Winifred’s voice cut into my head and, based on the expressions of the males around me, theirs too.
If you want him gone so badly, then try to remove him.
I couldn’t believe what she’d said. For a brief stunned moment, my eyes met Grey’s. Regret reflected there.
Brace yourself, he sent a moment before the first body slammed into me.
Ash snarled in my ear. I gripped his hair to keep him from sinking his teeth into my neck. Shifting my weight, I heaved him over my head as three more jumped on me. Claws raked the skin of my back and weight threatened to bring me down. I swung out, ripping through someone’s hide and relieving some pressure.
Charlene’s fear flooded me, spurring me to fight harder. I twisted and pivoted, trying to dislodge the arm wrapped around my neck. I reached back and swiped blindly with my left while grabbing a throat with my right.
One of the mutts bit into my forearm, and I grunted. The one on my back sunk his canines deep into my neck. My knees almost buckled from the pain, and I thought of all the bites Charlene had endured.
I tried to shake him off, but he held tight. Another set of claws raked my back. My anger spiked. I roared and fought harder.
The mutt on my back jerked unnaturally until he suddenly fell away. I kicked out, cracking his ribs so he would stay down. Focusing on the pup on my arm, I raked my claws across his face. He loosened his hold and flew from me as did the one beside him. I realized then, what was happening.
Charlene was using her abilities. Grey had sent me that warning because Winifred had provoked the fight, forcing Charlene’s hand. I should have been angry, but I understood why the Elders had done it. We all had a reason to hate humans. Winifred wanted them to see Charlene was more than just a human.
With only two remaining, I grabbed one by the throat and lifted him high.
“Enough,” Charlene said from much too close.
The anger started to fade, and I realized it hadn’t all been my own.
Still, it was hard to let it go as I stared into the face of one of my attackers.
Slowly, I opened my hand. He dropped to the ground with a yip.
The last mutt looked away from me, unwilling to take me one on one. Satisfied, I glanced at Charlene. She stood just a few feet from me, her fists clenched at her sides and her hair swept off her shoulders. Her cheeks flushed with new anger when she saw my neck.
Then she frowned.
She turned looking at the males gathered around us.
“If you want to behave like animals, then society will continue to treat you like animals. You will be hunted down and killed. Maybe you can accept that but look through the door,” she said, pointing toward Mary and Rilla.
“They don’t want to accept it. They are willing to change to give the next generation a chance.”
“A chance for what?” Ash said.
She turned, looking for him.
“A chance to survive,” she said.
“There aren’t enough Mates. You’re promising the impossible,” Ash said.
“Aren’t there?” asked Winifred, stepping out. “You sensed Charlene was a possibility when you first arrived here. Her desire to change things upset you, and you’ve refused to see her as what she is. A potential Mate. I’ve listened to your concerns. She’s too human. She’s too weak. Did she look too human or too weak just now? She stopped this fight, not me. Not Grey.”
The men stared at Charlene. I moved closer and set my hands on her shoulders as fear and shame touched my mind. I couldn’t believe she was ashamed of what she could do. She was different. Special. And Claimed because of it. I sent a wave of reassurance over to her.
“We Elders have spoken with her and have watched the changes she’s made. We believe she is the future of our race. We can’t force you to accept her, but we will not let you harm her or drive her away for as long as her existence continues to benefit us.”
The command touched me, implanting itself. I would never harm her. I would never drive her away.
Charlene reached up and placed her hand on top of mine. I leaned forward and kissed the back of her head. Even without the command, I could have never harmed her. We were one and would stand together always.
“Your race can be something great,” Charlene said, “but it will take cooperation and hard work. The things we do today will impact tomorrow and the future of your people. What future do you want? More fighting amongst yourselves?”
“I want a future where my son has hope of a Mate,” Rilla said from behind her. “I want a safe place to live until I give birth to this next one.” She patted her still flat stomach.
The tension in the crowd seemed to break after that. Many of the men shifted position to study Rilla, likely wondering if she carried a girl. Her husband stood behind her, a protective hand on her waist.
It would be best if the females went back inside, Winifred sent me.
I set my hand on Charlene’s back and nudged her toward the door.
“Wait, what about the new members?” Ash demanded.
Charlene stopped moving and anger flooded our connection. I shared her temper. I wanted nothing more than to rip the man’s head from his body.
She took a calming breath and replied without turning.
“Recall our deal. He will accept new members the day after you return. That’s tomorrow. Today, give yourselves time to get to know one another.”
She kept walking forward, and I followed.
“I have warm water in there for you,” Mary said, looking at me as she walked out of the tub room.
