Chapter 69: Jetania

WARIM

Lasun Vesrak was equally as large as Garget Ranev and even more rooted in honor and tradition. There wasn’t a wolf among any of the Mountain packs who did not know who he was, for his word was his oath. Like Garget Ranev, Lasun was cut from the same mold when it came to a Mountain Alpha, and when he spoke, people listened. He would go out of his way to make you feel welcome and comfortable, but cross him in any way and he could become your largest nightmare. No Plains wolves even attempted to go into the area of the Vesrak Pack to attempt to claim one of their females. The Vesrak Pack was too high into the mountains to make the trip and almost always those Plains Alphas ended up disappearing to never be seen again.

When Garget contacted him, Lasun had gone into a rage at first, even throwing several large chairs out of the windows of his office in his own City Settlement of Avona high up in the Western mountains. He calmed almost immediately when Garget told him what had occurred and who had saved Anoria from the fate Juyno had planned for her and Taris. His eyes had only grown wider when Garget continued to explain who was now in Warim and that he needed to come here without delay. It had taken him and his mate Issna Vesrak only ninety minutes on the Overland Tram that connected all of the Mountain pack settlements within the many different mountain ranges and the trip allowed him to regain some of his calm demeanor. His wife and mate of nearly thirty thousand years had that affect on him, as she was the glue that kept his more volatile nature from exploding outward, and it was she who had explained to four of their six sons that they needed to remain in Avona. Their father’s rage would more than compensate for their own she had told them, and they needed to remain calm. It was well known that in the city of Avona that in order to get near Anoria Vesrak, you had to go through her brothers as well as her father. A gauntlet that very few would survive. It also raised suspicion among the spies of Osrod Aspion as well, especially when they saw Lasun depart so quickly with his wife headed for Warim. Word was quickly sent back to Osrod in the capital almost immediately after Lasun departed his city of Avona.

These were things that did not concern Lasun in the least once the large man saw his only daughter laying on the medical bed and smiling at him when he entered with her mother. He did not recognize the others in the room with her, two Alpha females and a young Alpha male, but he could not deny the pureness of their wolf blood that was for certain. He knew instantly that none of them were pureblood wolves, but the blood within them was as pure as Lasun had ever smelled before, purer than even King Osrod himself. None of that mattered after an instant and he moved up beside the bed with is wife and mate Issna, coming to stand beside where Taris Ranev stood close to Anoria’s head and held her hand tightly.

Lasun Vesrak was no fool, even as rooted in tradition as he was, and he knew his only daughter was different the moment she came into this world wailing like a banshee. She had been a surprise for him and Issna, but a hugely welcome one for both of them after six proud sons, and he knew things would be different going into the future the moment her ice blue eyes, so much like his own, had settled on him when she was just hours old.

Anoria Vesrak’s beauty was unrivaled in Avona and more than one Alpha had expressed an interest in her as she grew, but Lasun and her brothers had quickly shut that down. He loved his only daughter beyond any emotion he had ever felt, and he denied her nothing, much to the chagrin of many of Avona’s elder wolves. Her older brothers protected and looked after Anoria viciously, as did their own wives and mates. When Anoria announced that she wanted to join the Black Watch, Lasun Vesrak had supported her decision whole heartedly, as had his wife and mate. Anoria had shared with him many secrets as she had grown, secrets that daughters do not normally tell their fathers, and Lasun knew of her visions about Taris Ranev and their future together with the young Alpha who would eventually claim them. The intensity of her emotion and how she explained it all to him made Lasun embrace this way of thinking and he began to change even his old ways. He trained her in ways that even Mountain pack females did not train and he began to communicate more and more with Garget Ranev until the two men had become very close friends. He also discovered that Taris was no different in her actions with her father Garget than Anoria had been with Lasun, which as far as Lasun Vesrak was concerned only sealed his belief about the future.

Lasun took Anoria’s hand as she reached for him and he pulled it close to his scruffy, bearded face and kissed the back of her hand.

