I felt all the tension ease out of my body the closer he brought me to the outside. When we stepped out on the back deck, I took a deep breath of the cold mountain air and let out a sigh. He patted my hand in a fatherly fashion. “We can be overwhelming in big groups like this. Even more so to a new wolf who is like you,” Pearson told me.
“Like me?” I asked him, curious why I was different. There were people outside, too, but I didn’t feel as trapped. I glanced over my shoulder to be sure Alex with still with me, and he was but Aiden was with him, too. They had their heads together, talking quietly and I couldn’t catch what they were saying.
“You’re a very strong wolf for one so newly made,” Pearson spoke conversationally, but I could pick up the underlying seriousness. “You may not realize it yet, but your instincts to protect and your perception are highly developed. Not many wolves would have put themselves between Alex and Aiden. You didn’t even hesitate to protect Alex. If you were in my pack, you would become a pack protector immediately with those instincts.”
“And in Alex’s pack?” I asked him. Pearson turned to look at Alex and I followed his gaze. Alex was joking with Aiden, but he always kept me in his line of sight. I doubted that his worry was from Pearson, but I could feel enough tension in the air to know that not all the wolves around me were merely curious about me. Some felt threatened by my presence.
“I think he will try to protect you,” Pearson murmured, and I knew it was so Alex couldn’t hear him. In fact, I watched Alex cock his head, trying to catch what we were talking about. Pearson turned away from him and looked into my eyes. “Don’t let him hold you back, Zipporah. You follow those instincts. Protect him and your pack. There is nothing worse than having the ones you love threatened.”
Chapter Thirty
Alex
I couldn’t hear what my father was saying but I could read the tension in Zee’s body. I shifted my gaze around the crowd, looking for the source of her unease. My childhood pack was here in force to meet the new wolf. I knew it would be a major source of gossip and speculation that I had chosen a made wolf. I also knew that Delaney’s prejudice was tiny compared to what I might encounter with some of the older born wolves.
“Do you plan on teaching her to fight?” Aiden tried to sound casual, but I could pick up the hunger in his voice. He saw Zee as a worthy opponent, like any wolf who enjoyed a good fight would.
“No,” I spoke firmly and too loudly. Zee’s head snapped in my direction and her eyes flitted over my face and then flashed to Aiden. After a minute she turned back to my father and whatever she said to him caused him to smile.
“If you don’t teach her, she’ll just get hurt,” Aiden said, as if nothing had happened. “She’ll protect you regardless of her skills, and then what, Alex?” I shook my head quickly. I wasn’t interested in his wild theories. Zee was going to be my mate, nothing more. I wasn’t setting her up to put her life between danger and the pack on a daily basis.
“She won’t have to protect me,” I growled. “I’m the alpha, I protect myself and my pack. I protect my mate. It doesn’t work the other way.”
“Well if you believe that you’re a foolish pig,” a melodic voice spoke behind me and I turned to take in the tiny female who had snuck up silently. Her Hawaiian heritage gave her copper colored skin and highlighted brown hair that made her stand out. She was beautiful, and the envy of many of the females in the pack. Even more so after she mated Aiden when they were only 20.
“Not everyone can be a tiny anomaly, Kailani,” I pulled her in and hugged her briefly. She smiled up at me and then reached up to pull on my ear sharply. I hissed and yanked away from her fierce grip. “Holy hell, Kailani, try not to rip off my ear. Your grandma’s got to quit teaching you that shit.”
She grinned but her gaze skipped over to where Zee was and I followed it. Zee stood tensed, watching our interaction. I smiled at her and she spoke quietly to my father, who just nodded. Zee made her way over to me. While my eyes darted around for anyone who might hurt her, her eyes narrowed on the wolves around me.
She immediately pressed close to me and I wrapped my arm around her. Kailani’s eyes lit up with excitement as she looked over Zee. She bounced forward and yanked Zee into a hug, made awkward by Zee’s surprise and reluctance to let me go. When Kailani backed away I could tell that Zee had softened towards her. She looked curious and the tension in her body had eased.
“I’m Kailani,” the feisty little female proclaimed. “I’ve heard so much about you from Tegan and Ophelia. All white and a protector if the rumors in the house are correct. I’d love to spar with you.” I started to say no but Zee beat me.
“I don’t think I would be much of a partner,” Zee told her, but I could feel her excitement and I knew the conversation was about to take a turn I wouldn’t like. “But I’d love to learn.” Aiden grinned triumphantly and kissed Kailani for her master skills at undermining me.
“You don’t need to learn,” I growled into Zee’s ear. She opened her mouth to protest and I could see the fight in her eyes. I changed
