it.
“We will bless the ground and make it so no one can ever hear the singing of evil and be tempted.” He would stand by his word even if he was so nervous that he could not pull it off.
“Never? There is temptation in everything.” Joy smiled at him.
“I have faith.”
Zareb looked at where Kir stood back. He didn’t fully trust the man, but they had things to do and someone had to watch out for the others.
“Kir, you will stand watch.”
“Zareb, are you sure?” Joy raised a brow in question.
“I will trust that Kir will do what is right. Have faith.”
“I do, in you. Le’s do this. We have family to save.”
“Family? Even Djimon’s mate, Ive?”
“Of course. That’s what a pack is, a big family, even if you don’t like them all.”
“Ive is not that bad, my liefie.”
Joy just laughed.
Kir stayed behind, not saying a word. It was for the best. Zareb’s steps slowed—so many of his memories started from here. It was all gone—the only remaining members were Dji, Kir and himself. He would never see his mother or father again. His family was one he had created on his own. He remembered the first time he had met Russell Masters, he’d been so young and just coming into his stride as the alpha. Again—something, maybe the Ancients with a lesson, forced the memory to the front of his mind, almost as if he was reliving it.
* * * *
“Why are you trespassing on my land?”
Zareb looked at the proud man before him. Good radiated from his very core. Zareb would be happy to serve an alpha as pure as Russell Masters. The Ancients were right, he would lead with truth and peace. When the time came, Russell would step forward and together they could save the world. But that time wasn’t now.
“I am Zareb. I was sent here to train your people and help in any way I can.”
“Who sent you?” Russell sounded hesitant.
Good, the man was cautious. He would become a very strong leader.
“The Ancients. They should have told you I was coming.”
“The dream. You’re—the panther?”
“Yes.”
“How will this work exactly? I am the alpha here.”
“This I know. I will not stand in your way and will follow your orders. I need a place to stay and I have some knowledge that will be helpful in the future.”
“Okay. I had a cabin on the back of the property cleared out for you in case it was more than a dream. The vision said you like your solitude, but you will be joining us for pack dinners and meetings. The others will need to meet you.”
Zareb bowed. “Yes. I will be there.”
“Good. As long as we understand each other, things will be fine. I’ll have my beta, Max, show you the way.”
Zareb bowed again. “Thank you, alpha.”
* * * *
Finally a happy memory during a time when he needed it most—here in the spot where evil had taken him on a different path than he’d expected. He hated remembering the death and destruction. Russ was a good man and he would continue to guard the place he considered home.
“Is this it?” Joy had stopped in a patch of land that was barren. A large red dirt circle encompassed the area.
“I wonder what happened here. Before we had to dig, and it was never in a pattern.” Zareb wondered out loud.
“It looks ritualistic. Maybe Dmitri came back and tried something here. He did have the Vessel at that time.”
“This may be another trap.”
“I don’t think so. Dmitri wasn’t with me for long enough when he tried to take me over. I could feel his desperation. He wanted a body, any body would do—he is afraid of this spot,” Joy reassured him.
“Then let us begin. Go to the centre of the circle.”
Zareb watched Joy walk. He could look at her all day. She knelt in the middle of the pattern with her hands on the dirt and she began chanting. She had a great mastery over the elements. Her power matched his, and he hadn’t thought that would ever be possible.
A big hole appeared under Joy’s fingers. Zareb moved close to see a
“We will bless the ground and make it so no one can ever hear the singing of evil and be tempted.” He would stand by his word even if he was so nervous that he could not pull it off.
“Never? There is temptation in everything.” Joy smiled at him.
“I have faith.”
Zareb looked at where Kir stood back. He didn’t fully trust the man, but they had things to do and someone had to watch out for the others.
“Kir, you will stand watch.”
“Zareb, are you sure?” Joy raised a brow in question.
“I will trust that Kir will do what is right. Have faith.”
“I do, in you. Le’s do this. We have family to save.”
“Family? Even Djimon’s mate, Ive?”
“Of course. That’s what a pack is, a big family, even if you don’t like them all.”
“Ive is not that bad, my liefie.”
Joy just laughed.
Kir stayed behind, not saying a word. It was for the best. Zareb’s steps slowed—so many of his memories started from here. It was all gone—the only remaining members were Dji, Kir and himself. He would never see his mother or father again. His family was one he had created on his own. He remembered the first time he had met Russell Masters, he’d been so young and just coming into his stride as the alpha. Again—something, maybe the Ancients with a lesson, forced the memory to the front of his mind, almost as if he was reliving it.
* * * *
“Why are you trespassing on my land?”
Zareb looked at the proud man before him. Good radiated from his very core. Zareb would be happy to serve an alpha as pure as Russell Masters. The Ancients were right, he would lead with truth and peace. When the time came, Russell would step forward and together they could save the world. But that time wasn’t now.
“I am Zareb. I was sent here to train your people and help in any way I can.”
“Who sent you?” Russell sounded hesitant.
Good, the man was cautious. He would become a very strong leader.
“The Ancients. They should have told you I was coming.”
“The dream. You’re—the panther?”
“Yes.”
“How will this work exactly? I am the alpha here.”
“This I know. I will not stand in your way and will follow your orders. I need a place to stay and I have some knowledge that will be helpful in the future.”
“Okay. I had a cabin on the back of the property cleared out for you in case it was more than a dream. The vision said you like your solitude, but you will be joining us for pack dinners and meetings. The others will need to meet you.”
Zareb bowed. “Yes. I will be there.”
“Good. As long as we understand each other, things will be fine. I’ll have my beta, Max, show you the way.”
Zareb bowed again. “Thank you, alpha.”
* * * *
Finally a happy memory during a time when he needed it most—here in the spot where evil had taken him on a different path than he’d expected. He hated remembering the death and destruction. Russ was a good man and he would continue to guard the place he considered home.
“Is this it?” Joy had stopped in a patch of land that was barren. A large red dirt circle encompassed the area.
“I wonder what happened here. Before we had to dig, and it was never in a pattern.” Zareb wondered out loud.
“It looks ritualistic. Maybe Dmitri came back and tried something here. He did have the Vessel at that time.”
“This may be another trap.”
“I don’t think so. Dmitri wasn’t with me for long enough when he tried to take me over. I could feel his desperation. He wanted a body, any body would do—he is afraid of this spot,” Joy reassured him.
“Then let us begin. Go to the centre of the circle.”
Zareb watched Joy walk. He could look at her all day. She knelt in the middle of the pattern with her hands on the dirt and she began chanting. She had a great mastery over the elements. Her power matched his, and he hadn’t thought that would ever be possible.
A big hole appeared under Joy’s fingers. Zareb moved close to see a
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