“Pen brol frinna alvva.” Anoria told him with bright, ice blue eyes. “Marde.” (I am fine papa. Truly)

Lasun noted quickly that her scent was saturated with the scent of an extremely strong Alpha wolf. A honey melon and mint scent that mixed with hers openly. He glanced at Taris beside him and detected the same thing. That scent filtered within them in such a way as to tell any wolf in the area that they had been chosen and no one was to come near them if they valued their physical wellbeing. The Alpha that did this was stronger than any of the young Alphas he had smelled before in Avona, strong and pure. He snapped his head around and looked at the brownish, red haired young man behind him. He was standing beside the dark red haired young woman and the Queen that Garget had told him had come.

Lasun turned to fully face Calyb Leonidas. “You ... you are the one who stopped Juyno Aspion’s foul actions?” Lasun asked sternly.

Anoria’s face twisted into one of concern. “Alvva reyna.” She spoke quickly. Taris took her hand tightly and shook her head. (Papa please)

Calyb Leonidas remained standing before this Alpha wolf, a man who was even larger than his own father physically. He nodded his head slowly even as his heart raced with anxiety. He was able to hide this well enough with his etheric ability, making it seem to Lasun Vesrak as if this young wolf did not fear him in the least. Lasun stepped closer to him now, staring at him with his own ice blue eyes and the only thing that Anoria had inherited from him. Everything else about her looks was her mother, which Lasun often times thanked the gods for, causing his wife and mate to laugh at him for. Lasun Vesrak sensed a powerful warrior’s blood within this young Alpha, but tempered by a scholar’s blood. He did not flinch from his gaze, did not show his inward self and this impressed Lasun Vesrak more than anything.

“I ... I owe you a debt I can never repay young Alpha.” Lasun spoke calmly surprising even his wife and mate.

Calyb Leonidas was a young Alpha he knew, and he was a half breed, which obviously these Lycavorians were not used to, but his father’s blood was dominant as his mother often told him happily and he should embrace that. He was a Leonidas and even though he was inwardly shaking with fear, he rose to his full height of five foot ten and met Lasun’s eyes.

“There ... there is a way sir.” He spoke.

Lasun admired this young wolf’s bravery and he nodded his head. “Speak then.” He told him.

“I would ask ... I would ask that you allow me to court and claim your daughter as my wife and mate.” Calyb blurted out the words, Retta beside him and filling her twin with her own newfound confidence and feeling his heart and mind racing. Retta knew Calyb did not yet understand the overwhelming attraction to both of these young women, but soon that would no longer matter.

Lasun Vesrak glanced back at Anoria, her beautiful features beaming in happiness as she clutched Taris’ hand in one of her own and her mother’s hand in the other. He turned back to Calyb. “My daughter is ... she is very special young wolf.” Lasun spoke. “She has been special since she came into this world screaming at all those around her.”

“Papa!” Anoria exclaimed in embarrassment.

Calyb looked at her and Taris, his own blood burning within his veins for both of them, and only Retta’s calm resonance helping him to control it and hold it down. He turned back to Lasun.

“She and Taris Ranev are one and the same, sir.” Calyb spoke softly. “Two who are one. My blood ... my blood burns for each of them equally ... as if they are one. You know this sir, I can see it in your eyes.”

Lasun Vesrak nodded his head, impressed by his actions and his words. A warrior poet it appeared that this young Alpha Calyb Leonidas was. Lasun knew deep within his heart that no other could love and defend his daughter and Taris Ranev more than this young Alpha before him. He would burn worlds for them and he would heal their wounds should the need ever arise. And he would never cast them aside.

Lasun tilted his head to the side. “You are very young Calyb Leonidas.” Lasun spoke slowly. “But you have the spirit and the heart of a warrior and a sage ten times your age. How is that possible?”

Calyb didn’t hesitate. “I have the blood of my father within me sir. And the blood of my mother. That is all I need. That is all I am.”

Lasun glanced at Anja who had so far remained silent and he turned back to Calyb. “So it would seem young wolf. So it would seem.” He turned and looked at his wife and mate. “What does my beautiful Issna say to this young Alpha’s request?”