Charlene tried to step away, but I kept my hand on her and steered her toward the door.
She frowned at me over her shoulder.
“I can’t reach my back,” I said. I couldn’t, but that wasn’t why I wanted her with me. I just needed her touch. Some reassurance. I wasn’t a fool. I’d come close to losing everything out there.
With a sigh, she willingly walked into the room.
A chair waited near the washbowl. I sat sideways so she had full access to my chest and back. She wet the cloth and started to gently wash the blood from my back. She didn’t say anything as she worked. Rinse the cloth. Wipe my skin. Repeat. It hurt. Yet, her touch helped soothe me. The gashes and bruises would heal.
When the water was dirty, she left the tub room to replace it.
I closed my eyes and focused on the pack. Ash was still there, angry and resistant. A few of the others seemed less resistant, but I doubted that would matter. He had more than I could handle. Would Winifred’s forced display of Charlene’s power be enough to sway them? If not, what would tomorrow bring? The pack would shake apart. I had faith that Grey would keep the peace to a point, but I knew Charlene still wouldn’t be welcome. If another, bigger pack formed, they could choose to chase us off. Then where would we go?
Charlene walked back into the room and closed the door behind her.
A surge of pity touched my mind and altered her scent.
“Save your pity,” I said softly. “These scratches aren’t worth it.”
“It’s not pity, its compassion,” she said, setting the bowl down.
I listened to her wet the cloth and walk around me. When she moved to stand between my legs, I opened my eyes to stare up at her.
“Can’t you tell the difference between the two?” she asked as she pressed the cloth to a small gash caked with blood. She wiped hard, and I grunted.
“Nope. Not with you.”
“Baby,” she said.
She tried to move away, but I caught her around the waist.
“Show me some compassion.”
She stared down at me for a moment then stepped closer. She set the cloth on my shoulder and, with her hands free, cupped my face. Her thumb gently smoothed over my cheek.
I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly.
Her lips brushed my chin, then my cheek. When she gently kissed my eyebrow, I realized she was kissing each injury. I remained still as she moved over my face, working her way to the split on my upper lip. Pleasure danced with pain as she lowered her mouth to mine and kissed me gently.
She pulled away for only a moment before she returned, hungrily opening her mouth. I wrapped my arms around her and pressed her close, willingly taking everything she gave. Her hunger pushed at my mind. My hands moved over her shirt, wanting to explore so much more than the sweet curves of her back.
When she pulled back, she was panting for air. She gently kissed my cheek and touched my damaged upper lip.
“I think I should finish cleaning you up,” she said in barely a whisper.
Sighing, I loosened my hold and let her continue rinsing away the blood.
“I like when you’re compassionate.”
She grinned and turned away to rinse the cloth again. When she turned around with a forced serious expression, I almost laughed. I could still feel her hunger for me.
“I’m sure you do.” She handed me the cloth. “I think you can do the rest. I’m going to go help cook.”
I grinned.
“One of these days you’ll stop running.”
****
Having Charlene clean my wounds was the best part of a tense day.
The Elders tried to influence some of the men to hunt for lunch but only caused more resentment. Instead I asked my pack to help, forcing the resistant ones to join us. The females butchered the deer we brought back and made a large midday meal, which they did not attend.
A few of the males complained about their absence. Winifred was quick to point out they were the reason for the females’ disappearance.
“We will not jeopardize the females’ safety by putting them near a group of angry males on the verge of fighting.”
Grey stayed with Mary and Charlene while Winifred watched over the families.
I took my pack out for another hunt. It kept Ash away from the males he’d recruited.
After we returned with our kills, several of the men pulled me aside to ask me more questions. It gave me hope there might be a few who liked the changes being made. Perhaps their attitudes would spread.
I didn’t see Charlene but once until I went inside for the night.
I’ll be out here all night, Grey said as I passed him.
I nodded, grateful.
Charlene still had the lamp on when I opened her door. She looked up at me as I walked in.
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” I asked softly.
“I couldn’t. I was waiting for you. What took so long?”
I smiled, blew out the lamp, and sat on the edge of the mattress. I combed my fingers through her soft hair.
“A lot of the men wanted to talk to me. Some, I think, wanted to know what kind of leader I might be if they decided to join tomorrow. Some were just curious about you. Where did you come from? Are there any others like you? Things like that.” I lay down next to her. “I think they were disappointed to hear you’re one of a kind, so far.”
She rolled to her side and laid her head on my shoulder.
“Tomorrow…”
Concern coated her scent.
“Don’t worry so much,” I said softly. I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.