it’s Klaus. He’s in front of me, his hands caressing my face. We move in time with the music, bumping and grinding in a sensual dance just for us.

The guys eventually break off; I’m left all hot and bothered. I watch them head up to what looks like a makeshift stage. Alaric takes Dominik’s position behind me, and I open my eyes to see where my other two mates have gone.

The music switches to something more American, ‘SAIL” from Awolnation comes on. Now, I have to say, I’ve been to a few male reviews in my time, but holy shit, is this hot. Two of my mates are gyrating in time, exactly to the beat of the song they have chosen. I pull Alaric towards the stage, that way I have a front-row seat to the entertainment. They are lost in the music, moving exactly like the guys did in the movie that used this song. I watch them both intently, occasionally they lock eyes with me, and I know the dance is just for me. I did not know either one of them could move like this—you know who’s testing that out later.

The song switches and they slowly remove themselves from the stage. Thunderous applause from the females in the packs greets them. Thankfully, no one now is stupid enough to even attempt to get close to them. My skin hums with anticipation, knowing full well that I will have a private show later. They both approach me and take me from Alaric. Dominik kisses me passionately, pulling me up off my feet and flush to his chest.

When Dominik finally releases me, Klaus picks me up, allowing my legs to wrap around his waist and starts dancing with me, kissing me tenderly. I feel Dimitri press up behind me, only to steal me from Klaus’s grip. I can’t help but laugh at the guy’s antics. Poor Jayce is standing off to the side, kicking at rocks. My heart breaks seeing him so upset. I kiss Dimitri and motion towards Jayce; Dimitri nods and slowly lowers me to the ground.

I blend myself into the crowd and grab two red wine glasses before heading over to Jayce. “What’s a sexy wolf like you doing here all alone? I could just eat you up.” I playfully snap my teeth at him, and he finally smiles. He really enjoys it when we role-play sometimes.

“Well, I was waiting for my beautiful and lethal mate to want to dance with me. But the others, well, they always get there first.” Jayce lowers his eyes, and I want to cry. I rush over and hug him tightly.

“I am so sorry, my love! I love you so very much. I hold none above the other; I’m sorry you’re feeling this way.” I kiss his lips ever so softly. I’m crying. I hate feeling as if I’ve wounded my gentle mate. I hate to have favorites, but for my emotional needs, when I feel I need a gentle touch, it’s Jayce. It’s always Jayce that guards my heart. He reminds me that I am more than just my animal; he reminds me that my life doesn’t just have to be about killing.

“Shhh, my love, I’m a lot tougher than most give me credit for. I know Dom talked to you; we were both hurt when we realized the baby wasn’t ours. We’re twins, so it really didn’t matter to either of us who fathered the child. Genetically there’s only one or two genomes difference between us. More than likely, when one of us does father a child with you, it will end up in twins again.” Jayce smiles, looking at me, happy with the possibility of multiple sets of twins.

Wow, that just knocked my world off-axis; another two sets of twins are possible. Fuck me sideways! Well, I did always want a large family, so I guess this is one way to do it. I smile softly at Jayce, rest my head on his chest, and then press my nose under his chin. In one sense, it can be viewed as a sign of submission. To my family, it’s more a sign of trust. I am blessed that my beast is trusted this close to his tender throat. Lightly, I run my tongue up the artery in Jayce’s throat, my beast rumbles in my chest. I nip his jaw then kiss him. “You will be in my bed alone tonight. You need me just as much as I need you.” Jayce’s eyes light up, and his smile shines brighter than the brightest star.

“Sounds like a wonderful plan, sweetheart. Shall we soak in the bath together before bed? I’ll give you a massage?” Jayce truly knows how to spoil a girl. Fuck, how did I get so fucking lucky? I’m lost in the adonis known as Jayce until I hear Klaus trying to whisper yell at a female to leave him alone.

Jayce knows the minute my beast awakens. It’s already cold out, but I am making it damn near arctic conditions. I slowly strip off the beautiful red sweater I’m wearing and hand it to Jayce as we approach where Klaus is. The other guys are there, along with an older man trying to reason with Klaus about accepting his daughter. My mates sense my bloodthirsty mood; others feel the temperature drop before they notice me. My eyes have shifted to my beast’s, mercury dragonic orbs lock on the female that’s attempting to touch my mate.

Klaus is doing his best to keep her at arm’s length, but that bitch is slipperier than an eel. Swiftly, I close in; my movements are nothing but a blur to onlookers. I grab the female by her shoulders and throw her a good twenty feet away from Klaus. Quickly, I shift my stance and then my arms to my dragon-scaled gauntlets. I click my talons in agitation, staring the stupid female down. She shifts and charges, her movements seem off as if she’s not moving of her own volition. No matter, I don’t budge one inch. Instead, I remain relaxed; the minute she’s close enough, I raise my hand and hit the dead center of her chest. She’s sent flying backward with her chest partially frozen solid. I just sent icicles through her heart with a single hit. Another female’s life wasted; another unnecessary kill on my hands.

I run and jump up on stage and use my Alpha powers to draw everyone’s attention to me. Through the pack bond, I decide to speak to everyone at once. My people! One thing I am not lenient with is someone attempting to poach a bonded mate. I have a feeling she was under the witch Elena’s power. I will be hunting that bitch very soon. For now, do not eat or drink anything unless someone you completely trust gives it to you. She has blood magic and the power to create false bonds and loyalties. I will protect us all the best I can, but you need to help me by protecting yourself the best you can. I’m only one being; I can only do so much. If anything concerns you, please speak to me, or one of my mates, or my father. I watch the pack’s response, and one by one they lower their heads slightly to me then go back to the party.

I hop down off the stage and look at my guys. “It’s begun; I will hunt Elena soon. Up the training on our fighters, pair each Dire with a Lycan. Give each team a dragon to lead them. If we can find the bears, we’ll see if they have the numbers to help.” My eyes move to Dimitri and I smile.

“I’ve located your clan; we leave in the morning to go see them. Alaric, Dimitri, and I will be riding Dante to get to the bears. I need you and my other mates to keep the camp running as usual and keep the babies safe. Dante will be flanked by Edgar and Marco; I’ll have two War Dragons and a Black Dragon with us.”

Alaric contemplates the information I’ve just given him and strokes his beard. Having heard their names, the dragons in question arrive and bow to us before awaiting Alaric’s judgment. “I’d prefer you riding Marco and let Dante and Edgar flank him. Size-wise the War Dragons are more maneuverable than Marco’s giant Black Dragon.”

Alaric crosses his thick arms over his chest then turns to look at the dragon men. “You will be traveling with my heart; protect it with your lives. You will also have my bond mate, protect him like you would your own brother.” The three dragon guards nod, bring their fists to their chests, and bow. Oddly, the three dragons and Alaric slice their palms and shake hands. They just gave their oath in blood. Okay then, I feel a fuck ton safer now.

The party rages on well into the night, everyone getting to know each other and bonding wonderfully. Dimitri, Jayce, and I slip off by ourselves sometime around one in the morning. Dimitri and I need sleep, and Jayce needs quality time with me. Jayce was kind enough to share his time with me with Dimitri too. We snuggle and fuck until we are tired, morning is going to get here quickly, and we have a mission to complete.