Lasun watched his wife and mate, as she looked quickly to Anoria and then Taris. Issna Vesrak was a female Alpha wolf who had stood beside him for more years than he could remember and never flinched. A woman who had given him six, strong and proud children and raised every one of them in the same fashion. A female wolf who was the only one who could stir his blood because of her endless beauty and intoxicating eyes. He watched her dark eyes meet his and she nodded her head.

“I approve.” She stated simply.

Lasun nodded his head and turned back to Calyb. “Impressing her is far more difficult than impressing me and you have done this. You have our permission Calyb Leonidas.” Lasun stepped closer looking down into his unwavering eyes. “Love them as you have never loved anything before young wolf, and you will discover what I did the moment I took her mother as my mate, they will make your life worth living.”

Anoria’s ice blue eyes filled with tears at her father’s words, as did Taris’ for it was almost exactly what her father had told Calyb not thirty minutes ago.

Calyb looked at them both and Lasun could see that devotion and love in those green hazel eyes. “That will never be an issue for me sir.” Calyb spoke looking back to him. “I will treat them and love them as my father does my mothers. Utterly and without fail.”

Lasun saw Anja’s chest swell in pride behind her son and he nodded his head. “Then so be it.” He spoke. “When ... when will she be able to leave this place Queen Anja?” He asked looking at Anja. Garget had already told him everything about this fiery haired Queen and what she was capable of and he had been looking forward to meeting her, just under different circumstances. “I hate medical facilities.”

Anja smiled at him and motioned to Calyb. “My son is her doctor Lasun Vesrak.” She replied.

Calyb smiled and looked at Anoria and Taris. “She will remain here overnight.” He stated formally. “Her injuries are healed but I want her to rest. I will stay with her through the evening with Taris. You are welcome to return at any time but I’m sure you are interested to meet my father.”

Lasun nodded his head. “Indeed.” He held up his hand. “Do not claim my daughter in a hospital room Calyb Leonidas.” He stated seeing Calyb turned a bright red in embarrassment.

“Lasun Vesrak!” Issna Vesrak exclaimed aloud.

Anja couldn’t help but laugh and she stepped forward to take his arm. “Come this way Lasun.” She told him. “I will take you to see Martin. He and Garget are close by.”

Issna glared at her husband as he turned but she could not be mad at him for very long as she saw the twinkle in his eye. “I will remain as well Lasun.” She spoke to him. “For a time anyway.”

Lasun look at Anoria a last time, saw her beaming face and knew he had done the right thing. He nodded his head and then looked at Anja. “I wish to see the scum that did this to my daughter.” He spoke.

“Lasun!” Issna looked at her beloved mate. “Do not make things worse my love.” She told him. “Promise me.”

Lasun stared at her for a long moment and then nodded his head. Anja took his arm and led him out of the room.

Garget was standing outside the lone room at the end of the corridor, the glass partition allowing them to look into the room unhindered. He turned when Anja walked up with Lasun and he bowed his head to her.

“Queen Anja.” He stated formally.

Anja shook her head with a smile. “I have already told you about that Garget. However it came to be, we are family now. Retta and Lazar, Loras in the future hopefully. As family we do not stand on formality. Please.” Anja told him. “Besides, we are your guests here and we are not your King and Queens.”

Garget shook is head quickly. “That is where you are wrong.” He spoke confidently. “But that is a discussion for another time I suppose.” He said. He quickly held out his hand to Lasun who took his forearm without question. “It is good to see you again old friend.”

Lasun nodded his head. “Thank you Garget.”

Garget shook his head once more. “I did nothing.” He replied. He looked at Anja again. “They are down the adjoining corridor in the large conference room Lady Anja, though I am sure you can find them.” He said motioning with his hand down a separate corridor to their right. “I will bring Lasun along shortly. We have some things to discuss first.”

Anja nodded her head and looked at Lasun. “We will see you again Lasun Vesrak.” She told him. “It has been a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Lasun bowed his head to her. “More for me Lady Anja.” He told her. “More for me.”

Anja smiled and headed down the corridor as Lasun stepped up beside Garget. His eyes followed Anja for a short time and then he turned back to his friend. “You were not joking when you said she was tiny Garget my friend. And this is the one who made Lazar and Rhaos look like children?”

