greetings. We didn’t know you existed until a few days ago.”
“The old English Alpha was mad. All ties were broken while he ruled. We live quiet lives, blending in with our human neighbors. Our numbers are dwindling, and there are few females, and even fewer babies born each year. Many of our males mate with humans. But to do so means keeping your lycan half a secret. It is very sad.”
“Our Alpha in Siberia heartmated with a human. She delivered twin girls who are alphas in their own right. Do your males heartmate with human females?”
“I don’t believe so. In the pack, only a few heartmated pairs are left. But the heartmate bondalways comes before a mating without the bond . ”
“You mean pack members are mating without the heartmate bond?” Valerii asked, confused. That had happened only once in the Siberian pack.
“It seemed prudent; we needed children. But none are born to an un-bonded couple , and often the mating fails. When that happens, one of the pair moves away. So our numbers have dwindled even more.” The old woman sighed and looked out the window.
Valerii shook his head. The Paris pack was in trouble. They weren’t holding to the laws laid down by the mother of their race, Asena. Mating without a heartmate bond was seldom allowed. It was cruel to subject a lycan to living with someone who wasn’t his or her true mate. Still, he could understand why they tried to stop the decline of their numbers.
“How many sit on the elders ’ council?” he asked.
“We number only four. My mate and I, and one other couple.”
So few to advise the Alpha? The pack must be very small. “Where should I go to talk to Durant?”
“Most of the pack can be found in the evenings at Café de Luna Bleu on Boulevard de Clichy.”
“Thank you, Madam. I didn’t catch your name.”
“Louise Bontecou. You may call me Louise.”
“Thank you for the information, Louise.”
“You are welcome, but you did not answer my question. Where is your mate?”
“At the moment she is shopping in Paris. I will meet her tonight.”
“Ah, perhaps she buys a special outfit for you to enjoy. She is French, no?”
“Yes, she is French.” At least , he assumed she was.
“What is her name? I have n’t heard of a couple being heartmated in the pack. We must plan a celebration. You give us hope, monsieur .” She clapped her hands in delight.
Should he tell her? She seemed harmless enough. “Can you keep a secret, Louise?”
“A secret? Non . I see you are serious. Do not tell me, I will be so excited I will call Marie, and she will tell Amee, and so on. No, do not tell me.”
***
Josie put the pair of rhinestone earrings into her shopping bag and, smiling, walked out of the little jewelry boutique. She had everything she needed to be presentable to her pack members tonight. Her image needed to be filled with confidence and strength, a true Alpha female.
At each store she asked for help from the attendants and was pleased that her French was coming back to her. She carried her bags on her arm and strolled down the sidewalk with the rest of the crowd. Her stomach growled loudly, and Josie suddenly wondered what time it was.
A large ornate clock on the side of a building indicated it was after one o’clock. She’d been so wrapped up in shopping she’d let time get away from her. Valerii should have arrived by now. Why hadn’t he contacted her? Perhaps, he realized she really was trouble. A sudden ache in her chest stopped her for a moment.
You are being silly, malyshka. I know you are trouble, but you are also mine. I need to assess the danger Fortescue and these men bring to our race. I will join you as soon as I can.
Just hearing his voice in her head made her nerves settle. How can you say that? I am not trouble. Well not much.
No? Enjoy your shopping. We can discuss this later.
Deciding to get something to eat, Josie prepared to cross the street. She could see a little café on the corner with
“The old English Alpha was mad. All ties were broken while he ruled. We live quiet lives, blending in with our human neighbors. Our numbers are dwindling, and there are few females, and even fewer babies born each year. Many of our males mate with humans. But to do so means keeping your lycan half a secret. It is very sad.”
“Our Alpha in Siberia heartmated with a human. She delivered twin girls who are alphas in their own right. Do your males heartmate with human females?”
“I don’t believe so. In the pack, only a few heartmated pairs are left. But the heartmate bondalways comes before a mating without the bond . ”
“You mean pack members are mating without the heartmate bond?” Valerii asked, confused. That had happened only once in the Siberian pack.
“It seemed prudent; we needed children. But none are born to an un-bonded couple , and often the mating fails. When that happens, one of the pair moves away. So our numbers have dwindled even more.” The old woman sighed and looked out the window.
Valerii shook his head. The Paris pack was in trouble. They weren’t holding to the laws laid down by the mother of their race, Asena. Mating without a heartmate bond was seldom allowed. It was cruel to subject a lycan to living with someone who wasn’t his or her true mate. Still, he could understand why they tried to stop the decline of their numbers.
“How many sit on the elders ’ council?” he asked.
“We number only four. My mate and I, and one other couple.”
So few to advise the Alpha? The pack must be very small. “Where should I go to talk to Durant?”
“Most of the pack can be found in the evenings at Café de Luna Bleu on Boulevard de Clichy.”
“Thank you, Madam. I didn’t catch your name.”
“Louise Bontecou. You may call me Louise.”
“Thank you for the information, Louise.”
“You are welcome, but you did not answer my question. Where is your mate?”
“At the moment she is shopping in Paris. I will meet her tonight.”
“Ah, perhaps she buys a special outfit for you to enjoy. She is French, no?”
“Yes, she is French.” At least , he assumed she was.
“What is her name? I have n’t heard of a couple being heartmated in the pack. We must plan a celebration. You give us hope, monsieur .” She clapped her hands in delight.
Should he tell her? She seemed harmless enough. “Can you keep a secret, Louise?”
“A secret? Non . I see you are serious. Do not tell me, I will be so excited I will call Marie, and she will tell Amee, and so on. No, do not tell me.”
***
Josie put the pair of rhinestone earrings into her shopping bag and, smiling, walked out of the little jewelry boutique. She had everything she needed to be presentable to her pack members tonight. Her image needed to be filled with confidence and strength, a true Alpha female.
At each store she asked for help from the attendants and was pleased that her French was coming back to her. She carried her bags on her arm and strolled down the sidewalk with the rest of the crowd. Her stomach growled loudly, and Josie suddenly wondered what time it was.
A large ornate clock on the side of a building indicated it was after one o’clock. She’d been so wrapped up in shopping she’d let time get away from her. Valerii should have arrived by now. Why hadn’t he contacted her? Perhaps, he realized she really was trouble. A sudden ache in her chest stopped her for a moment.
You are being silly, malyshka. I know you are trouble, but you are also mine. I need to assess the danger Fortescue and these men bring to our race. I will join you as soon as I can.
Just hearing his voice in her head made her nerves settle. How can you say that? I am not trouble. Well not much.
No? Enjoy your shopping. We can discuss this later.
Deciding to get something to eat, Josie prepared to cross the street. She could see a little café on the corner with
Similar Books