Garget grinned and nodded his head. “And a detachment of my own men when they arrived here.” He said. “Do not let her size fool you. She is more vicious and cunning than I have ever seen from a female wolf before and I imagine her fellow Queens are no different. Do not underestimate her.”

Lasun grunted. “I do not intend too. The smell of the Alpha within her blood alone would give any man pause if he had half a brain.” He turned and looked fully at Garget Ranev. “What happened my friend?”

The two men had become as close as brothers over the last decade because of their two daughters. As with Lasun, Taris had shared everything with her father, opening his eyes to things he would never have considered before. Knowing what their daughters would share in the future and with whom, this had brought the two men closer than anything had before then. Among the Mountain Packs it was well known that in the last decade, the two men had stood together on every issue that had come up and they had not wavered. Garget Ranev and Lasun Vesrak had become synonymous with each other and if you angered one, you automatically angered the other. And no one wanted both of them aligned against them.

Garget looked at his friend. A man who had replaced his lost brother Warim in his eyes. They were only five years apart in age anyway. “Taris and Anoria went into the mountains last night. She has a cave under a waterfall. A retreat of sorts for her. They went there to be together and...”

Lasun nodded his head knowingly. “Our daughters have always been different Garget. They have changed us both in many ways. We have known for longer than they have that they would be together. That is not something I will ever question.”

“Then you see the love they carry for each other in their eyes?” Garget said. “And for Calyb Leonidas.”

Lasun nodded his head slowly. “He is a half breed and yet his aura burns brighter than most of the Alphas in my Pack.” He said. “I cannot deny that, nor can I deny what I see in my daughter’s eyes when she looks at him. Or Taris’ for that matter.”

Garget nodded his head. “Nor I.” He held out the data pad to him. “Juyno had this on him.” He spoke as Lasun began reading. “The birth registry. He knew Taris would be in Phase at this time and he purposely came up here for her. He did not know that Anoria is a member of the Black Watch and that she would be here as well. And he certainly didn’t know she would be with Taris.”

Lasun looked at him. “These files are supposed to be confidential Garget.” He hissed.

Garget nodded his head. “When have you ever known Osrod to abide by rules that he himself sets?” He spoke. “This however, this stinks of his upaee Queen Secha. Juyno’s mother. She is devious and she hates the Mountain Packs for some reason that we have never been able to determine. Especially Loras. Her treatment of Loras when she was a Queen should have been all the knowledge we needed.”

Lasun shook his head. “I should have supported her openly Garget.” He admitted to his friend. “Seeing what she has done in these last years is amazing. How she has brought us all together and got us to work for the benefit of all our Packs. I should have ... perhaps if I had been more vocal what happened with Warim would never had taken place.”

Garget shook his head. “Do not dwell on it Lasun.” He told him. “She has always known that you were behind her. And what took place is what destiny intended. My brother lived a full life and he died defending the woman he loved.”

Lasun met his eyes. “Loras was a loyal and devoted wife and mate to him Garget, but she did not truly love him did she?”

Garget shook his head slowly. “Warim knew this I think. Deep inside I think he knew Loras was meant for much greater things.”

“What did Queen Anja mean when she said Loras was to be a member of their family in the future?” Lasun asked. “Do you know?”

Garget shook his head. “It has something to do with the prophecy that I have not seen.” He replied. He looked at Lasun intently. “She does bear the same mark on her shoulder that the members of the Mard Revik’s family all have now. A wolf’s head. It is not as clearly defined as Lazar, for he has taken Anja and the King’s daughter Retta as his mate, but it is there. I suspect that it will appear on Taris and Anoria once Calyb claims them.”

Garget reached out and touched the small control panel beside the window of the room. The opaque glass suddenly disappeared to reveal the inside of the room and Lasun’s eyes grew wider when he saw Juyno Aspion lying on the bed.

“He will live unfortunately.” Garget said. “Another young woman like Queen Anja, a Hadarian as her species are called, she is the wife and mate to Anja’s mandri Kalis, she kept him alive. His sternum was fractured in two places, six of his ribs were broken clean in half and one punctured his lung. His skull had a minor fracture and his jaw was broken in three different places. Serale, that is her name, she made sure to treat the more severe of his wounds, but she left the others to be worked on by our medical people.”

Lasun could only stare at Juyno in shock. His face was still heavily bruised, and very swollen. His jaw had been reset but the bruising from that was very obvious as were the two pins in either side of his cheek that held the thick bone together now. It would heal, but as with all Lycavorians, their bones were so tough and thick, it would take time for the injury to heal fully. He looked at Garget with wide eyes.

“You ... you are saying that Calyb Leonidas did this?” He asked in shock. “Juyno Aspion is ... he is at least six inches taller and sixty pounds heavier than him.”

Garget nodded his head as he looked back to Juyno in the bed. Juyno’s right hand was secured to the bed frame with flexible cuffs, but even still, Garget had two of his men in the room with him.

“I said as much to myself. He killed one of the others with Juyno and crippled another. He would have killed them all had not his father and brother arrived to stop him.” Garget said finally with a nod of agreement. “I have never witnessed such a thing in all my life. Once his father and brother were there, he went from savagely protecting them to healing Anoria in a split second. It is ... it is this Spartan training that all of their people undergo Lasun. Even the King’s family it seems. I have never seen men and women move as they do Lasun. I do not know what this Spartan training regime consists of, but apparently they do not play at war as Osrod does Lasun. A painful fact that I believe he will discover very soon.”

Lasun Vesrak was silent for a long moment as he stared at Juyno Aspion on the bed. He wanted to kill the fool for injuring his beloved daughter, kill him in the most painful way that he could possibly devise, but he also realized that the severe beating that Calyb Leonidas had given to him would remain with him forever. A pain that his mind would never forget.

Lasun looked at his friend. “What ... what is he like Garget?” He asked finally.

Garget met his eyes and smiled. “He is not what you expect Lasun.” He answered. “He is not what I expected. But there is no doubt in my mind that he is the Mard Revik.”

Lasun looked back to Juyno through the window. “Then everything ... everything Anoria and Taris and the Oracle have been saying all of this time. It is truly real.”

Garget nodded his head. “Yes ... it is.” He spoke. “Come my friend, you will want to meet him.”

Lasun snarled silently at Juyno’s still form before turning and following Garget down the corridor.

Lasun Vesrak had believed longer and more deeply in the prophecy than his friend Garget Ranev, primarily because of his now long dead parents. Anoria’s birth and everything she had told him while she was growing had only cemented this within his heart. Lasun knew that the same thing had happened to Garget when Taris was born and he discovered just how special she was, but Lasun’s faith had never wavered. He hadn’t really given much thought to how he expected the Mard Revik to be, but whatever conceptions he may have had got tossed onto the trash heap when he entered the room and saw him.

His wolf aura alone was enough to stagger Lasun in such a way that he paused for a long moment and gripped Garget’s arm, his eyes wide in disbelief. Never in his lifetime had he felt such an aura of power and dominance. Garget smiled at this reaction for it was no different than what he had experienced on the landing platform only a few short hours ago. Lasun could only gaze with wide eyes upon the one the prophecy said would come. He was tall, easily over six foot, but his body appeared as if it had been forged from granite. He was thickly muscled, far more so than even his youngest and strongest warrior, the shirt he wore doing little to hide the cut of his arms and his broad shoulders. His raven black mane of hair was shoulder length and now pulled into a tight pony tail at the back of his head. His beard and mustache was perfectly trimmed, his skin deeply tanned, telling Lasun that this was a man who did not stay inside very often. At the moment, the fiery red haired Queen Anja was in his arms, her own arms wrapped tightly around his narrow waist and her head pressed to his chest; the other, taller women on either side of her, all of them pressed up against him intimately.

The female with the same hair color as the Mard Revik, as black as the darkest night, and almost blue in the dim light of the sun from outside the huge window of the lounge, was a pureblood Alpha female whose aura dwarfed any female he had ever seen in his lifetime, even his own beloved Issna. Her beauty was exotic and utterly surreal, and the color of her eyes unlike any he had ever seen before. This could only be the Mard Revik’s Anome, his Lycavorian soulmate as the prophecy foretold and Anoria had told him of from the Oracle’s teachings during her schooling among the Black Watch. The second female, with golden blond hair and four-inch-high pointed ears, was equally astounding in her beauty. Her deeply tanned skin was without a single blemish of any kind, so smooth and radiant. This could only be one of the elven Queens as Anoria had also told him of, both of them devastating in their beauty as all female members of their species were.

Lasun glanced quickly at Garget still unable to process what he saw and could obviously feel within the room. Garget nodded his head. “I know my friend. I know.” He spoke softly. “I felt just as you do not a few hours ago. I’m still getting used to it. Come.”

Martin had smelled them come into the room but he was ignoring them for the moment. The scents of three of his Queens filled his senses now and that is all that mattered to him as he nuzzled the top of Anja’s head once more.

[Red, are you sure that you... ?] He spoke within the shielded connection they all shared. Martin did not know if any of these Mountain Pack Alphas had any Etheric ability beyond the rudimentary use of it and he was not taking any chances.

Anja pulled her head away from his chest and looked up into his dark brown eyes. His mint scent combined with Aricia’s lavender and coco and For’mya’s orchid scent was heaven to Anja right now. It would be even better when Dysea, Bella and Cirith were back among them as well, but Anja was delighted at the moment.

[I’m fine Lover.] She answered him. [Really.]

[Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea Melyanna.] For’mya spoke now.

Anja shook her head. [No, For’mya. We discussed this, all of us. We agreed it needed to be done. We didn’t expect how it went down but the result was the same.]

[You getting beat to within an inch of your life was not part of the plan.] Aricia reminded her.

Anja looked at Martin. [I have a hard head as you have told me so often through the years.] She said with a brilliant smile. [It worked out Lover. I’m fine and we have the result we wanted.]

Martin lifted his hand and stroked her cheek watching as her eyes closed in bliss and Aricia and For’mya pressed closer to her as they felt it as well. [You are as obstinate as a Rock Spider too.] He told her.

Anja chuckled softly. [And just as deadly.] She offered.

Martin nodded his head. [That is for sure.] He agreed. [You are certain about this Loras and Lazar then?]

Anja nodded her head. [No doubt.] She replied to his question. [Loras and Lazar both have Mahanlo blood within them. Serale says that when Retta bit him, when they claimed each other, her pure Mahanlo blood proteins removed whatever was masking his. Ceale schooled Serale hard in blood proteins and such. She knows what she is talking about. Loras’ are still masked, as are her children with this Warim and probably her parents as well. There wasn’t time to do any tests on them before you showed up with an attitude.]

Martin grinned at her stern look. [My first plan was to kill them all and... ]

[Let god sort them out?] Anja finished. [Carians Lover, that is so old.] She said with a laugh that Aricia and For’mya joined in on.

[He was going to do it Anja.] Aricia stated. [Andro stopped him.]

Anja smiled again. [Thank god. Our son has more sense than you sometimes you know. Not often ... but sometimes.]

[Martin... ] For’mya spoke turning her head slightly and seeing Garget behind him with the other Alpha.

Martin nodded his head. [Yeah, I smell them.] He looked at Anja however. [Can you find out for sure Red?]

Anja nodded her head. [Easily. Her parents might not be too happy about it if what you, Andro and this Chiron says is true.]

Martin nodded his head. [We need to know for sure. And if one or both of them have Mahanlo blood in them, they will already know we are here.]

Anja nodded her head. [True enough. I’ll get on it.]

Martin leaned over quickly and laid a blistering kiss on her and pulsed her with his aura before she could blink and Anja couldn’t help but whimper softly in delight as she kissed him back. She glared at him when he pulled away, her pulse racing.

[You had better plan on picking this up again soon Lover.] She snarled at him while gripping the front of his shirt.

Martin grinned and waggled his eyebrows. [I do.] He told her.

All three of them burst into soft laughter within their connection and Anja slapped his face lightly. [I’ll hold you to that big boy.] She told him.

[We will come with you Anja.] Aricia said. [We wish to meet this Loras. Her role in our family is only just beginning. And this young Alpha who has stolen the heart of our daughter intrigues us.]